DRAFT MINUTES
Finance Committee Minutes
(with notes & history)
Town of Bellingham – Municipal Center
Monday, April 2, 2012
1. FinCom Present: Judith Cibelli, Joseph Collamati, Roland Lavallee, Henri Masson, Katie Quinn, Daniel Spencer, Toni Picariello
2. FinCom Absent: N/A
3. Meeting called to order: 7:15 p.m.
John Allan sat in to observe the meeting.
4. ARTICLE 21 - TITLE V, SEPTIC SYSTEMS/$300,000 (BOARD OF HEALTH)
Louis Gorham and Vincent Forte of the Board of Health appeared.
They explained the Article as follows Funding: $300,000 from borrowing.
This Article allows the Town to offer a loan to homeowners in order to repair their residential failing septic system through the Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) Revolving Fund. This is only for existing septic systems. A homeowner with a problem can apply for the loan and if approved, will need to pay it back at 2% interest. The charges are placed as a lien (same as a betterment) on the property. The homeowner can pay-off the loan over 20 years.
The average loan to repair a septic system is about $10,000 to $15,000. The Board of Health does not approve any repairs that are not directly tied into the actual repair project.
Joseph Collamati/Daniel Spencer motion to recommend this article. Funding: $300,000 from borrowing. VOTE: 7/0.
5. ARTICLE 9 - AMEND ARTICLE 1
FIRE DEPARTMENT - EXPENSES/$7,500
Steven Gentile, Chief and Mark Poirer, Deputy appeared.
They are asking for a transfer of $7,500 to the Fire Department Expense budget to testing of chases, pump and aerial ladder.
Joseph Collamati/Henri Masson motion to recommend transferring $7,500 from free cash to Fire Department Expense budget. VOTE: 7/0.
6. ARTICLE 14 - NON CAPITAL OUTLAY (UNDER $50,000)
FIRE DEPARTMENT - BOAT MOTOR/$3,781.00
The Fire Department is requesting $3,781 for a boat motor. The price of the Four Stroke 25 hp electric start EFI Mercury engine for their rubberized rescue boat. The motor will be purchase from Bass Pro Shop in Foxboro and the service manager lives in Bellingham. The Motor costs $3,528, battery $100, Battery Box $13 and aluminum propeller $140 for a total of $3,781.
The Fire Department has never bought a motor, the one they had was donated about 25 years ago. The boat can accommodate 2 rescuers going out and an additional patient coming back.
Joseph Collamati/Daniel Spencer motion to recommend this article. Funding: $3,800 from free cash. VOTE: 7/0.
7. ARTICLE 1, ITEM 220 - FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Salaries Expenses Total
2009 actual $1,510.187 $91,450 $1,601,637
2010 actual $1,462,254 $94,897 $1,557,151 +$44,486
2011 actual $1,512.509 $93,058 $1,605,567 -$48,416
2012 $1,669,635 $120,933 $1,790,568 +$185,001
2013 $1,770,262 $125,560 $1,895,822 +$105,254
The increase in the budget is for 3 new firefighters. 2 would be paid from ambulance receipts. They are trying to decrease the overtime and the Chief stated that he does not have enough personnel to man both ambulances and that is why only one is making runs. The Firefighter's contract has not been settled to date.
Henri Masson/Katie Quinn motion to recommend the Fire Department budget, Item 220 as follows: VOTE: 7/0
Salaries: $1,770,262
Expenses: $125,50
Total $1,895,822.
Funding with be voted on at the last meeting.
8. ARTICLE 23 - CIVIL FINGERPRINTING (POLICE DEPARTMENT)
Gerald Daigle, Chief appeared.
The Chief is requesting that the following individuals be fingerprinted before doing business in town.
1. Hawking and Peddling or other Door-to- Door Salespeople
2. Manager of establishment seeking Alcoholic Beverage License from Board of Selectmen
3. Owner or Operator of Public Conveyance
4. Dealer of Second-hand Articles
5. Pawn Dealers
6. Hackney Drivers
7. Ice Cream Truck Vendors
Some of the Committee members were concerned about this article. Daniel Spencer asked if individuals were already in business or doing business could they be grandfathered, such as managers in restaurants serving alcohol who have been operating a business in town for years without problems.
