[Music] um do we have a motion to Second all in favor I okay good evening this is a meeting of the finance committee it's Wednesday April 25th 2024 and this meeting is being video and audio recorded first uh first item on the agenda Pledge of Allegiance if we can stand please I pled algi to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which stand one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all thank you think Mr Kelly we can start out with you just kind of giving us the latest all right the budgets that are before you tonight have been voted and approved by the board of selected the section two of the uh determin of the voting will be on Tuesday we look to finish all budgets but two and we're waiting for to see the education budgets after that so when you say the two budgets you're talking talk about o colony and school okay and I don't think o Colony will change much okay we are discussing with them maybe because we've discovered that there's a onetime expense in the uh their budget so it might not be appropriate to pay that out of Taxation so how else could it be paid out of the uh selectman have to determine that and how much was it uh it's approximately 120 to 140,000 and we're roughly 13d or roughly oneir of the we'd get out that would that's no that's that's our portion that's our that's our portion okay okay I'll have it exact figures when I talk to Sarah okay any other questions before we guess we start talking about specific budgets okay starting at the top finance committee that is it even it's uh no increase 2,900 salaries 2,500 uh expenses 400 okay motion to accept those all in favor [Music] next Reserve fund Reserve fund is even 150,000 motion to accept second call in favor I just so the committee knows as far as Reserve fund for this year you're going to be getting some more uh requests those requests will deplete it the present Reserve fund down to 69,000 remaining they're coming next week you think probably sorry I think last year we were in worse shape than 69,000 at the end so that's good MH okay uh Town moderator Town moderator is even 725 for salaries 150 for expenses total 850 we have 875 here oh sorry 875 okay motion to accept second all in favor I Legal Services uh legal Serv services are flat at 107,000 where where do we stand now for 2024 uh I'd have to we're uh in a slight deficit but with the May one we should be able to transfer from another account but I'll let the board committee now okay so is 107 is a realistic or achieve or yeah realistic estimate of for Legal Services because 22 and 23 were at 170s yeah well there's one entity that is driving it yeah and but as far as we can tell the expectation is that those legal Ser legal fees would be lower than I hope so okay so motion to accept a second all in favor all soil board soil board salary 700 and expenses 20,800 for a total of 21,500 motion to accept and it's flat all in favor I weights and measures 1,169 salaries and it's flap flap have a motion second second all in favor I miscellaneous miscellaneus we have in salaries compensated balance of 5,000 the reason we have that there is uh as you know we have a stabilization fund to cover it but we'd have to get to a town meeting to access it if someone left mid year and this carries us over we have not expended any funds from it this year but it's a safety net mhm and uh 8,500 is the various expenses for a total of 13,500 it's flat I have a question Mr Kelly I think we talked about it briefly last time the line item for celebrations at 3500 can we get a little bit of clarity about what that is is as a tax Barry you see $3,500 for celebrations when we're dealing with such a crunch I I think it might help alleviate some people's pains if they're hearing that well uh uh part of it is uh the uh Apple Peach part of it is the uh various uh issues with veterans uh with the we've used some of it in celebrations when we recognize a championship team right so I just I just make want to make sure that it's out there for everybody when if they come across and see this that this isn't for birthday parties this isn't for Christmas party it's it's for Town type celebrations like app Peach so thank you well previous years we've only been spending under $1,000 can just maybe cut it back 25 well we didn't have apple Peach until this year yeah there was talk about provid funding Apple Peach we're investigating it but until we do okay if we don't spend it it goes to free cash and as you know these type of things I spend nickels like their sewer covers I'll make a motion to accept second second all in favor I Cable cable we've done a change the uh salaries are 100,000 we put it up a little bit just because uh we're looking at maybe uh moving around some production issues uh expenses are at 90 and then we put a reserve Fund in similar to the other Enterprise accounts of 50,000 uh the equipment's getting very very old and so we want to make sure if something catastrophic happens we have a reserve we can get to and it does not come from taxation I make a motion second all in favor I that's the type of nice planning we need so that we don't have those budget Buster surprise things