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Wellfleet Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee
Minutes of Joint Meeting of January 16, 2003
Library Meeting Room
Present: BOS: Roger Putnam, Chair; Michael May, Michael Parlante, Dale Donovan
FinCom: Berta Bruinooge, Chair; Arlene Kirsch, Anne Suggs,
Tim Woodman, Patricia Foley
Absent: BOS: Jerry Houk
FinCom: Ira Wood, Deborah Davis
Roger Putnam convened the joint budget meeting of the Wellfleet Board of Selectmen and the Wellfleet Finance Committee at 7:00 p.m.
BEACH PROGRAM: Budget # 699. Suzanne Thomas, Director of the Beach Program, presented her budget information to the Boards. (Berta Bruinooge disclosed that she had been employed by the Beach Program during the Summer of 2002.) Ms. Thomas noted that there were no significant changes in the budget and that the expense request has gone down $61. She distributed a spreadsheet, prepared at the request of the Town Administrator, illustrating the anticipated results of increasing the fee structure for the beach program, noting that fee increases for the calendar year 2002 had resulted in an increase in revenues of $85,841 and that by bumping up the sticker cost on an annual basis, the calendar year 2006 should bring in almost one million dollars. Some major discussion areas follow:
1. Bruinooge voiced concern that while $5 per sticker this year was a modest increase, $5 every year might get a lot of adverse reaction; Roger Putnam commented that it might be wise to stay with the $10 resident fee for awhile; Dale Donovan commended the spreadsheet increases from a
sales/marketing point of view; Arlene Kirsch stated that from the point of view of town businesses, fees should not be raised so much that people won't want to come. She added that the number of patrons downtown had dropped in the early part of the 2002 season and there had been empty parking spaces in town in July.
2. Tim Smith assured the Boards that the spreadsheet had been prepared to "get a look at the numbers" - that these increases were speculative.
3. Tim Woodman asked about comparable charges in other towns; Ms. Thomas stated that she could provide the Boards with those figures.
4. Ms. Thomas added that she proposed to close loopholes for some people who get resident stickers (e.g., yearly campsites) without actually being eligible for them. She added that the economic status of the typical Wellfleet tourist had undergone a change from years past--weekly rentals during the season now run from $800-900 to $4000--and a $10 annual increase in beach sticker fees would probably be acceptable.
5. Michael Parlante suggested raising parking fees at White Crest and Cahoon Hollow Beach parking lots; Bruinooge added the suggestion that the idea of increasing the parking lot area at White Crest Beach be taken up at Town Meeting.
6. Ms. Thomas, in winding up her presentation, informed the Boards that an editor for Yankee magazine had informed her that in an upcoming article the author had identified Duck Pond as his choice of one of the "ten best places to cool off in New England."
Tim Woodman addressed the BOS concerning the economic problems of the past few years and their implications for year-round residents of Wellfleet, reflected in their lack of employment opportunities. He stated that while the town could make up a lot of the budget on new growth, this would not last forever, and he asked that valuable assets such as the beaches be used as effectively as possible and that the BOS look again at the budget guidelines to get where it wants to be. Roger Putnam responded to Woodman's request by pointing out that it would be necessary to either cut specific programs or to look at structural changes (i.e., regionalization, cooperation), that 80% of the budget is payroll-related, that reducing it requires getting rid of programs, and that the town is pretty close to an irreducible
minimum in services that people want and need.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Budget #510. Health and Conservation Agent Emily Beebe appeared before the Boards to answer questions on the Health Department budget, which Tim Smith stated was up only 1.5% when adjusted for the new position of Assistant to the Health and Conservation Agent. He added that the salary line had raised but that all other expenses were down 9%. Ms. Beebe commended to the Boards the qualifications and insights of her newly-hired assistant, Erik Mitchell. Further budget discussion was brief. Michael Parlante asked if the department fees had risen and Beebe replied that they had increased last March, commenting that this was not a money-making department. Parlante asked if new housing fees could be upgraded. To a question on fees for rentals, Beebe answered
that Eastham has a rental permit program which is a huge job to administer. Putnam asked if she would get an opportunity to inspect the newly approved auxiliary apartments; Beebe stated that she would try to do this.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT: Budget #241. Building Inspector Richard Asmann presented his departmental budget to the Boards. Chair Putnam noted that the salary line had been raised by contractual increases; Asmann added that expenses have gone up slightly (without the equipment line item). He commented that the state has established a requirement that plumbing and gas inspectors do continuing study, an added expense. Putnam asked if fees in any way balanced the cost of operating the department; Asmann replied that they did not, stating that he reviews revenues on an annual basis and had increased fees two years ago. He added that he would increase fees again if so advised by the BOS and distributed to the Boards a proposed fee change schedule for the town. In subsequent discussion,
Tim Woodman asked if fees as they are now covered the actual hourly time of the inspector; Asmann stated that in some cases, as for example the wood stove permit, the fee does not in any way match the time expended. To Putnam
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR. Tim Smith announced that the last joint budget meeting had been rescheduled (from 1/30) to 2/5/03, at which time he would review the entire budget, including the Capital Budget. Next week on 1/21, the Marina, Shellfish, Recreation, and Council on Aging will be heard. Marilyn Crary, Acting Town Accountant, distributed the Cherry Sheet Budget Receipts Assessments for FY2003. Smith stated that it was uncertain whether the stateSmith stated that he would "put everything in there that we've got." Putnam noted that the program for school equity funding is on the shelf; Donovan commented that the school budget is "not being cut" by $1.7 million. Smith felt that Wellfleet is in pretty good shape in that it doesn't rely as much on state aid. Arlene Kirsch stated her request to introduce a transfer from free cash to the stabilization fund at town meeting, noting that the reserve fund budget had been cut by 20%. Smith stated that he would look into it, and Putnam concurred, commenting that he strongly believes in adding to the stabilization fund.
Discussion concluding, Chair Putnam adjourned the meeting at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Frances J. Castillo, Assistant to the Roger Putnam, Chair, Board of Committee Secretary Selectmen
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Berta Bruinooge, Chair, Finance Committee
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