Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of September 21, 2011
Town Hall Hearing Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Dennis Murphy, Chairman; Sam Bradford, Janet Loewenstein, John T. Morrissey, Stephen Oliver, Sylvia Smith, Liz Sorrell, Robert Wallace
Regrets: Stephen Polowczyk
Also Attending: Town Administrator Paul Sieloff
Dennis Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
ATFC Membership
Sorrell moved to approve payment of $152 in dues to the Association of Town Finance Committees. Loewenstein seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Disposition of Town-Owned Properties
Finance Committee considered the proposed recommendations for the disposition of Town-Owned property. Before voting on the list of properties, Steve Oliver revisited the discussion and vote on Map 30, Parcel 68’s designation as Conservation land.
Paul Sieloff said one of the 10 properties on the list of Town-owned parcels proposed for Article 4 had already been removed from consideration at Special Town Meeting because it had already appeared in an Article at a previous Town Meeting.
Sorrell moved to accept as printed the list of Town-owned properties to be offered for sale. Loewenstein seconded and the motion carried 8-0.
STM Article 1 - Green School Repair
FinCom members discussed the proposal for Green Repair at Nauset High School and the process of informing the towns of the need for repairs. The plans for the roof and the windows were considered. Pre-Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18 at the Library, and Dr. Hoffmann will be present to answer Finance Committee questions which they plan to send him in advance.
Sorrell moved to recommend the Green Roof proposal, Article 1 on the Special Town Meeting Warrant. Morrissey seconded, and the motion carried 6-2.
Special Town Meeting
Paul Sieloff distributed a draft of the Warrant for Special Town Meeting.
Article 2 - Transfers
Article 2 on the Draft Warrant for STM is a transfer of $39,000 from Free Cash to Communications. The transfer would give the Town the potential to modify its Dispatch operations.
Sorrell moved to recommend Article 2. Loewenstein seconded. FinCom discussed how the system would work. Steve Oliver suggested creating a Lower Cape Dispatch Service instead of moving the services to the Barnstable Sheriff’s Office. The motion to recommend Article 2 carried 6-2.
Article 3 – Community Preservation Act Funds for Community Housing
Loewenstein recommended Article 3 for the Rental Subsidy project of Community Housing. Sorrell seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Article 4 – Disposition of Town-Owned Property
The 8-0 recommendation for Planning Board consideration of the Town-owned lots was deemed the same vote to recommend Article 4 for the Warrant.
Article 5 – Conservation Restriction for Map 30, Parcel 67.1
Finance Committee reserved their recommendation for Article 5 until the language in the Article has been clarified.
Article 6 – Conservation Commission Custody of Map 30, Parcel 68
FinCom reserved recommendation of Article 6 until receiving a written confirmation from Conservation about the feasibility of a future bike trail passing by or through the property.
Article 7 – Bound Brook Way Easement
Loewenstein moved to approve Article 7 with amendment that up to $5,000 be offered for the easement. Sorrell seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Article 8 – Recycling Commission
FinCom determined that Article 8 was not a financial matter and requested that they be removed from the list of boards making recommendations on it.
Library Building Needs
John Morrissey reported on a meeting on Library building needs. The Library needs HYVAC, a paved upper parking lot and a number of small projects. FinCom will request a representative from the Library Trustees to present their proposal.
Marina
The Marina had replied to a memo from the Finance Committee with questions on the prices of fuel. John Morrissey said he would still like to ask them what goal the Marina has in mind.
Fire Dept. Overtime
The Mashpee study of Fire Department Overtime has not yet been released. Dennis Murphy was interested in a study on Wellfleet’s Fire Dept. Overtime. Paul Sieloff said he could have a study done for $4,500 and has the cooperation of the Fire Chief.
Oliver .moved to approve support the TA’s proposal use ICMA of $4,500 the study. Loewenstein seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Legal Budget
Finance Committee had been concerned about the Legal Budget for FY12. Janet Loewenstein said that the agreement with other towns for use of Town Counsel, Kopelman & Page, for personnel issues had saved some money. Loewenstein will be reviewing legal bills for the past six months. Paul Sieloff discussed some of the current legal issues he has been addressing.
Private Road Maintenance
Dennis Murphy said that he had become aware of a private road that had been paved by the Town. He read from General Bylaw, section 28 that deals with repair of private roads. One part of the bylaw requires that the major private road maintenance be reviewed by the Finance Committee and Selectmen every January.
Uncollected Taxes
John Morrissey had asked the Town Accountant about the large amount of money in uncollected taxes. He will investigate this further.
Budget Message for FY13
John Morrissey had prepared a draft for FinCom members to use as a starting point for the Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Message. FinCom felt the message of having a better capital plan should be sent to all Department Heads. There was a discussion of the merits of zero-based budgeting or goal-based budgeting rather than the two and a half percent increase budget. Sam Bradford and Janet Loewenstein will work on communications for the Budget.
Minutes of 7/13/11
Sorrell moved to approve the minutes of July 13, 2011. Murphy seconded, and the motion carried 8-0.
Other Business
Liz Sorrell announced that WES fourth grade MCAS scores were second in the state.
Adjournment
Loewenstein moved to adjourn. Murphy seconded, and the motion carried 8-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________ _________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Dennis Murphy, Chairman
Finance Committee approved these minutes at the meeting held 10/19/11.
Public Record Materials from the meeting of 9/21/11
1.) Marina Memo
2.) Draft Warrant for STM 11
3.) Draft Budget Message
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