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Christopher Menard
David Passios
Jay Simeone
Evan Watters
Lunenburg Finance Committee
December 10, 2020
Location:
Present:
Zoom Virtual Meeting
Terrri Burchfield, Dave Passios, Jay Simeone, Chris Menard, Evan
Watters, Heather Sroka
Absent:
Peter Beardmore
1. Call to Order
Terri Burchfield, 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=jSOVTrqv66U6:30
2. Chair Report
Terri welcomed the newest member of the committee Mr. Evan Watters. Evan
not yet on the meeting. He received the info because both Terri and Heather sent
him a copy of the agenda.
Terri thanked Chris for putting all the documents in the OneDrive. This makes it
very easy to access materials for the meetings.
Taking the Meeting Minutes out of order - from October 8th - 3 hour meeting.
Holding off on approving the minutes until the next meeting.
Budget calendar forwarded to the members/
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Does anyone have any suggestions tor the next siM! No comments.
5. Town Contracts
Terri - potential discussion around approving the Contracts going forward -
seemed like getting bogged down in the % increase. Unsure if the Town is even
interested. However, to Terri it's not a Cost of Living adjustment if it's not
attached to a COLA indicator. She would prefer to see the Town develop a policy
in setting up contracts that there is no play in those numbers - regardless of the
union you belong to the Town votes a COLA in advance based on what the cost of
living index is during a particular period for a particular time. Then any
contracted employee of the Town would get that increase.
Heather S. asked if this would be for the schools too or just on the Town side?
Terri and Jay said it should be across the board.
Terri could be reading it wrong and it's not really a Cost of Living adjustment. To
her it would just be interesting to take it out of the negotiations in terms of
working conditions and focus on the other things.
Any thoughts on that?
Dave - Ask Heather if she remembers - Contracted Teachers - 8 or 9 years ago
during an economic turndown. 3 year contract did not give the teachers what
they deserved. One year contracts no necessary and should have been negotiated
as 3 years as best we could. Puts us in a dangerous position to keep negotiating
contracts.
Heather S. - Don't think the Schools see this as a COLA - they see it as the
increase for the year. They call it a COLA but don't think that's how it's viewed by
the District. Legal fees for the schools was $62,000 - wonder how much of that
can be attributed to the cost of negotiations. This year they continue to tweek the
contracts to get them to synchronized learning.
Heather L. Agrees with Heather S. even though it's a COLA every year it's
universally called that in towns through negotiations it is more of a wage
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people in bad times.
Heather - we'll add that to the financial forecast to see the effect on the budget.
Terri - Welcomed Evan again. Asked if he went to the OneDrive to see the
documents that are shared. Looked at a bunch but not all. Prepare to discuss the
fiscal policies. Off Budget info should be in there too.
6. Town Manager Report
Will provide the same updates she provided to the SB
December 1st Meeting
Police Chief
Was awarded $8,000 Risk Management Grant for Upgrade of Software and
additional Cameras for the evidence room entryway.
Also received $34,400 for the Justice Assistance Grant for the body cameras
He has already implemented a policy with the union on the regarding the use of
the cameras.
$9,800 for the Click It or Ticket Grant
Chris - What is that grant used for?
Heather - enforcement of seatbelt use.
Dave - Cost of camera storage. He believed it was a $700 figure. What is the
figure?
Heather - that was part of the grant amount - there would be ongoing
maintenance costs in the $1,000 - $2,000 range.
Chris - Does the policy cover storage - length of time?
Heather - more of the use - when they are suppose to be on or off
Dave - Believes there are statutory requirements for storage time.
Heather - Correct
$10,000 Donation from Rich and MaryEllen Letarte for the use of purchasing
remote learning devices with the remainder to go to the local food bank.
The School was informed and will be using it to purchase Chromebooks.
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The marked PD Cruiser has been received
The ACO vehicle was at port in Spain and the expected delivery date is in January
The Senior Center front entrance underway
Public Safety Carport design underway - bid for a Feb Spring Construction Start
December 8th Updates -
Given notification on December 5t' that tax rate was approved at $17.74 per
$1,000
Purchase of the Streetlights - contacted Unitil after the STM - need a Formal
Letter of Intent to proceed - has been submitted with a request for updated $ to
purchase the Streetlights.
Community Development Block Grant - Part of regional - Small grants up to
$10,000 for businesses with no more than 5 employees.
Going into the Budget Development Process TM Priorities -
Continuation of the Fire and Police Long Term Plans
Additional IT Support for School and Town
Grant Funds used to Recycling Coordinator and Minutes Clerk for those
committees without one
Facilities - possible changes to facilities budget
Non-personnel -
Worcester County Retirement Assessment and other insurance
Storm Water Engineering Costs related to MS4 Permits
Back on track with Pavement Management within the budget
Health Insurance - active insurance increase of 3% budget
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PPE - not substantial. No surprise costs.