at the end of the year okay Regional government expenses this uh is our serpent dues uh buzzit bay and housing Partners uh housing Partners bu its B is flat serpent went up slightly uh serpent has been fabulous to us one since we don't have a planner we've been using them on a number of items to help us out so the uh budget is 3,748 it's gone up less than one and a half% I have a motion second second all in favor appeals board appeals board salaries 3,000 expenses 3,150 for 6,150 it's flat motion second all in favor forestry forestry salaries 1,000 that's flat uh the police details we increase because we also increased the tree removal from 16,000 to 20,500 details from 2,000 to 3,000 we have problematic trees in a number of places MH and with the uh tree Warden puts area is that he wants work done in brings in the removal people for a day you get a day rate and you can get maybe two three trees done and we've got as you know a number of uh uh dangerous trees that are actually on Town property and uh it's getting getting worse but we were also dealing with ever source and Verizon as far as making sure as the wires are clear when they when they ever Source comes and cuts the trees they are they responsible for the stumps also or just the trees and that's it they're actually just responsible for the branches when they when they cut a tree down was they don't cut tree the whole tree though they yeah they do if they determine a tree is dangerous oh to wires yeah they do not do the stump and if the stum and if the stump's on private property they won't touch it they'll probably not even do the tree if they can avoid it Mr Kelly how how are we looking this year for the the tree removal against the 2024 budget uh well are we going to run into deficit do you think or we'll no okay so we're just really for year we do as much as uh tree warden make sure we do does as much as uh he's got the money for and that's it perfect thank you I'll make a motion to accept I have a second second all in favor snow and ice my favor okay we spend how do we do this year uh we're uh I believe we haven't bought supplies yet to replace but we're at about 2/3 so you think we have enough to replenish the supplies with it yeah excellent and as you know you don't diminish the number because then you can't deficit spend right mhm so 110 flat but 110 makes sense 20123 that's where we were 104,000 24 it gives us the money to replenish which is normally what we do anyways so but we also had two two late years right but that's what I'm saying you never drop it yeah you don't go down you don't go down because 110 appears to be the right number on light years I'm just you don't to go too far back cuz look 2022 was 196,000 we were in the whole 8 something, so yeah I would never think that you'd want to spend uh reduce it I wasn't thinking reduce I was thinking we're going to have enough for next year with the increase and everything we might have to we that's the one of the few accounts we can deficit spend though you can go negative as long as you're not playing with the amount and reducing it then you can go deficit spend which is what we'd have to do if we had another bad year like we did in 22 not going what we do I'll make a motion to accept do I have a second second oops all in favor I I they making it easy for my record keeping Cass salaries are 4 3,364 slightly up uh expenses 1,279 248 and you see the outwire and the increase is a trash recycling hauling line item and that's gone from 6248 36 to 681587 and a good part of that's being driven by the fact that we've been hit by a 4.5% fuel search charge which equates to about 3,000 a month when the contract I believe we have one or two years but this is everywhere and yeah you are also seeing at least three communities in the area that are running out of space to actually do recycling on town-owned property I make a motion second all in favor I Cemetery Cemetery salaries temporary 5,464 uh expenses 1,325 for a total of 6,789 it's flat actually yesterday yesterday the uh representative of the committee came in and they said that uh they're not sure that amount will be adequate for this year uh with the uh expenses for having the upkeep and they didn't want to go into the Perpetual care trust fund I told them i' discuss it with the selectman and if need be we could address something in the fall did they give you an idea of what type of increase they'd look for in order to maintain service 9 to 10 more no so you're talking $2500 3,000 yeah but at this point it's already been heard by this selectman yeah they were daylight for their dollar short but even if it's not budgeted for needed we're not talking about a buster no I make a motion to accept do I have a second second all in favor I federan Services feran Services is flat 20,7 72 for the salaries 196 445 for 27,2 2017 uh yeah someone should play that number but uh as you know this can fluctuate depending on uh how much uh veterans benefits we spend uh but it's all also something that's reimbursable can you just briefly detail for the audience at home what is included in veteran benefits no I can't no no iidea well I know some of them but it's