AMENDED
Standish Budget Committee
Wednesday April 2, 2014
The meeting of the Standish Budget Committee was called to order at 6:11 pm.
Attendance - Carolyn Brown, Jane Cirone, Martha Hurd-Call, Katherine Post, Ronald Richardson, and Walter Wasson - all present
Chairperson Jane Cirone reviewed the answers to questions the Budget Committee asked the Town Council.
The Town of Standish Personnel Policy Manual outlines Employee Compensation under Article V. The Personnel Policy does not recognize a role for the Budget Committee in this process. The Maine Municipal Association provides a survey and local market analyses which lists wages and salaries and compares like positions in similar towns throughout Maine. The Chairperson will request a copy of this for our next meeting.
The Budget Committee was provided with copies of the actual expenditures for FY 14. These numbers were for the period July 1, 2013 through February 28, 2014.
Budget Review Process
Assessing
All items under this section were accepted as presented – unanimous
Code Enforcement
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Fuel and Lubricants, leaving a total of $600 for that line.
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Dues and Subscriptions, leaving a total of $200 for that line
All items under this section were accepted with reductions – unanimous.
General Administration
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Other Commodities by $3,300, leaving a total of $1,000 for that line.
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Dues and Subscriptions, leaving a total of $300 for that line.
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Advertising, leaving a total of $864 for that line.
All items under this section were accepted with reductions – unanimous.
Cable Television
The Budget Committee agrees with the Town Council reduction of Contractual by $2,000.
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Other Commodities by $500 leaving a total of $1,000 for that line item.
All items under this section were accepted with reductions – unanimous.
Town Council
All items accepted as presented – unanimous
The Budget Committee is pleased the Town of Standish is considering the use of laptops and/or tablets to help decrease the amount of paper the Town uses by a considerable amount.
Town Clerk
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Advertising, leaving a total of $600 for that line.
The Budget Committee recommends increasing Other Commodities to a total of $900 for that line. The additional $300 would provide a luncheon for Town of Standish staff members who worked tirelessly to preserve Town records when a water pipe burst and flooded that portion of the Town Hall.
All items under this section were accepted with the above changes – unanimous.
Finance
All items under this section were accepted as presented – unanimous.
Planning
All items under this section were accepted as presented – unanimous.
Appeals
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Travel Expenditures to $0, since no money has been expended for the last several years.
This item will be left open until the next meeting. We would like clarification of the Manual Updates included under the Training section. It would appear from the previous three year’s expenditures that these funds have not been expended. How often are the Manuals update?
Building Maintenance
The Budget Committee recommends reducing Other Commodities, leaving a total of $500 for that line item.
Walter Wasson would like clarification why Overtime is being billed into the budget. Is this because there are instances where Maintenance is needed outside normal Town Hall hours?
Katherine Post noted the overhead lights at the Sebago Lake ice skating rink are on past 9:00 pm on Sunday nights during the winter. Since the rink is not being used at that time, is it possible to turn them off earlier? Is this also true for the Steep Falls ice skating rink? Is this because of safety issues?
All items under this section were accepted with the reduction – unanimous.
Public Safety
This section will be left open until the next meeting.
We would like clarification of the stipends for the Deputy Chief, Captains and Lieutenants.
We would like clarification of the Travel Expenditure to the International Fire Chief’s conference. Is this a necessary expenditure?
We would like clarification of the $3,500 for 13 Fire Tank Maintenance.
Law Enforcement
All items under this section were accepted as presented – unanimous.
General Assistance
All items under this section were accepted as presented – unanimous.
The Budget Committee gave the Chairperson some additional questions and items for clarification under the Sections of Public Works, Solid Waste and Recreation.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:23 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Katherine Post
Budget Committee Secretary
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