Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of October 11, 2007
Senior Center Conference Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Patricia Foley, Chair; Robert Kelly, Berta Bruinooge, Arlene Kirsch, John Makely, Dennis Murphy, Sylvia Smith
Absent: Mac Hay, Nancy Bone
Also Attending: Town Accountant Marilyn Crary, Fire Chief Daniel Silverman, Building Committee Chairman Hugh Guilderson
Chair Patricia Foley called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Recommendations for Warrant Articles
Fire Chief Daniel Silverman and the Chairman of the Building Committee Hugh Guilderson were present to explain Article 1 for the Fire Station. Chief Silverman said that he hoped to have an actual figure for Town Meeting. Silverman explained the plan for an alternative heating system for the Fire Station. He expects to come back to Annual Town Meeting with those costs, he said. Silverman and Guilderson also discussed the drainage system and estimates for total cost of the new Fire Station.
Article 1 Fire Station
Kirsch moved to reserve recommendation till Town Meeting. Bruinooge seconded. Silverman explained energy saving elements and other features of the building that add to the cost. The motion to reserve recommendation carried 7-0.
Article 2 for Transfers
Marilyn Crary discussed the available free cash with FinCom. Crary said the certified amount should be set in a few weeks. Bruinooge examined the amounts for each transfer in Article 2. Silverman explained the request for defibrillators. Kirsch suggested the defibrillator cost be a Reserve Fund transfer since it was an unexpected expense. FinCom will request that the Interim Town Administrator make the request that the cable license be identified as a contract negotiation matter. Bruinooge moved to recommend Article 2 as presented. Smith seconded. The motion to recommend carried 7-0.
Article 3 Shellfish Dept. Truck & Article 4 Police Dept. Cruiser
Bruinooge moved to hold Article 3 and 4 until the Selectmen place the Articles on the Warrant. Bruinooge spoke against Article 3 - buying a vehicle using Free Cash. There was a consensus that new vehicles should go through the vehicle rollover policy. John Makely reported on Police Chief Rosenthal’s progress on the vehicle rollover policy for the Police Department.
Article 5 “Landing Strip”
Article 5 is for $55,000 to fund cost of establishing access to “Landing Strip” parcel within the National Seashore. (Map 42, Parcel 601). The committee secretary distributed copies of the assessor’s map locating the property. Kirsch moved to reserve recommendation until further explanation was provided.
Bruinooge seconded. The motion to reserve recommendation carried 7-0.
Article 6 Disposal or Trade of Vehicles
Kirsch moved to reserve recommendation on Article 6 for disposal or trade of vehicles. Kelly seconded. FinCom discussed the vehicles being considered in Article 6. FinCom wanted to know how the estimated values were arrived at and if the shellfish truck at all related to Article 3 or if the police cruiser is at all related to Article 4. . The motion to reserve recommendation carried 7-0.
Article 9 CPA Funding for 2083 State Highway for Affordable Housing
Article 9 is for CPA funding of $425,000 for purchase of 2082 State Highway (Map 29, Parcel 129) for development of affordable housing. The committee secretary distributed copies of the assessor’s map locating the property. FinCom agreed to vote on Article 9 after it had been finalized with the Board of Selectmen.
Article 10 CPA Funding for Wellfleet Historical Museum
Article 10 is for CPA funding of $270,000 to be borrowed for the purchase of a portion of 258 Main Street, (Map 15, Parcel 46) for the Wellfleet Historical Society Museum. Kirsch moved to reserve recommendation until Town Meeting. Smith seconded. FinCom discussed granting money to private, non-profit organizations. FinCom wanted more information on the project. The motion to reserve recommendation carried 5-2.
Bruinooge recused herself from discussion of Article 11 and left the room.
Article 11 CPA Funding for Wellfleet Preservation Hall
Article 11 is for CPA funding of $500,000 for Wellfleet Preservation Hall, 335 Main St. (Map 14, Parcel 173) $250,000 to be granted immediately and $250,000 when WPH has raised a matching amount of $250,000.
Kelly moved to not recommend. There was no second.
Kirsch moved to reserve recommendation until STM. Smith seconded. The motion to reserve recommendation carried 4-2.
Bruinooge returned to the meeting.
Article 12 CPA Funding for Balance of Skateboard Park Costs
Article 12 is for CPC funding of $18,000 for the balance of the cost of the Skateboard Park. FinCom discussed oversight of the planning and materials for the Skateboard Park. Crary discussed the source of the funds from estimated CPA revenues or budgeted reserves.
Makely moved to not recommend Article 12. Smith seconded. Further discussion followed. The motion to not recommend carried 7-0.
Approval of Vehicle Rollover Policy
The Vehicle Rollover Policy had been approved by the Selectmen, but FinCom had not voted on the 10/9/2007 draft. FinCom needed to consider in the document that Selectmen voted on: changes in Maintenance Record Section, the removal of a union clause, and a third item which Kirsch said she would explain later in the meeting. The subcommittee had received maintenance records on Oct. 2 in preparation for the Oct. 9 meeting. The Maintenance section was in the document that the Selectmen approved. Crary asked if the document was a report or a policy. It ended up part report and part policy, according to the members of the subcommittee and FinCom. Murphy moved to approve the Maintenance Record Section of the Vehicle Rollover Policy. Bruinooge seconded and the motion carried 7-0.
The original document had a section on the Teamster contract, but the DPW Director had suggested that the union section be removed from the presentation to the Board of Selectmen. The subcommittee decided to wait until the new Town Administrator be hired before the Teamster issue be addressed. The Teamster Contract information has been removed from the present document.
Kirsch moved to approve the Policy with the suggested pagination changes. Murphy seconded, and the motion to approve the Vehicle Rollover Policy carried 7-0.
The third thing that Kirsch wanted to do was place the approved Vehicle Rollover Policy in the STM warrant as part of FinCom comments. Bruinooge suggested being selective about what would go into the Warrant. She suggested including page 2, the actual policy, and the form. She also suggested including the comment that FinCom had studied insurance and recommended that it be reviewed twice a year. Part of the rationale for including the Vehicle Rollover Policy in the Warrant would be education of the public before voting on vehicle Articles. Kirsch moved to place a modified version in FinCom comments on the Warrant. Smith seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. Makely and Foley will work on a version of the policy for the Warrant comments.
Minutes of 9/27/07
Bruinooge moved to approve the minutes of September 27, 2007. Smith seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Mail
Computerization answers from Interim Town Administrator Rex Peterson were distributed. His responses will be taken up at the next regular meeting October 25 although Marilyn Crary answered some FinCom questions on billing.
Other Business
1.) Kirsch asked if anyone had approached Mark Forrest at Delahunt’s office about any money available for municipal buildings.
2.) Bruinooge summarized the Summer 07 Beach Department report.
3.) The Fiscal Year 09 Budget Schedule and attachments were distributed. Crary explained about certifying Free Cash.
4.) Bob Kelly reported on the first meeting of the Herring River Restoration technical committee that he attended.
5.) Sylvia Smith’s school report on enrollment was examined, and she compared numbers and MCAS scores with Truro.
Next Meeting
The October 25, 2007 meeting will deal with the remaining Warrant Articles, comments for the Warrant and Computerization study.
Adjournment
Makely moved to adjourn. Smith seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________ _______________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Patricia Foley, Chair
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