FINANCE COMMITTEE

 

Judge Welsh Hearing Room

March 13, 2007

2:30 p.m.

 

 

Members Present:                 David Bedard, Frederick Biddle, Thomas Coen,

Gary Delius, Edward Gage, Ruth Gilbert,

Virginia Ross (arr 3:05), and Walt Winnowski.

 

Members Absent:                  Alice Foley, Tom Thurston, and Robert Vetrick.

                                               

Others:                                   Lynn Davies, Dana Faris, Ron Gamella, David Guertin, Alex Heilala, Chris Hottle, Barbara Rushmore, and Bill Schneider.                              

 

The meeting was called to order at 2:30 p.m.

 

PUBLIC HEARING - CIP BUDGET

Barbara Rushmore dropped in and wants to be heard on different items on the CIP.

 

Water Enterprise Fund  

She urged that people should not vote to go through the expense of a redundant water supply.   It is bureaucratic nonsense and the DEP is putting our town into a terrible bind by demanding a redundant water supply.

 

She (Barbara) also thought that there should be a revolving plan of replacing roofs and siding, etc. on Town properties.  Mr. Delius explained various projects will be in the pipeline – there is not one called for in this CIP.

 

Barbara continuing said that she was impressed reading about Barnstable and how they use their Stabilization Fund.  Mr. Delius patiently explained that we’re in the process of establishing a Stabilization Fund. 

 

Ms. Rushmore was thanked for her lengthy input.

 

Budget 310 - Cape Cod Regional Tech High School

Mr. Delius introduced the reconsideration of 310 – monies for Cape Cod Tech.

The original approved figure was for $168,309 - but - after the arrival of the cherry sheets from the state the figure became $202,326 for FY 08 – based on 10 students

and on our property values.

Motion:  Approve Budget 310 in the amount of $202,326.

Motion:  Ruth Gilbert       Seconded:  Ed Gage           Vote:  7-0-0.

 

Budget 910 Retirement/Benefits/Insurance

Alex had good news. – We were waiting for a response on health insurance.  We now have that number.  The increase was 4.8% over last year.  The new amount is $4,420,508.

Motion:  Approve Budget 910 in the amount of $4,420,508.

Motion:  Walt Winowski       Seconded:  Ruth Gilbert        Vote:  7-0-0.

 

Budget 123 – Town Manager

Mr. Delius said they had received no change.  After a bit more discussion it was decided to leave the matter tabled.

 

The public portion of the meeting was closed at this time - 3:05 p.m.

Virginia Ross arrived at this time (3:05 p.m.).

 

ATM-20  FY 2008 Human Services Grant Program

Chris Hottle and an assistant presented their program.  They had received a request from Big Brothers and Big Sisters program but did not approve that request; they were still in their planning stages.  Chris said they are level funded and have provided all the services as promised.

Motion:  Accept ATM-20 in the amount of $53,799.

Motion:  Walt Winnowski        Seconded:  Tom Coen       Vote:  7-0-0.

 

ATM-19  Tourism Fund

Both Lynn Davies and Bill Schneider presented their budget.  It is almost flat.  Ruth Gilbert asked for a run-down on the municipal spending portion.  Answer:  $3,000 for the fireworks and additional funds to Beautification for the Waterfront Park on the water-side of the Municipal Parking Lot (MPL).  They are not funding garbage pick up and are not funding bathroom help; we were charged with enhancement and not maintenance.  Bill also cited beach clean-up by taking advantage of the prisoners.

Motion:  Accept ATM-19 in the amount of $421,680.

Motion:  Tom Coen        Seconded:  Ed Gage       Vote 8-0-0. 

                 (Walt Winnowski will present.)

 

ATM-22  Row of Trees along MPL

Barbara Rushmore presented her plan - in great detail.  She proposed a strip of trees along the town-side part of the MPL with the DPW supplying the labor as well as the compost.  She would like it done in the fall and it would include about 20 trees; also she planned angled parking for the MPL in order to accommodate more parking. 

 

She was asked why she didn't go to Beautification that has an annual budget of $8,000 as well as the $17,000 they are getting from the Visitors Service Board (VSB) for the Waterfront Park.  She hadn't thought to ask them.

 

Bill Schneider said the Board of Selectmen (BoS) have a 5 year plan and have been collaborating on this Waterfront Park.  Lynn Davies said that we wanted those shade trees in the Park and it’s our intent to have those trees as part of our project.  Also, more parking spaces are being reconfigured; maybe 15 or 20 more. 

Motion:The FinCom will not approve ATM-22 due to the reasons cited above.

