Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of July 28, 2005
Senior Center Long Pond Room
Present: Berta Bruinooge, Chair; Nancy Bone, William Carlson, Carl Caruso, Pat Foley
Excused: Mac Hay, Arlene Kirsch, John Makely, Sylvia Smith
Chair Berta Bruinooge called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.
Reorganization
Reorganization was postponed until the next meeting in order to have more members present. Berta Bruinooge said that she had been chair for three years and was not willing to continue in the position. She hopes that before the August 25 meeting other members will carefully consider serving as Chair, Vice-Chair and Clerk.
Computerization Project
FinCom discussed the ongoing computerization project and would like to prepare a letter to the Town Accountant with copies to the Town Administrator and Board of Selectmen with several areas of concern. FinCom would like a detailed accounting of computer hardware, software, and services (maintenance and repair) for Fiscal Year 2004 and FY2005 for comparison of the two years. The Committee also worked on a list of questions for a memo to the Town Accountant and department heads. Those questions included: 1.) a list of Town-wide hardware, 2.) the hardware actually in use, 3.) use of or the availability of County purchasing, and 4.) a schedule for computer replacement. Bruinooge noted that FinCom’s interest was fiscal, not managerial.
Minutes of 6/23/05 and 7/14/05
The Committee discussed the vote on Transfer #05-9 in the minutes of July 14 because two of the members were present and voted, but they had not been re-sworn. The Committee concurred that a vote of 4-0-2 would have been more appropriate; however, at this date decided to let the approval stand as is because the outcome of the vote would not be changed.
Foley moved to approve the minutes of June 23; Bruinooge seconded. The motion to approve the minutes carried 5-0.
Foley moved to approve the minutes of July 14; Bruinooge seconded. The motion to approve the minutes carried 2-0.
Other Business
~ FinCom studied the schedule of Free Cash for the last 10 years. There were questions about what happens to the unappropriated balance each year. The Committee would like to get the certified figure of Free Cash for FY05 as soon as possible, and will send a memo to the Town Accountant requesting that amount. Nancy Bone asked if there were any department projections for FY06 with rentals and business lagging behind this summer. By next week the Beach Department will prepare the comparison of July with last year’s July revenue.
~ Nancy Bone related an incident she witnessed at the Fourth of July parade. A vehicle, reportedly unregistered and uninsured, lost its brakes at the turn onto Commercial St. Fortunately an accident was averted, but she strongly suggested that vehicles for the parade or any town event be checked in advance for registration and insurance to avoid liability issues.
~ Carl Caruso reported that MGL states that a town can assess real estate value of an enterprise fund property; therefore, the Town can send a bill for Marina Enterprise Fund property on the wharf. This would be an additional source of revenue to the Town, encourage the Enterprise Fund to raise rates, and thereby make more boat slip changeovers a possibility. FinCom will discuss this at its next meeting.
~ The out-of-service boat ramp was also discussed. Chair Bruinooge wondered what that was doing to the revenue from the gas tanks. Caruso believed that people who trailer their boats buy their fuel elsewhere; it’s the people with moorings who buy at the dock. However, he said he’d check on this with the harbor master.
~ At the next meeting a Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) Health Cost Reform notice which the Town Administrator brought to FinCom’s attention will be on the agenda. Berta Bruinooge has a copy of the special report, A Mounting Crisis for Local Budgets: The Crippling Effects of Soaring Municipal Health Costs, issued by the MMA and the Municipal Taxpayers Foundation.
Adjournment
Chair Bruinooge adjourned the meeting at 8:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________ ___________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Berta Bruinooge, Chair
___________________________(Date)
| 