Joseph Collamati would agree with the fingerprinting of 1) Hawking and Peddling, 2) Pawn Dealers, 3) Hackney Drivers and 4) Ice Cream Truck Vendors. The Chief explained that Pawn Dealers were on the list because the Police have found stolen items at pawn shops; Cab drivers usually pick up a single individual; Door to Door salespeople for the obvious reason and Ice cream truck vendors because they deal with children.
Committee members had concerns about fingerprinting a) Manager of establishment seeking Alcoholic Beverage License from Board of Selectmen, b) Owner or Operator of Public Conveyance and c) Dealer of Second-hand Articles.
The Chief also explained that the individuals would fill out an application giving the Town the right to fingerprint them, costing $100.00 ($70 to the Town and $30 to the State)
The FinCom would like to continue this Article and speak to Town Counsel regarding concerns.
9. ARTICLE 1, ITEM 210 - POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Salaries Expenses Total
2009 actual $2,580,718 $126,395 $2,707,113
2010 actual $2,392,217 $131,322 $2,523,539 -$183,574
2011 actual $2,440,501 $131,783 $2,572,284 +$48,745
2012 $2,478,070 $186,656 $2,664,726 +$92,442
2013 $2,515,326 $149,400 $2,664,726 +$0
The Chief is hoping to hire two patrolmen. The Captain is retiring and they will replace him with a patrolman at a lower salary. He would like to pay for another patrolman by turning over overtime dollars not used. The Contract will be going to arbitration.
Daniel Spencer questioned the decrease in ammunition costs from 2011 ($14,522) to $9,500 in 2012 & 2013. It was explained that in 2011 weapons were purchased along with the ammunition. That account will be level funded this year.
Joseph Collamati/Daniel Spencer motion to recommend the police budget as follow: VOTE: 7/0
Expenses: $2,515,326
Salaries: $149,400
Total: $2,664,726
Funding will be voted on at a later meeting.
10. ARTICLE 14 - NON CAPITAL OUTLAY (UNDER $50,000)
REVALUATION/$45,000 (ASSESSORS)
Marilyn Mathieu appeared.
This is the yearly expenditure for revaluations and will be used mostly for commercial property. They will hire a company for the job. The $45,000 will be funded by Overlay Surplus Account. The balance in that account is $317,000.
The Overlay amount is determine by the Board of Assessors and is used to pay-out abatements. Whatever is left over goes into the Overlay Surplus Account. The Overlay amount is added to the Town budget.
Daniel Spencer/Henri Masson motion to recommend the expenditure. Funding: $45,000 from Overlay Surplus. VOTE: 7/0.
11. GASB 45 ACTUARIAL EVALUATION/$9,800 (CFO)
An amount of $9,800 to fund a GASB 45 update. The Town will be mandated to do a major actuarial update. Bellingham provides post employment benefits of health insurance at 50% to retirees. GASB says our unfunded health insurance liability of around $32M. The Town had always funded the health insurance benefits as "pay as we go".
Toni Picariello was concerned that there is no end to the 50% health insurance payment benefit to retirees. She stated that when she, and most private sector employees, retire no one pays 50% of their health insurance. Why can't the town revise this benefit?
Henri Masson/Katie Quinn motion to recommend this expenditure. Funding: $9,800 free cash. VOTE 6/1 (Toni Picariello voted against this article).
12. GENERAL DISCUSSION
A. Correspondence/Emails/Memo's etc.
i. Bellingham owed money for RI Students (Milford Daily News, 3/21/2012)
B. Michael Connor requested that Article 17 - Football Field Reconstruction be moved to the end of the FinCom/CIC meeting on April 23, 2012 and that the meeting be held at Keough School. Toni Picariello will check with the school department.
C. Denis Fraine informed the Committee that the Police Station Feasibility Committee will be interviewing 3 architects. The presentation and interviews will take place on April 23, 2012 at 9:00 a.m.
13. Adjourn: Daniel Spencer/Henri Masson motion to adjourn. VOTE: 7/0. 8:35 p.m.
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