# finance-committee — 24 documents, concatenated for reading and search # # This is a CONVENIENCE BUNDLE, not a source. Every document below is # published separately and byte-identically; cite the individual file, # whose path is given in each header, rather than this bundle. # Index of all boards: https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/minutes/INDEX.txt # The town's own scanned original is linked per document. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-08-agenda-7210.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-05-08 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-05-08-agenda-7210.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05082025-7210 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, May 8, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392. From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. New Business a. Post Annual Town Meeting discussion and recommendations b. FY27 budget process and improvements c. Summer schedule and focus areas 7. Old Business a. 2025 Budget Task Force Recommendations 8. Minutes (3/27, 4/3, 4/24) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Town Election, May 17 7:00-5:00 b. Fincom Meeting, May 22 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-08-minutes-7210.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-05-08 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-05-08-minutes-7210.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05082025-7210 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall May 8, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell (Zoom), Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone (Zoom) 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment Ana Lockwood was contacted by a vendor partaking in the fair on Saturday. They are in need of volunteers for the dunk tank and are inquiring with Boards and Commissions for participants. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports for the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. New Business a. Post Annual Town Meeting discussion and recommendations Chris Menard thanked everyone on the Committee for their work and completing the budget season. Tom Gray felt the moderator did a great job and there were no issues with technology. There are upcoming elections, and he is encouraging everyone to vote. Jean Russell heard from several residents that the three large expensive articles were overwhelming. She suggests staggering or breaking down articles into multiple town meetings. Jay Simeone agrees and states it is difficult to pass any additional money articles with the severe budgetary impact of the schools. b. FY27 budget process and improvements ===PAGE 2=== Chris Menard confirms the school committee selected the new Superintendent, Dr. Jodi Fortuna. All interviews are available online for review. Chris Menard believes budgeting should be an all-year process and not completed within a few months. Additionally, department heads should have their presentations in February and march. Chris Menard suggests the Committee should review if self-sustained programs are truly self-sustained. Tanya Dall suggests holding preliminary budget presentations starting in the fall. She suggests creating a template with a budget tool for all departments to utilize for presentations. Tom Gray suggests that the Town Manager ask departments to start working on their budget for FY27 now. A general calculation should be made and there are variables that can be determined in advance. Chris Menard confirms there are categories that are predictable including new growth, salary, and Chapter 7. c. Summer schedule and focus areas Tanya Dall suggests inviting the Town Manager and the new Superintendent of Schools to the next meeting to inquire about what they would like to see in the future. The Committee agrees to hold one meeting for the months of June and July. Chris Menard will speak to the Town Manager and inquire about having a meeting with the new Superintendent once her contract is complete and she is on board. Chris Menard also suggests holding meetings over Zoom. 7. Old Business a. 2025 Budget Task Force Recommendations Chris Menard pulled together debt projections and suggested members’ review the data. There needs to be discussions about turkey hill renovations versus a re-build and the future of the Brooks House. Tom Gray suggests selling the Brooks House as a house as opposed to commercial office space. Ana Lockwood states the historical preservation committee needs to act and make a decision. ===PAGE 3=== 8. Minutes (3/27, 4/3, 4/24) Tanya Dall expressed that she is not accustomed to the way the minutes are written. Chris Menard suggests speaking to the Town Manager to create consistency. There was a motion to approve the minutes from March 27, 2025, April 3, 2025, and April 24, 2025, by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. 9. Committee Reports Tom Gray states he is unsure if the Municipal Building Design Committee will remain because of the vote against recommendation. He hopes that the Select Board will ask the Committee to continue their work or create a new committee. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Tanya Dall is requesting a meeting with the Town manager and the new School Superintendent. There will be a review of Committee assignments. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Town Election, May 17 7:00-5:00 b. Fincom Meeting, May 22 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 8:03 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-06-12-agenda-7273.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-06-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-06-12-agenda-7273.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06122025-7273 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, June 12, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=82150974781. From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 766 316 7607. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. New Business a. Tri-Committee for budget development – plan, schedule and discussion b. Analysis of historical school budget data 7. Old Business a. None 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-06-12-minutes-7273.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-06-12 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-06-12-minutes-7273.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06122025-7273 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall June 12, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell (Zoom), Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Committee Member Tanya Dall 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Ana Lockwood states that the farmers market starts tomorrow and will take place next to the TCP building. The dates are as follows: June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12 from 4PM to 7PM. Jay Simeone states there will be a meeting on Monday night at 6PM regarding the MBTA communities. Public input and location discussion is encouraged. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports The finance director will be delivering the quarter 3 financial report to the Select Board at their meeting on June 17. There was a discussion about the financial policies that were drafted by the Division of Local Services last year. The policies are awaiting approval from the community. Chris Menard recalls previous discussion about taking approval in increments due to the length. 6. New Business a. Tri-Committee for budget development – plan, schedule and discussion The School Committee and Select Board have been suggesting the creation of a new committee specifically focused on budget development. There will be an initial meeting with the Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee. ===PAGE 2=== Jennifer Warren-Dyment has received feedback from the Committee regarding the FY27 budget cycle. The first meeting will be in July to explore consolidation and efficiencies particularly around the school and town. An additional discussion will revolve around the request to standardize the budget presentations, forms, and flow of materials. Presentations from department heads will start in august. The Committee will be looking for the FY27 requests and a 3-year projection. The anticipated schedule is: August: Human services, health services, and health insurance expenditures. September: Public Safety, DPW Facilities October: School budget presentation, general government, unclassified departmental expenditure, and debt services November: Drafted summary of Town and School and FY 27 to FY 29 projections December: Revenue hearing is held by the state in advance of the Governor releasing their budget. Chris Menard states there will be a time limit for presentations with a hard stop. Ana Lockwood suggests that any time spent on budget projections is a waste of time due to the lack of good budget processes. Some of the Committee members disagree and believe projections are very important. Tom Gray states with the proposed schedule there will be enough time allotted in case further discussion is needed. Mike Rupp inquires if there is a conflict with the 3 departments and favoritism because they are a part of the Board. He believes there may be perception that the School Board and department heads are being given more leniency or say in the matter. The Town Manager disagrees and sees this as an opportunity to try and collaborate. b. Analysis of historical school budget data Ana Lockwood has been working on a deep dive of the data. She provided a spreadsheet and states the largest line item with the School Department is staffing. Ana Lockwood has requested staffing information and enrollment for the past 5 years. ===PAGE 3=== There are issues with finance management and the inability to see where grant money and revolving funds are being moved and spent. Chris Menard suggests looking at overall trends and risk management associated. Tom Gray believes there is a lot of information that the Committee doesn’t have but there may be a good reason why. Ana Lockwood will continue to share the data that she receives. 