Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text
February 18, 2016, Finance Committee Meeting. Minutes
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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.
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In reply to an inquiry made by a Finance Committee member with regard to body cameras, the
Chief responded that legislation is still pending with the Attorney General's office and the ACLU
and that once the policy has been worked out the Police Chief would fully support the use of body
cameras in Canton. Currently, the Canton Police Department is using dashboard cameras.
• A Finance Committee member inquired as to how the Police Department was able to keep their
electricity costs so low. Johnson Controls who implemented cost savings measure a few years
ago has helped to keep electricity costs under budget.
Regional Dispatch, Fire Department FY17 Budget —Discussion with Fire Chief Charlie Doody
Fire Chief Doody gave a summary of his FY17 budget requests. Some of those highlights are as follows:
• The Fire Chief stated that his department was very close for implementing regional dispatch in
Canton. The FY17 budget request of $250,000 would be an annual fee for Canton to be a
member of the Norfolk County Regional Dispatch located in Holbrook. There is also a $90,000
communication equipment cost, however, this will be funded through a state 911 grant.
• The Chief stated that one of the challenges for implementing the new regional dispatch is
identifying a funding source for the annual fee for the first year. In subsequent years the Chief is
planning on paying for the annual dispatch fee with increased revenue generated in the
Ambulance Fund as a result of the increased ambulance rates approved by the BOS.
• As part of the regional dispatch plan, the Chief is also requesting $44,000 for the promation of
four firefighters to the rank of Lieutenant.
• Chief Doody stated that the change to the regional dispatch system did not change the Town's
policy on minimum manning for the Fire Department.
Four firefighters that are currently assigned to the dispatch desk would be reassigned to the road
crew. Four Captains would be removed from the fire engines and would be riding in SUVs as
Shift Commanders. No additional vehicles would be needed to implement these changes.
• A shift differential budget request of $46,000 is the result of a contract agreement. Fifty-one
firefighters will be paid $1,600 in FY17. A Finance Committee member commented that shift
differential was already in the contract and being compensated to firefighters. She inquired as to
how this was being compensated in other communities.
One additional firefighter at a cost of $48,000 is being requested to cover a vacancy by a
firefighter that is being deployed for one year as a combat medic on a Black Hawk helicopter.
This will help alleviate overtime costs of $100,000. Upon return of the deployed firefighter, this
additional firefighter will be used as a "floater" to fill long term injury vacancies. If this "floater"
arrangement does not work out, the firefighter will be used to fill a retirement vacancy.
The Chief has also requested two stipends at a cost of $1,250 each for positions that are
currently being filled by volunteers. These positions are Emergency Shelter Coordinator and
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Coordinator. There is still an Emergency
Management Deputy Director that receives an annual stipend of $2,500.
Some members of the Finance Committee raised concerns about additional costs for paying out of grace
pay if Lieutenants are on sick leave. Chief Doody stated that he would try to fill absences with employes
of the same rank to avoid additional costs.
A Finance Cor~nmittee member inquired what the impact would be if the promotions to Shift Commanders
were delayed for one year. The Chief stated that this plan is definitely not a cost savings idea, but that i~
would improve service and safety of the firefighters.
I n response to Chair Saint Andre's inquiry as to the start date for the regional dispatch and the necessity
for the $250,000 annual fee to be available on July 1, the Chief stated that it would most likely take six
months from July 1 to implement the plan but would find out when the additional dispatchers would be in
place in Holbrook in order to service Canton. He would also check to see if the fee is paid quarterly and
to see what funds would be needed on July 1. Chief Doody noted that concurrent dispatch systems
would be running until the official start date.
M r. Sims inquired if Chief Doody was aware of a $7,000 Public Safety Facility budget (#194) that is
currently within the Department of Public Works budget grouping. Chief Doody was unware of this
budget. Mr. Sims suggested that it would make sense if this budget were moved into the Fire Department
budget grouping.
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Other Business/Open Issues
Liaison Reports —There were no liaison reports given by Committee members.
Town Meeting Warrant —Assignment of Discussions to Committee Members —There was no
assignment of discussions to the Members.
Approval of Minutes
There were no minutes approved at the meeting. The February 4th minutes would be approved at a future
meeting.
F. Next Meeting Date: The next meeting would take place on Wednesday, February 24th in the
Salah Meeting Room.
Adjournment: A motion made by Mr. McKenna to adjourn the meeting at 8:19 p.m. was seconded
by Ms. Gallagher. Vote: 9-0-0.
Minutes reviewed by: Dianne Gustafson
pectfully ubm~ ,
SaintAndr
Cha` ,Canton Finance Committee
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Town of Canton
Finance Committee Meeting —Thursday, February 18, 2016
List of Meeting Handouts
Please note: These meeting handouts may also be found on the Town's website under the Posted
Minutes section (Laser Fiche).
Agenda (1 page).
Enterprise Funds' Operating Budgets —updated —dated 2/17/16 (1 page).
Email from Jim Murgia to Barbara Saint Andre regarding MWRA —Preliminary FY17 Water and Sewer
Assessments, dated 2/17/16(2 pages).
Email from Jim Murgia to Pat Johnson regarding FY17 Municipal Capital —Projected Revenue and
Capital Set Asides, dated 2/16/2016 (3 pages).
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