HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - AC - 01/27/2016 Advisory Committee January 27, 2016 Minutes
7pm Cohasset Town Hall, BOS Room
Attendees:
Advisory Committee:
Nan Roth, chair
George Chammilard
John Chapman
Rich Fitzpatrick
Leland Jenkins
Helene Lieb
Peter Pescatore
Presenters:
Chris Senior, town manager
Mary Gallagher, director of finance/town accountant
Clark Brewer, planning board
1. Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 7:02pm by Nan Roth.
2. Future meetings for the Advisory Committee: Feb. 10, 24, March 2,9, 16,23, 00;April 6.
All meetings will be at 7pm in the Town Hall.
3. We agreed that we have not seen the police contract and will review at the Feb 10 meeting.
Feb 10: Police budget and maybe Elder Affairs and Library reports; Feb. 24: DPW facilities
and Fire Department ; March 9: Chris Senior and Town Hall Budget; March 16: Sam
Wakeman will talk about Capital Budget Committee; March 30: School Department report
4. December Financials by Mary Gallagher. Both revenues and expenditures are on target.
Street lights in deficit ( we anticipated purchasing street lights by now). Water up more than
budgeted. Sewer revenues and core expenses are close to budget. Specialized revenues
is running behind last year at this time. Peter said that are reserves need to get up to 15%
of expenses to get triple A rating. We are currently at 12%. Things to bear watching: sewer
usage revenues are down 9% from the same period in FY 15. An extended decline in the
stock markets could lead to larger contributions down the road to OPEB to meet future
pensions and medical benefits. School department projecting a request for significant
increase for FY17.
5. Preliminary School Budget Proposal. Reviewed enrollment and population trends and
student/teacher ratios. Peter noticed FY15 plan full time staff enrollment was 217.96 , but
FY15 actual staff enrollment was 223.76. Adding staff, Peter thinks will add financial
pressures for the town.Peter has questions such as why additional staff over the last few
years when the overall student enrollment has gone down? Peter ask Nan, Advisory chair, to
request an updated school data exhibit with FY16 ACT/FCST and FY17 Preliminary Plan
staffing to allow the committee to understand the actual and proposed movement in
headcount.
6. Peter also mentioned that our auditors are concerned about the Norfolk County coming to
our town for more money with respect to funding our pension funds.
7. Clark Brewer- Planning board report on the Master Plan for our town. The last MP was
done in 2004. Town got $25,000 to put together a master plan. Large home review came
out of that plan. So did the village designation to allow density in the village including
multiple-family projects. This plan is now 12 years old and needs to be reviewed and
updated. Goal of the MP is to help make long term decisions and to be a tool to manage
change over the long term. MAPC (Metropolitan area planning council) planner was hired
to help with phase one of the plan. Looking at the current plan and will build on it. Looking
for a strategy for outreach to the community. March 5, 2016 will be a public MAPC Visioning
session to solicit citizen opinion of priorities for the Master Plan. Nan recommended global
warming plan to be part of the plan. Phase two will require a RFP to get money to hire a
consultant. Should cost between 50 to 75,000 thousand dollars. Then an implementation
committee needed after phase two completion. Feb. 24, 2016 the planning board will meet
with interested residents. A town wide survey will be part of phase one. Master plan should
include some of the recommendations of the 3A Corridor plan from April 2014 from the
CTPS (Central Transportation Planning Staff).
8. October 7, 2015 Minutes; Motion by Peter to approve; seconded by George; approved 7-0.
9. Dec. 15, 2015 Minutes. Peter ask for change in 3rd paragraph to omit "police" in heading as
we didn't get to have the police talk. Also omit Jan 28,2016 Financial Forecast meeting as it
was cancelled. Motion to approve the minutes made by George, seconded by Peter.
Approved 6-0 with 1 abstention.
10. Motion to adjourn at 8:30pm by John and seconded by Lee. Approved 7-0
11. Motion to reconsider adjournment by Rich, seconded by Lee, Approved 7-0.
12. Chris Senior reported that the faculty contract was unanimously approved by the School
Committee tonight after it was ratified last week by the faculty. Included a payroll increase
of 1%, 2 3/4%, 2 1/4% (total over 3 years of 6%) overall increase.) Chris reported that he is
unable to support this agreement due to a succession of built-in raises, stipends and
incentives, which given the limited reserves available are financially unsustainable for the
town budget as a whole.
13. Motion to adjourn at 8:50pm by Lee and seconded by John. Approved 7-0