7. Old Business a. None 8. Minutes There were no minutes to approve. 9. Committee Reports Tom Gray confirms that the Municipal Building Design Committee met with the Select Board to discuss the next steps. This includes possibly creating a new committee or dropping it all together. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings - Budget request forms - Policies 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings The next meeting is scheduled for July 10, 2025. 12. Public Comment Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street, doesn’t agree with the Tri-Committee and believes there will be too many people. There is also concern with the schools not being overly cooperative about providing financial data. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 8:20 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-07-08-agenda-7295.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-07-08 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-07-08-agenda-7295.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07082025-7295 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Tuesday, July 8, 2025 7:00 PM Eagle House 25 Memorial Dr, Lunenburg, MA Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and may be broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. This meeting is being conducted as three concurrent committee meetings of the Lunenburg Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. New Business a. Tri-Board Ground Rules Adoption b. Discussions on consolidations, efficiencies, and timeline c. Discussions on Departmental Growth d. Specific Requests from Tri-Board e. Financial Management / Best Practices 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings - August 26, September 30, October 14, November 12, December 9, January 13 b. Finance Committee – July 10 5. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings c) The agenda has a lot of material so Public Comment periods have not been included. Please feel free to reach out with comments to members of Finance Committee or make Public Comments at future Finance Committee Meetings. Email addresses for Finance Committee members may be found at the following link: https://lunenburgma.gov/252/Finance- Committee ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-07-08-minutes-7295.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-07-08 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-07-08-minutes-7295.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_07082025-7295 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Meeting of the Tri-Board, July 8, 2025 Eagle House, 25 Memorial Drive Note: References to the Tri-Board in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board Select Board Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod (Absent- Vice Chair Amada Moore) School Committee Members Present: Chairperson Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chairperson Laura Brzozoski, Secretary Mandy Gilman, Member Emily Young, Member George Yapp Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Member Jay Simeone, Member Tanya Dall, Member Ana Lockwood (Absent- Clerk Tom Gray and Member Mike Rupp) Tri-Board Moderator: Tim Murphy, Town Moderator Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Superintendent Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Finance Director Ezequiel Ayala TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Tim Murphy, who served as Moderator. He asked everyone to stand and address the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. After the Pledge, Mr. Murphy invited each Chair to officially open their respective meetings and introduce their members. Caesar Nuzzolo, chair of the Select Board, called their meeting to order at 7:01 PM and introduced Renee Emkey, Glenn McLeod and Brian Lehtinen. School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene introduced Laura Brzozoski, Mandy Gilman, Emily Young, and George Yapp. Chris Menard, Chair of the Finance Committee, introduced members Ana Lockwood, Jean Russell, Tanya Dall, and Jay Simeone. Mr. Murphy introduced himself as the facilitator for the meeting, mentioning that he had been asked by some members and the Town Manager to help moderate the discussion. He asked if anyone objected to his role, and no objections were raised. I. NEW BUSINESS Tri-Board Ground Rules Adoption Mr. Murphy referred to the ground rules that had been sent out via email, noting that he preferred to call them "guiding principles". He mentioned that the Select Board had already voted to approve these rules. When asked if anyone wanted to discuss the guiding principles, no questions, comments, or concerns were raised. Mr. Murphy highlighted that one particularly important rule was the "hard stop" at 10 o'clock, which was agreed upon by all. ===PAGE 2=== Discussions on Departmental Growth: Presentation on Fourth Shift by Fire Chief Patrick Sullivan Fire Chief Patrick Sullivan gave a presentation on a proposal to add a fourth shift in the Fire Department. Chief Sullivan provided a historical overview of the Department's staffing, noting the transition over the decades from an on-call system to the current career staffing model. He explained the increasing call volume, particularly in medical calls, and the challenges faced in staffing, especially on Sundays. He explained the proposal of moving to a 4-shift cycle, changing the work week from 48 hours to 42 hours. This would add a fourth shift of 3 Firefighters, providing full-time coverage 7 days a week. He estimated the cost at $464,369.26, which included the salaries for three new Firefighter/Paramedics, expected increases in overtime and holiday pay, and the creation of one new officer position for the new shift. Members asked clarifying questions relative to call volume, forced shifts, and overtime. Discussions on consolidations, efficiencies, and timeline Members engaged in a free-form, broad discussion on potential consolidations and efficiencies across Departments. Several ideas were proposed and discussed:  Facilities Department: There was discussion about potentially combining the town and school facilities departments. While some saw potential for better efficiency and cost savings others expressed concerns about the different needs of schools versus town buildings. Members acknowledged that this proposal may not save in the operating budget, it may save in the long run for the town properties. Particular concerns were raised about prioritizing snow removal and the need to open safely open the schools during the winter months. Mr. Sculimbrene explained that extending the school year due to winter closure beyond a certain date can be particularly costly to the district. Members showed support for consolidating facilities-related vendors for service contracts. Ms. Lockwood commented on the utility of having shared equipment so that there is not double the service and maintenance costs. Dr. Fortuna commented on the importance of having a nimble facilities team.  Legal Services: Mr. Sculimbrene suggested hiring an in-house lawyer, stating he believed it would yield savings. Ms. Warren-Dyment explained the fee structure for Town Counsel and explained the services provided by Counsel. Mr. Sculimbrene explained the ways in which the schools used their law firm.  IT Services: The group briefly discussed the possibility of combining IT services, though some members expressed reservations based on past experiences. The idea of leveraging combined purchasing power for both the town and schools was discussed, particularly for items like software licenses and equipment.  Trash Enterprise: The group discussed how the trash and the recycling program operate, with half of the program being supported by taxation and the other half being supported by the bag fees. The Town Manager explained that shifting the entire program into an enterprise makes the program self-sustaining but is just a cost shifting to the residents.  