# finance-committee — 84 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 : 2025-01-09-agenda-6944.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-01-09 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-01-09-agenda-6944.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01092025-6944 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Vacant Vacant Thursday, Jan 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. Scheduled Meetings 6. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 7. New Business a. Review Budget Season Schedule b. FY26 Budget Discussions 8. Old Business a. Town Manager Search Committee Update b. School Funding Formula for Hold Harmless Communities c. Grant Writing Services d. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates 13. Upcoming Meetings a. 1/23/2025 b. 2/13/2025 Budget Season begins 14. Public Comment 15. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-09-minutes-6944.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-01-09 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-01-09-minutes-6944.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01092025-6944 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall January 9, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell (Zoom), Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Clerk Tom Gray Agenda 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:31 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard states that the Superintendent announced to the town and the School Committee that she is retiring at the end of this year. 4. Public Comment John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, reiterates a previous comment related to the Cemetery Commission. There has been a misuse of $6,000 over an 18-month period by the Cemetery Commission through the sale of lot funds. This morning there was an open meeting about law violations. This was in regard to a vital records program that is under the purview of the Town Clerk, Kathy Herrick. John Bowen doesn’t believe the Cemetery Commission has any reason to access it and anticipates proposing a warrant article to rein in spending. 5. Scheduled Meetings There are no meetings. 6. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports The Town Manager and Finance Director have conflicts and will not be presenting any reports. 7. New Business a. Review Budget Season Schedule Chris Menard has emailed an outline with deadlines provided by the interim town manager with key dates. The Finance Committee report is due to the Town Manager on Monday March 31 st. The public hearing for the Finance Committee is scheduled for March 13th. There will be a notice in the ledger 10 days prior to the public hearing. ===PAGE 2=== Chris Menard provided a proposed schedule for department hearings and other monied article reports. The suggested school department report is March 6th. There was a motion by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall to relay to Carter Terenzi that the Committee is all in agreement with his suggested timeline and the individual topics by date. Jean Russell aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. b. FY26 Budget Discussions Chris Menard provided a note from Carter Terenzini stating currently there are no estimates for health insurance rates but did say that market trends are running %12 to 15%. 8. Old Business a. Town Manager Search Committee Update Chris Menard confirms that next Tuesday there will be a marathon session at the library where the 3 candidates will be interviewed. 2 candidates were former Town Managers, and the other is currently a DPW Director. The Select Board will provide their recommendations on Wednesday. b. School Funding Formula for Hold Harmless Communities The town is no longer in the hold harmless category. c. Grant Writing Services Chris Menard reiterates that there needs to be procedures and policies created. Chris Menard will inquire with Caesar Nuzzolo and the Select Board and ask them to bring this up at their next meeting. d. Budget Task Force Recommendations There were no discussions. 9. Minutes Jay Simeone had 1 minor correction on the minutes from December 19th. There was a motion to approve the minutes from December 19th by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. Jean Russell aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. Chris Menard confirmed that the formatting on the web is diƯerent than in the actual app where the documents are in proper order. Chris Menard will change the documents to PDF before sending them to the Clerk’s OƯice. 10. Committee Reports Jean Russell states that the School Committee had a meeting last night. ===PAGE 3=== Arrangements have been made to have the security company replace the fire alarms at Turkey Hill. The schools have ordered a new truck and plow that will be available next summer. A former Lunenburg student awarded a 15,000 dollars scholarship to the athletics department. There were no committee reports from Chris Menard, Jay Simeone, Tanya Dall. 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There are no additional topics to add to future agendas. 12. Important Dates There are no additional important dates. 13. Upcoming Meetings a. 1/23/2025 – tentatively scheduled b. 2/13/2025 Budget Season begins 14. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. Jay Simeone reiterates that there are 2 vacancies on the Board. 15. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 8:00 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-13-agenda-6995.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-13 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-13-agenda-6995.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02132025-6995 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Vacant Vacant Thursday, February 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 - UPDATE 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. Scheduled Meetings a. Reserve Account Transfer Request by School Dept for 911 Cabling Costs b. Preliminary Budget c. FY26 Capital d. Information Technology Department 7. New Business 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 2/20/2025 b. Tuesday 2/25/2025 c. Thursday 2/27/2025 d. Thursday 3/6/2025 e. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing), f. Thursday 3/20/2025 g. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-13-minutes-6995.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-13 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-13-minutes-6995.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02132025-6995 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 13, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Clerk Tom Gray 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard states there are 4 candidates who are interested in being on the Finance Committee. The 2 open seats are anticipated to be filed at the Finance Appointing Committee meeting on February 18th. Additionally, Chris Menard confirms its budget season. All 8 budget hearings are scheduled, and the agendas are posted online. 4. Public Comment There are no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Scheduled Meetings a. Reserve Account Transfer Request by School Department for 911 Cabling Costs Susan Gilson, Director of Administration and Finance, was present to discuss the 911 cabling costs. This is a requirement to have the school system in compliance with state and federal regulations. The total cost for the system is $65,574. Dr. Kate Burnham confirmed this system was budgeted for. When the technicians came to start the project, they were intending to use the cabling to the PA boxes in each of the classrooms but upon further inspection it was determined that the existing cabling was not adequate. The entire building needs to be re-cabled to have a drop line in every single classroom for the connection. The additional cost of $60,000 was not in the original budget. Jay Simeone asks if the job was re-quoted after learning there would need to be additional work. Dr. Kate Burham states the original quote from the ===PAGE 2=== company was $106,000. After receiving that quote, they reviewed the state bid list and received an additional quote that came in at $65,000. Additionally, Dr Burnham investigated ARPA funds but that wasn’t an option. The work was completed early in the budget year when there were extra funds. Those funds have since been expended due to unexpected unbudgeted costs throughout the year. There was a memo from the Interim Town Manager, Carter Terenzini, with his approval and support for this request. Ezequiel Ayala confirmed there is currently $200,000 in the reserve fund. $15,000 was expended on the town manager search and $65,000 was for the cabling compliance. This leaves $120,000 in the reserve fund for the rest of the year. There was a motion to transfer $58,320 from the reserve fund to the school department contracted services and $7,254.65 from the reserve fund to the school department computers purchase and lease line items by Tanya Dall, seconded by Jay Simeone. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. b. Preliminary Budget Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager, was present and states she has been on board for a little over a week. At this time, she will not be presenting a budget. She can confirm that work has been ongoing since early fall. Prior to the Interim Town Managers’ departure there was communication with all department heads, committees, commissions and boards of what the financial situation was at that time. In order to prepare a budget, there needs to be a review of the revenue estimates. There was a mathematical error and the allowed prop 2 ½ total was not applied to the full levy from last year. Additionally, the calculation of local receipts was calculated based on an average. The Town Manager would like to do a deeper dive into the local receipts. Jennifer Warren-Dyment anticipates presenting the full budget at the next Finance Committee meeting on February 27th. c. FY26 Capital This agenda topic will be discussed at the February 27th meeting. d. Information Technology Department The presentation was provided by the Director of IT, Casey Chisholm ===PAGE 3=== Completed FY 25 initiatives include: -Public safety phone upgrade - Computer upgrades - Increased roles and responsibilities for the admin assistant Ongoing FY 25 projects include: - Townwide cell phone replacement - Library camera upgrade Initiatives for FY26 include: - Software maintenance - Hardware maintenance - Town Clerk software system - Internet speed for DPW. In order to increase their megabyte connection, it would cost an additional $1,000 per year. Jay Simeone questions how often the IT staƯ are on site. Casey Chisholm states that Mason is on site every day and the other employees’ schedules vary if they are part time. Jay Simeone asks what the fees are from Comcast versus a fiber network. Casey Chisholm confirms there are grant funding options that could be investigated, and more cost analysis would be needed. Chris Menard inquiries if all the MUNIS issues have subsided. Casey Chisholm confirms they are getting better and anticipates significant reduction in issues after the next jump in the cloud. Ezequiel Ayala is currently testing the SAS cloud, and the environment has been built. The testing will continue through March and anticipate going live the second week of April. The company who owns MUNIS has been very responsive and helpful. Chris Menard asks if there is municipal software available for tasks such as scheduling rooms for zoom, workflow management, and taking minutes. Casey Chisholm states there are some features in OƯice 365 for scheduling rooms but there will need to be more collaborations and discussions for anything additional. Chris Menard suggests the schools and the town be in the same system. This has been a prior fiscal year budget request. 7. New Business There is no new business. ===PAGE 4=== 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes There was a motion to approve the minutes from January 9th by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. 10. Committee Reports Chris Menard states that currently there is no representative from the Finance Committee on the Master Plan Steering Committee. 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There are no additional topics or actions for future meetings. 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 2/20/2025– Presentation by the Council on Aging, Public Access, Library b. Tuesday 2/25/2025- Presentations by the Police, Fire, Land Use Department c. Thursday 2/27/2025– Presentations by the DPW, Facilities and Sewer d. Thursday 3/6/2025- Presentations by the Schools and Monty Tech e. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing) f. Thursday 3/20/2025 g. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 7:50 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-20-agenda-6992.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-20 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-20-agenda-6992.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02202025-6992 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Vacant Vacant Thursday, February 20, 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. Scheduled Meetings a. Veteran Services b. Council on Aging c. Public Access d. Library 7. New Business 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tuesday 2/25/2025 b. Thursday 2/27/2025 c. Thursday 3/6/2025 d. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing), e. Thursday 3/20/2025 f. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-20-minutes-6992.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-20 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-20-minutes-6992.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02202025-6992 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 20, 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 7PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements The Committee welcomed the new members Ana Lockwood and Mike Rupp. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Jennifer Warren-Dyment has no reports to present. Ezequiel Ayala states there was a request at the last Finance Committee meeting for the budget versus actuals for the last 10 years. Those documents have been emailed to the Committee. 6. Scheduled Meetings a. Veteran Services The Veterans Service Agent, Michelle Durkee, provided the presentation. Michelle Durkee has been in her position since 2023 and workings in 3 other towns. The oƯice provides services to veterans and their families. This includes helping with VA claims for benefits and filing chapter 115 benefits for veterans, helping veterans obtain VA cards and reconcile between the state and town. The FY26 veterans’ benefits are being reduced from 97,000 to 77,000 because there are fewer people who are receiving these benefits. Jay Simeone questions what happens if a veteran is added to receive benefits. Michelle Durkee confirms there is money in the budget for coverage. ===PAGE 2=== Michelle Durkees current hours in Lunenburg are on Thursdays from 8AM- 12PM in the Ritter Memorial Building. b. Council on Aging This presentation has been re-scheduled. c. Public Access The Chair of the Public Access Cable Committee, Steve Walker, provided the presentation. The mission of PACC is to establish, develop, modernize, and operate the Town of Lunenburg’s public educational, and government access channels to reflect Lunenburg. The franchise fee from Comcast is the principal source of the PACC income. There is an enterprise fund being held in reserve for the new studio. These funds have been invested and are a large portion of the operating budget. ARPA funds of $50,700 have been spent on video graph kits, studio and broadcast audio. Below is the anticipated income for FY 26: - Comcast income: $146,226 - Town interest: $13,000 - Investment interest: $35,430 Total income: $194,656 Below is a summary budget for FY 26: - Salaries: $140,600 - Indirect costs: $30,622 - Operations: $23,650 Total expenses: $194,872 Tom Gray questions what the indirect costs are. Steve Walker confirms this would be healthcare for employees. Rhonda Lisio,181 Reservoir Road, questions if the employees are hired by the town or on SAP . There is concern that when the studio is built and the money is spent, they will no longer be collecting the interest that is a large part of the operating budget. d. Library The Director of the Lunenburg Public Library, Muir Haman, provided the presentation. ===PAGE 3=== FY 25 Projects: - The expansion of the teen room and renovation is ongoing. This was funded with $119,000 of ARPA money. - The programming floor area of the children’s room has been completed. The state requirement for appropriation for FY 26: $549,755 Budget request for FY26: $646,617 The recommended FY 26 budget from the Interim Town Manager: $625,000 Goals for FY 26: - Use the library as a community hub - Maintain staƯing - Provide services to new and underserved populations Budget requests include: - Maintain staƯing - There are 13 employees, 3 are high school age working 3 hours a night, 10 other adults who work between 19 and 40 hours a week. The budget request for staƯing is $446,000. - Fill the vacant library assistant position. This is a 19-hour per week position. - Technology - The library anticipates a request from the IT Department for $13,500 for IT-related replacements. - Utilities - CW Mars Assessment - Library materials - Library programming Tom Gray questions if Muir Haman is aware of what state funding will be available. Muir Haman is unsure but confirms he has been looking into grants. Additionally, he believes nonprofits will be impacted. Ana Lockwood questions the number of staƯ working at any given time. Muir Haman states there are 6 employees working at any given time. Additionally, there are times when the library is closed and there are employees working. There is a policy for the library to have 3 employees at any given time. Tom Gray inquires if there are budget shortfalls this year how Muir Haman would make those cuts. Muir Haman states there are a number of resources that are considered underutilized, but he believes they are a valuable asset ===PAGE 4=== to the community. 70% of the budget is staƯ salary but reducing staƯ would be a last option. 7. New Business There is no new business. 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 10. Committee Reports Tom Gray states that the Municipal Building Design Committee met and discussed renovations in town. The proposal was around 22 million dollars for renovations of the Ritter Building and the Town Hall. There have been a lot of meetings recently that are all available to watch on Facebook. 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. Tuesday 2/25/2025 b. Thursday 2/27/2025 c. Thursday 3/6/2025 d. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing) e. Thursday 3/20/2025 f. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. All in favor. The meeting closed at 9:23 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-25-agenda-7007.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-25 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-25-agenda-7007.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-7007 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Tuesday, February 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/7927370353?omn=81969176799 From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 792 737 0353. 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. Scheduled Meetings a. Police Department b. Fire Department c. Land Use Department 7. New Business 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 2/27/2025 b. Thursday 3/6/2025 c. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing), d. Thursday 3/20/2025 e. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-25-minutes-7007.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-25 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-25-minutes-7007.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02252025-7007 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 25, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard welcomed Anna Lockwood and Mike Rupp to the Committee. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports. 6. Scheduled Meetings a. Police Department Chief JeƯrey Thibideau provided the presentation. The department runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including nights and holidays. Currently the staƯ consists of 18 full-time oƯicers, 3 civilian oƯicers, 2 reserve oƯicers, 1 animal control, 8 civilian traƯic oƯicers. There are 2 unfunded vacancies due to retirements. Capital plan updates - The K9 cruiser and traƯic cruiser are currently in production. Capital funding was used, totaling $147,254. - There are currently 30 body worn cameras in service. This was purchased though ARPA funds totaling $44,722. - The Milo Training System is in service. This was purchased through state earmark funds, totaling $33,910. Future goals include: - Filling the staƯ vacancies and maintaining accreditation standards. - MPTC state mandated training. Each oƯicer completes 40 hours in service training, 16 hours of firearm training, 16 hours of taser/less ===PAGE 2=== lethal/handcuƯing, 16 hours of professional development. - Community policing - Employee evaluations FY2025 budget is $2,848,314  80% of the budget is personnel: $2,331,947 - 58% funds the salary totaling $1,672,862 - 9% funds the incentives totaling $265,787. This includes the K9 2026 request for comfort dog program (Canine Cody and Comfort Dog Hank). - 10% funds overtime totaling $294,389  Training is 3% of the budget totaling $98,909  Purchase of services is 1% of the budget totaling $23,450  Police supplies are 1% of the budget totaling $35,015  Other expenses are 1% of the budget totaling $37,238  Animal control is 2% of the budget totaling $46,125  Lockup is 1% of the budget totaling $20,600  Regional dispatch is 8% of the budget totaling $216,098  Vehicle maintenance is 2% of the budget totaling $67,000 Chris Menard inquires when the union negotiated contracts are up. Chief Thibideau states the contracts are up this year. Jay Simeone questions why 30 body warn cameras are needed. Chief Thibideau states there needs to be a spare in case 1 breaks and needs to be sent to the company for repairs. Each oƯicer gets their own body camera as it creates a personal file for every video Chris Menard inquires when a Chief will be hired. Jennifer Warren-Dyment confirms there is a screening committee meeting starting tomorrow. The interview will be in the next 2 weeks, and we are hopeful of having it filled by April. Chris Menard asks about the previous mental health co-responder that was hired in prior years. Chief Thibideau states we have lost the funding as it was pulled back from the state, so it no longer exists. Rhonda Lizio, 181 Reservoir Road, inquires as to why the town switched to a drug sniƯing dog as opposed to a tactical dog. Chief Thibideau states that K9 Cody is a tracking and narcotics dog. Comfort dogs and patrol dogs have completely diƯerent training. ===PAGE 3=== b. Fire Department Chief Patrick Sullivan provided the presentation. The fire department consists of 1 Chief, 1 Administrative Assistant/EMT, 3 career OƯicers/EMTs, 5 Call Fire OƯicers (4 EMT’s), 6 Career Firefighter/Paramedics, 27 call Firefighters/EMTS/Paramedics. The fleet consists of 3 engines/pumpers, 1 ladder, 2 forestry, 2 ambulances, 1 water rescue unit, and 3 support vehicles. The proposed budget is generally level funded. It includes 100% paramedic coverage. The above target requestions include EMS supplies, IT related software and hardware, radio maintenance. EMS supplies are an additional $5,000 for stocking and state regulation. IT software is an additional $1,000 for maintenance and licensing. Radio maintenance is an additional $10,000. Chief Sullivan is proposing a 4th shift. It’s estimated to cost $464,369.26. This estimate includes the cost of new staƯ, expected increased in OT/Holiday, and 1 promotion for a new shift. This would provide better coverage for the Town and the department would no longer have to rely solely on per diem coverage on Sundays. Capital Plan FY25 update  Phase 1 & 2 of radio infrastructure replacement is underway. The upgrade is estimated to start in the summer of 2025.  Replacement of Rescue 1. This vehicle is expected to be delivered within a week. An FY 2026 proposed capital plan includes the replacement of car 2 totaling $75,000. Car 2 is a vehicle for the Duty OƯicer/Fire Prevention Vehicle. The replacement will be a ½ ton 4x4 pickup chassis with cap. Use of ARPA funding includes:  New ambulance and associated equipment: $506,000  Power stretcher and autoload system for other ambulances: $73,000  2 ambulance IV pumps: $7,500  Power stair chair: $23,000  15 fireground portable radios: $50,000  Replacement of furniture in station: $20,000 ===PAGE 4=== Grant Funding for FY 2025  State grant for firefighting equipment totaling $18,960. These funds will be used to replace protective clothing dryer, 3 thermal imaging cameras, forest fire helmet, and extrication gloves.  EMPG Grant totaling $3,750 will be used as a training aid for “Stop the Bleed” program.  S.A.F .E/Senior Safe Grant totaling $7,430. This is used to fund the Fire Safety Education Awareness for grades K-3, Senior Safety program, and the Smoke Detector Project. Ana Lockwood questions when the full-time paramedic program started in Lunenburg. Chief Sullivan stated the schooling and training started back in 2020. A paramedic was on 24/7 starting April 1, 2024. Tom Gray questions if the fire fighters and EMTs departments should be separated. Chief Sullivan states for a small community he would never advocate for separate services. It serves a dual purpose and saves the town money. In the past the town tried a 3rd party service private ambulance for ALS and there were challenges including staƯing and billing. Ana Lockwood inquiries about an enterprise fund for ambulances. Ezequiel Ayala will look into this further. Glenn Mcleod, 436 Reservoir Road, thanked both Chiefs for their service and work provided to the town. Glenn Mcleod encourages the Committee to look further into the 4th shift proposal. Mike Rupp inquires if there is a staged plan related to the 4th shift proposal. Chief Sullivan states a plan could be implemented quickly and would be staged. c. Land Use Department The Land Use Director, Chris Reilly, provided the presentation. The Land Use Director oversees planning, conservation, buildings and ZBA. The fees required for all applications oƯset a lot of the expense for staƯing. The staƯ provides expertise through recommendations not decisions. The FY 2026 budget is generally level funded, and the budget request is as follows: - Planning: $163,595 - Conservation: $90,080 ===PAGE 5=== - Building: $181,722 - ZBA: $4,500 7. New Business There was no new business. 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions Chris Menard confirms a drafted warrant article has been uploaded to the SharePoint. b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 10. Committee Reports Chris Menard wants to review now that there is a full board. 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings The Committee wants to look further into a possible ambulance revolving fund. 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 2/27/2025 b. Thursday 3/6/2025 c. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing) d. Thursday 3/20/2025 e. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment Glenn Mcleod,436 Reservoir Road, thanked the Fire Chief for his honest and straight forward answer regarding overtime. Ana Lockwood requests a breakdown of the sources of free cash certified from the Town Manager. Jennifer Warren-Dyment will provide those documents in a week but confirms we are in the right place according to the Department of Revenue suggestions. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. The meeting closed at 9:34 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-27-agenda-6991.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-27 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-27-agenda-6991.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02272025-6991 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 27, 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. Scheduled Meetings a. FY26 Preliminary Budget b. Department of Public Works c. Facilities Department d. Sewer Department 7. New Business 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/6/2025 b. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing), c. Thursday 3/20/2025 d. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-27-minutes-6991.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-02-27 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-02-27-minutes-6991.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02272025-6991 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 27, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard shares that the Town Caucus is on March 10th. Chris Menard learned from the last School Committee meeting that Peter Beardmore will be stepping down leaving 3 openings on the School Committee. Michael-Ray JeƯreys and Tom Alonzo will not be returning when their term runs out on the Select Board 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports The FY26 revenues totaled $48,594,145 There are 4 sources of revenue: 1. 72% of revenue comes from local taxpayers in the form of property tax totaling $35,005,838. 2. Net State Aid is 20% of the revenue totaling $9,803,871. 3. Local receipts are 7% of the revenue totaling $3,360,524. 4. Other funds are 1% of the revenue totaling $423,900. FY 26 Property Tax FY25 Levy Limit: $31,602,108 Prop 2 1/2: $790,052.70 Estimated new growth: $400,000 Excluded Debt: $2,213,677 Maximum allowable levy: $35,005,838 FY 2026 capital program $615,588 Debt service total: actual figure is $2,547,440.36 ===PAGE 2=== Town Manager proposed budgets: - Maturing Debt: $2,547,440.36 - General Government Unclassified: $4,646,870.10 - General Government: $2,529,486.74 - Central Purchasing: $84,500 - Police: $2,456,249.51 - Fire: $1,724,599.37 - Radio Watch: $310,763.90 - Other Protection: $56,425 - Health and Sanitation: $126,996.30 - DPW: $1,777,638.01 - Facilities and Buildings: $1,040,396.30 - Solid Waste and Recycling: $470,000 - Council on Aging: $252,267.42 - Veterans: $90,699 - Schools: $27,121,995 - Library: $650,518.04 - Tax Title: $30,500 - Worcester Regional Retirement: $2,392,572 6. Scheduled Meetings a. Department of Public Works The DPW Director, Bill Bernard, provided the presentation. In general, he is asking for a level funded budget with the exception of the union negotiated pay raises. Chris Menard asks Bill Bernard if someone has been hired to complete the comprehensive plan for trees. Bill Bernard states he hasn’t had one completed since 2015. Mike Rupp inquires if Bill Bernard has created a capital plan, and Bill Bernard has completed a 10-year plan at the request of the Capital Planning Committee. Mike Rupp asks if he is aware of the true budget for snow removal for next year. Bill Bernard is currently asking for $363,000. Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager, states snow removal is one of the few items that Mass General Law allows the town to spend in a deficit position. However, if we do not spend the full amount of the budget in 1 year then the following year, we would not be allowed to deficit spend. The Town Manager has recommended an increase of $110,000 to close the gap. ===PAGE 3=== Ana Lockwood inquires if the truck with the liquid icing solution can only be used for that 1 purpose. Bill Bernard believes it can be added to a 1-ton dump truck or added as a tank to the spreader. Chris Menard asks if Bill Bernard is aware of how much Chapter 90 funding he will receive this year. Bill Bernard states the funding will be $418,000 as it has been for the past 12 years. Jay Simeone suggests hiring a mechanical assistant due to the number of vehicles in the fleet and there being only 1 mechanic. Chris Menard questions if the DPW is in alignment with the cemetery on their policy requirements. Bill Bernard states their bar is high and they will come close. b. Facilities Department The facilities Director, Chris Ruth, provided the presentation. The facilities department is in charge of maintenance of 11 town buildings, grounds, parks and the town beach. Updates on previous capital projects: - Senior center generator project is complete - Re-roofed newer portion of the senior center - Re- roofed oƯice portion of DPW building with the use of ARPA funds - Epoxy floor for DPW garage with the use of ARPA funds - Memorial waterfall fountain is up and working - Roof and chimney repair at the Town Hall Upcoming goals include: - Create and implement a comprehensive building maintenance plan - Better utilize building management software - Catch up on capital projects - Prepare for future needs of town facilities, grounds and parks Ana Lockwood asks if there has been discussion about the recreation director moving from part time to full time. Chris Ruth confirms this is a constant conversation and hopes will come to fruition. Karin Menard, 672 Page Street, member of the Parks Commission, states the grants received for Marshall Park have been returned to the state. Any money being spent on the design process is coming out of ARPA funds, capital expense, and a town meeting vote. ===PAGE 4=== Tanya Dall inquires if the Parks Department has any summer camps or after school programs that generate revenue. Chris Ruth states there is some revenue but most of the revenue comes from the town beach. Jay Simeone asks if they are still working with the vertex reports. Chris Ruth confirms most of what is being worked on is triage as the buildings weren’t well maintained. Jay Simeone questions if there are any energy eƯicient updates. Chris Ruth states they are working on upgrading the control system for the public safety building and the library. Jay Simeone requests regular reports and updates from the department. Chris Menard is supportive of increasing the hours for the recreation director. The Committee discussed the TC Passios building. Chris Ruth states the plans are for the school to move out of the building by the end of the school year. 2/3 of the building will then be closed oƯ. Chris Ruth is hopeful that the closed section will be demolished. Greg Roy, 105 Chestnut Street, thanks Chris Ruth for his work. Also, he agrees that a facilities director working for the town and the school would be ideal. Dave Passios, formally 56 Whiting Street, says when he was on the Finance Committee, they were approached about releasing some funds from the reserve account to deal with the possible increase in hours for the recreation director. There is a change coming in the type of revolving account that money will move through to be accessible. Jennifer Warren-Dyment says this was approved this week. c. Sewer Department The DPW Director, Bill Bernard, provided the presentation. Bill Bernard reiterates that there will be no rate increase this year. There is a 27% delinquency rate (approximately $400,000 of revenue). The FY26 estimated revenue for the sewer department is 1.58 million. The Fy26 estimated expense is 1.88 million. The diƯerence will be coming out of retained earnings. Jay Simeone questions what the operation and maintenance contract costs yearly. Bill Bernard states it’s a little over $100,000. ===PAGE 5=== Chris Menard questions if there are any potential problems related to the retained earnings. Bill Bernard states there is a graph that shows the earnings going in the opposite direction and doesn’t foresee an issue. Jean Russell inquiries about what percentage of the town is a part of the sewer. Bill Bernard states it’s about a quarter of the town Tom Gray asks how the privilege fee rate is determined. Bill Bernard says the privilege fee is based on the last contract that added the new sewer. Chris Menard inquiries about the delinquency fees and how they apply if you live in an apartment. Bill Bernard states the bills go to a third party and it gets attached to the rent bill of whoever is residing there. Greg Roy, 105 Chestnut Street, thanks Bill Bernard and his staƯ for both of his presentations and their continued work. Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street, spoke to a previous committee member years ago and was informed that there are generators that need to be replaced. Bill Bernard confirms they are getting older but some of them barely run during the year. He doesn’t believe we are in any danger of them failing. 7. New Business There is no new business. 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes The Committee did not review any minutes. 10. Committee Reports There are no Committee reports. 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There are no additional topics or actions for future meetings. 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/6/2025 b. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing) c. Thursday 3/20/2025 ===PAGE 6=== d. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment Dave Passios, formally 56 Whiting Street, agrees with cutting down the pavement management plan and relying on Chapter 90 funds. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Jay Simeone. The meeting closed at 12:08 AM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-06-agenda-7008.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-06-agenda-7008.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03062025-7008 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 6, 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. Scheduled Meetings a. Council on Aging b. School Department c. Montachusett Regional High School d. Capital Plan 7. New Business 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing) b. Thursday 3/20/2025 c. Thursday 3/27/2025 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-06-minutes-7008.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-06 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-06-minutes-7008.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03062025-7008 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall March 6, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp Absent Member: Committee Member Jay Simeone 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard states the Town Caucus is meeting at 7PM on Monday at the High School. There are multiple open seats that are important to fill, and the Town Caucus is the easiest way to get on the town ballot. 4. Public Comment John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, has come before the Committee to discuss the Cemetery Commission and their frivolous spending. At the last Cemetery Commission meeting a few weeks ago they decided not to take any money out of the sale of lots funds despite their $94,000 balance. Additionally, John Bowen provided a PowerPoint to the Committee regarding the handling of funds. Chris Menard states he reached out to Representative Scarsdale regarding the budget. Project 211 invited Chris Menard to a webinar. This project could be helpful to resolve the problem related to the formula that isn’t working for a lot of communities. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Scheduled Meetings a. Council on Aging The Director, Debra Goodsell, provided the presentation. About 32% of the town’s population are seniors and that number continues to grow. In 2024, 255 seniors in town participated in meals at the center and 264 individuals participated in a fitness class. In total, 1,275 seniors participated in at least 1 activity provided by the Council on Aging. ===PAGE 2=== The Council on Aging is requesting to raise the meal site manager from 19 ½ to 36 hours per week. These additional hours would supply seniors’ food services 5 days a week. The meals on wheels program are only available on Monday through Thursday. Chris Menard states this request came before the Committee last year and they did not go forward. Ana Lockwood inquiries about what programs are available. Debra Goodsell states programming includes entertainment like fitness and crafts. Additionally, it promotes socialization and education. Rhonda Lizio, 181 Reservoir Road, questions how many of the seniors come from other towns. Debra Goodsell states that the majority are from Lunenburg. b. School Department The presentation was provided by: Kate Burnham – Superintendent of Schools Julianna Hanscom – Director of Special Services Susan Gilson – Director of Administration and Finance Deborah Bookis – Director of Teacher and Learning The total adjusted budget for FY 2025 is $24,883,376. The Town Managers budget includes a 904,098-increase bringing the total to $25,787,474. There is a $949,900 increase in the salary line to create a level service budget. Other increases include: 14.8% increase in health insurance 7.6% increase in Dee Bus services 7% increase in vanpool for special education transportation Mike Rupp inquires what the override amount was last year. Dr. Kate Burnham states the override amount was $948,000. Chris Menard asks how much is in the salary reserve. Susan Gilson says the salary reserve is projected to have $90,769 for paraprofessional, administrator, and superintendent salary negotiations. Ana Lockwood believes that school bus fees should be initiated to help with the cost. Additionally, she doesn’t understand why the budget comes in so late. ===PAGE 3=== Tanya Dall doesn’t believe there should be cuts in sports. Majority of the Committee agrees that athletics should not be cut. Chris Menard asks when a decision needs to be made regarding a potential override. Brian Lehtinen confirms this will be a discussion at the meeting with the School and Select Board on Tuesday. Chris Menards states that there are smaller departments that are looking for funding and hopes those departments don’t get lost in the shuƯle because of the school department money issues. Chris Menard confirms it has been mentioned to Representative Margaret Scarsdale concerning all the eƯorts that are put towards reporting and audits. Julianna Hanscom confirms there are audits for the EL program. There are multiple agencies that reach out with the same deadlines. Kate Burnham states there are audits for food services that require many hours of work. John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, states that all audits come from the Department of Education in Washington. Mandates are given to the state to then be provided to the federal government for compliance. John Bowen states cutting mental health professionals and teachers should be a last resort. Laura Veran, 389 Mulpus Road, requests the actual to budget information. Dr. Kate Burnham confirms that the School Committee completes quarterly budget reports. c. Montachusett Regional High School Superintendent, Tom Brown, and Business Manager for the school district, Tammy Crockett, provided the presentation. In FY 25 Monty Tech was awarded $1,062,891 in state and federal entitlement grants. To date, $2,711,900 have been awarded for competitive grants. Lunenburg is the 4th largest enrollment out of the 18 towns. The foundational budget per pupil spent is $20,827. Monty tech represents 8% of Lunenburg’s total foundation budget. The above net school spending increased $872,000 from FY 2025 to FY 2026. The total FY 2026 budget is $34,641,344. Increases in FY 2025 to FY 2026 include: ===PAGE 4=== Salaries increased $580,731 Fringe benefit increased $438,000 Utilities and insurance increased $96,000 Academic and vocational program equipment/supplies increased $103,000 The total contribution needed from Lunenburg is $1,270,711. Tanya Dall questions what expenses in the budget are state mandated. Tammy Crockett confirms that the above net school spending and capital are not mandated. Chris Menard inquiries into who the school uses for busing. Tammy Crockett states the contracts are bid per town and they are with AA, Dee, and McCarthy. Chris Menard asks if the school is looking to add any additional trades. Tammy Crockett states they are not adding any additional trades. Currently, there is no room for expansion or funding to build a new school. d. Capital Plan This topic was not discussed. 7. New Business There was no new business. 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes There was a motion to approve the minutes from February 14, 2025, by Tom Gray, seconded by Jean Russell. The vote was 5-0-1. 10. Committee Reports This topic was not discussed. 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There are no additional actions or topics for future meetings. 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/13/2025 (Public Hearing) b. Thursday 3/20/2025 c. Thursday 3/27/2025 ===PAGE 5=== 13. Public Comment There were no public comments. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. The meeting closed at 10:53 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-13-agenda-7009.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-13 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-13-agenda-7009.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03132025-7009 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Vacant Vacant Thursday, March 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. Scheduled Meetings a. Municipal Building Design Committee b. Parks Commission c. Other Monied Articles d. Administrative, Unclassified and Debt 7. Public Hearing 8. New Business a. Outline Finance Committee Annual Report 9. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 10. Minutes 11. Committee Reports 12. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 13. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/20/2025 b. Thursday 3/27/2025 14. Public Comment 15. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-13-minutes-7009.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-13 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-13-minutes-7009.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03132025-7009 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall March 13, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Clerk Tom Gray 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment Rhonda Liscio, 181 Reservoir Road, inquires if there is a direct impact on the town’s bond rating if the town does not contribute to OPEB. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Scheduled Meetings a. Municipal Building Design Committee Michael Ray JeƯreys, 1170 Mass Ave., provided the Municipal Building Design Committee presentation. The biggest problem the Committee is facing is the TC Passios building. TC Passios school was transferred from the school dept to the Select Board. This triggered TC Passios Design Committee to see if that building could be repurposed to be used as a municipal building. The building is roughly 55,000 square feet. An architectural firm conducted analysis of the building and met with a variety of community stakeholders. The cost estimation was 23 million then the pandemic hit and supplies skyrocketed. Before the meeting in May the price rose to 29 million. It could cost 14 to 15 million just to get the building up to the current code. At the town meeting it was decided not to move forward for a vote. The Committee then changed back to being a Municipal Building Design Committee in order to look at all municipal buildings and not just at TC Passios. They determined that Town Hall and the Ritter building needs to be modernized and ADA accessible. ===PAGE 2=== ARPA funding was used to bring in an architectural firm, structural engineers, mechanical engineers to create a plan. The trade cost of each building is below: Meeting House and renovation: $2,624,843 Ritter Memorial renovation: $2,068,279 Town Hall: $6,937,520 Sitework: $1,657,520 Subtotal trade costs $13,288,086 Subtotal with contingencies and escalation: $15,281,299 Total construction cost with GC OH&P: $17,840,917 There are 2 options for payment. A 30-year bond would be an average cost per household of $300 for a 30-year bond or $400 per household for a 20-year bond. Mike Rupp inquires what the cost would be to take care of the buildings. Michael Ray JeƯreys is unsure and would be diƯicult to estimate. Ana Lockwood questions how much of the new space will be meeting space versus oƯice space Michael Ray JeƯreys states there would be 6,500 square feet that can be used for meeting space. b. Parks Commission Anita Scheipers, Chair of the Parks Commission, and Karin Menard, Clerk of the Parks Commission, provided the presentation. There has been a new updated design for Marshall Park. The project has been scaled back and will only be built on already developed areas. The dog park, wetland trails, and other improvements are no longer included in the new design. The new design consists of 3 phases. Phase 1: Construction of the driveway including parking spaces, playground, sports courts, and walking trail. A total of 120 parking spaces will be added. Phase 2: Construction of the men’s baseball field, ladies’ softball field, and parking oƯ of Chestnut Street. Phase 3: Constructions of buildings including large pavilion with restroom facilities, concession stand, and picnic area. The timeline is as follows: -Design package and permitting will start in May and conclude in September. -Bid process preparation will start in October and be awarded in ===PAGE 3=== December. -Sitework construction will start March of 2026 and conclude by May of 2027. The Commission intends to re-apply for the previously awarded grants. Regarding future park maintenance, the Facilities Director is in the process of getting maintenance scheduled for the various park components. Mike Rupp questioned if the fields are ever rented, and Anita Scheipers confirms that is an option and the fees are used to pay for expenses. Tanya Dall asks if there are any plans to implement any summer school programs at that location. Karin Menard hopes that the town will get behind the mission of having the recreation director become full-time and she would be able to run programming. This would be a prime location for outdoor activities. Jay Simeone shares his concern regarding maintenance and operational costs. Rhonda Lizio, 181 Reservoir Road, questions how much money has already been spent on the project. Karin Menard confirms that $50,000 from capital plan has been approved. At the special town meeting $184,000 was allocated. Lastly, $250,000 of ARPA funds have been used. c. Other Monied Articles The Town Manager confirmed that other monied articles would be all free cash transfers and those are up in the air until Tuesday. d. Administrative, Unclassified and Debt There is $393,881.14 in the reduced debt services this year. $284,412 of that total is being used to oƯset the capital program. The remaining $109,469 will be used to balance the budget. 7. Public Hearing There was a motion to open public meeting by Jay Simeone, seconded by Ana Lockwood. John Bowen,162 Highland Street, states that the Committee is tasked with making a budget as an advisory committee for the citizens and shouldn’t be by what everyone department wants. Glenn Mcleod, 436 Reservoir Road, disagrees with the building plan proposal. There has been a lot of talk about aƯordable housing and the housing crisis. The real conversation should be aƯordable living. It is becoming very unaƯordable to live in ===PAGE 4=== Massachusetts. There are so many demands on individual budgets as it is. His primary concern is to make the municipal employees feel appreciated and that they receive fair pay. Dave Passios, a former Lunenburg resident, former member of the finance committee, presently located in JeƯerson, New Hampshire, questioned if there is another public hearing date scheduled. Chris Menard confirms there will be another public hearing scheduled for March 27th or April 3rd. There was a motion to close public hearing by Jay Simeone, seconded by Ana Lockwood. 8. New Business a. Outline Finance Committee Annual Report Chris Menard confirms there needs to be a decision about prop 2½, levy limits, excluded debt and policies. If any Committee member has ideas, they should email them to Chris Menard. 9. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 10. Minutes There was a motion to approve the minutes from February 20, 2025, by Jay Simeone, seconded by Jean Russell. 11. Committee Reports Chris Menard suggest that the Committee watch the joint meeting with the School Committee and the Select Board. 12. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings The school department will be returning on March 20, 2025. There was a vote last night and the final decision about the allocation of money will be presented to the Committee. 13. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/20/2025 b. Thursday 3/27/2025 14. Public Comment Karin Menard, 672 Page Street, encourages departments to apply for grants. The mass oƯice on disability oƯers an ADA improvement grant that can be applied to planning and projects. In FY 2024, $3,932,321 were allocated to communities. For FY 2025 the ADA improvement grant totaled $4,910,668. This consisted of 59 grants, ===PAGE 5=== 25 for planning and 34 for projects. Karin Menard agrees with Michael Ray JeƯreys that all town buildings need to be accessible to residents. Additionally, she would like to see more space for meetings. Jay Simeone references the availability for grant writing services. That money was to be used to contact consulting companies that write grants with the expertise to make it easier to get the grants. 15. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. All in favor. The meeting closed at 10:34 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-20-agenda-7010.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-20 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-20-agenda-7010.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03202025-7010 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:00 PM 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. Scheduled Meetings a. School Committee Approved Budget b. Town Manager Final Budget Material 7. New Business a. V ote on Articles b. Review Finance Committee Draft Report 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/27/2025 b. Thursday 4/3/2025 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-20-minutes-7010.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-20 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-20-minutes-7010.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03202025-7010 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall March 20, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell (Zoom), Clerk Tom Gray (Zoom), 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 6:02 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. Scheduled Meetings a. School Committee Approved Budget Superintendent Dr. Kate Burnham provided the approved budget. The School Committee increased the legal expense line. There was some funding restored for band transportation. The middle school received an additional $1,000 and the high school received $3,000. At the school committee meeting on March 12th there was a vote to implement a bus transportation fee at 1 dollar per day. The fee for 1 child is $180 and the family cap is $270 for the year. The students eligible for free lunch will have that fee waived. Any student eligible for a reduced lunch will pay a reduced fee of $50. The implementation of transportation fee reduced the student transportation line by $11,000. The athletic transportation line was reduced to $102,555. The School Committee approved to have the athletics department run summer camps to generate revenue. ===PAGE 2=== Chris Menard firmly disagrees with running summer camps that will compete with the recreation department. Dr. Kate Burnham states the programs run by the recreation department should not conflict with the athletics summer camps. Chris Menard is requesting all the details associated with the summer camps, revenue projections, and comparisons to the recreation department. Ana Lockwood inquires about the hours of the camp. Dr. Kate Burnham states majority are from 9-3. Ana Lockwood suggests creating tutoring programs to provide extra support and also create revenue. Due to the restructuring the business oƯice salaries have changed to $90,000. The School Committee voted to eliminate 1 of the specialist coach positions that was previously grant funded. That grant money will be applied to an intervention teacher at the elementary school. Ana Lockwood states that the DESI website states there were 110 full time teachers back in 2019. After the proposed cuts in FY26 according to the presentation there will be 111 full-time teachers. Chris Menard made an executive decision to not allow public comment due to the Capital Planning Committee meeting that was scheduled to start in 3 minutes. 7. New Business There was no new business to discuss. 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes There were no minutes to approve. 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 meetings. ===PAGE 3=== 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday 3/27/2025 b. Thursday 4/3/2025 13. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 7:29 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-27-agenda-7011.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-27 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-27-agenda-7011.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03272025-7011 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 27, 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. Scheduled Meetings 7. Public Hearing a. Town Manager Final Budget Material b. Capital Items and other monied articles c. Warrant Articles d. Citizens Petition – Proposition 2 ½ Override 8. New Business a. Finalize Finance Committee Annual Report 9. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. FY26 Warrant Articles c. Budget Task Force Recommendations 10. Minutes 11. Committee Reports 12. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 13. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday, April 3 (Public Hearing and V otes) b. Thursday, April 10 – Fincom Meeting c. Town Meeting, May 3, 2025 14. Public Comment 15. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-27-minutes-7011.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-03-27 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-03-27-minutes-7011.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03272025-7011 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall March 27, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Clerk Tom Gray 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard stated that public hearing is scheduled for next week. The focus will be on reviewing the finance committee report and voting. 4. Public Comment John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, inquired whether or not public comment will happen after each topic. Chris Menard states there is an error in the agenda, and he will follow each topic with public comment. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Scheduled Meetings a. Town Manager Final Budget Material Jennifer Warren-Dyment provided presented the following changes in the budget: - $10,000 increases to the legal line - $50,000 grant writer position has been eliminated to restore some of the pavement management program Chris Menard is not in favor of getting rid of the grant writer position. - $15,000 decrease to the reserve fund bringing the total to $210,000. - $104,089 increase to the IT department. 7. Public Hearing a. Town Manager Final Budget Material Town Manager, Jennifer Warren-Dyment, will present any changes that have taken place since the last presentation. ===PAGE 2=== FY 2027 starting free cash $219,576 FY 2026 Town Manager proposed General Government budget: $2,962,263.14 FY 2026 Town Manager proposed budgets: Police: $2,434,77.42 Fire: $1,744,587.91 Other public safety: $368,488.90 Education: $27,121,995 Monty Tech: $1,334,521 DPW: $2,476,953.29 Facilities and Buildings: $1,067,396.30 Human Services (consolidated): $478,242.76 Culture and Recreation (consolidated): $639,036.70 Maturing Debt: $2,547,440.36 Intergovernmental Assessments: $3,425,578.98 General Government Unclassified: $ 4,107,709.13 Jay Simeone questions why the compensated absence fund isn’t taken out of the salary reserve fund. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states they are 2 diƯerent funds. The salary reserve fund is for collective bargaining agreements, raises, and new positions. The compensated absence funds are for vacation and any other time that is owed. Ana Lockwood questions if there is a maximum amount of vacation time that can be transferred from year to year. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states it varies depending on the bargaining unit as they have diƯerent maximums. John Bowen,162 Highland Street, is upset that the grant writer program has been eliminated. He is also unhappy with the Cemetery Commission requesting money even though they have funds in their omnibus budget. Also, he doesn’t agree with the $50,000 crack seal and believes the roads residents utilize daily should be a higher priority. Glenn Mcleod, 436 Reservoir Road, shares that the discussions about healthcare costs also eƯects retirees. b. Capital Items and other monied articles FY 2026 Capital program totals $655,424 c. Warrant article The assessor’s overlay was originally budgeted for $250,000 but that decreased to $175,000. ===PAGE 3=== There have been changes to free cash due to the diƯicult financial year. There is a transfer of $500,000 of certified free cash to support the public schools. The general stabilization account has been reduced to $0. There are now no transfers into the special purpose stabilization funds which was originally budgeted at $250,000. There are 3 special projects warrant articles totaling $152,500. - Decommissioning portion of TC Passios $75,000 -Board of Assessors – Phase 1 DOR directives $27,500 -Cemetery Road network repair and crack seal $50,000 FY 25 transfers totaling $465,000 - Snow and ice deficit transfer of $415,000 (may be reduced at town meeting) - School special education move in transfer of $50,000 (may be reduced at town meeting) d. Citizens Petition – Proposition 2 ½ Override The 2-million-dollar override was brought forward by TJ Loughlin. The proposed override subtracts the diƯerence of the level services budget from the town managers approved budget. Next week this article will go before the Select Board for approval. Ana Lockwood is requesting specific line items that would only be appropriate for the School Department to address. The Committee agrees to defer their vote awaiting additional information. 8. New Business a. Finance Committee Annual Report Chris Menard states there are 3 options to address the Finance Committees opinions at the town meeting. Option 1: Provide information that is approved by the Committee despite the Committee still having questions. The information would highlight the critical items for the voters. Option 2: Provide no opinion ===PAGE 4=== Option 3: Provide a small sample and then provide an update at town meeting. The Committee agrees with option 1. Ana Lockwood states there need to be a dollar amount impact provided. Tom Gray wants to mention the future expectations regarding Turkey Hill renovations versus replacement. There should also be discussion about providing the facts about why the town is where it is. This includes revenue, expenses, insurance etc. Chris Menard wants to also highlight the reduction in state aid. 9. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* Ana Lockwood provided a detailed presentation that reviewed the school department budget. Ana Lockwood is looking for clarity on the below topics. - School department headcount - Health insurance cost increases that aren’t in alignment with the other town department increases - Financial impact of teacher headcount reduction and other staƯ - Breakdown of increases and comparisons between FY25 and FY 26 Jay Simeone suggests having an outside source complete a deep dive of their budget for accuracy. b. FY26 Warrant Articles Below are some warrant articles - Authorization for the town to enter into an agreement with the bank. - Expend Chapter 90 funds in advance of reimbursement from the state. - Authorization to set spending limits for various revolving funds including the new meal site program and parks programming. - Authorization to pay expenses from prior fiscal year - Marshall Park and Building Design debt exclusion - Omnibus budget - Free cash transfer to Lunenburg public schools - Addressing positions and COLA for the salary administrative plan - Allowing holiday pay for on call firefighters - OPEB transfers - Establish the compensated absence fund - FY 25 budget adjustments ===PAGE 5=== - Fiscal 2025 closeouts - FY 2026 sewer enterprise - Pay as you throw program - Repeal and replace the entire flood plain map - Accessory dwelling unit updates - FY 2026 Capital program - totaling: $1,225,000 - Decommission a portion of TPC: $75,000 - BOA to update neighborhood code required by DOR - Citizens’ petition related to the cemetery commission and changing of their powers and duties. There will be presentations from the Stormwater Task Force and the Budget Task Force Committee. Votes will be taken at the next meeting. The options for voting are recommending approval, recommending disapproval, or finding no financial impact. c. Budget Task Force Recommendations The Budget task force recommendations include standardizing the workflow for town finances, implementing standardized department reporting and consolidate chart of accounts. 10. Minutes Minutes will be reviewed at the next meeting. 11. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 12. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There are no additional actions or topics to add to future agendas. 13. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday, April 3 (Public Hearing and Votes) b. Thursday, April 10 – Fincom meeting c. Town Meeting - May 3, 2025 14. Public Comment TJ Loughlin, 207 Rolling Acres Road, addressed some of the questions posed by Ana Lockwood regarding the school department. The questions were unrelated to the override itself. If there were errors in the presentation TJ would like that information to update the override. ===PAGE 6=== Ana Lockwood responds that she didn’t call into question the school budget or its truthfulness. There are discrepancies in the documents and supporting documents. Dave Passios, JeƯerson NH, suggests creating a link or QR code that will bring up additional information that can be retrieved up until town meeting. John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, states the citizen petition, warrant article 4, does have some financial impact. Additionally, the cemetery commission has not submitted an actual plan. Glenn Mcleod, 436 Reservoir Road, encourages the Committee to reflect on narratives throughout town from Boards and committee. There has been a lot of discussion about petitions, Marshall Park, Town Hall project, TC Passios, Turkey Hill, Brooke’s House, and the trash and recycle program. These will all impact residents, businesses, and the community. 15. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Tom Gray, seconded by Jean Russell. The meeting closed at 11:29 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-03-agenda-7134.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-04-03 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-04-03-agenda-7134.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04032025-7134 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, April 3, 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 a. Discuss and V ote on Articles 7. New Business a. Reserve Account Transfer Request – Unanticipated Fire Vehicle Maintenance b. Workshop - Review and Modify Finance Committee Annual Report c. V ote on Finance Committee Annual Report 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. Budget Task Force Recommendations 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday, April 10 – Fincom Meeting b. Town Meeting, May 3, 2025 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-03-minutes-7134.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-04-03 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-04-03-minutes-7134.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04032025-7134 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall April 3, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray (Zoom), Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp Absent Member: Committee Member Jay Simeone 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Town meeting is scheduled for May 3, 2025. 4. Public Comment John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, spoke about the DPW request for $50,000 to complete road expansion in the North Cemetery. Currently, he is unaware of a plan for this project. The Select Board opted not to go forward with crack sealing proposal. John Bowen suggests applying electricity in both cemeteries for the same cost. Dave Passios, JeƯerson NH formally Lunenburg resident, cautions the Committee about the reserve account request. This account is strictly intended to cover emergencies and should not be treated like a piggy bank. