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Meeting of 2010-10/04

MONSON FINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES                                                                                                                                                           OCTOBER 4, 2010


Present:        Peter Fimognari, Gerry Brayton, Jim Pennington, Bob Finnegan, Bob Margerison, Maureen O’Sullivan, Christine Edwards, William Dominguez,
 Brenda Payette (Administrative Assistant), Deb Mahar (Town Accountant)
Absent: None

The meeting was convened at 6:45pm

A motion was made to pay $173.00 to the Association of Town Finance Committees Annual Dues Fiscal Year 2011; it was SECONDED and SO VOTED.   

CORRESPONDENCE:
  • None
MEETINGS ATTENDED BY MEMBERS:
  • None
OLD BUSINESS / NEW BUSINESS:
Leslie Duthie, Monson Community Preservation Committee along with Bill Skillman and Dennis Swierad, attended the meeting to present and discuss warrant articles for the Special Town Meeting.  
Balance in CPA account currently available to appropriate: $389,000.00
This includes last year’s carryover and this year’s amount.
They are looking to spend $115,000.00.

Discussion:
Mr. Finnegan questioned if the Town has an obligation to use tax-payers money to repair a religious building.
Mr. Pennington remarked that the town voted on it in the past to repair other religious buildings.
Ms. O’Sullivan asked what would happen if once the repair work began and other problems came about. Mr. Swierad said if that were to occur, the Church would only get the funds the CPA has allotted for them.  He also said they made it clear to the Church that they would not do the repairs because it is a Church but because it is a Historic Building and they want to keep it preserved for the town.  Mr. Dominguez is in favor of preserving this building so it does not become another run down building in town.
Ms. O’Sullivan asked how many times the same group-Church can apply to the CPA.  There are no limits, the CPA looks at requests and makes sure they fall within the guidelines.

Discussion ended and Finance Committee began voting on articles.









Finance Committee members voted on the Special Town Warrants as follows:

Article 1
SO VOTED
Article 2
SO VOTED
Article 3
SO VOTED
Article 4
SO VOTED
Article 5
SO VOTED
Article 6
SO VOTED
Article 7
SO VOTED –See discussion below*
Article 8
SO VOTED
Article 9
SO VOTED, with Mr. Margerison abstaining and 7 YES votes.
Article 10
SO VOTED, with Mr. Margerison abstaining and 7 YES votes.
Article 11
SO VOTED –See discussion below*   
Article 12
SO VOTED
Article 13
SO VOTED-to defer to Planning Board for recommendation.
Article 14
SO VOTED –to defer to Community Preservation Committee for recommendation.
See discussion below*.
Article 15
SO VOTED
Article 16
SO VOTED – to defer to Community Preservation Committee for recommendation.
See discussion below*.

*Article 7 discussion: Mr. Margerison asked about the Town Clerk’s salary.  Ms. Mahar said Article 7 appropriates and Article 8 you vote on the salary.

*Article 11 discussion: Mr. Brayton asked if this would impact the trash fee.  Ms. Mahar said it would not; the trash rate will remain the same.

*Article 14 discussion: Ms. Edwards made a motion to accept article 14 –
YES votes 3, NO votes 5, motion not accepted.
Ms. O’Sullivan made a second motion to defer article 14 to the Community Preservation Committee,
YES votes 7, NO votes 1, motion passed.

*Article 16:  Motion made to defer to Community Preservation Committee for recommendation:
Discussion:
Mr. Brayton brought up his concern regarding Church and State and the 1st Amendment.
Mr. Pennington said it is the voter’s right to decide if this is what they want to use the money for.
Mr. Fimognari stated his concern on spending more tax money on privately owned buildings and not town’s building.
Discussion ended vote took place: YES votes 6, NO votes 2, motion passed.

The next scheduled meeting of the Finance Committee is:
Monday, October 18, 2010 at 6:30pm, Town Meeting at 7:00pm.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda I. Payette
Administrative Assistant to the Finance Committee