Wellfleet Board of Selectmen/Finance Committee
Minutes of Joint Budget Meeting
January 15, 2008
Wellfleet Senior Center Great Pond Room
Present:
Board of Selectmen – Jacqueline Wildes-Beebe, Chair; Dale Donovan, Jerry Houk, Michael May, Ira Wood
PersonNameFinance Committee – Nancy Bone, PersonNameBerta Bruinooge, PersonNamePatricia Foley, Macgregor Hay, PersonNameArlene Kirsch, John Makely, Dennis Murphy, Sylvia Smith
Also attending: Paul Sieloff, Town Administrator; Marilyn Crary, Town Accountant; Rex Peterson, Assistant Town Administrator
Board of Selectman Chair Jacqueline Wildes-Beebe called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. She explained the process of presentation by department heads and questions from the boards. Houk moved to adjourn by 9 p.m. Donovan seconded, but no action was taken on the motion.
FY09 Budget
#124 General Administration
Assistant Town Administrator Rex Peterson came forward to present the budget for General Administration. There were no increases except for salary. FinCom asked about expenditures in the Selectmen’s Budget. “Legal Expenses” is a separate budget line, Marilyn Crary explained in response to a FinCom question.
#699 Beach
Beach Director Steven Larsen explained that the Beach Program was level funded. The only change was a request for a storage unit at White Crest Beach, Larsen said. Larsen answered questions regarding the Beach vehicle, resurfacing White Crest Beach parking lot, revenue projections for 2008, proof of stay forms, and future planning for parking needs at the beaches.
#135 Accountant
Town Accountant Marilyn Crary said the Accounting Department was level funded. She said they needed new report writing software that would be easier to understand. Crary said she had conferred with Paul Sieloff regarding future improvements.
#141 Assessor
Town Assessor Nancy Vail said in spite of added costs for reevaluation she has managed to level fund by cutting other expenses among them the reduced-size, complete assessors’ map. Vail also discussed tax deferments, exemptions and the senior tax work-off program.
Dawn Rickman, Town Clerk/Treasurer, came forward to present a number of Budget items.
#145Town Clerk
Rickman said she was requesting an increase in her salary as Town Clerk/Treasurer. The work requirements have demanded more Town Hall hours for which she would like to be compensated. This is for the Town Hall hours, she said. She plans on a decrease in cost in payroll services which also provides a savings in time in the office. Houk supported Rickman’s request for a salary increase. Kirsch seconded this sentiment.
# 158 Tax Title
Rickman explained that this is level funded.
#162 Elections/Registration
This has increased, Rickman said, because every town is now required to have a handicap accessible voting booth. She said the ballots for the special machine also increased the printing costs for #162.
#753 Short Term Interest
This is level funded, according to Rickman.
#911 placePlaceTypeCounty PlaceNameRetirement
Rickman’s request had been set at $666,170. The state has to approve this budget, she said.
#913 Unemployment
This was up to $15,000 for two people, Rickman said, and there is the possibility of a third person going on unemployment. The Town is now in deficit for the unemployment compensation. Rickman explained that there would be a transfer of funds necessary this spring.
#915 Group Life Insurance
This has gone up slightly, Rickman said.
#914 Group Health Insurance
Rickman said that the $977,290 was a low estimate. The Town is getting notices that the number is going up. Rickman said she encouraged retirees to switch over to the Medicare plan. She now administrates seven health insurance plans.
# 916 Medicare
Rickman said the Town matches Medicare funding.
#940 Bond Issue
This is level funded, Rickman said.
#946 Surety Bond
This is level funded, according to Rickman
#146 Town Tax Collector
Tax Collector Marianne Nickerson said this is level funded for salary. The contract services are for software upgrades. The tax bills are printed in house, Nickerson said.
Smith asked for a clarification of #123 Town Administrator before proceeding to Health & Conservation.
#510 Health and #171 Conservation
Hillary Greenberg, Health/Conservation Agent, said there was one new item in #510 for water sampling in the harbor. This is for contract services, Greenberg said. Greenberg also said #171 increased because of postage.
#292 Animal Control
Greenberg also presented #292 Animal Control. The salary line decreased since this is a shared position with the Town of placeCityTruro.
#179 Shellfish and #180 Shellfish Conservation/Propagation
Shellfish Constable Andrew Koch had level funded both lines.
#210 Police and #215 Communications/Dispatch
Police Chief Richard Rosenthal and Lieutenant Ronald Fisette came forward. Chief Rosenthal said the Police Budget was level funded. Fisette said the Communications Budget had increased. He explained how the computer tracking system had been upgraded to work with other towns. The increase covers the continued updates of the software. Fisette said the upgrades will continue. The Police Department has been able to make adjustments so that the bottom line remained level funded. Grant money also helped pay for the software.
Chief Rosenthal and Lt. Fisette addressed questions about using the County for a communications system, summer special officers, gasoline expenses, the possibility of Town operated gas pumps and the Quinn education program. Chief Rosenthal said he would look into the option of Town gas pumps for Town vehicles.
#630 Recreation
Recreation Director Rebecca Rosenberg said the budget represented a 2.2% increase from last year, mainly for salaries. The skateboard park needed more monitoring in summer and for weekends through Thanksgiving. Capital Outlay went up for handicap accessible woodchips for the playground, she said. Contract Services also increased slightly, Rosenberg said, in order to pay police details for the Oyster Festival road race. She mentioned a donation of the tent top which had kept costs for the summer tent down.
Rosenberg answered questions about declining numbers of Wellfleet school children, explaining all the programs that are offered year round; payment of police detail out of the Recreation budget; and fiscal and volunteer contributions by the Friends of Recreation.
Paul Sieloff discussed some possibilities for future changes in the budget worksheets.
Marina Enterprise Fund
Harbor Master Michael Flanagan said he needed a third full time assistant at the Marina. That was his main change in the salaries line. He tried to level fund for most items. Gasoline and diesel expenses are anticipated to be higher, he said. He cut out some supplies and the travel line. Electricity was another anticipated increase. Town paid benefits for harbor employees are reimbursed by the Marina Enterprise Fund, according to Dawn Rickman. Crary explained “shared employees” were from other Town departments. There was a discussion of use of DPW employees for rebuilding floats or other work at the Marina.
Additional Budget Discussions
Pat Foley had an additional question about Computerization Line #153. Rex Peterson said it was for the consultant, website and email services. Hardware is in #155 Capital, Peterson said, in response to another question on Computerization. There was also a discussion of a police vehicle request.
Wildes-Beebe adjourned the Budget portion of the meeting at 9:20 p.m.
After a short break the Board of Selectmen reconvened. Ira Wood had received a memo from the Police Chief regarding power outages in Wellfleet. Donovan moved that the Town Administrator have the Police Chief Rosenthal contact NStar to arrange a discussion with the Board of Selectmen. May seconded, and the motion carried 4-0.
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Town Administrator Goals
Paul Sieloff had contributed to the goals worksheet that the BOS had suggested. Wood wanted to see an additional goal on fire station deadlines. Sieloff gave an update on fire station progress. He promised to coordinate with the BOS Chair on updates. The BOS and TA agreed to put the goals on the agenda for the January 29, 2008 meeting.
Sieloff commented on the Budget session and personnel costs. Marilyn Crary gave a brief overview of School budgeting, which will be presented at the next session.
Ira Wood reported on a Cape Cod economic summit meeting which compared Scottsdale, Arizona’s funding for education with Wellfleet’s. The two towns have the same population.
The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 9:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary
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