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Public Hearing There was a motion by Chris Menard to enter into public hearing, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. a. Discuss and Vote on Articles Article 1. Authorization to hear and/or accept oral reports from the Stormwater Task Force and the Budget Task Force. ===PAGE 2=== There was a motion that Article 1 has no financial impact by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 2. Authorization to borrow in anticipation of revenue should there be a revenue shortfall for any reason There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 2 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 3. Authorization to expend Chapter 90 funds in anticipation of the reimbursement by the state. There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 3 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 4. Vote to set the spending limits on various revolving funds There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 4 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 5. Authorization to pay expenses from a prior fiscal year There was a motion to recommend deferral on Article 5 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 6. Fiscal year 2025 budget adjustments within budget lines There was a motion to recommend deferral on Article 6 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 7. Fiscal year 2025 closeouts ===PAGE 3=== There was a motion to recommend deferral on Article 7 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 8. Fiscal Year 2026 capital program totaling $1,225,000 There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 8 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 9. Authorization to fund special projects There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 9 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 10. Fiscal year 2026 omnibus budget totaling $49,374,465 There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 10 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 11. Citizen petition for Proposition 2 ½ override of $2,099,337 There was a motion to recommend disapproval of Article 11 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 12. Transfer of $500,000 in certified free cash to the Lunenburg Public Schools for FY 2026 There was a motion to recommend deferral on Article 12 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 13. Amendments to the salary administrative plan position titles/grades ===PAGE 4=== There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 13 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 14. Salary administrative plan adjustments for FY 2026 There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 14 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 15. Holiday pay for on-call firefighters There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 15 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 16. Appropriate free cash to the stabilization fund There was a motion to take no action on Article 16 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 17. Appropriate free cash to the special purpose stabilization fund There was a motion to take no action on Article 17 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 18. Appropriate free cash to the OPEB trust fund totaling $222,500 There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 18 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 19. Establish a reserve fund for future payment of accrued liabilities for compensated absences ===PAGE 5=== There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 19 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 20. Appropriation to the compensated absence reserve fund There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 20 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 21. Transfer of funds to the OPEB sewer trust fund There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 21 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 22. FY 2026 sewer enterprise transfer There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 22 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 23. Sewer inflow/infiltration stabilization fund There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 23 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 24. Sewer reserve capacity stabilization fund There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 24 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 25. Solid waste disposal program enterprise fund ===PAGE 6=== There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 25 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 26. Water enterprise fund transfer of $45,000 There was a motion to recommend approval of Article26 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 27. Public educational government access enterprise fund appropriation and transfer There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 27 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 28. Floodplain map update There was a motion to find that there is no financial impact associated with Article 28 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 29. Accessory dwelling unit bylaw update There was a motion to find that there is no financial impact associated with Article 29 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 30. Amending Clause 17D, 17E, and 17F relative to tax exemptions There was a motion to recommend deferral on Article 30 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 31. Amending Clause 41C and 41D relative to tax exemptions ===PAGE 7=== There was a motion to recommend deferral on Article 31 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 32. Citizen petition There was a motion to find that there is no financial impact associated with Article 32 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 33. Marshall Park design debt exclusion There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 33 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The vote was unanimous 6-0. Article 34. Municipal Building Design debt exclusion There was a motion to recommend approval of Article 34 by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell no, Chris Menard aye. The vote was 6-1 for approval. There was a motion to close public hearing by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell no, Chris Menard aye. 7. New Business a. Reserve Account Transfer Request – Unanticipated Fire Vehicle Maintenance Chief Patrick Sullivan states there have been significant repairs needed for the primary ambulance. The estimated cost to repair the diesel particulate filter and possibly the exhaust gas recirculating valve is $10,000. Currently there is $7,900 in the vehicle maintenance line that should cover fuel for the rest of the year. Chief Patrick Sullivan confirms there have been multiple significant repairs needed throughout the year. ===PAGE 8=== Ana Lockwood questions how much is in the expense line for equipment repairs or vehicle repair. Chief Patrick Sullivan states the purchase of parts line and the purchase of services lines total $32,000. Mike Rupp inquiries about the lifespan of an ambulance. Chief Patrick Sullivan says it’s estimated to be 12 years. The ambulance is from 2019 so there are roughly 6 years remaining. There was a motion to request a reserve fund transfer of $12,000 to cover unanticipated coverages in the fire department vehicle maintenance budget by Chris Menard, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. b. Workshop - Review and Modify Finance Committee Annual Report The Committee reviewed and edited the Lunenburg finance annual report document. c. Vote on Finance Committee Annual Report There was a motion to approve the finance committee annual report while allowing the Chair to make editorial comments and corrections by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. 8. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* Ana Lockwood reviewed the numbers that were presented by the school department related to their budget. She noted a 17.21% budget increase from FY 25 to FY 26. Ana Lockwood is requesting all budget information and a headcount from the school department. b. Budget Task Force Recommendations There was no discussion about budget task force recommendations. 9. Minutes The minutes will be reviewed at the next meeting. Tanya Dall suggested looking into a transcription service through Zoom as a possibility of creating minutes. There is concern that not everything is being documented in previously provided minutes. ===PAGE 9=== 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 meetings. 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Thursday, April 10 – Fincom Meeting b. Town Meeting, May 3, 2025 13. Public Comment Glenn Mcleod, 436 Reservoir Road, thanked Jean Russell for dissenting the vote related to town hall. He also thanked the members on the Committee for their work. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 11:07 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-24-agenda-7185.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-04-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-04-24-agenda-7185.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04242025-7185 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, April 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. Final Annual Town Meeting Discussions b. 2026 Budget Task Force Recommendations c. Committee Assignments 7. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* b. 2025 Budget Task Force Recommendations 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Town Meeting, May 3, 2025 b. Fincom Meeting, May 8 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn * Budget Discussions may include Revenue, Capital, Department Requests, Monied articles, Proposition 2 ½, Borrowing, Finance Committee recommendations, requests and information from other Boards and Commissions, and any other budget related items ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-24-minutes-7185.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2025-04-24 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2025-04-24-minutes-7185.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04242025-7185 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall April 24, 2025 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Vice Chair Jean Russell 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard confirms this is the last Finance Committee meeting before the town meeting. The Teen Center has asked if the Committee would field a team to compete at Are You Smarter than a 6th Grader. The team currently consists of Jean Russell and Tom Gray. 1 additional member is needed. Tom Gray states there was supposed to be a Municipal Building Design Committee meeting yesterday but there was no quorum. The meeting will now take place on Monday at 5:30 or 6 via Zoom. 4. Public Comment Jennifer DuƯy, 684 Flat Hill Road, inquired about the town band warrant article. Chris Menard suggests reaching out to Mrs. Archambault. The Committee will investigate this further. Dave Rodgers, 82 Highland Street, is concerned about the town taking money from free cash and from Chapter 70 to maintain roads. Dave Rodgers is looking for the town to provide some guidance about the school department budget situation. Tanya Dall confirms that they have hired a finance person for the schools. Ana Lockwood confirms there is no misappropriation of funds but feels the budget practices are very unclear and not transparent. Mike Rupp agrees and feels the town and school finances need to be looked into further. John Bowen,162 Highland Street, states that the Cemetery Commission had a meeting this morning. John Bowen feels that the Cemetery Commission has no idea ===PAGE 2=== about any costs related to the cemeteries. He feels the Committee should be able to explain and show the needs of cemeteries, but they are unable. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Chris Menard states that booklets have been mailed to residents for the upcoming town meeting. There are several hundred extras that will be available at the meeting. The School Department will be selling a limited number of pre-bagged lunches at the town meeting. 6. New Business a. Final Annual Town Meeting Discussions Chris Menard was provided with the consent calendar from the Town Manager. There was a motion to approve the consent calendar by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Jay Simeone aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. Chris Menard created an interchangeable document with projections that has been saved on the SharePoint. There was discussion about Article 8 and Article 9 on the capital plan. Article 8 was the originally presented article. Article 9 is from the schools withdrawing the original capital plan and adding the primary school heat pump system with the remainder of money to come from other sources. The Committee previously voted on the article, but Chris Menard requested the Town Manager change the Finance Committees vote to deferred. b. 2026 Budget Task Force Recommendations The Select Board is looking to recharge the Budget Task Force over the summer to restart some work. Ana Lockwood reviewed Budget Task Forces in other towns. They were very public, eƯective, and transparent. There was discussion about having employees assigned to the Budget Task Force as well as the pros and cons. Tom Gray volunteers to be a liaison if nobody else is available. c. Committee Assignments The Chair of the Master Plan Steering Committee inquired about having a ===PAGE 3=== liaison with the Finance Committee. Mike Rupp has expressed interest and will reach out to the Chair, Tim Willsmer. Tom Gray will continue to be the liaison with the Municipal Design Committee and Chris Menard will continue to be the liaison with the Capital Planning Committee. 7. Old Business a. FY26 Budget Discussions* There was no discussion about this topic. b. 2025 Budget Task Force Recommendations The recommendations are in the SharePoint file. Some of the recommendations have already been completed. Chris Menard wants the Committee to review for discussion at upcoming meetings. 8. Minutes There was a motion to approve the minutes of February 25, 2025, February 27. 2025, March 6, 2025, March 13, 2025, and March 20, 2025, by Tom Gray, seconded by Mike Rupp. Roll call vote. Jay Simeone aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall no, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. Tanya Dall feels the minutes are not adequate and are missing information. The Committee is in agreement that they don’t want a transcript of the meeting. 9. Committee Reports Ana Lockwood has reached out to the school committee inquiring about obtaining specific information. After 10 days she didn’t receive a response but later received a memo via email from Brian Lehtinen with none of the requested information. Ana Lockwood has again requested the data but feels as though the School Committee is not meeting their obligations under the charter as to their budget. Chris Menard agrees there should be full transparency associated with the funding source not just raised and appropriated to the Finance Committee. Tanya Dall wants to use a budget tool or a template for all departments to use for standardization. Under Mass General Law the Committee is entitled to ask for and obtain information from departments. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Chris Menard suggests that members brainstorm possible actions or topics to tackle over the summer. ===PAGE 4=== The Committee anticipates completing a full year budget cycle going forward where budget requests are received much earlier. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Town Meeting, May 3, 2025 b. Fincom Meeting, May 8 12. Public Comment Dave Passios, JeƯerson NH, a former resident in Lunenburg, commented about the annual audit and the need to sort out some of the questionable practices. He disagrees with the annual audit that is required by statue that costs $60,000. In the past it previously hasn’t been eƯective in finding issues. There were no comments from the Committee. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jay Simeone aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 9:09 PM. ======================================================================================== 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 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-08-agenda-7592.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-08 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-08-agenda-7592.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01082026-7592 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, January 8, 2026 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. FY27 Budget Calendar b. Town Meeting discussions c. Summary of Capital Planning Committee d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override e. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 7. Old Business 8. Minutes (10/23/25, 11/13/2025) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – January 12 & 27 b. Finance Committee – January 29 (Monty Tech) 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-08-minutes-7592.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-08 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-08-minutes-7592.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01082026-7592 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall January 8, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard states the final 2 Tri-Board meetings are scheduled for January 12, 2026 and January 26, 2026. 4. Public Comment Stephanie (LAST NAME) participated in the meeting as a newly appointed representative who began her role on October 1, 2025. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Jennifer Warren-Dyment shared several updates regarding staƯing. Katherine McKenna was hired as the Finance Director. She felt this wasn’t a good fit and gave her 60-day notice. Her last day of service was December 31, 2025. Retired Finance Director, Karen Brochu, has come forward to work part time as the Interim Finance Director/Town Accountant. Her first priority is to close out FY 2025 Nancy O’Rourke has retired as the Manager of Payroll and Benefits. Currently, there is a temp in place from Robert Half. There have been numerous interviews, and an oƯer was extended to a candidate today. Town Manager has signed an agreement with Complete StaƯing to recruit and fill the Finance Director position. There have been numerous interviews for this position. Ana Lockwood shared her concern about the title of Finance Director and Town Accountant. There is concern about who this person should report to. Jennifer Warren-Dyment confirms that larger towns with larger budgets are able to split the position. The town accountant would be the primary duty for this position. ===PAGE 2=== Town Manager has sent notification to the 11 customers in town who received a water bill from the town. Their regular quarterly bills were not sent to them in a timely manner, and they will be issued a catch-up bill to cover January 2025 through November 2025. 6. Current Business a. FY27 Budget Calendar Chris Menard is requesting that Monty Tech provide their presentation earlier than usual. Chris Menard believes there may need to be cutbacks similar to what the public schools have had to do. The Committee wants to have a conversation prior to them presenting their budget. The Committee agrees that Monty Techs assessment should be aligned with the Lunenberg Public Schools. Jennifer Warren-Dyment has heard that the schools want to present a true ask of the Town Manager for their budget that is unrelated to available revenue. The Town Manager and the Finance Committee request they present their budget earlier than usual. b. Town Meeting discussions Ana Lockwood was uncomfortable with the last town meeting and felt not enough information was provided. She suggests having items added to the operational budget but Town Manager states there is no capacity to add to the operational budget. c. Summary of Capital Planning Committee Ana Lockwood shared her concern about ongoing conversations that are pertinent to the Finance Committee but haven’t been brought in front of the Committee. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states that the Capital Planning Committee is currently focusing on getting through FY27 requests and then will be focusing on the out years. Furthermore, the Capital Planning Committee has initiated a request to implement a standardized template or format for use by all department heads. d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Chris Menard indicates that there may be a Proposition 2 ½ override proposed by the schools, the consideration of a fourth shift for the Fire Department, and additional measures to address the needs of the town. Ana Lockwood states there needs to be a solution found as opposed to an override. Some areas to focus on included recycling, TCP building, and ===PAGE 3=== ambulance receipts. She will create a spreadsheet and disperse to the Committee. The Town Manager confirmed that there would need to be service cuts and realignments to have a balanced budget without an override. Jennifer Warren-Dyment has spoken to department heads to update their budget as well as include a budget with a 5% reduction. Chris Menard suggests holding additional Tri-Board meetings to iron things out. e. Tri-Board Discussions (Previous and Upcoming) Chris Menard requested information from the Committee and Town Manager about whether the Stormwater Task Force would present a proposal for an enterprise fund. Town Manager states she would be surprised if they were ready for the town meeting in May. 7. Old Business No additional discussion on this topic took place. 8. Minutes (10/23/25, 11/13/2025) There was a motion to approve minutes of October 23, 2025, and November 13, 2025 as amended by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. 9. Committee Reports Several members have not been assigned to Committees. This topic will be added to the upcoming agenda. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Committee Assignments Monty Tech Presentation 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – January 12 & 26 b. Finance Committee – February 5- Monty Tech Presentation. This meeting was originally scheduled for January 29. 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. ===PAGE 4=== 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 9:08 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-12-agenda-7597.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-12-agenda-7597.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01122026-7597 ======================================================================================== ===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, January 12, 2026 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. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: General Government, Unclassified, Debt Service, Intergovernmental b. Preliminary Revenue Projections c. Preliminary FY27 Budget Plan Discussions 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – January 26, 2026 b. Finance Committee – February 5, 2026 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 : 2026-01-12-minutes-7597.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-12 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-12-minutes-7597.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01122026-7597 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 1 of 11 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Lunenburg Middle/High School, LMS Collaborative Room #D12 Monday, January 12, 2026 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, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod School Committee Members Present: Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice-Chair Laura Brzozoski, and Secretary Mandy Gilman (Absent: Emily Young and George Yapp) Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Member Tanya Dall, Member Jay Simeone and Member Mike Rupp (Absent: Jean Russell, Tom Gray, and Ana Lockwood) Tri-Board Moderator: Finance Chair Chris Menard moderated the meeting. Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order by Finance Committee Chair Chirs Menard who served as Moderator. He asked everyone to stand and address the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. NEW BUSINESS Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: General Government, Unclassified, Debt Service, Intergovernmental Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment led the preliminary budget presentation, stating at the outset that her goal was "to go relatively quickly through the remaining budgets," covering general government functions, debt service, intergovernmental, and unclassified items. She noted that all salary figures were currently presented at FY26 rates, as several union contracts remained under active negotiation and no cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) had yet been finalized. Select Board and Town Manager Budgets: Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented the Select Board budget at approximately $180,000, noting that $160,000 of that figure was driven by staff costs which include the Assistant Town Manager/HR Director, the Executive Assistant, and pool of minute clerks, with the remainder of the budget covering expenses. The Town Manager's budget was presented at approximately ===PAGE 2=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 2 of 11 $305,000, described as nearly a fifty-fifty split between salaries and expenses, with legal costs as the primary driver on the expense side. She noted that she was pleased with the town's legal representation. She stated the most significant change proposed within these budgets was the creation of a new, standalone Assistant Town Manager position. She explained that the title of Assistant Town Manager and Director of Human Resources would be split. She stated that the Assistant Town Manager position would also include the procurement functions. Town Manager Warren-Dyment acknowledged the difficult budgetary environment but stated, "this is a need that I think is of the Town of Lunenburg." She indicated that to avoid absorbing the full cost in a single fiscal year, the position would not be funded until January 1, making it a half-year expense of approximately $60,000, with the full salary estimated at $120,000. She described it as a full-time position once fully funded. Finance Committee Member Jay Simeone inquired about the drivers behind the $20,000 increase to the Select Board budget. Town Manager Warren-Dyment explained that the primary driver was an increase in the contracted services line, from $6,000 to $13,500, to provide room for unforeseen contracted needs. She noted the town had routinely exceeded the prior contracted services budget and needed additional flexibility. She committed to following up with specific detail on the Select Board contracted services line, as well as on the Town Accountant's contracted services line. Finance Department: Town Manager Warren-Dyment described the Finance Department budget as having experienced significant upheaval. The department, which had been budgeted at $323,000 for FY26, had required a $160,000 supplemental appropriation at a Special Town Meeting due to costs associated with departmental transition, increased hiring ranges, and the use of outside consultants. She stated that she did not anticipate these one-time costs carrying into FY27 and would not budget around them. She noted that reductions in the clerical line, driven by a recent staff retirement at top rate, were partially offsetting increases in the Finance Director position. The Payroll and Benefits position was described as a real number, pending appointment by the Select Board. The Assistant Town Accountant position had also been filled. She flagged that the audit cost had been historically under-budgeted at $40,000, with the actual FY27 audit cost expected to be $65,000, calling it "a pretty large jump." School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene asked whether the audit cost increase was due to prior under-budgeting or an actual increase in the cost. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed that $65,000 represented the actual cost of the audit going forward. She also informed the boards that, for those who might prefer a different auditor, there are now essentially only two municipal auditors operating in the state of Massachusetts and they are CBIZ and Roselli & Clark, and that Roselli & Clark is not accepting new clients at the time. Treasurer/Collector: Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented the Treasurer/Collector budget with few structural ===PAGE 3=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 3 of 11 changes, noting that the tax title line was being moved. The primary salary driver was a request to increase two staff positions from 36 hours to 40 hours per week, a level that had previously been supported by ARPA funds. She stated that this change was being requested to allow the Treasurer/Collector to dedicate more time to tax title work and other departmental responsibilities, resulting in a $15,000 increase in the Treasurer's budget and a $10,000 increase in the Collector's budget. Information Technology: Town Manager Warren-Dyment reported that the IT budget in FY26 had been approximately $500,000, and that the preliminary FY27 budget represented an increase of approximately $90,000, driven primarily by the Munis financial management software platform. She introduced Kara McCarthy, the Communications and IT Manager to field questions if needed. She explained that the town had upgraded Munis in December of the prior year at a total cost of $108,000, offset by ARPA funds, with $61,000 coming from operations. In FY27, there would be no ARPA offset, and the contract stipulated a 5% increase in year two, with year three priced "at market." Finance Committee Member Simeone and School Committee Chair Sculimbrene asked clarifying questions about whether Munis was priced by seats or modules, and whether unused modules or seats could be reduced to yield savings. Town Manager Warren-Dyment committed to following up with detail on this question. She described the role of Munis broadly: "It's doing all of our bills for sewer billing… it's the data source for everything else, all of our people are in there, all of the payroll is in there, all of that accounting is in there," including school department functions. She relayed advice from the town's financial advisor, who had told her that "Munis is like your gas stove in your house, you can use it to warm up a bowl of soup, but if you're not careful, you can burn your house down," characterizing it as a robust program typically used by much larger municipalities. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also flagged ClearGov, a budgeting, forecasting, and transparency software that had not been actively used since Town Manager Lemieux departed. She stated she had planned to cut it in FY26 but heard strong objections. Given continued non-use, she indicated she would likely terminate the contract in the current fiscal year, pending a conversation with the incoming Finance Director. She noted hearing no real opposition from those present to cutting ClearGov. Regarding the Suzor IT contract, she noted the vendor was currently on-site five days per week, a arrangement that she described as non-typical for a municipality of Lunenburg's size. She had already reduced on-site presence to four days per week as of January and stated she intended to formalize a four-day schedule in FY27, with an aspiration to reduce to three days. She noted that one day per week, Fridays, would be dedicated exclusively to public safety and DPW. She stated that ticket volume had declined as system maintenance had improved, allowing the on-site technician to focus on proactive work such as inventorying, device replacement scheduling, and network projects. Finance Committee Member Dall asked about the cost differential between an internal IT hire versus the outsourced vendor contract. Town Manager Warren-Dyment responded that hiring a ===PAGE 4=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 4 of 11 single internal person would not necessarily be cheaper and would limit the town to that individual's specific skill set, whereas the vendor contract provides access to an entire team with diverse technical expertise. Town Clerk: Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that FY27 is an election year, which drives the Town Clerk's budget upward. The budget of $143,000 was described as largely salary-driven. She noted the Town Clerk is an elected position overseeing an Assistant Town Clerk, with a dotted-line relationship to the Town Manager's office. She noted the $15,000 budget increase was primarily driven by election costs. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene raised concerns about the workflows and operational efficiency of the Town Clerk's office, noting a lack of standardized digital submission processes for agendas, materials, and room scheduling. Town Manager Warren-Dyment acknowledged the concern, stating that the elected Town Clerk has authority to dictate how agendas and materials are accepted, and that while she has influence, she does not have direct authority over the office. She took the opportunity to share her broader view that she does not believe in the year 2026, that an elected town clerk serves anymore, noting that the statutory duties of the office had grown substantially more complex since the 1960s and 1990s. She was careful to note her admiration and confidence in the current Town Clerk, Kathy Herrick, saying, "It has been a blessing to work with Kathy. I have no concerns about Kathy's skills." She observed that a number of communities have been transitioning away from the elected town clerk model and described charter mechanisms used by some towns to manage such a transition without displacing an incumbent. Miscellaneous General Government Lines: Town Manager Warren-Dyment walked through a variety of miscellaneous general government lines: The Finance Committee budget was reduced by $475, reflecting a realignment of training and event funds to actual usage. The Finance Committee Reserve was maintained at $185,000, noting it had been nearly fully utilized in the prior fiscal year. The Salary Reserve was presented at $210,000, which she characterized as a placeholder at this stage. She disclosed that the town is currently in active negotiations with three bargaining units: the DPW, Fire, and Clerical unions. She explained that COLAs and pending contract agreements are typically held in the salary reserve rather than embedded in departmental budgets. The Town Report line was increased from $7,000 to $16,000, with Town Manager Warren-Dyment clarifying that this figure covered not only the annual town report but also the printing costs for the annual town meeting booklet and special town meeting materials, which had historically been underfunded and covered through ad hoc transfers. Central Purchasing saw a minor increase of approximately $1,500. She noted that consolidating all departmental postage into a single central line — implemented for the first time in FY26 — was currently running at approximately 40% utilization. She expressed a desire to reduce that line once the first full year of actuals was available. ===PAGE 5=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 5 of 11 Land Use Department: Town Manager Warren-Dyment introduced Building Commissioner Brian Gingras to present on the Land Use Department, which consolidates Building, Planning, Conservation, ZBA, Historic, and APDC functions into a single budget. She noted this consolidation had provided significant flexibility during FY26, and expressed interest in applying a similar approach to the Treasurer/Collector. Building Commissioner Gingras reported that permit fee activity for FY26 was tracking at approximately the historical average: roughly $325,000 in building permit fees, $420,000 in electrical, $140,000 in plumbing, and $120,000 in gas. He noted that a 35-lot subdivision before the Planning Board that evening had been effectively reduced to 24 lots following that night's Planning Board session. He also flagged a potential 104,000-square-foot commercial building on Summer Street that could generate permit revenue if permitted during FY26 and reaching occupancy in FY27. Regarding the budget, Commissioner Gingras noted that the Director of Planning and Economic Development, a retitled version of the former Land Use Director, would see a salary increase from $106,000 to $112,000. He noted that salary reductions in the clerical line reflected the retirement of a long-serving employee and the elimination of the ZBA clerical line item. He explained that technology, particularly the OpenGov platform, had made it possible to consolidate duties and eliminate that position without operational impact. He described the meetings and schools training budget line as serving over 20 staff and volunteers across multiple boards, noting new Conservation Commission members and new administrative staff members were actively pursuing required training. Town Manager Warren-Dyment added that this department is uniquely sensitive to external economic conditions: "Economy is doing well, he's busy, he's ramping up… if nobody's building, then we want to look at perhaps some sensible contractions." Preliminary Revenue Projections Town Manager Warren-Dyment transitioned to presenting preliminary revenue projections, describing the overall picture as "not good if you looked ahead." She stated that total preliminary revenues for FY27 were projected at $51,331,000, with 71% driven by property taxes, followed by state aid and local receipts. Property Tax / Levy Calculation Town Manager Warren-Dyment walked the members through the mechanics of the levy limit. Starting from the FY26 levy limit, the town adds 2.5% under Proposition 2.5, adds estimated new growth, and then adds excluded (exempt) debt. She stated: "We add the excluded debt on the top end to the available revenues and then take it out in the expenditures." She clarified that excluded debt service appears both as revenue and as an expenditure because the exclusion authorization adds the revenue to fund that specific debt service cost. A discussion arose regarding the distinction between excluded debt and non-excluded (inside-the-levy) debt. Town Manager Warren-Dyment clarified that the non-excluded debt that had ===PAGE 6=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 6 of 11 been falling off the levy in recent years represented smaller projects, such as the DPW building design, a ladder truck, the Saliba property acquisition, and artificial turf and that as this debt retires, those dollars effectively get absorbed into operating expenditures rather than being set aside for new non-excluded borrowing. The discussion also addressed the timing strategy for municipal borrowing projects and the importance of staggering large excluded debt projects so that retiring debt is replaced by new debt at a pace that levels out taxpayer bills. Town Manager Warren-Dyment referenced the strategic effort made in the prior year to time certain municipal building projects ahead of an anticipated Turkey Hill School submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). School Committee Chair Sculimbrene confirmed that the School Committee anticipated submitting a proposal for MSBA funding in the fall, noting that the accelerated repair program would likely not be appropriate for Turkey Hill given the scope of need, and that Dr. Fortuna had advised the committee to develop a strong proposal for the following year. He acknowledged the MSBA process involves a five-plus-year timeline from submission to construction. Finance Committee Member Dall asked whether the town had a combined limit on exempt and non-exempt debt. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed that there is a policy. New Growth Town Manager Warren-Dyment reported that new growth for FY27 had been estimated by the Board of Assessors at $400,000, following a process that included consultation with Building Commissioner Gingras. She noted that FY25 actual new growth had come in at $518,000, above the $400,000 estimate used that year. She explained that new growth captures not only new construction but also additions, enclosures of previously unheated spaces, and renovations that add assessable values, but that does not include value increases attributable to normal market fluctuation. Select Board Vice-Chair Moore expressed concern that the $400,000 estimate might be too high, citing a perceived slowdown in new construction. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene noted the estimate was supported by historical trends. Town Manager Warren-Dyment responded that the Assessors had voted on the figure in the prior week as part of the overlay calculation, and that Commissioner Gingras had concurred. She reminded the boards that the entire revenue pie does not need to hit exactly on each line; rather, the aggregate needs to be equal to or greater than total appropriations. State Aid Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented current FY26 state aid actuals of $11,244,422, which included Chapter 70 education aid, unrestricted government aid, school choice, library aid, and veterans' benefits. She stated her intention to hold this figure level until the Governor's budget recommendation was released, anticipated around the time of the Massachusetts Municipal Association conference. She expressed tempered concern about state revenues. Select Board Member Glenn McLeod observed that the 22% state aid share in Lunenburg's revenue pie was well below the national average of approximately 31% for municipal aid from states, noting this gap was directly related to the fiscal pressures on cities and towns ===PAGE 7=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 7 of 11 highlighted in the Municipal Association’s “Perfect Storm" report. Town Manager Warren-Dyment agreed that this was particularly challenging for a community like Lunenburg with a limited commercial and industrial tax base, noting, "that big green piece of the pie — that's largely being supported by residential homeowners." School Committee Vice-Chair Brzozski suggested inviting local state legislators to an upcoming Tri-Board meeting to better understand the magnitude of the funding gap. An unidentified participant recalled that one state representative had previously told the town to "just raise taxes," eliciting broad frustration from those present. A discussion arose about the commercial tax rate and whether a split rate would be beneficial. Town Manager Warren-Dyment stated that she would not recommend a split rate for Lunenburg at this time, noting that the town should maintain a welcoming posture toward commercial and industrial development: "We want arms wide open — come." She noted that a neighboring community, Lancaster, had recently voted to split its rate, and that communities with strong positioning on major highway corridors (citing Route 495 and Route 2) had structural advantages Lunenburg did not currently share. Local Receipts Town Manager Warren-Dyment stated that local receipts, which comprise motor vehicle excise, meals tax, fees, fines, licensing and permits, and investment income, were being held level pending closure of FY25 books. She noted that investment income had significantly outperformed projections in recent years, with an FY25 projection of $100,000 against actuals of approximately $414,000. She cautioned against relying on continued market performance at that level and stated: "I don't want to rely on the market to continue in that way." She also noted that ambulance receipts were included in local receipts and were flowing into the operating budget as estimated revenue, not through a free cash appropriation process. Preliminary FY27 Budget Plan Discussions Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented the preliminary budget gap analysis. Starting from total available revenues of $51,331,376.99, she subtracted approximately $1,400,000 in non-appropriated expenses (including state assessments taken off the top, school choice and library state aid pass-throughs, overlay, and the newly repositioned tax title line), as well as a pay-as-you-go capital contribution (referenced at $244,000 in the prior year). This left approximately $49,682,496 in available operating funds. Subtracting the total FY26 appropriations from the omnibus budget left $1,306,059 in new revenue available for FY27 for all purposes: the town, the school department, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School (Monty Tech)- every employee, every contract, and every new initiative. She described the traditional apportionment approach, under which the school department would receive approximately $696,521 of that amount above FY26 levels, the town would receive approximately $573,000, and Monty Tech would receive approximately $36,000. She then presented an illustration of the actual budget pressure: the school department's projected health insurance increase for FY27 was approximately $740,000, and the town's projected health ===PAGE 8=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 8 of 11 insurance increase was approximately $480,000. Together, those two non-discretionary increases alone exceeded the entire $1,306,059 in new revenue by approximately $34,000, leaving only $86,000 for all other purposes after health insurance, before even Monty Tech's assessment (which she noted is anticipated to exceed $36,000), COLAs, any new positions, or any programmatic additions. Select Board Vice-Chair Moore noted that a request from the Fire Department for a fourth shift, estimated at approximately $500,000, was also not yet reflected in the available figures, confirming that number was included in the Fire Chief's budget request as submitted. The Town Manager summarized the fiscal situation plainly: "If we do not have either significant cuts or an override or a combination thereof… we don't have enough funds to meet our obligations." Finance Committee Member Dall noted that the city she was working with in her professional capacity was in a similar position and was asking all departments to prepare 5% budget cuts. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed she had already issued a similar request to Lunenburg departments, and stated that she had asked department heads to undertake that exercise so we can start seeing where things are. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene cautioned that the school department had already been significantly cut and could not sustain further reductions without affecting classroom performance, noting that kindergarten classrooms were operating with 25 students and no aides. Finance Committee Member Mike Rupp expressed concern about the long-term trajectory, citing declining state revenues, population loss in Massachusetts, business outmigration, and an estimated $57 billion in unfunded pension liabilities statewide: "I just don't think this state, on this situation, is going to get any better in the coming years." Town Manager Warren-Dyment agreed on the need to protect OPEB funding no matter what, while noting that the public sector compensation model meant that asking employees to absorb further benefit reductions or forgo COLAs would be inappropriate in the current environment. Discussion turned to specific operational cost-reduction opportunities. Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted the recycling market had shifted dramatically and what was once a revenue source was now a cost. She suggested the boards consider whether the community values the current curbside program, and whether expanding the pay-as-you-throw bag fee program could offset the full cost. She cautioned that removing the community from the trash enterprise program would likely be very difficult to reverse. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene expressed concern about effectively swapping a hidden tax cost for an explicit per-bag fee burden on residents. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also discussed the TC Passios (TCP), stating she had asked the Facilities Director to prepare a cost analysis of the building's carrying costs. She explained that the large, oversized boilers originally designed to heat two buildings were continuing to generate high heating costs, and that while a partial decommissioning had been completed, the savings were not materializing. She stated that a winding-down to begin July 1 was unlikely, but that planning for a wind-down sometime in FY27 needed to begin. She identified the permanent ===PAGE 9=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 9 of 11 occupants as PAC, Recreation programming, the food pantry, cold storage for the town clerk's election machines, and a license agreement with the Shapiro Behavioral Educational Center for four rooms. School Committee Vice-Chair Brzozski stated plainly, "I can't do a third year of telling people you may be losing your job," noting the emotional and professional toll that budget uncertainty had taken on school staff. She stated the school committee could not cut another position. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene stated his position clearly: "I am happy to work with all the departments to come up with a number. But the schools, as a school committee, I think I can confidently say we cannot cut another position." Town Manager Warren-Dyment offered her current thinking on override strategy: "My current thought is that it would be best to have it be one, that everybody is together, because that fight of who wins and who loses on town meeting floor- we could have either everybody walks away loser, everybody's individual override fails, or you have winners and losers." She suggested a unified override request covering both municipal and school needs. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene argued against the practice of treating the budget as separate pies for the town and the school: "The problem isn't that we have a shrinking pie. It's that all of the groups think that we have separate pie and we don't." He called for a collaborative approach, noting that territorial budget fights resulted in self-inflicted wounds and that "the people who suffer are the old people in town, the kids in town, and our employees." He also raised the emerging risk of federal aid reductions: "We receive federal aid and the federal aid is going to lapse… it is unlikely that we will get the same amount of aid from the federal government." Select Board Member McLeod argued that the root cause of the problem was the state's failure to adequately support cities and towns and encouraged the boards not to allow the issue to become divisive in the community. He also raised the pending results of the state legislative audit passed by 72% of Massachusetts voters, suggesting it was difficult to support another override without that fiscal transparency. Town Manager Warren-Dyment pushed back firmly, noting that the audit in question was an audit of the behavior of the state legislature, not of state funds, and that "the state is not responsible for the health insurance increase. The state is not responsible for other increases that we're seeing. This is the economy. We cannot lay it all on the feet of any one group. This is the perfect storm." Finance Committee Member Dall stated that her support for another Proposition 2.5 override would require greater transparency in how town funds are managed, moved, and used. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene acknowledged this, stating: "Before we ask them to pay more, we really need to do some reflection about what we're spending and what our priorities are." Town Manager Warren-Dyment endorsed the idea of a public forum: "I'm hearing a lot of conversation in the community that folks want to have that forum… the sooner that you guys are able to do that, I think the more questions that are lingering can at least get answered." Finance Committee Member Dall suggested such a forum might also reduce the length and conflict at Town Meeting. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also suggested the possibility of a tiered override structure, while cautioning that voters historically tend to select the lowest tier offered. ===PAGE 10=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 10 of 11 Discussion touched on the mechanics of a large-scale override and whether an override could be approved at a figure larger than immediately needed, with the town taxing below the full ceiling in the near term while maintaining excess levy capacity for future years. Town Manager Warren-Dyment described having tried this approach in a prior community, noting that residents ultimately preferred to vote on the exact dollar figure each time rather than grant what felt to some like open-ended capacity. Town Manager Warren-Dyment indicated she was in the process of compiling the full gap figure of the difference between all departmental requests and available revenue. She stated that the number would be in the millions: "I'm plugging in what everybody's requests have been. We're in the millions." She committed to bringing that complete gap figure to the next meeting. She closed the budget discussion with an expression of gratitude for the early start on the process: "I'm so grateful that everybody has embarked on this effort because I think the one thing that we have compared to some of the other communities is it's January 12th and here we are. It's not March." IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS The Tri-Board discussed scheduling its next joint meeting. The Finance Committee noted it was entering an intensive budget review cycle, with a tentative Finance Committee public hearing and vote anticipated around March 12th and 19th respectively, and a warrant closing around March 16th. After discussion of room availability and scheduling conflicts, the Tri-Board agreed to hold its next joint meeting on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM, to be held at the school (Middle/High School) due to a Planning Board meeting occupying Town Hall that evening. The Town Manager commented that School Committee Member Yapp (who had informed the School Committee of his intention to resign) needed to formally submit his resignation to the Town Clerk. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Member Lehtinen to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 9:53 p.m. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4-0-0). Motion by Member Simeone to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting at 9:30 p.m. Seconded by Member Rupp. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4- 0-0). School Committee Secretary Gilman departed the meeting at approximately 9:16 p.m. at which time the Committee lost its quorum. ===PAGE 11=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 11 of 11 Respectfully Submitted, Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday June 13, 2026. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-27-agenda-7619.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-27 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-27-agenda-7619.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01272026-7619 ======================================================================================== ===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, January 27, 3036 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 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 and Pledge of Allegiance 2. Public Comment – The Tri-board seeks public comment on the presentations made to the Tri-Bard and the FY27 budget. 3. New Business a. Preliminary FY27 Budget Plan Discussions 4. Public Comment 5. Important dates and upcoming meetings. 6. 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 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-27-minutes-7619.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-27 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-27-minutes-7619.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01272026-7619 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 1 of 7 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Town Hall, 17 Main Street Tuesday January 27, 2026 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, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod School Committee Members Present: Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice-Chair Laura Brzozoski, Secretary Mandy Gilman, Member Emily Young Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Vice-Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Member Tanya Dall, Member Jay Simeone, Member Ana Lockwood (Absent- Member Mike Rupp) Tri-Board Moderator: Tim Murphy, Town Moderator Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment and School Business Manager Christopher McNamara CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order 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. Each board chair officially opened their meetings, with Finance Committee Chair Chris Menard calling his meeting to order at 7:11 PM, followed by the School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, and Select Board Chair Caesar Nuzzolo. PUBLIC COMMENT Lieutenant Christos Lekaditis, President of Lunenburg Firefighters Local 5369, spoke about the critical need for an override to fund the addition of a fourth shift for the Fire Department. Lieutenant Lekaditis explained that the current staffing model is unsustainable, with firefighters working 60-80+ hour weeks and 38+ hour shifts, creating significant burnout and low morale. He ===PAGE 2=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 2 of 7 emphasized that 95% of fire departments in Massachusetts already work 42-hour weeks, and Lunenburg needs to fund this long-overdue staffing improvement to ensure adequate emergency response. Amy Sabbio, a teacher at Turkey Hill, described how her position had been changed from full-time fourth grade special education teacher to split between special education and an MTSS interventionist. She stated that "neither position is truly half time nor is either position seeming very effective." She explained that with one fewer paraprofessional per grade level and her divided duties, seven of her IEP students with significant pull-out service needs were being seen by a paraprofessional rather than a certified special education teacher. She further noted that MTSS services this year had reached only 29 students between October and December, compared to 108 students served throughout the prior school year. School Committee Member Mandy Gilman asked what the differences were between Special Education and MTSS. Ms. Sabbio explained that special education serves students with documented disabilities requiring specially designed instruction, while MTSS is a general education initiative targeting students in grades 3–5 who are struggling academically but may not have a documented disability. Finance Committee Ana Lockwood commented that no funding had been taken away from the School Department and that the Town has consistently funded the school side more than the other general operations. Lynn Marabello, also a teacher described the impact of reduced MTSS staffing on classroom teachers, who are now expected to create intervention materials and run groups without adequate resources, training, or time. She noted the loss of the I-Ready program and stated that she currently manages the schedules of six individuals in addition to her own, compared to three in a typical year. She has 53 students across two classes. Jennifer Miller, a 17-year employee of the district, spoke to the impact of staffing and program cuts at the high school. She described the loss of the Bridge Program, the TLC and Transition programs, and cuts across special education, music, physical education, world language, math, and science. She also addressed administrative reductions, noting the district had gone from two full-time assistant principals and a full-time athletic director to 1.5 assistant principals and a part-time athletic director. She warned that educator burnout and attrition were accelerating, and that early retirements and departures to better-paying districts were increasingly likely outcomes. Mary Foyle, a 24-year employee of Lunenburg schools, provided historical context, noting that during the 2008-2009 recession, the District consolidated from four buildings to three and negotiated zero raises for three years. She described Lunenburg as one of the smallest standalone public high schools in Massachusetts, and expressed concern that students are not receiving a comprehensive high school experience. She noted that COVID relief funds had delayed the current crisis. Speaking as both a longtime employee and a town resident, she stated that it is "my job as a townsperson to make up the budget shortfall — it is not my job as an employee to do so." She raised concern about employees effectively absorbing budget deficits through health insurance cost increases that erode negotiated raises, and noted that employees who do not live in town receive no corresponding benefit from the services they help fund. ===PAGE 3=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 3 of 7 PRELIMINARY FY27 BUDGET PLAN DISCUSSIONS The Town Manager presented updated revenue projections and budget drivers for FY27. The Governor's cherry sheet numbers had been released, showing a small increase in state aid. Total revenues were projected at $51,004,918.00. After subtracting non-appropriated expenses and state assessments, and holding the same levy amount appropriated to the capital plan as in the prior year, available funds for appropriation were estimated at $49,805,800. Compared to FY26 appropriations (excluding the additional $500,000 for schools), this yielded approximately $1,429,364 in new FY27 revenue — an increase of roughly $100,000 from figures presented two weeks prior. The Town Manager presented a proportional revenue distribution scenario: schools (53.3%) would receive approximately $762,280; the town (43.9%) approximately $627,634; and Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School (2.76%) approximately $39,450. She cautioned, however, that Monty Tech's actual assessment is set by that district — last year it represented an 8.8% increase, or approximately $117,438, which would substantially exceed its proportional share. The Town Manager identified four major budget drivers exceeding the new revenue:  Health insurance: Previously projected at 20%, now revised to an average of 8.3% (trust average) with a high of 14.4%, due to the removal of GLP-one drugs from coverage  Retirement: A non-negotiable 10% increase of $240,000  School transportation: $230,000 increase  Fourth shift fire department: $350,000 After subtracting these four items from the $1,429,364 in new revenue, the Town Manager projected a deficit of approximately negative $615,000. She emphasized this figure addressed only these four items. It did not account for utility increases, vendor contract increases, TCP carrying costs, the pavement management plan, Monty Tech's actual assessment, collective bargaining agreements, or other contractual increases. She stated that the full FY27 deficit, based on all budget requests received to date, is slightly north of $3,000,000. Discussion among board members focused on gaining clarity about these figures and the process moving forward. Finance Committee member Chris raised concerns about the presentation of staffing numbers for the school district, showing data that overall staff counts had increased over the past 10 years despite claims of cuts. School Committee members countered that recent cuts had been significant and were having direct impacts on student achievement. Several board members discussed possible approaches to an override, with various opinions on whether to present a single unified number, multiple options, or a tiered approach. Town Manager explained that an override permanently raises the levy limit, while an excluded debt is tied to specific borrowing and disappears when paid off. ===PAGE 4=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 4 of 7 Finance Committee Member Lockwood asked the Town Manager for clarification as to the $615,000 figure. The Town Manager explained that the $615,000 was a result of subtracting the increases attributed to health insurance, retirement, school transportation, and the fourth shift fire from the additional revenue. She clarified that the $3,000,000 figure reflected the total of all town budgets that had been presented to the Tri-Board, including growth, plus the school’s January 16th level-service budget. Finance Committee Member Lockwood expressed concern about presenting figures that did not represent level services and stated she did not want to engage in "scare tactics". The Town Manager rejected any suggestion of scare tactics, and re-iterated that these figures were based upon the departmental requests and did not represent a level service budget. Select Board Member Emkey noted that the value of the Tri-Board process was transparency at an earlier stage than usual, and that the $3,000,000 did not represent a final override number. She stated that she did not see how the gap could be closed without an override, but not that the figure was necessarily $3,000,000. She commented that determining that number is the next task for the Tri-Board and that the number is needed for the ballot by April 10th. Select Board Member Moore agreed that identifying the scope of the problem was a necessary first step and appreciated the transparency, while also acknowledging that the numbers remain in flux and that further refinement is needed before a final figure can be determined. Finance Committee Member Dall noted that the Finance Committee's role would be to ask detailed questions of each department to validate the numbers, and that this should not be taken personally, commenting, “we all want what's best for the town and the schools." School Committee Chair Sculimbrene cautioned against attempting to resolve complex budgetary math in a public meeting setting, calling it an "unmitigated disaster" in his experience. He urged the boards to wait for complete, validated data before drawing conclusions, stating: "It is absolutely transparently obvious that we need an override. Let's wait till we've got all the data and do it the right way." The Town Manager announced that the town's new Finance Director had started that day. The Moderator asked the Town Manager to outline the different override structures available. She explained various types from single purpose, omnibus, a la carte, tiered, and multi-year. She directed members to the Division of Local Services (DLS) property tax impact calculator, which allows residents to model the tax impact of any override amount for Lunenburg specifically. She also offered to distribute a DLS booklet on override structures. School Committee Member Gilman raised the option of presenting two separate numbers on the ballot with one for level services and one for targeted restoration as well as the possibility of a multi-year override to avoid returning to voters annually. She noted the School Committee had discussed both approaches and suggested the full Tri-Board should deliberate on the appropriate structure. ===PAGE 5=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 5 of 7 Finance Committee Member Lockwood emphasized that before going to voters, the boards must demonstrate they have done the "hard work" of identifying internal efficiencies and cost reductions. She cited two specific areas: the town's recycling program, which she noted had grown from approximately $150,000 at the start of COVID to over $500,000, and school choice enrollment revenue, which has declined from approximately $500,000 to $112,000 on the cherry sheet. She stated she would not support any override if those efforts had not been made. The Town Manager confirmed that conversations regarding alternative recycling models had begun, and also raised the possibility of eliminating the mosquito control program assessment (approximately $100,000) and the need to have serious future discussions about the TCP building, which is not yielding the anticipated energy cost savings following its partial decommissioning. