MONSON FINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES APRIL 24, 2007
Present: Peter Fimognari, John Goodrich, Joel Keller, Bob Margerison, Maureen O’Sullivan, Jim Pennington, Brenda Payette (Administrative Assistant)
Also Present: Deb Mahar (Finance Director), Jennifer Wroblewski (Journal Register), Lori Stabile (The Republican), Karen Patenaude (School Committee), John Morrell (Highway Department), Craig Sweitzer (Planning Board), Glen Colburn (Conservation Commission), Leslie Duthie (Community Preservation Committee)
Absent: Tina Augustin, Pete Ross, Chris Carlin, Christine Edwards
The meeting was convened at 6:35 p.m.
A motion was made to accept the minutes of the 4-9-07 and 4-17-07 meeting, as written. It was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
CORRESPONDENCE
None
MEETINGS ATTENDED BY MEMBERS
None
OLD BUSINESS / NEW BUSINESS
Highway Department requesting to deficit spend $5,000.00 for snow and ice to finish out this year.
A motion was made to allow the Highway Department to deficit spend $5,000.00 for snow and ice to finish out this year; it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
ATM Recommendations The committee reviewed the omnibus and voted as follows:
General Government: Ms. Mahar stated that an additional $2,000.00 is requested for Elections & Registration-Expenses Budget for postage, etc. Motion was made to accept General Government Total: $985,317.00 without the additional $2,000.00 request, it was seconded and SO VOTED, with Mr. Margerison and Mr. Pennington voting NAY.
Public Safety: Motioned to accept Public Safety in its entirety, it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
Education: Ms. Patenaude discussed the need for $29,000.00 increase for transportation. Per the request of FinCom at the 4-17-07 meeting, Ms. Patenaude sent via email to all FinCom members bid specifications. Ms. Patenaude said that the van will not only be used as a handicap accessible van, but also an eight passenger vehicle as well. Ms. Mahar stated the actual total needed for the van was $27,841.00.
Ms. O’Sullivan stated she has concerns of the message FinCom is sending regarding the formula FinCom used to help determine percentage increases to other departments.
Motioned was made to accept Education in its entirety, it was seconded and SO VOTED, with Mr. Fimognari, Mr. Goodrich, Mr. Pennington abstaining, one NAY vote and two YES vote.
Ms. Patenaude addressed FinCom members saying that the parents of children riding the bus would now be charged more to cover the increase the School Committee was seeking.
Mr. Keller made a motion to reopen Education and vote, it was seconded. FinCom members discussed this further and Mr. Pennington stated his recommendation, that the school committee needs this van, let’s give it to them, IEP mandates it. Mr. Goodrich also commented that the school committee has a new administration, the facts are clear for the need for the van and he supports this issue.
Motion was made to accept Education new amount of $11,090,897.00, it was seconded and SO VOTED, with Mr. Fimognari, Mr. Goodrich and Mr. Pennington abstaining.
Ms. Patenaude addressed the FinCom members and said at any time she will return to FinCom to discuss any issues they may have.
Education contingent upon over-ride vote: Motion was made to accept Education contingent upon over-ride in its entirety, it was seconded and SO VOTED, with Mr. Fimognari, Mr. Goodrich and Mr. Pennington abstaining.
Mr. Goodrich stated that FinCom is not for or against an over-ride, but if an over-ride does happen, this is where the money should be allocated.
Public Works: Motion was made to accept Public Works in its entirety; it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
Public Works contingent upon over-ride vote: Motion was made to accept Public Works in its entirety; it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
Human Services: Motion was made to accept Human Services in its entirety; it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
Library and Recreation: Motion was made to accept Library in its entirety; it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
Debt Service: Motion was made to accept Debt Service in its entirety; it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
Unclassified: Motion was made to accept Unclassified in its entirety; it was seconded and SO VOTED, unanimously.
Unclassified contingent upon over-ride vote: Motion was made to accept $50,000.00 for benefits for additional school staff; it was seconded and SO VOTED, with Mr. Fimognari, Mr. Goodrich and Mr. Pennington abstaining.
Mr. Sweitzer discussed Annual Town Warrant Article 26 and 27.
Mr. Sweitzer said currently the Planning Board attorney is working with the resident at the end of the cul-de-sac for right of way to allow people to use the sidewalk because the sidewalk is on their property.
Mr. Colburn discussed Annual Town Warrant Article 25.
Mr. Colburn stated while a developer was developing lots on Carpenter Road, an endangered special was discovered, the eastern box turtle.
The developer would like to donate 11.43 acres of land for conservation, passive recreation and rare species habitat protection.
This has been passed through legal counsel of the developer, Natural Heritage and the Town of Monson. Monson’s attorneys feel the language is straight forward.
Ms. Duthie discussed Annual Town Warrant Article 23 and 24.
Ms. Duthie said this is good property for the Conservation Commission to encumber. The main concern of the Conservation Commission is the illegal parking of vehicles next to the river. Their focus is the protection of the water resources; this is the main water supply to Monson.
Ms. Duthie discussed Annual Town Warrant Article 21.
Ms. Duthie discussed establishing a Community Preservation Committee. She said these are pubic open meetings, consisting of seven voting members. .
Mr. Morrell discussed Annual Town Warrant Article 12.
The amount in the article is $290,123.00, Mr. Morrell said this is incorrect, the correct amount reads up to $400,000.00. Ms. Mahar is looking into this, FinCom will hold to vote at next meeting.
Mr. Morrell discussed Special Town Warrant Article 5.
Mr. Morrell said that a worker has been on workers comp. The town has been paying him from his sick time. This worker is going to court in May, if it is ruled a worker’s comp case he will repay Monson from money received by workers comp.
Annual Town Warrant: The Committee voted as follows (see attached also):
Article 1 SO VOTED
Article 2 SO VOTED
Article 3 SO VOTED
Article 4 SO VOTED – total Omnibus amount $22,237,208.00
Article 5 PASS OVER
Article 6 SO VOTED
Article 7 SO VOTED
Article 8 SO VOTED
Article 9 PASS OVER
Article 10 SO VOTED
Article 11 SO VOTED
Article 12 FINCOM will wait until next meeting, incorrect amount *
Article 13 SO VOTED – total Enterprise Trash/Recycling Program $619,164
Article 14 SO VOTED – total Sewer debt within the Omnibus $74,143
Article 15 SO VOTED – total Water debt within the Omnibus $80,698
Article 16 SO VOTED
Article 17 SO VOTED
Article 18 SO VOTED
Article 19 SO VOTED- with Mr. Margerison voting NAY
Article 20 SO VOTED
Article 21 SO VOTED
Article 22 SO VOTED – To defer this to the Board of Selectmen
Article 23 SO VOTED – To defer this to the Conservation Commission
Article 24 SO VOTED – To defer this to the Town
Article 25 SO VOTED – To defer this to the Conservation Commission
Article 26 FIN COM TO VOTE AT NEXT MEETING
Article 27 FIN COM TO VOTE AT NEXT MEETING
The next scheduled meeting of the Finance Committee is:
Monday, April 30, 2007.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda I. Payette
Administrative Assistant to the Finance Committee
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