FINCOM 20160218 Minutes

Source page 1

Town of Canton Finance Committee Minutes voted on: 3/8/16
Meeting Minutes vote: 9-0-1
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Members Present:
Rob Barker, Jim Casamento, Gerald Dorfman, Nichols Gallagher, Dianne Gustafson, Stephanie Leach,
Tim McKenna, Barbara Saint Andre and Jim Sims.
Members Absent:
Sepp Bergschneider.
Guests Present:
Police Chief Ken Berkowitz
Fire Chief Charlie Doody
Jim Murgia, Finance Director
Ellen Jones, Finance Committee Secretary
Opening: A meeting of the Canton Finance Committee was called to order by Chair Saint Andre at
7:02 p.m. on Thursday, February 18, 2016 in the Salah Meeting Room of Town Hall.
A. Approval of Agenda
Chair Saint Andre reviewed the items on the agenda.
B. Announcements
There were no announcements.
C. New Business
Police Department &Animal Control FY17 Budgets —Discussion with Police Chief Ken Berkowitz
Chief Berkowitz thanked the Finance Committee for allowing him to discuss his budget. Chief Berkowitz
stated that the Police Department budget is on target with the third quarter.
Chief Berkowitz explained his FY17 budget requests which included some of the following items:
• The Police Department has one civilian employee who works as the Chief's assistant. This
employee is currently working three days per week. The Chief is requesting $11,000 to increase
this employee to four days per week.
• The Chief is also looking fora $75,000 budget increase to fund a Sergeant's position which has
been vacant for the past two years because of the promotion of a Sergeant to Lieutenant.
• Police Chief Berkowitz is requesting a $4,000 budget increase so that he can increase the
Department's crossing guards' budget from $51,000 to $55,000.
• In order to more accurately fund costs associated with officer training and the annual state
certification process, an increase of $50,000 is being requested for the overtime budget.
• There are no increases being requested for the Animal Control budget. However, there is an
$8,000 salary increase for contractual obligations for the Animal Control Officer, Stacy Nee. Ms.
Nee is now a certified police officer who is currently working on firearms training.
• The Assistant Animal Control Officer position is currently vacant. A Finance Committee member
inquired if this position were to remain vacant, should the funds still be carried forward. The Chief
would follow up on this.
With regard to capital request items Chief Berkowitz is requesting the following items for FY17:
• The Chief currently has three to four tasers being used by policers on the road for a shift. He is
requesting 10 tasers at a cost of $12,000. The Chief's plan is to request 10 tasers a year for
three consecutive years.
• Keeping with the yearly tradition of trading in vehicles, the Chief is requesting $130,000 for FY17
for the purchase of four new cruisers.
20160218 FINCOM MINUTES Page 1 of 4 02/28/2016