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Home My WebLink About1999-09-18 Finance Committee MinutesFinance Committee Leadership Retreat September 18, 1999 CALL TO ORDER j L ~r MASS. 191DC--9 3U At 8:06 a.m. Chair Dahl called the Reading School-Committee to order at the Reading Municipal Light Department Conference Room. Present were School Committee members Cavicchi, Dahl, D'Antona, Keigley, Twomey and Williams. Also present were Superintendent Harutunian, Associate Superintendent Richards, Lyle Kirtman, Town Manager Hechenbleikner, Assistant Town Manager Dean, Town Treasurer Beth Klepeis, Town Accountant Richard Foley, the Reading Board of Selectmen, the Reading Finance Committee and the Reading Library Board of Trustees. At 8:06 a.m. Chair Sally Hoyt called the Board of Selectmen to order. At 8:06 a.m. Chair Carol Grimm called the Finance Committee to order. At 8:06 a.m. Chair Maria Silvaggi called the Library Board of Trustees to order Lyle Kirtman started a discussion regarding beliefs. The notes taken during the discussion included: Beliefs 1. No more US & THEM - WE 2. Attack the problem not the person/group 3. Bring issues first to the leadership team instead of bypassing the team and going to Town Meeting 1. Why Now? Current Condition • Difficult last year • Tough this year • Important for communication • Time for priorities/beliefs • Strengthen collaboration • Serve interest of whole community • Remember charter responsibility • Perception of reduced FinCom independence • Library Board's desire to be more formal part of process • Community expects collaboration need to resolve differences • Tensions between School Committee and Board of Selectmen • Charter responsibilities in light of desire to collaborate Leadership Retreat -2- September 18, 1999 • Collaborative focus we once had has been lost/personal agendas have taken over • Revenues that were increasing are now flat - very different financial environment now • New people on Boards/same people on new Boards ® Town Meeting resents being "told" by..a group of leaders what the budget will be • Clearing house for sharing information on process and assumptions guiding decisions ® Need for orientation of Boards each year • Essential to trust each other: personal agendas repressed for good of the town • If override necessary, Boards must be together • All Boards have open meeting process: anyone can participate • Feeling that the debate has already happened • People do watch Board meetings on TV • Reading people feel a strong interest in town government • . Perception held by some that they are "closed out of the process" • You will get criticized • Important to keep process going 2. Original Purpose of Leadership Team • Labor negotiation communications turned into budget discussions • Tough budget times created a need to come together • Interests of various town groups (bring together) • Desire to present unified "proposal/recommended" budget to Town Meeting 3. Role for Group Now ® Clearing House for information and communication planning • Understanding all Boards needs • Leadership recommendations on budget and other issues (probably budget implications) • Ground rules for process each year (e.g. communication roles) • Budget/financial focus • Understanding priorities of all Boards. • Understand key issues/implications • FinCom has heard it all. School Committee/Selectmen to understand priorities • All have same revenue figures • Look at what's working and what's not • FinCom as Facilitator of process with School Committee and Selectmen participating • Understand-role of staff • Group should not take over role of FinCom Leadership Retreat -3- September 48, 1999 Superintendent ®Desire opportunity to present why requests are what they are ®Constituency needs/decisions 4. Who should be here? *Town Meeting representation Town Meeting currently represented *If too big-process hampered ®Town leaders providing town leadership ®Other Department Heads ®Media/need to communicate-to town as a whole .With information interested individuals could participate eCould call group together for other reasons ®Early presentations to FinCom ®Publicize meetings and invite participation *Library Board/other Boards FinCom Chair Facilitates Meeting Chairs of Boards develop an Agenda *Everyone owns the process eDepartment Heads as resources eBoards present .Library Board - Advisory Financial Planning Forum 5A. Beliefs ®Money is the town's .Mutual respect eEffort to understand each other's role O Share information and opinions ®No interruptions .Fairness eTrust the process • When Disagree - Town Meeting will decide (clariA, issues of disagreement) 5B. Violations of Belief e Talk about suspected violations • Bring to Chairs if violation suspected to decide if meeting is necessary (Town ( meeting/Superintendent) Leadership Retreat -4- September 18, 1999 6. Revisions to Budget Process Carol Grimm suggested the additions to the budget process: NEW: Meeting for around rules held in late summer/earl fall. School Committee develops budget and, after a public hearing, submits it to the Town Manager "in sufficient time to enable him to prepare the total Town budget..." NEW: Board of Selectmen (Library Board) and School Committee present budget requests to FinCom Town Manager submits the budget to FINCOM no later than March 1, and publishes a summary and where the budget can be reviewed in its entirety. Budget is complete, financial plan for all Town funds and activities. FINCOM publishes a hearing schedule and considers the entire budget, making recommendations to Town Meeting. NEW: FINCOM presents to the Board of Selectmen and School Committee the recommended budget for Town Meeting At least 14 days before Town Meeting is to consider the budget, FINCOM report is given to Town Meeting members FINCOM recommended budget is presented to Town Meeting - Town Meeting may amend the budget 7. Next Steps 1. Town Manager/Superintendent and Chairs work out Calendar 2. Set next meeting - Thursday, October 7, 1999 at 7:00 3. Better Public Communication: Four board representatives - discuss (location and press conference) 4. Liaison reports at Board meetings. 5. Identify fiscal realities 6. Minutes sent to Board Chairs and posted 7. Town Council opinion charter (agenda - next meeting) Leadership Retreat -5- September- 18, 1999 At 11:45 a.m. the Finance Committee adjourned. Respectfully submitted, e ea