Town of Mashpee
16 Great Neck Road N.
Mashpee, Massachusetts 02649
FINANCE COMMITTEE – PUBLIC SESSION
Thursday, April 21, 2011
6:30 PM – Conference Room 3
Committee Members Present: Members Absent;
Oskar Klenert, Chairman Christopher Avis
Charles Gasior, Vice Chairman George Schmidt
Mark Davini William Johnson
Robert Chalker
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Oskar Klenert called the meeting to order at 6:35 PM.
OPENING STATEMENT
Oskar Klenert announced that he had received a notice from William Johnson announcing his resignation from the Finance Committee, and therefore would not be attending tonight’s meeting. Mr. Klenert stated that the purpose of the meeting tonight was to review the letter of invitation to the elected officials to attend the June 9th, 2011 Finance Committee meeting, and to get organized in preparation for the meeting. The Mashpee Enterprise will be publishing an announcement of the meeting, and Oskar anticipates good attendance by the public.
Oskar suggested that the committee prepare questions for the elected officials, and notify the participants of the questions so that they may be prepared to intelligently respond.
Six areas of concern have been identified by the Finance Committee for a response from the elected officials as to their views and opinions:
- Community Preservation Act
- State Aid
- Ground Water Protection
- School Aid – Special Needs
- Pensions and Medical
- Elderly Services
The Committee members proceeded to discuss each of these areas of concern.
CPA: Oskar Klenert stated that it would be good to hear a precise explanation from the elected officials as to where they stand and what they intend to do with the money.
STATE AID: Charles Gasior stated that state aid is a function of the economy. Oskar Klenert agreed but stated that the state also has various departments that they fund. One department that has worked in favor of Cape Cod is the department of Conservation and Recreation. Oskar asked the question as to whether there are other departments that could assist our tourist image in Mashpee that raise a lot of funds for the state
SCHOOL AID – Special Needs: Oskar Klenert asked, and the committee agreed, that the primary question to be asked of the elected officials is, “Where is the money? What is the financial resource in the towns to pay for these needs?” Special Needs students are shipped out of Mashpee, which represents a big expense to the town. The issue to the legislators should be that we spend millions of dollars on special needs students to the age of 18 years of age, and then they are out of the picture, ending up being homeless and a financial burden to the state.
GROUND WATER PROTECTION: The question to be asked of the elected officials is how to pay for waste water treatment projects for Cape Cod.
PENSION AND MEDICAL COSTS: Medical insurance in Massachusetts is mandatory; the question was asked how people can afford to pay for it?
ELDERLY SERVICES: Oskar Klenert awarded kudos to Charles Gasior on his presentation to the Mashpee Men’s Club, which generated many questions and answers on elderly services in Mashpee. The committee agreed that Mashpee has a huge elderly population, and that there is a need for elderly assistance programs. Bob Chalker reported on an article recently published which stated that Mashpee has the highest rate of elderly poverty on the Cape, with regard to income.
Mark Davini summed up the conversation by reminding the committee that Cape Cod tourism is a state asset, and that the elected officials need to be reminded of this.
The committee decided that formulation of several questions on the six topics to be addressed to the elected officials should be assigned to each committee member, as follows:
CPA - Christopher Avis
Ground Water Protection – Oskar Klenert
State Aid and Opiates – Bob Chalker
School Aid/ Special Needs – Mark Davini
Pension & Medical – Charles Gasior
Elderly Services - George Schmidt
Oskar Klenert stated that the committee members’ questions should be emailed to him before the Town Meeting on May 2, 2011. Oskar will then email the questions to the elected officials for their review.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 3/24/11
Mark Davini made a motion that the committee approve the minutes from the meeting of 3/24/11. Oskar Klenert seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved.
ADJOURNMENT
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ina G. Schlobohm
Recording Secretary
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