FOURTEENTH MEETING WARRANT COMMITTEE DECEMBER 7, 2005
PRESENT: K. Conlon, T. Lowney D. Biagiotti, J. Conley, W. Connors, H. Crichlow, L. Dee, N. Gray, T. Hurley, S. Keel, B. Mason, J. O’Connor, C. Winston.
ABSENT: P. Nolan, L .J. Walker.
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $354,145
Chair Conlon called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
The minutes of November 30, 2005 were approved 9-0-1.
The Committee received the following FY 2007 budgets: Planning Department $2,895; Cemetery Department $616,053; Park Department $304,373 and Board of Assessors $204,146.
A Summary Budget Spreadsheet was received listing the FY 2007 budgets received to date.
The Committee received a copy of the 2004-2005 subcommittee questions regarding budgets for reference purposes. Copies of handouts given by various speakers at the recent municipal finance seminar at Curry College were available for those Warrant Committee members who were unable to attend.
A conference was held with Veterans Agent Richard Mearn, who reviewed the benefits that are available to veterans and the State’s reimbursement. He also discussed the background and reasons for his department’s request for a Reserve Fund transfer. Following this discussion, the Committee voted, with Secretary Lowney moving and Member Winston seconding, to approve a $12,000 Reserve Fund transfer to the FY 2006 Veterans General Benefits appropriation. The Chair thanked Agent Mearn for his thorough and informative presentation.
The Committee reviewed the request for a Reserve Fund transfer to the FY 2006 Unemployment Compensation appropriation and voted, with Member Winston moving and Member Dee seconding, to approve a $12,268 Reserve Fund transfer to the FY 2006 Unemployment Compensation appropriation for payment of the October invoice from the Division of Unemployment Assistance.
The Chair of the Trustees of the Library Kathryn A. Fagan and Trustee Eugene S. Boylan met with the Committee members to thank the Committee for its support of the Library Expansion Appropriation article at the October Special Town Meeting.
The Chair led a general discussion on the process of budget reviews, subcommittee presentations to be scheduled during the month of January and the need for subcommittee chairs to initiate meetings with various department heads to discuss their budget submissions.
Chair Conlon and Secretary Lowney and School Subcommittee Chair Dee will meet with the Chair of the Board of Selectmen , the Chair of the School Committee, the Town Administrator and the School Superintendent on December 12 for a preliminary FY 2007 budget discussion.
Also discussed was the question of whether to adopt a policy of conflict of interest. The consensus of the Committee was not to adopt its own policy but rather to continue to abide by the guidance of the State Ethics Commission.
The Committee discussed inviting Town Administrator David Colton to attend a meeting in January to update the Committee on health and utility costs, collective bargaining, indirect department costs and his July 1, 2005 reorganization of departments under the jurisdiction of the Board of Selectmen.
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $329,877
The next meeting of the Warrant Committee will be on Wednesday, December 14, 2005.
The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol A. Blute, Clerk
December 7, 2005
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