FINCOM 20180122 Minutes

Source page 1

Canton Finance Committee Minutes Voted on: 2/26/18 
Meeting Minutes Vote: 5-0-0 
Monday, January 22, 2018 
Members Present: 
Rob Barker, Nichola Gallagher, Dianne Gustafson, Cynthia Holcombe, Tim McKenna, Barbara Saint Andre 
and Cindy Thomas. 
Members Absent: 
All members were present. 
Guests Present: 
Chief Charlie Doody, Fire Department 
George Comeau, Canton Community Preservation Committee (CCPC) 
Lisa Lopez, Chair, Canton Community Preservation Committee (CCPC) 
Kristen Phelps, Administrator, Canton Community Preservation Committee (CCPC) 
Ellen Jones, Finance Committee Secretary 
Opening: A meeting of the Canton Finance Committee was called to order by Chair Barker at 7:04 pm. 
on Monday, January 22, 2018 in the Salah Meeting Room of Town Hall. 
A. Approval of Agenda 
Chair Barker reviewed the items on the agenda which included a Reserve Fund Transfer Request from 
Fire Chief Doody, a discussion of the Fire Department FY18 budget and FY19 budget request, a 
discussion with the CCPC regarding their recommendations to ATM 2018 and a discussion of the FY19 
budget requests for the Finance Committee and the Reserve Fund. 
B. Announcements 
There were no announcements made at the meeting. 
C. New Business 
Reserve Fund Transfer Request - $200,000 — Fire Department- Chief Doody provided a summary of why 
FY18 thus far has been a difficult year for the Fire Department budget. Numerous IOD (in the line of 
duty) injuries, long term illnesses, an unexpected retirement and an unexpected transfer has caused at 
any given time 4-6 firefighters unavailable to work necessitating the need to call back firefighters to 
work overtime for shift coverage. At this point halfway through fiscal year 2018 100% of the overtime 
budget has been spent. The Chief has been challenged with trying to maintain staffing levels to keep 
two ambulances in service with the only solution being to either reduce the staffing by taking one 
ambulance off-line or to request a $200,000 transfer from the Reserve Fund. 
Chief Doody further explained that he has been working closely with Mr. Murgia who updates him 
periodically on the budget. They were in agreement that the best solution for now was to request a 
Reserve Fund transfer. The $200,000 would allow the Fire Chief to cover expenses up to Town Meeting. 
If the deficit continued Mr. Murgia suggested that a transfer of approximately $150,000 from the 
Ambulance Fund at Town Meeting would help to cover any remaining deficit through the end of the 
fiscal year. Mr. Murgia is estimating that there could be a $478,000 deficit at fiscal year-end. 
FINCOM 20180122 Minutes Page I of 6 01/28/18