FinCom April 12, 2018 Meeting Minutes
Present: Chairman Marshall Carroll, Bruce Golden, Susan Murphy, Adam DeBettencourt, Eric Glasgow. Vicki Divoll and Rob Hannemann were not present. Also present: Tim Carroll, Diana DeBlase, Matt D’Andrea, Susan Stevens, Robert Lionette, Skipper Manter and Don Leopold.
MVTV Videographer Lynn Christoffers.
At 5:30 PM Chairman Carroll called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s meeting room.
Chairman Carroll said the School is here to discuss the Heating at the Chilmark School; article 20 on our Annual Town Meeting (ATM) Warrant.
Transfer of funds from stabilization of $227,500.00 and the FinCom did not recommend this article. Chairman Carroll said it’s not that the FinCom didn’t want to get the heating fixed at the school but the total cost of the project had reached to point of it being necessary to put this to bid. Chairman Carroll said this was presented as a complicated project with South Mountain as the sole procurement with no public bidding.
Superintendent of Schools Matt D’Andrea said he heard some feedback about the bidding and after a lot of homework and legal advice; the conclusion is that it has to go to bid. Chairman Malkin asked if this would be changed on the town floor at ATM. Ms. Murphy said Rob Hannemann is away but is the FinCom member who was working on wording regarding this article. FinCom discussed meeting a few days prior to the ATM to finalize their information about articles they did not recommend.
Chilmark Principal Stevens said she is concerned with having a different company completing stage three of the heating project. Principal Stevens said this is what happened with the school building.
Mr. Lionette (Chilmark representative on the UIRS Committee) said phase 1 was definitely a sole source provider. It is a very unique, specific cutting edge system. There was no fault starting this project as a sole source. Mr. Lionette said the amount that has been spent on heating has to be looked at. South Mountain fixed a lot of the mechanicals that were not working. Mr. Lionette said that FinCom requested any excess funds to be returned. Mr. Lionette said we would be amendable to put that in to the bid wording and be prorated for all three towns of the UIRSD.
Chairman Carroll said the wording for this article would be amended on the floor of ATM.
Chairman Carroll recommended that a facilities maintenance person and not the school educators manage the building projects. Principal Stevens said she would very much like that to happen. Superintendent D’Andrea supported this recommendation.
Mr. Lionette said we need a lease for the school. Mr. Lionette said the agreement we have puts the burden on the School Committee. Mr. Manter recommended a UIRSD facilities manager in an on call capacity. Mr. Lionette brought the discussion back to the need for a lease and incorporating the suggestions into a lease.
Mr. Carroll said the generic lease for the West Tisbury School has also expired. Ms. Murphy talked of the cost savings in the long run for an island wide facilities manager for the school system.
Chairman Carroll recommended that the towns manage a facilities manager and not the school system doing so. Mr. Manter said this can be worked on in the lease agreements.
Ms. Murphy clarified that the lease agreements are the school system leasing the building from the towns.
FinCom members present recommended waiting for Rob Hannemann to draft wording to be read at ATM.
Stabilization for Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School:
Superintendent D’Andrea said that Edgartown, Tisbury and Aquinnah have approved this warrant at their ATM. Town of Oak Bluffs tabled this article and Town West Tisbury turned this warrant article down.
Mr. DeBettencourt said this was not recommended by Chilmark FinCom because we did not have enough information: for instance who manages the fund? Mr. DeBettencourt said in principal it’s a good idea but felt it was not developed enough. Superintendent D’Andrea said there is a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done on the MV Regional High School building. The building has not been well maintained over the years and we have been playing a lot of catchup. Superintendent D’Andrea said we have been using E & D to do this catchup.
Superintendent D’Andrea said a challenge of the E & D is there are certain restrictions. Having a stabilization fund would allow us to carry the money over from a fiscal year. We can start really budgeting for some of the larger school building projects. Superintendent D’Andrea mentioned the stabilization would be ideal for the horticultural building improvements which are estimated to be in the neighborhood of $300,000.00 to $600,000.00.
Superintendent D’Andrea said he feels that having a stabilization fund is more transparent; having it as a budget line. Annually we would budget an amount to be added to the stabilization fund. The funds would only be used for capital expenses. Superintendent D’Andrea said that we can put the E & D (Excess and Deficiencies) into the stabilization fund.
Mr. DeBettencourt said specifically what level of increase can we expect for next year assessments from this fund being approved? D’Andrea said that is a good question and that he doesn’t see us making it 1 Million dollars, as it would drive up the assessments too much but to start putting money aside for capital improvement obligations at a steady rate. Ms. Murphy asked if all 6 towns had to agree to initiate something like the stabilization fund. D’Andrea said that 4 out of 6 must approve. Chilmark would have to support this warrant for it to be initiated.
Mr. Manter said West Tisbury did not pass this warrant and some of the reasoning was that the school committee would be managing the decision on what to do with 6 island town’s money. Mr. Manter also recommended that stabilization is good to have on a warrant article annually instead of putting into the school’s operating budget as a line item. That way the towns keep some control. Tim Carroll said that would have the funds be project specific.
At 6:14 PM the MVTV videographer left, along with school discussion attendees.
Tim Carroll said in the FinCom agenda packet there is the Override Notice. The Selectmen have a public hearing on the override on April 17th at 5:00 PM if anyone from FinCom wants to attend.
Mr. DeBettencourt said these articles were decided to be listed in the override. Ms. Murphy said these override articles are the Social Services that are good ideas but are costly. Tim Carroll said they will be contingent articles; if passed at ATM they still must be voted on Election Ballot.
FinCom members discussed format of discussion of articles for Annual Town Meeting floor.
Tim Carroll asked if the FinCom wanted to sit together at ATM. Chairman Carroll was in favor of being dispersed around the floor within the audience. Ms. Murphy recommended a show of unity and sitting together.
At 6:59 PM Mr. Golden moved to adjourn. Ms. Murphy seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 5 Ayes, 2 not present
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase Approved 12/13/2018
Document list:
Annual Town Meeting warrant (April 2018)
Override notice to be mailed to all Chilmark voting tax payers
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