Wellfleet Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee
Minutes of Joint Meeting of October 21, 2003
Town Hall Hearing Room
Present: BOS: Dale Donovan, Chair; Jerry Houk, Michael May,
Helen Miranda Wilson
FinCom: Berta Bruinooge, Chair; Arlene Kirsch, John Makely,
Sylvia Smith, Nancy Bone, MacGregor Hay, Carl Caruso,
Patricia Foley
Absent: BOS: Ira Wood
FinCom: Anne Suggs
Also Present: Timothy Smith, Town Administrator; Dawn Rickman, Town Clerk/Treasurer; Mark Vincent and Kevin Cahoon, DPW; Jim McGrath, Shellfish Department; Mike Flanagan, Harbormaster.
Board of Selectmen Chair Donovan and Finance Committee Chair Bruinooge called the Joint Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Certificate of Vote. Chair Donovan obtained FinCom permission for the BOS to place first on the meeting agenda the request from Town Clerk/Treasurer Dawn Rickman for the approval and signing of a Certificate of Vote by the Selectmen concerning the issuance of "bonds for funding engineering, design and construction costs for a municipal public building and marina water system. . . in a principal amount not in excess of $881,090 . . . authorized under Article 5 of the Warrant at the Special Town meeting held on October 22, 2001 ($1,400,000) pursuant to Chapter 44 Section 8(5), and Chapter 29(C), of the Massachusetts General Laws, as amended . . . ." The signatures of the Selectmen were necessary, Donovan explained, because the state needed official record that this meeting had been held.
Helen Wilson moved that this signing be put off until tomorrow night's meeting, since she wanted to study the document (no second was forthcoming). Tim Smith noted that the BOS had already voted to approve the loan; Rickman added that this was just the paperwork for this part of the borrowing. Michael May moved and Donovan seconded that the BOS sign the document. Rickman stated that the document would not be accepted with two signatures (Jerry Houk had not yet arrived at the meeting) and withdrew her request. May withrew his motion; Donovan his second; the matter will be taken up at the meeting of October 22, 2003. The meeting continued with the departmental pre-budget presentations.
Department of Public Works--Mark Vincent and Kevin Cahoon. Vincent distributed a packet of information to the Boards and, with Cahoon's assistance, presented and commented upon the contents, which moved from the status of the DPW 6 years ago through the present to future projects. Items of departmental responsibility currently include:
- Facilities--17 town buildings
- Transfer station operations
- Roads and parking lots
- Recreation fields, beaches, facility grounds & cemeteries
- Vehicle Maintenance & Repair--over 45 pieces of rolling stock, 30 small engine
- Water systems
- Snow removal operations--450 miles of public & private roads
- Administration--Chapter 90 funding, a comprehensive process
Vincent turned to a general overview of where the department needs to go, noting under Operational Issues that a department reorganization (as illustrated in an included chart) would subdivide the department in order to break down specific responsibilities for greater efficiency. (A discussion of why 2 workers are needed to pick up trash ensued.) Vincent stated that outstanding projects include work on:
- Transfer station--capping landfill, perhaps new layout planned
- Facilities--improvement to town buildings
- Water systems
- Roadways--pursuit of grant money to improve drainage to Railroad Avenue & East Commercial Street (Discussion of paving the road over the water project and the need for proper equipment for maintenance of dirt roads, such as Western Avenue, followed.)
- Required improvements for Town Buildings: Town Hall, Library, Bakers Field Rec Building and Pump House, Police/Fire Station, Beach Houses.
Chair Donovan posed a general question for all departments: Are there policies or lack of policies from the past that may cost the town more money, and should they be revisited?
Shellfish Department--Jim McGrath. Acting Shellfish Constable McGrath began his discussion by explaining departmental structure: 2 full-time positions, 2 deputies (19 hours per week), and 1 seasonal position (not filled at present). Of the $4000 budgeted for overtime in FY2003, only $500 was spent; no overtime is allowed for the constable and only the assistant position is eligible. Average revenues have been $60,000 for the last several years, and Wellfleet is the only town in the county that has not raised its permit fees. A seasonal permit was offered and has been very popular this year, and the department has received many requests for a seasonal recreational permit.
McGrath used a photo board to illustrate his presentation of shellfish culture:
- Hardshell Program--explanation of steps from buying seed, growing in bottom trays, plant out, transplanting out to town beds; the use of the upwelling system
- Oyster Program
1. Cultch--institution of a change from 19th century shoveling off a barge to use of a hopper deploying into the harbor, automating the cultch program; 850 yards of shell were put out this year; the last couple of years have been successful
2. Spat Collectors--use of "Chinese hats" to catch oysters on plastic dishes; these go on racks and from there are deployed to parts of the harbor
Discussion points follow:
- Volunteers, including Americorps, used to supplement staff on various projects
- The great increase in oyster production in recent years, with oysters from large sets in the harbor coming into maturity
- Data of predator control
- Availability of bay scallops this year
- Recreational and commercial use of Chipman Cove
Jerry Houk commended McGrath for a good job as Acting Shellfish Constable.
Marina--Harbormaster Michael Flanagan. Flanagan stated that the Marina operates entirely from the Marina Enterprise Fund; he thanked other departments for the continued assistance and cooperation. His staff consists of 1 full-time harbormaster, 1 full-time assistant harbormaster, and 5 seasonal/part time assistants (at a rate of $12/hour, a salary he wishes to keep competitive).
