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John Henshaw
Christopher Menard
David Passios
Jay Simeone
Lunenburg Finance Committee
September 24, 2020 Meeting
Location:
Present:
Absent:
Zoom Virtual Meeting
Peter Beardmore, Dave Passios, John Henshaw, Jay Simeone, Chris
Menard, Heather Sroka
Terri, Burchfield
1. Call to Order
Peter Beardmore, Vice -Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and
read the COVID-19 / Zoom meeting advisory statement.
This meeting was recorded and is viewable on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSOVTrqv66U
2. Public Comment
Dave Passios raised by a village sad to announce that another member
passed away. Joyce Downey Fitchburg State College Faculty Member.
Active parent. Condolences to the Downey Family at this time.
3. Town Manager Report:
Heather has updates on Grants -
Community Compact - remote learning instruction up to $200,000 Steve
Malindrinos - Due Date October 15th.
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Heather shared her file for viewing.
Proposed Budget Changes -
New Growth from $173,400 to $250,00
Expenditures reductions of July Premium of
$50,000 on Town
$118,000 on School Side
Add on the Police Officer start date of Jan. 1 - $30,161
Add on Fire Fighter start date of Jan. 1 -$ 38,928
BOH - additional hours deferred at ATM - Jan. 1 $3,816
Deferred Capital minus the trackless is $494,333
Deferred ADA Public Rights of Way Improvements - $27, 000
OPEB - $110,000
School has a plugged in number - $ to offset the health insurance
State Assessments and charges - based on what we used estimates at the
ATM reduction on expenditures side of $44,931
Leaves an available amount to raise and appropriate the amount of
$524,718.
Peter - on the School Department Line $118,000 plugged in number -
where would it bring them in relation to the 2.5% increase.
Heather - $192,000 was what it was with most in salary reserve.
Peter - Resolved contract with nominal increase.
Heather S. - School based increase on the funds they had
Peter - does there need to be some sort of flag on that with another
negotiation next year. Can't pretend 2020 didn't happen there has to be
some accounting for that in the 2021 fiscal year.
Heather - we have to take into account all of the funds we have gotten
because of COVID - both on the Town and the School side.
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in the School Department?
Peter - yes - just so we understand it.
Heather - I think that would be more appropriate for the Superintendent
to come to a meeting.
Peter - Agreed. Laydown the groundwork.
Heather - Recommends that they attend the next FinCom meeting prior
to the STM and Public Meeting.
Chris - Grants on PD Body Cameras. How much is video storage? Storage
cost is more than the actual cameras.
Heather - to inquire with the interim Chief.
Chris - Breakdown of the Capital Requests - $494,000. How much for
each project.
Heather - can we come back to that later - send it after the meeting.
Peter - Can you comment on the body camera? Should it be funded in
advance of a grant?
Heather - no necessary to have it done prior to STM. Will probably be
mandatory in the coming future.
Peter - doesn't view this as a compliance event. Risk management
investment - current social conditions on a national level. What's really
happening on the record should we need it. Speaking as a citizen.
Heather S. - I agree this is in the best interest of the Police Officers. It's a
protection a safety for them to have the body cam on them - it's very
important. I agree 100%. Possible provocation what would the camera
show.
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Article O- Brighthouse purchase and TIF Agreements reviewed
Articles P - S Brief Summaries
Dave - What's going to happen with the Street Light Article that was
passed over at Town Meeting. I expected that would come up for STM but
so far I don't see it.
Heather - Dave Blatt emailed her that he was looking for the deadline to
submit an article.
Chris- Has PACC any IT needs based on all the zooming we're doing do
they need any additional budget?
Heather - within the PACC Enterprise budget? Any cost associated with
COVID we have been able to pay for with the CARES Act - that's until
December 31st. Beyond that there may be potential costs nothing that's
been brought to her attention besides the position for the Remote Meeting
Coordinator that was just approved. $8,000 - $10,000.
Budgeted for the remainder of the year as part of the School Budget - in
the $118,000.
Dave - Short term - the needs for zoom and the schools are we also still
exploring and developing meeting going forwards - in person and remote.
Foresees this is going to be the new normal if not forever at least a very
long time. Prepare for this and not to scramble prior to returning.
Heather - Town Hall Meeting room infrastructure in place. School grant
could go toward that cost.
Discussion amongst Dave, Peter and Chris as to what new normal
meetings will look like and want to ensure the Town is capable and
prepared for this long term.
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Superintendent told him it was a work in progress. Important right now -
because there are 3 months left in the calendar year to apply CARES Act
money which is available. Wants the School to be able to use available
funds for livestreaming classes to remote students.
Heather - Screen shared the Fiscal 2021 Capital Plan to review what
hasn't been funded at ATM.
Dave - Capital Planning will be looking at this and voting to make a
recommendation for STM. Policies will also be discussed at that meeting.
Peter - Excess funds from CP - is your intention to leave monies as
unallocated or to move it into a future year Free Cash.
Heather - more inclined to put monies into stabilization. No figures
plugged into stabilization.
