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_ cohasset
Mawiachusects
MEETING MINUTES
Town of Cohasset
Advisory Committee
TIME: March 2, 2016
7:04 pm—9:50 pm
PLACE: Cohasset Town Hall, BOS Room
ATTENDEES:
Advisory Committee Presenters
Nan Roth, Chair .Jackie Rafferty
Tanya Bodell Carolyn Coffey
George Chammilard Ron Menard
John Chapman Leonora jenkins
Leland .Jenkins Rolf Gjesteby
Lynda Mooney
Richard Fitzpatrick Town Manager
Present
Selectmen
none
1. Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 7:04 pm by Nan Roth, Chair of the
Advisory Committee.
2. Library budget
Jackie Rafferty and Carolyn Coffey presented the library budget department
recommendation. Overall the proposed budget is up by approximately $20,000, largely for
salaries per union contract and increased OCLN assessment.
3. IT budget
Ron reviewed the changes in IT management, which started with his hiring. Now has hired a
deputy, and the School Dept. has hired 1.5 FTE IT people who report to Ron and the deputy.
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He's responsible for technical management town-wide,but budget for network
administration and other technical support for the schools remains in the school budget.
Ron reviewed planned approach to upgrading town-wide fiber backbone. He's now working
with Capital Budget on alternatives for funding, and associated questions of timing. A major
feature is upgrade of phone system, with estimated saving of$31,000 a year when fully
implemented. It's also intended to address a number of on-going operational problems
rooted in weak infrastructure. The plan mirrors the recommendations of a consultant study
done in 2010. Considered leasing alternatives; the costs were much greater.
The proposed operating budget includes expenses to supporting and managing the fiber
backbone. Not all will be needed if the capital request is not approved. He started
recommending more for support on both the school and municipal side.
4. Water
Leonora Jenkins and Rolf Gjesteby presented the Water Commission's budget
recommendation. Revenue and expense both down slightly(1.4%).
5. Warrant article proposal
Peter Pescatore has requested that the Committee consider proposing a warrant article to
allocate money raised by hotel and/or meals tax if passed by Town Meeting to purposes other
than the operating budget, namely the Town's General Stabilization Fund, the Town's
OPEB Trust Fund and road maintenance and repair projects. It would replace the
citizen's petition he submitted that would do that. There was general agreement with the
objective of not putting additional money into operating accounts. There was considerable
opinion that it would be better to dedicate all to OPEB in the first year rather than allocating
to multiple purposes as suggested by the citizens'petition.
Lynda moved that the committee submit the following article for Annual Town Meeting
warrant:
To allocate the receipts from the proposed local option room occupancy and meal excise should
the Annual Town Meeting approve their adoption.
Advisory Committee
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March 2, 2016 M assachusctis
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To see if the town will raise and appropriate from the FYI 7 receipts, if any,of the room
occupancy excise or the meals excise or both should the town vote to adopt section 60 of Chapter
27 of the Acts of 2009 and/or Sections 51 and 52 of Chapter 27 of the Acts of 2009, amending
section 3A of Chapter 64G of the General Laws of the Commonwealth,to be spent for the
purpose of funding the Town's OPEB Trust Fund, or to take any other action related thereto.
Seconded by George Chammilard;Approved 7-0.
6. Minutes
George Chammilard moved approval of minutes of Feb 10, 2016 meeting; Lynda seconded;
approved 7-0
Lynda moved approval of minutes of Feb 24, 2016, with correction to change "LED
lightning"to LED lighting; Tanya seconded; approved 6-0-1
7. Adjournment at 9:50 pm
Lee Jenkins moved to adjourn; Tanya Bodell seconded; the motion was approved 7-0.
Respectfully submitted,
John Chapman
Advisory Committee