Advisory Committee Present: Randy Dinjian
January 11, 2011 Bob Czekanski
Connie Benjamin
Naveen Rohatgi
Mike Zelenkov
Linda Day, Town Secretary
Donald Lowe, Town Administrator
The Advisory Committee met at the Town Hall at 7:50 p.m.
Present: Curt Plante and David Lindsay, Board of Selectmen
PLANNING BOARD
Present: Jenny Atwood Burney, Town Planner
Ms. Burney stated that the Purchase of Service line item is for review of applications submitted to the Planning Board, including traffic and engineering studies that may be required as part of the review process. Mr. Plante proposed that all fees relative to the submission of an application be the responsibility of the applicant.
The Committee and Ms. Burney discussed imposing administrative and project review fees for the review of applications that come before the Board. Ms. Burney also suggested that any advertising fees be the responsibility of the applicant. Ms. Burney has drafted proposed regulations governing the fees that she has discussed with Mr. Lowe, Town Administrator and the Planning Board. Mr. Lowe is in support of the proposed rules and regulations and would like to implement for FY12.
Ms. Atwood Burney stated that the wages line item represents 40 hours per week and she works is currently working between 35 and 40 hours per week. The Advisory Committee recommended that the budget be adjusted to reflect the actual hours worked by Ms. Burney. Mr. Lowe agreed to review the hours worked by Ms. Burney on an annual basis and adjust the budget accordingly.
The following revisions were made to the Planning Board budget with the understanding that Ms. Burney could return to the Committee for a reserve fund transfer if one were necessary:
Baseline level funded budget: Purchase of Services $10,000 to $3,000
Advertising $1,100 to $385
Dues $1,400 to $1,650
Meetings $850 to $900
3% department reduction budget: Purchase of Services $10,000 to $3,000
Supplies $500 to $300
BOARD OF APPEALS
Present: Jenny Atwood Burney, Town Planner
The following revisions were made to the Board of Appeals budget with the understanding that Ms. Burney could return to the Committee for a reserve fund transfer if one were necessary:
Baseline level funded budget: Advertising $300 to $100
Supplies $100 to $0.00
Dues $200 to $0.00
40B Permitting $500 to $100
3% department reduction budget: Advertising $252 to $100
Supplies $100 to $0.00
Dues $200 to $0.00
Meetings $500 to $450
40B Permitting $500 to $100
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Present: Tom Moses and Andrew Bagdonas, Emergency Management Co-Directors
Mr. Moses stated that they are not eligible to apply for any matching grants if they do not have the matching funds in their budget. The Advisory Committee recommended that all grant money received be spent prior to expending funds in the budget. The unexpended funds from a grant carry over and are not returned to the general fund if they are not expended.
The following revision was made to the Emergency Management budget:
Baseline level funded budget: no changes
3% department reduction budget: Web services $950 to $850
TOWN ACCOUNTANT
Present: Julie Costello, Town Accountant
Ms. Costello presented her budget to the Advisory Committee. The baseline level funded budget totaled $79,767 which represented contractual obligations except for the supplies and meetings line items. The 3% reduction budget included a $100 reduction in the supplies line item and a $100 reduction in the meetings line item for a total budget of $79,567. No additional revisions were made to the budgets.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR
The following revisions were made to the budgets presented by Mr. Lowe:
Board of Selectmen:
Baseline level funded budget: Purchase of Services $7,000 to $5,000
Engineering $7,000 to $9,000
3% department reduction budget: Purchase of Services $7,000 to 4,500
Engineering Services $6,500 to $9,000
The unexpended balance in the Purchase of Services and Engineering line items for FY11 will be used for the on-going monitoring of the oil leak at the Public Safety Center. Quarterly testing is required which costs approximately $4,500 per test. Mr. Lowe anticipates that the final testing and reporting will be completed in FY12. Any remaining balance in the FY11 budget will be used to relocate the Treasurer, Accountant and Building Inspector to the Town Hall. The Advisory Committee was cautioned about decreasing these two lines items by too much because throughout the fiscal year these funds are used for unforeseen circumstances.
Town Administrator:
Baseline level funded budget: Supplies $1,450 to $1,000
Dues $1,100 to $800
3% department reduction budget: Training $1,000 to $1,850
Supplies $1,200 to $1,000
Dues $1,100 to $800
Legal Services:
Baseline level funded budget: no changes
3% department reduction budget: Purchase of Services $38,800 to $35,000
Town Hall:
Baseline level funded budget: Purchase of Services $1,100 to $550
Clock Winding $200 to $0.00
Gas $300 to $0
3% department reduction budget: Purchase of Services $800 to $550
Gas $200 to $0.00
Town Reports
Baseline level funded budget: Purchase of Services $5,000 to $3,000
3% department reduction budget: Purchase of Services $4,800 to $3,000
The Building Insurance budget was level funded at $16,485 and the Other Insurances budget was level funded at $$69,143.00.
Mr. Lowe reported that negotiations for the DPW, Police and Firefighters contracts will begin soon.
LANCASTER
The Lancaster Selectmen and Finance Committee have sent a similar letter as Bolton to the NRSD School Committee requesting a level funded budget for fiscal year 2012.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day
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