A Special Meeting of the City Council was held in City Council Chambers on
Monday, June 21, 2010 at 8:00 P.M. for the purpose of accepting the proposed Fiscal Year 2011 Budget. Notice of this meeting was posted on June 17, 2010 at 3:35 P.M.
Councillors Prevey and Pinto were recorded as absent.
Council President Robert McCarthy Prevey presided.
Councillor Lovely moved to dispense with the reading of the record of the previous meeting. It was so voted.
Mayor Driscoll submitted the proposed Fiscal Year 2011 Budget.
Councillor Lovely asked what the plan is to get the budget meetings done.
Councillor Sosnowski requested and received unanimous consent for suspension of the rules to allow Mr. Viscay Finance Director to speak.
Mr. Viscay said he would be available to the Council whenever they chose to meet.
Councillor McCarthy asked Mr. Viscay if the School ratified their budget so it is balanced.
Mr. Viscay stated that the Schools and School para’s opted for the Insurance plan.
The question was raised to Mr. Viscay about a 1/12th budget.
Mr. Viscay stated that the Mayor would have to go month to month. There would be no money to pay salaries after June 30th. He also stated this year was unusual where all the union contracts were up, the three major unions and non unions. We are comfortable to present the budget.
Councillor Sosnowski asked is this a one year contract so we are facing this again next year.
Mr. Viscay responded yes this year due to the health insurance to get to the GIC model. Once the budget is passed we will go over the house keeping issues with the unions relative to wages etc.
Councillor McCarthy stated that Councillor Prevey couldn’t be here but he assured me that he will alter his vacation and he wants to pass the budget by July 15th meeting.
Councillor Lovely asked if we don’t adopt the budget by June 30th what does this mean for Finance?
Mr. Viscay responded we will have to go to the Department Heads to see how we will meet our obligations on a month to month basis.
Councillor Lovely stated that Lynn is contemplating 1/12th budget but other communities have passed their budget. We had 2 retreats with the Mayor we have information.
Councillor Lovely moved to refer the budget to the Committee of the Whole.
Councillor O’Keefe asked where the column for FY10 is it would be helpful to see it.
Mr. Viscay stated that he can add columns if the council want it.
Councillor O’Keefe agrees with Councillor Lovely, he doesn’t want to see a 1/12th budget.
Mr. Viscay stated he would have to meet with the department heads.
Councillor O’Keefe stated this should be done by June 30th.
Councillor Pelletier seconded Councillor Lovely’s motion
Councillor Ronan stated we just got this budget. This is important work of the Council. We need to go through it. We are not doing this to delay, we just got this and it’s the first time we have seen it.
Councillor Sosnowski stated we are on thin ice. He stated he understood what Councillor Lovely said and would love it done by June 30th but if we don’t send this to the Administration and finance committee this would be a slow destruction of the fabric of the Council. We have not been in these situations before. He doesn’t agree to send it to the Committee of the Whole.
Councillor Ryan is concerned if it goes to the Committee of the Whole he doesn’t want to see it go past June 30th. He stated he would be willing to meet whenever to get it done.
Councillor Lovely wants the date set by the Council chair that it’s going to be July 15th. She stated that she chaired the committee on Administration and Finance twice. She knows how difficult it is. Maybe we should meet on Saturdays. We knew this was going to happen. She stated she will withdraw her motion if we get it done by June 30th.
Mr. Viscay apologized for the lateness of the budget but that it was due to the insurance we wanted to have those numbers first.
Councillor Pelletier agrees with Councillor Lovely if your not part of the Administration and Finance Committee you end up asking similar questions when it comes before the full council.
Councillor Ryan stated it should be in the Finance Committee. Why have Committees. He stated that he is ready to go and get it done by June 30th.
Councillor Ronan stated that the motion on the floor is to refer the matter to the Committee on Administration and Finance. The second motion is accusatory against the members that are not here. We didn’t delay this budget. We could co-post it with the Committee of the Whole.
Councillor O’Keefe moved to refer the budget to the Committee on Administration and Finance co-posted with the Committee of the Whole so that it can be done by July 1st.
Councillor Lovely stated we have a directive that it’s going to take until July 15th.
Councillor Sosnowski asked if there were any chance to talk to the Chairman of Adminsitration and Finance Committee to revise his date of July 15th.
Councillor Ronan stated there are three members of the Administration and Finance Committee who agree we can meet before 6:00 PM to work on this.
Councillor Lovely stated that if the Committee on Administration and Finance co-posted with the Committee of the Whole meets before 6:00 PM she will withdraw her motion but needs assurances not to go past June 30th.
Councillor McCarthy President stated he cannot speak for the Chair of the Administration and Finance Committee. He is not here to hear the sentiment of this body.
Councillor O’Keefe suggested defeat the motion and the matter go to Committee on Administration and Finance co-posted with the Committee of the Whole and that they not go past July 1st for adoption.
Councillor Pelletier supports Councillor Lovely we need to make the Committee members of the Administration and Finance vote to have meetings before 6:00 PM
Councillor Ronan supports getting it done by June 30th and the three members present of the Administration and Finance Committee agree to meet prior to 6:00 PM
Councillor Lovely stated we don’t have a say over the School budget.
Councillor Ronan stated that the Committee on Administration and Finance suspend the rules by a majority to meet prior to 6:00 PM.
This was seconded by Councillor Furey and Ryan.
Councillor Lovely rescinded her previous motion to have the budget be referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Councillor Lovely moved to memorialize suspension of the rule 37 (2) so the Committee on Administration and Finance can meet prior to 6:00 PM and that the Committee on Administration and Finance discuss this on Wednesday, June 23rd and that that the budget be back before the full Council by June 30th for adoption.
The matter was adopted by a roll call vote of 9 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent. Councillors Furey, Lovely, O’Keefe, Pelletier, Ronan, Ryan, Sargent, Sosnowski and McCarthy were recorded as voting in the affirmative. Councillors Pinto and Prevey were recorded as absent.
Councillor O’Keefe moved for immediate reconsideration in the hopes it would not prevail. Reconsideration was denied.
On the motion of Councillor Sosnowski the meeting adjourned at 7:10 P.M.
ATTEST: CHERYL A. LAPOINTE
CITY CLERK
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