The harbor duties include patrol of town waters, operating the rescue boat, providing safe access to the harbor, maintaining boat ramps and buoys, providing pump-out services, etc., registering and monitoring about 700 vessels, inspecting all moorings, providing transient moorings, collecting all fees for the marinas, collecting trash from marina areas. In the past 5 years, the department has replaced many aging wooden docks. As to future plans, Flanagan noted that the marina is close to receiving permitting on a total marina rehabilitation project for $5,000,000. He continues to apply for grant money, is seeking maintenance dredging from the state and the Army Corps of Engineers, is planning a beach nourishment program, hopes in the future to operate the marina fuel dock, and would like to
add more dock space, relocate the fuel dock, and create a stationery pump-out facility. On the expansion of the number of transient slips, Flanagan stated that this might take away 10 moorings but would replace these with 20 slips. Dicussion included:
- Marina's ability to maintain town landing with limited staff
- Cleaning of restrooms: marina or DPW
- Effect of Harwich decisions on moorings on Wellfleet? Attention called to dollar figures for transient moorings
- Water hookup for Harbormaster House
Administration/Capital Budget--Town Administrator Tim Smith. Smith distributed material on the Administrative Department and the Capital Budget. Turning to the Departmental Staffing and Job Descriptions, he discussed some of the major areas of responsibility for:
- Town Administrator--procurement responsibilities, work with Selectmen, contract/labor negotiation, drafting budget, preparing warrant, executing budget
- Assistant Town Administrator---planner, deals with land issues with Housing Authority and Open Space Committee, personnel director, webmaster for town website
- Administrative Assistant--support for BOS, conduct of all office business
- Head Clerk--administrator of shellfish program
- Clerk--author of Town Report
Future needs: Smith pointed out IT support as an ongoing need; the town has purchased a substantial amount of software in the last few year and Smith advised the use of contractors for its maintenance at present rather than the hire of an IT person. In regard to acquisition of grant money, Smith noted that Assistant Town Administrator Peterson has garnered $90,000 in grants, that the town also uses a grant administrator for grant searches, and that federal-level grant funding is tight at present.
Capital Budget: Smith stated that the capital budget would be completed by November 6 and that the Boards must think about the following:
1. Church project
2. Public safety building--either repaired, expanded or new (at a cost $6-8 million)
3. The problem of making a commitment to a capital plan and sticking to it, irregardless of overrides
4. Marina project--low percent interest loans are available
5. Shellfish department building--either bathrooms or office space
6. Water project--required master plan (full-blown system for 1200 hookups=$9 million)
7. Lieutenant Island Bridge and Uncle Tim's Bridge--Smith will be asking FinCom for funding for core samples
General discussion followed--major points are noted:
- Query of meaning of term "full-blown water system"; expected publishing next week of DEP recommendations that demand will be over 20,000 gpd and that request a master plan for which hookups will be driven by demand, by capacity, primarily affecting the Central District. Rise of a question of source of payment for such a plan and assertion that $1.4 million voted on in Town Meeting cannot be used (according to the Department of Revenue and Mass General Law) for payment of a strategic plan. Necessity noted for written back-up of assertions that money cannot be used for this purpose. Point made that Town Meeting approved $1.4 million to meet DEP's requirements but also to lay out planning step by step; however, Town cannot proceed with water until
Town Meeting appropriates the money, and this planning does not represent absolute commitment. Suggestion that this is a topic for Water Commission.
- Re IT concerns: how will new CPU's be purchased? will outdated equipment be sold? Answer: old equipment can be declared surplus and put at dump. Suggestion for seeking outsourcing needs, positions, wishes (in addition to IT work) from various departments.
- Discussion of Shellfish Department building: slated for recreational use or dedicated to shellfishing? Suggestion of alternate building now leased to Wellfleet Marine for shellfish department. Point that engineering survey recommended that the town look at the entire marina rather than at bits and pieces.
Smith distributed 4 spreadsheets listing appropriations and funding sources for FY2005: 4 pages with calculated results from increases of 0% to 4% over FY2004. Smith noted that the expenditures did not include the 4% school salary increases for FY05 which comprise 80% of the school budget and would cost Wellfleet $80,000, and that medical insurance would increase 15% and retirement benefits 10%. Discussion of the financial implications of a shortfall to property taxes followed, concern being voiced over the elementary and regional school budgets.
Joint BOS/FinCom Meeting of October 22, Town Hall Hearing Room, 7:30 p.m. Berta Bruinooge stated that the purpose of the meeting would be to aid FinCom in its discussion of guidance for the town departments. Discussion points follow:
- FinCom must consider information from pre-budget meetings from a Town Meeting point-of-view; it has a fiduciary responsibility to consider the whole picture.
- Many townspeople, "on-the-edge" financially, would not vote for a tax override.
- The Town should be asked what services they do not want.
- Sometimes an outlay for capital improvement is needed for government efficiency (e.g., improved equipment).
- If a sufficient number of towns with overrides could not meet their budgets, then the regional school budget could be returned to the school committee for cuts
- Educating the public is important; if the Boards convince the public that every possible budget cut has been made, a modest override might be passed.
Minutes of Board of Selectmen/Finance Committee Meeting of 10-7-03. Michael May moved and Helen Wilson seconded that the amended minutes of the combined boards for 10-7-03 be approved. The motion passed : BOS 5-0, FinCom 6-0-2 (Foley, Caruso abstained). Michael May moved and Helen Wilson seconded approval of the Board of Selectmen's minutes for 10-7-03; the motion passed, 4-0.
Patricia Foley moved and Bruinooge seconded adjournment of the Finance Committee; the Committee adjourned at 9:32 p.m.
Chair Donovan asked that Boards and Committees be invited to the BOS Goal Session meeting of November 15th and that their suggestions be submitted in writing by the 12th.
May moved and Houk seconded adjournment of the Board of Selectmen; the meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_____________________________ _____________________________
Frances J. Castillo, Committee Secretary Dale Donovan, Chair, Board of Selectmen
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Berta Bruinooge, Chair, Finance Committee
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