WARRANT COMMITTEE MINUTES
THIRD MEETING September 25, 2006
PRESENT: K. Conlon, H. Crichlow, S. Keel, L. Dee, J. Conley, J. O’Connor, B McLaughlin, E. Innis, M. Flanagan, J. Pinkus, T. Hurley, L. Walker
ABSENT: J. O’Connor, D. Biagiotti
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $400,000
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.
Chairman of the Library Building Committee Tom Martinson and Chairman of the Library Trustees Gene Boylan presented the updated and revised plans on the Library building project. They explained in some detail the revised plans and the reasons for the revisions. Cost estimates for the original plans exceeded the $13,418,000 approved at town meeting. Furthermore the State appointed building consultant noted numerous design flaws in the original plans. The revised plans provide better parking improved security and will help to ensure that the new library will be able to operate with the same size staff. Several questions from Committee members followed.
Chair Conlon updated the Committee on a meeting that she had with the Chairman of the School Committee, the Superintendent of Schools the Town Administrator, the Town Accountant and the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. The purpose of the meeting was to determine what the School Committee’s plans were for additional funding requests at a fall special town meeting. At the meeting it was determined that the School Committee would seek $393,000 of free cash to pay fiscal year 2006 “SPED” bills. The $393,000 represents Medicaid reimbursements received from the State in FY 2006 and deposited into the Town’s general fund. Chair Conlon explained to the Committee that the expenditure of $393,000 from FY 07 free cash would leave the Town with very little remaining free cash for FY 07. The School Committee
will not seek to appropriate for its use the increase in State aid over projections used in the FY 2007 budget.
The Committee was given a list prepared by the School Committee of invoices that it had selected to be paid from the FY 06 Medicaid reimbursement funds.
Discussion continued focusing primarily on the need to devise a better method of dealing with the Medicaid reimbursement funds so as to eliminate the need for a special town meeting warrant and pay the bills in a more timely fashion..
Chair Conlon discussed a meeting that she and Tom Hurley had with the Town Administrator, the Town Accountant and the Town Chief Appraiser regarding how to handle the increased State aid of approximately $200,000. Several suggestions were mentioned including a very modest reduction in the property tax rate which would leave excess levy capacity, do nothing and allow the funds to flow to FY 08 free cash, fund an operating stabilization fund or fund a capital stabilization fund. The Chief Appraiser will inform the Committee of the Board of Assessors’ position on this matter as the process of setting the tax rate proceeds. The general consensus of the three Town representatives at the meeting was a desire to reduce the property tax rate and give the money back to the taxpayers as a sign of good faith.
The minutes of the September 6, 2006 meeting were reviewed by the Committee.
Member Crichlow made a motion to approve the revised minutes of September 6, 2006. The motion was seconded by Member Hurley. The vote to approve the minutes of the September 6, 2006 meeting as revised passed 8-0-2
Chair Conlon presented a letter to the Committee from the Fire Chief regarding emergency expenditures for necessary HVAC and building repairs. The expenditures are likely to result in a future request for a reserve fund transfer.
Chair Conlon presented a flyer from the Association of Town Finance Committees regarding their annual meeting to be held at the Westford Regency Hotel on October 28, 2006. A brief discussion ensued regarding the meeting.
The next meeting will be Monday October 11, 2006.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm
Respectfully submitted
Tom Hurley
September 26, 2006
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