Finance Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday October 25, 2018
Rutland Public Library
7:15 p.m.
Present: Tom Ruchala, Lyndon Nichols, Iain McKinlay, Brian Stidsen, Carol Martens, Karen Nahrwold
Absent: Sheryl Vernon
Others: Leroy Clark – Board of Selectmen, Robert Reed – Interim Town Administrator, Laura Paradise – Secretary (Sheila Dibb & Leah Whiteman – Board of Selectmen joined the meeting at 7:36 p.m.)
Mr. Ruchala opened the meeting at 7:15 p.m.
There was discussion about Ms. Vernon’s resignation.
MINUTES
Mr. Nichols moved to accept the meeting minutes of October 4, 2018 as written. Mr. McKinlay 2nd. Vote unanimous.
Ms. Nahrwold, who was unable to attend the October 4th meeting, asked to clarify whether the School Committee members discussed receiving 6 different versions of line-item budget samples. Mr. Lavoie had talked about sending multiple formats to administration.
Review Draft STM Warrant Articles
Mr. Reed provided a draft of the warrant. The warrant still needs to be finalized and includes many placeholders. A list of articles not yet included in the warrant was provided, as well as attachments with the stormwater and marijuana bylaws. The Board of Selectmen will decide placement and order of the articles on Monday October 29 and the warrant will be posted by the end of next week.
The Finance Committee can review the articles, but no recommendations are necessary yet. Questions can be presented to the requesting department for future meetings. Mr. Reed stated he has heard from the Town Accountant regarding Free Cash – the number is not yet certified but should be about $600,000 or slightly above. Mr. Reed recommends bringing in a representative of the Planning Board for a future meeting to discuss the marijuana bylaws and road acceptances.
Article 1 – to make the budget whole from the Annual Town Meeting (restore approximately $84,000 in cuts). The article also looks to add funds to the Highway Department and DPW Superintendent salary for recruitment of a new DPW Superintendent, and to add funds to bump up the Town Administrator salary which is also under recruitment. There was discussion about whether the additional funds should be done as separate articles. The current article is presented as restoring cuts. Ms. Nahrwold expressed concerns that the additional funds could come across as sneaking items into the budget. Mr. Reed stated there will be a handout that should make it clear to voters.
There was discussion about changing the wording of the article to make it more clear that it will restore budget cuts plus approve new additions.
Article 2 – capital budget - $69,000 for Holder tractor for the Highway Department.
Mr. Clark stated it’s a good bet the article will be placed.
Leah Whiteman and Sheila Dibb – Board of Selectmen joined the meeting at 7:36 p.m.
Gary Kellaher, DPW Superintendent, stated the Holder is a replacement for the MT tractor which is inoperable. The Holder will clean sidewalks, sweep, and mow. A used machine out of Canada is 3 years old and costs $69,000 versus $117,000 for a new machine.
The funding would come from Free Cash.
Article 3 – payment of a 4th quarter Upper Blackstone invoice.
Mr. Reed stated that transferring funds from Article 15 of the May 6, 2017 ATM was recommended by the Town Accountant. Mr. Kellaher suggested Article 7, with which Dan Haynes has agreed. The article will be updated to reflect the change. This should be the only late bill payment on the warrant. The total bill is comprised of $42,340.09 due to DCR and $4,114.27 due to MWRA.
Article 4 – appropriation of $500.00 from Free Cash to bind and preserve Town Meeting warrants and minutes.
Anita Carlson, Town Clerk, stated this is an overdue procedure. The most crucial records to preserve are the Town Meeting minutes. The last ones that were bound were in 1987. Minutes are preserved but should be bound. Ms. Carlson received two estimates for the cost averaging around $75 per volume. They would likely need 3 volumes to do meeting records. Annual reports and street lists have not been done since 1998/99 and would take 4 volumes. $500 should cover getting the records up to date.
Mr. Ruchala asked if a local company does the work. Ms. Carlson stated the last place they used out of Boston was bought out. She got a quote from Cambridge and one from Clinton. She plans to talk with the Town Clerk in Sterling who just completed a similar project.
Article 5 – Free Cash to OPEB, Article 6 – Free Cash to Stabilization, Article 7 – Free Cash to Capital Stabilization.