Human Resources: There was interest in exploring the consolidation of certain HR functions between the town and schools. There are certain consolidations already in place, such as benefits administration.  Health Insurance: Health Insurance was briefly discussed, but it was stated the topic is on the agenda for the next meeting.  Procurement: Mr. Ayala recommended exploring a joint procurement/purchasing department and shared finance staff, such as grant and contract manager. ===PAGE 3=== The group agreed to continue exploring these ideas in future meetings, with Jennifer Warren- Dyment, the Town Manager, noting that some of these consolidations might not be feasible until future fiscal years due to the complexities involved. Discussions on Departmental Growth: The discussion on departmental growth primarily focused on the school department's needs. Mr. Sculimbrene highlighted the importance of expanding the number of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to help keep special education students in-district, which is both beneficial for all students and more cost-effective for the town. Dr. Jodi Fortuna, the new superintendent, mentioned the potential impact of losing certain federal grants (Title 2A, Title 4A, and Title 3) on the school budget. She also noted that hiring a competent business manager was a priority for improving fiscal management in the school department. For other departments, there was mention of potentially making the Parks and Recreation director position full-time. The Fire Department's proposed fourth shift was also noted as a growth area. Specific Requests from Tri-Board Members discussed future meeting locations and whether there would be public comment at meetings. There was general consensus that once the Tri-Board is further along in the process, they would consider listening tours or feedback sessions and that public comment could be given during the meetings of the individual member boards. Financial Management / Best Practices Ms. Lockwood raised concerns about financial management practices, particularly regarding revolving accounts and budget presentations. She emphasized the need for all revolving accounts to have a budget, even if they are not town meeting revolving accounts, to prevent negative balances from going unnoticed. The group discussed the need for standardized budget presentations across departments and the implementation of best financial practices. Ms. Warren-Dyment mentioned that the town had received grant funding to complete an update of financial best practices, which was currently in draft form. Members agreed to work on prioritizing and implementing these best practices, with Ms. Lockwood and Ezequiel Ayala, the Finance Director, taking the lead on identifying high- priority practices to deploy urgently. The group discussed the need for more transparent and comprehensive budget presentations, particularly from the school department. There were requests for:  A more digestible budget format  Inclusion of grant money in budget presentations  Clear explanations for significant year-to-year changes in budget items  A 3-5 year projection of staffing and budget needs for each department Mr. Lehtinen emphasized the need for better communication between the Finance Committee and the superintendent in preparation for school budget presentations. ===PAGE 4=== IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS The dates for future meetings will be recirculated and having future meetings at Town Hall to allow for live broadcasting and increased transparency. ADJOURN At 9:32 PM, the chairs of each board moved to adjourn their respective meetings. Motion to adjourn the Select Board meeting. Moved by: Clerk Emkey. Seconded by: Member Lehtinen. The motion passed unanimously. Motion to adjourn the School Committee meeting. Moved by: Chair Sculimbrene. Seconded by: Secretary Gilman. The motion passed unanimously. Motion to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting. Moved by: Member Lockwood. Seconded by: Member Dall. The motion passed unanimously. Minute Approval Minutes approved at the meeting of August 26, 2025 Select Board Motion to approve the meeting minutes of July 8, 2025. Moved by: Seconded by: The motion passed unanimously. School Committee Motion to approve the meeting minutes of July 8, 2025. Moved by: Seconded by: The motion passed unanimously. Finance Committee Motion to approve the meeting minutes of July 8, 2025. Moved by: Seconded by: The motion passed unanimously. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-07-10-agenda-7296.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-07-10 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-07-10-agenda-7296.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07102025-7296 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, July 10, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. New Business a. Tri Board Topics for Finance Committee Deliberations i. Tri-Board Ground Rules Adoption ii. Discussions on consolidations, efficiencies, and timeline iii. Discussions on Departmental Growth iv. Specific Requests from Tri-Board v. Financial Management / Best Practices b. Budget Request Forms and Dept Briefing expectations c. Town Finance Policies 7. Old Business a. Analysis of historical school budget data 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings - August 26, Sept 30, Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – July 24 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-07-10-minutes-7296.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-07-10 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-07-10-minutes-7296.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_07102025-7296 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall July 10, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone, Committee Member Tanya Dall 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. New Business a. Tri Board Topics for Finance Committee Deliberations i. Tri-Board Ground Rules Adoption ii. Discussions on consolidations, efficiencies, and timeline iii. Discussions on Departmental Growth iv. Specific Requests from Tri-Board v. Financial Management / Best Practices The first Tri-Board meeting was held on July 8, 2025, and concluded after roughly 2 and a half hours. The meeting is available to view via Zoom. b. Budget Request Forms and Dept Briefing expectations This topic was discussed briefly at the Tri-Board meeting on Tuesday. The Town Manager stated the Town will soon be using ClearGov. Ana Lockwood suggests creating a template customized for every department’s unique set of data. This could also be utilized for the school department as they have similar departments. ===PAGE 2=== Tanya Dall suggests the program/portal implemented should allow the Committee to set the data they are looking to review. c. Town Finance Policies The Committee is going to review the 90-page policy that was put together with a grant by the Division of Local Services. After review and a vote by the Finance Committee it will then be submitted to the Select Board to vote. Ana Lockwood suggests discussing the policy document in portions throughout upcoming meetings. Chris Menard suggests having a general discussion about the first 42 pages at the next meeting. 7. Old Business a. Analysis of historical school budget data Ana Lockwood thanked Tony Sculumbrine for putting her in touch with the previous superintendent. Ana Lockwood had a meeting and requested all historical data. Additionally, Ana Lockwood did receive a response from the new superintendent, and they intend to have a meeting. Tanya Dall is concerned that the schools don’t have a finance manager and inquires if the town finance director could step in until someone is hired. Ana Lockwood states a consultant was hired for the schools for several months after their finance director left. 8. Minutes There was a motion to approve the minutes from May 8, 2025, and June 12, 2025, by Ana Lockwood, seconded by T om Gray. The vote was 6-0-1. 9. Committee Reports Tom Gray states that the Municipal Building Design Committee met and had a joint meeting with the Select Board. There was discussion about the next steps for the Ritter building and the Town Hall renovation as they did not pass. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings The Committee members are going to read the first 42 pages of the town finance policy document in preparation for the next meeting. Upcoming actions for future meetings include discussing the budget season schedule and reorganization of Committee assignments. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings - August 26, Sept 30, Oct14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – July 24 ===PAGE 3=== 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by T anya Dall, seconded by Ana Lockwood. The meeting closed at 7:42 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-07-24-agenda-7319.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-07-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-07-24-agenda-7319.