EIGHTEENTH MEETING WARRANT COMMITTEE JANUARY 11, 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.
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $327,477
Chair Conlon called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
The Committee received the Fiscal 2007 budget request from the Retirement Board in the amount of $3,394,870.
A presentation was made to the Committee by Town Administrator David Colton of a five-year strategic plan for the fiscal years 2007 though 2011. The presentation provided a look at the Town’s fiscal condition and level service projections(both status quo and with a $3.5 million override). Mr. Colton offered a broad strategic goal of improving overall capacity by increasing reserves, maintaining current debt service levels, reducing reliance on future overrides and maintaining the current tax levy percentage. The presentation included, among other things, demographics of the Town, reviews of debt service, per capita revenue and expenditure, land use, reserve levels, free cash data and revenue projections. The Town Administrator also distributed spreadsheets and calculations used to prepare the
strategic plan. The Chair thanked the Town Administrator for his excellent and thorough presentation of the Town’s current and projected financial condition.
The Committee discussed Article 1 with David Colton, Glenn Pavlicek and John Shields. Mr. Colton reviewed new information concerning the Department of Revenue’s position on an additional appropriation for the school building project that he obtained from Lisa Dickinson. The Town will request a meeting with DOR prior to the Special Town Meeting to clarify certain information.
Following discussion, the Committee voted unanimously to recommend a $2,975,000 non-contingent appropriation for Article 1 of the February 27, 2006 Special Town Meeting.
The Chair of the Board of Selectmen, Marion McEttrick, addressed the Committee on the possible future need for a Reserve Fund transfer to conduct traffic studies of a number of intersections in the area of the proposed Town Yard reuse. She also discussed the possible need for Reserve Fund transfer to the DPW budget, which will pay for a basic traffic study, and the Selectmen’s budget, which is paying fees of Mr. John Witten (the Selectmen’s legal counsel concerning a potential Request for Proposals for the Town Yard), which were unanticipated when the budget was prepared.
The minutes of January 9, 2006 were approved by a vote of 10-0-4.
The Committee voted 8-6-0 on a motion made by Member Mason and seconded by Member Winston to approve an additional $2,400 Reserve Fund to the Council on Aging FY 2006 Transportation appropriation. This completes the Council on Aging’s original request for a $4,800 Reserve Fund transfer to the Transportation appropriation necessitated by the increase cost of gasoline and additional requests for van service by residents.
A request for a $10,866 Reserve Fund transfer to the FY 2006 Unemployment Compensation appropriation was approved 14-0-0 on a motion made by Secretary Lowney and seconded by Member Hurley for the November billing from the Division of Unemployment Assistance.
A request from the Board of Selectmen for a $10,475 Reserve Fund transfer to the Selectmen’s FY 2006 E & R appropriation was deferred for further review.
The next scheduled meeting of the Warrant Committee will be on Tuesday, January 17, 2006.
RESERVE FUND BALANCE: $327,477
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol A. Blute
Senior Administrative Clerk
January 17, 2006
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