FinCom & Board of Selectmen FY2015 Budget Hearing Minutes January 30, 2014
Present: FinCom: Frank Yeomans, Riggs Parker, Linda Coutinho, James Malkin,
Alan Porter. Marshall Carroll and Bruce Golden absent. Selectmen: Warren Doty, Jonathan Mayhew, Bill Rossi. Others: Tim Carroll, Ellen Biskis, Diana DeBlase, Ebba Hierta, Janet Weidner, Marina Lent and Chuck Hodgkinson.
At 7:00 PM the acting chairman Frank Yeomans called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s meeting room.
Library # 610:
Chilmark library director Ebba Hierta presented the Chilmark library FY15 proposed budget.
Janet Weidner was present representing the Friends of the Chilmark Library.
Ms. Hierta said she would like to thank the FinCom and Selectmen for their support of the conversion to a CLAMS library this past year. Mr. Hierta said that there were over 500 volunteer hours saving the town over $8,000.00 during the conversion. The Friends support of $20,000.00 to aid in becoming a CLAMS library, they also gave in equipment and materials needed over $15,000.00 more this year.
Ms. Hierta said that the circulation is up 20% since last year so she is asking for an increase to the Library Assistants Budget line #5154 by an additional $4,500.00 above the step and COLA increase.
Mr. Malkin asked what was driving the 20% increase in circulation. Ms. Hierta said the requests for Chilmark materials to other libraries.
Mr. Hierta said the computer maintenance line #5247 down $1,500.00 to leave $1,000.00
The total increase to the library department salaries and expenses for FY15 is 4.84%.
Mr. Hierta said that she has been saving up some funds from the State library grant to work on some capital improvements to the Library. She said that Rodney Bunker our town custodian does an incredible job keeping the building in great shape but there are some carpets that need replacement in the near future.
Mrs. Coutinho said that we are not deciding to recommend or not recommend budgets as we hear them and will be deciding on recommendations at the February 13, 2014 meeting. Ms. Hierta said she will return that night to help with any questions the boards may have.
7:30 Melanie Becker arrives
Historical Commission #691:
Chuck Hodgkinson presented the proposed Historical Commission FY15 budget. Discussion ensued. The total increase to the FY15 budget is 2.06% increase is due to the step and COLA only.
Mr. Doty asked if there was any report received from Tea Lane Farm. Mr. Hodgkinson said Krishanna Collins is working on gathering all of the invoices together in a report to submit to the Historic Commission.
Community Preservation Committee #179:
Chuck Hodgkinson presented the proposed CPC FY15 budget. Discussion ensued. The total increase to the FY15 budget is 4.18% increase is due to the step and COLA only.
Chuck said as of this year the Town of Chilmark will have collected 4 million to the CPC funds since they started collecting the funds.
Mr. Hodgkinson presented the CPC warrant articles for Annual Town Meeting in April 28, 2014, they are as follows:
Article # To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Community Preservation Historic Resources Reserve Fund the sum of $3,500.00 to restore approximately 35 slate gravestones from the late 1700’s and the 1800’s in Abel’s Hill Cemetery.
Article # To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Historic Resources Reserve the sum of $100,000.00 to help fund the Sheriff Meadow Foundation’s restoration the historic Mayhew-Hancock-Mitchell House on Quansoo Farm – circa 1655. A transfer of $100,000 from the Community Preservation Budgeted Reserve Fund to the Historic Resources Reserve Fund would be required to fund this appropriation.
Article #: To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Historic Resources Reserve Fund the sum of $51,854.00 as Chilmark’s share to help fund the estimated $3 million project to relocate and restore the historic Gay Head Lighthouse. A transfer of $45,000 from the Community Preservation Undesignated Reserve Fund to the Historic Resources Reserve Fund would be required to fund this appropriation.
Article #: To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Community Preservation Historic Resources Reserve Fund the sum of $5,847.00 as Chilmark’s share of the estimated $55,000 project to bring the historic County Courthouse electrical wiring up to current code requirements.
Articles Continued next page….
Article #: To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Community Preservation Historic Resources Reserve Fund the sum of $31,512.00 for the MV Museum as Chilmark’s share of the estimated $600,000 project to install a new slate roof, rebuild the chimneys and install the associated building support structures needed for this project. The work will be done on the Museum’s historic 1895 Marine Hospital Building in Tisbury. If the property is sold within ten years (before April 28, 2024) 100 percent of the Town’s CPA funds shall be returned.
Article #: To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Community Preservation Affordable Housing Reserve Fund the sum of $65,000.00 to the Island Housing Trust as Chilmark’s share of the estimated $600,000 acquisition of six affordable apartments located at 14 Village Court, Vineyard Haven. A transfer of $5,000 from the Community Preservation Undesignated Reserve Fund to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund would be required to fund this appropriation. In exchange for this appropriation qualified Chilmark tenants will be given “preference” for one of the six affordable apartments for applicants earning approximately 60 percent of the County
Median Income.