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07242025-7319 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. New Business a. Town Finance Policies review and discussion b. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. Human Services ii. Culture and Recreation iii. Health Services iv. Health Insurance 7. Old Business a. Budget Request Forms b. Tri-Board Meetings c. Analysis of historical school budget data 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –Aug 26, Sept 30, Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – Aug 14, Aug 28 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-07-24-minutes-7319.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-07-24 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-07-24-minutes-7319.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_07242025-7319 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall July 24, 2025 Present Members: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone, Committee Member Tanya Dall Absent Members: Chair Chris Menard, Committee Member Ana Lockwood 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. New Business a. Town Finance Policies review and discussion Majority of the Committee reviewed the finance policies document. Tanya Dall believes the policies seem to be standard and enjoys that it includes a forecasting element. b. Upcoming Tri-Board T opics i. Human Services ii. Culture and Recreation iii. Health Services iv. Health Insurance 7. Old Business a. Budget Request Forms The budget season is anticipated to start in October. b. Tri-Board Meetings c. Analysis of historical school budget data ===PAGE 2=== 8. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 9. Committee Reports Tom Gray states that the Municipal Building Design Committee met with the Select Board, and the Committee is going to continue. Their next goal is to find a way to renovate the Ritter building while being within budget. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –Aug 26, Sept 30, Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – Aug 14, Aug 28 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tom Gray. All in favor. The meeting closed at 7:53 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-14-agenda-7344.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-08-14 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-08-14-agenda-7344.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08142025-7344 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, Aug 14, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business a. Town Finance Policies review and discussion b. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. Human Services ii. Culture and Recreation iii. Health Services iv. Health Insurance 7. Old Business a. Budget Request Forms b. Tri-Board Meetings c. Analysis of historical school budget data 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –Aug 26, Sept 30, Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – Sept 11 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-14-minutes-7344.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-08-14 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-08-14-minutes-7344.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08142025-7344 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== ===PAGE 2=== ===PAGE 3=== ===PAGE 4=== ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-26-agenda-7361.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-08-26 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-08-26-agenda-7361.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08262025-7361 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Tuesday, August 26, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. New Business a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: Human Services (Health Services, COA, Veterans) Culture and Recreation (Band Concerts, Library, and Historical Commission) Health Insurance b. Review and Approve Minutes of July 8, 2025 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings - September 30, October 14, November 12, December 9, January 13 b. Finance Committee – September 11 5. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings c) The agenda has a lot of material so Public Comment periods have not been included. Please feel free to reach out with comments to members of Finance Committee or make Public Comments at future Finance Committee Meetings. Email addresses for Finance Committee members may be found at the following link: https://lunenburgma.gov/252/Finance- Committee ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-26-minutes-7361.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-08-26 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-08-26-minutes-7361.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08262025-7361 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Meeting of the Tri-Board, August 26, 2025 Town Hall, 17 Main Street and Zoom Note: References to the Tri-Board in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board Select Board Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Clerk Renee Emkey (via Zoom), Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod (Absent- Vice Chair Amada Moore) School Committee Members Present: Chairperson Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chairperson Laura Brzozoski (left meeting at 8:29 p.m.), Secretary Mandy Gilman (left meeting at 9:02 p.m.), Member George Yapp (Absent- Member Emily Young) Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Member Tanya Dall, Member Ana Lockwood (Absent- Vice Chair Jean Russell, Member Jay Simeone, and Member Mike Rupp) Tri-Board Moderator: Tim Murphy, Town Moderator Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Superintendent Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Finance Director Ezequiel Ayala, and School Business Manager Christopher McNamara TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Tim Murphy, who served as Moderator. He asked everyone to stand and address the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Murphy provided an overview of the open meeting law requirements, noting that the meeting was being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. After the Pledge, Mr. Murphy invited each Chair to officially open their respective meetings and introduce their members. School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene called the meeting of the School Committee to order and announced that Member Emily Young would be absent. Caesar Nuzzolo, chair of the Select Board, called their meeting to order at 7:04 PM with Renee Emkey (via Zoom), Glenn McLeod and Brian Lehtinen also present. Chris Menard, Chair of the Finance Committee, called the meeting of the Finance Committee to order with Tom Gray, Ana Lockwood, and Tanya Dall present. I. NEW BUSINESS a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories Human Services, COA Debra Goodsell, Adult Activity Center Director, presented the preliminary budget for the Lunenburg Adult Activity Center. She outlined the COA's mission, FY25 statistics, recent ===PAGE 2=== kitchen renovations, program breakdowns, sources of outside funds, budget numbers, organizational chart, FY27 goals, and budget requests. Ms. Goodsell reported that in FY25, there were 13,931 check-ins at the center, with 1,185 unduplicated individuals and the center averaged 47-51 visitors per day. She highlighted the recent kitchen renovation, which was completed on budget in two months and now includes a commercial-grade setup that passed inspection. Ms. Goodsell detailed the wide range of programs offered at the Center including regular programming and special holiday events. Transportation services through MART served 42 individuals, while outreach services helped 396 individuals with various needs. The center also delivered 4,748 Meals on Wheels to 41 individuals and served 2,417 on-site meals to 268 individuals. Ms. Goodsell discussed outside funding sources, including donations through the Select Board, $10,000 annually from the Eagle House supporters, and a state formula grant of $46,800 based on the senior population. For the FY27 budget, Ms. Goodsell proposed staffing changes, including creating a new Program Coordinator position and changing the Outreach Worker role to an Assistant Director position. She estimated a total budgetary increase of $8,000, which includes these changes. During the discussion, committee members raised questions about the proposed staffing changes, the process for implementing them, and the potential impact on current staff. Ms. Goodsell clarified that the changes would not take effect until July 1st of the next fiscal year and that the Outreach Position would be absorbed into the new Assistant Director role. Culture and Recreation, Library Muir Haman, Director of the Lunenburg Public Library, presented the preliminary budget for the Library. He provided an overview of the library's mission, usage statistics, anticipated budget