PALMER TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY, May 18, 2009, 7:00 PM
Town Council Meeting Room, Palmer Town Building
Minutes
1. Called to order at 1905
2. Roll Call
a) Present: Mr. Magiera, Ms. Barry, Mr. Backus, Mr. Dinuovo, Mr. Duguay Mr. Remillard, Mr. Hebert, Mr. Williams, Mr. Streeter
b) Absent: Mr. Burns
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Consent of the agenda order: moved by Mr. Dinuovo, second by Mr. Backus to accept the agenda; vote is unanimous to accept agenda
5. Agenda Items
a) Resolution 2009-35-Transfer WWTP special revenue to WWTP special account
i. Discussion:
(a) Town is responsible for moneys expended
(b) Working to rectify audit concerns in the future
ii. Moved by Mr. Backus to transfer funds, seconded by Mr. Dinuovo
iii. Voted 8/0/0 to approve transfer of funds
b) Discussion-Manager’s proposed FY 2010 budget
i. Discussion of sewer funds withheld by Monson
(a) 30 years of billing discrepancies; partial payment was withheld this year
(b) Part of dispute concerns location of monitoring equipment
(c) Contract is open for renegotiation later this year
(d) Dispute is over proper flow calibration; we charge @19% of total costs
(e) First 3 quarters are estimated payments; 4th quarter is billed based on what is left after estimated payments are applied to yearly fee
(f) Arbitration is possible but organization named in contract doesn’t exist any more
(g) DEP put us with Monson for WWT consolidation; they have not been particularly helpful
ii. Extra pages of handout list cuts possible from State Senate version of budget
(a) Have used free cash to make up part of extra shortfalls called for in senate decisions
(b) Current fiscal situation is far worse than we anticipated
iii. Memorial Day expenses this year estimated at $3114.70 in handout
iv. Unclassified expenses still need to be firmed up; still in flux
v. Waiting on the direction of the council for budget approval
vi. Library-discussed how cuts will reduce state aid to library
vii. Pathfinder: can we get stimulus money for the increased assessment to Palmer
(a) Increase is due to more students enrolling from town
(b) There was a reduction in adjustments per student; just more students
(c) Pathfinder may be eligible for its own stimulus money
(d) Do we have projection of layoffs from school dept or cost of layoffs? They are waiting to see what council and state enacts before firming numbers
(e) Pink slips were issued pending budget decisions; reinstatement by June might avoid unemployment expenses
viii. Still working on report by building dept; should be ready by next meeting
ix. Haven’t been able to contact Mr. Brewer yet
x. Need to set budget hearing tonight
(a) Second meeting the week of 6/8
(b) June 10th set as date for budget meeting
xi. Other questions:
(a) Clinic line item was to cover costs associated with food clinic
(b) Computer company attachment outlining costs and concerns
(c) Police segment: Does drug enforcement seizure money go into operating budget?
a. No, it can’t be used for operating expenses
b. Will find out what legitimate uses are
(d) DPW staff reductions to 4 days per week over summer; we don’t have a say in how they use their operating budget
(e) 4-day week: how many hours? Depends on position; some are 6&1/2 hours and some are 8 hour days
xii. Ms. Barry: I think we’re going about this the wrong way
(a) We don’t have enough information here to make proper decisions
(b) We have to go department by department
a. Start with level budget
b. Subtract what we absolutely can’t cut
c. Then reduce from there
d. Don’t see how we reduce hours as there is already staffing problem
e. Employees can collect unemployment if hours are reduced?
xiii. If we lay off staff and DPW things are not going to get done
xiv. We have reached a point where less services are going to be provided by the town
xv. Mr. Hebert: We don’t see DPW workers in the winter so much (not counting snow removal)
xvi. Ms. Barry: Talking about cutting between $127,000 and $872.000 depending on state budget version We have to do something; most of all of these cuts are people
xvii. Mr. Magiera: Couple of ways to go about this; one way is to take recommendations home to ponder and discuss further next week
xviii. Mr. Streeter: I’m meeting with labor heads and dept heads to let them know what may be coming; will find out about unemployment
xix. What is untouchable?
(a) Police dept. staff
(b) Staffing cuts need to be discussed in executive session
c) Ms. Barry moved to go into executive session to discuss contract negotiations; seconded by Mr. Dinuovo
d) Meeting recessed to reference MGL at 2000
e) Called back to order @ 2015
f) Motion and second on the floor withdrawn
g) Mr. Duguay: we seem to be micromanaging Mr. Streeter; should be up to him where to adjust budget and up to us to approve his actions
h) Mr. Magiera: we haven’t given him adequate guidance so far
i) Mr. Streeter: I have been meeting with dept heads, including Chief of Police
i. Getting creative ideas where budget can be cut with less pain
ii. School dept is going to get stimulus money to help budget
iii. List is to address council asking for ideas on budget cuts
iv. If we get additional revenues from the state we need a priority list for where we put increased revenues
j) No executive session tonight; we can move a couple of ways on these recommendations
k) We might have a couple of extra meetings of subcommittees to iron things out and gather more information
l) Mr. Dinuovo: Once we know dollar amounts; manager and school heads run their departments
i. If he doesn’t do a good job review will suffer next year
ii. They are the best people to distribute money that we give them
iii. We’re not going to 2&1/2 override
m) Mr. Streeter: will get better idea of numbers; largely a staffing issue
n) Ms. Barry: we should be giving him a better direction now; we have no information to give direction
o) Mr. Magiera: Micromanaging and giving direction are different things
p) Mr. Streeter: More info coming in as we talk to unions and dept heads
q) Mr. Dinuovo: We’re not going to have in the next few days better numbers from the State about what they’re going to do
r) What is being cut on school side? If we meet Thursday can we have somebody from school dept into explain what the $274,000 cut would be.
s) Thursday meeting @7 PM: Ms. Salzmann and Superintendent of Schools
t) Looking for creative reduction ideas from them
6. Mr. Backus moved to adjourn at, seconded by Mr. Dinuovo; vote was unanimous to adjourn at 2030
Respectfully submitted by
Ramon Dole
Recording Secretary
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