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FORTY-SIXTH MEETING WARRANT COMMITTEE MAY 4, 2006
PRESENT: K. Conlon, T. Lowney, D. Biagiotti, J. Conley, W. Connors, H. Crichlow, L. Dee, N. Gray, T. Hurley, S. Keel, B. Mason, P. Nolan, J. O’Connor, L J. Walker, C. Winston
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RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $195,510
Assessors Set Aside 5,123
Warrant Committee Set Aside 500
Fire Department Set Aside 14,630
$175,257
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in Milton High School prior to the beginning of the 2006 Annual Town Meeting.
A conference was held with Fire Chief Malcolm Larson, who advised the Committee that he could maintain level service with the $40,000 reduction in his FY 2007 budget request. The $40,000 would be absorbed in his Salary and Wage request and would result in no new firefighters being hired in FY 2007.
A conference was held with Police Chief Kevin Mearn, who advised that the $40,000 reduction in his FY 2007 budget request would come from his Salary and Wage request. The Chief has not yet discussed with the Board of Selectmen how the reduction would be made from a policy perspective.
A conference was held with Director of Public Works Walter Heller, who advised the Committee that a $40,000 reduction in his FY 2007 budget request would result in the reduction of one position to part time and no additional yard waste collections.
The Committee received a list of the proposed reductions that a $330,000 reduction to the FY 2007 School Department would mean.
A joint conference was then held with the Board of Selectmen represented by Chair James G.. Mullen, Jr., and Members Marion McEttrick and John Michael Shields. Town Administrator David Colton, Assistant Town Administrator Annemarie Fagan and Secretary to the Board of Selectmen Paula Rizzi were also in attendance. The School Committee was represented by Chair Paul Hogan and Members Beirne Lovely, Jr., Christopher Huban, Laurie Stillman, Mary Kelly and Lynda Lee Sheridan and School Superintendent Magdalene Giffune, Assistant School Superintendent Mary Gormley and Business Manager Paul Hilton. Chair of the Board of Selectmen James G. Mullen, Jr. advised the Warrant Committee that a compromise had been reached between the Board of Selectmen and School Committee in order to achieve one override question in
the amount of $2.41 million on the ballot before the close of school and to set an election date of June 13, 2006. He advised the Committee that the School Department had agreed to give serious consideration to any proposal to re-use the 1909 wing of the former high school and to look into concerns that students not living in town may be attending the Milton public schools.
Member Connors made a motion, seconded by Member Winston, to increase the FY 2007 School Department non-contingent budget request by $100,000, which represents the amount of savings on general insurance costs due to competitive bidding. This motion was defeated 6-8-0. Member Connors made a motion, seconded by Member Winston to allocate the $100,000 among the four largest departments using the same formula as was used when the final budgets were voted on Saturday, March18, 2006. The Committee then voted 10-4-0 to recommend an appropriation of $100,000 as follows: School $65,000. Police $14,000; Fire $11,000 and Department of Public Works $10,000.
Secretary Lowney made a motion, seconded by Member Mason, to recommend the compromise proposal agreed to by the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen of reducing $550,000 from the contingent budget as follows: Schools 395, 000, Police $54,000, Fire $51,000 and Department of Public Works $50,000. The Committee voted 12-2-0 to recommend the compromise to Town Meeting.
The meeting recessed at 8:00 p.m. to allow the Warrant Committee, Board of Selectmen and School Committee to attend the third evening of the Annual Town Meeting.
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $195,510
Assessors Set Aside 5,123
Warrant Committee Set Aside 500
Fire Department Set Aside 14,630
$175,257
The next meeting of the Warrant Committee will be on Monday, May 8, 2006.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol A. Blute, Senior Administrative Clerk
May 8, 2006
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