PALMER TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
Working Session
MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2009 – 7:00 PM
Town Council Meeting Room, Palmer Town Building
Minutes
1. Meeting opened at 1912.
2. Roll Call:
a) Present: Mr. Magiera, Mr. Backus, Mr. Hebert, Mr. Dinuovo, Ms. Barry, Mr. Streeter, Mr. Burns.
b) Absent: Mr. Duguay, Mr. Remillard
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Consent of the Agenda Order: Mr. Burns moved to accept agenda, Mr. Backus seconded, vote was unanimous to accept agenda
5. Agenda items:
(a) Re-organization of Council Sub-Committees
a. Check committee list, check changes, and when we meet next on the 11th we can vote on it.
b. Ms. Barry: Health insurance study committee
(b) FY10 Budget
a. Mr. Streeter: Finance team is here tonight.
i. State budget situation is very fluid; funding reductions are coming in almost daily, and legislation is in progress. Very difficult to make projections in this climate; working to get priorities from the council at this meeting
ii. Suggest bringing in police, schools and other department heads to other working meetings to firm budget
b. Ms. Barry: $175,000 for new growth seems high? Yes
c. Ms. Barry: $125,000 in free cash is being used in budget-really bad idea to use free cash to fund operating budget. We need to build our reserves
d. Ms. Barry: Would like to see a budget presented to us where free cash isn’t being used
e. Are people paying their excise taxes? Yes
f. Mr. Magiera: can you [Mr. Streeter] come up with a budget that doesn’t use free cash? Mr. Streeter: Policy has been to use free cash as a past practice; this is a tough year to change policy. There should be a policy to replace and increase free cash to save for capital improvements, whether we decide to use it this year or not. There may be other ideas on budgeting funds depending on what the council’s priorities are.
g. Ms. Barry: we shouldn’t budget “potential revenue” since the situation is fluid.
h. Mr. Burns: until the final vote it’s all projected anyhow; we just don’t know.
i. Free cash needs to be recertified if it is not used by June 30; it may disappear.
j. School lunch program is at a $80,000 deficit that might be made up out of the school budget at the end of the year; funds might need to come from free cash. Lunch prices might need to be increased next fiscal year.
k. Mr. Streeter: budget includes tax increases to the levy limit; budget is much the same as last year
l. Bar code machine is needed to make collector’s office more efficient
m. Revaluation planned out until 2012
n. Board of health questions: department is complaint-based instead of proactive; we should explore possibility of going to a health agent. We are too large a town to have a part time board
o. Building inspectors: what are we getting for the money?
p. Would like a breakdown of permits issued and revenue generated by the department over the last 10 years.
q. P. 5 telephone costs increasing by 12%?
r. Report next meeting on Azaya’s recommendations to us, equipment inventory, and budget breakdown; amounts still seem too expensive
s. Consulting engineering contract: $500 for contract services expected; just a budget placeholder in case of need
t. Temporary offices $1500: Council on Aging needs temp office space for at least 3 months during renovations; still investigating price
u. Breakdown of expenses for Memorial Day celebration
v. Add salaries for Boards and council as contingency
w. Recreation director: we need to spend money to make money; recreation director is mandated by charter and will coordinate ad revenues and sports teams. Position has been funded last year but not filled yet
x. Vets Benefits allocation
y. Education is half of tuition for accountant; reimbursement was agreed to by previous administration and this will be last semester
z. Mr. Magiera excused himself and turned meeting to Mr. Burns at 2035
aa. Cruiser maintenance: $20,000 seems high for maintenance for new cruisers
bb. Maintenance agreements up 200%?
cc. Part time seasonal expenses?
dd. Breakdown of overtime expenditures?
ee. Building maintenance and vehicle maintenance; which vehicles and how much maintenance?
ff. Equipment rental-what did we rent?
gg. Cemetery equipment repair-which equipment?
hh. Breakdown of park expenses as opposed to a lump sum expenditure item; lump sum would give department flexibility to meet needs where perceived
ii. Cost for removal of dumpsters at DPW
jj. What happens if we don’t pay the lease easement for the railroads?
kk. Library deficit isn’t a true deficit; was a reallocation of debt
ll. Unemployment figures for last three years to date to check budget item
mm. Would like actual Group life insurance and Medicare figures for 08 and YTD 09
6. Mr. Burns adjourned the meeting at 2102
Respectfully submitted by
Ramon Dole
Recording Secretary
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