FinCom & Selectmen Joint Meeting with Cemetery Commission
FY17 Budget Hearing February 4, 2016 Meeting Minutes
Present: FinCom: Chairman Marshall Carroll, Linda Coutinho, Jim Malkin, Bruce Golden, Vicki Divoll, Adam DeBettencourt and Susan Murphy. Selectmen: Chairman Jonathan Mayhew, Bill Rossi and Warren Doty. Others: Tim Carroll, Melanie Becker, Diana DeBlase, John Flender, Samantha Look, Peg Reagan, Donna Lowell DeBettencourt, Mary Boyd, Hope McCloud, Mark Freedman, Rich Smith, Matt D’Andrea, Susan Stevens, Mark Freedman and videographer Lynn Christoffers.
At 6:00 PM Selectmen Chairman Mayhew called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
Mr. Doty said the Selectmen will meet with John Flender the Chairman of the Cemetery Commission to discuss a commissioner resignation and appointment. Mr. Doty said this can be done prior to the FinCom hearing. Mr. Flender said Rodney Bunker resigned and Jane Slater is seeking appointment to the board.
Mr. Doty moved to appoint Jane Slater to the Cemetery Commission. Mr. Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Chairman Carroll said the FinCom was ready to hear the Cemetery FY17 budget.
Cemetery Commission # 491:
Mr. Flender said the budget is quite simple; the mowing is the big item in this budget and it is weather influenced. The plan is to mow once a month from April to October except twice in May and June. Mr. Flender said they are also brush cutting a section yearly to prepare as additional plots in the future.
Chairman Carroll thanked Mr. Flender for his presentation.
Mr. Tim Carroll said that Sam Look was present to present the final wording for the Plastic Bag Ban bylaw for Annual Town Meeting. The proposed bylaw was reviewed. Ms. Look said this is an Island wide effort to ban plastic checkout (point of sale) bags. Ms. Look said that the produce bags and deli meat bags will not be banned with this proposed bylaw.
Mr. Golden said he is a fellow member on the Conservation Society Board of Directors. Mr. Golden said we want this to pass because it is a conscience raising idea. Discussion ensued.
At 6:15 PM there was a recess called for Pizza dinner…6:30 PM meeting re-convened.
Education # 300:
School Superintendent Matthew D’Andrea presented the Superintendent’s Office and Shared Services FY17 budgets. Mr. D’Andrea said as the new superintendent one of his goals has been to slow the growth of the budget.
Mr. D’Andrea explained the increase of 3% to the budget is primarily personnel.
Mr. Malkin asked if Mr. D’Andea had any requests from the Chilmark FinCom to help with the Island education budgeting. Mr. D’Andra said his expertise lies in curriculum,
Education continued…
education and teaching; so any recommendations in finance expertise would be welcome.
Mr. D’Andea said he welcomes a telephone call from a FinCom member with any budget saving ideas and recommendations.
Ms. Becker (Town Treasurer) recommended a budget savings in the payroll system by changing from the company they are using. Mr. D’Andea thanked Ms. Becker for the recommendation.
Mr. Doty asked if there was a facilities manager for the upkeep maintenance of the school buildings. Mr. D’Andrea said no but Mike Touse who is the facilities manager at the MVRHS is reaching out to help train the Island school custodians on what to keep on top of and working out maintenance plan for each of the facilities.
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS):
Peg Reagan presented the high school budget. Mark Freedman said 24 Chilmark students bring Chilmark’s assessment for FY17 to $623,833.09. Ms. Regan said there will be a meeting March 3, 2017 to discuss the repair cost to the high school. There is an estimate of $8,000,000.00 for the immediate needed repairs.
Mr. D’Andrea discussed the three top priorities for the MVRHS repairs and updates they are;
- HVAC system
- Building envelope, doors & siding
- Vocation department upgrades.
Extensive discussion ensued concerning the age of the school and what repairs are imperative and the budgeting of the repairs.
Ms. Regan reported that there are 659 students enrolled as of October 2015. Mr. Doty said we have been very fortunate to have had Peg Regan step into the vacated high school principal position during the search for a replacement. Ms. Regan said she is very happy with the candidate picked to be the next principal.
Mr. D’Andrea said that there is no longer a standalone building option for the superintendent’s office at this time.
Up Island Regional School District:
The draft budget that was reviewed is Draft 7G with Feb 3, 2016 date. This budget is not yet set as the final budget meeting for UIRSD is February 8, 2016. If this budget is the final FY17 budget the overall increase is 4.08% with Chilmark’s increase being 0.94% up from this year’s assessment. Discussion ensued.
West Tisbury School Principal Donna Lowell DeBettencourt & and vice Principal Mary Boyd presented a request for a warrant article for the West Tisbury “big toy area”. The request is for $26,220.00. The estimated total for the complete play areas is $295,000.00. Discussion ensued.
Chairman Carroll thanked the School representatives for their presentations.
Tim Carroll distributed materials concerning Annual Town Meeting warrant articles for discussion and recommendations:
1 CCC Joint Maintenance Fund (+5k from Town affairs) $5,000.00
2 FinComm Reserve Fund $ 40,000.00
3 General Stabilization Fund $50,000.00
4 FD Stabilization Fund $ 40,000.00
5 Unfunded Absences $11,000.00
6 Menemsha Parking Lot - widening East & North sides by 5 ft. $28,000.00
7 Menemsha Parking Lot - Beach Path 6' board walk $23,000.00
8 Menemsha Basin Road - widening for pedestrians $15,000.00
9 Menemsha Comfort Station - painting & minor repairs $5, 000.00
10 Menemsha - second dirt parking lot for bus turn around $11,000.00
11 CCC Solar PV Array $23,000.00
12 HWY - Road Maintenance Plan $549,999.85
13 HWY - Town Pickup Truck $44,000.00
14 PD-Replace 2010 Expedition 4x4 $ 36,000.00
15 Harbor - bouys, mooring & ATON $5,000.00
16 CPC Reserves $322,868.00
17 CPA-Housing IHT Kuehn's Way $33,000.00
18 CPA-Housing Rental Conversion (rent subsidy) Program $32,000.00
19 CPA-Open Space Preservation Parks & Recreation Skate Park $5,000.00
20 CPA-Open Space Preservation Parks & Recreation Chilmark School $5,000.00
21 CPA-Open Space Preservation Parks & Recreation Squibnocket Parking $150,000.00
22 Squibnocket - parking lot & beach restoration $200,000.00
23 First Stop $ 10,201.02
24 CORE $5,676.30
25 UIRSDC - WT School Playground $26,220.00
26 ACE MV $11,130.00
Discussion about each article ensued.
Mr. Malkin recommended sending the Senior Services of MV a memo requesting outlining their program for the purpose of not repeating or duplicating services already provided. This memo would be sent to: Healthy Aging Task Force, First Stop, CORE, Center for Living, Up Island Council On Aging and the County.
The budget and Town Meeting Warrant articles will be recommended at another FinCom Budget hearing to be scheduled after the final school budget is in. A quorum of the FinCom will be available for a wrap-up meeting the first week of March. Meeting will be posted with agenda.
At 9:11Mr. Golden moved to adjourn, Ms. Coutinho seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: FinCom 7 Ayes, Selectmen: 3 Ayes
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase. Selectmen Approved 3/22/16
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