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Finance Advisory Committee Minutes 02/08/17
FinCom & Selectmen FY18 Budget Hearing February 8, 2017 Meeting Minutes
Present: FinCom Members; Chairman Marshall Carroll, Susan Murphy, Bruce Golden,
Vicki Divoll, Adam DeBettencourt, Eric Glasgow and Rob Hannemann.
Selectmen: Chairman Warren Doty, Bill Rossi and Jim Malkin
Others: Tim Carroll, Ellen Biskis, Melanie Becker, Diana DeBlase and Ebba Hierta.

Mr. Malkin brought pizza for the meeting attendants. Pizza was consumed and meeting was delayed to receive updated figures from Executive Secretary Carroll and Accountant Biskis.
At 6:09 PM Chairman Carroll called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s meeting room.

Recap/Levy
Accountant and Executive Secretary reviewed the projected FY18 Levy Limit and proposed tax rate with the Committee and BOS.  Accountant directed members to the RECAP/LEVY section of the budget book Accountant prepared a Levy Worksheet which includes DRAFT FY18 budget totals to come up with an estimated Levy Limit and an estimated tax rate for FY18.  Accountant reviewed the process for creating the estimated Levy Limit and advised that it does involve forecasting the final FY17 full year receipts, final property valuations based on the Assessors current revaluation process and final submitted warrant articles of which $100,000.00 are raise & appropriate articles.  Any changes to these estimates will directly impact the final Levy limit and tax rate for FY18.  With our current Operating Budget of $9,574,286.53, Special Warrant Articles as presented, estimates for FY17 receipts, we show $29,000.00 of excess Levy capacity and a tax rate of 2.85/1000, therefore we do not anticipate needing to vote an override.

Warrant Articles
Executive Secretary reviewed all proposed Warrant Articles with the Committee.   Exec Sec reviewed totals per funding source whether Free Cash or Raise & Appropriate articles.
Draft Warrant Articles as presented by Tim Carroll that the FinCom voted on:

After a complete vetting of the Town Budget Chairman Carroll moved to vote as a complete article. Mr. Golden seconded the motion. Approved Unanimously
Town Budget of                                                                   $9,588,868.61 (includes CPA)
Mr. Golden Moved to recommend, Mr. Glasgow second the motion; Approved Unanimously.

Each of the proposed draft warrant articles were reviewed. The following is draft warrant with actions moved by the FinCom:

  • Bill of a prior year    Beetlebung Tree Care                                $217.50
  • Bill of prior year Araujo Brothers                                                      $600.00
Ms. Divoll moved to recommend, Mr. Golden seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

Chairman Carroll said the petitions and CPC items on the warrant are traditionally moved as take no action.
  • Article Petition Beer & Wine
  • Ballot Question Petition Immigration
  • Ballot Question request Mopeds
  • FY2018 Budget and CPA (CPA new language?) (approved above)
Mr. Glasgow moved to take no action. Ms. Murphy seconded the motion; Approved unanimously to take no action.

  • Article Community Center Joint Maintenance                         $5,000.00
Ms. Divoll moved to recommend, Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Article FinCom Reserve fund                                 $40,000.00
Mr. Golden moved to recommend, Ms. Murphy seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Article Accrued Liabilities for Compensation Absences         $11,000.00   
Ms. Divoll moved to recommend, Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Article General Stabilization                                                    $50,000.00
  • Article Fire Stabilization                                                         $25,000.00
  • Article Ambulance Stabilization                                              $10,000.00
  • Article Police Car Stabilization                                              $12,000.00
  • Article Highway Stabilization                                               $100,000.00
Mr. Golden moved to recommend all of the Stabilization articles, Ms. Murphy seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.


  • Article Accountant Software                                                    $15,000.00
  • Article Tax Collector Software                                                $15,000.00
  • Article Board of Health Software                                              $5,000.00
Mr. Golden moved to recommend the software articles Mr. DeBettencourt seconded the motion;
Approved Unanimously.

  • Article Adult Community Education of  MV                    $11,130.00
Mr. Golden moved to recommend, Mr. Hannemann seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Article CORE (Counseling, Outreach, & Referral for the Elderly)  $6,185.00   
Mr. Golden Moved to recommend, Mr. Glasgow second the motion; Approved Unanimously.
                             