All three articles go along with the adopted guidelines.
Article 8 – transfer $5,000.00 to upgrade the Town’s website.
There was discussion about soliciting volunteers or residents willing to donate time and money for the website and other items on the warrant (such as playground fencing). Ms. Martens stated there is a lot of talent in Town.
For the Town website, working with volunteers would be more trouble than it’s worth. Ms. Carlson stated the Town has used Virtual Town Hall since 2007, which was recently acquired by CivicPlus. The two people that worked on the current website are still there. The cost of annual hosting and support would remain the same, $2,800 per year. Almost half of the towns in MA use Virtual Town Hall or CivicPlus. Suzor IT employed someone to design the website for Barre, but Suzor is no longer the IT provider for Rutland and Barre. Ms. Carlson is not sure what Barre does for website support.
A new website would be compatible with mobile devices and tablets. More departments would be able to post their own content. Content could be scheduled to come off the site (with copies saved for public records law) and content could be revised and reposted for the following year. The potential new website would be similar to that of the Town of Hubbardston.
Ms. Carlson spoke with the president of Virtual Town Hall. $5,000 could be spread over two fiscal years. It would make more sense to work with a company than with volunteers, as a volunteer could build the website but move out of Town and not be able to offer support.
Article 9 - $879 for the purchase of a fax/scanner/printer for the Library.
Mr. Reed spoke with Kerry Remington. The Library has several people come in per week wanting to send a fax. The current machine takes a long time. Ms. Martens asked if the Library charges for faxing. Mr. Nichols stated it’s a minimal fee, pennies per page. There was discussion of making the service better known to residents. Ms. Whiteman discussed that the Library plans on updating their website with more relevant information. Ms. Carlson stated the Library could be included in a new Town website versus having their own.
Article 10 - $15,000 legal and land court fees for the foreclosure of 17 parcels currently in tax title.
Rebecca Tuttle, Treasurer/Collector, sent an email in lieu of being able to attend. She provided background on where the $15,000 would be going. There was discussion about the amount of money the Town receives back in outstanding taxes. Putting money into tax title brings back enough to cover the money owed plus legal costs and interest.
Article 11 - $5,200.00 for the purchase of a Heat/AC unit for the Public Safety Building.
The Finance Committee will extend a request for Fire Chief Seth Knipe to attend the next meeting to discuss the request.
Article 12 – appropriate $9,725.00 to replace the fencing at Memorial Playground.
Mr. Kellaher stated the old fence is already down. There was discussion about people volunteering, particularly builders in town.
Mr. Kellaher stated they’re getting a good deal from a local company for the fence.
Ms. Dibb discussed the gift account and money raised privately for playground equipment 12 years ago. The Board of Selectmen has tried for several months to move playground equipment donated by Heifer Farm. Contractors and vendors from Worcester were brought in to prep the site. The playground equipment still needs to be moved.
Ms. Nahrwold asked about the structural deficit going into this fiscal year. A lot of one-time funds were used at the last Annual Town meeting.
Ms. Dibb stated that with the exception of the items removed on the floor at Annual Town Meeting to make concession to the unchanged school budget, if the budget is reinstated with $150,000 set aside as recommended by Margaret Nartowicz, the numbers tonight would reflect the $150,000 set aside, $90,000 in 3 savings accounts, and would leave $100,000 to carry through to May.
Mr. Nichols asked if there is a requirement to put fencing in. Mr. Kellaher stated it is recommended because of the proximity to the roadway. Fencing isn’t needed by regulations. If one piece of fence is there, it has to be constructed to the State playground handbook.
Articles 13-17 – Road Acceptances
Ms. Nahrwold requested the a member of the Planning Board confirm that all amounts of money owed are paid.
The Planning Board had a review period and recommended all roads. The Board of Selectmen will meet Monday October 29th to layout the roads. Ms. Nahworld asked the members of the Board in attendance to bring up money owed at the meeting. It needs to be addressed prior to placing on the warrant.
There was discussion about the Planning Board’s punch list of items to be completed prior to acceptance, which the Planning Board has stated is complete.
Articles 18-23 – Marijuana Bylaws.
The Planning Board should also be brought in to discuss the proposed bylaws.
