Chilmark FinCom & Selectmen Joint Board Meeting
Budget Hearing FY2014 February 12, 2013 Minutes
Present: FinCom: Dr. Bruce Golden, Robert Chidsey, Frank Yeomans and Acting Chairman Sarah Mayhew-Shipway. Alan Porter, Marshall Carroll and Richard Williams were absent.
Selectmen: Chairman Jonathan Mayhew, Bill Rossi, Warren Doty, Others: Tim Carroll,
Diana DeBlase, Melanie Becker, Marina Lent, Jennifer Christy, Janet Weidner and
Cathy Thompson
At 6:00 PM Acting Chairman Sarah Mayhew- Shipway called the meeting to order in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
Minutes: Draft minutes from the 2/06/13 and 2/07/13 were reviewed.
Mr. Yeomans said that the cost to the backup system he was speaking of in the 2/7/13 minutes is $300.00 a year not per month.
Mr. Yeomans said the name of the company he would like the town of Chilmark to look into is Carbonite out of Boston with their service center in Lewiston Maine.
Mrs. Shipway suggested postponing minutes till next meeting when more FinCom members will be present.
Board of Health:
Marina Lent the administrator for the BOH presented the FY14 proposed budget.
Mr. Doty said that the budget line for visiting nurse is $12,000.00 and looks as if not expended for the past few years at this amount.
Ms. Lent said that the visiting nurses have not billed for the most recent flu clinic but that the amount could be reduced. Mr. Carroll asked if $2,000.00 reduction would still leave enough. Ms. Lent said she thought $10,000.00 would be fine, barring any outbreak of an infectious disease.
Mr. Doty moved to reduce line 5316 to $10,000. Dr. Golden seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 7 Ayes
MV Refuse District:
Tim Carroll said that Don Hatch had come by earlier this evening and at that time we thought we would not have a quorum. Mr. Hatch said that he was heading to the ferryboat right after his hearing and if we did not have a quorum he would try for an earlier boat. Tim Carroll said he told him to head off island.
Mr. Doty said that the wages section in the MVRD proposed budget is $325,000.00. Mr. Doty said he has reservations about approving the salaries. The pay is very high compared to our town employee’s salaries.
Mrs. Mayhew-Shipway said it would be helpful if the MVRD had past year budget lined up for comparison as we have for our departments in Chilmark.
MV Refuse District Continued…
Mr. Yeomans said that Mr. Hatch really brought the refuse department around and that he is running it very well. Chairman Mayhew said that Mr. Fenner supported the budget for the directors of the MVRD last budget season.
Mr. Doty directed the Board of Health to inquire about the salaries paid to the MVRD.
Mr. Doty said that the Chilmark residents pay fees at the dump and are then taxed yearly $100,000.00.
Tim Carroll said our Chilmark representatives are Frank Fenner and Richard Osnoss. Marina Lent said she would contact Mr. Fenner and Mr. Osnoss about the MV Refuse budget. Mr. Yeomans recommended inviting these representatives to a FinCom FY14 budget hearing.
Town Clerk:
Jennifer Christy presented the FY14 Clerk’s office budget. Mrs. Christy said that the notes for the Salary line are incorrect, the numbers are correct though. The correction is: grade 9 step 5 with an hourly pay of $31.59.
Mrs. Christy said that there will be an unexpected Special Election this year. The Primary Special Election is scheduled for April 30, 2013, with the Special Election to be held June 25, 2013. The Annual Town Meeting will still be held April 22, 2013 and the following week the Annual Elections will be combined with the Primary Election. Changing our Annual Election Day to April 30, 2013 will save the Town of Chilmark an estimated $1,500.00.
Tim Carroll asked if the Election Workers line could be lowered to $1,200.00. Mrs. Christy said that the line could be lowered to $1,800.00
Discussion turned to what the Town of Chilmark pays the counters at elections. Mrs. Christy said that the counters are paid $7.50 per hour. Mrs. Christy said that she has looked into what the other towns on the Islands and Cape are paying their counters. The rate is between $10.00 and $15.00 per hour. Treasurer Becker said that a lot of the checks issued to the counters are never cashed.
Mr. Yeomans said that the Town should encourage more volunteers. Ms. Weidner recommended having people declare they are a volunteer counter. Mrs. Christy explained that the town is required to have some paid counters.