4. Minutes -
6/11 Minutes redistributed by Peter
7/23 and 8/13 submitted by Heather
All on the OneDrive Minutes to be approved folder created by Chris today
Dave 8/13 minutes a word issue - change TCP committee - Chair
ntertained a motion and no motion was made. He stated that he coul
ot bring anything unless there was a vote and no motion was put on th
floor.
Dave would move to approve 8/13 as amended. John seconded. Roll call
vote all in favor.
Minutes from June 11th and July 23rd?
Chris motion to approve July 23rd, Dave seconded but has comments.
Committee Appointments - Parks disconnect in words and verbage.
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We overdue requirements for minutes. Bar is low and all meetings are
recording. No necessity to go well beyond. Necessary to get them done.
Jay - the minutes are the official record.
Heather -overdoing it because the official record. Will drop the minutes in
the OneDrive and then send out an email letting everyone know.
OneDrive will document comments and changes on the minutes.
5. Budget History/Discussion
Defer on this to next agenda for Terri's return.
One note from Heather TM discussion - does not require a vote - Peter is
going to reach out to invite the School Department to discuss Fiscal Year
2021 budget to the FinCom next meeting.
6. Committee Reports
Heather S.
Senior Center Sue -doing well financially
$5,000 budget in program lines
August - restarted their community engagement - limited to 10 people in
the facility
COVID Grants for Community Foundation $1,000
Agency for Aging CARES Act for $1,000 which they have used for
Drive through lunches on Wednesdays and Hannaford Gift Cards to be
Grief Support is monthly, yoga chair and bingo.
Long stretch for seniors who may have been isolated.
Purchased all new vinyl chairs and donated all the cloth ones to Habitat
for Humanity.
Fitness in the TCP gym with pickleball.
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review. Made goals.
Capital Planning -
Reviewed the Packets - going out to Department Heads by October 1st to
be returned to TM by the end of October. Next meeting will review
deferred Capital Projects and provide recommendation for STM. Policy
review.
TCP Building Design Committee -
Space and dedicated space review. School Department - has more needs
than was expressed when setting up Administrative Offices.
Superintendent stated if needs cannot be fulfilled at TCP they might
consider moving to another location. Only IF they cannot be worked out
at TCP. Discussion with specialist from architectural and engineering
groups - gave things town would like to see traffic flow of LMHS and TCP.
Peter - has timeline and numbers on TCP been discussed or updated.
Dave - October we should start to see some of the numbers. By STM
seeing substantially dependable numbers for major pieces of the project.
During the winter want to have public input in the project so that by ATM
we can get a yay or nay.
Chris - CP Committee - Complete list of Town Property - when will it be
done? Not just buildings.
John - Hasn't been done for at least 5 years.
Dave - voiced his opinion last year - without a system of tracking the cost
of repairs of an asset cannot really look at comprehensive data collection
other than the basic services.
Heather TM - there was an inventory list done within her tenure. She
would have to look at when it was last updated. This falls under Capital
Planning.
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Peter -
School Committee -
Wednesday - Reopening of School - Building Principal Reports
Reports about Curriculum and PD that occurred during the 10 day
opening delay. Good overview of technologies being leveraged.
Mr. Cassidy did a close out report for FY 2020 as well as a Personnel
Update. He is preparing a closer look of this year and the line item
transfers due to changes.
Open meeting issue with something not posted properly
Saturday meeting - took up the Zoom meeting coordinator.
Custodial Shortage reported at meeting, on social media and in the Ledger.
Chris - outsourcing?
Peter - word on the street - is that they had applicants.
John - new school hiring - replacements or additions?
Peter - Both - shared screen of Mr. Cassidy's personnel report.
6 resignations
8 new hires and/or replacements
Temporary positions created
Districtwide Covid Coordinator - Promoted Nurse
A lot of that will snap back after the current crisis ends.
Always try to replace retirees with replacements that cost less. Imagines
that some of that is going on. Hopefully they can report on that.
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Minutes - Chair kept track of minutes.
Jay - one more the documents sending out to departments for Capital
Requests. Are they going to be available for people to look at.
Heather TM - Google Sheets - can be shared.
Jay would like to review the projects.
7. Public Comment -
Dave Rodgers - Highland Ave
Grants - Police and Fire - could see a whole operating presentation would have
to be made about the body cameras. Need to have an idea of the total cost -and
who would be responsible.
FinCom - analysis of maximum debt limit - what's the status.
Peter - Debt Project - going slower than anticipated. Delay on TCP $Figure.
That is a big part. Expect that on the next agenda and get it back on track. Will
have something to circulate for comment and discussion and report at ATM.
Dave Rodgers - need some sort of a number - realistically expect to fund in
terms of debt and backfill it. When you get qualified for a house the bank tells
you what you can afford - that's what he is looking for. The Passios and THES -
what happens to the buildings that are vacated. How much??
Peter-looking for anticipated costs and spending capacity. We will pursue both.
Heather TM - in addition body cameras part of the grant is to pay for the storage
unit for the data.
Peter - there is clearly a need for policy around this.
Chris - do the police department vehicles have cameras?
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Next meetings October 8 and Public Hearing October 15"
Adjournment
8:38 Dave seconded John roll call unanimous.