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May 09, 2016, Finance Committee Meeting. Minutes
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Town of Canton Finance Committee Minutes Voted on: 7/28/16
Meeting Minutes Vote: 8-0-2
Monday, May 9, 2016
Members Present:
Rob Barker, Sepp Bergschneider, Jim Casamento, Gerald Dorfman, Nichols Gallagher, Dianne
Gustafson, Stephanie Leach, Tim McKenna, Barbara Saint Andre and Jim Sims.
Members Absent:
All members were present.
Guests Present:
Paul DeRensis, Town Counsel
Steven Moore, Assistant Superintendent for Business &Personnel, Blue Hills Regional Technical School
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
6:05 p.m. on Monday, May 9, 2016 in the Canton High School Cafeteria.
A. Approval of Agenda
Chair Saint Andre reviewed the items on the agenda which included amended motions for Article 2
Motion 2 and Article 4 and a substitute motion for Article 27.
B. Announcements
Chair Saint Andre announced that the Division of Local Services was sponsoring a New Officials Finance
Forum at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester on Wednesday, June 1. Any Finance Committee
members interested in attending should notify the Finance Committee secretary by Friday, May 13.
C. New Business
Blue Hills Regional Technical School —Increase to 2015-2016 Operating Budget — No Additional
Assessment Required — Mr. Steven Moore from Blue Hills Regional presented to the Finance
Committee information about a recent vote taken by the Blue Hills School Committee to increase their
2015-2016 operating budget by $926,277. The reason for this increase is to fund an MSBA
(Massachusetts School Building Authority) feasibility and design study for renovation of the school
building. The source of the $926,277 funds is E&D (Excess and Deficiency, otherwise known as free
cash).
Mr. Moore stated that per state guidelines the School Committee must seek approval from the member
communities even though the district is not seeking additional funds from the member communities.
Member communities have 45 days to vote on the requested amendment. If a member community fails
to vote on the amendment within the 45-day time period, the amendment shall be deemed approved.
The Finance Committee decided to take no action on this budget amendment.
Article 2 Motion 2 —Adopt Rules to Govern Town Meeting —The Board of Selectmen's office had
requested that Charles Aspinwall and Nicholas Pirelli, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, be
added to the list of non-residents allowed to participate in Town Meeting. Mr. Aspinwall is the new
incoming Town Administrator, however, at the time of the Finance Committee meeting a final contract had
not been negotiated.
A motion made by Mr. Barker to amend Article 2 Motion 2 to include Charles Aspinwall and
Nicholas Pirelli, Assistant Director of Parks &Recreation, was seconded by Mr. Bergschneider.
Vote: 10-0-0.
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Article 4 —Consent Agenda — A substitute motion prepared by the Finance Director was presented to the Finance Committee for consideration (see meeting handouts). A motion made by Mr. Barker to approve a substitute motion for Article 4(Consent Agenda) by adding Articles 11, 17, 23, 28, 29, 30 and 31 to the motion printed in the warrant was seconded by Ms. Gallagher. Vote: 10-0-0. The motion for the Consent Agenda to be presented at Town Meeting would include Articles 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 23, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 41. Article 15 —Insurance Proceeds —Amended motions (Motion #1 and Motion #2) prepared by the Finance Director were presented to the Finance Committee for consideration (see meeting handouts). A motion made by Mr. Barker to approve amended motions for Motion #1 and Motion #2 of Article 15(Insurance Proceeds) by adding the words "in Fiscal 2016" after the words "be appropriated" and before the words "to be spent by" was seconded by Ms. Gallagher. Vote: 10-0-0. Article 27 —Vote to Approve Term Limits for Elected and Appointed Boards and Committees A substitute motion prepared by the sponsor of the article, Jim Sims, was presented to the Finance Committee for their consideration (see meeting handout). Ms. Gallagher made a motion to reopen Article 27. The motion was not seconded. 11/Ir. DeRensis, Town Counsel, stated that Mr. Sims' motion was not legal because it lacked Home Rule Petition language. Article 7 —Set Salaries of Elected Officials —Chair Saint Andre stated to the Finance Committee that if Town Meeting were to agree with the Finance Committee's motion to set the salaries of Elected Officials at zero, the total savings to the Town would be $43,579. This could mean a savings of $16,200 in salaries(BOS, Board of Assessors &Board of Health) and a savings of $27,379 in health and life insurance. Annual Phone Allowance for Board of Selectmen — Mr. Sims informed the Finance Committee that in addition to annual salaries that the BOS members receive, each of them also receives an annual allowance of $1,000 for the use of their personal phones. BOS members currently do not have Town- provided cell phones. D. Other Business/Open Issues Liaison Reports —There were no liaison reports given at the meeting. E. Approval of Minutes A motion made by Mr. Barker to approve the Executive Session minutes as written for March 16, 2016 was seconded by Mr. Bergschneider. Vote: 9-0-1. Mr. McKenna abstained. A motion made by Mr. Barker to approve the Open Session minutes as written for March 16, 2016 was seconded by Mr. Bergschneider. Vote: 9-0-1. Mr. McKenna abstained. A motion rryade by Mr. Bergschneider to approve the minutes as written for March 28, 2016 was seconded by Mr. McKenna. Vote: 9-0-1. Ms. Leach abstained. A motion made by Mr. Bergschneider to approve the minutes as written for March 30, 2016 was seconded by Mr. Barker. Vote: 9-0-1. Mr. Casamento abstained. A motion made by Mr. Bergschneider to approve the minutes as written for April 19, 2016 was seconded by Mr. McKenna. Vote: 9-0-1. Ms. Gallagher abstained. 20160509 FINCOM MINUTES Page 2 05/11/16
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F. Next Meeting Date: The next meeting will take place in July to address any year end reserve
fund transfers.
Adjournment: A motion made by Ms. Gustafson to adjourn the meeting at 6:55 p.m. was
seconded by Mr. Casamento. Vote: 10-0-0.
Minutes reviewed by: Tim McKenna
Respectfully submitted,
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Barf~ara aint Andre
Chan', Canton Finance Committee
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Town of Canton
Finance Committee Meeting —Monday, May 9, 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).
Article 2 Motion 2 —Adopt Rules to Govern Town Meeting -Amended Motion (1 page).
Article 4 —Consent Agenda —Substitute Motion (1 page).
Email from Jim Murgia to Barbara Saint Andre, dated May 6, 2016 regarding FV17 elected officials
budget reductions(2 pages).
Article 15 —Insurance Proceeds —Amended motions 1 and 2(2 pages).
Article 7 —Set Salaries of Elected Officials —Substitute Motion, prepared by Jim Sims (1 page).
Ar#icle 42 —Substitute IVlotion — 96 Revere Street (1 page).
Letter from James Quaglia of Blue Hills Regional Technical School dated April 28, 2016 regarding an
increase to the school's 2015-2016 operating budget(1 page).
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