Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text
May 13, 2015, Finance Committee Meeting. Minutes
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Source page 1
Town of Canton Finance Committee Minutes Voted on: 7/30/15
Meeting Minutes voce: to-n-o
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Members Present:
Rob Barker, Sepp Bergschneider, Jim Casamento, Jerry Dorfman, Nichols Gallagher, Dianne Gustafson,
Stephanie Leach, Tim McKenna, Barbara Saint Andre and Jim Sims.
Members Absent:
Diane Wolff.
Guests Present:
Jim Murgia, Finance Director
Ellen Jones, Finance Committee Secretary
Opening: A meeting of the Canton Finance Committee was called to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Canton
High School Cafeteria.
A. Approval of Agenda
Ms. Saint Andre reviewed the items on the agenda.
B. Announcements
There were no announcements at the meeting.
C. New Business
Article 1711ncrease Stabilization Fund)and Article 20(Special Education Stabilization Fund
Transfer
Moderator Alan Hines had presented to the Finance Committee Chairman via email his concerns with
regard to the Special Education Stabilization Fund. The fund had been set up at ATM 2012 to handle
spikes that might occur in the SPED budget. The fund had also been set up for the School Department to
add any operating budget surplus to. Mr. Murgia provided to the Committee a spreadsheet showing the
activity for the SPED Stabilization Fund since 2012 which indicated a transfer in 2014 to the FY14 School
operating Budget and a pending transfer to the FY15 School operating budget for this year's ATM (see
meeting handout).
Mr. Hines had suggested to the Committee that Articles 17 and 20 be clustered and that Article 20 be
taken up before Article 17.
Mr. Dorfman requested from Mr. Murgia the historical background on the spikes in the SPED budget and
the surpluses in the School Departments budget.
Fiscal 2016 Cherry Sheet Comparison —Latest Senate Ways and Means Numbers
Mr. Murgia provided to the Committee the latest FY16 Cherry Sheet numbers as per the Senate Ways &
Means version (see meeting handout). The net cherry sheet aid will be $6.5 million which is $43,000
more than the House version, which the Town is using for its FY16 state aid number. Mr. Murgia is not
recommending changing the Revenue estimates. Any surplus such as the $43,000 would lower the FY16
levy when the FY16 tax rates are set.
D. Other Business/Open Issues
Liaison Reports —There were no liaison reports.
FINCOM Minutes 5-13-2015 Page I of3 05/17/2015Source page 2
Salary Report — FY2015 Base and CY2014 Gross —The Finance Committee discussed posting a salary
report with or without names to the Finance Committee website. Mr. Murgia commented that the Town of
Sharon provides similar salary information with names in its Annual Town Report.
A motion made by Dianne Gustafson to post the salary report without names was seconded by
Sepp Bergschneider. Vote: 9-1-0. Mr. Sims voted in opposition to this motion.
E. Approval of Minutes
A motion made by Jim Casamento to approve the minutes for March 30, 2015 as written was
seconded by Sepp Bergschneider. Vote: 10-0-0.
A motion made by Jim Casamento to approve the minutes for April 2, 2015 as written was
seconded by Rob Barker. Vote: 10-0-0.
A motion made by Jim Casamento to approve the minutes for April 9, 2015 as written was
seconded by Rob Barker. Vote: 10-0-0.
A motion made by Jim Casamento to approve the minutes for April 27, 2015 as written was
seconded by Sepp Bergschneider. Vote: 9-0-1.
A motion made by Jim Casamento to approve the minutes for May 11, 2015 as written was
seconded by Rob Barker. Vote: 10-0-0.
F. Next Meeting Date: The next Finance Committee meeting would take place on Monday,
May 18, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria at the Canton High School.
Adjournment: A motion made by Rob Barker to adjourn the meeting at 6:52 p.m. was seconded
by Sepp Bergschneider. Vote: 10-0-0.
Minutes reviewed by: Jerry Dorfman
Red ectfully submitted,
~
~
Barba aint Andre
Acting Chair, Canton Finance Committee
FINCOM Minutes 5-13-2015 Page 2 of 3 05/17/2015Source page 3
Town of Canton
Finance Committee Meeting —Wednesday, May 13, 2015
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).
Amended Agenda (1 page).
School SPED Stabilization Fund (established at the 2012 ATM), dated May 13, 2015, provided by Jim
M urgia, Finance Director (1 page).
Fiscal 2016 Cherry Sheet Comparison, dated May 13, 2015, provided by Jim Murgia, Finance Director
(2 pages).
FINCOM Minutes 5-13-2015 Page 3 of 3 05/17/2015