Absent Were Vice Chairman Jim Lang and Ms. Jennifer Clark Croes

Minutes of the Finance Committee meeting of Wednesday, May 8, 2013. The meeting convened at 7:02 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room in Town Hall.

Present were: Chairman Robert Smith, Clerk Denise Reyes, Ms. Meredith Anderson, Mr. Steve Currier, Ms. Maura Moroni, Ms. Jeri Screnci and Ms. Sandra White.

Absent were Vice Chairman Jim Lang and Ms. Jennifer Clark Croes.

Also present were:

Mrs. Elizabeth D. Faricy, Administrator

Board of Selectmen Chairman Eldon Moreira

Mr. David Church, Chairman, Board of Library Trustees

Mr. Maurice McCarthy, Library Trustee~

Ms. Deborah Lancaster, Library Trustee

Mr. David Gagne, newly appointed Administrator

Chairman of the Board of Library Trustees discussed a revised budget 6100 Library due to the Trustees’ vote to allow the Library Director to include a portion of her sick leave buy back benefit in her salary. Ms. Deborah Lancaster, Library Trustee, stated that the Trustees would like the Selectmen and the Finance Committee to place an additional $6000 in the budget since this is a benefit to which the Library Director is entitled.

There was discussion regarding the changes to the budget other than line 5111 Appointed Officials.

Mr. Currier and Ms. Reyes discussed the practice of allowing sick leave buy back benefits to be added to base salaries and expressed that they did not believe that the practice should have been allowed previously.

Discussion continued regarding discontinuing the practice and the potential liability for the Town.

There was discussion on how the increase would be funded. Ms. Anderson stated that it is not the Finance Committee’s requirement to fund the increase agreed to by the Trustees. Ms. Lancaster stated that the funds should come out of Benefits 9100. Mrs. Faricy stated that these increases are not paid for through the Benefits budget. She said that the lump sum given to a retiring employee at the end of their service comes from the Benefits budget. Mrs. Faricy said if the Trustees still want to honor the contract they agreed to, they will have to find the money within budget 6100 Library.

At 7:29 p.m., Ms. Lancaster and Mr. Church left the room. At this time, Superintendent of Schools Patricia Oakley, School Committee Member Anne Iannitelli, School Business Manager Sarah Smith, Fire Chief Leonard Hunt and Ms. Maureen Adams of 223 North Elm Street entered the room.

Fire Chief Leonard Hunt discussed the Committee’s previous votes to cut various lines in his budget, 2200 Fire Department. He stated that the lines cut are all overtime lines that are required in order to make sure shifts are fully staffed.~ Chief Hunt stated that he still has to pay his staff to work on holidays and to cover sick or injured firefighters regardless of the cuts made by the Committee.

Chief Hunt then discussed the impact of the proposed cuts on his budget and the ability for him to operate his department.

There was discussion regarding the number of employees in the department and the number of ambulance runs and their frequency. Chief Hunt stated that the fewer ambulance runs that the department can complete would result in fewer reimbursement dollars from the federal government through Medicaid.

Discussion continued regarding vacation coverage and contractual obligations.

Mrs. WhiteMOVEDthat budget 2200 Fire Department be accepted as it was presented by the Board of Selectmen. There was no second and the motion died.

At 7:59 p.m., Chief Hunt left the room.

Ms. WhiteMOVEDto approve the minutes of April 24, 2013. Seconded by Ms. Screnci and so voted unanimously.

Ms. ReyesMOVEDto accept for review the minutes of May 1, 2013. Seconded by Ms. Screnci and so voted unanimously.

Ms. AndersonMOVEDto table the discussion on the cuts to budget 2200 Fire Department. Seconded by Ms. Reyes and so voted unanimously.

Ms. White asked the Committee to review budget 1290 Administrator. She asked if Mrs. Faricy expected to use the entire allotted amount for transition training. Mrs. Faricy stated that it is an estimate. Ms. White asked if Mr. David Gagne, appointed Administrator, was being trained now. Mrs. Faricy stated that Mr. Gagne is volunteering his time right now and will not start until July 8, 2013.

