Board of Selectmen- Finance Committee
Joint Budget Meeting
January 26, 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, John Makely, Patricia Foley, Arlene Kirsch, Nancy Bone, Sylvia Smith
Absent: MacGregor Hay,
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.
Town Hall
#141 Assessor - Assessor Nancy Vail said the budget was level funded as requested.
#145 Town Clerk - Town Clerk and Treasurer Dawn Rickman said all the expenditures were level funded. Salaries and wages were at 3% and there was an extra $40 for Longevity. She also explained borrowing costs.
#158 Tax Title - Rickman said this was down to $5,000 because fewer properties are now involved.
#162 Elections and Registration - This has increased an extra $1,000 in order to comply with handicap laws requiring special voting machines.
#753 Short Term Loan Interest - This is level funded.
#911 County Retirement - The final figure came in at $586,221. This is for existing retirees and covers early retirement. It also includes unfunded liability.
#913 Unemployment Compensation - This is level funded.
#914 Group Insurance - The final figure for this is $823,400.
#915 Group Life Insurance - Rickman said this is basically level funded.
#916 Medicare - This item will never go down, according to Rickman.
#940 Debt Service Costs - At $7,000 this is level funded. Rickman will offer a further explanation of the item at the next Joint Budget session
#945 Liability - The $50 line is for the Tax Work-off program.
#146 Town Tax Collector - Town Collector Marianne Nickerson pointed out that the only change is the $200 increase for postage.
#756 Interest on Real Estate Tax Refunds - This required item is level funded.
#135 Accountant - Town Accountant Marilyn Crary explained that salaries are up 3%. She took money out of office supplies to stay within 2 ½%.
DPW
DPW Director Mark Vincent & DPW Administrative Assistant Joan Baker came forward to present DPW Budgets.
#190 Beach facilities - This is level funded, but Vincent would like to reassess the contract with Bouse House.
#294 Forestry - DPW subcontracts arborists for trees too large or too dangerous for Wellfleet DPW to handle, Vincent explained. This item is level funded.
#299 Street Signs and Traffic Control - The $2,900 figure keeps this level funded. This covers street sign material and some traffic details. Michael May complimented the new sign in front of the Operations & Maintenance Facility. Donovan noted improved street signs throughout town.
#417 Facilities - Vincent mentioned he had four budgets with line items for electricity based on September-October rates. Last month’s increases mean the Town will have to recalculate these figures. Town Administrator Tim Smith and both boards discussed options for saving on electricity costs.
Caruso asked about Line 5300-00 Contract Services of $2,500 for bottled water for DPW, Town Hall and the Library since there is now a municipal water system. Bubblers are expensive to maintain also, according to Tim Smith. Helen Miranda Wilson moved to take line 5300-00 out of the Budget. There was no second, but the BOS might revisit this.
#420 Salary - The reduction is a reflection of taking $60,000 for a Water person out of this budget. In the Expense section there is an increase due to gasoline and telephone services
#422 Highways - This is level funded.
#423 Snow Removal - The sum of $35,000 is the consistent figure that has been used even though it went way over this number last year. Marilyn Crary said she would be comfortable raising it in order to maintain a reserve. Tim Smith recommends leaving it at $35,000. Wilson discussed the upcoming ballot question on plowing private roads and asked about reimbursement from the State.
#424 Streetlights - The reduction was budgeted by old electricity costs, so Vincent anticipates a change in the figures.
#425 Dikes/Bridges/Parking Lots - Wilson asked for status of Uncle Tim’s Bridge. Vincent will be talking to Historical Commission regarding funding available to do more than repair the deck and railings of the bridge.
#426 Survey & Engineering - This item for town easements and drainage projects is level funded.
#433 Transfer Station - There is an increase of $31,800. A contract service of $22,000 for Landfill monitoring for 30 years is part of this. Other contract service fees are for SeMass demolition material removal and recycling. Both boards discussed revenue and expenditures. Carl Caruso also asked about the gasoline/diesel line and wondered about using pumps at the Marina. Michael May and Tim Smith explained the complications involved in this. Tim Smith said the Town could look into it, however.
#442 Water System - There is a large increase because the $60,000 salary for a Water person was added to this. Tim Smith said the Town had not yet been able to hire anybody in last two and a half years. The boards and Town Administrator discussed the WhiteWater contract. Jerry Houk said the Provincetown Water person would be willing to talk to the Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners. Berta Bruinooge asked about projected revenue from the water system. Wilson reminded everyone that the biggest users of the system are municipal buildings; there would be more money if they were private customers.