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene addressed the school choice revenue issue, noting that school choice demand is uneven across grade levels and that demand cannot simply be switched on. He also noted that maintaining a school system families want to choose requires investment, a point echoed by School Committee Member Brzozski , who stated: "In order to do that, you have to have a competitive school system, and that involves not making more cuts." Finance Committee Chair Menard raised a point of concern about claims that the school district had been cutting staff, displaying a chart of school staffing from FY16 through FY25 showing a general upward trend in headcount. He stated that it "really irritates me when we say things like we're cutting staff when the data shows that staffing has gone up almost every year in the last 10 years." He also disclosed that he had requested this data prior to last year's override vote and that it had been withheld by the former superintendent until after town meeting. School Committee Member Brzozski acknowledged the trend but noted that FY25 saw a downward turn, and that FY26 included significant layoffs, which was not reflected in the chart. She also noted that the student population's needs have increased substantially, with more students on IEPs, more English language learners, and more students entering below benchmark, meaning that even flat staffing represents a reduction in effective capacity. The School Committee had voted mid-year to add paraprofessionals to respond to individual students with acute needs, partly to avoid far more expensive out-of-district placements. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene acknowledged the concern about precision in language but pushed back on the characterization, noting that the more relevant data point is the composition of staff, not total headcount. He observed that the chart for instructional staff showed a decline in recent years, and that combining roles, such as the athletic director consolidation from two FTEs to one, does not appear in headcount data but has real operational consequences. The exchange concluded with general agreement that updated data including FY26 actuals should be shared with all board members, and that precision in language about staffing trends is important for maintaining public trust. Several members spoke to the broader question of whether an override is necessary. Finance Committee Member Lockwood stated she would support an override only if there was a demonstrated commitment to internal cost savings first, and cautioned that for many residents, ===PAGE 6=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 6 of 7 particularly seniors on fixed incomes, a $3,000,000 override would translate to approximately $600 per year in additional taxes, a significant burden. School Committee Member Brzozski advocated for a unified approach, stating: "I think we should have one number and we should all support it. That's going to give us the best chance of success." The Moderator spoke to the importance of rebuilding public trust following the prior override, after which funds were subsequently returned, and stated that the Tri-Board's unified presentation would be critical. He also called for a town-wide public forum where all constituencies, including seniors and non-parents, could hear directly from all departments, including fire, police, and DPW, not only the schools. The Town Manager noted that a forum specifically addressing FY25 questions remains to be scheduled, and that multiple public road shows would follow once firm numbers are available closer to the April 10th ballot deadline. PUBLIC COMMENT The Moderator invited additional public comment. No members of the public in attendance or participating remotely requested to speak. IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS The Tri-Board discussed scheduling its next joint meeting. The Finance Committee noted it was entering an intensive budget review cycle, with a tentative Finance Committee public hearing and vote anticipated around March 12th and 19th respectively, and a warrant closing around March 16th. After discussion of room availability and scheduling conflicts, the Tri-Board agreed to hold its next joint meeting on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM, to be held at the school (Middle/High School) due to a Planning Board meeting occupying Town Hall that evening. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Member Lehtinen to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 9:29 p.m. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore Call for the vote: Five-aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion by Vice-Chair Brzozski to adjourn the School Committee meeting at 9:30 p.m. Seconded by Member Young. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4- 0-0). Motion by Member Lockwood to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting at 9:30 p.m. Seconded by Member Gray. Call for the vote: Six-aye. The motion passed unanimously (6-0- 0). Respectfully Submitted, ===PAGE 7=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 7 of 7 Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday June 13, 2026. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-05-agenda-7631.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-05-agenda-7631.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02052026-7631 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 5, 2026 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. Montachusett Regional V ocational Technical School Budget b. Stormwater Task Force (Potential Joint Meeting) – Stormwater Utility c. Initial Town Manager’s Capital Plan d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override e. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 7. Old Business 8. Minutes (1/8/2026) 9. Committee Assignments and Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – February 9 b. Finance Committee – February 12 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-05-minutes-7631.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-05 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-05-minutes-7631.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02052026-7631 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 5, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, 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 6:59 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard requested Monty Tech come before the Committee and provide their presentation earlier than usual. The Stormwater Task Force will be presenting a warrant article to establish a stormwater utility. They will also provide a presentation in front of the Finance Committee. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Karen Barrett was introduced as the town’s new Finance Director/Town Accountant. She will be providing a quarterly report to the Finance Committee beginning with FY 26 Q3. Additionally, the school Business Manager, Christopher McNamara, will be presenting quarterly reports to the Committee. Town Manager confirms that interviews are ongoing to fill the Payroll and Benefits Coordinator position. The schools have oƯicially taken control of and will process their payroll starting in January. Jennifer Warren Dyment spoke to the Division of Local Services regarding Schedule A reports. They were due to be submitted by February 13, but the town did receive an extension until February 28. The Town Manager discussed free cash and the ongoing process to get it certified. Karen Brochu has reconciled the due to and due from accounts. There were several ===PAGE 2=== errors that were encountered in this process. Next steps include reconciling free cash and receivables. Karen Brochu did note that this process has not been completed since the close out of FY24. The last step is to verify incumbrances and show activity on the funds for the current fiscal year. The FY 27 budget cycle including health insurance, retirement assessment and school transportation have exceeded the revenue growth. Town Manager and the finance department are continuing to work on establishing a baseline and confirmed a level service budget. Department heads have contacted the Town Manager to request guidance regarding the Committee’s expectations for their departmental presentations. Chris Menard previously requested a summary of key services, functions, and duties of the department, and organizational charts for each department. Chris Menard additionally suggested a report on grants and line-item transfers. The Committee also suggests obtaining the status of previous capital projects. Chris Menard shared his frustration with the organizational deficiencies in the town. Jennifer Warren-Dyment believes that once the Zoom issue is fixed then this problem will be resolved. 6. Current Business a. Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Budgets Superintendent Tom Brown and Business Manager Tammy Crockett provided their budget. Additionally, the Lunenburg representative Stephanie Quinn was also present. In FY26 there was a total of 1403 students that attended Monty Tech and 97 of those are Lunenburg residents. A total of 18 communities contribute towards their budget. The required minimum Lunenburg is expected to contribute is $1,378,183. The FY 27 foundation budget for Lunenburg is $2,251,179. There are many factors that contribute to the projected numbers including, DESE funds, special education district rates, total number of English learners, and low income. Tammy Crockett states that DESE determines how much local communities contribute using their calculations and formula. The calculation includes half the income for town residents and half of the value of the property value in the town. ===PAGE 3=== Ana Lockwood questioned why the transportation assessment raised so much. Tammy Crockett confirms it is higher because of the above net speeding component. This is due to the athletic complex renovation. Ana Lockwood inquired about the lottery. Tom Brown states students need to fill out an application that is added to the lottery. The school also factors in the attendance of students. Chris Menard questions how many Lunenburg students were turned away. Tammy Crockett is unsure of the exact number. Chris Menard inquires about the district agreement whether it’s indefinite or if it can be renegotiated. Tom Brown believes the agreement is ongoing. He is also aware of some amendments, but they are very rare. Chris Menard questions what if anything can be done to reduce the contribution that Lunenburg needs to pay. Tom Brown states there is potential to change but that requires a change to the formula. Tom Brown believes there needs to be more pressure on the representative for there to be a change. b. Stormwater Task Force (Potential Joint Meeting) The presentation was provided by Tim Willsmer, Jenny Pewtherer, John Beale and DPW Director Bill Bernard. Stormwater utilities would operate as a dedicated enterprise fund and is supported by property assessments based on contribution of storm water to each of those properties that go into the municipal system. A stormwater utility can be used as a stable source of revenue that can be used to create the enterprise fund. Stormwater is run oƯ that comes from all properties after rain or melting snow. This run oƯ picks up litter, bacteria, chemicals, sand and other debris. It then flows over land into the drainage system and into the bodies of water. The 3 major recreational lakes in town are Hickory Hills Lake, Shirley Lake and Lake Whalom. Majority of funds will be used to remain in compliance with the MS4 permit. There are 6 minimum control measures that need to be implemented. 1. Public education and outreach 2. Public involvement and participation 3. Elicit discharge and elimination 4. Stormwater run-oƯ controls 5. Post construction stormwater management ===PAGE 4=== 6. Pollution prevention and good housekeeping for municipal operations Additional requirements include catch basin cleaning, roadway sweeping, future requirements, stream restoration, new stormwater bmps, develop pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer program. Currently, these requirements are being funded through the DPW operation budget. The total cost for this line item is $110,000. This only covers public outreach, elicit discharge detection training, BMP inspections, engineering for some small projects. There are multiple punishments and violations if all MS4 permit requirements aren’t met. In order to be in compliance there needs to be an additional $496,793. A project manager position would need to be implemented. Their duties would include billing, documentation, inspecting work of contractors and personnel, help develop contract specs for stormwater related projects. Bill Berand suggests that a total of $336,650 would be needed to start the utility. There is an engineering fee for the MS4 permit totaling $25,000. There are 1,000 know catch basins and the estimated cleaning cost is $81,250. There are 72 miles of mandatory roads that need to be swept twice a year. The estimated cost for roadway sweeping is $230,400. Ana Lockwood inquires about the machine that is needed to clean catch basins. Bill Bernard states it is a clamshell type machine. Aside from the initial cost there would also need to be an employee hired to operate. The proposed residential single-family home will pay less than $100 per year. All other properties will be on a tiered structure based on how much impervious area there is on the property. Ana Lockwood believes it may be counter productive to hire support staƯ and an engineer. The town has had an ongoing relationship with an engineering firm for the past 8 years. Tom Gray questions if the DPW was able to aƯord the $400,000 to get in compliance if they have the staƯing capacity. Bill Bernard states the work would need to be put out to contract. ===PAGE 5=== Jaurice Smith confirmed there are a lot of communities that set up a utility that do hire someone dedicated to stormwater work. More specifically, a storm water manager or stormwater engineer. In the near future, there will be a new permit that is much more extensive. Chris Menard suggests having discussions with similar towns and look into regionalizing. More specifically sharing equipment between municipalities. Jaurice Smith has worked with other towns that have regional agreements to share equipment. Chris Menard wants the task force to look into outsourcing. Jay Simeone inquires what percentage the town is currently in compliance with. Bill Bernard suggests they may be 50% in compliance at the moment. There was a motion to adjourn the Stormwater Task Force meeting by Jenny Pewtherer, seconded by John Beale. c. Initial Town Manager’s Capital Plan There were 22 projects considered by the Capital Planning Committee for FY27 totaling $3,267,208. The highest ranking projects are as follows: Flat Hill Road bridge completing including engineering and construction costs - $350,000. Replacement of police patrol cruiser - $68,627 Replacement of Engine 2 brush truck - $335,000 Primary school entry and driveway expansion design - $25,000 Building roof repair at the Public Safety building - $494,500 Replacement of front end loader with snow plow - $259,000 The total cost for the above projects is $1,532,127. There was a discussion about the snow and ice deficit spending. As of January 30, there have been 18 snow/ice events. The budget was originally set at $355,571.39 but to date the budget has exceeded $523,418.07. There will be a presentation on February 23 at 5PM at the Eagle House Adult Activity Center to discuss the potential fire department shift change. Jennifer Warren-Dyment spoke to the Facilities Director, Chris Ruth about the TC Passios building. He estimated the yearly operating costs to keep this building open is $120,000. There will need to be further discussion and an ultimate decision be made. ===PAGE 6=== Regarding grant applications, Bill Bernard submitted a community culvert grant application in the amount of $150,000 to support the design phase of Goodrich Street culvert over Easter Brook. Jennifer Warren-Dyment submitted a community compact IT grant application with the assistant of Casey Chisholm. The grant would cover the full upgraded network at the adult activity center, new firewall switches, and new wifi access points. d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override The warrant for Spring Town meeting is currently open now through March 16, 2026. e. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) There was no discussion regarding this topic. 7. Old Business There was no discussion about any old business. 8. Minutes (1/8/2026) The minutes from January 8, 2026, were not reviewed. 9. Committee Assignments and Report This topic was not discussed. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – February 9 b. Finance Committee – February 12 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. The meeting closed at 10:57 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-12-agenda-7645.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-12-agenda-7645.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02122026-7645 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 12, 2026 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. Preliminary Budget b. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 7. Old Business 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 19, 26 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-12-minutes-7645.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-12 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-12-minutes-7645.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02122026-7645 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 12, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Clerk Tom Gray 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 shared the data she collected regarding the overall school budget. The documents were also uploaded to the Sharepoint file. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Current Business a. Preliminary Budget Jennifer Warren-Dyment stated there are 3 active bargaining’s ongoing including Fire, DPW and the clerical union. The town received the actual health insurance number totaling 8.85%. A cause for the unexpected reduction was the elimination of GLP-1 drug. There will be a more detailed presentation soon. There have been additional changes in the schedule for budget presentations. Ana Lockwood requested the preliminary budget presentations be provided to the Committee in advance. Jennifer Warren- Dyment has requested the department heads provide a level sever budget and provide an explanation for any line item above the level service request. Chris Menard requested an above level service and a restorative service budget. b. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override The Committee questioned if separate overrides would be needed depending on the departments. ===PAGE 2=== Chris Menard indicates that even if a level service budget override is implemented this year, an additional level service override may be required the following year. Chris Menard has indicated that he may not be able to include the full finance committee report with the mailed warrants. In such circumstances, a QR code will be provided to direct residents to a concise summary of the report. c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) There were no comments, questions or concerns raised. 7. Old Business There was no old business to discuss. 8. Minutes There was a motion to approve the minutes of January 8, 2026, by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Chris Menard. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no additional actions or topics suggested to add to future meetings. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 19, 26 b. Tri-Board - TBA 12. Public Comment Ana Lockwood shared that she watched the Capital Planning Committee meeting and stated there was discussion about replacing the turf field. This was not a ranked project and not part of the school request. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 7:43 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-19-agenda-7657.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-19-agenda-7657.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02192026-7657 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 19, 2026 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 (order may change) a. Preliminary Budget b. Fire Department Budget c. Police Department Budget d. Facilities Department Budget 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 26, March 5,12,19,26 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-19-minutes-7657.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-19 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-19-minutes-7657.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02192026-7657 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 19, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Mike Rupp 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 were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Town Manager states the FY25 close out deadline was previously extended through February 28, 2026. The oƯice expects to meet the deadline. Free cash has not been certified but preliminary results suggest it will be in excess of $3,000,000. Town Manager suggests making a deposit into the stabilization fund and the health insurance fund if possible. 6. Current Business (order may change) a. Preliminary Budget Town Manager states the budget being presented is not balanced and is reliant on an override. FY27 Revenues Property Tax: $36,332,933.80 State Aid: $11,404,917.00 Local Receipts: $3,360,524 Enterprise Funds: $338,397.19 Totaling: $51,436,771.99 FY27 Property Tax FY 2026 Levy Limit: $32,910,811 ===PAGE 2=== 2 1/2% Increase: $822,770.28 Estimated New Growth: $400,000 Excluded Debt: $2,199,352.52 Maximum Allowable Levy: $36,332,933.80 FY27 Total Revenue Available for Appropriation Starting Revenue: $51,436,771.99 Less Non-Appropriated Expense: $1,441,496 OƯset Receipts: $112,147 Assessors Overlay: $260,000 Cherry Sheet Assessments: $1,069,349 Less Levy Appropriated to the Capital Plan: $244,576 FY27 Expenditure Summary: $49,750,699.99 Maturing Debt: $2,537,578.36 (-.39% Decrease) General Government Unclassified: $4,312,004.12 (4.97% Increase) General Government: $3,205,051.24 (8.20% Increase) Public safety: $5,118,965.26 (12.56% Increase) Public Works: $208,177.51 (13.33% Increase) Facilities and Buildings: $1,203,408.16 (12.74% Increase) Human Services: $480,162.04 ( .040% Increase) Schools: $30,115,565.00 (11.04% Increase) Culture and Recreation: $662,162.24 (3.62% Increase) Intergovernmental: $2,635,339.93 (9.94% Increase) Tax Title: $30,500 (No Change) The total budget for FY27 as presented is $53,107,913.87. The available revenues for FY27 amount to $49,750,699.99, resulting in a FY27 deficit of $3,357,213.88. New revenue for FY27 totals $1,374,263.89. The Monty Tech Assessment stands at $117,858.00, leaving $1,256,405.89 to be allocated between the School and Town budgets. The School receives 53.33% and the Town receives 43.91%. The Schools would receive $689,059.28, bringing their total budget to $2,875,712.00 with a deficit of $2,186,652.72. The Town would receive $567,346.61, bringing their total budget to $1,737,907.77 with a deficit of $1,170,561.16. The Town Manager states that the budget is fluid and may be revised over the next several weeks to months. ===PAGE 3=== Important Upcoming Dates: - 4 th Shift Fire Presentation 2/23/26 - Finance Committee Public Hearing 3/19/26 - Annual town Meeting 5/2/26 at 9 AM Chris Menard inquired into the investment income for this year as well as actuals. Town Manager will provide these documents. Ana Lockwood inquired about the public relations firm. Town Manager confirms the contract with John Guilfoil Public Relations costs $10,000 and the agreement has been ongoing for several years. Tom Gray asked about a discussion at a previous meeting regarding free cash being reconciled and questioned why the annual audit did catch it. Town Manager states this error would not be included or reviewed in the town audit. The last concluded audit for the town was FY24. Tanya Doll questions if there is a penalty for not closing out books. Town Manager states penalties are severe, and the state can hold back state aid funds. Chris Menard thanked the Town Manager for implementing and utilizing a format for budget presentations. b. Fire Department Budget The Fire Department budget presentation was provided by Fire Chief Patrick Sullivan. In the past year, there was a 19% increase in mutual aid response as well as a 37% increase in EMS mutual aid. The total budget request (including the possible 4th shift): $2,097,555.42. There are current and ongoing contract negotiations with the firefighters’ union. Rates are expected to increase due to educational incentives and certifications. The budget lines for radio maintenance, portable radios, and vehicle maintenance have increased due to inflation. Grants & Donations: $7,400 grant from the state to provide fire safety for kids and seniors. $15,000 to $19,000 Firefighter safety grant to purchase equipment. $5,000 donation from the firefighter’s association to purchase equipment. $165,000 money received from Nashoba Valley Mitigation. ===PAGE 4=== The Emergency Manager Preparedness grant is typically received but this hasn’t come to fruition. Chief Sullivan applied for the assistance to firefighters grant to replace Engine 2 but hasn’t heard any update. Ana Lockwood inquires about the man hour increase for coverage at the station. Chief Sullivan states 16 hours will be added per diem. Instead of a 7-day cycle, career staƯ would work an 8-day cycle. Currently, there are 96 hours of per diem being utilized per week. Chris Menard mentioned recent findings from a Boston fire were the result of hoses being inadequate. Chief Sullivan hasn’t purchased any hose replacement but is looking into it. c. Police Department Budget The Police Department budget presentation was provided by Chief JeƯrey Tibido. The total budget request is $2,581,557.92. This is a 1.2% increase over FY25. Personal: $2,331,947 Salaries: $1,672,862 Incentives: $265,787 Overtime: $294,389 Training: $98,909 Purchase of Service: $23,450 Supplies: $35,015 Other: $37,238 Animal Control: $46,125 Lockup: $20,600 Front Desk Radio Watch: $104,764 Nashoba Valley Regional Dispatch: $216,098 Vehicle Maintenance: $67,000 Regarding the animal control budget, Chief JeƯrey Tibido states they are starting to explore regionalization animal control as well as shared services. The town was awarded the jail diversion mental health grant totaling $109,000. This has been used for a co- response clinician. There has been discussion about promoting 1 of the school resource oƯicer to a detective position. This would then leave 1 resource oƯicer to rotate between all of the schools. ===PAGE 5=== Chief JeƯrey Tibido states upon comfort k9 Hank’s retirement, there are plans to implement another comfort dog program. Chris Menard inquired into the dispatch budget line and the option of having an in- house dispatch center. Chief JeƯrey Tibido states the cost would be substantial to hiring multiple dispatchers as well as running the center. Ana Lockwood asked for the total number of cruisers in the fleet. Chief JeƯrey Tibido confirms there are 15 vehicles in the fleet. d. Facilities Department Budget The Facilities Department budget presentation was provided by Facilities Director, Chris Ruth. Public Building Utilities Budget: $ 287,500 (29.88% Increase) Facility Maintenance Budget: $770,474.56 (8% Increase) Parks Budget: $145,433.60 (8.18% Increase) The TCP Revolving Fund currently has $33,500. Chris Ruth states that despite decommissioning 50% of TC Passios there is only a 20% decrease in the heating costs. Tanya Dall inquires if the department is still hiring for the Park Director position. Chris Ruth confirms there are ongoing interviews. Tanay Dall suggests hiring someone with grant writing experience. Chris Menard inquired into the status of decommissioning and the prior capital project to replace the roof of TC Passios. Chris Ruth has started the decommission and has spoken to all stakeholders to relocate. The capital project to repair the roof will not be going forward. Town Manager intends to fund the operations of the building through FY27 with hopes that the funds will not need to be expended. Chris Menard requested a quarterly report regarding prior capital requests and their status. 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes There were no minutes to approve. 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. ===PAGE 6=== 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 26, March 5,12,19,26 Public Works presentation moved to March 12 12. Public Comment Ana Lockwood is maintaining a list of all questions for department heads regarding their budget. Questions should be sent to Ana Lockwood and added to the Sharepoint file. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Tom Gray, seconded by Jay Simeone. Roll call vote. All in favor. The meeting closed at 10:23 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-26-agenda-7673.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-26 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-26-agenda-7673.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262026-7673 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 26, 2026 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 (order may change) a. IT Budget b. School Department Budget 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 5,12,19,26 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-26-minutes-7673.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-26 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-26-minutes-7673.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02262026-7673 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 26, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Vice Chair Jean Russell 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There is an upcoming Town Caucus scheduled for March 9th. The next Tri-Board meeting is scheduled for March 11th. 4. Public Comment Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street, requests more than a 1-year projected budget. He inquired into the number of new personnel included in the budget. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Town Manager confirms that Karen Brochu and Karen Barrett have submitted the Schedule A. Also, the close out for FY25 is complete and is now in consideration by the state. 6. Current Business (order may change) a. IT Budget The IT budget was presented by the Communications and IT Manager, Kara McCarthy, and IT Director, Casey Chisholm Typically there are 800 to 1200 help desk tickets per fiscal year. So far for FY26, there have been over 630 tickets with a current average resolution time of 18 and a half hours. Total Request for FY27: $535,459.33 - Salaries: $59,459.33 - Hardware Maintenance: $38,500 - Telephone Charges: $56,500 - Contracted Services: $141,000 ===PAGE 2=== - Purchase of Services: $240,000 Includes software that is used to support all departments in town. The IT department will not be renewing the ClearGov license which is a savings of $21,000. There has been a reduction and savings of $18,000 by reducing the number of days Suzor support is physically in-house. Chris Menard asks if there were any updates for prior year capital items. Town Manager states there was a request for FY27 to purchase additional access points and a server upgrade at the Adult Activity Center. This item did not make it above the cut line, but a community compact grant has been submitted. Mike Rupp inquired into the salary increase. Kara McCarthy confirms there was a reclassification and regrade. Town Manager states that no colas have been included for any SAP employees. Mike Rupp inquires if the school dept is covered within the Microsoft licenses. Town Manager states the school is not covered. Regarding the $24,000 license fees for Microsoft, Ana Lockwood asks what majority of the town is covered under that license. Kara McCarthy says it includes the town, Boards, and Committees. Majority of users have a basic license but there are a few standard licenses. Ana Lockwood suggests looking into the desktop version of Microsoft. Jay Simeone questions what code red is. Town Manager states it is a subscription service most municipalities utilize and is primarily used for emergency communications. Town Manager will provide the Committee with the number of subscribers. Chris Menard inquiries into possible services to ease and streamline workflow and scheduling zoom meetings. He believes that using IT should make everything more eƯicient if it’s used properly. Additionally, there are a lot of boards that are out of open meeting law with their delay in minutes. Town Manager states the town has 5 zoom accounts and 1 of which has a higher capacity. b. School Department Budget The School Department budget was presented by Superintendent, Dr. Jodi Fortuna, ===PAGE 3=== Chair of the School Committee, Anthony Sculimbrene, and Business Manager for Lunenburg Schools, Christopher McNamara. The goals for FY27 are to stabilize staƯ size, reinstate critical support services, and meet the required standards for students that are not currently being met. Total FY27 Budget: $28,454,840 Salaries: $18,869,757 Expenses: $9,585,084 The FY26 revenues are as follows: Federal Entitlement Grants Title I: FY26 $209,522 Anticipated: FY27 $145,565 Title II: FY26 $35,276 Anticipated: FY27 $24,693 Title IV: FY26 $14,616 Anticipated: FY27 $10,231 240/260 Grant: FY26 $437,278 Anticipated: FY27 $437,000 Student Opportunity Act: FY26 $100,000 FY27: $0 Special Earmarks FY26: $370,000 FY27: Unknown FY27 School Budget - Salary Increases Teachers: 3.5% Increase Paraprofessionals: 3% Increase Secretaries: 4% Increase Cafeteria & Custodial: Unknown as contracts are up for renewal. - Health insurance There is an estimated 9% increase from FY26. The FY26 budgeted amount was $3,701,195 and the FY27 budget is $4,341,561. ===PAGE 4=== - Utility Costs The FY26 budget for electricity totaled $265,000 and the heating budget totaled $145,000. The FY27 budget for electricity is $316, 250 and the heating budget is $148,320. Jay Simeone questions the impact of the solar panels. Christopher McNamara will provide those numbers to the Committee. - Transportation FY25 General Education Cost: $907,300 Special Education Transportation: $434,922 FY26 Budget for General Education Cost: $965,500 Budget for Special Education Transportation: $565,734 FY27 Budgeted for General Education: $1,110,825 Budgeted for Special Education Transportation: $649,953 Chris Menard suggests the schools work on the contract as it is scheduled to be renewed in 2028. - Technology The technology consultants recommended a 3% budget increase and an 8% increase in cost of technical equipment. StaƯing Increase Requests - Primary School 1 Interventionist to address the early literacy and math gaps: $72,441 1 Kindergarten Paraprofessional: $22,205 - Turkey Hill Elementary School 1 Interventionist targeted to support students identified at risk in math and reading: $72,441 - Middle School 1 Interventionist targeted to support students identified at risk in math and reading: $72,441 - High School 1 World Language Teacher: $72,441 Additional hours for the Music Teacher: $28,976 ===PAGE 5=== 1 English Teacher: $72,441 1 Bridge Process Teacher: $72,441 1 Bridge Process Paraprofessional: $22,205 The above listed position costs do not include insurance costs. The high school is looking to restore 1 full-time principal budgeted for $95,000. The literacy coach that was previously grant funded has been eliminated. The Schools are looking to add a Data Reporting Manager and Assistant Business Manager position estimated to cost $39,000. Dr. Jodi Fortuna stated that the School Committee did open 24 seats this year for school choice. She further states that only 5 students applied. Mike Rupp asked how many diƯerent languages the school is currently able to teach. Dr. Jodi Fortuna states that a teacher doesn’t have to be multilingual to teach a language. Tanya Dall questions if the school has inquired with Fitchburg State College to see if student teachers would be able to help while getting their service hours. Dr. Jodi Fortuna confirms that is something they are looking into exploring as well as tightening our partnerships with local universities. Ana Lockwood questions what the athletic trainer tasks are during the day. Dr. Jodi Fortuna states the trainer does oƯer services to students during the day. Ana Lockwood provided an email with other options. Anthony Sculimbrene has suggested combining the athletic director and trainer position. Ana Lockwood seeks information about guidance counselors. Dr. Jodi Fortuna states there are only guidance counselors at the high school. Ana Lockwood suggested reaching out to Community Health Link or Seven Hills Charter for possible services. Dr. Jodi Fortuna and the other presenters do not suggest cutting social workers. Jay Simeone inquiries into the number of maintenance and custodial staƯ. Dr Jodi Fortuna confirms there are 12. 