FINANCE COMMITTEE – PUBLIC SESSION
Mashpee Town Hall – Conference Room 1
Thursday, February 28, 2013 – 6:30 PM
Minutes of the Meeting of 2/28/13
Board Members Present: Member Absent: Also Present:
George Schmidt, Chairman Mark Davini, Clerk Tom Mayo, Asst. Town Manager
Charles Gasior, Vice Chairman Dawn Thayer, Town Accountant
Oskar Klenert Jason Streebel, Town Assessor
Theresa Cook
Christopher Avis
Sal DiBuono
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman George Schmidt called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Recited.
PUBLIC COMMENT – None
REVIEW OF MINUTES
- 02/14/2013 Finance Committee Meeting
Theresa Cook made a motion that the 2/14/13 Finance Committee meeting minutes be approved as amended. Charles Gasior seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 5- 0 with one abstention.
NEW BUSINESS
- Transfer Requests – None.
- Liaison Reports
1. Theresa Cook, Capital Improvement Program Committee
Ms. Cook provided an update on her CIPC report included in the 2/14/13 minutes, as follows:
- $150,000 approved for purchase of various equipment for the DPW
- $ 39,000 for utility vehicles for the Fire Department for the deputy supervisor
- $100,000 to the Planning & Construction Committee for necessary repairs at various schools
- Leasing of the Police Department vehicles as well as Shellfish Warden vehicles
- $ 41,656 for Police Dept. Safe Boat engine maintenance – Mission Critical
- Money for a 29 passenger van for the Recreation Department
- $528,000 for three ambulances (coming out of ambulance receipts)
- $ 25,000 for Information Technology for Open Case lateral lines
NEW BUSINESS (Cont’d)
- $100,000 to Planning & Construction Committee for a DPW 50 x 100 Storage facility (obtained from Chapter 90 funds)
- $ 3,000 Recreation Dept. request denied for addition to South Cape Beach storage shed.
Ms. Cook stated that the available funding sources are from ambulance receipts, available revenues, cable receipts and Chapter 90 funding.
2. George Schmidt – School Committee & Library
George Schmidt reported that the School Committee has voted to approve the School budget recommended by Town Manager Joyce Mason. School Committee Vice Chairman Scott McGee has accepted the invitation to attend the Finance Committee meeting on Thursday, March 7th, to discuss the School Committee budget requests.
Mr. Schmidt reported that Library Director Kathy Mahoney has accepted the invitation to attend the Finance Committee meeting on Thursday, March 7th, to discuss the library budget requests.
- Overlay Balances & FY 2014 State Aid Estimates (See Attachment A)
Tom Mayo introduced Town Accountant Dawn Thayer and Town Assessor Jason Streebel to the Committee. Dawn Thayer presented the Projected FY 2014 Analysis of Available Revenues, broken out by Sources of Funds: General Government, Non-Property Tax Local Revenues, and Local Property Tax Revenue. Ms. Thayer then reviewed the Uses of Funds, broken out by total budget requested, total approved capital budget, total approved budget, and the balance (or shortfall).
Jason Streebel provided a detailed explanation of the Local Property Tax Revenue, with an explanation of Debt Exclusions which are temporary overrides. The estimated total revenues for FY 2014 are $50,248,605.
Tom Mayo reported that the DOR has applauded with regularity the outstanding work of Town Manager Joyce Mason and Town Accountant Dawn Thayer, for their excellent fiscal management of Mashpee. The bond rating for Mashpee is AA plus, one of the two highest on the Cape, the other being the Town of Barnstable.
Tom Mayo expressed the gratitude of the Finance Committee to Dawn Thayer and Jason Streebel for their time in the preparation and presentation of the analysis of available revenues and uses of funds projected for the Fiscal Year 2014.
- Discussion/Vote on Town Manager’s Recommended Budget
A. General Government
1. Moderator $200. Theresa Cook made a motion, seconded by Charles Gasior, to approve the Moderator’s budget recommendation.
Discussion followed. George Schmidt requested that an explanation of the Committee’s recommendation include the amount of health insurance provided to the Moderator. Oskar Klenert stated that the $200 budget item does not represent the true cost of the Moderator. Charles Gasior suggested that prior to next year’s budget review, the Finance Committee work with the Town Accountant to come up with the exact costs related to each department included in the overall budget.
