===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, June 9, 2022 Location: This meeting was held remotely via Zoom Members present: Chairperson Peter Beardmore, Chris Menard, Dave Passios, Tom Balish, Evan Watters Guests: Town Manager Heather Lemieux, Karen Brochu 1. Call to Order Mr. Beardmore called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and read a statement concerning the Open Meeting Law, and how all public meetings are legally being held remotely. This meeting was recorded and is viewable on YouTube at 2. Announcements: Mr. Beardmore announced a tentative Finance Committee Appointments Committee June 21. There is one vacancy on the Finance Committee. Candlelight vigil to “Stop the Violence” on Friday, June 10 at 6:30 p.m., after another mass shooting took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Volunteer Reception June 16, at 5:30 p.m. at the Eagle House. 3. Public Comment: 4. Chair Report: Mr. Beardmore said he would like to schedule topics of discussion by quarter after several conversations with Select Board Chairperson Michael Ray Jeffries. 5. Town Manager/Finance Director Report: Ms. Lemieux reported that the state will be closing FY22 with a $7 billion surplus. The state senate proposals include a 5.4 percent increase in general government aid, which means $60 minimum per pupil in student aid. There is pending legislation to extend remote meetings into December 2023. There is a bill on the floor that seeks to add up to a 5 percent COLA increase annually to retirement funds. Ms. Lemieux will contact legislators to oppose the increase as the town would have no control over the annual unfunded liability assessment. Another bill on the floor entails community host agreements with cannabis related businesses and the amount of control the state’s Cannabis Control Commission has over those agreements. The MBTA Housing Choice Act could face litigation regarding affordable housing. Ms. Lemieux also reported that the installation of the new IT network equipment has been installed, and all town email has migrated to Microsoft 360, except for the library. Ms. Lemieux also updated the committee on the FY21 capital plan. Monty Tech students were originally scheduled to work on an employee break room in the Ritter Building, but the work was postponed due to staffing vacancies at the school. The project is now slated to start in the fall of 2022. Due to supply chain issues, the DPW has still not received its FY21 requested equipment (6-wheel dump truck, ¾ ton pickup with plow). The Police Department is still waiting on parts for consoles in the police cruisers. Mr. Beardmore inquired how current inflated prices will affect ===PAGE 2=== funds appropriated for FY21. The Architectural Preservation District Committee had to postpone the hearing for the Ritter Building and Town Hall envelope projects because there was no quorum. The hearing is now scheduled for June 26, 2022. The 925 Massachusetts Ave. property will face foreclosure if property owners do not respond to a previously sent notice. Asbestos abatement has been completed on the Town Beach building. End of year funds will contribute to the Town Beach building project. The construction portion of the project is out to bid. Mr. Passios asked for an update on the purchase of streetlights from Unitil. Ms. Lemieux responded that the attorneys are still discussing the terms of the purchase. Unitil has been informed of the non-working streetlights on Lancaster Ave. Mr. Passios also asked about the maintenance plan for the lights after they’re purchased. Ms. Lemieux said that plan is in the queue. Mr. Watters asked why the town would go against the COLA increase for retirees. Mr. Beardmore opined a $7 billion surplus in the state budget should be able to absorb the cost of the increase, noting the relation to the rise in inflation, and pondered whether the town or state should be financially responsible for the increase. 6. Summer Calendar/Topics of discussion: The committee agreed they’d attempt to discuss seven topics over the summer. a. goals regarding procedures and budget presentation recommendations b. fiscal policies (being discussed by Select Board in August 2022) c. debt planning regarding the role of the Finance Committee weighing in on new building projects d. senior tax relief e. document management and migration, along with Open Meeting Law compliance in regard to document accessibility and transparency – Mr. Menard and Mr. Beardmore agreed that the migration to Microsoft 360 will make sharing documents easier than using the former town email system. f. onboarding of new members –Mr. Balish volunteered to work on a “FinCom 101” deck g. Finance Committee role in the Capital Planning process Committee members also discussed inviting state delegation members to another meeting in the 2nd or 3rd quarter. Mr. Menard asked about Mr. Passios’s responsibilities, and how to take care of those moving forward as he will not seek reappointment to the Finance Committee, and his term is finished as of June 30, 2022. Mr. Passios is the vice chair and Finance Committee representative of the Capital Planning Committee, the Green Communities Committee, and the Parks Commission, all through 2023, and has acted as liaison for the Finance Committee. New committee liaisons will be assigned, and a new Finance Committee member will be appointed as of the next meeting July 14. Mr. Beardmore expects to discuss members’ new roles at that first meeting of FY23. The committee agreed not to meet June 23, which made this meeting the last Finance Committee meeting for Mr. Passios. Mr. Passios advised committee members to express their opinions, especially if those opinions oppose the general consensus. ===PAGE 3=== 7. Minutes Mr. Menard motioned to approve the minutes from the May 19, 2022 meeting, Mr. Watters seconded. On vote, motion carried. 4-0-1. 8. Committee Reports Committee members updated each other on their respective liaison assignments. 9. Public Comment Mr. Passios cited the shallow administrative level for the town’s facilities and grounds, as well as DPW, and urged committee members, and members of the public, to be aware of what’s supposed to be being done, and to report any issues or problems until the town can get the depth they need on that administrative level in those departments. Mr. Balish thanked Mr. Passios for his service to the committee and to the town. Mr. Beardmore admitted that his first impression of Mr. Passios was wrong, and that he will miss him on the committee. The conversations, though they disagreed on many issues, were constructive and fair. Mr. Beardmore recognized Mr. Passios for putting in the most time, and work into the committee, and thanked him for serving. Mr. Passios reminded committee members that expressing a dissenting opinion on any board has a very important role in coming to a consensus, and bringing all the possible information to the surface, and to the public. Mr. Passios thanked committee members for their work on the committee. 10. Items for Future Meetings refer to items a-g 11. Next Meetings July 14 12. Adjourn At 8:39 p.m. Mr. Passios motioned to adjourn. Mr. Menard seconded. On vote, motion carried unanimously.