TOWN OF HARVARD
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Minutes
Meeting Date: March 4, 2009
Meeting Place: Town Hall
Members Present: George McKenna (Chair) Steve Colwell, Marie Crowley Sobalvarro, Marie Fagan, Lori Granville, Bob Thurston
Others Present: Associate member Collyn Bradley, Paul Von Loeske; Lorraine Leonard, Finance Director; Tim Bragan, Town Administrator.
Meeting Time: 7:03 pm
Adjournment Time: 9:17 pm
Discussions and Actions
l Fin Comm Chair opened meeting soliciting public commentary.
l Minutes of Feb 25 accepted.
l Presentation of Bare Hill Pond Committee Budget by Bill Johnson. Highlights: Steady-state funding of $33,500 per year covers pumped draw-down 2 years on, one year off; and mandatory testing in off year.
ccess funds of $584,950 from the Massachusetts DEP to treat stormwater before it enters the Pond. Raw stormwater runoff (which carries into the Pond eroded sediment, road salt, auto seepage, and any leakage from septic systems) is the main cause of the ongoing and increasing excess phosphorus in the pond. The excess phosphorus feeds the growth of invasive weeds; The Pond is on the State’s short list of critically endangered water bodies for these invasive weeds and excess phosphorus. The Town needs to “match” a portion of the DEP funding,
which amounts to $405,858 in total. However, much of this match can be covered by money the Town is already spending (the $33,500 per year operating budget, times three years; $157,556 in services DPW already provides; $60,000 in reimbursable volunteer services; $8,802 in existing BHP grant reserves, with only the remaining $79,000 (for excavation) needed from FY10 CPC funds. (It is possible that DPW could do the excavation needed, and the $79.000 would not be needed after all, but Pond Committee decided to ask for it in case the DPW budget cannot cover excavation). This stormwater project will not take Bare Hill Pond off the endangered list (it will take 20-30 years of scooping out sediment to do that). But it will stop the major source of ongoing pollution. CPC will bring the $79,000 plus the $40,000 to Town Meeting.
al" size="-3" color="#000000" style="font-family:Arial;font-size:5pt;color:#000000;"> Review of revised School Budget.
l Town Administrator reviewed Recap sheet. Fin Comm member suggested applying non-school omnibus accounts against the $73,849 deficit. Fin Comm reviewed non-omnibus accounts to see what is accessible.
l FinComm members divided up assignments for producing Finance Committee Report Recommendations and Warrant Articles. Each assignment must be drafted by Wed 11th meeting.
l Next meeting set for Saturday March 7. Goal is to close the $73, 849 deficit.
l Move to adjourn at 9:17 PM.
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