The motion on the floor to approve the Moderator $200 budget was passed by a 6-0 vote, 1 absent.
NEW BUSINESS (cont’d)
Following are the results of the Finance Committee vote on municipal appropriations:
2, Bd of Selectmen/Off of Town Manager: Hold.
3. Legal & Engineering: approved 6-0, 1 absent
4. Finance Committee: approved 6-0, 1 absent
5. Accounting: approved 6-0, 1 absent
6. Assessing: approved 6-0, 1 absent
7. Treasurer/Tax Collector: approved 6-0, 1 absent
8. Human Resources: approved 6-0, 1 absent
9, MIS/Technical Information: approved 6-0, 1 absent
10. Town Clerk/elections: approved 6-0, 1 absent
B. Maintenance of Public Property
1. DPW: approved 6-0, 1 absent
2. Maint. of Public Properties: Hold
3. Maint. Of Cemeteries: approved 6-0, 1 absent
4. Transfer Station & Recycling: approved 6-0, 1 absent
5. Street Lighting Expenses: approved: 6-0, 1 absent
C. Land & Property Development
1. Conservation Commission: approved 6-0, 1 absent
2. Planning Board & Department: approved 6-0, 1 absent
3. Building Inspections: Hold.
D. Public Safety & Enforce. Agencies
1. Police Dept.: Hold.
2. Fire Dept: Hold.
3. Tree Warden: approved 6-0, 1 absent
E. Resident Services
1. Health Dept: approved 6-0, 1 absent
2. Council on Aging: approved 6-0, 1 absent
3. Human Services: approved 6-0, 1 absent
4. Recreation Dept.: approved 6-0, 1 absent
5. Veterans Services: approved 6-0, 1 absent
F. Other Departmental Appropriations
1. School Department: Hold.
2. Library: Hold.
3. Historical Society: approved 6-0, 1 absent
4. Cultural Council: approved 6-0, 1 absent
5. Sewer Commission: approved 6-0, 1 absent
Christopher Avis made a motion that the four budget items listed under General Expenses be included as a group vote. Theresa Cook seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved.
G. General Expenses :
Theresa Cook made a motion that General Expenses of $14,113,900 be recommended for approval by the Finance Committee for FY2014 budget. Chris Avis seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 6-0, 1 absent
ADDITIONAL TOPICS
- Letter from Kathleen Moore requesting a Finance Committee member appointment to the Affordable Housing Trust Committee.
George Schmidt reported on receipt of a notice from Kathleen Moore stating that the next meeting of the Affordable Housing Trust Committee will be held on Monday, March 11, 2013, at 6 PM. Membership of this committee includes a representative from the Finance Committee. Ms. Moore requested that a member of the Finance Committee be designated to attend the meeting on 3/11/13.
Christopher Avis made a motion that Oskar Klenert be designated to represent the Finance Committee as a voting member of the Affordable Housing Trust Committee. Theresa Cook seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved. Mr. Klenert will attend the 3/11/13 meeting.
The Board Secretary will prepare a letter to Michael Richardson, signed by George Schmidt, informing him of the above appointment to the Affordable Housing Trust Committee.
- Response Letter from Mike Richardson to Mr. Gregg Fraser
Mr. Richardson responded to a letter from Gregg Fraser in which Mr. Fraser stated that he had sent numerous emails in the past to Finance Committee email addresses listed and had received no reply. Mr. Fraser stated in his letter to Mr. Richardson that he has asked for several years that the Warrant booklet list overtime expenses as a separate line item instead of being lumped into salary and wages.
Mr. Fraser was requesting receipt of a formal response from the Board of Selectmen regarding his request for a separate line item for overtime expenses.
Tom Mayo stated that there are in the account 250 unread emails that go to generic email addresses which are unread by many town committee members. George Schmidt will send an email to Mr. Fraser responding to his letter to Mr. Richardson.
NEXT MEETINGS
The following meetings are scheduled for the Finance Committee:
Thursday, March 7, 2013 – 6:30 PM
Thursday, March 21, 2013 - 6:30 PM - Public Hearing
Monday, March 25, 2013 – 6:30 PM – Joint Meeting with BOS
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ina G. Schlobohm
Recording Secretary
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