FINANCE COMMITTEE – PUBLIC SESSION
Minutes of the Meeting of December 15, 2011
Board Members Present: Also Present:
Christopher Avis, Chairman Joyce Mason, Town Manager
Charles Gasior, Vice Chairman Tom Mayo, Assistant Town Manager
Mark Davini, Clerk Scott McGee, School Committee Member
George Schmidt
James Condon
Oskar Klenert
Robert Chalker
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Christopher Avis called the meeting to order at 6:35 PM.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
George Schmidt made a motion that the minutes of the meeting of 10/17/11 be approved as amended. Mark Davini seconded the motion. Christopher Avis abstained. The motion was approved.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Transfers. No transfers.
2. Appropriations Report – Mark Davini received several months of budget appropriations from Chris Avis, who stated that the pink slips reflected the monies taken out, which should balance out. Chris asked that Mark handle the signage of the slips.
3. Committee Liaison Reports
School Committee – George Schmidt
- The committee voted to make the position from part-time to full time and increase the pay of one of the mess hall staff.
- The school department is contemplating going from textbooks to tablets. Current infrastructure does not have the capability to support student use of tablets.
- A report of an increase to over 30% of students who qualify for free or reduced cost meals
- Chapter 70 formula hasn’t changed in over 20 years and there is some maneuvering to have the state make a change in the formula that would benefit the town.
Public Safety – Mark Davini
- Police Chief Collins conducted a tour of the police department, pointing out items on the department’s “wish list” for possible inclusion in future budgets to enhance the departmental
infrastructure. Mark reported that at the budget meeting the Fire Department made it clear that even though they handed in a close to level funded budget, they had reduced their response time by 20 seconds. Mark plans to visit Fire Department Chief Baker in the next few weeks.
(New Business continued)
Board of Selectmen – Robert Chalker
- The Mashpee property tax rate increase of $ 0.14 per thousand was lower than expected. Mashpee now has just the third-highest property tax rate on Cape Cod, below Sandwich #1 and Bourne #2.
- Charles Gasior presented a report on the Calculation of Projected Municipal Property Tax Rate.
The Assessor’s report indicates that assessment of waterfront/golf front properties has increased, while the assessment of condominiums and the lower valued properties has decreased.
4. Recycling Committee “Pay as you Throw” (PAYT) Proposal - Charles Gasior
Mr. Gasior gave the committee a heads up on information that may come before the committee, which was that the transfer station tonnage peaked in 2003 at receipt of 48 tons, and since has been declining and has leveled off at 39 tons. This tonnage is from residents who have a dump sticker and use the transfer station, and from private haulers. Mashpee residents have the following choices:
1) buy a dump sticker for $90 and dispose of their trash at any time
2) hire a private waste company to pick up their trash, which per the Mashpee Refuse Regulation, must go to the Mashpee transfer station.
The cost to the town per ton of trash totals $83.06: $27.30 to operate the transfer station, $9.88 to take to the Otis Collection Station, $9.12 the rail cost to SEMASS, and $36.76 for the SEMASS incinerator. Mashpee’s contract with SEMASS ends in FY 2014. The projected number for the cost to SEMASS, going forward, is going to be in excess of $100.00.
Recycling has hit a flat point for a number of years but this past year has increased. The Recycling Committee is now looking at the PAYT proposal for the transfer station. At some point they are going to make a presentation to the Board of Selectmen, and the proposal may be included in the next Town Meeting warrant for a vote by the Town.
Mr. Gasior stated that the cost per year to run the transfer station is $900,000; sticker fees raise $600,000, which leaves $300,000 for the tax base to support the transfer station. Mr. Gasior asked the question, “Should the Transfer Station be operated as a self-sustaining enterprise fund?”
Joyce Mason stated that the Town is studying a number of alternative options that are being considered at this time.
5. Sale of Undeveloped Municipal Land to Raise Revenues
Mr. Gasior stated that three years ago, a subcommittee comprised of Joyce Mason, the Assessor, the Town Planner, a BOS member, and the Treasurer looked at the public properties owned by the town. The committee identified some 35 properties that had building lots, with a combined assessed value of $5,000,000. Mr. Gasior stated that he has again approached the BOS to suggest that we get Town approval to sell off some of this land. Funds from the sale of the land, together with property taxes that would result, would amount to a significant source of revenue for the Town. Joyce Mason suggested that instead of asking town approval for the total sale of all of the public properties, ask for approval of the sale of a small percentage of those available lots, as a start.
6. School Budget Meeting Recap
Chris Avis reported on a meeting he attended with Robert Chalker, Joyce Mason, Ann Bradshaw, Kathy Stanley, Mike Richardson, and Tom Mayo to review the preliminary school budget. Mr. Avis stated that the budget reflected expense increases at zero, but there is a total budget increase of 7.46%, or $1.4 million over last year’s school budget, due to salary increases.
Chris Avis stated that Mike Richardson, BOS liaison to the School Committee, would like to meet with Finance Committee liaisions Mark Davini, Robert Chalker, and George Schmidt, to discuss the proposed School Committee budget.
Robert Chalker stated that the school dropout rate has risen, enrollment is down, and the town is not getting a fair return on its money.
7. First Quarter 2012 Meeting Schedule
The meeting schedule for 1Q 2012 is as follows:
January 12th and 26th at 6:30 PM
February 9th and 23rd at 6:30 PM
March 8th and 22nd at 6:30 PM.
All meetings are scheduled for the Selectmen’s Conference Room 1.
The next meeting of the Finance Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 12th, 2012, at 6:30 PM. As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ina G. Schlobohm
Recording Secretary
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