Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of September 28, 2006
Senior Center Long Pond Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Carl Caruso, Chairman; Berta Bruinooge, William Carlson, Arlene Kirsch, Sylvia Smith, Nancy Bone
Also Attending: Selectman Ira Wood
Absent: John Makely, Mac Hay, Patricia Foley
Chairman Carl Caruso called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Special Town Meeting Committee Recommendations
Article I Transfers from Free Cash:
#422 DPW General Highways $46,000
#423 DPW Snow Removal $57,000
#425 DPW Survey & Engineering $30,000
#124 General Administration $17,500
FinCom had questions about snow removal for private roads and the $30,000 for storm water remediation at the corner of Holbrook and Commercial St. They also wanted to know the amount of certified free cash available for the Article 1 transfers. Kirsch moved to reserve recommendation of Article 1 until STM. Smith seconded. The motion to reserve recommendation carried 6-0.
Articles 2, 3 & 4
FinCom considered the three water system Articles, discussing expansion, wastewater issues, private home hook-ups on the municipal system, 335 Main St. water, Environmental Partners’ eight-stage plan, costs and pipe sizes in the existing system.
Article 2 Design Water Tower
Carlson moved to recommend Article 2. Caruso seconded. Discussion involved debt and the origins of the municipal water system Bruinooge discussed the debt that would be incurred. She said it was perhaps too much too soon. Bruinooge said she was feeling negative about it. The motion to recommend failed 1-5.
Article 3 Design Boy Scout well field
Bruinooge moved to not recommend Article 3. Smith seconded. The motion to not recommend carried 5-1.
Article 4 Design connection of well fields
Bone moved to not recommended Article 4. Bruinooge seconded. The motion to not recommend carried 5-1.
Comment for Articles 2-4 and the other Articles will be done at the October 12, 2006 meeting of FinCom.
Berta Bruinooge reported on her meeting with the CPC and her discussion of the Capital Improvement Plan. She said that CPC will send projects on town owned assets.
Article 5 Uncle Tim’s Bridge
Nancy Bone asked about grant funds available. Carlson moved to recommend Article 5. Smith seconded. The motion carried 6-0.
Article 6 Consulting for Affordable Housing Projects
Bruinooge moved to recommend Article 6. Carlson seconded. The motion carried 6-0.
Article 7 Skate Park
Bruinooge maintained that the skateboard park should have been on the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). She said if its condition was a matter of health and safety, it should have been put on the CIP. Caruso and Kirsch had questions about it being on STM. Kirsch said it should be on CIP and at ATM so that all the long range projects could be examined together. Caruso said privately raised funds should be paying for this. Bone moved to not recommend Article 7. Smith seconded. The motion to not recommend carried 6-0.
Article 8 Senior Housing Site Assessment
Ira Wood discussed the plan for an Outer Cape Health facility at the Senior Center location. Caruso said the study may be more appropriately done by a private developer. Bruinooge moved to not recommend Article 8. Kirsch seconded. The motion to not recommend carried 6-0.
Article 9 Paine Hollow Rd. Affordable Rental Homes
Bruinooge moved to recommend Article 9. Bone seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
Article 10 Resurfacing Roads
Kirsch moved to recommend Article 10. Bone seconded. The motion carried
6-0.
Nantucket FinCom – Newspaper Article
Caruso said he’d like members to be acquainted with the newspaper article on Nantucket’s Finance Committee and be ready to discuss it at a meeting of the Wellfleet Forum. The article concerned growth, tax rate and assessments.
Request from Nauset Schools
Nauset Schools requested members as panelists and attendance for an October 30 program on the subject of sustainable budgets. Caruso said he would attend. He said he would discuss a seasonal sales tax for education.
Report on School Committee Meeting
Caruso examined the report by Sylvia Smith on the Wellfleet Elementary School Committee meeting of September 12, 2006. From the floor, Bob Kelly discussed class size and his money saving plans for combining classes and bringing grades 6, 7 and 8 back to Wellfleet. Smith said there was an agreement that all the regionalized towns would have to vote upon in order to bring back any of the 6 through 8 grades. Kirsch discussed other savings for schools if the grades came back to Wellfleet.
Report from Berta Bruinooge on Department Reports
Berta Bruinooge distributed the report which she had compiled on police, fire, COA, and Marina monthly reports.
Town Staff & Payroll Comparison
Caruso said the overall impact of the report which John Makely had prepared was that there were fewer employees. John Makely will discuss this further at another meeting.
School Committee Revenue Ideas – Bill Carlson
Carlson and Smith will attend the School Committee meeting Tuesday, Oct. 10. They will report back at the next FinCom meeting.
Snow Removals “Supplies Expense” Line
The secretary will ask the town accountant for this figure.
Other Business
Kirsch asked about the spending on plowing. Caruso said the snow removal line only covers overtime. He wanted to ask the DPW head how he allocates regular hours and overtime. Bruinooge discussed spending the free cash transfer now and the figures for ATM.
Minutes of 8/24/06
Carlson moved to approve the minutes of August 24, 2006. Bruinooge seconded, and the motion carried 4-0-2.
Correspondence
Smith distributed materials that had been received in the mail.
Caruso announced the annual meeting of the Association of Town Finance Committees.
Adjournment
Bone moved to adjourn; Carlson seconded. The motion carried 6-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_____________________________ ____________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Carl Caruso, Chairman
_______________________(Date)
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