Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of November 29, 2007
Senior Center Conference Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Patricia Foley, Chair;, Berta Bruinooge, Robert Kelly, Arlene Kirsch, John Makely, Dennis Murphy, Sylvia Smith
Also Attending: Selectman Ira Wood, Fire Chief Daniel Silverman, David Rowell
Absent: Mac Hay, Nancy Bone
Chair Patricia Foley called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Remaining Recommendations for Warrant Articles
Article 3 Shellfish Truck
Although the Article to transfer of $25,000 Free Cash to the Shellfish Department for a new truck was reported withdrawn from the Warrant, Makely moved to vote on the Article. Bruinooge seconded. The motion carried 7-0.
Bruinooge moved to not approve Article 3. Kelly seconded. The motion to not recommend Article 3 carried 7-0.
Article 11 Wellfleet Preservation Hall
Berta Bruinooge recused herself from the meeting.
Kirsch moved to vacate the previous vote on Article 11. Smith seconded. The motion to vacate the vote carried 6-0.
Kirsch moved to recommend Article 11. Smith seconded. FinCom had wanted to be sure the Purchase and Sale agreement for Wellfleet Preservation Hall signed; this has now been done. Further discussion of CPA funds ensued. The motion to recommend Article 11 carried 4-2.
Bruinooge returned to the meeting.
Article 15 Fire/Rescue Station
Fire Chief Dan Silverman distributed the updated figures for construction of a new station. Kirsch moved to recommend Article 15 with the new figure of $6,595,598. Makely seconded. Discussion followed on the scope of the project.
From the floor, David Rowell expressed objections to building the facility without including the police station. Silverman responded to some of Rowell’s objections on demolition of the present facility, municipal zoning, regionalization, having three ambulances, costs, and use of the South Wellfleet Station. Other discussion concerned tax increases and maintenance of the building.
The motion to recommend Article 15 with the corrected figure carried 7-0.
Computerization
Chair Patricia Foley said that when she had presented Computerization issues to the Board of Selectmen, there had been a misinterpretation of the figures she had presented on total computerization costs. Foley will write the correction and send it to the Selectmen with a copy to the InterimTown Administrator.
Kirsch reported on FinCom’s subcommittee’s work on creation of a computerization policy. She reviewed the draft for a computerization policy process. Step 4 is a survey of computerization in Chatham, Harwich, Brewster, Eastham, Orleans, Provincetown and Truro. These towns would be compared with Wellfleet, the data analyzed and submitted to the Selectmen and new Town Administrator. Makely distributed a Gant chart of goals with target dates.
None of the towns to be surveyed have a computerization policy, but Plymouth has a computerization audit, long range plan and policy which FinCom will study.
Kirsch said the survey should get underway as soon as possible. Makely suggested creating a basic script with an introduction and questions. From the floor, Dan Silverman suggested adding a section on networking.
Makely asked about time commitments from the subcommittee. Bruinooge noted that the Budget process would be starting soon, and that will require extra meetings. The subcommittee surveys will be conducted by phone by FinCom members only. Using outside computer consultants to assist was ruled out.
The draft questions a through g are to be used for the survey along with a uniform introductory script that Kirsch will write. Kelly moved to go forward with the survey. Bruinooge seconded, and the motion carried 7-0
Performance Contracting
The Selectmen had circulated an article on Performance Contracting and requested that FinCom review and comment on it. FinCom members agreed that the Building Needs Committee should be at the future BOS meeting with FinCom when Performance Contracting is on the agenda.
Minutes of 11/1/07 and 11/6/07
Bruinooge moved to approve the corrected minutes of November 1, 2007. Kelly seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Kelly moved to approve the amended minutes of November 6, 2007. Makely seconded, and the motion carried 6-0-1.
Mail
There were five memos from the Police Department. One regarding a generator for the Senior Center will come up in Budgeting. Two memos concerned the computerization study. The monthly overtime report and a memo on a transfer of funds were also distributed to FinCom members.
Other Business
Several meetings needed to be scheduled. FinCom had requested a meeting with the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). This will be scheduled in February. The Selectmen had requested a joint meeting, unrelated to Budget issues; that will be scheduled in spring. The Local Comprehensive Planning Committee (LCPC) would like to meet with FinCom, and that meeting will be scheduled sometime in January. Finally the next FinCom meeting was set for Wednesday, December 12 .
FinCom’s Annual Report is due December 21. Pat Foley will handle this.
Adjournment
Bruinooge moved to adjourn; Makely seconded and the motion carried 7-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________ _______________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Patricia Foley, Chair
__________________ (Date)
These minutes were approved at the Finance Committee meeting of 1/24/08.
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