Town of Lyme
Budget Committee
January 21, 2004
7:00pm
Lyme Town Offices
PUBLIC HEARING
Approved: February 11, 2004
Present at this meeting: Selectmen: Richard Jones. Budget Committee Members: Gibb Cornwell, Mike Smith, Wayne Tullar, Jeff Lehmann, Josh Kilham, Chairman Barney Brannen, Earl Strout, Freda Swan. School Board Chairman Laszlo Bardos and Principal Gerry Clancy, Road Agent Fred Stearns III, Highway Department employees Mark Hewes and William LaBombard, Town Clerk Patricia Jenks, Public: Tony Ryan, Administrative Assistant Carole Bont, and Scribe Dina Cutting.
The meeting was called to order at 7:10pm by Chair Brannen.
Mr. Brannen explained that he had come up with an analysis comparing the 2003 and 2004 budgets and the anticipated tax impact. He reviewed the handout. Followed was a brief discussion concerning the fact that some of the figures are soft and the importance of how the budget is presented to the town. The budget committee will discuss and decide what format to use to present the budget at Town meeting at a later date.
1) Mr. Cornwell moved the minutes of January 14th, 2004. Seconded by Josh Kilham. Corrections were offered. The motion was voted unanimously in favor with corrections noted.
2) Highway: Road Agent, Fred Stearns requested that the Budget Committee put in the highway budget enough money to give the Highway employees the same raise across the board. The highway department has some employees that have 15-18 years of service; they have no place to go. Mr. Stearns feels the highway employees are not classified correctly. The wage and classification report that was done was never followed through with correctly. Mr. Stearns felt that three highway positions were affected by this. Followed was a discussion about which highway employees drive what piece of equipment and for how long.
Mr. Stearns requested that money be put back in the budget to keep the part-time employee for the hours he had requested. This would allow the highway department enough flexibility and coverage for the full-time employees to take their vacations. Followed was a discussion concerning the number of hours members of the highway department work in the summer and winter, overtime, the wage and classification study, compensation for employees who have been long time employees. At this time Tony Ryan read from a letter he had prepared (attached). It was the sense of the Budget Committee that they can not work out the longevity issues tonight, but they could put the money back in the budget to address the raises of the three senior employees and additional hours for the
part-time employee. The Budget Committee wanted it to be clear that their job is not to direct the Selectmen about what to add or cut from the budget. The Budget Committee is not the right body to decide about hours or wages. It was felt that $6,000.00 would be the figure to add to the highway budget in order to accommodate the requests from Mr. Stearns. Mr. Jones noted the Selectmen would follow the guidance preferred by the budget committee concerning this $6,000.00 for the Highway budget line. Town Clerk Patricia Jenks commented a general morale problem concerning this year’s proposed wages. Inexperienced clerical workers are being hired for a lot more money than long time employees are being paid. This is not equitable. At this time the Budget Committee reviewed the excel sheet that supported Mr. Stearns’ request.
Mr. Strout moved that $6,000.00 be added to the highway department’s payroll throughout the appropriate wage lines. The Selectmen will make the appropriate changes in wages (Highway and Parks). Seconded by Mr. Lehmann. The motion was voted 6 in favor, 2 abstentions (Smith & Jones). Mr. Jones will put the necessary figures into the budget and bring in new amounts to be voted on next week. The Budget Committee can vote the bottom line for the Town Budget at next week’s meeting.
3) School: The Budget Committee reviewed the School Budget. Followed was a brief discussion concerning why the $25,000.00 is not being put into the Special Education Fund, and the amount of the State adequacy money. We assume we will receive the same amount as last year, but we have no way of knowing definitely. The Budget Committee discussed the figures in the analysis from Mr. Brannen again. The increase in taxes due to the increase in the School Budget would be 4.5%.
4) Town: The Budget Committee reviewed the Town Budget. Followed was a discussion concerning the increase due to a new position, the fact that the increase in the tax rate for a new position will be for one year and then level off, and a one percent increase in the tax rate for every $45,000.00 increase in the proposed budget. The increase in taxes due to the Town Budget would be 3.3%.
5) Mr. Smith moved to appropriate $2,697,252.00. Seconded by Mr. Jones, Followed was a brief discussion concerning the new job in the Selectmen s office. Mr. Lehmann spoke to Patricia Jenks’s comments. Mr. Lehmann and Mr. Strout noted they did not want to get rid of the position, just lower the hourly wage. It was the sense of the majority of the Budget Committee not to bring this issue to the floor for another vote. The motion for $2,697,252.00 was voted unanimously in favor.
6) Reminder: Look at the MS-7 and this will need to be signed by Budget Committee members at next weeks meeting.
7) There was a brief discussion on using local subcontractors for the Highway Garage project. It was noted that it would make more sense if we could use local people in case we have any problems in the future.
At 8:45pm Mr. Smith moved to adjourn. Seconded by Mrs. Swan, voted unanimously in favor.
Reminders:
Public Hearings: Wednesday January 28, 2004 7:00pm Hearing on the Bond.
Wednesday January 28, 2004 7:00pm Hearing on Budgets.
MS-27, Dina will get this from Teresa at the SAU office for signatures on 1/28/2004
Respectfully Submitted,
Dina Cutting
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