Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of January 26, 2010
Senior Center Great Pond Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Dennis Murphy, Chairman; Sam Bradford, Robert Kelly, Janet Loewenstein, John T. Morrissey, Sylvia Smith, Liz Sorrell, Robert Wallace
Also Attending: Town Administrator Paul Sieloff
Dennis Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Enterprise Funds
Paul Sieloff explained the Enterprise Funds for the Marina and the Water System. He answered questions on revenue for both Enterprise Funds.
Capital Budget
Paul Sieloff said the DPW projects were the only 2012 Capital Budget items. He discussed some possibilities for the Beach parking lots. FinCom asked about use of Free Cash to help with the Capital expenses, the amount of revenue from the increased meal tax, Recreation expenses, and Police cruisers. Sieloff and FinCom members studied and discussed each FY12 item on the Capital Budget.1
Fire Chief Daniel Silverman distributed the Vehicle Rollover form for the Fire Department ambulance. 2 Chief Silverman explained the maintenance costs listed. FinCom discussed the maintenance record and Ambulance fees with Chief Silverman. He said he would like the ambulance restored to the FY12 Capital Budget.
Chief Silverman fielded other questions that FinCom had prepared in advance regarding the number of ambulances, staffing, the number of runs, and ages of the vehicles. Silverman also discussed the grant match for the radio system which he anticipates will be less than $9,500 listed.
There was a discussion about building up Free Cash and reducing the number of ambulances from three to two.
Chief Silverman discussed Fire Department staffing. He had not been able to get this on an agenda to bring it to the Selectmen’s attention, so he was bringing it before Finance Committee to explain how staffing could be improved. He would like to get his proposal to Town Meeting, he said. FinCom discussed the SAFER grant with Chief Silverman. He answered questions on seasonal call volume and fire fighter training. FinCom offered to do a fair assessment of his staffing needs. An independent study by an outside consultant was a suggested option.
Sorrell moved to ask the BOS to hire an outside consultant, with a recommendation for Mark Abrams, to do an impact study for short and long term effects of hiring additional Fire Department staff. Smith seconded. The motion carried 7-1.
Janet Lowenstein recommended sending Chief Silverman a letter of thanks with a caveat that his staffing would not be likely to go forward for Annual Town Meeting 2011.
WES Budget Follow-Up
FinCom discussed the FY 2012 Budget Worksheet for the Wellfleet Elementary School. 3 Special Needs is mandated by the State. The retirement costs were not on the sheet, Sam Bradford noted. FinCom discussed holding the bottom line to two and a half percent. If the Override Article appears on the Warrant, it will be up to the Town to decide.
Kelly moved to not recommend the WES Budget. Smith seconded.
Sorrell said it would be respectful to ask the School to examine their restoration list and recommended that they come to a FinCom meeting to discuss the Budget as they did last year. The motion to not recommend the School Budget did not carry 3-5. FinCom will invite the School Committee to a meeting.
Minutes of 12/29/10
Murphy moved to approve the corrected minutes of December 29, 2010. Kelly seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Other Business
The Cultural Council Activity sheets were distributed and will be an agenda item for the next meeting.
Adjournment
Loewenstein moved to adjourn. Sorrell seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________ _________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Dennis Murphy, Chairman
Finance Committee approved these minutes at the meeting held 2/9/11.
Public Record Materials from the meeting of 1/26/11
1.) Capital Budget
2.) Vehicle Rollover form for the Fire Department ambulance
3.) FY 2012 Budget Worksheet for the Wellfleet Elementary School
| 