Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of September 23, 2004
Senior Center, Long Pond Room
Present: Berta Bruinooge, Chair; Nancy Bone, Pat Foley, Arlene Kirsch, Sylvia Smith
Absent: Carl Caruso, Mac Hay, John Makely
Chair Berta Bruinooge called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
There were no transfer requests.
Warrant Recommendations
Chair Berta Bruinooge wished to move to “Other Business,” the explanations of FinCom’s recommendations for the Special Town Meeting Warrant. The committee agreed that Nancy Bone would compile the explanations for each Warrant Article and send the list around my e-mail to be tweaked before publishing it.
Article 1 wording would include the proviso that FinCom recommends “assuming there is free cash that is certified and sufficient.”
Selectman Helen Miranda Wilson asked FinCom to make up for the ambiguity of the language of Article 2 through the Committee’s explanation. However, the Committee felt that because both the article and the explanation were unclear, their comments could not rectify the ambiguity. Wilson also said that people would not understand that the article is about a pension. The Committee mentioned in its explanation that the article did not address the financial impact to the town with regard to retirement benefits.
Berta Bruinooge questioned why the BOS had reserved recommending Article 3. Arlene Kirsch reported and Helen Miranda Wilson verified that there were many variables still influencing the selectmen’s view of this article. There is the possibility that the bank would offer the Gutsy Bender property to the town, but there is not a concrete plan at this point. The FinCom explanation will state that there was insufficient information for it to make a recommendation. The explanation will further state that if there is a motion to make the appropriation for the police/fire facility, it be tied to a Proposition 2 ½ override and be a ballot question.
Article 4 also should be tied to Prop. 2 ½ and a ballot question even though the majority of FinCom feels the repairs to Lt. Island Bridge are necessary.
Article 5 was reconsidered because Arlene Kirsch had been to an Open Space presentation to the BOS and explained that the Rinzler property tied into a chain of conservation area properties. Kirsch moved to reconsider FinCom’s initial vote. Smith seconded, and the Committee voted to reconsider 4-0-1 (Nancy Bone abstaining). Kirsch then moved to recommend Article 5, Smith seconded and the Committee voted 4-0-1 to recommend. The Committee agreed that no FinCom explanation was needed for Article 5.
The Committee said that Article 6 and Article 7 would have no FinCom comments.
Representation at Upcoming Meetings
Committee members agreed to represent FinCom at the following meetings:
Oct. 4 Community Preservation Act - 3 p.m. session – Sylvia Smith
- 7 p.m. session – Pat Foley
Oct. 7 Building Needs Committee - 5 p.m. – Arlene Kirsch
Oct. 12 BOS & Building Needs - 8 p.m. – Carl Caruso
(needs to be called & e-mailed)
Oct. 13 Charter Review Committee - 7 p.m. – Berta Bruinooge
Nov. 6 State of the Harbor Conference Nancy Bone
Nov. 8 BOS - 7 p.m. – Sylvia Smith
Other Business
Chair Bruinooge thanked Sylvia Smith for her School Committee report from their September 14 meeting.
The Committee determined that there was not enough time to consider the Mission Statement and to finalize the definitions until the next meeting. Pat Foley registered her concern that the definitions were still not clear enough for the average voter. Also at the next meeting FinCom will consider Carl Caruso’s wish of adding examples to clarify the definitions.
Minutes
Nancy Bone moved to approve the minutes of 9/13/04 as amended. Sylvia Smith seconded; the Committee voted to approve 4-0.
Mail
The correspondence file included:
Information from Police Chief Rosenthal on rabies
Mass Municipal Association Meeting announcement
Issues of the Beacon
School Committee report from Sylvia Smith
Next Meeting
FinCom needs to meet right before Special Town Meeting 10/18/04 to go over the recommendations. Meeting time is 6:30 p.m. at the table in the school gymnasium.
Nancy Bone made the motion, Kirsch seconded and all voted to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________________ ________________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Berta Bruinooge, Chair
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