Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of February 24, 2010
Senior Center Long Pond Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Dennis Murphy, Chairman; Sam Bradford, Robert Kelly, John T. Morrissey, Robert Wallace, Janet Loewenstein, Sylvia Smith, Liz Sorrell
Regrets: Donna Robertson
Also Attending: Town Administrator Paul Sieloff, Fire Chief Daniel Silverman, Wellfleet Energy Committee President Geoff Karlson
Chairman Dennis Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Minutes of 2/10/10
Kelly moved to approve the minutes of February 10, 2010. Loewenstein seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.
Mail
The vehicle rollover form from the Police Department was in the mail.
Copies of the available of the latest Beacon were available.
Charter Changes
FinCom discussed the proposed Charter Changes for Finance Committee Section 7.
Sylvia Smith moved that 7-3-2 state shall instead of may be. Murphy seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Loewenstein moved to recommend the Charter Changes for the Annual Town Meeting Warrant Article. Murphy seconded, and motion carried 7-0.
Budget
FinCom began discussing the Budget Outlook spreadsheets from the Town Accountant.
Wind Energy Project
Geoff Karlson was present to discuss the Wind Energy project. Dennis Murphy said he had been in communication with the director of the Hull, Massachusetts wind turbines. Murphy asked a number of questions which questions included: performance spreadsheets; length of the bond issue; total costs including insurance; maintenance including wear rates; estimated costs of repair or replacements; contracts with annual costs; fire suppression capability; worst case scenario for a fire situation; the impact on the WhiteCrest parking lot; legal costs; conditions on the planning and permitting phase; having an independent consultant for the benefit of the Finance Committee; and turbine removal costs. Other members ask further questions concerning: the option of using a private developer, Hull’s light company, net metering,
NSTAR’s commitment, production capability of a larger turbine, historic background of malfunction of turbines, more legal concerns, and insurance coverage. Several members expressed support for the project and the Energy Committee’s efforts.
Karlson discussed grant possibilities for the project. He discussed revenue possibilities that the new turbine could generate. The Green Communities Act and the Cape & Vineyard Cooperative possibilities were discussed. Karlson distributed the latest pro forma sheets for the 1.8Mw turbine for 20.5 years. Karlson also discussed bat migration, sound levels, and contrasts to Vinal Haven, Maine turbines.
Bob Kelly noted that the Wellfleet Forum meeting will be dealing with the wind turbine project on Monday, March 1, 2010.
Fire Department Overtime
Dennis Murphy reviewed the Fire Department Overtime situation which concerns Finance Committee. Paul Sieloff said that Fire Overtime will be a contract negotiations item this year. Fire Chief Daniel Silverman explained the Ambulance Fund. FinCom members discussed methods of dealing with Fiscal Year 2011 Overtime. One idea was increasing the Overtime Budget so that it is more realistic, but that didn’t mean FinCom wasn’t interested in keeping the costs down. There was a question of hiring additional personnel to decrease Overtime, but the cost comparison does not appear favorable.
Paul Sieloff said there should be more data like the February payroll information which the Fire Department had provided. Sieloff said there could be contract agreements that help control Overtime. Silverman also discussed modifications on drills which are paid as Overtime. Overtime alternatives for off-Cape pick up and delivery of vehicles were also considered. Making Overtime “essential only” was another suggestion. Silverman will continue providing the bi-weekly reports on Overtime.
Budget Approval
Budgets 114-152
Kelly moved to approve Budgets 114 through 152. Loewenstein seconded and the motion carried 8-0.
153 Computerization
Kelly moved to approve 153 Computerization. Loewenstein seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Budgets 158-178
Loewenstein moved to approve Budgets 158 to 178. Sorrell seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Shellfish # 179-181
The Shellfish Budgets were tabled until FinCom meets with the Shellfish Warden for further review.
Chamber of Commerce #182
Sorrell moved to approve 182 Chamber of Commerce. Loewenstein seconded and the motion carried 7-1.
Budgets 183-196
Sorrell moved to approve Budget #’s183 to 196. Kelly seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Police #210
Smith moved the Police Budget at $1,231,632. (This reflects moving the cruiser to the Capital Budget.) Kelly seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Communications #215
Sorrell moved to approve Communications #215. Loewenstein seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Fire Budgets
Loewenstein moved to table Fire Budgets to the next meeting. Smith seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Budgets 241-298
Sorrell moved to approve #’s 241-298. Wallace seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Budgets 417-433
Sorrell moved to approve Budget #’s 417-433. Loewenstein seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Adjournment
Loewenstein moved to adjourn. Sorrell seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________ _________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Dennis Murphy, Chairman
__________________
Date
Finance Committee approved these minutes at the meeting held 3/17/10.
| 