Wellfleet Finance Committee
Minutes of Meeting of June 26, 2013
Senior Center, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Stephen Polowczyk, Chair; Janet Loewenstein, Linda Pellegrino, Thomas Reinhart, Sylvia Smith, Liz Sorrell, Robert Wallace, Ira Wood
Regrets: Sam Bradford,
Also Attending: Town Administrator Harry Terkanian, Town Accountant Marilyn Crary, Fire Chief Richard Pauley.
Chair Stephen Polowczyk called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and opened the public hearing.
CIP Hearing
The Capital Improvement Plan for 20151 was reviewed. Harry Terkanian commented on the proposed totals. Some of the figures have gone up already, he said. Plans for Town facilities, including the Fire Station training room, are being considered. Chief Pauley discussed the complexities of sheltering, an option not feasible for the Fire Station space. Chief Pauley said there are improvements needed to open it to greater community use. There are still climate control issues with the Fire Station, Chief Pauley said. There is $150,000 line for FY16 on the Capital Improvement Plan for the Fire Station training room.
Other items scrutinized were the replacement of the Shellfish Building in FY15 and Library clapboard replacement in FY15,
Smith moved to close the Capital Improvement Plan hearing. Loewenstein seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Budget Policy
Loewenstein moved to support the Budget and Financial Management Policies document that was presented at the last FinCom meeting. Reinhart seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Transfers
Several end of the FY13 transfers between departments and within departments2 needed to be approved. Marilyn Crary explained some of the transfers. Chief Pauley gave pertinent information about the command car that would be purchased through some of the transfers.
Loewenstein moved to approve the transfers within and between departments. Pellegrino seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Fees
FinCom examined the 2012 Departmental Fee Schedule.3 Committee members discussed the relationship between fees and administrative work in processing various permits. FinCom discussed fees for the Shellfish grants. Harry Terkanian and FinCom members considered staffing needs of departments and fees for the Transfer Station, Recreation, Marina, and no fee for the Noise Bylaw Waiver. FinCom will make a recommendation to the Selectmen regarding increasing these fees. Terkanian suggested keeping the recommendations limited to a few fees.
Discussion with Town Administrator
Town Administrator Harry Terkanian reported on some reorganization he has planned for combining Recreation and Beach Departments. Sylvia Smith recommended reinstituting monthly department reports. Terkanian said that the WES roof project had been accepted by Mass School Building Authority. He has been meeting with Building and Needs Committee to assess other Town buildings.
Harry Terkanian explained the informational sheet on Debt4 and another on Receipts Reserved. 5 Terkanian said that because receipts are very seasonal, the reserve is kept high to balance out the rest of the year. Marilyn Crary elaborated on the Town Meeting approval of Receipts Reserved each year.
Tom Reinhart commented on municipal debt nationwide. Terkanian cited changes to the Mass pension reform laws pertaining to artificially change the calculation for pensions. He described many of the factors that need to be taken into consideration in hiring Town employees. FinCom and Terkanian also discussed the benefits of having a room tax.
Invitation for Regional FinCom Meeting
Stephen Polowczyk said that the Provincetown FinCom Chair had invited members of Finance Committees from the lower Cape to a joint meeting to be held September 11, 2013. Everyone is invited to attend.
Organization
Ira Wood nominated Stephen as Finance Committee Chair. Loewenstein seconded. The motion to elect Stephen Polowczyk as Chair carried 7-0.
Wood nominated Reinhart as Vice-chair. Polowczyk seconded.
The motion to elect Tom Reinhart as Vice-Chair carried 7-0.
Reports
Sylvia Smith requested reestablishing the practice of issuing monthly Department reports.
Minutes of 5/29/13
Wood moved to approve the minutes of May 29, 2013. Smith seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Agenda for the Next Meeting
Agenda for the July 24, 2013 will include: Town fees, liaison reports and future concerns.
Adjournment
Loewenstein moved to adjourn. Wallace seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
______________________________ _________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Stephen Polowczyk (Chair)
Finance Committee approved these minutes at the meeting held 9/25/13.
Public Records Material of 6/26/13
1.) Capital Improvement Plan
2.) End of the Fiscal Year Transfers
3.) Fee Schedule
4.) Memo on Existing Debt
5.) Memo on Receipts Reserved
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