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Town of Lunenburg
MUK, MASS
Finance Committee:
Terri Burchfield, Chairman
Mark Erickson, Vice-Chairman
Jay Simeone, Secretary
John Henshaw
Hannah Anderson
George Martin
Cindy Testa
17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135
Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135
978.582.4139
FAX 978.582.4148
Lunenburg Finance Committee
Minutes 03-23-17
Location:
Present:
Absent:
Others:
Town Hall
Terri Burchfield, Mark Erickson, Hannah Anderson, John Henshaw, George Martin, Cindy Testa
Jay Simeone
Heather Lemieux-Town Manager, Karen Brochu-Manager, Town Finance.
Note: John Henshaw took the minutes for this meeting.
1. Terri called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. The meeting is being televised on the Lunenburg Public Access
Cable channel. The video of this meeting is available for viewing on Lunenburg Public Access on You Tube.
The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swrsAUm0Y04
2. Comments:
a. Committee:
• Debt Service Policy Draft:
• John described his handout on current debt service costs and list of several future projects that
may need to be financed by borrowing. Projected debt service costs will be a factor to consider
when recommending what the Town's limit on debt service costs should be.
Mark said that providing historical actual Town budgets as well as forecasted budgets would
provide valuable context for this decision as well.
• John will include this in the next iteration.
• Zoning by-laws: Terri announced there will be a public meeting on April 10 to discuss amendments
to the protective by-laws of the Town of Lunenburg.
• Katie Adams supports the prospective funding of an additional police officer perhaps serving as a
school resource officer. At Mark's invitation, Chief Marino stated that if the Town approves his
request for an additional officer, that will enable the Police Department's community outreach officer
to spend more time at the schools as a school resource officer when school is in session.
• The chief stressed that notwithstanding the addition of an officer, his staff would still be stretched
thinly. Chief Marino also stated that he needs additional protective gear for his officers, included in
• Dave Passios suggested we look at grants for things like protective gear for police officers which
the chief does routinely.
c. Barbara Reynolds, the Town's Monty Tech liaison, stated that Monty Tech's assessment for school year
2017-2018 decreased by $20,099 or -2.4% although Lunenburg's enrollment there increased from 91 to
92 students.
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3. Committee Review and Discussion of the articles in the FY18 warrant with financial effects.
Presented by Heather Lemieux and Karen Brochu.
• Note: Articles with no direct financial effect are not included in the table below.
Article
#
Description/Request/Purpose
2
Authorization of revolving funds.
3
Authorization of a Storm Water Task Force
Revolving Fund. This would be a new fund.
4
Authorization of an Electrical Inspector Revolving
Account. This would be a new fund.
5
6
7
8
Authorization for funding to pay prior year
expenses.
Authorization/transfer monies for snow and ice
removal.
Amending the PACC FY17 budget.
Authorization to fund the FY18 Capital Plan.
9
10
Authorization to fund the expenses of the Town
for FY18.
Authorization to fund the FY18 Stabilization Fund
per the Town's Financial Policy.
12
Authorization to fund a special purpose
stabilization fund.
Authorization to fund the OPEB Trust Fund.
13
14
20
21
Authorization to fund the Sewer Enterprise fund
for FY18.
Authorization to fund the Sewer Reserve Capacity
Stabilization fund for FY18.
Authorization to fund the Water
Department/Water Enterprise fund for FY18.
Authorization to fund the Public Educational
Governmental Committee for FY18.
22
Authorization to appropriate $84,200 from the
sale of cemetery plots for the cemetery.
Committee
Action/Recommendation:
Await information on the amount of the
revolving funds before recommendation.
Mark moved to recommend approval by
the ATM, John seconded the motion. The
committee approved the motion 6-0.
The article will be amended to include the
plumbing inspector so the committee
awaits the final version before making a
recommendation.
Moot. Committee passed over this as
there are no unpaid prior year expenses.
Committee will make a recommendation
at the ATM when final amount is settled.
Committee will wait until the ATM to see if
it is necessary to amend the budget.
John moved to recommend ATM approval,
Mark seconded the motion. The
committee approved the motion 6-0.
Committee will make a recommendation
when final amount is settled.
Mark moved to recommend increasing the
fund by $84,523 and to recommend
approval by the ATM, John seconded the
motion. The committee approved the
motion 6-0.
Committee will make a recommendation if
the ATM approves creation of this fund.
John moved to recommend increasing the
fund by $100,000 and to recommend
approval by the ATM, Mark seconded the
motion. The committee approved the
motion 6-0.
Committee will make a recommendation
when final amount is settled.
Committee will make a recommendation
when final amount is settled.
Committee will make a recommendation
when final amount is settled.
John moved to recommend increasing the
fund by $162,800 and to recommend
approval by the ATM, Mark seconded the
motion. The committee approved the
motion 6-0.
John moved to recommend ATM approval,
Cindy seconded the motion. The
committee approved the motion 6-0.
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Article
#
23
Description/Request/Purpose
24
25
26-30
31
34
Authorization to appropriate funds from the net
premium paid to the Town from sale of 2017
bonds.
Rescinding the $223,915 borrowing authorization
for the purchase of the Lane property.
Acceptance of the position description of minutes
clerk.
These warrant articles are contingent on the
results of the RFQs requested by the Building Re-
use Committee. That process was ongoing at the
time of this meeting.
Authorization of the BOS to negotiate and enter
into an agreement regarding property taxes with
Nexamp and a solar array.
Authorization to impose a municipal charges lien
for various unpaid fees owed the Town.
Committee
Action/Recommendation:
The committee awaits more information
from and a spreadsheet analysis from
Karen Brochu before making a
recommendation.
John moved to recommend approval by
the ATM, Mark seconded the motion. The
committee approved the motion 6-0.
The committee will await further
information before making
recommendation.
The committee will await further
information before making
recommendation.
The committee will await further
information before making
recommendation.
Mark moved to recommend approval by
the ATM, John seconded the motion. The
committee approved the motion 6-0.
4. Budget Goals and Opportunities: No discussion at this meeting.
5. Review Minutes: None.
6. Town Financial Officer's Report: None
7. Committee and Department Updates: No updates at this time.
8. Ongoing Business:
Pavement Management Plan
Contract Commitments
Sale of Surplus Property-see warrant articles 26-30 above.
9. Next meeting: April 6, 2017
10. Adjournment: Mark moved to adjourn. Hannah seconded the motion. The committee approved the motion 6-
O at 8:40 pm
Draft Minutes submitted by John Henshaw, April 5, 2017
Attachments (1): Draft FY18 Annual Town Meeting Warrant, March 2017.
RECEIVED & FILED
APR 10 2017
LUNENBURG TOWN
CLERK OFFICE
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