Finance
Committee Meeting
February
27, 2006
Judge
Welsh Hearing Room, Town Hall, Provincetown, MA 02657
Members
Present: Ruth Gilbert,
Chair, Sue Buerkel, Gary Delius, Mark Leach, Ed Gage, Walt Winnowski and Robert
Vetrick
Members
Excused: Tom Thurston, Ginny
Ross, Alice Foley and Matthew Clark
Also
Present: Keith Bergman,
Town Manager
Meeting was called to order at 1 pm
FY 2007 Budget Review con’t
Capital Improvements Program
For
FY 2007, there are proposed to be no raise-and-appropriate projects in the
CIP—only borrowing with debt service starting in FY 2008
Mark Leach stated
that it seems ridiculous to approve expenditures that were going to increase
debt service for future when we can’t even fund present budget. Members agreed
and decided to reserve recommendation on most expenditures until BOS had their
meeting on CIP tonight.
Request Recommended
General Fund
421-1
DPW Stormwater Improvements
$150,000 $150,000
Robert
Vetrick made a motion to reserve recommendation. Mark Leach seconded and it
passed 6:0:0
422-1
DPW Road Reconstruction Phase I
$400,000 $400,000
These funds will
be used to implement a five-year program for repaving streets with Commercial
St. at the top of the list. Using a
calculation of $1,000,000 per mile and the area of concern (Commercial St) is
approximately two miles equaling $2,000,000.
Also knowing we cannot do all of Commercial St. at once we are funding
20% each year for five years. The
priority areas of the paving will be set by the BOS. There may also be
opportunities to link this reconstruction project with the Streetscape
Improvements program being discussed by the Economic Development Council and
its MCC Adams task force.
Mark Leach made a
motion to reserve recommendation. Walt Winnowski seconded and it passed 6:0:0.
Wastewater Enterprise Fund
440-1
Sewer Extension & Optimization
$1,000,000 $1,500,000
20 years at 2%
This will cover
extension for Shankpainter Road, Brown and Court Streets.
Robert Vetrick
made a motion to recommend $1,500,000. Ed Gage seconded and it passed 6:1:0.
Gary Delius
arrived at 1:50 pm
Water Enterprise Fund
450-1
DEP Water Permit/New Source $500,000
$500,000
The Water
Department has been evaluating alternatives for new public water supplies under
a multi-year program. During FY 2005
these evaluations did focus on the new sites identified in Truro (North Union
Field and C5). Coordination with Truro,
and the USGS and DEP will continue as the technical, regulatory and economic
implications of these alternatives are evaluated and pursued. These activities will also support the
Town’s ongoing Water Management Act permitting activities. In FY-07 we will be
doing Pump Tests for North Union Field.
450-2
Well Station Security Fencing CDBG
$500,000 $500,000
This will provide security fencing for Knowles Crossing, South Hollow and the Winslow St Tanks. This request falls under the Federal Bio-Terrorism Act and is also in the DEP Sanitary Survey Requirement. This will be submitted as Town’s march 2006 Community Development Block Grant.
Robert Vetrick made a motion to reserve recommendation on 450-1 and 450-2. Mark Leach seconded and it passed 7:0:0.
General Fund con’t
210-1
Police-Fleet Replacement Program
$47,332 $47,322
Requesting
Ford 500’s instead of Crown Victoria’s.
Mark
Leach made a motion to reserve recommendation. Robert Vetrick seconded and it
passed 7:0:0.
299-1
Parking Vehicle $10,000 $10,000
The
Parking Department currently operates a retired police cruiser which is too large
for many of the employees to drive, uses too much fuel and has had costly
repairs with mileage in excess of 200K.
In its place the Department proposes the purchase of a used small pickup
truck which would be used to patrol lots, carry supplies and otherwise be more
comfortable for the employees of the Parking Department. A new one is not necessary and it is
believed we should be able to locate a good used one for the price of $10,000.
Robert
Vetrick made a motion to reserve recommendation. Mark Leach seconded and it
passed 7:0:0.
Requested Recommended
299-2 Parking Lot Fee Computers $25,200 $25,200
Replace
the Auditor Powerpad fee computers in two parking lot booths. These fee computers are revenue control
devices that calculate fees and provide reporting features at our three parking
lot booths. This is a sophisticated fee
computing system, which provides attendant accounting for all pay/permit
categories of vehicles that enter the lot. The system automatically calculates
the amount owed and/or the amount a Permit holder would have been charged. The attendant balances out against the
transaction report at the end of each shift.
These computers provide a variety of date/time specified management
reports, which provide the data for the updated revenue and permit usage
figures that we keep. The present
Powerpad fee computers were installed in 1998. We will replace our current fee
computer in the MPL next year.
Gary Delius made a motion to reserve
recommendation. Sue Buerkel seconded and it passed 7:0:0.
Discussion of Proposition 2-1/2 Override Question. (Keith Bergman and Dennis Anderson)
The BOS voted to insert onto the May 2, 2006Annual Town Election ballot
a Proposition 2-1/2 override question to fund supplemental FY 2006 ($350,000) contingent
appropriation for the Cape End Manor Nursing Home and balance the budget for
the current fiscal year. The BOS further voted to insert onto the warrant for
the April 3, 2006 Special Town Meeting a contingent appropriation article to
raise and appropriate or transfer the sum of $200,000 to fund operating budget
for Cape End Manor.
The supplemental FY 2006 appropriation of $550,000 is needed for Cape
End Manor, due to higher census and higher spending and that some revenues
won’t be collected until FY 2007. This figure also reflects some $140,000 in
projected revenues from out-patient rehab services that never materialized.
Ruth Gilbert objected to $200,000 being borrowed and would like to see
that number lowered. Keith will work on coming back with a lower number. Ruth
is also concerned that School budget will continue to rise every year. Issue of
one time override; override/underride, etc. was discussed.
Robert Vetrick talked about his reaction to and feelings about letters
to the editor in last weeks Banner. He read a letter he wrote in response but
has not sent. Ruth Gilbert read an email from Matthew Clark in which he
proposes not sending that or any other response to The Banner. Walt Winnowski
stated that he did not support sending a letter in response to any of the
letters but that instead the Finance Committee may want to send an
“informational letter” for the general public. Other members that were present
expressed support for Robert Vetrick sending his letter as a direct response to
previously published letters.
Meeting adjourned
at 4:20 pm
Next
meeting Monday, March 13 at 3-6pm
Respectfully
submitted,
Phyllis
Lutsky
Phyllis
Lutsky
Recording
Secretary
Approved
by_______________________________on_____________