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BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2009
The regular meeting convened at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at 110 Main Street. In attendance were Richard E. Guertin and Edward S. Harrison. Kathleen C. Norbut was not in attendance. Also present were the Town Administrator and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Authorize Additional Snow and Ice Deficit Spending:
Ms. Neggers explained $125,000 was originally appropriated in the Snow and Ice Deficit Account at the beginning of the Fiscal Year, which was depleted. Four or five weeks ago, an additional $100,000 was appropriated into the Snow and Ice Account, and that money has been expended as well. The request tonight is for an additional $75,000.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to appropriate an additional $75,000.00 into the Snow and Ice Deficit Spending Account. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers noted the Finance Committee approved this request last night at their meeting.
PT Dispatcher Appointments:
Mr. Harrison made a motion to appoint Amanda O‘Connor, David Rondeau, Daniel Ryan and Thomas Clark as part-time dispatchers effective immediately through June 30, 2009. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers noted these are existing employees, one works 32 hours and the others are part-time police officers. This will allow the department to train them as part-time dispatchers as well.
Fiscal 2009 – Budget – Impact of 9c Cuts and Options for Addressing:
Fiscal 2010 Budget – Impact of Reductions in State Aid and Options
for Addressing:
Finance Director Deborah Mahar approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Neggers explained the economy is in a historic downturn and when she was in Boston at the MMA Meeting, the Governor referred to it as an economic crisis. There has been a significant decrease in the amount of revenue to the state as well as to the cities and towns. For the current Fiscal Year, 2009, the State tried to hold harmless local aid when the original rounds of cuts were made in October. Subsequently, it became evident at the State level they could not balance the budget without sustaining cuts to the local aid and the Governor announced 9c cuts. The reduction in State aid for Monson, mid-year, is $158,000 and change Ms. Neggers said. The Governor also released the figures for his Fiscal Year 2010 budget showing a $286,000
reduction in State aid for Monson. Chapter 70 funds were held harmless at this point in time. Ms. Neggers explained much of what the Governor has put forward is relying on is federal stimulus money coming through for education. Ms. Mahar noted this includes revenues from the meal tax increase and room tax increase which isn’t in place yet. If this doesn’t go through, Monson can add $184,000 for a total of $471,000 reduction in FY 2010. The $286,000 is the best case scenario. Ms. Neggers said what she and Ms. Mahar have done, was try to bring the numbers together and be prepared to discuss them publicly with the understanding it is still uncertain, there are a lot of variables at work. Ms. Neggers explained she met with the department heads yesterday and went over the same information she is sharing with the Selectmen and the public tonight. Ms. Neggers added the department heads are taking this very seriously and recognize the reality of the situation and are trying to
find ways to mitigate the impact to their 2010 budget, and the on services they provide.
Ms. Neggers and Ms. Mahar took the level service budgets, which were submitted by town departments and recalculated based on that, including step raises and increases in health insurance. The first column shows the Governor’s budget with new taxes and with the schools at net school spending. The next column shows the Governor’s budget with new taxes and with the schools level funded. The mandatory school spending figure (net school spending) is about $190,000 less than the current level funding. The third column is the Governor’s budget without increased taxes, but with the schools at net school spending. The fourth column is the Governor’s budget without increased taxes and the school department at level funding. At net school spending, the School Department is $190, 000 below
level funding. Ms. Neggers said the net school spending is mandatory, and once the schools are funded at net school spending, we are still short $136,000.00.
Ms. Neggers stressed the reduction in hours and changes in positions are various options, not all of them are going to happen. All the changes involving employees will be negotiated with the union before anything will be implemented. These are choices put out there for people to begin to digest, analyze and ascertain what their priorities will be. Ms. Neggers said she and Ms. Mahar have identified $540,000.00 in potential reductions, and the town will ultimately need to identify somewhere between $137,000 and $530,000 of those reductions. This will take all of the Free Cash with the exception of approximately $60,000.00 and doesn’t do anything to the Stabilization Fund which has about $600,000 in it. Ms. Mahar noted the total budget amount requested for FY 2010 is $24,760,000. Ms. Neggers explained
the 2010 budget as attached. Ms. Neggers added any of these reductions will have impacts. She has set up certain goals and explained them to the department heads, trying to protect the financial integrity of the town yet leave an environment where every department remains open. No department will be functioning at top speed and some departments will get stung more than others. It also requires certain accommodations in terms of sharing resources better, cross training employees to cover for one another, and consolidation of a work force so you will have sharing of responsibilities if one department has lost some of their help, just not at the same level of performance.
Ms. Neggers read the list of cuts that have already taken place, last year, with the reduction of hours in the clerical position in the Collectors office, the Finance Director’s salary was reduced to 36 hours a week, the Board of Selectmen’s salaries were removed, the Board of Assessors salaries were removed, and there was a $9,000 cut to legal account, the Town Report was level funded, the custodian’s hour have been reduced to 25 hours per week, the Building Department eliminated the clerical overtime, reduced the Building Department clerical, reduced the Emergency Management salary, eliminated the site cleanup in the Building Department, reduced the Firefighter’s salary by $10,000, eliminated one Highway position, eliminated the Cemetery part-time Clerical, one Highway position
was eliminated, and all of the Cemetery Department part-time seasonal help was eliminated, eliminated Valley Human Services, eliminated the Hazardous Waste Day, eliminated the Board of Health part-time clerical, eliminated the mosquito menace, reduced the Council on Aging by $17,000, eliminated a full–time 30 hour per week position in Park & Rec., reduced Park & Rec. by $5,000 and reduced the Library by $22,000. This was all done at last year’s annual town meeting.
For the current Fiscal Year the Town needs to make $158,316 in cuts. A spending freeze was implemented in October and that is proving to be very helpful in managing this level of reduction. This year we have a saving in the purchase of petroleum products of $12,000, Selectmen’s expense account of $600.00, Finance Department expense account for $700.00, Assessors expense account of $2,900.00, Treasurer’s expense account $500.00, Collector’s expense account $2,000.00, if the Collector’s clerk is eliminated in 2010 it could save $5,300 and $6,000.00 with the shift in the Enterprise fund, reduction of $4,000.00 in election and registration expense, reduction of $3,00.00 in the Conservation Commission, reduction of $ in the Planning Board $400 elimination of the publication of the Town
Report Pathfinder $
Mr. Guertin said he feels if the spreadsheet had the numbers on one side with a narrative on the other side, it would be easier to follow.
At 8:27 p.m. Mr. Harrison made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session for the purpose of a collective bargaining discussion. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Edward S. Harrison, Clerk
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