TOWN OF FARMINGTON
BUDGET COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday - May 23, 2007
Members Present: Chairman Joe Pitre, Mike Morin, Ann Titus, Debra Cantwell, Gail Ellis, Selectman's Rep. Paula Proulx and School Board Rep. Steven Durrance.
Members Absent: Arthur Capello
Chairman Joe Pitre called the meeting to order at 7:08pm.
1. Review of Minutes:
Paula Proulx moved to table the minutes of 4-18-2007, Gail Ellis seconded. Motion carried with Steve Durrance abstaining.
2. Discussion of Open Seat and Walter's Seat:
a. Gail informed the committee that she spoke with Walter Mills and asked him to reconsider his resignation because he is such a valuable asset to the committee. Walter responded that he would need to think about it and get back to her. Gail has not heard anything yet. The committee was in concensus to get a final decision from Walter by the next meeting so that if they need to, they can start advertising for another vacant seat.
b. Mike reported that Todd Lefebvre recinded his application to the committee do to time contraints. Debra Cantwell motioned to offer Steven Henry the current vacant seat, Ann Titus seconded. Motion carried.
Debra Cantwell motioned to move item #8 from the agenda to now, Ann Titus seconded. Motion carried.
3. Meeting Schedule:
The following meeting schedule was decided upon;
June 26, 2007 at 7pm
no July meeting
August 22, 2007 at 7pm
September 26, 2007 at 7pm.
4. Town Budstats:
a. Mike questioned line 01-2070-62 FD Hall Rental - he wants to know where this money came from since the hall is not suppose to be rented. Paula will check.
b. Gail questioned 01-2070-65 A/P Generator. Paula responded this is an encumberence.
c. Gail questioned line 01-2070-57 A/P Child Support. Paula will check.
d. Mike questioned line 01-4153-10-320 Legal Services which is almost depleted. Paula explained that Legal has been working dilligently for the Town on the Collins & Aikman bankruptcy case.
e. Deb questioned line 01-4220-60-741 Alarm Systems. Paula responded that this is why the Town is trying to get the school changed over to the new digital system because the hard lines are old and when they break it is very costly, about $1000 to fix it.
f. Deb questioned line 01-4902-70-763 2007 Computers. Paula explained that the computers in the Town Clerk's Office could not maintain the new MAPS program and the Town Secretary needed a PC rather that a "dummy" terminal; so this expenditure was for four new PCs. However the new revenue brought in by the MAPS program should more than cover the expenditure.
5. School Budstats:
a. Gail questioned how often grant money is returned. Steve responded that he is not sure but he hopes not often because they should be trying to expend all the money. Steve added that grant funding should become more competitive because 200 more schools have been identified as schools in need of improvement.
6. Review Town Budstat Questions from April 2007 Meeting:
a. Requested an explanation on how to read the reports - Joe informed the committee that he asked Pam Merrill for a different style report and this one seems to be more reader friendly.
b. Asked how the encumbered salt line could be overexpended - Paula reported that this was just the way Pam inputed the salt but it is now fixed.
c. Asked if the new fire truck will have acceptance testing done before paying for it - Paula reported that Chief Fowler is going down to do the testing of the truck.
d. Asked if the money saved on the police cruiser will go back to the general fund - Paula reported that once the cruiser is completely outfitted any monies left over would go back to the general fund.
7. Review School Budstat Questions from April 2007 Meeting:
Steve provided an answer sheet to the committee from the questions that arose from last month's meeting. However, Gail would like the answer to not include "could have" but more "this is exactly".
a. Questioned what is the difference in line 10-1200-5690-0 compared to 05-06 costs. Steve will reask this question of the SAU to get a more exact answer.
b. Asked for an explanation of what the different titles are - Answer provided on attached sheet.
c. Asked why the bus repairs were encumbered - Answer provided on attached sheet.
d. Asked why the fuel for the buses was overexpended by $20,000 and would like to see the actual usage and contracted price - Answer was given on attached sheet but Deb was not satisfied with this answer she would like the actual usage for this year and last year to compare what was budgeted and spent.
e. Questioned why VVCS only expended 1/3 in heating fuel while the other two schools are overexpended - Answer provided on attached sheet but Joe requested the actual heating oil invoices for the past three years.
f. Questioned why 10-2400-1190-1 and 10-2400-2110-1 were overexpended by so much - An answer was supplied on the attached sheet but not to the committee's satisfaction, they would like an actual breakdown of employee one, employee two and so on.
g. Asked about 10-2620-5310-0 Pager/Fax/Tele why it is overexpeded? - Answer provided on attached sheet but Deb would like to know exactly what services are provided for in this line and does it include cell phones?
h. Questioned what happen to the air handlers that the line was overexpended and what happened to the stockpile of filters - Answer on the sheet provided.
i. Questioned what the emergencies were that were overexpended on - Steve reported that pipes were frozen during the power outage over the winter and insurance claims have been submitted.
j. Questioned if Middleton is up to date on thier tuition payments - yes
h. Asked for an explanation on the 1st block on page 20 - There was a misunderstanding as to what lines these were so Steve will ask again.
i. Asked for clarification on what the Homeless Set Aside/Title 1 line was for - Answer provided on attached sheet.
8. Bylaws:
Mike Morin motioned to table the bylaws for this month due to the lateness of the hour, Gail Ellis seconded. Discussion followed that at June's meeting this committee would bypass the budstats and work on the vacant seats and the bylaws. It was mentioned that Steve Henry would need a copy of the bylaws. Motion passed with all in favor.
Mike Morin motioned to adjourn, Gail Ellis seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Chairman Joe Pitre closed the meeting at 9:43pm.
Respecfully Submitted,
Brandy Sanger
Recording Secretary
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Secretary, Ann Titus
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