FINANCE COMMITTEE – PUBLIC SESSION
Mashpee Town Hall – Selectmen’s Meeting Room 1
Minutes of the Meeting of June 21, 2012
Committee Members Present: Members Absent: Also Present:
Christopher Avis, Chairman James Condon Tom Mayo, Assistant Town Manager
Charles Gasior, Vice Chairman Mark Davini, Clerk
George Schmidt
Oskar Klenert
Robert Chalker
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Christopher Avis called the meeting to order at 6:34 PM.
PUBLIC COMMENTS – None.
REVIEW OF MINUTES
- George Schmidt made a motion that the minutes from the April 5, 2012 Finance Committee meeting be approved as presented. Oskar Klenert seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved
- George Schmidt made a motion that the minutes from the May 7, 2012 Finance Committee meeting be approved as presented. Oskar Klenert seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved.
NEW BUSINESS
- Requests for End of Year Appropriation Transfers (three)
Chapter 77 of the Acts of 2006 allows the Selectmen, with the Agreement of the Finance Committee, to transfer any departmental appropriation to another appropriation within the same or other department during May, June and the first fifteen days of July. The transfer may not be used to transfer from a municipal light or school department budget and may not be more than three percent of the department’s annual budget, or $5,000, whichever is greater.
(1) Oskar Klenert made a motion that the Finance Committee approve the transfer of $500 from the Town Insurance Expense Account to the Selectmen Expense Account. Charles Gasior seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved.
(2) Oskar Klenert made a motion that the Finance Committee approve the transfer of $1,400 from the Town Insurance Expense account to the Finance Committee Expense Account to cover the printing costs for the Town Meeting Warrants. Charles Gasior seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved
(3) George Schmidt made a motion that the Finance Committee approve the transfer of $6000 from the Police Patrolmen Salaries to the Dispatcher Overtime Wage. Oskar Klenert seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved.
The Finance Committee agreed that going forward, any transfer requests over $5000 should be accompanied by an explanation for the request.
- Request for Transfer from the Reserve Fund
The DPW is requesting a transfer of $7,700 from the Reserve Fund to the DPW Expense Fund, the amount requested to be used for replacement of a utility pole in Pickerel Cover Recreation Area.
The DPW has stated that this expenditure is extraordinary and/or unforeseen for the following reasons:
1) the pole had deteriorated to the point where it was leaning on adjacent trees.
2) the electric line is active, providing electricity to residence on neighboring property.
3) DPW discovered a partially burned tree on line so the pole had to be replaced immediately due to a fire hazard.
4) The need for the replacement or its urgency could not have been anticipated.
Charles Gasior asked the question as to why the Town is responsible for the replacement of electricity service to a private home. Mr. Gasior stated that the Finance Committee needed an explanation of this, but he would recommend approval of the transfer, pending further information.
Tom Mayo stated that the DPW would need to overspend on its budget if the Finance committee does not approve the budget transfer.
In light of the fact that the DPW budget would be over-expended for the year, if this transfer request was not approved, Charles Gasior made a motion that the Finance Committee approve the request for transfer of $7,700 from the Reserve Fund to the DPW Expense Fund, with the proviso that the Assistant Town Manager and/or DPW Director would provide the Finance Committee with a detailed explanation why the Town should be responsible for replacement of electricity service to a private home. George Schmidt seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved.
- Solar Project at Landfill
Tom Mayo reported that the project is waiting for approval from NStar Electric before moving forward.
Christopher Avis stated that James Condon’s term expires the end of June 2012. Charles Gasior agreed to contact Mr. Condon to determine his intentions as to renewing his term on the committee. Robert Chalker is unsure of his availability to serve on the committee for another year. Chris Avis stated that Mark Davini may be leaving Mashpee, pending the sale of his home, but will continue to serve until the house is sold.
Christopher Avis made the following Committee nominations for the coming fiscal year:
George Schmidt, Chairman
Charles Gasior, Vice Chairman
Christopher Avis, Interim Clerk
Oskar Klenert seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved.
(New Business, cont’d)
- School Budget Status Report
Charles Gasior asked about the status of the school budget request for 2013. George Schmidt stated that part of the agreement with the School Committee was that when the budget request comes up for this year, the School Department will enter their request in MUNIS in a complete and full manner. The school budget approved at the Town Meeting must be in MUNIS by the end of June 2013 in order for employees to receive their salaries.
- Statement to the Outgoing Officers – Oskar Klenert
Oskar Klenert stated his thanks to the officers for their service this past year, to Chris Avis and Charles Gasior for an excellent job, to Bob Chalker for his valuable input, always appreciated, and to George Schmidt for taking on the responsibility of Chairman for the coming year, and thanks to the Board Secretary for a fine job.
NEXT MEETING
The next Finance Committee meeting was scheduled for September 6, 2012, at 6:30 PM. The October Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 15, 2012.
Tom Mayo and the Board Secretary will coordinate preparation of a letter announcing the Finance Committee new slate of officers for the coming year. Charles Gasior clarified that the Town committee and board officers now serve for one year; the committee members serve for three years.
ADJOURNMENT
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:00 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ina G. Schlobohm
Recording Secretary
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