Advisory Committee Present: Randy Dinjian
February 8, 2011 Connie Benjamin
Terry Abdalian
Naveen Rohatgi
Michael Zelenkov
Linda Day, Town Secretary
Town Administrator, Don Lowe
The Advisory Committee met at the Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Curt Plante and David Lindsay, Board of Selectmen
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Advisory Committee reviewed the FY12 budget with John Stephenson, Fire Chief and David Farrell, full time EMT/Firefighter.
The Wages – Permanent Firefighter line item represents half of Mr. Farrell’s salary with the other half budgeted in the Ambulance Department’s budget.
An article has been submitted for the Annual Town Meeting for funds to purchase new pagers for the Fire and EMS Departments. If this article is not approved the radio maintenance line item will be used to purchase a minimum of two pagers. Mr. Plante questioned whether the Emergency Management Co-Directors had any grant money for these new pagers.
The Uniform line item will allow for the purchase of three new sets of turnout gear (coat and pants). There are approximately 30 firefighters and the turnout gear should be changed every five years; Bolton tries to get seven to eight years out of the turnout gear.
The question was raised as to whether or not the Town should have a cap on the number of firefighters on the roster and if there is opportunity to look at a regional approach with neighboring towns.
It was agreed that the miscellaneous line item would be combined with the Supplies line item.
The Waterhole line item is budgeted at $5,000 and the Fire Department anticipates receiving an additional $2,000 in grant money for a total of $7,000 to do the necessary maintenance on one waterhole. There are approximately 10 waterholes in town and each year the fire department tries to do maintenance work on at least one water hole to clean out the silt and install a dry hydrant.
Based on the budget discussion this evening the following revisions were made to the Fire Department budget:
Baseline level funded budget: Repairs $3,000 to $5,000
Software $0 to $800
Radio Maintenance $2,200 to $1,600
Supplies $2,000 to $4,000
Diesel $3,000 to $4,000
Miscellaneous $1,400 to $0
Equipment $4,000 to $3,000
3% department reduction budget: Supplies $2,000 to $4,000
Diesel $2,550 to $4,000
Miscellaneous $1,400 to $0
Dues/Membership $700 to $650
Equipment $4,000 to $3,000
AMBULANCE
The Advisory Committee reviewed the FY12 budget with Margy Diaz, Ambulance Director.
The DPW hires additional workers for the summer months that are also EMTs and respond to emergency calls that help to control the wages line item.
The following revisions were made to the Ambulance budget:
Baseline level funded budget: Wages – EMT shifts $16,000 to $10,000
Office Supplies $2,000 to $1,000
Diesel $3,500 to $4,000
Equipment $8,000 to $7,000
3% department reduction budget: Wages – EMT shifts $16,000 to $10,000
Office Supplies $1,500 to $1,000
Diesel $3,500 to $4,000
Equipment $7,500 to $6,500
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Advisory Committee reviewed the FY12 budget for the Police Department with Chief Alfano and Lorraine Kenney, Administrative Assistant.
Chief Alfano stated that the public safety departments have responded to 8,695 calls in 2010 and 1,816 calls already for 2011.
Chief Alfano stated that the purchase of a new cruiser and lease of a motorcycle have been deferred and removed from the FY12 budget. The wages line items are fixed because they are contractually controlled. After a lengthy discussion regarding the Police Department budget the following revisions were made:
Baseline level funded budget: Hired Services $5,000 to $3,000
Miscellaneous $500 to $0
Repairs Cruiser $11,000 to $21,000
Gas Cruiser $25,000 to $24,000
3% department reduction budget: Hired Services $5,000 to $3,000
Miscellaneous $500 to $0
Mr. Plante suggested that a policy be put in place to disallow the washing of vehicles in the sally ports which would reduce the budget for the pumping of the floor drain.
Mr. Plante also suggested that Chief Alfano look at ways of making the Harold E. Brown training room at the Public safety Center a revenue generating facility.
Chief Alfano introduced a new budget – Public Safety Building, Account #200 that was intended to be the operating budget for the Public Safety Building which is shared by the Police, Fire and EMS Departments. The Advisory Committee reviewed a revised budget that totaled $153,923 versus the total of $151,427 that was originally submitted. A revised budget will be provided to the Advisory Committee for further review.
Because of time constraints, the Communications budget was not reviewed and will be rescheduled for the Advisory Committee’s March 8, 2011 meeting.
On a motion made by and seconded by, the Advisory Committee voted to adjourn at 10:35 p.m. (Dinjian – yes, Czekanski – yes, Benjamin – yes, Abdalian – yes, Rohatgi – yes, Zelenkov – yes)
Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day
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