 |
TWELFTH MEETING WARRANT COMMITTEE NOVEMBER 16, 2005
PRESENT: K. Conlon, T. Lowney, D. Biagiotti, J. Conley, W. Connors, H. Crichlow, N. Gray, T. Hurley, S. Keel, P. Nolan, J. O’Connor, L. Walker, C. Winston
ABSENT: L. Dee, B. Mason
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $369,745
Chair Conlon called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
The Committee received a copy of a memorandum from Chair of the Personnel Board Stephen Hennessy to the Town Administrator advising that the Personnel Board had voted to reclassify the position of Superintendent of Wires from Level 10 to Level 7 with the title of Wire Inspector due to the recent reorganization shifting the responsibility of maintaining street and traffic lights to the Department of Public Works.
A conference was held with Town Accountant David Grab who discussed with the Committee the Municipal Relief Act of 2003, the FY 2006 Free Cash calculation, funding of the Stabilization Fund and unemployment compensation. He distributed a list of those departments affected by the Municipal Relief Act of 2003, under which up to 3% of each department’s FY 2005 budget was transferred to the Reserve Fund, spreadsheets involving FY 2004 assets, liabilities and equity, an analysis of unreserved fund (free cash calculations) balances for the year ended June 30, 2005, and schedule of property tax receivables. A schedule of outstanding receivables and deferred revenue will be distributed at the next Warrant Committee meeting on November 30, 2005. The Town Accountant also gave a brief description of
GASB 45, its requirements regarding the funding of post-retirement health care costs, and the retirement liability actuarial study which will eventually be needed. The Town Accountant reviewed with the Committee his request for a $15,600 Reserve Fund transfer to the FY 2006 Unemployment Compensation appropriation for payment of the September invoice from the Division of Unemployment Assistance. Following this discussion, the Committee voted 10-0-0 on a motion made by Member Winston and second by Secretary Lowney to fund the Reserve Fund transfer as requested in the amount of $15,600. The Chair thanked Town Accountant Grab on behalf of the Committee for his excellent presentation on Town budgets and finances.
The minutes of November 9, 2005 were approved 11-0-1.
The Committee received a draft copy of its FY 2007 budget. Discussion and review was deferred to its November 30, 2005 meeting.
Chair Conlon advised the Committee that she and the Warrant Committee Clerk will have a meeting tomorrow with the Town Administrator, Selectman McCarthy, Town Accountant, former Warrant Committee Chair Emily Innes and the Assistant Town Administrator regarding changes to the process of preparing and maintaining the budget spreadsheet. As part of an orientation discussion for new members, the Committee discussed the time line involved with budgets and printing of the Warrant, responsibilities of Chairs and members of the various Subcommittees, legal mandates of various departments, setting of priorities, meetings with department heads, and budget presentations by Subcommittee Chairs to the Warrant Committee. Chair Conlon also discussed with the Committee the advisory role responsibility of the Warrant
Committee, the importance of its review of non-financial articles, its duty to be, and to be perceived to be, fair in considering all Town budgets and the need for all members of the Warrant Committee to approach the budget process objectively and not as an advocate for any particular department(s). The Chair distributed copies of certain sections of the Town’s Bylaws, a January 2004 summary of the Warrant Committee’s goals and objectives, sample subcommittee questions for use in reviewing budgets, a history of Milton’s proposition 2 ? overrides and Section 10 from “Town Meeting Time, A Handbook of Parliamentary Law,” regarding the role of Finance Committees.
The Chair reminded the Committee of the Municipal Finance seminar to be held on Saturday, November 19, 2005 at Curry College.
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $354,145
The next meeting of the Warrant Committee will be on Wednesday, November 30, 2005
The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol A. Blute, Clerk
November 30, 2005
| |
