FinCom FY Budget Hearings January 25, 2016 Meeting Minutes
Present: (FinCom Members) Chairman Marshall Carroll, Vicki Divoll, Adam DeBettencourt, Susan Murphy, Jim Malkin, Linda Coutinho and Bruce Golden.
(Selectmen) Chairman Jonathan Mayhew, Bill Rossi, Warren Doty,
Others: Tim Carroll, Melanie Becker, Ellen Biskis, Diana DeBlase, Keith Emin, Brian Cioffi, Ben Retmier and Dennis Jason.
At 7:31PM Chairman Marshall Carroll called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
Highway Department #422
Highway Superintendent Keith Emin presented his draft budget for FY17. Mr. Emin said the changes that he has recommended for the budget are line 5272 Vehicle usage with an increase of $400.00 per month and line 5253 Catch Basin Cleaning increased by $744.00
Mr. Emin said that his intention is not to raise his budget by $4,800.00 but to decrease the use of other machinery.
Ms. Coutinho recommended decreasing streetlight line 5215 to $2,000 and increasing telecommunications line 5341 to $1,300.00 as it is underfunded.
Mr. Malkin recommended that Accountant Ellen Biskis and Mr. Emin adjust the budget numbers and return with the figures to correctly show the recommendations.
Mr. Golden said he has been recommending for years that the town should buy a truck for the highway superintendent (at this time uses his own truck). Discussion ensued.
Mr. Golden said he would work with Mr. Emin and come back to the FinCom with figure comparisons to encourage the Town buy the highway vehicle. When Mr. Golden returns with the figures of comparing insurance, fuel and purchase cost they will draft a warrant article for Annual Town Meeting to purchase a highway vehicle.
Mr. Doty recommended checking with the other island towns concerning their policy of driving town vehicles home.
Tim Carroll said that there is no bylaw that states that the Superintendent can’t drive the town vehicle home at night.
Mr. Emin will return to the Fincom with corrections to the budget numbers and figures for town to work towards purchasing a town vehicle.
Snow & Ice # 423:
Town Accountant Ellen Biskis discussed the actual cost for snow removal in 2014 total was $99,431.39 in 2015 it was $97,957.03. The town budgets $7,000.00.
FinCom discussed raising the figure to a more realistic budget last year and will address this near the end of budget hearings to not go over 2.5% of an increase. Tim Carroll recommended a place holder of $90,000.00. Marshall Carroll move to leave any increase out until the end of budget hearings. Ms. Murphy seconded the motion SO VOTED: 7 Ayes
Police Department #210:
Police Chief Brian Cioffi presented the draft FY17 Police department budget.
Mr. Cioffi said he raised line #5303 professional development by $400.00 as that is a very important budget to keep in line with cost increases.
Another change is the addition of line #5583 for Police Supplies in the amount of $3,500 which used to be an annual warrant article. Mr. Cioffi also increased line #5585 uniforms as there is an addition of another fulltime patrolman.
A correction was made to the police budget sheet: line # 5119 and line # 5121 in salaries; 5119 should be Detective and 5121 should be patrolman.
Mr. Cioffi distributed his police cruiser replacement assessment plan materials. Discussion ensued. Mr. Malkin said this is a 4 vehicle with a 7 year replacement cycle. Mr. Cioffi will return with wording for a warrant article for Annual Town Meeting for a new police cruiser.
Mr. Cioffi said that the Police Department responded to 1,468 calls for service this past year.
Mr. Malkin said that the police department budget shows good management with an addition of another fulltime employee with an increase of only 1.93%
Tri Town Ambulance (TTA) #231:
Ambulance Chief Ben Retmier presented the TTA FY17 draft budget.
Mr. Retmier explained some changes that were made to this budget; he and the accountant broke out Holiday and Overtime and assigned them each a budget line (OT is #5130 and Holiday is #5186) this will help track actual salary expenses better.
Mr. Retmier said that he increase the salary line by adding back in line #5169 mechanic and increasing that line to $10,000.00. Mr. Retmier said he hopes that will keep the ambulance fleet well tuned and kept in service more.
Mr. Reitmier said this budget shows a stipend increase for the EMT coverage.
Ms. Murphy said with the addition of Clerical position it seems that her big worries of the budget flying out of control have been quelled. The figures for calendar year 2015 of $215,147.60 up from $136,850.00 for 2014 are very encouraging. Mr. Reitmire said that Ms. Graczykowski is doing a great job going after the insurance companies for reimbursements.
The increase to the TTA budget for FY17 is 8.58% but Chilmark’s percent of this increase is 0.22%
Ms. Coutinho asked what sort of community outreach TTA plans for during downtime. Mr. Retmier said they are teaching CPR classes and he is working to move forward with State guided wellness checks. This system will decrease hospital loads and TTA would do wellbeing checks in our community. Make sure the community is using their prescriptions appropriately checking their blood pressure etc…
Mr. Carroll said that since last year’s FinCom request for statistics Mr. Retmier has been supplying them to the TTA committee at their monthly meetings.
Mr. Doty said he credits Selectmen Jonathan Mayhew for his commitment and long hours to the Tri Town Ambulance Committee in bringing the TTA to where it is today. The Committee oversaw and helped implement hire of New Chief, Clerical Position and requirement of having the statistic reports.
Harbor Department #295:
Harbormaster Dennis Jason presented the draft fy17 budget for the harbor department.
Increases to the salary lines #5131 & #5137 are to cover 2 Assistant harbormasters and 2 Assistant Wharfingers for 20 week seasonal positions.
Line#5260 has a recommended increase of $1,500 for boat maintenance. This will cover the needs for the new inflatable to aid in monitoring Menemsha pond to insure there is no overnight anchoring.
Mr. Jason said after reviewing this budget he asked to utilize line # 5731 credit card fees because the new software for billing in the harbor invoices the customer directly. Mr. Jason asked if that $6,000.00 could be transferred to line #5242 facilities Maintenance.
Mr. Malkin recommended the purpose of this transfer be the contingency needed for the season coming with the Menemsha Pond being dredged. Harbor will need appropriate markers etc...
At 9:37 PM Mr. Malkin Moved to Adjourn. Ms. Coutinho seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 7 Ayes.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase Approved 1/28/16
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