everything from widows benefits to uh there's a list and it's a a moving charge did always I've been told by the agent that getting the newer the younger generations to actually come in and Avail themselves of the services sometimes is difficult they don't want to come in because they're not aware or they just don't generation I guess never gone in and used it okay yeah but there is uh Outreach going on okay well Pete now you know you can use it I make a motion second all in favor Recreation Recreation uh salaries the summer youth salaries 10,000 it's flat the expenses went from 12,850 to 5,225 the main driver of that is the energy costs yeah that's the entire driver yeah and uh so the committee knows uh the recreation uh function is bolstered by the Yes program yeah M I'll make a motion to accept is there a second second all in favor Park Park the uh salary line 29,000 is flat and the expenses 2,967 is also flat for a total of 49,9 67 motion is there a second I second all in favor historical commission the historical commission the uh expenses went from 7800 to 9,160 and of course the driver is energy energy have a motion make a motion second all in favor I [Music] I I think that covers all of the budgets that were approved by the bo selection is that right Mr C yes okay do we want to move on to the the articles that can be the Tom War and the articles that can be approved or voted [Music] on also if uh someone wants to remind the chair while he's on the beach he could write the letter for the uh bo I'll be sure to text him that reminder as soon as you finish up sure he's composing right we should just send him a picture of the sandwiches and yeah I will not that exp article one is something uh that is every year it's the article that the town accept the reports of the various boards departments committees commissions and officers and the date of course will change in the article that you see in front of you we haven't updated that yet but that's standard M uh Article 2 and three I don't have any amounts yet those might not even be in the warrant okay so I'd ask that article one be approved as to the form make a motion second second all in favor hi uh Article 4 shows the same uh numbers other than the first number which I it's for a sum of 240,000 for the cable related fund this is the article that authorizes the budget line make a motion to accept the 240 second all in favor I the sorry Mr Kelly the body of article four is going to say 240 instead of the 200 right yeah uh just the top line yes the body does yes no just wanted to make sure that that's m going be consistent article five through 10 is the consent articles they are everything from permitting the board to apply for Grants to allow the DPW to expend chapter 90 money to allow the treasurer to borrow an anticipation of Revenue according to the Mass general laws to authorize the members of the cemetery board to perform work in the cemeteries to authorize members of the Recreation Commission to perform work in the Parks and to allow the board of Library trustees to sell for the sum of $1 discarded books I'll make a motion that we accept articles 5 through 10 as written second second all in favor article 11 on there is one amount that I still am considering changing and that's the Conservation Commission revolving fund to allow for more than 2,500 to be expended but I will get back to you I do not want to have a vote on this article now but I do want to point out the increase at the Council on Aging of 4,000 of $45,000 from 30 and that is a revolving fund from funds they take in as a result of trips and there are a couple more trips or events planned and so that when you looked at the various budgets it was getting awful close to the 30,000 that's why we're looking to increase it to 45 Mr Kelly do you have any idea um what the Conservation Commission might be looking at that prompts us I mean do they have a something that needs to be addressed in 25 that we are looking in advance at well it's to use the uh uh we're looking since we don't have an agent we might need some expertise okay consultation and so I just want to be safe so we just table it know we table table 11 yeah we can't because the numbers are going to change so we're not going to vote on 11 I just didn't know if we had something big that was going on so okay I'm not trying to announce it publicly but you see the uh preash computation there what free cash and uh but I will say that uh the article 12 is to uh contribute $81,300 to the mass strategic health group that brings us up to the amount we're supposed to be at at our reserve for the health group we are looking at a increase rate of 9 .7 right now if we were not at the reserve level it would be 12.7 yeah we want to get to that Reserve level okay and it's our Reserve it's not the group it's it's not the plan yeah it's not the groups it's ours and we've only been in the group a short period of time compared to some of the other members and part of the rebates we get for the Pharmaceuticals will go into our Reserve in future years so we'll probably we might end up with one more year of having to do it but then we'll be at our