Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text
March 22, 2017, Finance Committee Meeting. Minutes
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Canton Finance Committee Ivtinutes voted nn: 5/8/]7
Meeting Minutes —Open Session Vote: 9-0-0
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Members Present:
Rob Barker, Jerry Dorfman, Nichols Gallagher, Dianne Gustafson, Stephanie Leach, Tim McKenna,
Barbara Saint Andre and Cindy Thomas.
Members Absent:
Cynthia Holcombe.
Guests Present:
Charlie Aspinwall, Town Administrator
Bob Burr, Chair, Board of Selectmen
Kyle Bush, Resident
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
7:03 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 in the Salah Meeting Room of Town Hall.
Chair Saint Andre asked for the following motion: To enter Executive Session for the purpose of
discussing strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect
on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares; and she did so declare
that to discuss these matters in Open Session may have a detrimental effect on negotiations.
Chair Saint Andre also stated that the Finance Committee would be reconvening in Open Session at the
conclusion of the Executive Session.
The motion was so moved by Ms. Gallagher and was seconded by Mr. Barker.
Roll Call Vote:
Ms. Gustafson —Yes Ms. Gallagher -Yes
Mr. McKenna —Yes Mr. Dorfman -Yes
Mr. Barker —Yes Ms. Thomas -Yes
Ms. Saint Andre —Yes Ms. Leach -Yes
The Finance Committee reconvened in Open Session at approximately 7:28 p.m.
A. Approval of Agenda
Chair Saint Andre reviewed the agenda.
B. Announcements
There were no announcements.
C. New Business
Reserve Fund Transfer Request - $10,050 —LED Lightinq Shortfall
Mr. Aspinwall presented to the Committee a Reserve Fund Transfer Request for $10,050 to cover the
cost of completing the LED streetlights project on approximately 65 lights on old poles. These lights would
be transferred to new poles and fitted with the new LED lights. There is approximately $3,422 left in the
Streetlights budget #422.
A motion made by Mr. Barker to approve a Reserve Fund Transfer Request for $10,050 to cover a
shortfall in the Streetlights budget #422 was seconded by Mr. McKenna.
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Ms. Gallagher inquired if this shortfall could be covered with Board of Selectmen mitigation funds. Mr. Burr responded that it could have been but they chose to request it through the reserve fund. Last year Coviello streetlight replacements were funded out of the streetlight operating budget. Mr. Burr stated that the mitigation funds were used for projects that might not otherwise get funded through the budget. Vote: 8-0-0. Snow &Ice Budget(Dept. #423)- $200.000 Shortfall Mr. Murgia recommended that the Finance Committee consider funding the $200,000 shortfall in the Snow &Ice Budget with a transfer from Free Cash at Town Meeting. He suggested on keeping the Reserve Fund for emergencies that might occur later in the fiscal year. If there is a balance remaining in the Reserve Fund at the end of the fiscal year the remaining funds would become Free Cash. Mr. Murgia further suggested that this transfer be a new motion under Article 9 Adjust FY17 Accounts. FY18 Municipal Budget Mr. Aspinwall stated that the Board of Selectmen voted an FY18 municipal budget of $19,919,076 at their recent BOS meeting. This amount represents a 4.7% increase over FY17. Mr. Murgia explained that the Ch. 70 state aid of $700,000 would be going to the School Department budget for full day kindergarten. The general government state aid of $100,000 the Town would be receiving would go towards the municipal budget. The fixed costs budgets that the Revenue Committee proposed would be recommended to ATM. There was good news about the Blue Hills Regional Technical School budget. Blue Hills had indicated earlier in the year that they needed a 5% budget increase for FY18. Because there has been a decrease in the student enrollment Canton's assessment will drop for FY18 to $1,164,066. The savings from the Blue Hills budget will be used to cover an increase in the