for FY27, outside funding sources, and state certification requirements. Mr. Haman reported that in FY25, the library had 68,000 visitors, a 4% increase from the previous year. The library offered 410 programs with 6,700 attendees. Physical item circulation was 77,543, while electronic resource circulation jumped to 34,363 items. The library's FY27 budget request was $671,142, which includes salaries, materials, utilities, and other core services. Mr. Haman explained the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) certification requirements, including the municipal appropriation requirement and materials expenditure requirement. Mr. Haman also addressed potential staffing changes, including the upcoming retirement of the children's librarian and the need for additional support in various areas. He presented a three-year staffing growth plan, which includes adding a specialized programming services librarian and increasing hours for existing positions. He discussed the library's membership in the Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing (CWMARS) network, which allows resource sharing among 150+ ===PAGE 3=== libraries. The annual assessment for this membership is expected to increase to the full membership fee of $8,000 in FY27. The presentation concluded with a discussion of federal funding uncertainties and their potential impact on library services. Mr. Haman noted that some databases previously provided by the state had been discontinued, requiring the library to purchase them directly. Committee members asked questions about the library's trust funds and database usage tracking. Health Insurance Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment presented an overview of the town's health insurance costs. She explained that the FY26 health insurance budget is $3,298,520, which represents 7% of the total budget. This figure does not include school active employees but does cover town active employees and all retirees. Ms. Warren-Dyment explained that Town Meeting had accepted MGL Chapter 32B, Section 19 in 2008 which requires a written agreement between the Town and the Public Employee Committee (PEC) which requires the Town to have contracts with health insurance carrier(s) in accordance with the Agreement. She also discussed the structure of the Public Employee Committee (PEC) and its role in negotiating health insurance plans. Mary Foyle, Chair of the PEC, stated that it been four years since there had been negotiations and discussed some of the prior areas that have been explored for const containment. Ms. Warren-Dyment detailed the current health insurance plans being offered, the enrollment figures, and cost history. The town participates in a health insurance trust through the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Agency (MIIA), which includes over 160 cities and towns. She explained that recent years have seen significant increases in premiums, with FY26 seeing a 14.8% increase. Ms. Warren-Dyment discussed potential alternatives such as exploring alternative providers like the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) and enhancing the current opt-out program and potential changes to make it more attractive. School Committee Secretary Mandy Gilman announced she needed to leave the meeting due to family obligations during the discussion. With lack of quorum, Chair Sculimbrene moved to adjourn the meeting of the School Committee. Seconded by Clerk Gilman. The motion passed unanimously at 9:02 p.m. Mr. Sculimbrene and Mr. Yapp remained for the remainder of the meeting. citing family obligations). Ms. Warren-Dyment projected a potential over a million-dollar increase in health insurance costs over the next three fiscal years if current trends continue. Committee members engaged in a discussion about potential strategies to manage these increasing costs. They discussed revisiting the opt-out program to make it more financially appealing. They also discussed considering changes to plan designs, such as increasing deductibles. Ms. Warren-Dyment emphasized that any significant changes would require careful consideration and negotiation with the PEC and various stakeholders. ===PAGE 4=== Human Services, Health Services Ms. Warren-Dyment presented the preliminary budget for Health Services (Board of Health). The total human services budget, which includes the Council on Aging and Veterans Services, is under half a million dollars, with the Health Services budget at $126,000 for FY26. Ms. Warren-Dyment explained that the Board of Health consists of five elected members responsible for formulating and enforcing local rules and regulations affecting public health. They are supported by a 32-hour per week administrative assistant and receive services from the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, which serves 15 other local communities. The preliminary budget projections show a relatively level budget with a 6.51% increase or $8,200. This includes contractual increases for staff and assumes a 10% increase for Nashoba Boards of Health and Nashoba Nursing services. Ms. Warren-Dyment noted that Nashoba has experienced recent staffing difficulties, which may impact future budgets. She also mentioned a potential staff retirement in the next 0-5 years and upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations for FY27. Human Services, Veterans Ms. Warren-Dyment presented the Veterans Services budget, explaining that Massachusetts state law requires all municipalities to administer Chapter 115 benefits to qualifying veterans. The Town must appoint a Veteran Service Officer (VSO) to manage this program. Currently, Lunenburg has seven individuals receiving Chapter 115 benefits, ranging from under $100 to over $1,000 per month. The town pays out all benefits first and is then reimbursed 75% by the state. The VSO, Michelle Durkey, serves Lunenburg and three other communities, receiving a stipend of $11,000 per year. Ms. Warren-Dyment proposed keeping the overall budget flat at $77,000 for the foreseeable future unless there are changes in the veteran population. Committee members discussed the reimbursement process and explored the possibility of creating a revolving fund for veterans' services to better reflect actual town expenditures. Culture and Recreation, Band Concerts Ms. Warren-Dyment briefly presented on the town band concerts which have been level- funded at $6,000 for several years, with band members paid $40 per performance. There are currently 35 members in the town band. Committee members raised questions about the oversight and organization of the town band, including how to join and how sponsorships work. Ms. Warren-Dyment acknowledged that more information was needed and agreed to follow up with the Band Director, Steve Archambault. Culture and Recreation, Historical Commission Ms. Warren-Dyment stated that the budget had been reduced from $3,000 to $1,000 this fiscal year and she does not intend to change this appropriation. ===PAGE 5=== b. Review and Approve Minutes of July 8, 2025 The committee decided to table the review and approval of the July 8, 2025 minutes. It was agreed that each board or committee would review and approve these minutes at their respective upcoming meetings when they had full attendance. IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS The upcoming Tri-Board meeting dates were noted as listed in the agenda. No further discussion took place regarding these dates. ADJOURN At 9:46 PM, the chairs of each board moved to adjourn their respective meetings. Motion to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting. Moved by: Member Lockwood. Seconded by: Member Dall. The motion passed unanimously. Motion to adjourn the Select Board meeting. Moved by: Member Lehtinen. Seconded by: Member McLeod. Roll-Call Vote: Clerk Emkey- aye; Chair Nuzzolo- aye; Member McLeod- aye; and Member Lehtinen- aye. Minute Approval Select Board Minutes approved at the meeting of October 7, 2025 Select Board Motion to approve the meeting minutes of August 26, 2025. Moved by: Clerk Emkey Seconded by: Member Lehtinen. The motion passed unanimously. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-25-agenda-7420.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-09-25 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-09-25-agenda-7420.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09252025-7420 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, Sept 25, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Revised Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business a. Master Planning Committee requested data b. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. Public Safety ii. DPW iii. Facilities c. Special Town Meeting Warrant 7. Old Business a. Town Finance Policies review and discussion b. Prior Tri-Board Meetings c. Analysis of historical and current school budget data 8. Minutes – Aug 14, July 8 (TriBoard) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –Sept 30, Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – Oct 9, Oct 23 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-25-minutes-7420.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-09-25 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-09-25-minutes-7420.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_09252025-7420 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall September 25, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone, Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment Absent Members: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports The Finance Director, Ezequiel Ayala, has given his notice and his last day will be October 24, 2025. A Certified Public Accountant, Eric Kinsherf, will be brought in to assist the town. The Finance Director position was posted and interviews were completed . The position has been oƯered and accepted by Katie McKenna. She is the prior Finance Director for the Town of Oxford. Her first day will be October 20, 2026. The Payroll and Benefits Administrator, Nancy O’Rourke, is retiring at the end of October. Interviews are ongoing. A consultant will be hired to assist while the position is being filled. The Assistant Accountant, Amy Driggers, is leaving her position to work in Leominster at the Comptroller’s OƯice. Stephen Barrett will be handling accounts payable on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Town Manager states an audit for FY 2024 has not been completed. There is an ongoing merger between auditors thus causing a delay The Town Meeting Warrant remains open until October 2nd. ===PAGE 2=== 6. Current Business a. Master Planning Committee requested data Chris Menard received the questionnaire and added it to the Sharefile folder for the Committee to review. After discussion with Matt Brenner, it was determined that there was a financial impact and/or budget associated with several of the questions on the questionnaire. There was a motion to approve the Finance Committee recommendations on the Master Planning Committee feedback documents by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Jay Simeone. All in favor. b. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. Public Safety ii. DPW iii. Facilities The Town Manager confirms there have been meetings with department heads over the last several weeks. One of their main goals is to find any areas where needs are not being met and to address any issues. Ana Lockwood suggests not looking at small budget items such as name tags. If there are any major changes the ideas should be vetted among the groups to discuss and come to a resolution. c. Special Town Meeting Warrant The Special Town Meeting is scheduled for November 18, 2025. The Town Manager has sent the drafted warrants to the Committee. There was a brief discussion about the drafted warrants. There was some discussion about the roof repair of TC Passios. The Town Manager and Facilities Director recommend not going forward with a partial repair of the roof. 7. Old Business a. Town Finance Policies review and discussion The Town Manager is working on edits and corrections. This document will be presented to the Committee once completed. Ana Lockwood inquires if there is a timeframe that this document needs to ===PAGE 3=== be finalized. The Town Manager would like to have the Town Finance Policies completed by the end of the calendar year. b. Prior Tri-Board Meetings There were no discussions or comments. c. Analysis of historical and current school budget data Ana Lockwood and Chris Menard questioned the Superintendent and the new Business Manager, Chris McNamara, about their budget. There was inquiry about where a large portion of money went for the current fiscal year. Chris Menard forwarded an email to the Committee from the Superintendent that addressed some of the questions. It was determined that Chris McNamara can run financial reports in Munis and anticipates providing that document on a quarterly basis. Ana Lockwood will provide updates to the Committee when they are received. There are still several questions outstanding. 8. Minutes – Aug 14, July 8 (Tri-Board) There was a motion to approve the minutes from August 14, 2025, by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Jay Simeone. All in favor. Chris Menard will confirm whether the minutes from July 8th have been added to the ShareFile. 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Special Town Meeting Warrant 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –Sept 30, Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – Oct 9, Oct 23 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Jay Simeone. All in favor. The meeting closed at 7:52 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-30-agenda-7421.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-09-30 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-09-30-agenda-7421.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09302025-7421 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Tuesday, September 30, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. New Business a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: Public Safety DPW Facilities b. Review and Approve Minutes of Aug 26, 2025 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings - October 14, November 12, December 9, January 13 b. Finance Committee – October 9, October 23 5. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings c) The agenda has a lot of material so Public Comment periods have not been included. Please feel free to reach out with comments to members of Finance Committee or make Public Comments at future Finance Committee Meetings. Email addresses for Finance Committee members may be found at the following link: https://lunenburgma.gov/252/Finance-Committee ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-09-agenda-7430.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-10-09 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-10-09-agenda-7430.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10092025-7430 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, October 9, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business a. Special Town Meeting Warrant b. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. School Budget Presentation ii. General Government iii. Unclassified iv. Debt Service 7. Old Business a. Prior Tri-Board Meetings b. Analysis of historical and current school budget data c. Town Finance Policies review and discussion 8. Minutes – July 8 (TriBoard) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – Oct 23, Nov 13 c. Special Town Meeting – Nov 18 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-09-minutes-7430.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-10-09 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-10-09-minutes-7430.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10092025-7430 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall October 9, 2025 Present Members: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Chair Chris Menard 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:02 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment There was no public comment. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Neither the Town Manager nor Finance Director were in attendance. 6. Current Business a. Special Town Meeting Warrant The Committee received the warrants a couple hours prior to this meeting. Ana Lockwood has reviewed the warrants and noted there were 2 articles that stood out. One of the articles of interest involved the Personnel Committee. Ana Lockwood believes there needs to be more public input in this article as well as a change in language. This article has not been deliberated enough to make it to Town Meeting. The other article addresses the elimination of the APDC and moving their functions to the Historical Commission. There is concern because its bylaw took over 2 years to be drafted. Tanya Dall reiterates that there doesn’t need to be a vote tonight on what articles to push forward with. Tom Gray states voting on the articles will have to take place at the next Committee meeting. ===PAGE 2=== Jay Simeone believes any articles with significant substance should be presented at the Annual Town Meeting b. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. School Budget Presentation ii. General Government iii. Unclassified iv. Debt Service This meeting is scheduled to be held in late November. Mike Rupp requests obtaining all presentations prior to the meeting to review. 7. Old Business a. Prior Tri-Board Meetings b. Analysis of historical and current school budget data Ana Lockwood has confirmed that the actuals for FY25 to FY26 show an 8% increase in school budget. In FY25 there was an override and a 4% increase. Ana Lockwood is still awaiting some answers. c. Town Finance Policies review and discussion Ana Lockwood states that the last charter review was in 2017 or 2018. During that review, there was a request to make the Town Accountant report to the Town Manager. The Town Accountant is to oversee records and transactions while the Finance Director runs the day-to-day operations. Over the years those 2 positions were merged. Ana Lockwood believes that this should be a conflict. 