Advisory Committee Present: Scott Powell
October 25, 2005 David Lindsay
Chris Slade
Burt Shnitzler
Wendy Rogers
David Bosselait
The Advisory Committee met at the Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Board of Selectmen Stan Wysocki, Ken Troup, and Panny Gerken, Town Administrator Jodi Ross and a Boy Scout Troup from the Town of Bolton with their mentors to observe the meeting for an hour.
TRANSFER - MONIES TO PAY INTERIM POLICE CHIEF
~Town Administrator, Jodi Ross, informed the Advisory Committee that the Police Chief Search Committee has hired a consultant to help with the search of a new police chief, but they have realized that the original timeline for completion of the search is too aggressive. They feel that it will be at least March 2006 before hiring a new Chief, and therefore the Police Chief Search Committee and the Board of Selectmen feel that it is in the best interest of the Town to hire an interim Police Chief. Such a person has been contacted and would work 30 hours per week at the outset, reducing to 20-25 hours as possible.~ It has been estimated that $20,000.00 would be needed to pay for this service.~
Discussion followed. On a motion made by Slade and seconded by Rogers the Advisory Committee voted to support the hiring of an interim Police Chief and to draw from the line item at present, tabling the transfer until a later date when the line item has been zeroed out. This will allow for determining the actual amount required for the interim Police Chief at which time the transfer can be requested with the exact amount. ~(Powell – yes, Slade – yes, Rogers – yes, Lindsay – abstained, Shnitzler – yes) Mr. Bosselait was not present for this discussion/vote.
CAPITAL PROJECTS FINANCIAL MODELS
~Mr. Lindsay distributed his latest financial model and reviewed it year by year with the group. His take is that if all the projects requested in the Special Town Meeting Warrant are accepted, the effect on the median tax rate would be $360 per year.~ Actually the gross effect is nearer $650 per year, but other debt payoff would occur to give a net increase of $350.~ Mr. Slade pointed out that other debt would probably be incurred in addition to these long-term projects. (i.e. a truck for the Highway Department or a fire truck) stating that it might be fair to drop the smaller purchase debt from the question. Ms. Rogers stated that the voters should be made ware of the overall effect on $650. Again the subject of school capital expense was raised.~ Ms. Gerken stated that the first meeting of the
group was concerned with the timing of those expenses and would be in the coming week.~ It was mentioned that while no actual time nor figure is available, the fact of this impending liability should be mentioned.
Mr. Powell spoke about his model, which was more of a composite between his ideas and Mr. Lindsay’s ideas with input from Mr. Bosselait.~ It was noted that the starting figures, reportedly both from the Town Accountant, were different. Mr. Powell and Mr. Bosselait decided upon a joint meeting with the Town Accountant to coordinate this starting point.~ The general direction of the information was similar.~
A brief discussion as to presentation and slides for the Special Town Meeting, both number and complexity, was undertaken. This discussion will be continued at the next Advisory~meeting.
~MASTER PLANNING COMMITTEE
~Mr. Slade met with the Master Planning Committee, noting that their votes on Taggart and the Library coincided with those of the Advisory Committee. He stated that they agonized over the vote for the Smith property and wanted to share their thoughts with us.~ Most of the arguments were on the same lines as those~discussed before. The general thought was that to buy the property would be more of a defensive move than anything else, for fear of what could be done with the property if the Town had no control.~ Issues of liability, and minimarts were raised on one hand, and parks and different sorts of housing on the other. The one new idea that came forward was that the Town buys the property and then flips it with contingencies.~~ The meeting ended with no real consensus.
Meeting adjourned.
| 