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) ===PAGE 6=== 8. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 9. Committee Reports The current Committee assignments are as follows: Chris Menard – Capital Planning Committee and previously on the Town Manager Screening Committee Tom Gray - Municipal Design Committee and Select Board Mike Rupp – Master Planning Committee Jean Russell – School Committee, Police & Fire Jay Simeone – Personnel Committee Currently, Facilities and DPW do not have an assigned Committee member. Chris Menard suggests reviewing and assigning Committees in the near future. Jay Simeone states most Capital Planning, Municipal Design, Master Planning, Select Board, School Committee, Parks, Council on Aging, Sewer Commission, and Green Communities meetings are available on YouTube. There are some Committees such a Police, Fire, Facilities, and DPW that aren’t available to view. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no additional actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 5,12,19,26 12. Public Comment John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, suggests the Town look into an increase in the levy limit. Additionally, he states the town should look into investing. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 11:05 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-05-agenda-7682.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-05-agenda-7682.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03052026-7682 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Chris Menard, Chair Lunenburg Finance Committee Town of Lunenburg Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 5, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall *Zoom Only *Amended March 5, 2026 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 (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- C able-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. *Due to the weather forecast, this meeting is being held via Zoom. 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: h ttps://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. Votes 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 (order may change) a. Council on Aging b. Library c. Public Access Cable * d. Administration, Unclassified, Debt Service 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 12,19,26 b. TriBoard – *March 10 March 11 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-05-minutes-7682.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-05 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-05-minutes-7682.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03052026-7682 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall March 12, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Committee Member Ana Lockwood 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements The Finance Director/Town Accountant, Karen Barrett, states that free cash has been certified. The General Fund total is $3,354,370. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Full Budget Restoration Budget for Schools: $28,456,277 Current Total Deficit: $3,123,989.01 The deficit would be divided between the town and schools. The town would receive 1.24 million and the schools would receive 1 million. Town Manager states the warrant article booklet will be sent to the printers on April 8, 2026. The last day to submit a petition article is March 16, 2026. 6. Current Business (order may change) a. DPW / Sewer The DPW Director, Bill Bernard, provided both presentations. FY27 Budget Request: $3,178,177.51 (9% increase from prior year) Tree Removal: $39,500 General Highway: $1,375,750 Garage: $1,100 Highway Overtime: $17,500 Highway Labor: $681,496.61 ===PAGE 2=== TraƯic Signs: $16,800 DPW Vehicle Maintenance: $67,750 Police/Fire Vehicle Maintenance: $117,000 Cemetery: $123,466.22 Recycling Program: $363,354 Snow and Ice Budget: $364,460.67 Bill Bernard states the budget is currently at $800,000. Funding Sources Operational Budget Chapter 90 Funding: $718,000 Grants: Small Bridge Grant to repair Flat Hill Road Bridge: $600,000 Asset Management Grant from Mass Clean Water Trust for Stormwater: $ 60,000 DPW is requesting a part-time clerk to help the executive assistant for DPW and Facilities. Their responsibilities would include assisting with accounts payable, time sheets, filing, and assisting with tracking and spending within contracts. The trash budget is fully funded with bag/bin revenue totaling $500,000. Jay Simeone questions why DPW and Facilities are sharing an admin especially since those facilities were previously separated. Bill Bernard states that when they were separated there was no admin for Facilities so they shared the admin. Town Manager states the clerk would support both oƯice but primarily the DPW. Bill Bernard is requesting to restore the pavement management funds that were reduced last year. Town Manager does not support the pavement management plan. A line item totaling $340,000 has been added to reach the MS4 Stormwater compliance. This includes bi-yearly street sweeping and catch basin cleaning. Upon reviewing the last several years, it was determined that on average 30% of catch basins have been cleaned and 22% of the required street sweeping occurred on a yearly basis. The line item would be used to hire and outsource the work needed. Chris Menard inquired if the lack of street sweeping is due to staƯing or funding issues. Bill Bernard states it is a staƯing and funding issue. He ===PAGE 3=== estimated it would cost $100,000 less if the services were contracted out. Chris Menard inquired into the cost to sweep roads. Bill Bernard estimated around $240,000. This includes a total of 144 miles to be cleaned yearly. Jay Simeone questions why stormwater compliance isn’t being prioritized but mowing that is not mandated has taken priority. Chris Menard requests a further metrics breakdown of ongoing and completed work into dollar amounts. The Sewer budget was presented by Bill Bernard with the assistance of Sewer Business Manager, Andrew Valliere. FY27 Sewer Budget Request: $1,981,993.06 Revenues: $2,008,047 Budget Surplus: $26,053.94 Funding Sources: User Charges: 71% Betterment 18% Interest: 5% Fees 4% Rate Increases Leominster increased their rate by 16% in FY25. The town did not increase their fee despite the increase. The FY26 rate increase is 3%. Fitchburg has increased their rate to 7% on a yearly basis for the past several years. Bill Bernard stated that when sewers were installed homes had to pay betterment that they could finance over 20 years. Due to time lapse, betterments are dropping. Jean Russell inquiries into the number of residents that are in the sewer system. Bill Bernard estimates slightly over 1,000. b. * Administration, Unclassified, Debt Service Land Use Department The Land Use Department budget was presented by the Building Commissioner, Brian Gingras, and the Conservation Commission Administrator, Jaime Herlin, and Director of Planning and Economic Development, Stephen Wallace. ===PAGE 4=== FY27 Budget Request: $447,963.33 (1.77% Increase) Funding Sources: Building Permits: 75% General Fund: 16% Special Permits: 4% Planning Fee: 3% Sheet Metal: 2% Mike Rupp questions if there has been a decrease in new construction permits. Brian Gingras believes some contractors are holding back. He sees 5 to 10 new constructions every year but there has been an increase in renovations. Stephen Wallace states there has been an increase in the cost of building supplies. General Government The General Government presentation was provided by the Town Manager, Jennifer Warren-Dyment. FY27 Preliminary Budget: $3,205,051.24 Current Budget: $3,225,721.25 Finance Committee Budget: $1,575 Covers advertising requirements and membership, attendance at any annual conference or associations. Select Board proposed operating budget: $201,895.33 (11.99% Increase) This covers minute clerks for other boards and committees across town, John Guilfoil Public Relations contract, software, legal ads, oƯice supplies, community event supplies, dues and memberships. Town Manager Budget: $442,353.00 Includes funding for Assistant Town Manager position, contracted service line, and legal expenses. Assistant Town Manager (Request): $60,000 Town Accountants: $354,504.68 Treasurer: $123,886.74 $4,500 reduction from preliminary budget. ===PAGE 5=== Collector: $120,662.10 $8,300 reduction from preliminary budget. Chris Menard inquired if there is an option to opt out tax bills being mailed and an option for direct withdrawal for payment. Town Manager requested that the Treasurer and Tax Collector, Myleen Mallari, provide an answer to the Committee. Assessing Budget: $297,440.69 IT Budget Request: $476,000 (updated) Town Clerk: $147,956.05 Town elections will be moved from TC Passios to the schools due to roof damage. Elections Budget: $21,575 – Large increase due to upcoming election. Registration and Census: $21,450 APDC Expenses: $500 Physicals: $6,000 Economic Development Committee: $3,100 Town Report: $16,000 Finance Committee Reserve Fund: $185,000 Salary Reserve Account: $210,000 Town Manager is awaiting information from the 3 bargaining units to make any adjustments. Central Purchasing: $91,500 Veterans Administration: $90,750 Band Concerts: $1,000 Intergovernmental Assessments: $2,635,339.93 All except for $111.05 is for the Worcester County retirement. General Government (Unclassified): $4,500,424.59 Insurances Liability Insurance: $230,000 Workers’ Compensation: $135,000 Group Health Insurance: $3,695,424.59 (5.69% Increase) Life Insurance: $20,000 Unemployment: $10,000 Medicare: $410,000 ===PAGE 6=== c. Other Monied Articles John Bowen is requesting a warrant article to appropriate $14,252.39 for legal investigation of several long neglected municipal trust funds. The purpose is to fund approximately 40 hours of professional legal investigation to determine donor intent, verify legal compliance, and establish whether certain trust funds can be administered under their existing terms. Town council is unable to complete an investigation. Key Trust Funds: Nathanial Day Fund, Post 283 Fund, American Legion Poor Fund, Susan Howard Fund, Gazebo Fund Tanya Dall inquires into the scope of work. John Bowen states it’s not just compliance issues but the trusts need to be redone. Chris Menard would like to hear from an attorney about whether the firm has these investigators. Chris Menard suggests not putting this forward at annual town meeting and pushing it to special town meeting to work on a better estimate and approach. 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) The Board was in agreement that there should be an override on the ballot. 8. Minutes The Board will review minutes at the next meeting. Chris Menard inquired into the AI services available to create minutes for government meetings. Town Manager doesn’t think the software is at the point where it would be eƯicient. The service would require additional fees in order to add users and still requires human intervention and editing. 9. Committee Reports Jay Simeone states that the Sewer Commission has met. A developer has shown interest in adding housing where the prior driving range is by Lake Whalom. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no additional actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 19,26 ===PAGE 7=== Town Manager suggested pushing the Public Hearing until March 26, 2026, and having a Tri board meeting on March 19, 2026. 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jean Russell, seconded by Tanya Dall. The meeting closed at 10:19 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-10-agenda-7702.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-10 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-10-agenda-7702.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03102026-7702 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Chris Menard, Chair Lunenburg Finance Committee Town of Lunenburg Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Tuesday, March 10, 2026 7:30 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Tri-Board Meeting Agenda *Revised 3/9/26 12:52 p.m. 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- C able-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after themeeting. 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/9091740347?omn=81409871020. From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, 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. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes 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. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment- The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the FY27 budget. 4. FY27 Budget and Proposition 2 ½ Override 5. Public Comment 6. 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 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-10-minutes-7702.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-10 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-10-minutes-7702.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03102026-7702 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 1 of 10 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Town Hall, 17 Main Street Tuesday March 10, 2026, 7:30 PM 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: Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod (Absent- Chair Caesar Nuzzolo) School Committee Members Present: Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice-Chair Laura Brzozoski, Secretary Mandy Gilman, Member Emily Young Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Vice-Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Member Tanya Dall, Member Jay Simeone, Member Ana Lockwood (Absent- Member Mike Rupp) Tri-Board Moderator: Tim Murphy, Town Moderator Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment, School Superintendent Dr. Jodi Fortuna, and School Business Manager Christopher McNamara CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order by Tim Murphy, who served as Moderator at 7:30 PM. 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. Each board chair officially opened their meetings, with School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene calling his meeting to order, followed by Finance Committee Chair Chris Menard calling his meeting to order, and Select Board Vice-Chair Amanda Moore calling her meeting to order. The Moderator also noted that Town Counsel Adam Costa was attending another meeting but would attempt to join via Zoom at some point during the proceedings, and that he might be recognized out of order to accommodate his availability. PUBLIC COMMENT Sarah Cammer, 304 Lancaster Avenue, addressed the board. She spoke not as a representative of any board she serves on, but purely as a resident and parent. Ms. Cammer opened by observing ===PAGE 2=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 2 of 10 that Lunenburg has faced persistent budget challenges for as long as she has lived in town, roughly thirteen years, noting that even routine matters such as removing a hazardous street tree had been denied due to a lack of funds. She expressed appreciation that the Tri-Board was now addressing these issues collectively, calling it a positive development. Ms. Cameron reflected on the impact budget cuts have had on the schools over the years, including the elimination of a librarian position at the Primary school during her daughter's kindergarten year, a decision that contributed to her choice to remove her child from Lunenburg schools for a period of time. She stated that this decision, while ultimately beneficial for her child, separated her from the broader school community, an outcome she regretted. Turning to the substance of the FY27 budget, Ms. Cammer expressed her support for the Town Manager's budget requests, suggesting that the Town Manager had likely asked for less than was truly needed. She then directly addressed what she described as a troubling dynamic she had observed in both the School Committee meeting and the Finance Committee: a discussion about separating an override into tiers, with the suggestion that some departments, particularly the school, may be asking for too much. She argued that this framing reflected the very problem that has plagued the town for years: pitting the "town side" against the "school side." She stated emphatically that the schools and municipal services are part of one whole community, and that fragmenting an override based on distrust of any department's ask was counterproductive and harmful to the community as a whole. She cited that fifty percent of Lunenburg students are not meeting literacy targets, and called the school's requests for an interventionist, a kindergarten paraprofessional, a world language teacher, a teacher and paraprofessional for the bridge program, an English teacher, a part-time music teacher, an assistant principal, a literacy coach, and an assistant business manager entirely reasonable and defensible. Ms. Cammer also articulated her support for the Fire Department's fourth shift, stating that the town has needed it for years. She closed by warning that if the boards proceeded with a fragmented or piecemeal override strategy, she would urge residents to vote against all of the measures until the boards returned with a single, comprehensive override that addresses the full scope of town needs. FY27 BUDGET AND PROPOSITION 2 ½ OVERRIDE The Moderator opened the discussion by framing the central question before the Tri-Board: what form a Proposition 2½ override should take, and how it should be structured. School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene was the first to address the Tri-Board. He opined that perhaps if the schools had requested a larger override two years ago, they would not be requesting as much now. He drew a parallel between the town's historical tendency to defer spending and the long-term costs that result. He used the air conditioning system at the Primary school as an illustrative example. In that case, the town had chosen not to install the system as originally designed during construction, and the subsequent cost of retrofitting it was exponentially higher. "We have always preferred to save a penny today even if it means we have to spend a dime tomorrow," he said. ===PAGE 3=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 3 of 10 Chair Sculimbrene strongly advocated for an override large enough to carry the town through fiscal year 2028, noting the current economic uncertainty and potential recession. He observed that inflation has exceeded 2.5 % in virtually every month since approximately 2018, and argued that the town cannot count on external relief. He further commented that the picture was not going to get any better and that the School Committee had just learned that the District's federal entitlement grants had been cut by approximately $123,000, adding to the fiscal pressure. He argued that asking for only what is needed now would likely necessitate a return to the voters within two years, and urged the Tri-Board to think in terms of a longer-term solution. Finance Committee Member Ana Lockwood then spoke, recounting the failed 2012 override which she described as devastating. She stated that override had lost two to one and resulted in the Friday closure at the library and that staff took a ten percent salary reduction and given up hours. She noted that the more recent override in FY25, by contrast, was a smaller, targeted ask with no organized opposition and passed by only approximately 200 votes. She stated that her primary concern is not the amount of the override but the risk of failure. She argued that if an override was needed to maintain level services then that should be presented separately to the voters. She emphasized that she had not yet completed her own line-by-line review of the budget and therefore was unable to say whether she felt an override was needed to maintain level services as of yet. Her central argument was that whatever number is brought to the voters must have the best possible chance of passing, because the consequences of failure would be devastating. She commented that it was risky to put something in front of the voters that would not pass. School Committee Member Mandy Gilman followed, speaking with urgency about the timeline. Having worked in political campaigns throughout her career, she expressed alarm that the Tri-Board was still debating the structure of the override approximately six weeks before it would appear on the ballot, without a cuts budget, without a final override number, and without any meaningful public education effort underway. She stated, "We are currently waving in the wind six weeks before people are voting on this. We don't have a cuts budget. We don't have a list of things that are not going to happen. Nobody is paying attention." Member Gilman pushed back firmly against those who predicted that the previous override would not pass, noting that it succeeded because a committed group of parents invested significant time in direct outreach, standing in pickup lines, distributing flyers, and speaking with families at community events. She predicted the chance of an override passing, regardless of the figure, probably had a 50-50 shot. She called for the Tri-Board to settle on a number that evening if possible, warning that further delay was eroding the time needed to run an effective public education campaign. She predicted that voters would not be moved to vote based on $100 difference in their tax bill, but they would be moved to vote by knowing what would be cut if the override did not pass Select Board Vice Chair Amanda Moore introduced herself and agreed with Member Gilman's sense of urgency. She was careful to frame the conversation as one of structural math between available resources as opposed to competition between departments. She proposed a three-tiered framework for presenting the override to the community: first, a "balanced cut budget," representing the worst-case scenario with cuts across the board on both the school and town sides; second, a "core services override," a combined school and town ask with some reductions; and third, a full ===PAGE 4=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 4 of 10 "restoration" override that would fund everything the school and town have requested. Vice Chair Moore acknowledged uncertainty about whether the full restoration override could pass, stating that she had heard concerns in the community about the larger number. She responded further to Member Gilman’s call for urgency in decision making, stating that the Select Board had not yet had the opportunity to go over the budget line by line as a collective and that additional budget workshop meetings have been scheduled for the Board to weigh in on the budget options as a body. Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment provided during the discussion that the average single- family home in Lunenburg is assessed at $517,296, with a current FY26 tax bill of $7,444. The estimated impact of a $3,000,000 override on that average household would be an additional $636.27 per year, based on FY26 figures. She noted that the FY27 figure would be slightly higher once the standard 2.5 percent levy increase is applied on top. Select Board Clerk Renee Emkey spoke next and agreed that a balanced cut budget should be presented to the public, not as a scare tactic, but as an honest explanation of what would occur without an override. She supported a tiered override approach, describing it as a "plus and premium" model similar to fuel grades. However, she made clear that a true level-service override would not be sufficient, stating, "I don't think a true level service is enough. It's just there's too many critical gaps." She commented, “level services with a sprinkle of salt”. She cautioned against selecting a number for the override that members thought residents would pass as opposed to selecting a number based on justifiable needs. Member Emkey reiterated that the Select Board had several budget workshops scheduled to go line by line through the budgets. She also commented that the budgets were changing rapidly with the revenue figures having just been revised that day. Accordingly she was not prepared to commit a specific number to the override at this juncture. The Town Manager confirmed that revenues had been revised that same day, with investment income adjusted upward by $100,000 and motor vehicle excise tax by $75,000, meaning the balanced budget gap had narrowed somewhat. She also expressed concern for what happens in FY28 as the budget pressures were likely to continue. Member Emkey reaffirmed her intent to pursue a unified override with the schools- commenting that she had sat in the same room a year before and made that commitment. She returned to the schedule stating, that the Select Board had scheduled additional budget workshops on March 16 and March 23 to review the budget line by line. The Moderator then turned to members of the School Committee and inquired as to when they could be ready for final number. Chair Sculimbrene commented that the “cuts” budget would be presented on the 18th. Member Gilman commented that she believed that the School had been waiting for the balanced budget figure from the Town Manager. The Town Manager responded that the school department had those figures for several weeks, but confirmed that the Superintendent had received the adjusted revenue (from investment income and motor vehicle excise tax) that day. Member Gilman commented that it would be helpful for the Select Board to publicly state they were planning for an override. Member Emkey commented on the lack of public engagement thus far. School Committee Vice Chair Laura Brzozski spoke in favor of a single, unified override, arguing that the town is strongest when it approaches the challenge as one community. "We're one unit. We're one town." She expressed concern that a tiered structure would send the message that the ===PAGE 5=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 5 of 10 higher-tier items, including positions the schools have identified as essential, are optional. She noted that the school's restoration budget was, in her view, already extremely conservative, restoring only positions that had been cut the prior year and whose absence has been demonstrably harmful to students. "Kids are in first grade once. They're in kindergarten once. They learn to read once. When we miss those windows, it affects them for the rest of their lives." She stated her preference for one override but acknowledged she could support whatever the body decided, as unity of message was itself important. Finance Committee Chair Chris Menard stated that he did not think that the group could walk out of the room with one number that night, but they could choose a structure. He stated that he trusted the data this year in a way he had not in prior years. He stated that they needed to continue to look at revenues. He stated that they could look at revenues to reduce the impact of the override but know that would impact Free Cash and other things. He presented a visual diagram he had prepared to illustrate the budget situation. He described the diagram as showing the FY26 budget as a baseline and went over the revenue sources. H showed that the revenue projection line, which increases modestly, cannot keep pace with the FY27 level-service budget. The gap between the revenue line and the level-service budget represents the amount that must be cut in a balanced budget scenario. He noted additional items shown in the diagram representing expanded service requests, including the fourth fire shift, an Assistant Town Manager, and the school's restoration budget items. Chair Menard reiterated that the Tri-Board should at minimum leave the meeting with a consensus on the structure of the override (one, two, or three questions) rather than a specific dollar amount, and said he personally was leaning toward recommending at least two override positions. He stated that a course should be charted and that the details of the budget could be discussed during the remainder of the month. Moderator Murphy asked when numbers could be finalized. Town Manager Warren-Dyment expressed frustration at the pace of the conversation, noting that both the school and town sides already have their balanced budget numbers and their request numbers, and that what staff need is direction from the elected boards: "We need to hear whether those numbers are what the override numbers are. We need to be reacting to you." She emphasized that staff are ready to produce the detailed documentation required, but they need the policy direction to do so. The Superintendent concurred. Member Lockwood responded that what she though she heard was “level services with a sprinkle of salt”. She stated that she wanted to see the level services budget with the additional asks. She commented that she had sent the Town Manager 125 comments on the budget as well as her suggestions as to revenue. She said she would be “rigid about what is a level service” and that the town and school both had unused money in FY25. She commented that if the Town needed to borrow to get capital projects done, that was an available alternative. Member Gilman questioned whether if the pursuit is for a “bare bones level services override” would people be willing to be back next year again. Finance Committee Member Tom Gray urged the group not to over-engineer the process and to deal with the information they currently had before them. He argued that the best approach is honesty ===PAGE 6=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 6 of 10 with the electorate: "We're just trying to deal with this year and we are going to try to deal with next year, next year." He acknowledged that he had watched the Fire Chief's budget presentation and found it informative, but commented how few members of the public had done so. He urged the boards to make a decision and commit to it, noting that public attention would not be captured until there are visible signs in the community and real information to react to. "We have to make decisions. We just can't sit there and pass it on." He also commented on the urgency, stating the group had been ahead of schedule, but was losing time. Member Emkey opined that true level services was not enough and that there were too many critical gaps. She acknowledged that the school needed an Assistant School Business Manager, that a principal should not be in a kindergarten class, and that she supported an Assistant Town Manager. She questioned whether 4th shift fire would be considered level services or not. School Committee Member Emily Young noted that as a parent who had watched the prior override process from outside the committees, the most powerful motivating factor had been the sense that the community was acting together with the town and schools in unison. She said that unity in messaging would be a significant asset in building public support. Vice Chair Moore commented that she viewed the ask as “core services” as opposed to “level services”. She commented that she would be willing to make cuts in areas of the operating budget to support the addition of the 4th shift fire. She would like a restoration budget to pass. Member Emkey commented that the needs have changed and that cuts are being made to support those changes. Vice Chair Brzozski cautioned that the two tiers may suggest that the higher tier included optional items. She was concerned that there would be a suggestion that the things in the higher tier would be considered perhaps “unnecessary”. Additional discussion ensued about core vs. level services. Chair Menard offered that a level services option should be offered. Vice Chair Moore responded that she felt like certain cuts should be made to support core services and that is why the term core should be used. Member Lockwood commented that she felt like core services was the right direction as she believe in a “zero-base budgeting” approach. Folks should look at actuals and be strategic as opposed to adding 2 % to everything. Moderator Murphy suggested that a group get together to work on messaging. A distinction was made between