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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - AC - 10/06/2014 \G�4 PA tc�y UJ ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THURSDAY OCTOBER 9, 2014, 7:00 PM . H 55ET� LOWER LEVEL MEETING ROOM Members Present: Peter Pescatore (Chair), George Chamillard, Rich Fitzpatrick, Lee Jenkins,Nan Roth, Bob Benson, Lynda Mooney, John Chapman, Tanya Bodell Meeting called to order at 7:08pm 1. Citizen's Petition to Reimburse Selectman Gjesteby for Legal Fees. Members would like to see the letters of disposition on the Ethics Complaint against Selectman Gjesteby and the Open Meeting Law Complaint filed against the Board and a breakdown of legal bills for the defense of the Ethics Complaint and Filing the Open Meeting Law Complaint. Tanna Kasperowicz asserted that Gjesteby was threatened with a criminal complaint and town insurance should have allowed her to have counsel provided by the town. Discussion to be continued with proponents at a later date. 2. Reserve Fund Request—Acting Chief Quigley $14,168 for new radios, the current radios were installed in 2004 and are no longer serviced and two are no longer functioning. Money from a Police Station plumbing warrant article in 2011 is available and will be re-purposed for the radios at STM so the Reserve Fund can be reimbursed. Motion to approve by Lee Jenkins, second by George Chamillard 9-0 3. Article 13: Planning Board Article Adjust zoning for plot in South Cohasset of this warrant article is to correct a dimensional error in Article 19 of the April 30, 2011 Annual Town Meeting warrant Motion to recommend by Nan Roth, second by Lynda Mooney. Recommended 9-0 4. Special Town Meeting Warrant Discussion The funds for the budget increases are from increased revenue, not reducing any other departmental funding. Article 1—Adjust budget by $103,000 $53,000 for unpaid hydrant fees from the original charge of$300,000. The Board would like to know the real cost of maintaining the hydrants. $20,000 for Veteran's Services demand is up. The state has no Veteran left behind and services are reimbursed 75% by the state. Services include food, fuel, housing & medical. $30,000 for street lights. Electric bills are higher and they are eating up the budget faster than planned. National Grid is moving towards LED, which will cut expenses for operation and maintenance. The Chair is concerned about increasing the budget again after two years of large increases and feels that no overall increase in expenditure is warranted. Article 2— Unpaid Bills Total of$69,375.14, Finance Dept. is awaiting one more bill of$300 and the Committee will wait to vote. Article 4 - Disposition of Free Cash into Stabilization $200,000 will go into OPEB and $300,000 into General Stabilization Article 4A—Capital one time costs $150,000 The planned expenditures and stabilization will leave $215,000 in Free Cash; considered a healthy amount by D.O.R. The Committee asked for details of the expenditures before voting the article. Article 9— Bond Authorization for Bound Book Dam. There is a $1,400,000 budget for design and construction to fix the dam where Bound Brook crosses Beechwood. The Town has applied for a $158,000 grant, and the balance is a low-interest loan (2%). There is a 12-18 month permitting process. The award document will be distributed to the Committee. Article 10— Pole Easements May come off the warrant. Article 11— Human Resources Bylaws. The current bylaws are out of date and the new bylaw will give town manager and selectmen proper authority to create a human resources manual. The Committee will await the final language before voting the article. 5. Stat-Net The Town Manager is working with a consultant from the McCormack School on utilizing data to improve services. The data from the Fire Dept is useful and the program is working well. The Police Dept. data systems weren't working properly and have been updated and are now working properly. They have begun working on a small scale with Public Works and Elder Affairs. 6. Approval of Minutes The Minutes of the 9/25 meeting will be amended and voted at a later date. 7. School Security The school security systems have not been installed despite several rounds of funding. The School Committee sees it as a top priority and will be working with Facilities and IT to complete the project. 8. Selectmen's Budget Message It is necessary to raise the levy to the cap because of the OPEB deficit. 9. Motion to Adjourn by Lee Jenkins, second by Nan Roth. Approved 9-0 Meeting adjourned at 8:50pm.