MINUTES – EMERGENCY TELEPHONIC MEETING
BOARD OF FINANCE
February 25, 2014
An EMERGENCY TELEPHONIC MEETING of the Board of Finance was held in the Mayor's Office on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 for the purpose of authorizing an additional expenditure for road salt.
Board of Finance members Bill Lamoin, Mark Bushka, Thomas Scoville, Frank Rubino, Joshua Ferreira and Laurene Pesce participated via telephone. Present in the room were Mayor Elinor Carbone, Corporation Counsel Raymond Rigat, Director of Public Works Gerald Rollett, Comptroller Alice Proulx and Mayoral Aide Timothy Waldron.
Mayor Carbone called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m.
ROAD SALT
Mr. Rollett explained there is a shortage of road salt in the State and he's had a difficult time receiving our second shipment. A typical order of 250 to 300 tons will cover two storms, he said. Mr. Rollett said a third order should be placed, and noted that $10,000 was received from the State for emergency road salt. He said he can't guarantee this purchase will get us through the winter.
Mayor Carbone said this order should be placed immediately because it is on a first come-first served basis. She said the planned strategy was to find economies in other line items to transfer in to cover this overage.
Mr. Lamoin said there's no question that the salt is needed, and it is a great price but there's no money in contingency for it.
Ms. Proulx said there are other Capital Project Funds that we could borrow from, and replenish them next year. She added that those funds have earned $80,000 in interest that could also be used for this expenditure.
Mr. Rubino suggested the line item be overrun for now, and efforts be made to look for the money by the next Board of Finance meeting.
Mrs. Pesce noted that this purchase will be for an additional $60,000 and Mr. Ferreira asked how much the line item is overrun by. Mayor Carbone said it is over by $120,000 right now. Mrs. Pesce explained that the Board only approved an expenditure of up to $99,000 and wondered if the motion needed to be retroactive.
Mr. Scoville asked if our Charter allows overriding a line item by $190,000. Atty. Rigat explained that he examined the language in Section 13-8-a, which calls for a public hearing. He said he is confident in his opinion that the language is directory, not mandatory. He noted that the media was present at this meeting so the public will be made aware, and said the public interest in getting road salt clearly outweighs not having enough time for a public hearing.
In answer to Mr. Bushka's question, Mayor Carbone explained that not all line items in that Department are depleted. Mr. Bushka noted that there is $80,000 available and $50,000 in Contingency.
MOTION
On a motion by Mr. Scoville, seconded by Mr. Rubino the Board voted unanimously to approve the over-expenditure of the road salt line item by $190,000 above its budgeted amount subject to finding ways to cover the over-expenditure within the next 30 days.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Mrs. Pesce, seconded by Mr. Bushka, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 4:16 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC
CITY CLERK
Respectfully Submitted,
Carol L. Anderson, CMC
Asst. City Clerk
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