campaigning and messaging. Chair Menard offered that the Chairs will meet to discuss the messaging. Select Board Member Brian Lehtinen expressed support for a single override number and noted that if parents and students are directly engaged and asked to show up, they will come, as demonstrated in prior elections. He agreed that the numbers should be ready by the end of March and that the numbers must be justified and reviewed by the Finance Committee. He stated that he does not believe a level-service-only override is appropriate, and that it is ultimately the school committee's responsibility to determine what the schools need and to put that number forward for voters to decide. On the question of one versus two tiers, he stated he would support a two-tiered structure ===PAGE 7=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 7 of 10 only if it were tied to a multi-year projection, and that for a single-year ask, one number is cleaner and more defensible. He affirmed that it was not just about level services, it is about the services that are needed. Finance Committee Member Tanya Dall agreed with the consensus that the override should encompass both the schools and the town as one community, including the fire department. She emphasized that if a tiered approach is used, each tier must be accompanied by very specific data showing the dollar impact per household and the precise service implications of each option. Chair Sculimbrene offered that he thought parents would not be motivated to vote for an override that keeps the status quo if the status quo is not good. He commented on the recent student performance metrics. He said an override based on level services will not pass and that it should be a “core function” override. Telling people to “spend more money on something that is not working is not compelling”. He said he is leaning towards core override and then a restoration override, but not an override for just level services. Select Board Member Glenn McLeod addressed what he characterized as the broader systemic cause of the crisis: insufficient state investment in communities. He noted that more communities than ever are expected to seek overrides this year, and that simply passing overrides does not solve the underlying structural problem. He urged that any public messaging acknowledge that Lunenburg is struggling as a result of inadequate state funding and that residents should hold the state accountable. Vice Chair Brzozski said that they have been lean for years and that there was nowhere else to cut from. She stated that they have not heard the “cuts” budget yet, but that there was nothing unnecessary in their budget. She reiterated that one override supports the message that this what we need. Member Emkey commented that the Town was offsetting additions to its budget by making cuts in other areas of the budget. She asked that the schools looks at their top priorities and perform the same exercise to come up with a “sub-restoration” budget. The Moderator called for a straw poll on whether all members present supported placing an override on the ballot. All members present indicated their support. The Moderator confirmed that this was unanimous among those in attendance and noted for the record that it was a non-binding straw poll. The Moderator then called for a straw poll on the structure of the override: one number, or two numbers. The count yielded approximately seven members in favor of a single override number and five members in favor of two numbers. The Moderator acknowledged the near-even split and noted that several members were absent, including Select Board Member Caesar Nuzzolo, who was away on National Guard duty. While waiting for Town Counsel to join, the Town Manager discussed override options and mechanics with the members. She stated that many communities are thinking outside of the box when it comes to the override approach. She suggested to start with defining what you want the ===PAGE 8=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 8 of 10 structure to look like. The Moderator asked if anyone in the group was against either approach of an override (single vs. tiered). Member Lockwood commented that she was opposed to bringing forward a single override number. She stated that her children suffered from the failure of the 2012 override. She called the prospect of repeating that outcome “extremely dangerous” and "reckless," and argued that the voters of Lunenburg have historically supported schools, citing the approval of a new school building shortly after the 2012 override failure. Member Lehtinen reiterated support for a single number and suggested removing emotion from the process: the School Committee identifies its needs, the Finance Committee reviews the numbers, and the Select Board puts the article to the voters. Member Gray urged the group to commit: "Pick a number and go with it, and then be forceful and educate the people." Vice Chair Moore expressed concern about a single override. Member Dall expressed concern about a "trust issue" with residents stemming from recent years' budgetary events, and argued that having two options on the ballot could be framed as transparency and a good-faith effort to work with the community rather than a sign of indecision. Chair Menard commented that he hoped that all would support the Select Board’s decision regardless of what that decision may be. After some technical difficulty establishing audio, Town Counsel Adam J. Costa joined the meeting via telephone from his vehicle, having been at another meeting. The Moderator briefed him on the central question before the Tri-Board. Town Counsel Costa observed that the current override season is shaping up to be exceptionally busy, potentially surpassing even last year, which he described as unprecedented in his twenty years of practice. He noted that municipalities are actively seeking creative approaches but that the stringent statutory requirements governing Proposition 2½ overrides create real risk when communities try to deviate from traditional methods. He stated that he had recently had multiple conversations with the lead general counsel for the Division of Local Services (DLS) at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue regarding non-traditional override structures, and that even in those conversations, answers were not always definitive. He observed, "Thinking outside the box carries with it some risks." He reported that despite extensive internal discussion of tiered overrides, multi-year overrides, stabilization fund overrides, and other creative variations, most communities ultimately land on something "tried and true" in a general purposes override or a categorical override. Those approaches are the ones that voters understand and that can be executed without legal uncertainty. He said that communities seem to gravitate toward simplicity when the stakes are high. Member Emkey asked Attorney Costa to address the rules governing what elected officials and public employees can do in terms of informing the public about an override, conducting surveys, and using public access television. Town Counsel Costa responded that while he did not have all relevant materials in front of him, he could speak in general terms. He stated that the law regulates conduct, not speech, and that local officials are permitted to take positions on override questions ===PAGE 9=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 9 of 10 and speak publicly in favor of or in opposition to them. He stated the use of municipal funds or municipal resources (personnel, supplies, facilities) to promote or oppose a ballot question is what is prohibited. He noted that public employees may work on an override campaign on a volunteer basis on their own time in any capacity except fundraising. He further noted the existence of a specific statute, which he did not believe Lunenburg has adopted, that permits municipalities to send a one-page informational summary to voters regarding override questions. He committed to providing specific guidance documents through the Town Manager, including materials from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) and the Attorney General's office. Regarding Member Emkey's question about a public survey or poll, Town Counsel Costa indicated his belief that gathering information from residents through a poll is distinguishable from advocating on a ballot question, and that it is likely permissible, though he would confirm this in writing. Chair Sculimbrene asked for clarification on whether, as a School Committee member, he could tell parents that they should come to town meeting with a sponsor and vote for an override article. Town Counsel Costa read directly from the DLS Proposition 2½ guide: "The law regulates conduct and not speech. Thus, while local officials can take a position on an override or exclusion question and can speak in favor of or in opposition to it, they cannot spend public funds or use public resources such as personnel, supplies, and facilities to promote or oppose the question. Public employees may work on an override question or exclusion campaign on a volunteer basis on their own time in any capacity other than fundraising." He opined that providing informational context to parent groups, such as explaining town meeting procedures and the role of a sponsor, would not run afoul of the law, though he would verify this against available guidance. Member Emkey confirmed the key timeline constraint: the ballot question language must be submitted to the Town Clerk by April 11, 2026, which is thirty-five days prior to the election. Town Counsel Costa confirmed this, and also confirmed that if the override question fails at the ballot, the town has the option of bringing it back for a special election, provided that occurs prior to September 15th for appropriations made at the Annual Town Meeting. He noted that the thirty-five day notice requirement applies to each subsequent election as well. Town Counsel Costa also confirmed that the specific dollar amount does not need to appear in the printed warrant; it needs to be contained in the motion on the floor, but the motion's dollar figure must match the ballot question. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed the April 11th deadline is to the Town Clerk's office, not a board vote. The Moderator thanked Town Counsel Costa for attending under difficult circumstances, and he disconnected from the meeting. Following Town Counsel Costa's departure, the Moderator attempted to bring the conversation to a close and identify next steps. He noted that the straw poll on one versus two overrides had yielded a near-even split, and that the group was not yet in a position to reach a binding conclusion. Member Gilman expressed urgency about the need to begin at least some form of public communication, proposing that the Tri-Board put out a statement indicating that an override is ===PAGE 10=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 10 of 10 necessary. Vice Chair Moore raised concern about taking a formal vote without Select Board Chair Caesar Nuzzolo present, as he would be returning from National Guard service later that week. The Town Manager suggested that rather than taking a formal vote, each individual member and committee could use their own platforms to communicate that the Tri-Board had met and is actively working on the FY27 budget, noting that there is nothing improper about doing so. The Moderator noted that the April 11th ballot language deadline effectively means the Tri-Board must arrive at a final number by the end of March or very early April, and encouraged the chairs to keep that constraint front of mind. PUBLIC COMMENT Sarah Cammer of 304 Lancaster Avenue, returned to the podium for a second public comment period. She addressed the Tri-Board as a parent, stating that the schools are "not starting this process on equal footing with the town," noting that new hires had occurred on the municipal side in the prior year while the schools had been cutting positions. Referring directly to the diagram Chair Menard had presented earlier, Ms. Cammer took issue with the labeling of the school's restoration budget items in the highest tier, particularly the items listed as "x, y, z." She identified those items specifically: an English teacher and part-time music teacher to ensure adequate time-on-learning at the high school and middle school, an assistant principal, a literacy coach, and an assistant business manager. "These aren't x, y, z items to me," she stated. Chair Sculimbrene exited the meeting prior to end of the public comment period. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Member Lockwood to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting. Seconded by Member Dall. Call for the vote: Six-aye. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0). Motion by Member Gilman to adjourn the School Committee meeting. Seconded by Member Young. Call for the vote: Three-aye. The motion passed unanimously (3-0-0). Motion by Member Lehtinen to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 9:53 p.m. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4-0-0). Respectfully Submitted, Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday June 13, 2026. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-12-agenda-7683.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-12-agenda-7683.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03122026-7683 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Chris Menard, Chair Lunenburg Finance Committee Town of Lunenburg Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 12, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda Amended March 5, 2026 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 (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- C able-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: h ttps://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. Votes 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 (order may change) a. DPW / Sewer b. * Administration, Unclassified, Debt Service c. Other Monied Articles 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 19,26 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-12-minutes-7683.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-12 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-12-minutes-7683.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03122026-7683 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall March 12, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Committee Member Ana Lockwood 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements The Finance Director/Town Accountant, Karen Barrett, states that free cash has been certified. The General Fund total is $3,354,370. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Full Budget Restoration Budget for Schools: $28,456,277 Current Total Deficit: $3,123,989.01 The deficit would be divided between the town and schools. The town would receive 1.24 million and the schools would receive 1 million. Town Manager states the warrant article booklet will be sent to the printers on April 8, 2026. The last day to submit a petition article is March 16, 2026. 6. Current Business (order may change) a. DPW / Sewer The DPW Director, Bill Bernard, provided both presentations. FY27 Budget Request: $3,178,177.51 (9% increase from prior year) Tree Removal: $39,500 General Highway: $1,375,750 Garage: $1,100 Highway Overtime: $17,500 Highway Labor: $681,496.61 ===PAGE 2=== TraƯic Signs: $16,800 DPW Vehicle Maintenance: $67,750 Police/Fire Vehicle Maintenance: $117,000 Cemetery: $123,466.22 Recycling Program: $363,354 Snow and Ice Budget: $364,460.67 Bill Bernard states the budget is currently at $800,000. Funding Sources Operational Budget Chapter 90 Funding: $718,000 Grants: Small Bridge Grant to repair Flat Hill Road Bridge: $600,000 Asset Management Grant from Mass Clean Water Trust for Stormwater: $ 60,000 DPW is requesting a part-time clerk to help the executive assistant for DPW and Facilities. Their responsibilities would include assisting with accounts payable, time sheets, filing, and assisting with tracking and spending within contracts. The trash budget is fully funded with bag/bin revenue totaling $500,000. Jay Simeone questions why DPW and Facilities are sharing an admin especially since those facilities were previously separated. Bill Bernard states that when they were separated there was no admin for Facilities so they shared the admin. Town Manager states the clerk would support both oƯice but primarily the DPW. Bill Bernard is requesting to restore the pavement management funds that were reduced last year. Town Manager does not support the pavement management plan. A line item totaling $340,000 has been added to reach the MS4 Stormwater compliance. This includes bi-yearly street sweeping and catch basin cleaning. Upon reviewing the last several years, it was determined that on average 30% of catch basins have been cleaned and 22% of the required street sweeping occurred on a yearly basis. The line item would be used to hire and outsource the work needed. Chris Menard inquired if the lack of street sweeping is due to staƯing or funding issues. Bill Bernard states it is a staƯing and funding issue. He ===PAGE 3=== estimated it would cost $100,000 less if the services were contracted out. Chris Menard inquired into the cost to sweep roads. Bill Bernard estimated around $240,000. This includes a total of 144 miles to be cleaned yearly. Jay Simeone questions why stormwater compliance isn’t being prioritized but mowing that is not mandated has taken priority. Chris Menard requests a further metrics breakdown of ongoing and completed work into dollar amounts. The Sewer budget was presented by Bill Bernard with the assistance of Sewer Business Manager, Andrew Valliere. FY27 Sewer Budget Request: $1,981,993.06 Revenues: $2,008,047 Budget Surplus: $26,053.94 Funding Sources: User Charges: 71% Betterment 18% Interest: 5% Fees 4% Rate Increases Leominster increased their rate by 16% in FY25. The town did not increase their fee despite the increase. The FY26 rate increase is 3%. Fitchburg has increased their rate to 7% on a yearly basis for the past several years. Bill Bernard stated that when sewers were installed homes had to pay betterment that they could finance over 20 years. Due to time lapse, betterments are dropping. Jean Russell inquiries into the number of residents that are in the sewer system. Bill Bernard estimates slightly over 1,000. b. * Administration, Unclassified, Debt Service Land Use Department The Land Use Department budget was presented by the Building Commissioner, Brian Gingras, and the Conservation Commission Administrator, Jaime Herlin, and Director of Planning and Economic Development, Stephen Wallace. ===PAGE 4=== FY27 Budget Request: $447,963.33 (1.77% Increase) Funding Sources: Building Permits: 75% General Fund: 16% Special Permits: 4% Planning Fee: 3% Sheet Metal: 2% Mike Rupp questions if there has been a decrease in new construction permits. Brian Gingras believes some contractors are holding back. He sees 5 to 10 new constructions every year but there has been an increase in renovations. Stephen Wallace states there has been an increase in the cost of building supplies. General Government The General Government presentation was provided by the Town Manager, Jennifer Warren-Dyment. FY27 Preliminary Budget: $3,205,051.24 Current Budget: $3,225,721.25 Finance Committee Budget: $1,575 Covers advertising requirements and membership, attendance at any annual conference or associations. Select Board proposed operating budget: $201,895.33 (11.99% Increase) This covers minute clerks for other boards and committees across town, John Guilfoil Public Relations contract, software, legal ads, oƯice supplies, community event supplies, dues and memberships. Town Manager Budget: $442,353.00 Includes funding for Assistant Town Manager position, contracted service line, and legal expenses. Assistant Town Manager (Request): $60,000 Town Accountants: $354,504.68 Treasurer: $123,886.74 $4,500 reduction from preliminary budget. ===PAGE 5=== Collector: $120,662.10 $8,300 reduction from preliminary budget. Chris Menard inquired if there is an option to opt out tax bills being mailed and an option for direct withdrawal for payment. Town Manager requested that the Treasurer and Tax Collector, Myleen Mallari, provide an answer to the Committee. Assessing Budget: $297,440.69 IT Budget Request: $476,000 (updated) Town Clerk: $147,956.05 Town elections will be moved from TC Passios to the schools due to roof damage. Elections Budget: $21,575 – Large increase due to upcoming election. Registration and Census: $21,450 APDC Expenses: $500 Physicals: $6,000 Economic Development Committee: $3,100 Town Report: $16,000 Finance Committee Reserve Fund: $185,000 Salary Reserve Account: $210,000 Town Manager is awaiting information from the 3 bargaining units to make any adjustments. Central Purchasing: $91,500 Veterans Administration: $90,750 Band Concerts: $1,000 Intergovernmental Assessments: $2,635,339.93 All except for $111.05 is for the Worcester County retirement. General Government (Unclassified): $4,500,424.59 Insurances Liability Insurance: $230,000 Workers’ Compensation: $135,000 Group Health Insurance: $3,695,424.59 (5.69% Increase) Life Insurance: $20,000 Unemployment: $10,000 Medicare: $410,000 ===PAGE 6=== c. Other Monied Articles John Bowen is requesting a warrant article to appropriate $14,252.39 for legal investigation of several long neglected municipal trust funds. The purpose is to fund approximately 40 hours of professional legal investigation to determine donor intent, verify legal compliance, and establish whether certain trust funds can be administered under their existing terms. Town council is unable to complete an investigation. Key Trust Funds: Nathanial Day Fund, Post 283 Fund, American Legion Poor Fund, Susan Howard Fund, Gazebo Fund Tanya Dall inquires into the scope of work. John Bowen states it’s not just compliance issues but the trusts need to be redone. Chris Menard would like to hear from an attorney about whether the firm has these investigators. Chris Menard suggests not putting this forward at annual town meeting and pushing it to special town meeting to work on a better estimate and approach. 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) The Board was in agreement that there should be an override on the ballot. 8. Minutes The Board will review minutes at the next meeting. Chris Menard inquired into the AI services available to create minutes for government meetings. Town Manager doesn’t think the software is at the point where it would be eƯicient. The service would require additional fees in order to add users and still requires human intervention and editing. 9. Committee Reports Jay Simeone states that the Sewer Commission has met. A developer has shown interest in adding housing where the prior driving range is by Lake Whalom. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no additional actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 19,26 ===PAGE 7=== Town Manager suggested pushing the Public Hearing until March 26, 2026, and having a Tri board meeting on March 19, 2026. 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jean Russell, seconded by Tanya Dall. The meeting closed at 10:19 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-19-agenda-7720.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-19-agenda-7720.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192026-7720 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Chris Menard, Chair Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Town of Lunenburg Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 19, 2026 7:00 PM *Amened March 18, 2026 Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall Zoom Only: 766 316 7607 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 on Zoom only. 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://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=83933248201 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and 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. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes 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. Finance Committee Call to Order 2. Open Finance Committee Public Hearing and Continue to March 26 at 7:00 3. Tri-Board Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance 4. Public Comment – The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the FY27 budget. 5. New Business a. FY27 Budget and Proposition 2 ½ Override 6. Public Comment 7. 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 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-19-agenda-7723.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-19-agenda-7723.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192026-7723 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Chris Menard, Chair Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Town of Lunenburg Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 19, 2026 7:00 PM *Amened March 18, 2026 Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall Zoom Only: 766 316 7607 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 on Zoom only. 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://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=83933248201 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and 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. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes 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. Finance Committee Call to Order 2. Open Finance Committee Public Hearing and Continue to March 26 at 7:00 3. Tri-Board Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance 4. Public Comment – The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the FY27 budget. 5. New Business a. FY27 Budget and Proposition 2 ½ Override 6. Public Comment 7. 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 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-19-minutes-7723.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-19 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-19-minutes-7723.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03192026-7723 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Zoom Only March 19, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Open Finance Committee Public Hearing and Continue to March 26 at 7:00 PM There was a motion to open the Finance Committee public hearing and to continue it until March 26 at 7PM by Tom gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. Ana Lockwood expressed concern about the budget that the school committee presented. According to bylaws a balanced budget is supposed to be presented and that budget needs to be voted on prior to their presentation at town meeting. Additionally, Ana Lockwood is aware of multiple workshops that have occurred where information has changed but haven’t been shared with the Committee. Chris Menard was unaware of any anticipated changes and will request the School Committee to present an updated presentation. Chris Menard will also request Town Manager present to the Committee any changes. Tom Gray suggests the school and the town present a budget that includes an override and one without an override. 3. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jean Russell, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 7:14 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-24-agenda-7730.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-24-agenda-7730.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03242026-7730 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== FINANCE COMMITTEE TRI-BOARD MEETING AGENDA Tuesday, March 24, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall 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://us02web.zoom.us/j/9091740347?omn=82196562372 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. Votes 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. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. PUBLIC COMMENT- The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the FY27 budget. III. FY27 BUDGET AND PROPOSITION 2 ½ OVERRIDE IV. PUBLIC COMMENT VI. 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 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-26-agenda-7737.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-26 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-26-agenda-7737.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03262026-7737 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 26, 2026 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 (Continued) a. Town Manager Balanced and Override Budget b. School Dept Balanced and Override Budget c. Discussions on prior Department Briefings d. Draft Warrant Articles 7. Current Business (order may change) a. V otes on Articles b. Finance Committee Report 8. Old Business a. FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Discussions b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 9. Minutes (2/5, 2/12, 2/19) 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – April 2 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-26-minutes-7737.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-26 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-26-minutes-7737.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03262026-7737 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall March 26, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray (Zoom), Committee Member Jay Simeone (Zoom), Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment Rhonda Liscio,181 Reservoir Road, states she hasn’t been able to see the warrant articles, making it hard to ask any questions. Chris Menard confirms the articles will oƯicially be heard during this meeting. Anthony Sculimbrene, 92 Beal Street, spoke to Ana Lockwood and wanted to thank her. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Public Hearing (Continued) There was a motion to continue public hearing by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye a. Town Manager Balanced and Override Budget Town Manager provided the revenue updates below: - Adjustment in local receipts - Additional $75,000 to Motor Vehicle Excise Tax - Additional $100,000 to Investment Income Starting Revenue: $51,611,771.99 Non-Appropriated Expenses: $1,441,496 O Ưset Receipts: $112,147 Assessors Overlay: $260,000 ===PAGE 2=== Cherry Sheet Assessment: $1,069,349 Less Levy Appropriated to the Capital: $244,576 Total revenues available for appropriation: $49,925,699.99 Total “new revenue” FY27: $1,549,263.89 FY27 Monty Tech assessment totaled $117,905 leaving $1,431,358.89. Distributed proportionally between the Town and School: School: $784,814.07 Town: $646,544.82 Budget Updates: o Special Assistant to the Assessor position and TCP operations have been removed from the operating budget. o The new Fire Chief salary was moved out of the operating budget and into the salary reserve. o The Town Manager Assistant Position has been funded throughout the year. o Technology admin support position is eliminated. o The 10-hour position in ConCom has been eliminated. o A new line was added for Economic Development expenses totaling $3,100. o The 19 hour a week Clerk position for the Police Department has been cut. o Board of Health Administrative Assistant has been reduced. o Senior Center Meal Site Assistant reduced. Corrections were made to: Telephone Charges Police patrol salaries and K9 expenses Retiree and Town Health Insurance Chris Menard inquired if health insurance includes PEC. Town Manager confirms it is for retiree health insurance. PEC is in the process of voting, but it’s expected to roughly be a $200,000 savings across the Town and School budget. There are 3 options for the FY27 budget including a balanced budget, tier 1 and tier 2 options. 