Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of June 24, 2004
Senior Center
Present: Berta Bruinooge, Chair; Patricia Foley, Arlene Kirsch, John Makely, Carl Caruso; Ira Wood, Board of Selectmen
Excused: Sylvia Smith, Nancy Bone, Mac Hay
Chair Bruinooge convened the meeting at 7:19 p.m.
Transfers from the Reserve Fund: #04-10 (Budget Item # 945, Request for $1,634.64 for payment of year-end auto insurance bill) & #04-11 (Budget Item #913, Request for $1000.00 for payment of unemployment benefits through June 2004). The Chair commented that both of the above-mentioned requests for transfer were straightforward. Arlene Kirsch moved that the FinCom approve both the Budget #945 request for $1,635 (rounded up) and the Budget #913 request for $1,000 from the Reserve Fund. Pat Foley seconded; the motion carried, 5-0. This leaves the Reserve Fund with a balance of $6,095.
Follow-up to June 17th Meeting. Chair Bruinooge, referring back to the June 17th meeting's discussion of FinCom's role for the coming fiscal year, began a discussion of how to implement the various action motions passed at that meeting (see minutes of 6-17, pp. 2-3).
Regarding the motion that FinCom prepare an analysis (including revenue opportunities) of income vs. expenses with suggestions of how to balance revenue and expenses, the Chair had composed a letter to Town Administrator Tim Smith requesting "that each Town Department, Office, Board and Commission prepare a comprehensive list for us of any and all income generated in Fiscal Year 2004 . . . . broken down by type of income and amount, concluding with a total." After discussion of wording and the addition of "and anticipated income income for FY2005" to the text, the Committee approved the letter.
Discussion turned to the motion on the preparation of the informational essay, containing definitions, to be printed and distributed to the voters. Arlene Kirsch suggested that a source for definitions might be the Finance Committee Handbook for the Association of Town Finance Committees of the Massachusetts Municipal Association (also on disk)--she emphasized simplicity, selectivity in choosing things to define, choices of common terms which often come up in Town Meeting, and the importance of providing illustrative examples. After debate about a plan of action for preparation of this essay, it was decided that members would bring a list of items to be defined to the July 15th meeting and go from there, hoping to have the essay ready for the September
meeting.
Next the Board explored procedure for preparation of its mission statement concerning how FinCom sees its role for the future, the subject of another motion. Arlene Kirsch noted that this might be taken up in an August meeting, since it would require some research beforehand; she suggested going to other FinComs, reading their mission statements, and ascertaining how the state sees the role of the town finance committee.
John Makely suggested that Moderator Dan Silverman might be asked to submit his idea of the Committee's role; the Chair felt that asking Silverman to participate was unnecessary (and that he should be getting FinCom another member); Kirsch pointed out that he could be asked to submit a written statement, which would provide another data point.
The Chair applauded the idea of consulting with other FinComs, exploring the differences in functions and mission statements. Kirsch suggested that each member could choose a town on the Lower Cape and call the Finance Committee Chair for information.
Patricia Foley noted that the Committee is limited as to role by the State and the Town Charter. Carl Caruso stated that FinCom should communicate to people what it does; using the example of the Provincetown FinCom and the Cape End Manor, he added that members should get the FinCom name out to the citizenry.
The Chair suggested preparing the above for the August 26th meeting and proposed bringing her Massachusetts Town Directory to the July 15th meeting for contact information on the towns' Finance Committee Chairs.
The next motion considered concerned FinCom's preparation of an Income/Expense Analysis for the Town. Arlene Kirsch suggested using the September meeting to set up the analysis process of this for the October meeting.
In discussion of the next motion, that FinCom evaluate the potential positive or negative financial impacts of capital projects or large expenditures, it was noted that some of the financial data needed for this might be gleaned from the revenue information Chair Bruinooge planned to ask for in the letter to the Town Administrator and that some could be requested from the Town Treasurer. Arlene Kirsch suggested that FinCom take up implementing this motion at the September meeting.
Review of Mail. The Chair went over the mail, offering the Municipal Advocate and copies of The Beacon to interested members.
Minutes of June 17, 2004. John Makely moved and Patricia Foley seconded approval of the 6-17-04 minutes; the motion carried, 5-0.
Possible Special Fall Town Meeting. Ira Wood, Chair of the Board of Selectmen, attended the meeting to discuss with FinCom the possibility of a Fall Town Meeting, noting that the BOS has not yet decided whether to hold one then. He read aloud a memo from Tim Smith regarding possible inclusion of an article for the transfer of funds for the Police/Fire Station project; it was emphasized that when this was taken to Town Meeting, there should be as much real information available as possible to present. The memo asked for a feasibility study on the Lt. Island Bridge, which would give people choices for the Fall Town Meeting; timing for this is critical, as it is for the Police/Fire Station. (Wood stated that he had been hoping to have the choices on the Lt. Island Bridge for the ATM--that the
longer the Town waits, the more the repairs will cost.)
Asked whether other locations were being considered for the Police/Fire Station, Wood believed that it had been determined by the Building Needs Committee that the best spot for the station is its current location. Carl Caruso questioned this, citing his recent discussion with George Moe of Building Needs.
Arlene Kirsch asked if anyone had raised the question of regionalizing public safety. Wood answered that the fire departments are the most regionalized; but, since the Cape is a long peninsula, it takes too long to get to fires not to have the local small stations. Chair Bruinooge referenced the committee's discussion of the regionalizing of dispatchers, which Wood stated was being done.
Wood ended the discussion with "good news"--Selectwoman Helen Miranda Wilson has determined that Uncle Tim's Bridge is under the Historical Register; she and Assistant Town Administrator Rex Peterson will explore appropriate avenues in this category for raising money to repair the bridge.
Patricia Foley moved and John Makely seconded adjournment; the meeting closed at 8:25 p.m.
_______________________________ ____________________________ Frances J. Castillo, Committee Secretary Berta Bruinooge, Chair _____________________Date
| 