#443 Wesley Swamp Pump - This is level funded although it does use electricity.
#692 Holidays - This is level funded.
Arlene Kirsch thanked Mark Vincent and Joan Baker for their Budget presentation.
Miscellaneous
Town Administrator Tim Smith presented a number of items:
#114 Moderator - This is level funded.
#115 Constables - Level funded
#121 Auditors - Level funded
#122 Selectmen - Level funded
#123 Town Administrator - This is up at 2.6%. It was cut somewhat but Longevity payments raised it.
#124 General Administration - 2.7%
#131 Finance Committee - Level funded
#132 Reserve Fund - Level funded
#151 Legal Services - Tim Smith would like to get figure from Legal Counsel for going over negotiations with FinCom and the BOS prior to negotiating with unions.
#152 Personnel Board - This remains at 0.
#153 Computerization - This year Computerization is level funded. The Town Administrator discussed using a contractor instead of an IT staff member, reasons for not having a replacement schedule, and departments that are networked.
#171 Conservation Commission - Level funded
#174 Planning Board - Level funded
#177 Open Space Committee - Level funded
#183 NRAB - This is down to $50.
#189 Housing Authority - Level funded
#191 Town Property - This is set at 0.
#195 Town Reports & Warrants - This went up due to new postage rates.
#196 Consultancy - Level funded
#292 Animal Control Officer - This went up 3% for salary.
#293 Traffic /Parking Control - This is up for salary and contract services.
#300 Elementary School – Smith said the school stuck to 2 ½ %
#301 Nauset Regional School District - The number is pretty accurate, Smith noted.
#302 Cape Cod Regional Tech - The Town Administrator built in the increase but won’t know the figure until cherry sheet percent is set. The total budget is up 3.7% for the Tech High.
#543 Veterans Services - The total is $15,820.
#690 Historical Commission - John Makely complimented Historical Commission’s Memorials booklet but asked about any revenue from sale of booklet.
#691 Historical Review - Level funded
#944 Insurance Reserve - This total is $3,000.
#945 Liability/Property/Compensation Insurance - There is a 10% increase.
#946 Surety Bonds - Level funded
Capital Budget
Tim Smith reviewed Appendix B, the Capital Budget. He said the road graders are not in the Budget but will be a Warrant Article. He explained that the Town has no control of debt services and went over other items on the Capital Budget.
Administration - The Town Hall copier, which is getting close to a million copies, needs replacement. Smith plans to refurbish the old copier and give to the COA.
Computerization - This was cut by $2,000.
Beach Department - The Town is in the process of hiring new Beach Administrator. Smith said he may hire someone at a lower level and still have Suzanne Thomas responsible for the department. The Beach Department also needs replacement of its Suburban and ATV.
Elementary School - Smith said the Elementary School will be discussed at the next Budget session.
Nauset Regional Schools - Regarding the Nauset Regional Schools, the override passed for allocation money for Capital Improvements only.
Fire - Smith discussed Fire Department expenses for wells and tanks. A brush truck is going to be refurbished also.
DPW Equipment - The DPW needs a packer for hauling refuse to SEMASS.
DPW Projects - DPW projects include the Transfer Station canopy, painting at Town Hall, reconstructing the basketball court at Mayo Beach and a generator for the Coles Neck water system. There was discussion of the basketball court and generator.
Total figures
Tim Smith said there will be adjustments to the running total, taking into consideration difference in Health Care costs and a significant change in electricity costs. There are some override items. The Flex route would be straight override. The cost of a grader would be picked up by debt service. The 335 Main St. design figures will be coming off the Budget next year. Snow plowing of private roads is a decision for Town Meeting and a ballot question. If defeated, the Town would cease plowing private roads. Wilson discussed plowing issues. The decision to move forward with a new fire station will go to Town Meeting also.
School figures, the Omnibus funds and projections are on the agenda for the next Joint Budget meeting. Town Administrator Tim Smith praised the departments for doing a great job staying at 2 ½%.
Before adjourning, Donovan discussed a newspaper article on bond ratings of Lower Cape towns, and John Makely suggested formation of an Ad Hoc group to brainstorm ways to generate new revenue.
Selectmen had need for Executive Session and the Finance Committee agreed to adjourn.
Ira Wood moved to go into Executive Session to discuss negotiations and personnel issues. Houk seconded. May, Wood, Wilson, Donovan, and Houk each said yes.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Wilson noted there would be one more Charter Review meeting.
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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