Motion:  Ruth Gilbert       Seconded:  Walt Winnowski     

Vote:  6 in favor, 1 opposed-Virginia Ross, 1 abstention-Fred Biddle.

 

ATM-23  Town Bldgs to be Self-Insured

This article was presented by Barbara Rushmore.  She gave a lengthy explanation on how it would work for the community.  (Our coverage for all our buildings is

$428,516 which is considered very reasonable.)  Ruth Gilbert said it would work for a private home-owner but doesn’t work for a municipality.  Gary Delius said he likes the concept, but would prefer the money go into a Stabilization Fund. 

Motion:  The Finance Committee does not recommend ATM-23.

Motion:  Tom Coen       Seconded:  Ruth Gilbert     Vote:  7-0-1 ab (FB)

           Tom Coen will present at ATM.

 

STM-1 - Phase II Sewer Project

Dana Faris, Ron Gamella, and David Guertin presented the proposed project to the FinCom.  Bottom Line:  Phase II can't go forward without an additional funding source because subscriber-ship has been less than anticipated.  Both Dana and Ron felt the problem was – the issue of the betterment and/or the issue of rates.

 

Ed Gage asked why some of the commercial properties dropped out?  Dana said that Phase II was declared a dead issue so many commercial establishments have put in new Title 5s.  The sewer rate is just too high.

 

David Bedard who owns the Provincetown Gym on Shankpainter said he was never approached about a sewer hook-up.  Ruth Gilbert said that the Annex Building which was sold to the Center for Coast Studies, the Catholic Church, affordable housing, and all of those property owners in the Court Street basin area are the real losers if Phase II fails; their septic systems are underwater as well as their yards.  We have to consider how we’re paying for the sewer system.  Tom Coen asked if we are we moving in the area of rate relief? 

 

Gary Delius wondered if all the people on Brown Street have been notified?  Gary will recuse himself of this article because David Guertin told him that he was still on the list.  (Ruth Gilbert will run the rest of this hearing on STM-1.)

 

David Guertin informed the group that there was a 54% decrease in water pumpage in February and 46% decrease in January.  There are currently 40 or 50 red dot delays and they’re costing us money.  Ruth Gilbert thinks it was naïve of the BoS  at the time – to agree to a user-based system.  Phase 1 is completed and working fine.  Tom Coen suggested that lowering the rates will be the highest incentive for people to join in.  A Prop 2 and a half override will pass if the current users realize that their rates will go down.  The rates would be cut in half.  Our current rates are the highest in MA.

Motion:  Approve STM 1 - Phase II Sewer Project.

Motion:  Ed Gage        Seconded:  Ginny Ross        Vote:  6 - 1 opp (DB) - 0 ab.

            (Tom Thurston will present.)

 

STM-2 CPA Funds for Phase II Sewer Costs $100,000.

The CPC said that this money was a loan and must be paid back.  Ruth Gilbert thinks it should have been an outright gift because these monies gleaned from the taxpayers are for affordable housing and Phase II refers to proposals that are all affordable. 

Motion:  Approve STM-2 for $100,000.

Motion:  Ruth Gilbert       Seconded:  Ginny Ross       Vote:  8-0-0.

          (Tom Thurston will present.)

 

Invoice from Mark Abrahams

The first bill has been received from Mark Abrahams and details his progress to date with the schools and the MUNIS bridge program.  The report was satisfactory.

Motion:  Transfer $4,000 from the Reserve Account S-1 to satisfy the invoice.

Motion:  Ruth Gilbert          Seconded:  Ed Gage            Vote:  8-0-0.

 

Gary Delius read a letter about health care costs from a tax-payer.  It regarded an article that came in the Cape Cod Times referring to retired employees.  Alex did look into changes and concluded that it would hurt the retirees. In the future we might look at it again. 

 

NEXT MEETING - MONDAY - MARCH 19TH 3:00-6:00 p.m. in Auditorium.

 

Ryder Street Plans

Virginia Ross told the FinCom that she had met with Don Murphy.  Don Murphy helps to run the Portuguese Festival and he told her that the Festival Committee has raised and will appropriate $25,000 to upgrade Ryder Street.  There will be 5 very tasteful street lights installed and other improvements.  This announcement was met with enthusiasm.

 

A motion to adjourn at 5:20 p.m. was made, seconded, and approved by all.

 

Respectfully submitted,                                    

Evelyn Gaudiano

Evelyn Rogers Gaudiano

 

Approved by ____________________________on ______________, 2007

                              Gary Delius, Chair