FINCOM 03-10-2010

Source page 1

Town of Canton Finance Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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Opening:
The regular meeting of the Canton FINCOM was called to order at 7:06 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 in the
Salah Meeting Room of Town Hall by Dave Emhardt, Finance Committee Chairman.
Members Present:
Dave Emhardt, Alan Hines, Pat Johnson, Mark Porter, Jim Sims and Diane Wolff.
Guests Present:
Tim Brooks, School Committee Member
Dr. John D'Auria, Superintendent of Schools
Ken Leon, School Business Administrator
Reuki Schutt, Chairman, School Committee
James Murgia, Finance Director
Ellen Jones, FINCOM Secretary
A. Approval of Agenda
Mr. Emhardt reviewed the agenda and announced that Dr. D'Auria was scheduled to attend starting at 8:00 p.m.
Announcements
Discussions for the ATM warrant are to be submitted via email to the FINCOM members, but not the Finance
Director and the FINCOM Secretary. They will receive the final discussions only. Alan Hines has been assigned to
write the discussions for the CPC motions that contain FINCOM votes that are different from the CPC votes.
FINCOM members were given the option to write minority discussions were applicable. The FINCOM secretary
will email last year's warrant to the Chairman, who will distribute to FINCOM members to facilitate cut and paste.
B. Approval of Minutes
There were no minutes approved at this meeting.
C. Old Business /Open Issues
None.
D. New Business
Article 5 Collective Bargaining AEreements Under the BOS — The Finance Director spoke on the merits of the
Firefighter's contract in that it is affordable and consistent with the other bargaining agreements. Approximately
$65,000, the cost for FYI 0 is already included in the Executive Group budget (Account #910 employee contract
benefits) and $170,000 for FYI I can be funded through municipal allocations. A positive motion would be to
transfer $65,000 and appropriate $170,000. The Finance Director does not see an affect on overtime, believes
vacation buyback would help alleviate overtime and does not believe vacation pay would count as part of pension.
FINCOM members remain concerned with the contract sacrificing infrastructure to pay for salaries and the
sustainability of the contract. FINCOM members also felt that the drug and alcohol testing was not a concession on
the part of the firefighters and that it should have been a state mandate. A motion made by Pat Johnson that the
Committee support the recommendation of Article 5 by transferring $64,762 from Department #910 and by
raising and appropriating the sum of $169,919 to cover the FYI 1 contractual agreements under the BOS for
the IAFF contract was seconded by Mark Porter. Vote: 2 -4 -0. A motion made by Pat Johnson that the
subject matter of Article 5 be indefinitely postponed was seconded by Diane Wolff. Vote: 4 -2 -0.
Article 9 Supplement Fiscal `10 Accounts - The Finance Director recommended to the FINCOM that they may
want to keep the Finance Committee Reserve Fund balance for unforeseen end of year transfers. The legal expenses
of the Town are currently being reviewed by the Finance Director. A motion made by Pat Johnson that the sum
of Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000) be appropriated to the Snow and Ice Budget (Account #14232-
55300) by transfer from Free Cash was seconded by Alan Hines. Vote: 6 -0 -0.
Canton FINCON1 Minutes 03 . 10 : 10 Pace I A'5 4,14/2010