Article #: To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Community Preservation Open Space Preservation Reserve Fund the sum of $410,000.00 to pay for a new 99-year lease that will expand the Town’s Squibnocket Beach by approximately five times its current length and provide space to possibly relocate the Squibnocket Beach Parking Area. A transfer of $240,000 from the Community Preservation Undesignated Reserve Fund to the Open Space Preservation Reserve Fund would be required to fund this appropriation.
Article #: To see if the Town will vote to approve the following request of the Community Preservation Committee: To see if the Town will vote to reserve from the Community Preservation Fund FY 2015 estimated annual revenues up to the following amounts for community preservation projects: $32,287.00 for Open Space Preservation Reserve; $32,287.00 for Historic Resources Reserve; $32,287.00 for Affordable Housing Reserve; and $226,007.00 for the Community Preservation Budgeted Reserve.
There was discussion about each proposed article.
Zoning Board of Appeals #176:
Chuck Hodgkinson presented the proposed ZBA FY15 budget. Mr. Hodgkinson said that line #5306 for advertising is to be increased by $1,200.00 totaling $2,500.00. This increase is due to newspaper rate increase and proper coding of advertising.
Postage line #5344 is to be increased by $150.00 bringing the total to $500.00. This increase is due to mail rate increase and proper coding of postage.
The total increase to the department salaries & expenses is 9.03%
Conservation Commission #171:
Chuck Hodgkinson presented the proposed ConCom FY15 budget. Mr. Hodgkinson said that postage line # 5344 is increasing by $169.00 with a total of $400.00
The only other increase is due to step and COLA. The total increase to the department salaries & expenses is 4.67%.
Board of Health #510:
Marina Lent presented the proposed Board of Health FY15 budget.
Ms. Lent said the line #5296 portable toilets is to be increased by $500.00 bringing the total to $1,000.00. This pays for the “off season” port-a- potties down in Menemsha that are along the closed comfort station.
Ms. Lent said that there is not yet a budget line # or name yet but the Health department requests adding a line for Mosquito Testing. The proposed amount for FY15 is $1,300.00
Ms. Lent proposed a name change to line #5301 from Medical Services to Public Health Services. Mr. Yeomans said he supported the name change.
Also the Line # 5730 for Dues and Memberships will increase by $180.00 with a line total of $305.00
The total increase of department salaries & expenses is 5.99% (includes addition of the mosquito testing) with a budget total of $65,816.54
Housing Committee # 185:
This budget was postponed to another hearing date TBA.
Fire Department #220:
Fire Chief David Norton presented the proposed Fire Department FY15 budget.
Mr. Norton said that the line # 5166 Fire Management / Development Support is being removed. Mr. Carroll said that was the line we used for administrative support in the past but we now have admin line #5108 that replaced it. Accountant Mrs. Biskis said this will remain as a line but unused so there is history of expenditures.
Mr. Norton asked to increase line #5187 Fire Chief Stipend is to increase by $2,000 with a total of $35,000.00
Mr. Norton listed and discussed the following increases to the expenses lines:
Line #5211 Heating fuel is increasing by $200.00 with a total of $5,000.00.
Line #5241 Building maintenance is to increase $100.00 with a total of $3,600.00.
Line #5245 Equipment repair and maintenance is to increase $100.00 with a total of $1,700.00.
Line #5248 Software Maintenance / Licensing by $500.00 with a total of $2,000.00
Line #5420 Office Supplies is to be $400.00 correction of coding as it was not funded FY14
Line # 5482 Vehicle Supplies increase by $100.00 with a total of $400.
Line #5589 Other Supplies to increase by $200.00 with a total of $700.00
Line #5874Fire Training to increase by $2,000.00 with a total of $4,000.00
Fire Department Continued…
Mr. Norton decreased other line items to increase the total department salaries & expenses by only 3.74%.
Mr. Doty thanked Mr. Norton for keeping his budget reasonable and making adjustments that seem to reflect the Fire department budget more closely.
Mr. Parker said that the dead trees on Chilmark land is a concern to him as it will increase the fire hazard. Mr. Carroll described the dead trees as more of a hazard of falling down rather than being fuel for a fire. Mr. Rossi said he would talk with Mark London about the property owned by the Woods that is the real concern to Mr. Parker.
Mr. Yeomans asked if the FinCom could get an agenda of the next meeting by this weekend so the appropriate budgets could be reviewed prior to the next meeting. Mr. Carroll said he would send that out on Friday.
Mr. Parker moved to adjourn. Mr. Malkin seconded the motion
SO VOTED: 5 Ayes FinCom 3 Ayes Selectmen
At 9:25 PM meeting adjourned.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase. Approved 2/12/14
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