maximum and uh it uh looking at what we're getting versus what other folks are are getting for example uh our retirees have eligibility to participate at group rats in dental and vision where most o uh the surrounding towns who use Maya or one of the other health groups don't have it are uh access to drugs and the uh services that we're getting including the uh app and uh the count Counseling of how to access services that comes through the group is more than any other entity around here other than the people who are looking uh are in the group and we have two or three communities surrounding in the area that are uh probably going to partition to join the group in the next year so it was a good decision oh it's a lot better than the other places so we remember I think we can vote on this one right this there's nothing to change here article nothing to check article 12 okay I just wasn't sure where he said he's not going to announce the numbers I didn't know no the numbers up talk I didn't announce this one okay do we have a motion or I make a motion to accept article 12 as written is there a second second all in favor Article 13 is the uh transfer from free cash the sum of $ 74,7 and77 for settlement by the kushit school District to the Amaral bus company this was a negotiated settlement and uh this definitely uh it's in full satisfaction of all claims it makes the most sense rather than going forward this was uh a settlement for the disagreement over what services they provided and what we ow them during Co and this brings us up wash our hands wash our hands I'll make a motion to accept Article 13 as written is there a second second all in favor I don't know if article 14 will be needed so I ask to pass over that [Music] M Article 15 I asked to pass over but in discussion you'll see that it's two items for the fire department it's been discussed many times one is the upgrade of the alarm receiver units and the other is the repeater the total is 145,000 uh there I need a vote of the selectman to approve it so I'll bring it back but I think everybody's heard this number of times it's a necessity right there's an issue with oh very much so yeah uh article 16 is the elder Community Services Program the senior workof M every year we put 20,000 in free cash in I'm asking that again the only thing that's changing is we're uping the rate to uh $5 15 which is the minimum State minimum wage not the federal minimum wage but uh the maximum uh that an individual can uh earn is 1500 right is unchanged have we fully have the residents fully utilized this program uh we're getting close okay now uh and it's been a godsend for the services that they provided and the S program which I'll talk about next for saving the town money I'll make a motion to accept article 16 as written so I have a second all in favor I article 17 and for 30,000 for the Youth Employment Service program I think this is a fabulous program that the board of Selectmen instituted and it has not only saved us a bunch of money it's also allowed us to do projects we wouldn't be able to do and it has given a great many Young Folks an opportunity to work and we've also used some of the money out of it to fund a co-op program with old col I just think it's a fabulous effort by the board I've heard a lot of good things about it motion is there a second second all in favor ask to Passover 18 that would be to deposit free cash in the stabilization fund I'll have an exact figure once we're finished with the bottom line of the budget MH uh I'm waiting on community preservation but you can see the first part of Article 19 is the typical uh authorization to expend funds and as you can see the actual list of projects is substantially less than that and uh that means that anything that's unexpended goes into the undesignated reserve but I'll ask that you pass over that until we're final on that one okay the board hasn't voted on article 20 but it is the board is proposing it as a well they're discussing it as of right now it's the local option on the meals excise tax of 75% uh back of the envelope it looks like it would raise revenue about 100,000 and correct me if I'm wrong but we're not we're like the only yeah well we tried this like four or five years ago right something like that probably five years ago I guess uh 2018 sounds could be right yeah it was already done there different time and the and the revenue would be I thought back then we were designating the revenue for opep this would not be so this this is just this is just so far this is my uh drafting of an article for the board to further discuss okay the next articles are to fund placeholders to fund collective bargaining agreements article 21 22 23 24 uh we're passing on all of those oh yes okay the next articles 25 26 27 are to access various stabilization funds or Reserve funds if we needed for the slokum street project uh we also have an article author authorizing borrowing it's similar to what we did with the fire ambulance where we put all these authorizations here now ARA funds are expended from by two entities the federal government which we've got that money and then the county we've got and are