Dave - asked Heather any questions with legislatures for money sitting in bonds
earmarked for Capital Projects -
$25,000 Budget earmark for school fire alarm system upgrade
$100,000 Firefighter Gear - previous years waiting to be released from the bond
7. Committee Reports
Chris last Open Space meeting-
Right of First Refusal part of Flat Hill Orchard on Flat Hill Road
As part of policy and planning should we start to set up special reserve funds for
property such as this that might become available - if we had money set aside, we
would have the base to purchase. We tend to get into compressed time frames
when property comes on the market.
Is there a way to set up a reserve fund for this type of situation?
Terri - I think it would have to be a revolving fund a reserve fund requires a
Town Vote.
Chris - you could advise which fund is appropriate but is there a way to set
money aside that would be available in a timely manner for property purchases
such as the one for part of the Flat Hill Orchard property.
Heather - would have to think on that a little. The conservation commission has
accounts available. As part of the operational budget - she has never seen
anything like that.
Terri - Community Preservation Act - Committee charged with oversight of the
funds. State funding match and grants.
Heather - monies coming out of CPA for a project still require a Town vote at
Town Meeting.
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Heather - not sure that would be something that could be done.
Dave - CPA - any revenues collected and deposited into that account have to be
divided into certain allocations within the Act. Back when the MSHS funding
was happening - finances were pretty stable - why can't we set up a savings
account to help offset this very expensive school? Both sides can and can't be
done were heard. If there's a will there's a way - if you know the process and
talk to the right people.
Terri - I think if there is way to do it Brandon Kibbe would know it!!
Chris - Brandon was part of the discussion and he thought there was a way. This
is part of the character of the Town agricultural. Is there some type of account
that could be set up for land - like there is for the fire trucks.
Dave -if the account was tied to a percent of a revenue source. Like the
pavement management plan with the excise tax.
Dave -
Capital Planning - was canceled because the link was bad.
TCP - in process - signed off on uses of the building and the adjacencies.
Meeting with Departments around fixtures and amenities for the areas- going
back to the Committee with updates. Will have the figure for renovation after
January 1st, The goal is to present an Article at Town Meeting with a proposal
and a monetary figure for the project cost.
Parks -
Set a schedule for youth sports rates for the next season.
Marshall Park Project reviewed
Joint Meeting with the Select Board held to fill the seat - Appointment of Ana
Lockwood - now have a full commission.
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Chris - TCP - how far in advance of TM could we see info?
Dave - unsure - made calendar backwards from date. Hope to provide the
public with enough info on the project.
What is a reasonable cost for this project - Combo discussion between the Town
Manager and the Committee. Hoping sooner rather than later.
Warrant articles are due by Mid-March. Would like to figure to be in the warrant
article rather than a tbd at a later date.
Terri - Chris - have you had a change to look at what a Matrox would look like?
Chris - that one pager like from Northboro would be good. Have to look at the
effects on other town buildings, operating costs over time. This would make
Town Hall and other buildings vacant?
Terri - Town Hall and Ritter would be vacant.
Dave - unsure of the Brooks building.
Heather L. - doesn't recall seeing an office for the Facilities Director on the plan.
Heather S. - skate park is there a figure they've raised and what is there time
frame?
Dave - they believe they'll be ready two years from now with funding.
Heather L. - they've raised $63,000 so far.
Heather S. - how much do they need?
Dave - park of the problem is the tug of war in the size of the skatepark - 5,000
- 10,000 square feet - push back for the appropriate size for a Town this size.
Heather S. - is the Parks Department going to maintain the skate park?
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Select Board - correct?
Dave - Skate Park was asking for property in front of Passios. However, this
property is under care and custody of schools. Most of the property is behind and
to the right of the playground. The Passios property is near the gate.
Heather L. - these are the locations they brought to the Select Board.
Heather S. - I remember this - the school has not given them permission to be
on either of the school properties?
Heather L. - Turkey Hill correct - not given permission. Land they requested is
within the propertline of the transfer from the School to the Town.
Dave - listened to the entire meeting and was not what was approved at the
Select Board meeting.
Chris - has assessors map been updated?
Heather L. - survey work was part of TCP project - if project goes forward yet.
Has not happened yet.
Dave - assessors map land under the TCP is property of the Schools.
Terri - Chris's point the Assessors Map is not up to date.
Dave - Boundaries that the TCP Project is working with are the ones used for the
MSHS project.
Terri - the transfer has occurred. Basically just getting the property lines up.
Chris - What would people like to see on the rubric for large property projects?
Financial impacts - since we are Fin Com.
Terri - Bond rating, what the effective rate of borrowing, the length of the
borrowing, the effect on the tax rate, cost of heating, solar panels, energy
efficiency.
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until the role is filled. It Evan is not ready - she will continue.
Evan - will take up that role as liaison for Police and Fire.
Terri - asked Damon to come and discuss Capital Planning Fiscal policies.
Dave - will probably move forward with this in January. Unrealistic for the
current fiscal year Cap Planning is working on but possible for the FY 22.
Public Comment -
None
Motion to Adjourn - Dave motioned Jay seconded - all in favor. 8:26 p.m.