Copies of the five marijuana articles were provided. There were some issues with a public consumption bylaw that was proposed. The Planning Board agreed not to put it on the warrant.
The Finance Committee will review the bylaws and prepare questions for the next meeting. There was discussion about the order of the articles. If the first bylaw is voted in, the next two/three subsequent bylaws would be passed over. There is also a general prohibition bylaw at the end. It is placed last because zoning articles would have more influence due to the required 2/3 vote.
Lauren Goldberg, Town Counsel, will be at the STM and would likely advise Randy Jordan, Town Moderator, to give an overview of the articles before bringing the first up for discussion.
Article 24 – Stormwater Bylaw
Mr. Kellaher stated there have been several bylaws put together, some through the Coalition and some through the Town of Spencer. It was pulled off the ATM warrant. The current bylaw was put together by Weston & Sampson and was reviewed by the Bylaw Subcommittee. Marilyn Sidoti was okay with the bylaw, but it has not been put to a committee vote yet. The bylaw must be passed for upcoming stormwater regulations. Ms. Nahrwold asked if there is a requirement for a public hearing. Mr. Reed and Mr. Kellaher will look into the requirements.
The bylaw was written by Weston & Sampson and reviewed by KP Law.
Article 25 – Solar, Wheeler Road and Article 26 – Solar, Maple Ave.
The Town issued an RFP for a solar project near Muschopauge. These articles would work out a PILOT agreement. The lease agreement was done by the last Town Meeting. Town Counsel recommended two articles because one parcel is Town-owned, and the other is under RDIC control.
Article 27 – Water Enterprise security cameras.
Mr. Kellaher stated there would be requests for security cameras and fencing for the security of the water treatment plant and surrounding area. There have been a lot of security updates to drinking water supplies after 9/11, these items would bring everything up to snuff.
Ms. Dibb stated Water Free Cash is high, should be spent down. Mr. Kellaher stated there is infrastructure to take care of.
Article 28 – BOS lease agreement, 8-acres for soccer fields.
The article concerns property in front of the Glenwood School.
Maintenance would be included in the lease agreement. It would be set up similar to Marsh Field with an RFP first followed by a lease agreement. Mr. Reed has not spoken with the Police and Fire Chiefs, but the WRSD Superintendent is supportive.
There was discussion about the additional proposed DPW articles. Mr. Kellaher provided packets with information on the requests. The Finance Committee won’t make recommendations until placed.
Water Free Cash is $918,500 and Sewer Free Cash is $23,900.
$21,870 from Water Free Cash to replace an existing obsolete processor & the necessary components in stockware. The equipment is working, but the vendor recommendation at this age is to replace. If it fails, there is nothing to keep track. It could be done manually, but they wouldn’t have information coming back to the console for necessary numbers to get to DEP.
Mr. Nichols asked Mr. Kellaher if DPW has talked to RCAP Solutions.
OLD BUSINESS
There was discussion about the status of the letter to WRSD. Mr. Reed forwarded the comments from the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee to Peter Lukes. There was discussion about the lack of consensus from all district towns on the percentage.
Mr. Reed has been asked by the school whether someone from the Finance Committee will attend the upcoming WRSD Budget Roundtable on November 8th. Ms. Dibb recommends all members attend. WRSD wants one designated representative at the table.
Mr. Ruchala will be at the table. Members will try to attend. Mr. Nichols is unable, and Ms. Nahrwold is not yet sure she can.
Mr. Ruchala stated a vice chair is needed for the Finance Committee once Ms. Vernon has officially filed her resignation with the Town Clerk.
NEW BUSINESS
There was discussion about going into next year’s budget after Town Meeting. Requests should go out to department heads to meet with the Town Administrator starting in November. Ms. Nahrwold requested that the School Committee meeting be scheduled after their retreat. Mr. Kellaher stated Ms. Nartowicz had requested 2-3 budget scenarios from departments in the past. Level-funded, normal increases, and list of wants.
Mr. McKinlay moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Nichols 2nd. Vote unanimous.
The meeting adjourned at 8:41 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________ Laura Paradise, Secretary
Approved on: ________________
___________________________ Tom Ruchala, Chairman
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