  • Article First Stop (operated by MV Community Services)             $10,152.00
Mr. Golden moved to not recommend, Ms. Murphy seconded the motion: unanimously not recommended.

  • Article CPA Reservations (new language?)
  • Article CPA Island Housing Trust  Keune’s Way  
  • Article CPA The Resource Inc. (forgivable loans for home repairs)
  • Article CPA WT School Basketball & Soccer field improvements
Mr. Glasgow moved to take no action, Ms. Divoll seconded the motion; Approved unanimously to take no action.


  • Article UIRSD School OPEB trust                                 $41,532.00
Ms. Murphy moved to recommend, Ms. Divoll seconded the motion; 6 approved,
1 abstain Mr. Glasgow.
  • Article new Ambulance
Mr. Hannemann moved to recommend, Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.  

  • Article Police comp time for employee in previous FY              $5,670.14
Ms. Murphy moved to recommend, Mr. Golden seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.   

  • Article Fire SCBA tanks (air)                                             $5,600.00
Mr. Golden moved to recommend, Ms. Divoll seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.
  
  • Article Fire conversion to digital radios-first phase           $10,000.00
Ms. Murphy moved to recommend, Ms. Divoll seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Article Library exterior painting ½                            $12,000.00
Ms. Murphy moved to recommend, Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

Tim Carroll said he was going to combine the Town Hall Building warrants.

  • Article Town Hall stainless-steel lining for chimney              $3,000.00
Mr. Glasgow and Mr. Golden questioned the necessity of this expense. Mr. Golden said he would contact Mr. Bunker to confirm the need of this warrant. Ms. Divoll moved to recommend conditionally on what the Building Superintendent recommends. Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.
  • Article Town Hall exterior door                                          $2,600.00
Ms. Divoll moved to recommend, Mr. DeBettencourt seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.
  • Article Town Hall Installation                                                     $1,200.00
Mr. DeBettencourt moved to recommend, Ms. Murphy seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Article wage reserve (compensation updates)                     $40,000.00
Ms. Murphy moved to recommend, Ms. Divoll seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Article Harbor swim-zone regulatory buoys & gear                  $5,000.00
  • Article Harbor Channel Markers & Gear                                     $5,000.00
These 2 articles were combined with a total of $9,000.00
Mr. Golden moved to recommend as a combined harbor articles. Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.


  • Article Site for fisheries storage & fire training area                      $25,000.00
There was extensive discussion about the fisheries storage.
Mr. Golden moved to recommend, Mr. Glasgow second the motion.  An amendment was made by Mr. Malkin to remove the fisherman storage from the warrant wording and instead “Fire training area & other uses recommended by the master planners and authorized by Selectmen. Ms. Murphy moved to recommend as amended, Mr. DeBettencourt seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Bylaw Common Victualer license fee increase to $100.00 from $50.00
Mr. DeBettencourt moved to take no action, Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.

  • Zoning Bylaw amendment articles 11&12 Squibnocket District
Mr. DeBettencourt moved to take no action, Mr. Glasgow seconded the motion; Approved Unanimously.
  • Emergency Plan & training for Chilmark School $3,000.00
Mr. DeBettencourt moved to recommend, Mr. Hannemann seconded the motion. Approved Unanimously.

FinCom still doesn’t support the First Stop as a warrant article. Mr. Glasgow said “put simply it’s a lovely idea that nobody uses. We are not opposed to the program on merit but on its performance.”
The FinCom decided to write up an explanation for the voters and also be ready to discuss the articles they do not recommend at ATM. Ms. Murphy will draft wording for distribution to voters but will send to Julie Fay director of the Community Services for comment prior to distribution.

 At 8:16 PM Mr. Golden moved to adjourn, Ms. Divoll seconded the motion. Chairman Marshall Carroll thanked all of the members of the FinCom for their diligent work and continued attendance throughout the budget process. SO VOTED: FinCom 7 Ayes, Selectmen: 3 Ayes
Meeting adjourned.  

Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase.     Approved 11/15/17