The Committee reviewed budget 2410 Building. There were no recommendations for change.

The Committee reviewed budget 2940 Forestry and Parks. There was discussion regarding the increases to the salary and longevity lines. Ms. Anderson asked why there were discrepancies over the years in 5270 Equipment Hire. Mrs. Faricy stated that the Town received reimbursement funds from FEMA for Hurricane Irene expenses. She said that Forestry and Parks Superintendent Christopher Iannitelli tries to accomplish about $20,000 in tree work each year.

Discussion continued regarding repairs made to War Memorial Park.

The Committee suggested various line items that could be cut in order to decrease the budget.

Ms. AndersonMOVEDto reduce the Selectmen’s recommended budget for 2940 Forestry and Parks by $3300 for a new bottom line of $290,595. Seconded by Mr. Currier and so voted unanimously.

The Committee reviewed budget 3000 Education with Superintendent of Schools Patricia Oakley, School Business Manager Sarah Smith and School Committee Member Anne Iannitelli. Ms. Smith stated that the budget had been reduced by the Selectmen and that that amount equates to about one teacher. She said that much of their budget is mandatory spending through state and federal requirements.~

There was discussion regarding legal services rendered and how contract negotiations impact spending in that line.~

Ms. Screnci asked about the large increase in line 3220 Principals. Ms. Smith stated that the Assistant Principal at the Middle/Senior High School is retiring at the end of September. Dr. Oakley stated that the replacement Assistant Principal will begin work at the start of the school year and that there will be some transitioning work for that one month.

Ms. ReyesMOVEDto reduce budget 3000 Education by $90,000 from the Selectmen’s recommendation of $10,255,647. There was no second and the motion died.

There was discussion regarding the impact a significant cut would have to the Education budget.~

Mr. CurrierMOVEDto accept budget 3000 Education as presented by the Selectmen. Seconded by Ms. White.

Ms. White noted that the budget presentation this year was very detailed and all the expenditures were explained.

The Committee voted on the motion. Smith, yes; Reyes, no; Anderson, yes; Currier, yes; Moroni, no; Screnci, no; White, yes.

At 9:13 p.m., Dr. Oakley, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Iannitelli left the room.

Ms. Anderson recommended that if layoffs were proposed for this budget year that it be in the Highway Department due to the ability of the Highway and Vehicle Maintenance Superintendent to use a Laborer for 18 hours to do the trash hauling.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Eldon Moreira discussed expiring contracts with SEMASS and that hauling trash in house will save money for the Town. Chairman Smith stated that a manager has a lot of flexibility on how he assigns work. He said that the Highway and Vehicle Maintenance Superintendent is simply prioritizing work.

Discussion continued regarding the merits of purchasing a Freightliner for trash hauling.

The Committee reviewed budget 4210 DPW General Administration. ~

There was discussion regarding the roadside vegetation preventative maintenance strategy that the Highway and Vehicle Maintenance Superintendent developed in order to save costs in repairing roadways.

The Committee reviewed budgets 4220 DPW Highway, 4330 Waste Disposal/Sanitation, and 4660 Vehicle Maintenance. There were no changes.

The Committee discussed budget 5110 Board of Health.~

Ms. AndersonMOVEDto cut $1807 from the Selectmen’s recommendation for budget 5110 Board of Health for a new bottom line of $129,346. Seconded by Ms. Screnci and so voted unanimously.~

The Committee reviewed budget 5410 Council on Aging. There was discussion regarding the employee at the Council on Aging that was funded last year through a grant. Mrs. Faricy noted that line 5190 should read Emergency Services. There were no recommended changes.

At 9:46 p.m., the Committee took a brief recess and reconvened at 9:48 p.m.

Ms. Reyes suggested continuing the meeting on another night.

At 9:51 p.m., Ms. WhiteMOVEDto continue the meeting until Monday, May 13, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Seconded by Ms. Reyes and so voted unanimously.

Respectfully submitted by Mallory E. Aronstein, Recording Secretary.