number of students that will be attending Norfolk County Agricultural School budget for FY18. The OPEB (Other Post Employment Benefits) budget for FY18 will be increased by $30,000 from $770,000 to $800,000. D. Other BusinesslOpen Issues The Finance Committee voted on the following Town Meeting Articles: Vote -Article 4 —Act on "Consent Agenda" A motion made by Mr. Barker that Articles 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 31, 32, 33 and 51 be disposed of by a single vote under the Consent Agenda, Article 4, was seconded by Ms. Gallagher. Vote: 8-0-0. Vote -Article 5 —Collective Bargaining Agreements under the Board of Selectmen A motion made by Ms. Gallagher that the sum of $133,733 be transferred from Department #910 in order to fund cost items not included in departmental budgets for contracts costs was seconded by Ms. Thomas. Vote: 8-0-0. Vote —Article 6 —Personal Service Contracts under the Board of Selectmen A motion made by Ms. Gallagher that the sum of $35,849 be transferred from Department #910 in order to fund cost items not included in departmental budgets for contracts costs was seconded by Ms. Thomas. Vote: 8-0-0. FINCOM 20170322 Open Session Minutes Page 2 of4 3/26/17
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Vote —Article 9 —New Motion #3 — Adiust FY17 Accounts
M r. Murgia stated that Town Counsel prefers to have contract costs as a result of the Collins Center
Study be funded under Articles 5 and 6.
A motion made by Mr. Barker to reopen Article 9 was seconded by Ms. Gustafson. Vote: 8-0-0.
A motion made by Ms. Gallagher that $200,000 be appropriated to the Snow &Ice Budget(Dept.
#423) by transfer from Free Cash was seconded by Ms. Thomas. Vote: 8-0-0.
Article 13 Motion 2 —Refundable Consulting Fees —Because this is not a local option there would be
no motion for this under Article 13. There would only be two motions: one for spouses of veterans tax
exemptions and setting local speed limits.
Article 27 Motion 8 —Community Preservation Committee -Canton Little League
Further discussion on this motion would take place at the next meeting on Monday, March 27.
Review of Discussions for the Town Meeting Report
The Committee reviewed and edited discussions for the Finance Committee Recommendations for Town
Meeting.
Article 17 —Increase Stabilization Fund
Article 17 would be placed on the agenda for Monday, March 27 for possible reconsideration of the
original transfer of $500,000 from Free Cash into the Stabilization Fund.
Article 35 —Vote to Authorize the Leasing of the Tilden House
Ms. Gustafson, who was not present for the Finance Committee's discussion about the leasing of the
Tilden House with Mr. Aspinwall, Mr. DelVecchio and Mr. Comeau, expressed her concerns about the
uncertainty of the cost and the purpose of the $400,000 of CPA funds that were approved at a prior town
meeting and how those funds ~ would be used with the leasing of the Tilden House.
E. Approval of Minutes
There were no minutes approved at the meeting.
F. Next Meeting Date: The next meeting would take place on Monday, March 27.
Adjournment: A motion made by Mr. McKenna to adjourn the meeting at 10:03 p.m. was seconded
by Ms. Gallagher. Vote: 8-0-0.
Minutes reviewed by: Tim McKenna
Respectfully submitted,
„~~'~
f ~ ~ ~ ~~
Barbara aint Andre
Chair, Canton Finance Committee
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Canton Finance Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 —Open Session Minutes
Meeting Documents
Please note: These meeting documents may also be found on the Town's website under the
Posted Minutes section (Laser Fiche).
Agenda (1 page).
Reserve Fund Transfer Request for FY17 —Executive Office (#422 Streetlights), $10,050, provided
Charlie Aspinwall (11 pages).
Snow &Ice Year to Date Budget as of 3/22/17 (1 page).
Operating Budget by Voting Category (2 pages).
Summary of General Revenues and Expenditures as of 3/22/17 (1 page).
FY18 Municipal Operating Budgets (2 pages).
Fixed Costs and State and County Charges (1 page).
Enterprise Funds' Operating Budgets for Fiscal 2018 (1 page).
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