Date of Meeting: Friday, January 30, 2009
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 2:10 PM – 4:15 PM
Members Present: Chairman James Stanton; Roger Deal; Ken Sydow
Others Present: Nancy Colbert, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant; others as noted on sign-in sheet.
FY’2010 Budget:
Ø Nancy Colbert presented budget numbers based on recent
· 9.74% cut in local aid coming in FY’10
· Looking at $566K deficit
· Schools Ch. 70 level-funded
· Lottery aid down $121K
· Quinn bill grant reduced – Nancy will talk to Kim Rozak
· Charter School reduced to $18K (from $65K)
Ø Jim Stanton and Nancy met with the school department on Monday, January 26. The budget gap has been reduced to $286K. They met with the Superintendent as well as John Roy and Rebecca Dono-Healy.
Ø Ken Sydow stated the percentages have increased disproportionately (double percent increase) year-to-year in money to fund schools.
Ø Nancy said it is hard to understand how a budget with such a large increase (13%) can be submitted in this climate – feels she needs to understand school’s numbers and needs better.
Ø Ken: the schools previously never had to explain anything prior to Joe Connelly coming on board. Joe, as Superintendent, was very public and open with all of the school budget numbers.
Ø Jim: the School Committee is also resistant to cuts when necessary.
Ø Nancy said she will speak with John Roy and Brian McDermott again next week; correct the dollar figures that were discussed last week, based on the Governor’s cuts/projections.
Ø Schools’ total budgets asking an additional $857,985, or a 13% increase overall. Municipal $50,996, or one percent overall.
9C Cuts (FY’09 Aid) = $41,542:
Ø Nancy itemized some cuts to existing line items that would mostly make up for this difference. Primarily, $17K from Highway Department Clerk (Ruth Noonan). Line has been over-budgeted, as she’s part-time and not full-time.
Ø Discretionary spending – the Board of Selectmen would like to freeze. Nancy will draft a memo and present it to the Board of Selectmen at the February 2, meeting.
Assessors’ Office:
Ø Roger questioned a large payment to Gary Lanpher; doesn’t know who he is. Jim said he is the paid Assessor who does the assessing.
Ø Ken questioned to whom Margo reports, if not to the Board of Selectmen or to Nancy. Jim: to her Board, just as the Planning Board, Board of Health, etc. does.
Ø Ken: How do other towns manage employees? Nancy will check with other towns that have elected boards.
Ø Jim would like to identify another community that has done it and show why and how it works to have appointed versus elected assessors. In the past, a previous Town Administrator (John McAuliffe) wanted to streamline the tax process but decided that our office did not have the knowledge or capacity to do so.
240 Shrewsbury Street Business Operation: update to the Board
Ø Mark Bertonassi met with the owner and told him he needs a permit to operate out of this location; he currently only has a business certificate. He needs to see the Planning Board and obtain a building permit. Margo Richardson said Carl Cravedi (of the Board of Assessors) was going to visit the site to evaluate personal property tax, etc., that might be due the Town.
Ø Roger noted they are operating their business out of an office in a trailer.
Town Administrator has been meeting with department managers.
Discussion of topics and areas for review with Town Administrator and Board of Selectmen.
Motion made to adjourn; motion seconded; voted All In Favor.
Meeting adjourned at 4:15 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito
Administrative Assistant
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