FINCOM 20200212 Minutes

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Canton Finance Committee 
Meeting Minutes 
February 12, 2020 
Minutes Voted on: 2/26/20 
Vote: 6-0-1 
Finance Committee Members Present: Christos Arsondiadis, David Clough, Dan Cole, Emilio Mauro, Tim 
McKenna, Barbara Saint Andre, Cindy Thomas and Wai Wong. 
Finance Committee Members Absent: Rob Barker. 
Guests Present: 
Kathy Butters, Town Accountant 
Andrea Capone, Library Director 
Tracy Kenney, Town Clerk 
Regen Milani, Conservation Agent 
Randy Scollins, Finance Director 
Ellen Jones, Finance Committee Secretary 
Opening: Mr. McKenna called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. in the Salah Meeting Room of Town Hall. 
A. Approval of Agenda - Mr. McKenna reviewed the agenda. 
B. Announcements - There were no announcements. 
New Business 
Town Clerk & Elections Budgets FY21— Discussion with Tract/ Kenney, Town Clerk 
Ms. Kenney is requesting a budget increase of $10,200 for FY21. The following are highlights of the discussion: 
• Ms. Kenney decreased many of her budget line items for expenses to cover increases to the Elections 
budget. 
• Increase of $675 to the Town Clerk budget to cover the cost of a 20 -year 5% step increase for the 
Assistant Town Clerk. 
• Increase of $9,525 to the Elections budget to cover three elections in FY21, extra costs for early voting in 
February for the Presidential Primary election and the costs to cover the increased minimum wage per 
hour rates of pay for the elections workers. 
• Increase to the Board of Registrars salaries from $600 to $850 each. This is based on a Massachusetts 
General Law which states $50 per $1,000 of every registered voter. The total number of registered voters 
is 16,593. 
• Increase to Purchase of Services budget line item to cover an increase to the annual warranty for the 
election poll pads/computers. 
Accountine Division of Finance Department Budget FY21— Discussion with Kathv Butters, Town Accountant 
Ms. Butters is requesting a budget increase of $37,493 for additional staffing and department changes. The 
following are highlights of the discussion: 
• The existing union Accounting Senior Specialist position would be replaced with an Assistant Town 
Accountant. Ms. Butters has already negotiated this position change with the AFSCME union. An increase 
of $11,000 is being requested to bring the annual salary of the Assistant Town Accountant to $72,000. 
The Assistant Town Accountant position will be required to become a Certified Government Accountant 
with an eventual promotion to Town Accountant. Ms. Butters had the HR Department a salary survey for 
an Assistant Town Accountant position in surrounding towns. The average salary is $74,383 which would 
have been Ms. Butters' first choice for the salary but the former Finance Director was not in support of 
the higher amount. 
• A new 20 -hour part-time Accounts Payable Clerk position with an annually salary of $26,281 is being 
requested. 
FINCOM 201200212 Minutes Page I of 4 2/16/2020