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Town of Lunenburg
URO. MASS.
Finance Committee:
Terri Burchfield, Chairman
Mark Erickson, Vice-Chairman
Jay Simeone, Secretary
John Henshaw
Hannah Anderson
George Martin
Cindy Testa
Location:
Present:
Absent:
Guest:
17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135
Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135
978.582.4139
FAX 978.582.4148
Lunenburg Finance Committee
Minutes 02-16-17
Town Hall
Terri Burchfield, Mark Erickson, Jay Simeone, John Henshaw, George Martin, Cindy Testa
Hannah Anderson
Tom Alonzo, Sue Doherty - Council on Aging, Adam Burney - Land Use Director, members of the
public
1. Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Televised meeting. Available on the Lunenburg Public
Access channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skGFZEmM1sw
2. Comments:
a. Public: None
b. New Communications: Submitted the warrant report to Elaine for the Town Report.
3. Department Budget Presentations:
Council on Aging (COA): The Director is requesting to move Outreach Coordinator salary from the
State Formula Grant funding to a Town funded position. The State Grant Formula has not been
consistent. The State keeps changing the cost per elder. Currently the State covers 13 hours per
week, and the Town covers 14 hours per week. The State Formula Grant is based on the Town
Census from 2010. The census is not scheduled to be done again until 2020. There has been a
33% increase in elder population in Lunenburg from 2010 to 2016, based on the Federal Census.
There are approximately 2800 elders in Lunenburg. The FY17 Grant funding was $21,060. The
Grant funds could be used for other purposes, like renovations to kitchen. The kitchen has not
been updated since 1998.
The COA receives a lot of in kind donations of services from outside vendors.
The COA manages their own drivers and vehicles. The drivers have been sent to skid school training.
MART reimburses the Town thru the Cherry sheet. MART pays for 12 hours of the van dispatcher, the
drivers, fuel and maintenance on the vans. The Town turns over all collected fares to MART.
Land Use Departments: Adam Burney - Land Use Director: Four budgets come under Land Use:
Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Building Inspections, Zoning Board of Appeals. All are
remaining at level service.
Former Building Commissioner, Mike Sauvageau, recently retired as of February 06,2017. His salary line is
being carried forward as if he was continuing his employment as it has been budgeted for. His salary was at the
maximum on the pay scale. This will allow for negotiating room for hiring a qualified candidate. The position has
been advertised. Presently a retired Building Commissioner who worked for the Town of Lexington has been
contracted until the position is filled.
The Director is working on one capital project, E permitting. He is looking for grant money to fund it.
The Chairman asked if there were any questions about this past Tuesday's Town Manager (TM) budget
presentation. There was discussion around the free cash amount which is certified at $888,994K which is a little
less than the $900K that was previously estimated. The TM is recommending Free cash to fund the Capital
budget, OPED, and Stabilization. The numbers don't seem to add up. There is also concern about the capital
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budget being funded by free cash as free cash varies from year to year. A member commented that free cash in
the past years has only averaged around $250k.
4. Budget Goals and Opportunities:
a. Financial Policy for Managing Debt Service:
John H. presented a second draft of the Financial Policy he has been working on, a spreadsheet on
"Summary of Debt Service FY2013 - FY2029" and a "Table of Contents" from the Town of Barre.
John reviewed the revisions he has incorporated into the Financial Policy as a result of the
committee discussions of the debt service and borrowing and comments from the Town Auditors.
The "Summary of Debt Service FY2013-2029" is a FYI for members. It is a snap shot of a portion of
the spreadsheet that the Town Account puts together for regular debt, debt funded by enterprise
betterment funds and excluded debt.
The "Table of Contents" is from the Town of Barre and is also a FYI for members. The Town of Barre
contracted the services of the Collins Group to help develop a profile of there budget.
b. Anticipation of future large capital purchases:
5. Review Minutes: None
6. Town Financial Officers Report: None
7. Committee and Department Updates:
Committee/Department
Public Access Cable-Teri
Capital Planning-John H.
Dept. of Public Works-John H.
COA - Cindy
Library-Terri
Public Safety-
Update
Planning to contact PACC to review their budget before presenting
No report.
No Report.
Schools - Hannah
No Report.
Monty Tech - Hannah
Green Task Force-Jay
Sewer Commission Task Force
Jay
School Bidg. Comm. - Mark
No Report.
No Report.
Met last Wed. Mark was not able to attend. Still signing and approving
warrants. A presentation from Unitil. $82K in energy savings.
Still an issue with projectors bouncing during class transition.
Met on Tuesday. The Select Board approved the RFP's to be released.
Building Reuse - Mark
8. Ongoing Business:
Pavement Management Plan:
Contract Commitments:
Sale of Surplus Property:
9. Next meeting: February 23, 2017
10. Adjournment: Mark made a motion to adjourn. John seconded the motion. The committee approved the
motion 6-0 at 7:53 pm
Submitted by Jay Simeone
Attachments (0):