Chilmark FinCom & Selectmen Joint Board Meeting
Budget Hearings FY2013 February 9, 2012
Present: Selectmen Frank Fenner, Warren Doty, Jonathan Mayhew.
FinCom Marshall Carroll, Frank Yeomans, John Maloney, Richard Williams, Sarah Mayhew Shipway, Robert Chidsey and Bruce Golden absent
Others Tim Carroll, Emily Day, Diana DeBlase, Ebba Hierta, Melanie Becker, Sarah Kuh,
TJ Hegarty, Brian Cioffi, Jan Buhrman,
Chairman Carroll called meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. in the selectmen’s meeting room.
Marshall Carroll said that there are warrant articles to review and asked for the representatives from Martha’s Vineyard Commission to present their warrant articles as well as their budgets.
County Pest Management:
TJ Hegarty is present for the pest management warrant article and the budget for FY13.
Robert Chidsey and Bruce Golden arrive.
Mr. Carroll asked what the percentage increase is this FY13 compared to FY12. Mr. Hegarty said he did not know and that he has nothing to do with preparing the layout of the budget work sheet. He did say that the increase from last year is $4,787.00. This increase is in the salary and insurance section of the budget that the expenses are level funded.
Mr. Hegarty said the truck he uses has 115,000.00 miles on it but he spent some money to refurbish it this year and its running well.
Jan Buhrman (is present as a member of the board of health) stated that the Chilmark Board of Health is apposed to mosquito testing. The reason for this decision is the protocol followed by the State if we get a positive hit for EE. The State will spray insecticide.
Mr. Hegarty disagreed Mr. Hegarty said the State refused to spray this past year when there were deaths from EE. Mr. Hegarty said there is a 5 tier protocol that the State follows. Ms. Buhrman presented the State protocol she printed off of the State web site, the last tier is spraying.
Ms. Buhrman said the Chilmark Board of Health is pro-active in the fight against mosquitoes. We have three organic farms in Chilmark whose lively hood and certification would be at risk if we allow the testing.
Mr. Hegarty said that the Vineyard is an international tourist destination and not testing is not doing diligence.
Chilmark Board of Selectmen (Chairman) Mr. Fenner said that “lets make it clear that the Town of Chilmark does not want testing done with out written approval of our Board of Health.
Mr. Hegarty said that it is clear.
Marshall Carroll asked what the pest situation looked like this year. Mr. Hegarty said there are an unprecedented amount of rats this year.
Mr. Carroll thanked Mr. Hegarty for his time.
Health Care Access Program:
Sara Kuh is present for the Health care Access Program budget and warrant article review.
Mr. Fenner asked why the jump this year in the amount Chilmark pays. Ms. Kuh said that last year the Chilmark portion was $10, 984.00 this year it is $15,000.00. The agreement with the towns is that they will assume 10% more of the bill each year.
Nan Doty and Wendy Weldon arrive.
Ms. Kuh said that the Program has picked up a lot of what the county and state used to take care of like food stamp applications and disability applications. The HCA is available to help with the application process for health insurance coverage as well. Gosnold is included in the program usually they can assist their residence over the telephone.
Ms. Kuh said that the HCA is also continuing the dental programs for the schools.
Mr. Fenner said we will have to keep in mind the 10% increase for next years budget commitment. Mr. Carroll thanked Sara Kuh for her presentation and hard work.
Chilmark Community Center:
Nan Doty is present to update the FinCom and Board of Selectmen about the CCC upgrades and time line for them. There is a committee meeting and collaborations being made with all parties to work towards the upgrades. The committee has hired an architect to help with this project.
The upgrades so far are for the sliding doors and new floor and to see to fruition the vestibule that was already funded and approved in a past town meeting.
Marshall Carroll asked that the qualifications remain in place so the CCC still qualifies as our Emergency Shelter.
Mrs. Mayhew Shipway asked what the balance is in the joint maintenance line. Tim Carroll said approximately $35,000.00
Mr. Doty asked if Nan expects there to be a warrant article for the fall town meeting. Mrs. Doty said probably not. This is probably not till next year.
Squibnocket Pond Advisory Committee:
Wendy Weldon is present as chairman of the SPAC. Mrs. Weldon is here to urge and support the Mass. Estuaries Project Warrant article. Mrs. Weldon is actively seeking donations to offset or to ultimately cover the $31,767.00 which is the cost to have the Squibnocket Pond MEP survey completed. Mr. Doty said that it might be helpful for your efforts to know that a donation to a municipality is a tax deduction. Mrs. Weldon did not know that and said that could be very helpful in collecting donations.
