Board of Selectmen- Finance Committee
Joint Budget Meeting
January 19, 2006
Senior Center Long Pond Room
Board of Selectmen
Present: Dale Donovan, Chair; Jerry Houk, Michael May, Helen Miranda Wilson, Ira Wood
Finance Committee
Present: Carl Caruso, Chair; Berta Bruinooge, William Carlson, MacGregor Hay, John Makely, Patricia Foley, Arlene Kirsch, Nancy Bone, Sylvia Smith
Also attending: Tim Smith, Town Administrator; Marilyn Crary, Town Accountant
Board of Selectman Chair Dale Donovan called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
#699 Beach
Suzanne Thomas, Beach Director in ’05, presented the Beach Program budget which is basically level funded except for the seasonal toilets. There is flexibility in the salaries of the summer staff. The biggest part of the request, she said, is in the Capital Budget for the1995 Suburban, which has been deemed unrepairable. She explained options for replacement. Also the ATV needs replacement. Ira Wood asked for the actual usage of the beach vehicle. Caruso questioned the cost for a new truck which might be shared with the DPW in winter. Houk asked about coverage at Gull Pond. He also asked about the beach administrator’s weekend schedule.
#541 Council on Aging
Council on Aging Director Suzanne Thomas explained that the Operating Budget was level funded from last year. Jacqueline Wildes-Beebe submitted this before she left, Thomas explained. The new fee schedule should provide the Town with some income, she said. Wood asked about the Health Services Contract. Houk asked about particular clinics. Thomas explained salary increases as well. Wood asked Town Administrator Tim Smith about use of comp time last year. This has been resolved by hiring a full time social worker whose services have been superlative. Caruso asked about projected services to an increasing numbers of seniors. Caruso also asked about grants. Thomas said there was grant money for vans, but then the Town would have to commit to hiring regular drivers. Smith mentioned that
the Flex Route bus service would be in effect this year. Arlene Kirsch expressed interest in having the Friends of the COA raise money for a van. Thomas estimated around $9,000 a year is now being spent on transportation services.
#510 Health and #171 Conservation
Health/ Conservation Agent Hillary Greenberg presented the Health Budget. She did increase the figure for the hazardous waste collection and training. Wilson asked about rabies and money available for the Animal Control Officer, who has her own budget. Caruso asked about spending on hazardous waste.
Agent Greenberg said the Conservation budget was level funded at $2,250. Michael May praised Greenberg’s 5 a.m. service in the summer.
#630 Recreation
Recreation Director Rebecca Rosenberg summarized the Recreation Department programs. This year’s budget is virtually level funded. There are increases in salaries and other contract services. Wood asked about Recreation income this year. Wilson asked about supervision at the skateboard park. She also questioned use of bottled water when the Recreation Building is hooked up to the Municipal Water System. Houk was concerned about monitoring the skateboard park. Sylvia Smith asked about getting the Recreation’s budget down to 2 ½ %. Makely asked about increasing revenues by $2,500, the figure Tim Smith estimated it would take to make the Recreation budget conform to the 2 ½%. Wood asked about sponsorship of uniforms for teams. Rosenberg explained that
Recreation did not have a Friends group to help contribute; however, there are some parents working on setting up a mechanism to help out. Victoria Pecoraro, from the floor, said there were some businesses that offer support. May asked about the search for a new caller for the summer square dances. Nancy Bone asked about sliding scale coverage of charges for residents and non-resident taxpayers. Katie Sugg, from the floor, discussed what the grant for the Recreation program specifies regarding fees. Tim Smith said the BOS should think about the percent of the budget they would like to see covered by fees in the future. Houk commended Rosenberg for the improvements in the Recreation over the years. Wood asked for numbers of local kids using Baker’s Field. Rosenberg estimated around 30 to 40%. Pecoraro discussed a perception of the summer program as a program geared to summer residents. Bruinooge suggested reestablishing
Friends of Wellfleet Recreation. Wilson also endorsed this idea.
#220 Fire
Helen Wilson indicated she would be recusing herself from EMT & Stipend Call items as needed.
Interim Fire Chief Daniel Silverman prepared this Budget for the first time. He presented a narrative report, line items, and a spreadsheet. Spreadsheet salaries are slightly different, but he tried to keep the budget as a whole within the 2 ½%. On the Capital portion of the Budget, the figures are level funded. The brush truck, he said, is essentially obsolete. He applied for a grant for replacement of the truck but it was turned down. He did not request replacement in this budget, but he is asking to put the pumping device on another truck.
Silverman answered questions on a number of topics including promotions, overtime, citizens’ assists, simultaneous rescues, mutual aid to and from other towns, computerization, walk-in services, pagers for paramedics, and triage. Silverman said he would like increased funding of overtime and the restoration of some summer day wages.
Adjournment
Berta Bruinooge moved to adjourn the FinCom meeting. Arlene Kirsch seconded. The motion carried 9-0, and the Finance Committee meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Helen Wilson moved that the Board of Selectmen go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing a personnel issue. Jerry Houk seconded. Donovan, Wood, May, Houk and Wilson each said yes. The motion to go into Executive Session carried 5-0.
Respectfully submitted,
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Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary
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Carl Caruso, Chair Dale Donovan, Chair
Finance Committee Board of Selectmen
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Jerry Houk
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Michael May
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Helen Miranda Wilson
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Ira Wood
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