Mrs. Christy proposed to raise the rate for the counters to $10.00 per hour in FY14.
Planning Board:
Chairman Janet Weidner, Cathy Thompson and Jennifer Christy presented the Planning Board proposed budget for FY14. Ms. Wiedner said that Cathy will be chairman next year.
Ms. Weidner said that there are no budget changes other than the step and COLA for the administrator. Ms Weidner said that rather than raising the budget line for legal we have a proposed warrant article for $5,000.00 for a full by law revision.
Planning Board Continued….
Mr. Doty urged that the Planning Board use the consultant in the revision of the Town Bylaws.
Tim Carroll said he would like to remind this board as he has other boards that when people come to the boards for permits they are charged a fee to cover the consultant.
Board of Appeals:
Administrator Chuck Hodgkinson was unavailable to present the budget Diana DeBlase presented the budget for the ZBA in Chuck Hodgkinson’s absence.
Mr. Doty said this is a pretty straightforward budget with just a salary increase of step and COLA. Mrs. Deblase said that if the boards have any questions they would like Mr. Hodgkinson to answer she would be happy to forward them to Mr. Hodgkinson, this goes for CPC and ConCom as well.
Community Preservation Committee:
Administrator Chuck Hodgkinson was unavailable to present the budget. Diana DeBlase presented the budget for the CPC in Chuck Hodgkinson’s absence. Mr. Doty said this is a pretty straightforward budget with just a salary increase of step and COLA.
There are three CPC Warrant Articles for Annual town Meeting.
- $8,610.00 from CPC Historic Resources Reserve for the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.
- To see if town will appropriate $26,905.00 for Open Space Preservation. $26,905.00 for Historic Resources Reserve. $26,905.00 for Housing Reserve, and $188,350.00 for the Community Preservation Budget reserve.
- $7,670.00 as Chilmark’s share to replace windows in the Edgartown Court House.
Conservation Commission:
Administrator Chuck Hodgkinson was unavailable to present the budget. Diana DeBlase presented the budget for the CPC in Chuck Hodgkinson’s absence.
Mrs. DeBlase said that Mr. Hodgkinson wanted to make it clear that in line 5114 in the notes it should be written: use no Wetlands Protection Funds to pay Conservation Agent.
Retirement of Debt:
Mrs. Becker supplied a complete list for Retirement of Debt. The different projects are;
Building Chilmark School , Clay Rights – Land Acquisition, Engley Property, Town Hall Renovation, School Repair 1, School Repair 2, Landfill Capping, MLR Affordable Housing, and the Menemsha Pier Connector. The total of remaining debt to the Town of Chilmark is $4,885,000.00.
Mrs. Becker supplied a chart for Level Debt Service; New Debt Capacity based on 10% of total budget. In FY14 the available debt service is $49,647.00. The budget estimated for FY14 is $8,000.000.00.
Mr. Doty said that Mrs. Becker presented a very reasonable budget plan and she did a very good job presenting it this evening. Mr. Doty said that the Town Treasurer should be consulted as soon as we have projects that would affect the town financially.
Retirement of Debt Continued:
Mrs. Becker spoke about the revenue anticipation figure. The FY13 is at $1,900.00 and the year is only halfway through. This is a reason for her increase for FY14.
Mrs. Mayhew-Shipway asked if this would be cleared up if the town changed to semiannual preliminary taxing. Mrs. Becker said yes this would help clear up this problem but said she is not sure it can be in place in time for this coming year as it must be approved at Annual Town Meeting. Tim Carroll said this topic will be discussed at a financial team meeting Friday February 15, 2013 with Tax Collector, Assistant Assessor, Exec. Secretary and the Treasurer.
Mr. Doty said he would like the FY12 free cash certified as soon as possible. Mr. Carroll reported that the DOR called asking where the paperwork was. Mr. Carroll said we are still in the process to hire a new Town Accountant. Mr. Doty asked that Mrs. Day be contacted and requested to help finish this certification of free cash.
Mr. Golden moved to adjourn, Mr. Chidsey seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 7 Ayes
At 7:42 pm meeting was adjourned.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase. Selectmen Approved 3/22/13
Pending FinCom approval
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