Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text
March 30, 2016, Finance Committee Meeting. Minutes
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Town of Canton Finance Committee Minutes voted on: 5/9/16
Meeting Minutes Vote: 9-0-1
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Members Present:
Rob Barker, Sepp Bergschneider, Gerald Dorfman, Nichola Gallagher, Dianne Gustafson, Stephanie
Leach, Tim McKenna, Barbara Saint Andre and Jim Sims.
Members Absent:
Jim Casamento.
Guests Present:
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 30, 2016 in the Salah Meeting Room of Town Hall.
A. Approval of Agenda
Chair Saint Andre reviewed the items on the agenda which included completing the review of the Finance
Committee's Overview Report and Discussions for Annual Town Meeting.
B. Announcements
There were no announcements made at the meeting.
C. New Business
Overview Report
The Finance Committee reviewed the Overview Report which will appear in the Finance Committee
Recommendations to the Voters of Canton.
Ili u~u~ation Accounts —Mr. Sims suggested that all of the mitigation accounts be listed. Last year it had
been agreed by the Finance Committee members that the mitigation list in the Finance Committee's
Overview Report would include those with the largest balances.
Mr. Bergschneider commented that funding for traffic studies could be funded from mitigation funds.
Ms. Gustafson spoke in support of having updated mitigation balances available at the time of Town
Meeting in case an article sponsor inquired about using mitigation funds. However, Town Meeting cannot
require the Board of Selectmen to use these funds for a specific purpose as that decision resides with the
BOS.
Article 40 —Amend Zo~vo~r~~ ~y-Law —11l/arehouse Defini~a~~ -The discussion was changed to reflect
that the Finance Committee unanimously supports the Planning Board motion.
Article ~~ ~ Canton School Department Office ~ui9~lo~c~ ~o~stru~~o~~ —The Finance Committee
reviewed fhe discussion for Article 44 that Nls. Gustafson had drafted which included the Finance
Committee's opinion along with components of the study that the School Committee was requesting
under the article.
Mr. Dorfman stated that the transparency for this Article had been addressed in the discussion.
M r. Murgia stated that with regard to the $155,000 that was approved at last year's Town Meeting for a
comprehensive review of 20 town buildings and six school buildings, he was not optimistic if $60,000 was
enough to cover the municipal buildings if $95,000 was going to be used for the School's comprehensive
study.
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Article 12 "Omnibus" Capital Outlay Program —The Finance Committee reviewed the discussions for
Article 12. These discussions had been drafted by Mr. Manning and the members of the Capital Planning
Committee.
Article 19 —Vote to Approve Free Full Dav Kindergarten — At the time of the meeting Town Counsel
had asked the Finance Committee to reconsider their motion and vote on Article 19. Chair Saint Andre
did not want to reopen Article 19.
Mr. Sims commented on the legal opinions regarding Town Meeting articles (see meeting handouts) that
the Finance Committee had recently received. Mr. Sims commented that it would have been helpful to
have these legal opinions earlier in the Town Meeting process. He was disappointed at the lack of
transparency by the Board of Selectmen in not releasing these legal opinions earlier. The Finance
Committee would not have met and debated citizen articles that had been deemed as illegal articles. Mr.
Sims stated that he would be drafting a Home Rule Petition motion for Article 27(Term Limits) which he
sponsored.
Chair Saint Andre suggested that Mr. Sims bring up his concerns with the Board of Selectmen
Chair Saint Andre read the Finance Committee's motion for Article 19 as follows:
Move that the sum of $495,000 be transferred from Free Cash (Undesignated Fund
Balance)in the Treasury of the Town to be expended by the School Committee in
Fiscal Year 2017.
Chair Saint Andre stated that she had spoken with Mr. DeRensis, Town Counsel, who had stated that his
number one recommendation was to have the $495,000 directly in the budget. He does understand that
the Finance Committee wants a separate article so that it may be discussed on Town Meeting floor.
Another new motion from Town Counsel was forwarded to the Finance Committee earlier in the day.
Chair Saint Andre did not recommend reopening Article 19 and suggested waiting until Town meeting.
Article 42 —Acquisition of Property at 96 Revere Street —Town Counsel had provided a new motion
for Article 42 but a motion was not made to reconsider Article 42.
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 minutes as written for March 9, 2016 was seconded
by Mr. Bergschneider. Vote: 9-0-0.
A motion made by Mr. Bergschneider to approve the minutes as written for March 14, 2016 was
seconded by Mr. Barker. Vote: 9-0-0.
A motion made by Mr. Barker to approve the minutes as written for March 23, 2016 was seconded
by Mr. Bergschneider. 9-0-0.
The minutes for March 16, 2016, March 22, 2016 and March 28, 2016 would be approved at a future
date.
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F. Next Meeting Date: If a meeting is needed prior to Town Meeting the Chair will notify the
Finance Committee members via email. The next meeting will take place on Monday, May 9th at 6:00
p.m. in the Cafeteria of the Canton High School prior to the start of Annual Town Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Adjournment: A motion made by Ms. Gallagher to adjourn the meeting at 9:21 p.m. was seconded
by Mr. Bergschneider. Vote: 9-0-0.
Minutes reviewed by: Dianne Gustafson
Respectfully submitted,
~~
J: ,l
Barb a Saint Andre
Cha Canton Finance Committee
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Town of Canton
Finance Committee Meeting —Wednesday, March 30, 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 19 —Vote to Approve Free Full Day Kindergarten — Emails with revised motions (4 pages).
Article 42 —Acquisition of Property at 96 Revere Street -Email with revised motion, dated March 30,
2016 (2 pages).
Town Counsel's Legal Opinions on Citizen Sponsored Articles for ATM 2016 —received on March 29,
2016 (9 pages).
Estimate Cash Reserves, dated March 29, 2016 (1 page).
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