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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-02-21 Finance Committee MinutesECEIVED Finance Committee Meetin TOWN CLERK February 21, 2001 g READING, MASS. ~'A@ Al 10. 5-u The meeting convened at 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, at tlv , A 16 Lowell Street, Reading Massachusetts. Present were Chair Carol Grimm, Vice Chair Richard McDonald, FinCom Members Catherine Martin, Mary Grimmer, Charles Robinson, Neil Cohen, Andrew Grimes, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Asst. Town Manager Russ Dean, Town Planner Anne Krieg, Elder Services Admin. Lois Bond, Selectman George Hines, Town Accountant Richard Foley, Beth Kleipis, Kimberly Lynn, Dick Ogden, Owen MacDonald, Pete Dahl, and Linda Phillips. On a motion by Richard McDonald, seconded by Catherine Martin, the Finance Committee voted to accept the Town Managers recommendation to appropriate the funds for Snow and Ice control. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0-0. Peter Hechenbleikner reviewed the projected revenues for FY2002 with a successful override of $1.2 million. There are no new programs in the recommended budget. If there is a successful override the difference in the budget is a $912,564 deficit. If the override is not successful there is a $2,112,564 deficit. The Selectmen have increased Snow and Ice control and the Firefighters overtime $25,000 each. They believe these figures are more realistic. They also increased Pavement Management to $850,000. Peter Hechenbleikner stated there are some major reductions in the operating scheme. The Town will lose one Firefighter and two Police Officers through attrition. Seasonal labor will be reduced and if possible, firefighters clothing. There is a. 15% reduction of all town employees' salaries. Russ Dean reviewed the FY2002 preliminary operating budget. A. Accounting - total recommended budget $108,102. They are moving one clerk from this department to the Finance Department. C. Finance Budget - total recommended budget of $845,784. C6. Technology $104,501. This area of the Finance Department has a salary increase of 4%. Their major goal is to develop a GIS system. Peter Hechenbleikner stated there isn't the money for the GIS system this year. There is a proposed budget reduction of $3,000 from the Consulting Services. C8&C9. Personnel - $52,759. The Personnel Administrator staffs this division. The major expense in this division is for advertising, which they try to keep under control. C10&C11 General - $301,358. This division includes all the Financial Department I staffing other than accounting. Finance Committee February 21, 2001 page 2 L. Debt Service $4,320,770 All long term debt service payments are down. M. Employee Benefits $6,281,930 Employee benefits cost will increase 7.68%. This is due to a 13% increase in the cost of health insurance and an increase in contributory retirement. M3 Unemployment - $35,000. This was increased from $31,000 to reflect actual spending. M4 Group Insurance - $3,318,803 M5 Medicare/Social security - $423,586. There was a $50,000 transfer to this division at the last town meeting. They are back on budget for FY2002. M6 Workers Compensation - $159,750. This is an unpredictable area subject to some change. The Town was self-insured are is not now. M7 Police/Fire Indemnification - $30,000. This is for all medical claims for police and firefighters that are injured on duty. 8:50 PM Peter Hechenbleikner requested a 5-minute recess. 8:55 PM Carol Grimm called the meeting back to order. B. Community Development $250,048 There is a recommendation to increase fees for permits, including wiring and gas/plumbing. B1 Conservation - $43,224. There has been an increase in wildlife issues such as beavers. B2 Zoning Board of Appeals - $1,075. This is for the recording secretary. B3 Historic Commission - $1,224. This is for office supplies. B4 Inspections - $91,000. They lost the Zoning Enforcement Office in the FY2001 budget cut. Dick McDonald asked if we share inspections with other towns. Peter Hechenbleikner replied there hasn't been much interest from other towns, but occasionally Wakefield would help out. B5 Planning - $54,611. The Town Planner staffs this. B6 General - $49,239. Administrative support for all the community development departments. Finance Committee February 21, 2001 page 3 E. Human Services $392,213 Mary Grimmer asked if the revolving fund could fund the Human Services Department. Peter Hechenbleikner replied that it is not possible because of state regulations. E1&E2 Health - $147,154. The tobacco control coordinator is funded by a grant. This division includes the mosquito spraying. E3&E4 Elder/Human Services - $132,425 (including a grant offset) This division includes the Meals on wheels Coordinator and a full-time social worker. Lois Bond the Service Administrator is retiring. E5 Veterans - $16,745 Reading shares this veteran's agent with Wilmington. This is not in conformance with the state law that requires one agent for every town with more than 12,000 people. The expenses listed are for travel reimbursement. E8&E9 Recreation - $49,164. Includes the hiring of all seasonal help. The expense is for the lighting of the fields. The direct cost of the administrator is funded from the revolving fund. E10 General - $42,825. Clerical assistance to the Human Services department. F. Library $820,209. There are no staffing changes. The Selectmen recommended a budget reduction of $2,713 in materials and a 5% reduction in the hours the library is open. If there is a successful override, the library would reduce the materials by $1,969 instead of $2,713 in order to satisfy the 15% materials expenditure. The reduction of hours would be 3 hour per week or 137 hours. The library would close earlier on Fridays and Saturdays during the year and close on Saturdays in the summer. If there is not a successful override the library will reduce its open hours by 276 hours. Peter Hechenbleikner recommends the two capital improvement request for FY2002. The first is $24,000 circulation system that would allow self-checkout. The second is $13,000 for computers. The library is supporting a myriad of databases that require the latest computers. D. General Services $636,679. The FY2001 budget is 93% spent. D1 Selectmen - $1,950. This is mostly advertising. D2 Town Manager - $95,712 D4,D5,D6 Law - $130,250. Town Counsel D7&D8 Town Clerk - $51,205. They have increased the dog license fees. Finance Committee February 21, 2001 page 4 D9&D10 Elections/Registrations - $29,372. DI I Insurance - $99,387. D12&DI3 General - $228,803. The next Finance Committee is February 28, 2001. The committee will review the public works budget. On a motion by Richard McDonald, seconded by Neil Cohen, the Finance Committee voted to adjourn their meeting at 10:15 PM. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0-0. Respectfully submitted, YJoy Yhr Recording Secretary