8. Minutes – July 8 (TriBoard) There was a motion to approve the minutes from July 8, 2025, by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. 9. Committee Reports Mike Rupp states that the Master Plan Steering Committee has been meeting. They have created a questionnaire and sent them to all Boards and Committees looking for feedback. The Committee states they have not received a filled-out questionnaire from the Finance Committee. Mike Rupp will inquirer with the Master Plan Steering Committee. Tom Gray confirms that the Building Design Committee and the Superintendent met. There was discussion about the location of the central oƯices for the schools. The Superintendent will discuss further with the School Committee. ===PAGE 3=== 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Tom Gray suggests reaching out to the new finance personnel for the Town and the school to receive their feedback and any recommendations. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 9, Jan 13 b. Finance Committee – Oct 23, Nov 13 c. Special Town Meeting – Nov 18 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. All in favor. The meeting closed at 7:55 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-23-agenda-7467.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-10-23 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-10-23-agenda-7467.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10232025-7467 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, October 23, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business a. Special Town Meeting Warrant b. FY26 First Quarter Actuals vs Budget c. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. School Budget Presentation ii. General Government iii. Unclassified iv. Debt Service 7. Old Business a. Prior Tri-Board Meetings 8. Minutes – July 8 (TriBoard) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –TBD b. Finance Committee – Nov 13 (Public Hearing) c. Special Town Meeting – Nov 18 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-23-minutes-7467.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-10-23 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-10-23-minutes-7467.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10232025-7467 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall October 23, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Jay Simeone (Zoom) Absent Members: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Mike Rupp 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:14 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Public hearing and initial votes on recommendations for articles will be discussed at the meeting on November 13th. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Jennifer Warren-Dyment reports that Ezekiel Ayala's last day was Monday, and Katie McKenna started as Finance Director the same day. The payroll and benefits coordinator, Nancy O’Rourke, is retiring October 21st. The town has appointed a temporary staff member who began several weeks ago to fill the position while it remains vacant. An offer has been made for the Assistant Accountant Position. In the meantime, retired Finance Director Steve Barrett will assist the town until the role is filled. The town has a contract with CPA, Eric Kinsherf, who will be providing transitional services to the town for the finance direction transition. He will be tasked with assisting year end close out and prep for free cash certification by DLS. The tax classification hearing is scheduled for November 25th. The Select Board will vote to determine if there is a shift between the different classes of property. This hearing does not increase or reduce the tax levy but will determine how the levy will be apportioned. ===PAGE 2=== 6. Current Business a. Special Town Meeting Warrant ARTICLE 1 This article allows Town Meeting to hear and act upon reports delivered to the Town Meeting body by Boards, Committees, Commissions, and Town Officers. There will be oral reports from the Stormwater Task Force, Lunenburg Municipal Building Design Committee, Master Plan Steering Committee. ARTICLE 2 This article is established for the special meeting to make necessary adjustments to the annual operating budget. Ana Lockwood asks what specific amount is proposed for raising and appropriation. Jennifer Warren-Dyment will get an exact number to the Committee. ARTICLE 3 This article requests authorization to pay expenses from a prior fiscal year. At the time of printing there is a bill from FY25 from Heywood Hospital in the amount of $266.00. ARTICLE 4 This article requests authorization to fund special projects. There is a request for $42,900 for stormwater consulting. There is a motion under this article to transfer funds from prior fiscal years unexpended capital articles. ARTICLE 5 This articles request that the town vote to transfer the sum of $35,271 from retained grants of the PEB Access and Cable related Enterprise Fund to fund the FY26 PEG Access and Cable related Enterprise operation and capital budget. Ana Lockwood asks about their total budget. Jennifer Warren-Dyment will check but notes their operation relies on retained earnings. ARTICLE 6 This articles requests that the town vote to transfer the sum of $10,000 from the Cemetery Sale of Lots Funds to the Cemetery Capital Article Fund. Chris Menard questions if this is for north, south or both cemeteries. ===PAGE 3=== ARTICLE 7 This article requests that the town vote to raise and appropriate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of $50,000 for the engagement of one or more consultant(s) to assist with capital estimations and relative action thereto. Chris Menard inquires if this includes Monty Tech. Jennifer Warren Dyment is unsure but will inquire. ARTICLE 8 This articles request that the town establish a Special Education Reserve Fund to be utilized in the upcoming fiscal years, to pay, without further appropriation, for unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of special education and recovery high school programs, out-of- district tuition or transportation; or take any other action relative thereto. Tom Gray asks if there is a new state law that establishes this fund. ARTICLE 9: This article states that eligible seniors may apply for a deferral of property tax payments. The article requests raising the gross receipts limit for the circuit breaker. Ana Lockwood inquires if any deferrals would be reduced from the levy amount. Jennifer Warren- Dyment states the overlay would need to increase to cover funding. ARTICLE 10 This article authorizes the Select Board to obtain a permanent easement at 21 Main Street to provide access to Town Hall. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states there is no financial impact. ===PAGE 4=== ARTICLE 11 This article requests the town transfer the care, custody, and control of Kids Kingdom and the land from the School Committee to the Select Board. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states there is no financial impact. Chris Menard questions if there will be a map that shows lines of what the School Committee owns versus what the Select Board owns. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states there will be a map and confirms most of the land has already been transferred. ARTICLE 12 This amendment would allow notice of a Town Meeting, be provided via letter or postcard as opposed to mailing warrant booklets to every household. Chris Menard questions how much it costs to print and mail the booklets. Jennifer Warren-Dyment estimates it to be around $7,000 to $8,000 but will get the exact number. ARTICLE 13 This article addresses the new requirements of the Massachusetts Zoning Act for MBTA Communities. New law mandates a zoning ordinance or bylaw that provides for at least one district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right, is suitable for families and children, and has a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states that if communities fail to comply with the new law, they will lose state funding from a variety of grant programs and other initiatives. The article will be submitted in advance to the Attorney General to get pre-review to check to make sure it’s acceptable as written. ARTICLE 14 This article removes the requirement that common driveways be paved with concrete, providing the Planning Board flexibility to approve common drives constructed from appropriate alternate materials. ===PAGE 5=== Town Manager states there is no financial impact. ARTICLE 15 This article changes the title of Land Use Director to Director of Planning and Economic Development. Additionally, these articles create the temporary position of Special Assistant to the Assessor. Jay Simeone asks if Director of Planning and Economic Development are separate roles and suggests that having a position between Building Commissioner and Town Manager is atypical. ARTICLE 16 The Select Board and Town Manager are reviewing SAP amendments to update bylaws and improve employee recruitment and retention, excluding the Personnel Committee. ARTICLE 17 The Town is discontinuing the use of “Personnel Boards/Committees” and consolidating human resources authority under professional management and dedicated human resource staff. Ana Lockwood notes that if things are working now, there is no urgency. She believes this change would distance government from citizens. b. FY26 First Quarter Actuals vs Budget Chris Menard noted that the FY26 first quarter reports require improvement. The Committee plans to collaborate with Katie McKenna, once she is fully oriented, to bring the reports up to the desired standard. c. