MINUTES
BOARD OF FINANCE
May 15, 2014
A SPECIAL MEETING of the Board of Finance was held in the City Hall Auditorium on Thursday,
May 15, 2014.
Present were Mayor Elinor Carbone and Board of Finance members Thomas Scoville, Frank Rubino, Mark Bushka, Joshua Ferreira, Bill Lamoin and Laurene Pesce. Comptroller Alice Proulx was also present.
Mayor Carbone called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
BUDGET DISCUSSION
Board members considered the budget as presented, equating to a 2.83 increase in the mill rate. Ways to reduce the budget were considered with Mrs. Pesce proposing the Southeast School renovation project be held until it could be combined with the East School renovation next year.
Mr. Scoville asked what the effect of an additional $500,000 cut to the City budget would be. Mayor Carbone said it would be devastating after underfunded pension plans, roof repairs and contractual obligations, the cuts would come from the Capital Reserve and personnel.
Mr. Rubino suggested that both the City and Board of Education budgets be cut by $208,000 each.
Mr. Lamoin said he would not support an increase of more than 2 mills and repeated his proposal to decrease the number of additional firefighters to three. Mayor Carbone said she does not have the same confidence in the calculations that Mr. Lamoin has and urged the Board to allow her to find economies where she can. Mr. Bushka said he was in favor of the Fire Department’s budget as presented.
Ms. Proulx summarized the reductions being discussed, saying the Board of Education Operating budget would be reduced by $403,061 including the $208,000 cut and a $195,061 adjustment to the Health Insurance funding; the Board of Education Capital budget would be reduced by $4,338,828; the City Operating budget would be reduced by $208,000; and the estimated income would be reduced by $2,820,238 giving a net effect of $2,129,651 or a 1.9 mill rate increase.
Mr. Lamoin said it would be a disservice to taxpayers to have more than a 1 mill increase. Mrs. Pesce said we set ourselves up last year by not fully funding the pension plans. Mr. Lamoin said there is room for other cuts. Mayor Carbone cautioned against the possibility of layoffs and having to cut the very line items that were decimated last year.
ADOPT CITY BUDGET
On a motion by Mr. Scoville, seconded by Mr. Rubino, the Board considered adoption of the 2014-2015 City Budget of $52,080,123, reflecting a cut of $308,000 from what was presented. Mr. Bushka asked how the cut would be accomplished and Mayor Carbone said she’d go back to the Police and Fire Departments budgets and also look at Capital. A roll call vote was taken and the motion was unanimously approved.
ADOPT BOARD OF EDUCATION CAPITAL BUDGET
On a motion by Mr. Bushka, seconded by Mr. Scoville, the Board considered the adoption of the 2014-2015 Board of Education Capital Budget of $1,543,838. A roll call vote was taken and the motion was unanimously approved.
ADOPT BOARD OF EDUCATION OPERATIONAL BUDGET
On a motion by Mr. Scoville, seconded by Mrs. Pesce, the Board considered the adoption of the 2014-2015 Board of Education Operational Budget of $69,388,736, including a cut of $403,061 from what was presented. A roll call vote was taken and the motion was approved 5 to 1 with Mr. Lamoin opposed.
SET MILL RATE
On a motion by Mr. Rubino, seconded by Mr. Scoville, the Board voted unanimously, by roll call vote, to set the 2014-2015 mill rate at 36.32, a 1.86 increase over last year. A roll call vote was taken and the motion was approved 5 to 1 with Mr. Lamoin opposed.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Mrs. Pesce, seconded by Mr. Scoville, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 6:55 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC
CITY CLERK
Respectfully Submitted,
Carol L. Anderson, CMC
Asst. City Clerk
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