Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of October 14, 2009
Senior Center Conference Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Stephen Oliver, Acting Chair; Robert Kelly, Liz Sorrell, Sam Bradford, Dennis Murphy, Robert Wallace
Also Attending: Town Administrator Paul Sieloff
Acting Chair Steve Oliver called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Superintendent of Schools
Nauset Regional Superintendent of Schools Richard Hoffman was present to introduce himself and his priorities for the school system.
Discussion with Water Commissioners
Water Commissioners Emily Beebe, Dan Wexman and Jean Schaefer gave information on creating an Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2011. They had provided FinCom with a written explanation of the workings of an Enterprise Fund. Emily Beebe explained the financing involved in the Water System expansion project. The Water Commissioners answered questions on: billing, capital improvement planning, transferring of funds, old debt, municipal use, fees, creating a water department, the contractor for the system, ruptures, contingency money, warranty for the lines, the waiting list for connection, metering, water conservation, grants, construction issues and change orders.
Recommendation of Articles for Special Town Meeting
Article 6 Water Enterprise Fund
Murphy moved to recommend Article 6. Sorrell seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
Article 1 Transfer
Kelly moved to recommend Article 1 with the stipulation that the dollar value will stated in the motion. Wallace seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
Article 2 Wind Turbines
Kelly moved to recommend Article 2. Sorrell seconded. There was discussion of where a stream of revenue from wind energy would be put. This is a borrowing Article. The motion carried 6-0.
Article 3 Lieutenant Island Rd. ($1.3 million with $500,000 STRAP grant)
Oliver expressed negative opinion of the Article. Paul Sieloff gave the rationale for seeking the Small Town Road Assistant Program (STRAP) to repair Lieutenant Island Road. Dennis Murphy discussed road construction costs. He considered the $1.3 million price for Lieutenant Island Road very high. Sorrell discussed how grants beget further grants as a reason for approving the Article.
Sorrell moved to recommend Article 3. Bradford seconded. The motion did not carry 3-3.
Article 4 Meals Tax & Article 5 Room Tax
Articles 4 and 5 were considered together. Oliver asked about the projected revenue from the taxes. Paul Sieloff explained how Town costs increase by more than 2 1/2% each year and other problematic fiscal issues. Oliver suggested offering to the Chamber of Commerce some of the anticipated money from the meal and room tax if they pass. Sieloff said the increased revenue from the taxes would be needed not just next year but for several years. Sam Bradford discussed how the proposals tax the customers, not the businesses. He said the meal tax would especially affect the shoulder seasons.
Kelly moved to recommend Articles 4 and 5. Wallace seconded, and the motion carried 5-0-1.
Article 7 Sale of Eight Parcels of Town-owned Land
Oliver said FinCom had recommended selling the parcels as is. Paul Sieloff discussed Town Counsel’s review of the lots.
Sorrell moved to recommend Article 7. Kelly seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
Article 8 Tax Collector
Kelly moved to recommend Article 8. Bradford seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
Article 9 CPC
Murphy moved to recommend Article 9. Sorrell seconded. Kelly expressed his disapproval of the expenditure of CPA money on Housing. The motion carried 5-1.
Article 13 Disposal of property (vehicles)
Kelly moved to recommend Article 13. Murphy seconded. Discussion of the vehicles and estimated values followed. The motion carried 5-1.
Article 14 Transfer Portion of COA land to Outer Cape Health Services
FinCom discussed language in the Article. FinCom would like to see the word “conveyed” removed, and let the word “lease” remain.
Sorrell moved to not recommend Article 14. Kelly seconded, and the motion to not recommend carried 6-0.
FinCom would like to make an amendment at Special Town Meeting to indicate that the Article should only read “lease.”
Oliver moved to amend Article 14. Kelly seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
Minutes of 9/30/09
Kelly moved to approve the minutes of September 30, 2009. Murphy seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
FinCom Budget
Sorrell moved to approve the Finance Committee Fiscal Year 2011 Budget of $250. Murphy seconded, and the motion carried 6-0.
Adjournment
Sorrell moved to adjourn. Oliver seconded, and the motion carried 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________ _______________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Date
Finance Committee approved these minutes at the meeting held 10/28/09.
| 