HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-02-14 Finance Committee Minutes
Finance Committee Meeting
February 14, 2007
The meeting was convened at 7:30 pm in the Town Hall Conference Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading,
Mass. Present were Chair Andrew Grimes, Vice Chair Charles Robinson, FINCOM members Hal Torman,
Michele Williams, Paul Bolger, David Greenfield, and George Hines. Also in attendance were Peter
Hechenbleikner (Town Manager), Bob LeLacheur (Asst. Town Manager/Finance Director), David
Michaud (School Committee), and Paula Kopel & Marcia Dresser (Nurse Advocacy Task Force). FINCOM
member Marsie West arrived at 7:40pm, and Selectman James Bonazoli arrived at 8:15pm.
Bob LeLacheur gave an overview of the February Special Town Meeting warrant. He reviewed the 3
amendments to the FY 2007-FY 2011 Capital Improvements Program as proposed.
Motion to support Article #3 by Greenfield, seconded by Torman. FINCOM voted 7-0-0 (West not
present).
Bob LeLacheur reviewed the proposed amendments to the FY 2007 budget. FINCOM had a lengthy
discussion of the Nurse Advocate position. Hines asked why the new position was not going to wait until
annual Town Meeting to be discussed, after the entire FY08 budget information was reviewed by the
FINCOM. Kopel replied that about 120 residents that were currently living independently in town would be
helped by this position. Bolger inquired as to how 20 hours/week had been decided. Kopel described the
Task Force reviewing the Winchester and Andover models for the position as background to all of their
decisions. These communities served 100-170 residents.
Williams agreed with Hines that this position should wait for a full budget discussion. Hines asked about a
review of the entire Human Services function provided by the town. Hechenbleikner described that such a
review was done, and several suggestions had been implemented. Many services that this new position
would offer had been suggested by the study – though the specific Nurse Advocate position was not
specifically mentioned in the study.
Grimes also stated that he would prefer the discussion to be held at annual Town Meeting, possibly for an
early start in May 2007. Bolger agreed. Robinson said the two month delay from February consideration
would not ‘lose momentum’ for the program, and both Kopel and Dresser agreed that the extra two month
wait was not material in the bigger picture. They asked that FINCOM explain the reason for the delay was
procedural, as it was clear from the previous discussion that most members of FINCOM supported the
position in concept.
Motion to support Article #4 by Grimes, removing line B8 (Nurse Advocate wages) and reducing line
K8 by $2,000 (Nurse Advocate benefits), seconded by Williams. FINCOM voted 8-0-0, and agreed to
explain their reasoning to February Town Meeting.
LeLacheur distributed the FY08 budget material, and reviewed the weekly FINCOM budget schedule for
the next several weeks – next week will discuss capital and other shared accommodated costs, as well as
Accounting, Finance and the Library.
On a motion by Torman, seconded by Greenfield, FINCOM voted 8-0-0 to adjourn the meeting at
8:20pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretary