FINAL
Finance Committee Meeting
Town of Bellingham – Municipal Center
Monday, August 13, 2012 7:15pm
1. FinCom Present: J. Collamati (Chairman), J. Cibelli, P. Degenering, H. Mason, K. Quinn,
R. Szczepan
2. FinCom Absent: J. Allam
3. Meeting was called to order at 7:15 PM.
4. Committee was prepared to re-interview two applicants for FinCom Clerk position. Larry Sposato was present. After determining that Janelle Piselli was not present anywhere in the building, the Board re-interviewed Mr. Sposato. The Chair then asked the pleasure of the Board.
R. Szczepan/H. Mason motioned to appoint L. Sposato as the new FinCom Clerk.
Passed 6-0
5. FinCom adjourned to the Arcand Room to meet jointly with the Board of Selectman, the Chiefs of Police and Fire and DPW Director to discuss Digital Radio Upgrade requirements. Highlights:
- Current systems are not reliable for Police and Fire needs
- Pagers/radios will be engraved with users’ names and electronically linked to users.
- Question was raised as to whether old system can be used by DPW and have new system phased in gradually; consensus: NO, due to unreliability and DPW having to historically deal with unreliable system – especially during snowstorms.
- Potential 911 grant monies were discussed.
- It was determined that old radio equipment had little salvage value and would be destroyed.
K. Quinn/H. Mason motioned that the FinCom recommend expending monies from Free Cash totaling $99,939.30 for Police Department P25 Digital Subscribers Upgrade (see attachments).
Passed 6-0
K. Quinn/R. Szcezpan motioned that the FinCom recommend expending monies from Free Cash totaling $212,562.32 for Fire Department P25 Digital Subscribers Upgrade (see attachments).
Passed 6-0
Note: DPW radio upgrades were put on hold until further discussion with D. DiMartino at next FinCom meeting scheduled for 8/27/12.
6. Old Business: 2 computers were requested by Fire Chief Gentile to be installed in Chief and Deputy Chief cars. The computer currently in Chief’s car would be re-installed in a fire engine to comply with Norfolk County “GO Command” requirement that at least one engine per town be outfitted with a computer. Bid was received from Bay State Computer Services which is on State Bid List.
K. Quinn/H. Mason motioned that FinCom recommend that $6,721.40 be expended from Free Cash to purchase 2 new “semi-rugged” laptops with 3-year warranties to be installed in Fire Chief and Deputy Chief’s cars (see attached documentation).
Passed 6-0
7. Old Business: Per Fire Chief Gentile, it has been determined that a new breathing air compressor system is needed, as the existing compressor is only operating at 60% capacity. It is no longer under warranty and has out-lived its 10-year life expectancy. A quote was obtained from Industrial Protection Services (on State Bid List).
H. Mason/K. Quinn motioned that FinCom recommend that $35,356.00 (including $726.00 for feed cable supplied by Drolet Electric) be expended from Free Cash for the replacement of Breathing Air System Compressor (see attached documentation).
Passed 6-0
8. New Business:
- Superintendant Fleury will be present at 8/27 meeting to present Macy School carpeting, Middle School Renovation, school pick-up truck, and any school STM matters.
- DPW Director DiMartino will present regarding capital item requests for the Highway, Water, Parks Department at 8/27 meeting.
- Michael Reed will present on the athletic feed reconstruction project 8/27 meeting
- Marilyn Mathieu will be present at 8/27 meeting to discuss MIS Disaster Recovery System and any other financial matters on the STM
Further discussion will take place at 8/27 meeting regarding Police Chief’s proposal to move $39,228 from salaries to expenses.
9. Motion to Adjourn
R. Szczepan/K. Quinn motioned to adjourn.
Passed 6-0
Meeting was adjourned at 8:35 PM
Respectfully submitted by:
Larry Sposato,
Finance Committee Clerk
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