Mr. Fenner said at Annual Town Meeting we can amend the amount down due to donations made. Marshall Carroll thanked Wendy Weldon for her presentation tonight and her fundraising efforts.
Special Town Meeting:
Draft warrant articles for the STM were reviewed. Article 1: This is about the Tea Lane Farm project was discussed extensivly. Sarah Mayhew Shipway moved to approve Article 1 of the STM warrant articles. Mr. Williams seconded the motion. Fin Com SO VOTED: 7 Ayes
Board of Selectmen SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Article 2. is also concerning Tea Lane Farm. The article refers to Community Preservation Committee funds available in conjunction with Historical Commission approval to aid in restoration of the Tea Lane Farm House. The amount of the grant is proposed up to one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Golden moved to approve Article 2. Mrs. Mayhew Shipway seconded the motion. Fin Com SO VOTED: 7 Ayes, Board of Selectmen SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Article 3. is an article to purchase a used 20 foot harbor boat for the harbor master. Discussion about the boat specifications and cost was discussed. Mrs. Mayhew Shipway moved to approve Article 3. Mr. Yeomans seconded the motion. Fin Com SO VOTED: 6 Ayes 1 Abstain
Board of Selectmen SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Mr. Yeomans asked why abstain. Mr. Chidsey said his reason was it might be more prudent to repair the boat the harbor has.
Mr. Fenner said that the funds for the harbor master boat would come from the Waterways budget and not be raise and appropriate.
The Annual Town Meeting Warrant Articles
Mr. Doty said Ms. Hierta our library director is here with some updates to her budget. Ms. Hierta said after returning to her staff and Friends of the Library she has some more reductions to the library fy13 budget. Ms. Hierta said that there is a staff member who is planning to retire next year so that the salary line will be reduced five hundred dollars.
The Friends agreed that the utilities line item can be moved to the Town owned buildings budget department. This move will save an additional thirty two hundred dollars. Ms. Hierta asked for the FinCom and Board of Selectmen to give an affirmative vote for CLAMS.
Ms. Hierta said that the Friends of Chilmark Library have also offered to pay for half of a solar array instillation in the future to assist in keeping the utilities line lower.
Mrs. Mayhew Shipway thanked Ms. Hierta for the extra work at bringing down the budget.
Tim Carroll said that we have new numbers and our levy capacity is now $17,094.00.
This means that we are looking at overrides for the budget. Mr. Carroll said there are three types of overrides: 1.) General Override / today and forward till voted out.
2.) A one year capital exemption.
3.) Debt Exclusion / example West Tisbury School
Tim Carroll and Emily Day distributed warrant article paperwork. Tim Carroll said that the Fire Department warrant article for $13,300.00 he believes should be $15,000.00
Mr. Carroll said there is abatement for Dairy Farms on the warrant that would be taking away $1,100.00 from the town tax income.
Tim Carroll said that the Town Accountant was advised by our previous accountant to have an excess levy capacity of $100,000.00 and as we found out today we are looking at $17,000.00.
There were more cuts made to budgets bringing the levy capacity to $28,000.00
Mr. Doty recommended having no raise and appropriate warrant articles allowed on the ATM warrant.
Melanie Becker is here for the OPEB contributions article. The warrant is for $100,000.00.
Mrs. Becker reported that the auditor gave her results from an actuary study and the information was such; the Town of Chilmark should have today $815,000.00 in an OPEB account earning 4% annually in interest.
The town has $303,000.00 so far. The auditors recommended having a deposit of at least $280,000.00 this year. Tim Carroll recommended a radical choice of not supplying insurance for retirees. Tim Carroll said this would not be for the currant retirees, just from this point forward.
Mrs. Becker said we have an AA+ rating because we are funding this liability. Mr. Williams said this needs to be reviewed seriously. Mrs. Becker recommended that the OPEB be on the town budget and not a warrant article for the future.
The six items on the ATM warrant article were discussed thoroughly the override will go to Chilmark residents to vote at ATM and then be voted at the ballots.
Mrs. Mayhew Shipway motioned to approve the warrant articles for the ATM as organized tonight. Mr. Williams seconded the motion. Fin Com SO VOTED: 6 Ayes 1 Abstain
Board of Selectmen SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Mr. Yeomans abstains till OPEB has a different %
Town Budget:
Mr. Williams moved to approve the town budget as a whole as presented to date. Mrs. Shipway seconded the motion. Fin Com SO VOTED: 6 Ayes 1 Abstain Mr. Yeomans
Board of Selectmen SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Mr. Williams moved to adjourn. Mrs. Mayhew Shipway seconded the motion.
Fin Com SO VOTED: 7 Ayes, Board of Selectmen SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase Approved 2/29/12
| 