TOWN OF MILLBURY
Board of Selectmen Minutes
Special Meeting with the School Committee
Library Meeting Room
March 2, 2009 7:00 p.m.
Present: Board of Selectmen: Chairman E. Bernard Plante, Joseph F. Coggans, Jr., Kenneth I. Schold, Francis B. King.
School Committee: Chairman Jane Pojani, Tom Clawson, Art Corey, and Leslie
Vigneau.
Robert Spain, Town Manager, Brian Turbitt, Finance Director, Rick Bedard, Business Manager, Susan Hitchcock, Superintendent.
Chairman Plante opened the meeting to explain why we are here. It is good for all of us to be on the same page in these bad times.
Ms. Pojani said the split was changing, numbers were changing, and they voted on their budget as is and are presenting it that way.
Ms. Hitchcock said that there was a wonderful respective relationship in the past and she wants to continue this. Mr. O’Connor indicated to her that he wanted to see a balanced budget. They started looking at the reductions needed for 2010 in 2007. They have been reluctant to put that information forward. Budget numbers have changed. They are prepared to take action on their reductions.
Mr. Spain cut the equivalent of 8.3 full time people and cut hours of 6 people. Chairman Plante said that he has been sitting here for 20 years and it has never been this bad.
Ms. Pojani said that they were going to the unions to see if they would forgo their raises and wanted everyone to do that. If the unions dismiss that-then they will know what is coming.
Mr. Spain started by clarifying that the numbers did not change that drastically. We need to go forward from here. This has been the worst year ever-there is no money to be found. Mr. Spain’s actual budget will be released on Thursday. He has pursued the union several times to get together-but it has not happened yet. Hopefully we can cooperate because it is going to take a lot of effort and a lot of cooperation. Last year the State’s budget was not signed until July. That is long after we go to Town Meeting. Last year State aid was at least resolved. This year we have nothing but the governor’s budget.
*see attached Town Manager Budge Recommendations. Maximum tax levy will not change.
Cherry Sheet number does not include the 1% rooms and meals tax because it is not passed.
Local estimated receipts right now at a deficit.
Mr. Borowski asked why local receipts went down-right now we are running lower than usual-interest income, excise taxes, building permits are down. Bob doesn’t see it getting much higher than 4.3-most of those things are economy sensitive and you know that the economy is not getting any better. Mr. Spain is very confident in his numbers right now.
Right now snow and ice is at $186,000 deficit without counting today’s storm.
Susan Hitchcock is not happy that the capital improvement articles are included in this budget. Mr. Spain pointed out that free cash is a onetime revenue and you cannot count on free cash to save positions.
Ms. Pojani questioned the police revolving account. Chairman Plante explained that it is an accumulated deficient, we did find a big chunk of it and the auditors are now happy with the procedures in place. Our books are in the best shape that they’ve been in a long time.
Mr. Spain said that expenditures will change-revenues probably won’t and he will present his budget on Thursday and present the school committee budget as passed. Mr. Clawson and Mr. Corey asked why he is not using stimulus money; there is nothing in hand to use.
Mr. Borowski wanted to know if there were any citizen’s petitions going on the warrant. There is one that he knows of; they are asking for health insurance for elected officials to be stopped.
Bottom line is that we would have had a problem this year regardless of the economy.
Mr. Clawson wanted to know if he took into consideration the governor fully funded the schools but not the towns.
Mr. Borowski said we cannot kid ourselves, 2011 is going to be as bad.
Ms. Hitchcock has met with the teachers to tell them how bad it is.
Ms. Pojani hopes no raises will save money. Even with that there will still be layoffs.
Ms. Pojani would like to meet with the unions together with Bob; we need to all be together to meet with them.
Susan Hitchcock wants to meet with her teacher union first, not together.
Mr. Borowski was wondering if we can move town meeting. Per by-laws cannot move it.
Ms. Pojani wanted to make it clear they do not agree with the 60/40 split.
Meeting concluded at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Hayes
E. Bernard Plante __________________________
Joseph F. Coggans, Jr. __________________________
Kenneth I. Schold __________________________
Francis B. King __________________________
Its Board of Selectmen
| 
