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Finance Committee:
Terri Burchfield, Chairman
John Henshaw, Vice-Chairman
Hannah Anderson, Secretary
17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135
Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135
978.582.4139
FAX 978.582.4148
Jay Simeone
George Martin
Marc Luescher
Lunenburg Finance Committee
12-13-18
Michelle Walton
Location: Town Hall
Present: Terri Burchfield, John Henshaw, Hannah Anderson, Michelle Walton, Marc Luescher, George Martin, Jay
Absent: none
Guest: Heather Lemieux, TM.
1. Open Meeting:
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. This meeting is being recorded and
televised for re-broadcast on the Lunenburg Public Access cable channel.
2. Communications:
Public Comment:
None
New Communications:
Nothing in our mailbox but Terri did mention receiving budget information from the School
Committee's secretary, Carol Archambault, with budget information regarding the questions
Mr. Rogers had asked in the past to the school committee as well as brought up to the
finance committee to look into. Terri will forward the information to the rest of the finance
committee.
3. Review request for letter of support for town's Open Space & Recreation Plan,
vote will be taken
Terri opened up the conversation about the letter in hopes to agree to write a letter of
support.
John questioned an assumption that the rewrite would have direct financial effect on the
town. Terri answered that it was a safe assumption and that the rewrite would make it better for the
town to ask for grant money. John went on to discuss that the town would then have the option to
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Michelle is concerned with the CPA (Conservation Preservation Act) for the tax implications
that would bring with raising taxes. Terri commented back that it does have tax implications but it is
something that would have to be brought up at town meeting for a vote of support as it would need a
public hearing and would be a big change.
Marc asked about recondition goal 1.C and what it means? Terri and Town Manager
answered, revolving funds that have already been written through the conservation commission that
has a forestry plan and the funds for forestry comes from the timber revolving account.
There were no other questions or concerns. John moved to have the committee vote to
support the process and nominated Territo write the letter on behalf of the finance committee. Jay
second. 7-0 vote.
4. Review status of member projects, budget dashboard led by George Martin
Skipped for a later date.
5. Review terminology and definitions for web site inclusion
Skipped
6. Set the budget season calendar with Town Manager
Due to conflicts with snow in the past, the Town Manager asked to add in additional dates to
help free up the schedule a bit. The finance committee agrees to add in Monday evenings. The town
manager will reach out to the LMS, LHS, and Council on Aging Center for possible rooms to use for our
make-up meetings that are caused by the weather.
Terri asked if we could separate the public hearing into multiple dates as there is an
observance to a lot of discussion for two of the general subjects, Charter Review and Planning Board.
The Town Manager will look into dates to help with that suggestion.
After some questions and discussion, the finance committee came to the conclusion that with
the minor changes to add in extra snow days, multiple hearing days, and extra buget copies for the
pubic, the budget season calendar would work for this coming season.
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Committee
Public Access Cable-Marc
Capital Planning-John H.
Department updates
Umass had a capital planning conference in which
Heather sent a link to the Capital Planning
Committee for them to watch. It helped open Johns
eyes in ways to help improve Capital Improvement
request process. Example 1- other sources of funds
for supporting Capital Improvement Request and
example 2, ways to design a strategy and plan for
long term use of financing.
Committee met a couple weeks ago and tentatively
approved 9 capital requests for $650K. That is not
formally approved, and meets January 8th to go
through the process. Some highlights that are
requested are, THES asbestos abatement which is
$162K 4-5 multi-year process that is nearing the end
but is essential. $220K for the removal of a DPW fuel
tank. $116K for two more police cruisers which is
tied to the increase of one additional police officer
next year. Also note that there are two big items
that have not been formally approved and possibly
won't be, an engine 4 fire truck at $685K and
Rescue 2 at around $350K. Engine 4 has had a
pump problem, he spent $15,500 to repair the
existing pump Chief Sullivan could have spent $30K
to replace the pump. He believes that the repair will
buy him one more year with this equipment but
that's only if it is used sparingly and that's an
estimate with an amount of risk here. He is weary of
spending $15K more on a 24-year-old vehicle
because in hindsight he would be spending more on
the vehicle than needed. The capital planning
process has a 5-year window so looking out from
FY20-FY24, seven requests add up to $2.9 million
but that averages to about $725K per year which
may be manageable when you think back on the fact
that for the last few years the town has been able to
fund $600K-$800K request without borrowing so it's
in that ball park. The other issue to take into
account is the building reuse or Vertex report that
covers 6 town properties, the Town Hall, Eagle
House, TC Passcios, Ritter Building, Brooks House,
and the Old Primary School. Immediate repairs
recommended by the study equals out to roughly
$1.4 million but that's not inflated so that is what it
would have been if we jumped on that a year ago.
It's a little more now. The immediate repairs are to
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Library- Michelle W.
Police Dept - Marc
Schools i Can an
Monty Tech - Hannah
Green Comm Task Force-Jay
Sewer Commission -Jay
Charter Review Comm - Terri
Meeting again next week, also asked again to meet
again 2-3 times after.
Knights Round Table with Dr. Kate Burnham aired
for their first episode, they had a discussion on
Interface which was funded through a grant for the
15t year.
December 2 was National Special Education Day-
thank you for your hard work.
December 5th- the program brand new day was
presented at the Primary school.
December 11th- LMHS Winter Choral Concert
December 13th- LMHS Winter Band Concert
December 14th - THES Christmas Chorus and
Instrument Concert
December 17th - Blizzard Bag Advisory Committee
will be holding forums for students, faculty, and
December 19th - School Committee meets at 7pm in
the LMS Collaborative room #D132
December 21st - the PTO will be holding a Come &
Go Fundraiser at the Dragonfly Cafe from 11:30am-
The LMHS Library Media Specialist, Pam Valle, has
been chosen to serve as the Central Area Co-
Director on the 2018-19 Executive Board of the
Massachusetts School Library Association.
December 215 is an early release day.
Schools will reopen January 2d 2019.
Met last night and will have a public hearing on
January 9th, There is also some overturn with Bob
Ebersol leaving a vacancy and Tanner Cole coming
in the last few meetings for Michael Ray Jeffery. The
plan is to still present the charter with one level of
changes which was to make sure it addresses any
legal issues like typos and corrections with things
that have changed over time. The second level was
some substantial changes but not controversial like
adding a second town meeting. Some items are so
controversial that they plan to make changes
individually by votes because there was such a split.
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The town signed up with Clear Gov for their budget dashboard. There is also a budget
software through Clear Gov that the departments, Heather, and Karen Brochu will be using for their
budgets. This also links to the DOR data as well as UNIS. Costs $2K per year with an annual
subscription.
Free cash was certified at $1.5 million.
New Growths access levy capacity amount is $53K and tax rate was certified.
10. Public Comment
Hannah-two spots available to read at the PTO Fundraiser if you work for the town or
volunteer for the town and interested in reading, please email hcajda@gmail.com. Terri suggested to
check in with the Eagle House for a volunteer.
11. Next Meetings
• January 10, 2019
• January 24, 2019
12. Adjournment
John made a motion to adjourn. Jay seconded the motion. The committee approved the
motion 7-0 at 8:09pm