Advisory Committee Present: Randy Dinjian
February 15, 2011 Robert Czekanski
Connie Benjamin
Terry Abdalian
Mike Zelenkov
Naveen Rohatgi
Linda Day, Town Secretary
Donald Lowe, Town Administrator
The Advisory Committee met at the Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Curt Plante and David Lindsay, Board of Selectmen
TREASURER
The Advisory Committee reviewed the FY12 budget with Ms. Madden, Treasurer/Collector and HR Director.
Treasurer: The Tax Collector’s budget was combined with the Treasurer’s budget for a total of $133,294. Ms. Madden requested an extra 52 hours totaling $1,101.36 for additional hours for the Assistant Tax Collector to work during peak times of the year.
Major efforts are being made to collect outstanding taxes. Ms. Madden stated that the taxes for the Century Mill Road subdivision are outstanding for both FY10 and FY11 which totals approximately $180,000 and these properties will be going into tax title if payment is not received for FY12.
Insurances: The Worcester County Retirement Insurance line item shows a 9.5% increase over FY11 but also represents a discount of $6,000 because we make one payment on July 1, 2010.
The Health Insurance line item shows a 13.9% increase. The health insurance premium ratio is currently at 70% - 30% with the town paying 70% which Ms. Madden stated is average for the surrounding towns.
Ms. Madden will provide the Advisory Committee with a copy of the annual disclosure that gives a demographic snapshot of the town as it compares to the State. Upon review of this information it will be decided as to whether or not it should be posted to the website. The following revisions were made to the Treasurer’s budget:
Baseline level funded budget: Tax Taking $1,100 to $1,540
Educational Assistance $2,000 to $1,000
Miscellaneous $340 to $0
3% department reduction budget: Tax Taking $1,000 to $1,340
Educational Assistance $1,800 to $800
Miscellaneous $340 to $0
LIBRARY
Bob Zak, Roland Ochsenbein, and Chris Sterling, Library Trustees and Kelly Collins, Library Director met with the Advisory Committee to review the FY12 budget.
FY11 Update: Mr. Zak reported that in FY11 the $7 million renovations project ($3.5 million from the town, $2.5 million in matching gifts from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) and over $1 million in private donations) was completed and the doors were opened in February, 2010 to the expanded Bolton Public Library on time and within budget. In calendar year 2010, circulation was up approximately 50% over calendar year 2009 and visits to the library had increased from 22,000 to 43,000. The program room has been heavily used by a
wide range of patrons. The Trustees instituted a new wage scale for the library shelver position.
The current data shows that the library will be over budget by $7,000 for FY11 for the utilities ($4,500 for heat and $2,500 for electricity). The $7,000 shortfall will be funded by unexpended funds in the other line items and the State Aid to Library Grant funds which the Board of Trustees controls.
FY12 Budget: The Salary and Wages line items include step increases and the new wage scale for the library shelver position. The Purchase of Service and Professional Development line items show a reduction over last year. The Heat line item was budgeted at $26,000 and the Electric line item was budgeted at $20,000 for total increase of $11,000. The requested $11,000 represents an estimation of the cost of heat and electricity for a full year based on the usage they have seen so far. It is the Library Trustees intention to look at ways of reducing the consumption to reduce the budget. Mr. Zak stated that Mr. Brown’s Buildings budget includes costs to cover the library contracts for the HVAC systems. The Repairs line item was budgeted at $1,600 which is an
increase of $600. The Telephone line item was budgeted at $2,500 which is an increase of $400. This is for six phone lines, with 4 of them being designated to automated security alarms. The Trash Disposal and Trash Hauler line items were zeroed out and these costs are budgeted in Mr. Brown’s Buildings budget.
Mr. Zak stated that the Books line item did not represent the correct amount and recommended that it be revised to $76,466 which represents 19.5% for books and materials.
Mr. Dinjian stated that according to the MBLC requirements for certification, the number of hours the library must be open and how much is spent on materials and books is dictated by the Town’s population which is 5,100 according to the census. Currently, Bolton’s library is open 40+ hours per week and historically we have budgeted 19.5% for books and materials. Upon further review of the MBLC requirements, there is also a flexibility provision in the MBLC requirements that states if you exceed the threshold in one of the requirements you may apply for some leniency in another. Bolton exceeds the open hours per week requirement, and therefore it is Mr. Dinjian’s opinion that the books and materials line item could be reduced to 16%.
Mr. Zak explained that the MBLC guidelines are not requirements but that they are minimum guidelines. He does not feel that Bolton is a minimum usage type of town and people in Bolton expect more of the library. The MBLC is required by law to rely on the Massachusetts Department of Revenue population figures. The population data that MBLC will use going into FY12 is 4,604 which is based on the 2009 Massachusetts Department of Revenue estimates for population.
Mr. Dinjian expressed his dismay that in the past years the budget was looked at very carefully to meet the 19.5% when in reality we did not have to meet it because of the flexibility provision. Mr. Dinjian recommended that based on the population data the 19.5% in the level funded budget be reduced to 16%.
In their 3% reduction budget, the Library Trustees reduced the number of hours of the Young Adult Specialist position from 35 to 20 hours per week which has a direct effect on their ability to serve the teenage population. At this point they do not feel a reduction in library hours is necessary but if they have to reduce the hours they plan to reduce the hours on Saturday afternoon. They also budgeted $69,918 for books and materials which represents 18.5%.
Mr. Zak confirmed that the Professional Development line item should be $650 and not $750 as shown.
The Advisory Committee asked the Library Trustees to meet with them on March 8, 2011 and provide detailed information on how they would spend the $76,466 versus the $69,918.
Budget Summary: Mr. Dinjian shared a FY12 Budget Summary Spreadsheet with the Library Trustees and the Advisory Committee that showed a Version A (baseline level funded) budget with a surplus of $159,870 and a Version B (3% department reduction) budget with a surplus of $143,310.
Transfer request: On a motion made by Zelenkov and seconded by Benjamin, the Advisory Committee voted to disapprove a transfer request in the amount of $166.00 for Books and Materials. (Dinjian – yes, Czekanski – yes, Benjamin – yes, Abdalian – yes, Zelenkov – yes, Rohatgi - yes)
Meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day
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