1. Balanced Budget: $49,925,699.99 2. Tier 1: $52,280,035.68 override required and is estimated at $2,400,000. Total Deficit; $2,354,551.69 Town Deficit: $754,551.69 School Deficit: $1,600,000 ===PAGE 3=== 3. Tier 2 $53,171,145.83 requires override Total Deficit: $3,245,445.84 Town Deficit: $1,296.918.84 School Deficit: $1,948,527 Reductions in the balanced budget (all restored in tier 1): o Select Board preliminary budget $13,500 – level funded at $6,000 o Town Manager Contract Services reduced to $6,000 from the level fund of $10,000 o Land Use Meeting/School reduced from $5,050 to $3,500 o Economic Development reduced from $3,100 to $0 o APDC expenses reduced from $500 to $0 o Central Purchasing oƯice equipment reduced from $7,500 to $6,500 o Central Purchasing misc equipment reduced from $7,000 to $4,000 o Historical Commission oƯice equipment reduced from $500 to $0 o Historical Commission oƯice supplies reduced from $500 to $0 o Band concerts reduced from $6,000 to $0 Police Department o Admin Clerk position reduced from $22,485 to $0 o Uniform fund reduced from $31,000 to $29,450 o Police Salary Reserve reduced from $47,898 to $22,976 Fire Department: o Per diem salary reduced from $291,070.34 to $225,000 o Grade pay reduced from $5,000 to $3,000 o Outside training reduced from $50,473.12 to $25,000 o Equipment maintenance and EMS reduced from $46,000 to $45,000 o Training reduced from $21,000 to $15,000 o Fire recertification reduced from $3,150 to $2,000 o Training supplies reduced from $7,000 to $5,000 o Firefighter meetings/schools reduced from $6,565 to $4,000 o Chief training reduced from $1,400 to $800 o Capital protective equipment reduced from $20,000 to $18,000 o Capital replacement equipment reduced from $15,000 to $11,600 o Equipment maintenance reduced from $15,000 to $10,000 ===PAGE 4=== DPW o Drainage work reduced from $100,000 to $83,000 o Stormwater management reduced from $110,000 to $100,000 o Supplies reduced from $35,000 to $25,000 o Pavement management reduced from $282,000 to $50,000 Board of Health o Administrative Assistant position reduced to $31,182.29 o Purchase of services reduced from $75 to $0 Council on Aging o Assistant meal site position reduced from $19,825.74 to $0 o Programs reduced $8,000 to $6,000 o Kitchen supplies reduced from $1,500 to 0 Library o StaƯ line reduced from $269,048.83 to $226,077.79 o Programs reduced from $21,000 to $19,500 o Materials reduced from $106,937 to $96,200 Recreation o Parks Supervisor salary eliminated in balanced budget o Beach salaries reduced from $25,000 to $15,000 o Programming reduced from $5,000 to $0 Parks o Purchase of services reduced from $80,000 to $60,000 o Expenses reduced from $6,400 to $6,000 Tier 1 Override Increases: IT/Tech Admin support increased from $0 to $35,193 DPW Junior Engineer Project Manager created totaling $88,000 DPW Part time Admin support increased from $13,000 to $24,150.33 Recreations/Park Supervisor salary level funded Tier 2 Override Increases: Board/Committee Clerk increased from $6,000 to $12,000 IT/Tech Admin support increased from $35,193 to $59,459 Police Department Admin Clerk added at $22,485 ===PAGE 5=== Police Department Sergeant salary increases from $273,771.42 to $365,028 Police Department Patrol Men increased from $891,887.30 to $1,034,612 Animal Control increased from $45,000 to $85,000 Recreations/Park Supervisor salary increased to $75,000 Active health insurance for Town increased by $125,000 Questions/comments Tom Gray asked why the stormwater task force removed their warrant. Town Manager states that during the Select Board workshops, there was discussion about fully funding the MS4 compliance within the operating budget to avoid implementing a utility. Upon further discussion it was determined the cost would be too high. They may submit another warrant at a future town meeting. Mike Rupp believes that the numbers presented in tier 1 and tier 2 are too similar. Both numbers are very large. Town Manager states that the tier 1 override is an $800,000 increase over the balanced budget that was previously demolished. The cost would keep and maintain the services that are currently being provided. Ana Lockwood questioned why the police department is looking to add 2 patrol men. Chief Tibodeau states the department was last fully staƯed in 2023-2024. There have been retirement and 2 staƯ have left since last year. Ana Lockwood inquired about the preschool tuition. Town Manager states the rates are set by the school department. Ana Lockwood believes the position of Assistant Town Manager isn’t necessary at this time especially with all the cuts. Town Manager doesn’t believe Lunenburg can make forward progress without having an additional set of competent qualified hands. Chris Menard believes the library needs to start charging for the programs they oƯer. Additionally, he suggests cutting the program budget and keeping the recreation director. Public Comment Rhonda Liscio, 181 Reservoir Road, questioned the town’s contract with John Guilfoil Public Relations. Town Manager states the contract is for crisis communication and costs roughly $10,000 a year. If there were no contract a single event would cost around $5,000. ===PAGE 6=== Renee Emkey, 6 Iris Court, shares her support in hiring an Assistant Town Manager. Additionally, Renee Emkey believes the number proposed in tier 1 is too high, but a level service budget isn’t enough. b. School Dept Balanced and Override Budget Superintendent Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Faculties Director for Schools Christopher McNamara, School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene were present. Dr Jodi Fortuna states that without an override, there will be substantial impacts. Necessary additions include: English Language Teacher: $106,537 Special Educator (Primary School): $106,357 Promotion of an employee to Assistant Business Manager: $10,000 Assistant Principal (Primary and Turkey Hill Elementary): $133,596 In order to balance the budget, the following positions would need to be eliminated: 1st and 2nd grade Teacher: $205,019 3rd and 4th grade Teacher: $171,811 .2 Music teacher (Turkey Hill Elementary) $9,682 Certified Occupation Therapy Assistant: $74,147 1 Custodian: $48,630 There would be a technology reduction totaling $50,203 and an elementary science curriculum reduction totaling $40,000. Additionally, the custodial supply line would need to be cut by $15,000. Extracurricular Extracurricular impacts include reducing the athletics training position into a half time position: $34,259. The following extracurriculars would be eliminated: Girls Lacross $4,170 Golf team $3,362 Ski team $2,444 All athletic transportation would be cut saving: $127,550. The transportation for Middle-High Band would be reduced to $5,000. Athletic fees would need to be raised by $75 per student. This would generate $120,000. Questions ===PAGE 7=== Tanya Dall suggests creating data to show student improvement, Dr. Jodi Fortuna is working on a year-over-year document with data. Anthony Sculimbrene states there is a yearly review of assessments and has the past 5 years of data. Ana Lockwood asks if the teacher salaries include health insurance. Chris McNamara states health insurance is included and reflects the highest option. Chris Menard believes the schools need to start having discussions with the state about the unfunded but mandated needs. Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street, suggests parents work together to raise funds. Fairs have been successful in prior years. Additionally, he suggests reaching out to Fitchburg State for student teachers. Chris Menard suggests inquiring with National Honor Society to take on projects like previous years. Laura Barooshian, 389 Mulpus Road, encourages residents show up at Town Meeting on May 2 and vote on May 16. c. Discussions on prior Department Briefings There were no discussion about this topic. d. Draft Warrant Articles Town Manager states the Select Board will be discussing the warrant articles on March 21 st. Once the Select Board votes to finalize the warrant articles on April 7th the warrant will then be available to the public. Article A. Reports from Committees Article B. Borrow in Anticipation of Revenue Article C. Expend in Advance of Chapter 90 Funds Article D. Economic Development Committee Revolving Fund Article E. Technology Revolving Fund Article F . Revolving Fund Spending Limits Article G. Payment of Prior Fiscal Year Expenses This article is to pay 2 bills from Aeroseptic from a prior fiscal year. The bills total 1,317.50 & $577.50 for portapotties. Town Manager recommended deferring at town meeting. ===PAGE 8=== Article H. FY 2026 Budget Adjustments This article allows adjustments within the current fiscal year outside of the 33b transfer process. Article I. FY 2026 Closeouts Article J. FY 206 Capital Program Funding Reauthorization $300,000 needs to be reauthorized from a prior vote. Article K. FY2027 Capital Program $991,627 will be used from free cash to support the Capital Program. Article L. FY 2027 Omnibus Budget Article is to raise, appropriate, and transfer $49,963,990.19 from available funds. Article M. FY 2027 Proposition 2 ½ Override Budgets Tier 1: $52,321,641.88 Tier 2: $53,212,536.03 Article N. Amendments to the Salary Administrative Plan Position Titles/Grades Article O. OPEB Trust Fund The Article is to raise and appropriate free cash totaling $335,437. Town Manager noted that at the time there were 2 articles not listed. 1. An article to appropriate free cash to the Health Insurance Special Purpose Stabilization Fund totaling $250,000. 2. An additional article to appropriate free cash in the amount of $250,000 into the regular purpose stabilization fund. Article P . Compensated Absences Reserve Fund The article proposes transferring $10,000 from free cash to the Compensated Absences Reserve Fund. Article Q. Appropriation to the 300th Anniversary Committee Article is to transfer $15,000 from free cash to fund the 300th Anniversary and related events. Article R. Establish a 300th Anniversary Gift Fund Article S. Trust Fund Legal Fees This article transfers $14,252.39 from free cash to fund legal services. Town Manager spoke to town counsel, and they are in the process of completing a document addressing several of the accounts. Chris Menard ===PAGE 9=== believes this warrant should be withdrawn and he does not recommend approval. Article T. Trust Fund Commission Quorum Article U. Stormwater Utility (withdrawn) Article V . Sewer Bylaws No financial impact. Article W. Nonexistent Article Article X. PEG Enterprise Fund Article Y . Solid Waste Enterprise Fund Article Z. Water Enterprise Fund Articles AA, BB, CC. First fund of collective bargaining agreement for Firefighters, Municipal Employee Union, and Teamsters. Article DD. Vacation System Transition Liability Reduction Article EE. Amendment to Salary Administrative Plan Article FF . Mosquito Control Program (withdrawn) Article GG. Notice of Town Meeting Article HH. Transfer of Kids Kingdom from School Committee to Select Board Article II. Open Space Committee Bylaw Article JJ. Flat Hill Bridge Easement There was a motion to close public hearing by Jean Russell, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Tom Gray aye, Jay Simeone aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell, Chris Menard. 7. Current Business (order may change) a. Votes on Articles April 2, 2026 b. Finance Committee Report Chris Menard updated the format used last year; Additionally, he provided a detailed document with summaries and department impacts. ===PAGE 10=== Mike Rupp and Jean Russell will take lead at the upcoming meeting. Chris Menard will post an agenda for Monay April 6th as a placeholder if needed. 8. Old Business a. FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Discussions b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 9. Minutes (2/5, 2/12, 2/19) There was a motion to approve the minutes of February 5, 2026, February 12, 2026, and February 19, 2026, by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Tom Gray aye, Jay Simeone aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. 10. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Vote on warrant articles and approve Finance Committee reports on April 2, 2026. 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – April 2 b. Finance Committee – April 6 (tentatively scheduled) 13. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 14. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jean Russell, seconded by Mike Rupp. Roll Call Vote: Tom Gray aye, Jay Simeone aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 11:13 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-02-agenda-7746.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-04-02 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-04-02-agenda-7746.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04022026-7746 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, April 2, 2026 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. V otes on Articles b. Finance Committee Report 7. Old Business a. FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Discussions b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) c. Any other budgetary item related to Town Meeting 8. Minutes (2/26, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – April 6 (if necessary – Zoom only) 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-02-minutes-7746.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-04-02 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-04-02-minutes-7746.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04022026-7746 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Thursday, April 2, 2026 Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Present Members: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Jay Simeone (Zoom) Absent Members: Chair Chris Menard, Committee Member Mike Rupp 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. Current Business a. Votes on Articles Article A. Reports from Committees There was a motion to find no financial impact by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article B. Borrow in Anticipation of Revenue There was a motion to recommend approval by Tanya Dall, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article C. Expend in Advance of Chapter 90 Funds There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article D. Economic Development Committee Revolving Fund There was a motion to recommend approval by Tanya Dall, seconded by Tom Gray. ===PAGE 2=== Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article E. Technology Revolving Fund There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article F . Revolving Fund Spending Limits There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article G. Payment of Prior Fiscal Year Expenses There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article H. FY 2026 Budget Adjustments There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article I. FY 2026 Closeouts There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article J. FY 2026 Capital Program Funding Reauthorization There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article K. FY2027 Capital Program There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article L. FY 2027 Omnibus Budget There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article M. FY 2027 Proposition 2 ½ Override Budgets There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call ===PAGE 3=== Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article M1. Decommission Expenses and Operational Costs of TC Passios, Funding for Special Assistant to the Assessor There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article N. Amendments to the Salary Administrative Plan Position Titles/Grades There was a motion to recommend approval by Tanya Dall, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article O. OPEB Trust Fund There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article P . Compensated Absences Reserve Fund There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone nay, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell. Article Q. Appropriation to the 300th Anniversary Committee There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article Q1. General Purpose Stabilization Fund Transfer There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article Q2. Special Purpose Stabilization Fund Transfer There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood nay, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article R. Establish a 300th Anniversary Gift Fund There was no vote taken on this article. ===PAGE 4=== Article S. Trust Fund Legal Fees There was no vote taken on this article. Article T. Trust Fund Commission Quorum There was no vote taken on this article. Article U. Stormwater Utility (withdrawn) Article V . Sewer Bylaws There was a motion to find no financial impact by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article W. Nonexistent Article Article X. PEG Enterprise Fund There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article Y . Solid Waste Enterprise Fund There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article Z. Water Enterprise Fund There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article Z1: Sewer OPEB Transfer There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray, Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article Z2: Sewer Enterprise Fund There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Articles AA. First Year of Collective Bargaining Agreement for Firefighters ===PAGE 5=== There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Articles BB. First Year of Collective Bargaining Agreement for Municipal Employee Union There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Articles CC. First Year of Collective Bargaining Agreement for Teamsters There was a motion to defer by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article DD. Vacation System Transition Liability Reduction There was a motion to recommend approval by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article EE. Amendment to Salary Administrative Plan There was a motion to defer by Tom Gray, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell nay Article FF . Mosquito Control Program (withdrawn) Article GG. Notice of Town Meeting There was a motion to recommend approval by Tanya Dall, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone nay, Ana Lockwood nay, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article HH. Transfer of Kids Kingdom from School Committee to Select Board There was a motion to find no financial impact by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye Article II. Open Space Committee Bylaw There was a motion to recommend approval by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye ===PAGE 6=== Article JJ. Flat Hill Bridge Easement There was no vote taken on this article. b. Finance Committee Report There was no discussion on this topic. 7. Old Business a. FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Discussion b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) c. Any other budgetary item related to Town Meeting 8. Minutes (2/26, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19) There was a motion to approve the minutes of February 26, 2026, March 5, 2026, March 12, 2026, and March 19, 2026, by Tom Gray, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone abstain, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Discussion about the deferred warrant articles. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – April 6 (if necessary –Zoom only) 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll Call Vote: Jay Simeone aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye The meeting closed at 9:03 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-06-agenda-7747.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-04-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-04-06-agenda-7747.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04062026-7747 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Monday, April 6, 2026 7:00 PM Zoom Only 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. V otes on Articles b. Finance Committee Report 7. Old Business a. FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Discussions b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) c. Any other budgetary item related to Town Meeting 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – April 6 (if necessary – Zoom only) 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-06-minutes-7747.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-04-06 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-04-06-minutes-7747.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04062026-7747 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Zoom Meeting April 6, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Jay Simeone, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood Absent Member: Committee Member Mike Rupp 1. Call to Order The meeting started at 7:04 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 Finance Director. 6. Current Business a. Votes on Articles There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of Articles B, C, D, E, F , J, K, M, N, O, P , Q, Y , Z, ZZ by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 6-0. There was a motion that the Finance Committee find no financial impact on Articles A, HH, V by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee found no financial impact and the vote was 6-0. Article L. FY 2027 Omnibus Budget Ana Lockwood questions why the Fire Department is adding an additional employee per shift. Similar towns such as Groton only have 2 firefighters per shift. Additionally, Ana Lockwood disagrees with adding the Assistant Town Manager position and believes there needs to be a job description. ===PAGE 2=== There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of Article L by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood nay, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone abstain, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 4-1-1. Article M. FY 2027 Proposition 2 ½ Override Budgets Ana Lockwood believes the Committee should have been oƯered an option to vote for a level budget. Tier 1 vote There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of the Tier 1 override totaling 2.4 million by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood nay, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone nay, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 4-2. Tier 2 vote There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of the Tier 2 override totaling 3.3 million by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood nay, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone nay, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 4-2. Article X. PEG Enterprise Fund There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of Article X by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 6-0. Article EE. Amendment to Salary Administrative Plan Ana Lockwood states it’s irresponsible that there is no outline for the 2 proposed positions. There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of Article EE by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood nay, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone nay, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 4-2. Article GG. Notice of Town Meeting There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of Article GG by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood nay, ===PAGE 3=== Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone nay, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 4-2. Article Q. General Purpose Stabilization Fund Transfer There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of Article Q by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone nay, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 5-1. Article QQ. Special Purpose Stabilization Fund Transfer There was a motion that the Finance Committee recommends approval of Article QQ by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood nay, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The Finance Committee recommends approval 5-1. b. Finance Committee Report Chris Menard followed the same structure implemented last year with the exception of additional details. Tom Gray recommends including a statement in the booklet advising readers to consult the Finance Committee report concerning Article M and the balanced budget. There was a motion to approve the Lunenburg Finance Committee Annual Report for FY27 by Chris Menard, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. 7. Old Business a. FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Discussions b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) c. Any other budgetary item related to Town Meeting 8. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Ana Lockwood requests quarterly updates from Karen Barrett and Chris McNamara. Tom Gray wants to track updates on the Stormwater Task Force Utility. ===PAGE 4=== Jean Russell recommends initiating budget discussions with department heads at the beginning of the fall season. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – April 6 (if necessary –Zoom only) b. Finance Committee – April 23 c. Town Meeting – May 2 12. Public Comment Chris Menard thanks the Committee for their hard work during budget season. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jean Russell, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll Call Vote: Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Jean Russell aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 8:41 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-05-28-agenda-7828.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-05-28 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-05-28-agenda-7828.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05282026-7828 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Vacant, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, May 28, 2026 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 a. FY26 Quarterly Report 6. Current Business a. Discussion on Town Meeting and Town Election results – recommendations on path forward b. Local Receipts Trends c. Discuss FY27 Budget process and improvement ideas 7. Old Business 8. Minutes – 3/26, 4/2, 4/6 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-05-28-minutes-7828.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-05-28 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-05-28-minutes-7828.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05282026-7828 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall May 28, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jean Russell Absent Members: 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 a. FY26 Quarterly Report Karen Barrett has been out sick and was unable to finalize the quarterly report. Ana Lockwood requested revenue reports, comparisons to projections, spending-to-actuals data, and updates on capital projects. Jay Simeone requested general updates from the Finance Department. 6. Current Business a. Discussion on Town Meeting and Town Election results – recommendations on path forward Ana Lockwood sent an email to the Select Board and School Committee regarding the troubled balance budget. Additionally, Ana Lockwood is aware that the State Senate has increased revenue aid in various lines by $465,000. Ana Lockwood suggests the School Committee request more appropriation for their budget in light of the increased revenue aid. Chris Menard stated that the Finance Committee account was funded at $180,000 and financial policies at $50,000. Chris Menard confirms that the town will reconcile any additional state revenue at Special Town Meeting, but the report won’t be completed until July. ===PAGE 2=== Jay Simeone watched the Select Board meeting and there was discussion about next steps now that the override failed. Jean Russell suggests any member who has an alternative budget that they present to the Finance Committee and the Tri-Board and do not wait until Town Meeting. Chris Menard thanked everyone who contributed over the last year, present at meetings, and gave their opinions. Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street, expressed concern about the town’s financial issues. He said these problems need to be addressed and that the town needs a clearer understanding of its income, along with more complete information from all sources. b. Local Receipts Trends Ana Lockwood states for the last 10 years the town has not collected less than 4 million dollars in local receipts. This year’s estimate is 3.535 million. Ana Lockwood suggests not being so conservative based on the data. Chris Menard suggests having an analyst review all of the town’s policies on free cash and estimates. c. Discuss FY27 Budget process and improvement ideas Ana Lockwood states the balanced budget needs to be the preliminary budget. Going forward, all documents regarding town finances need to be available to the public and published on the town website. Majority of the Committee supports continuing the Tri-Board Committee. Jay Simeone suggests reviewing the free cash policy. Mike Rupp requests the department heads provide their presentation in an excel format. 7. Old Business No old business was discussed. 8. Minutes – 3/26, 4/2, 4/6 There was a motion to approve the minutes of March 26, 2026, April 2, 2026, and April 6, 2026, by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Jean Russell. Roll call vote: Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. ===PAGE 3=== Chris Menard will follow up with the Tri-Board meeting minutes. 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings - Financial Policy Review Ana Lockwood requested returning to a consistent meeting schedule. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – June 11 (tentatively scheduled) 12. Public Comment Tom Gray stated that the water district elections will take place on June 3rd. Chris Menard shared that the Town Fair is scheduled for May 31st. Chris Menard thanked Jean Russell for her time on the Finance Committee. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote: Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 7:52 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-06-11-agenda-7845.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-06-11 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-06-11-agenda-7845.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06112026-7845 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Vacant, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, June 11, 2026 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. Year End Transfers b. Prioritization of Fiscal Policies to be reviewed in future meetings 7. Old Business 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – July 9 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-06-11-minutes-7845.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-06-11 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-06-11-minutes-7845.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06112026-7845 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Thursday, June 11, 2026 Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Present Members: Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Jay Simeone, Committee Member Mike Rupp Absent Member: Chair Chris Menard 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:01 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. Ana Lockwood referenced two prior requests that were approved by the Select Board but not by the Finance Committee. She suggested that, in similar situations going forward, boards and commissions be included before decisions are made. She also expressed support for the proposed recreation department pilot program. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Current Business a. Year End Transfers The documents needed on this topic were not provided but should be available for the next meeting. b. Prioritization of Fiscal Policies to be reviewed in future meetings Chris Menard provided the list below prior to the meeting: - Policies on free cash - Revenue projections and policies - Stabilization accounts - Role of Capital Committee - OPEB contributions ===PAGE 2=== Tom gray suggests reviewing policies as a group to then make recommendations to present to the Select Board and/or the Tri-Board Committee. Tanya Dall recommended placing greater emphasis on community engagement. 7. Old Business No old business was presented for review. 8. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 9. Committee Reports Tom Gray states the Municipal Building Design Committee met and had discussions about the needs of the town for town oƯices. Ana Lockwood asked whether the former car dealership had been considered for oƯice space. The option has been discussed, but concerns remain that Town Hall and the Ritter Building would be left unused and begin to deteriorate. The primary goal is to improve conditions for residents using town services and for town employees. Tom Gray also watched the Select Board and School Committee meetings and believes there may be interest in continuing the Tri-Board Committee. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings - Year-end transfers - Tri-Board - Policies - Election and re-organization (if needed) 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – July 9 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 7:34 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-07-14-agenda-7899.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-07-14 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-07-14-agenda-7899.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07142026-7899 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Chris Menard, Chair Lunenburg Finance Committee Town of Lunenburg Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Peter Beardmore Tuesday, July 14, 2026 7:00 PM **REVISED 7/14/26 Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall & Zoom Agenda 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 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/9091740347?omn=87612216919 .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. Votes 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 – Joint Meeting with Select Board 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Current Business a. Year End Transfers 6. Public Comment 7. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-07-23-agenda-7917.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-07-23 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-07-23-agenda-7917.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07232026-7917 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Peter Beardmore Thursday, July 23, 2026 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/85984791156 . From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 859 8479 1156. 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. Reorganization of Finance Committee b. Presentation by Green Communities on Mass Save Programs and Incentives c. Additional State Aid, other revenues and savings Discussion d. Committee and Liaison Assignments e. Upcoming priorities and Calendars 7. Old Business 8. Minutes (Fincom - 5/28, 6/11, Triboards – 1/12, 1/27, 3/10, possibly others) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – Aug 13 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-08-13-agenda-7960.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-08-13 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-08-13-agenda-7960.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132026-7960 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Peter Beardmore Thursday, Aug 13, 2026 7:00 PM Lunenburg High School / Middle School – Collaborative Room 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. Additional Special Town Meeting Articles (State Aid, School Athletics) b. School Finance Status (Quarterly Report, Status of Grants, Health Insurance Savings) c. Town Finance Quarterly Report d. Capital Projects Status 7. Old Business a. Financial Related Policies b. Capital Planning Representative 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee Public Hearing – Aug 27 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-08-27-agenda-7970.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-08-27 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-08-27-agenda-7970.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08272026-7970 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Peter Beardmore Thursday, Aug 27, 2026 7:00 PM Lunenburg High School / Middle School – Collaborative Room 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 a. Additional Special Town Meeting Articles (State Aid, School Athletics) 7. New Business a. Deliberation and Recommendation on Special Town Meeting Articles (potential vote) 8. Old Business a. Financial Related Policies b. Funds Balances c. Operating Protocols 9. Minutes 10. Committee Reports 11. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 12. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Special Town Meeting – Sept 3 b. Finance Committee – Sept 10 13. Public Comment 14. Adjourn