HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - AC - 02/08/2018 COHASSET ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING NOTES, 8 February M8
Cohasset Town Hall
Mike Dick
On Thursday,the 8h of February,2018,the Cohasset Advisory Committee met at Cohasset
Town Hall for a regular meeting.
John Chapman,Chair,called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM
Attending:
Paul Carlson,John Chapman,Michael Dick, Richard Fitzpatrick,Leland Jenkins,Helene
Lieb,Nancy A Roth,
Not Present:
Tanya Bodell,Ralph Tulio
1) The Committee did not review any previous meeting minutes.
2) Don Piatt,Town Finance Director presented the Towri s Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report (CAFR.)
Discussion:
a. Improve internal controls documentation,specifically for Federal grant
reporting. Our auditors,Powers and Sullivan,will provide a template.
b. Continue fraud risk assessments
c. Identify departments at greater risk, this improvement is underway with site
visits and follow up
d. Implement automated software permitting
e. Get after ambulance receivables, develop a policy for write-off of uncollectable
receivables -the Committee asked how much money is uncollectable-answer
TBD
f. The Committee wanted to know how DPW RTF cash collections are progressing.
Town Mgr, Chris Senior,discussed using non-cash collections i.e. a license plate
scanner or credit card reader
g. Question on OPEB situation (CAFR pp. 70.) Committee will set a separate
discussion at an upcoming meeting. Chair asked the Committee to review the
CAFR, develop questions, and forward to the Chair
3) Chris Senior,Town Manager,presented the Draft 2019 Town Budget
a. The 2019 Budget will increase by$1.345MM,around 3%
b. Proposed one new police officer to reduce overtime costs
c. Moved a half-time Elder Affairs transportation coordinator onto the Towri s
payroll from a grant funded position
d. Social Service League secured a 5 year grant at$125k per year for 1 1/z positions
through a Drug Free America Grant. If the Drug Free America Program ends,
these positions will also end.
e. Town new growth trends are moving downward with the completion of the Toll
Brothers and Cook Estate sub-divisions.
f. Discussion of the OPEB investing strategy and process;some Committee
members raise concerns that the investments may be in riskier hedge funds
g. Pension costs are trending higher but rate of increase is slowing
h. Discussion on full time new hires;i.e. Town Planner,Conservation Agent.
Conclusion-these are cost-effective hires
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COHASSET ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING NOTES, 8 February M8
Cohasset Town Hall
Mike Dick
4) Police Dept 2019 Budget Review-Chief Quigley
a. Chief Quigley requests one new officer to reduce"structural overtime" driven by
insufficient base level staffing
b. Annual increase of 1,000 cases: Top 3 incidents Police respond to are: auto
accidents, domestic disturbances,building and home alarms. Dept of Children
and Families interventions and support,Opioid overdose response, apply
Narcan anti-overdose nasal spray
5) Fire Dept 2019 Budget Review-Chief Silvia
a. All Fire Dept response calls slightly increased in 2017. Fire related emergency
calls slightly increased in 2017. EMS calls ae down,fire prevention cases are flat
b. FD collected$444k in 2017,mostly ambulance receivables, the trend is down,
fewer transports than the previous year
c. CFD overtime is$314k, 14% of budget. Primary driver: call backs. Call backs
depend on the firefighters' home location. Most Cohasset Firefighters live 30
minutes from Town.
d. Discussion of regionalization of fire services
e. Discussion of expenses,biggest change from the past is in truck repairs.With
complex,computerized vehicles,most repairs must be done out of house.
f. Discussion of the need for a new Public Safety facility to house both Police and
Fire
6) Review and general discussion of 2018 Annual Town Meeting warrant articles
7) The review of General Administration Budget will take place on 15 Feb 2018 and not this
evening
Adjourned at 9:40 PM
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