Advisory Committee Present: David Lindsay
March 2, 2010 Burt Shnitzler
Randy Dinjian
Bob Czekanski
Connie Benjamin
Terry Abdalian
Linda Day, Town Secretary
The Advisory Committee met at the Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.
The meeting was called to order at approximately 8:20 p.m. in the Town Hall. All members were present. Also present were the Board of Selectmen (Mr. Troup, Mr. Wysocki and Mr. Plante) and the Town Administrator, Mr. Lowe.
The Committee met with Mr. Harold Brown and Ms. Michelle O'Toole of the Department of Public Works (DPW) to review that department's budget for fiscal 2011.
In the Highway section of the budget (421), the Committee made the following adjustments: Purchase of Services was increased from $2,500 to $3,500. Heating was raised from $4,000 to $4,500. The supplies line item was reduced from $13,600 to $11,600. Gasoline was increased from $6,000 to $7,000. Diesel was raised from $12,000 to $13,000. Parts/Supplies were increased from $11,000 to $12,000. Training was reduced from $1,200 to $800. The Committee changed the line item designation "Miscellaneous" to "Clothing Allowance", while leaving the amount budgeted at the requested level of $8,500.
In the Construction and Maintenance section of the budget (422), the Committee increased the Wages line item from $12,000 to $17,000. This money is used for duty officers on highway repaving and repair projects. The Local Improvements line item was reduced from $200,000 to $195,000.
In the Street Lighting section of the budget (424), the Electric line item was reduced from $7,000 to $6,000.
In the Transfer Station section of the budget (433), the Trash Disposal line item was reduced from $75,000 to $72,700. Maintenance was increased from $5,700 to $8,000.
There was uncertainty as to whether the Sewer section of the budget (440) actually encompassed sewer spending, or if it related to the new public water supply for the Public Safety Building and Library. Town Administrator Lowe said he would resolve questions relating to the Sewer budget and work with the Town Accountant to implement any needed changes to the DPW budget.
In the Cemetery section of the budget (491), the Committee decided to instruct the Town Accountant to change the "Miscellaneous" line item designation to "Maintenance and Expansion" or to "Grounds Maintenance".
Although it is in the General Government part of the budget, the DPW has responsibility for the Town Buildings account (190). The Committee increased the Maintenance line item in this section of the budget from $49,250 to $63,680, reflecting prospective costs related to the new Public Safety and Library buildings. Mr. Brown said that this was a tentative estimate and that the figure might need to be revised before the overall Town budget is finalized once better estimates of likely maintenance costs for the new buildings are available. The Repairs line item was raised from $21,000 to $22,000.
Ms. O'Toole informed the Committee that the DPW would again be sponsoring an article at Town meeting that would have Bolton join a regional hazardous waste facility to be built in Devens. A similar article passed Town Meeting last year, but was rejected by voters at the ballot election one week later. The Committee Chairman, Mr. Lindsay, requested that Mrs. Benjamin serve as the Committee's liaison with Ms. O'Toole on this issue. Mrs. Benjamin agreed to do so.
The Selectmen are in the process of forming a Public Space Needs Committee. Mr. Lindsay suggested that Mrs. Abdalian be appointed the Advisory Committee's liaison to the new committee. On a motion by Mr. Czekanski, seconded by Mr. Shnitzler, Mrs. Abdalian's appointment was approved unanimously.
The Committee next revisited the line item in the Police Department budget providing for a one-year motorcycle lease. Mrs. Abdalian moved to eliminate the motorcycle lease by reducing the line item to $0. Mrs. Benjamin seconded the motion. On a 3-to-3 tie vote (Mrs. Abdalian-Yes; Mrs. Benjamin-Yes; Mr. Dinjian-Yes; Mr. Lindsay-No; Mr. Shnitzler-No; Mr. Czekanski-No), the motion failed, and the motorcycle lease remained in the budget at the funded level.
Mr. Lindsay presented an overview of where the town's fiscal budget was at the present time. Assuming a $50,000 set-aside for the Fyfeshire Dam situation, there was $93,868 of unallocated Free Cash above the $500,000 minimum that the Committee believes is required by the Town.
Mr. Lindsay also noted that the Town Accountant had informed him that a 1% COLA increase for all employees other than unionized DPW workers would cost approximately $21,000.
The Committee reviewed, modified and approved minutes from February 2nd and 23rd.
On a motion by Mrs. Abdalian, seconded by Mr. Shnitzler, the Committee voted unanimously to adjourn at 10:35 p.m.
| 