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. School Budget Presentation ii. General Government iii. Unclassified iv. Debt Service The Town Manager will poll Committee members regarding their availability to schedule the next Tri Board meeting. Chris Menard suggests creating a budget calendar with the Town Manager. 7. Old Business a. Prior Tri-Board Meetings ===PAGE 6=== 8. Minutes – July 8 (Tri-Board) There was a motion to approve minutes from September 25, 2025, and October 9, 2025 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. 9. Committee Reports There was a conversation noting that some Boards/Committees have not held meetings lately. Chris Menards proposed reorganizing and assigning committees at an upcoming meeting. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings No further actions or topics were identified for inclusion on upcoming agendas. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings –TBD b. Finance Committee – Nov 13 (Public Hearing) c. Special Town Meeting – Nov 18 12. Public Comment There was no comment from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 9:03 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-13-agenda-7495.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-11-13 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-11-13-agenda-7495.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11132025-7495 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Public Hearing (Open/Close) a. Special Town Meeting Warrant 7. Current Business a. Special Town Meeting Warrant Recommendations 8. Old Business a. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. School Budget Presentation ii. General Government iii. Unclassified iv. Debt Service b. Prior Tri-Board Meetings 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – Nov 24 (potential) b. Finance Committee – Dec 11 c. Special Town Meeting – Nov 18 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-13-minutes-7495.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-11-13 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-11-13-minutes-7495.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11132025-7495 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall November 13, 2025 Present Members: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Chair Chris Menard, Committee Member Tanya Dall 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Public Hearing (Open/Close) a. Special Town Meeting Warrant There was a motion to move into public meeting by Tom Gray, seconded by Jay Simeone. All in favor. Article 1: There was a motion to find no financial impact by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. There will only be reports from the Stormwater Task Force and the Master Plan Steering Committee. Tom Gray is on the Lunenburg Municipal Design Committee and confirms they were unable to present a report but states it would have no financial impact. Article 2: There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. Article 3: There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. ===PAGE 2=== Article 4: There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. All in favor. Ana Lockwood is not in favor of adding a new tax as proposed by the Stormwater Task Force. She agrees that the town needs to be in compliance but doesn’t believe it needs to be an additional tax. Ana Lockwood suggests a study be completed to determine the cost to be caught up with maintenance. She is looking for additional options to be explored Jay Simeone questions what happens if the town doesn’t use a consultant. Article 5: There was a motion to approve by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tom Gray. All in favor. Article 6: There was a motion to approve by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tom Gray. All in favor. Article 7: There was a motion to approve by Tom Gray, Seconded by Ana Lockwood. The vote was 4-0-1 to approve. Mike Rupp questions who approves expenditures and how they are divided up. Tom Gray believes that unexpended funds would be kept for a calendar year. Additionally, he suggests further funding should be done through the budget. The Committee inquiries into why unexpended capital projects funds aren’t used first. Article 8: There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. Ana Lockwood questions why this fund is being created now. The current issues with the school budget don’t include this topic. She believes the department needs to show good financial management before creating any new funds. Mike Rupp feels the article is too broad. Rhonda Liscio, 181 Reservoir Road, doesn’t agree with creating such a fund at this time due to economic circumstances. ===PAGE 3=== Article 9: There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. Rhonda Liscio, 181 Reservoir Road, wants to know what the dollar impact would be on taxpayers. The Finance Committee has additional questions before approving or denying. Article 10: There was a motion to find no financial impact by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. All in favor. Article 11: There was a motion to find no financial impact by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. All in favor. Article 12: There was a motion to deny by Tom Gray Article 12 was not recommended and the vote was 3-0-2. Ana Lockwood states these booklets are the only paperwork that gets mailed to every household. It provides communication with every resident. With the 49-million-dollar town budget she doesn’t see this having a large financial impact. Mike Rupp suggests sending out a quick summary as opposed to the large booklet. Article 13: There was a motion to find no financial impact by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. Article 14: There was a motion to find no financial impact by Tom Gray, seconded by Jay Simeone. All in favor. Article 15: There was a motion to defer by Jay Simeone, seconded by Jean Russell. All in favor. Ana Lockwood expressed concern that there were no financial numbers provided. Article 16: There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. The Committee agrees there is a financial impact but there were no numbers provided. Article 17: There was a motion to approve by Tom Gray, seconded by Jean Russell. The vote was 1-2-1. ===PAGE 4=== Ana Lockwood wants to inquire with residents to get their feedback. She emphasized that this should still be a citizen body. There was a motion to approve recommendations of the consent agents of articles 5,6,14 by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. There was a motion to close public hearing by Tom Gray, seconded by Jean Russell. All in favor. 7. Current Business a. Special Town Meeting Warrant Recommendations will take place at the next meeting. 8. Old Business a. Upcoming Tri Board Topics i. School Budget Presentation ii. General Government iii. Unclassified iv. Debt Service b. Prior Tri-Board Meetings 9. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 10. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There are no additional actions or topics to add to future agendas. 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – Nov 24 (Tentative) b. Finance Committee – Dec 11 c. Special Town Meeting – Nov 18 13. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Tom Gray, seconded by Jean Russell. All in favor. The meeting closed at 9:10 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-24-agenda-7527.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-11-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-11-24-agenda-7527.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11242025-7527 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Monday, November 24, 2025 7:00 PM Lunenburg Middle / High School Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. New Business a. School Department 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – TBD b. Finance Committee – December 11 5. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings c) The agenda has a lot of material so Public Comment periods have not been included. Please feel free to reach out with comments to members of Finance Committee or make Public Comments at future Finance Committee Meetings. Email addresses for Finance Committee members may be found at the following link: https://lunenburgma.gov/252/Finance-Committee