FinCom & Board of Selectmen FY2015 Budget Hearing Minutes February 5, 2014
Present: FinCom: Frank Yeomans, Riggs Parker, Linda Coutinho, James Malkin and
Bruce Golden. Alan Porter & Marshall Carroll absent. Selectmen: Warren Doty, Jonathan Mayhew, Bill Rossi. Others: Tim Carroll, Ellen Biskis, Melanie Becker, Diana DeBlase, Dennis Jason, Mark London, Marina Lent, Isaiah Scheffer, Martina Thornton, Sara Kuh, Curtis Schroder and Brian Smith.
Acting chairman Frank Yeomans called meeting to order at 7:00 PM in the Selectmen’s meeting room.
Harbor Department # 295:
Harbormaster Dennis Jason presented the proposed FY15 Harbor department budget. Mr. Jason listed the changes to the Harbor Budget, listed as follows:
Line # 5245 Equipment repair & maintenance will increase 500.00 with a total of $1,000.00.
Line # 5343 Printing will increase by $50.00 with a total of $1,000.00.
Line # 5344 Postage will increase by $500.00 with a total of 1,000.00.
Line # 5585 Uniforms will increase by $200.00 with a total of $750.00.
Line # 5731 Credit card fees will increase by $1,000.00 with a total of $5,500.00
Mr. Carroll said there will be a change to the software program the harbor uses to manage the transient slips and moorings. Mr. Carroll explained that the program the harbor presently uses has no auditing controls.The plan moving forward is to have a marine software program that works like a hotel without rooms, a front desk application with an estimated cost of $2,000.00 to $5,000.00. Mr. Carroll said the beach department will have similar software.
Discussion turned to comparing fees to similar harbors and how Menemsha compares. Mr. Jason said Menemsha is still inexpensive but recommended keeping the transient fee under $4.00 per foot. Mr. Jason said at present after last year’s increase we are charging $3.00 per foot.
Mr. Parker inquired what the Town has for liability coverage. Mr. Carroll said that the town has a general liability of $3million and an umbrella of $5million. Mr. Parker said that $5 million umbrella is not enough.
Mr. Yeomans said he was present when the insurance scheduled values were reviewed with MIIA representative. Mr. Carroll said that the town has listed combined assets on the scheduled values at $13 million.
Mr. Parker requested a list of the insurance the town of Chilmark has. Mr. Carroll said he would email this to the FinCom to review prior to Liability Insurance being on agenda.
County Assessments # 830:
Martina Thornton Dukes County Manager presented the proposed FY15 County budget.
Mrs. Thornton said that the non-mandatory county program assessment consists of the Vineyard Health Care Accesses Program as Pest Management is no longer a county program.
Ann Wallace arrived 7:30 PM
County Assessments Continued:
The estimates for grants coming in for the VHCAP are $63,500.00. Mrs. Thornton said the total assessment of VHCAP budget from the town of Chilmark will be $11,628.00.
Vineyard Health Care Accesses Program director Ms. Kuh thanked all present for their continued support. Ms. Kuh said the office has been very busy due to the Affordable Care Act. Ms. Kuh reported assisting over 2,500.00 people a year.
Mr. Doty said that he and his wife Nan went into the VHCAP recently and said that the staff was very helpful and he was thankful for the services offered.
Selectmen Bill Rossi is the Chilmark Selectmen representative on the Dukes County Board.
Jim Feiner arrived 7:40 PM
Martha’s vineyard Commission #840:
Brian Smith, Curtis Schroder and Mark London presented the proposed FY15 budget for the MV Commission. Mr. Smith said that the MVC is requesting a onetime increase of $75,000.00 to replenish the Reserve Fund. This fund is usually for legal expenses. The increase to the budget without the reserve fund increase is up 4.2% but with this added it becomes 9.8%. The total cost to island towns is $1,455,478. Chilmark’s % of this total will be $176,600.00
David Vigneault arrived at 7:50 PM
Mr. Parker asked how many Developments of Regional Impact the MVC has had in 2014. Mr. London responded with 35 DRIs.
Mr. Rossi asked how many employees the MVC has. Mr. London said there are 10 and he listed the employees and their job descriptions.
Mr. Doty said that there are 2 Chilmark representatives on the MVC Joan Malkin is the Appointed member and Doug Sederholm is the Elected member.
Shellfish Department #299:
Shellfish Constable Isaiah Scheffer presented the proposed FY15 Shellfish Department budget.
Mr. Scheffer said he has had issues with the Assistant Constable collecting unemployment and to correct this problem proposes changing the structure of the job.
Mr. Scheffer proposes decreasing Line # 5133 Assistant Constable by $6,924.24 with a total of $10,468.80. Mr. Scheffer proposes adding a laborer line of $4, 854.30.
The other changes to the budget are as follows:
Line # 5260 Boat Maintenance will increase by $400.00 with a total of $1,200.00
Line # 5271 Boat & Vehicle Usage funding will be eliminated.
Line # 5303 Professional Development will be decreased by $600.00 with a total of $600.00.
Mr. Scheffer will not attend this year’s conference as it lands on the date of a scheduled family trip. Mr. Doty said that Mr. Scheffer on the Executive board of the Massachusetts Shellfish board.
Line # 5589 Other Supplies will increase $1,000.00 with a total of $2,000.00
Shellfish Department Continued…
Line # 5591 Purchase of Seed will increase by $500.00 with a total of $2,000.00.
Line # 5343 Printing will be reinstated at a total of $100.00
Mr. Scheffer said it was not a great year for scallops this year but the oysters have been good.
Mr. Scheffer said there are over 5million oysters in Tisbury Great Pond now. Mr. Doty said that the shellfish program is not just an economic return; the more shellfish propagation the healthier our ponds are. Mr. Doty is referring to the shellfish consuming nitrogen.
Housing # 185:
Housing Chairman Jim Feiner along with Ann Wallace, Marina Lent and David Vigneault presented the proposed FY15 Housing budget. Town Accountant Mrs. Biskis said that there should be a correction to this printed budget: Line # 5700 Housing Assessment is $28,636.00 not $26,380.00.
Mr. Doty said he had big news to share that the town will be able to go forward with 4 resident home sites as the Hillman case was finalized in the towns favor. Mr. Vingneault said he was pleased for the town and happy to help with the lotteries.
Discussion turned to the affordable apartment rentals at the Middle Line Road development.
Ms. Lent discussed the Memorandum of Understanding with Dukes County Regional Housing Authority and the Molly Flender Housing Trust.
Mr. Carroll said this MOU is essentially the guide to what is done with the income from the rental units.
Discussion took place concerning “accessory apartments” which are granted through special permitting through Zoning Board of Appeals as a way to address more affordable rental units in town.
Financial Policy:
Mr. Carroll said that there is a copy of our financial policy under the Executive Secretary tab in the budget books. Mr. Carroll said he wrote down our policies that the town practices and Chilmark Selectmen officially adopted at the January 7, 2014 Board of Selectmen meeting.
Mr. Yeomans proposed to postpone approval of minutes till the February 6, 2014 meeting.
At 9:15 PM Mr. Golden moved to adjourn. Mr. Parker seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 5 Ayes FinCom, 3 Ayes BOS
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase. Approved2/12/14
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