spending the county money now if the communities in the county do not encumber their money by the end of June then the county will give that money to folks who have shovel ready projects and we're looking at Millions of dollars that other communities have not accessed and do we have those shovel ready projects we've also appli to the county for okay yeah we are ready to go out to bid on SL and so that's what that's the main focus that would be for that and it's about 6 million plus to 7 million okay but uh we're one of the few that have got our second application actually in with showing them the design and they're ready to go to bid and everything else so our Opera consultant is very confident that we've done everything we can to be in the front of the line for that money and what happens if we don't secure all of the funds then we'll have to see but they the county has to spend the money yeah so why not give it to us who are ready to spend it especially when other communities haven't even applied for it right and when is the application deadline uh the other communities in the middle in the month of June the community said hav spent or designated or applied for their funds are disqualified and then the county considers the next round okay so basically June we'll know whether we'll be able to get the funds that we need for the slum Street the slum Street project okay so we also have money in our various stabilization funds that can cover a number of things and we've applied for uh earmark from the state on all of the handicap accessibility dis features so right now we're going to pass on articles 25 and 26 until 27 and 28 the page I flip the page 29's a budget disregard all the numbers because they were just pillars 30 and 31 are the typical golf Enterprise sewer Enterprise we'll take care of those numbers and submit it to you and then the only uh bylaw and it's being heard uh this week by the planning board is the storm water bot and once it's heard by them any uh amendments than it comes to the select I'll get a copy to the board you've seen it primarily twice before it's very few amendments since uh everybody's we've had every chairman from chairman the Board of Health chairman of the board of the planning board chairman of the Conservation Commission we've had the selectman look at it two or three times we've had Consulting Engineers look at it uh it's buttoned up legal and legal like it's never been before look how many times are we changing this thing well that's why we want we want to change it once yeah and right now everybody agrees to everything except for one sentence and uh it's because we want it in common parl not legal e so the lawyer and engineer as I understand sent something out about 5:00 tonight so hopefully that'll take care of that and it uh has belt and suspenders where it protects the town so next time I'm hoping to have uh a document in front of you that a couple hours before the selectman will have approved all of it and you folks are meeting after the selection and we'll go through it and then I'll be able to form at it and thank you get make it pretty and get it off to the printer you mean the columns footing yes so then the next meeting of on April 30th is to cover all the other budgets that we didn't discuss today fill in more of the the numbers fill in more of the numbers and hopefully vote on the remainder of the Articles which leaves Thursday to then just vote school because school isn't meeting until Wednesday so School obviously can't be voted on until they finish voting or coming with their budget okay any questions before we move on we're good okay any old business you will have the reserve transfers too next week any new business is there somebody in audience I don't know if they're here to talk do you have any questions just decided to join us today fabulous thank you for coming we don't have too many people in the audience but we'll take it wish they known you could had a sandwich fabulous I'm looking to see if I can get a table on that side I'm assuming it's because of the defa no I moved that table over there and I had that table going there but it would only take care of one and I don't know what Kathy would have done there but well I was going to offer this to you but that means she's on camera C's like I want off camera but I'd like to put another table there because you do have a new member yep yeah and that'll give you they couldn't have extended huh too bad they couldn't get like old col exended just I'm just trying to find a table Kathy as soon as those outstanding warrants are taking care of we can get you on camera camera now the only outstanding warrants this one next meeting will be on the 30th the 30th Yeah Tuesday Tuesday and then Thursday the the second oh on Thursday I have the okay okay I got to I got to work some magic we have some minutes to approve from March 6 2024 in attendance was Mike bue myself pepoy Eric Chu Bob Ferrera Kristen Flynn and Eric mcglen abson was Bob safe jeene I make a motion to accept second all in favor I okay minutes are approved anything else Mr Kell I make a motion to adjourn is there a second second all in favor [Music]