Minutes

Finance Committee

715 Old King’s Hwy, Conference Room

7:00 PM Wednesday January 30, 2019

Meeting Minutes

Members Present: Janet Loewenstein, chair; Fred Magee, Vice Chair; Kathy Granlund, Linda Pellegrino, Stephen Polowczyk, Ira Wood, Jeff Tash

Members Absent: Bob Wallace

Others present: Rebekah Eldridge, Committee Secretary; Dan Hoort, Town Administrator; Helen Miranda Wilson, Select Board member; Mark Vincent, DPW; Jean Leidenfrost, DPW; Mike Flanagan, Harbormaster; Suzanne Grout Thomas, Director of Community Services; Christine Bezio, Recreation Chair; Michelle Olem, Project 349 

Meeting called to order at 7:00Pm

DPW budget

• Mark Vincent began the meeting. Maintenance was covered first, for their 7 buildings. Increase in this budget, due to the new police station and new heating systems in some town buildings. Mark explained the jump is due to propane cost increasing.  Operating budget, maintains equipment, and maintenance of cemeteries. Mark went over road maintenance, which is level funded, chapter 90 which is funds received from the state. He is currently saving these funds to fix Lt. Island Road; the plan is to begin this project within the next 2 years. Snow and Ice was reviewed, this budget was level funded. Helen asked about the town’s salt storage and could it be saved for upcoming years. Mark explained that it is stored in the town’s salt shed and can be carried over to the following year. Transfer station was level funded. He went over recycling. He discussed the diesel fuel was all in one account and this would explain why it was a larger amount.
• Janet went over the capital items, the most important things on this list is the dump trucks. Mark expressed the dire need of his equipment to be upgraded. Library bathrooms need to be redone, sidewalks and parking lot by the library are failing, fire station software needs to be upgraded. Janet expressed that the fire station seems to be very new for any upgrades, Mark agreed, they are looking into warranties. The Old COA foundation and its safety was discussed. There need to be a fence around the building, as it is a huge liability. 2000 dump truck needs to be replaced. The sweeper for the town needs to be replaced, the front-end loader needs to be replaced. The skid steer is a lease purchase, he explained it was purchased as a lease because they weren’t sure it would be used regularly. The skid steer is used very regularly on the beaches. Fred asked if these would be in the articles for town meeting, and then asked Mark if he could prioritize the items. Mark explained that he really wouldn’t be able to do that as it would increase his operating budget. The upgrade of equipment has been put off for so long, at this point there can’t be an item on the list more important than another. The committee discussed having these items being all in one article rather than separate articles. Mark explained that in the upcoming years, more catch up will be done for the DPW as they have been pushed off in years past. Fred asked if there was a possibility for a new article to be put in for town meeting, if they don’t agree with getting new equipment could an article be put in to approve a higher operating budget. Dan said he would investigate it. The committee thanked Mark for his time.

Harbormaster budget

• Mike Flanagan began his budget with his enterprise funds. He explained that he tries to keep his budget level funded. He explained he would like to raise his salaries of the full-time employees. His assistant must have another full-time job to cover expenses and Mike would like to increase his salary and reclassify his position. He explained his seasonal employees can only work for 1400 hours.
• Operating expenses were covered. He explained that the electric and propane expenses were for 3 buildings at the marina. Mike went on to talk about contract services, his septic system needs. Helen talked to Mike about an ice machine that will be put on the marina. She asked if Mike and his staff would help maintain the ice machine. Mike explained that it was more of a shellfish issue than a marina issue, that the marina shouldn’t have to purchase it. She explained that the ice machine would be purchased with grant money.
• Dan brought up the need for new fuel tanks. Mike went a little more into detail. Wellfleet currently has underground tanks which isn’t environmentally friendly. HE would like to have above ground tanks. Which he explained he can hide the appearance. He told the committee that the underground thanks would be almost a half a million dollars, and above ground tanks are two hundred thousand. Jeff asked if there were costs if nothing were to be done about the tanks at this time, Mike explained that the insurance company has stated it is a huge liability causing the insurance rates to increase. Fred asked if there would be an article to replace the tanks at the upcoming town meeting in April. Mike hopes to have it on an article.
• Mike explained he is looking for new revenue sources and parking fees are one way for him to increase revenue. Jeff asked about waiting lists for boat slips at the marina. Mike explained there are over 400 people on the waitlist. The committee thanked Mike.

Recreation budget

            Recreation Budget

• Suzanne explained the budget as Becky was out sick. Suzanne explained that because Becky was out Christine (chair of recreation) would help present the budget for recreation. The operating budget is level funded. The portable toilet line has been pulled and merged giving them a better idea of total costs for the toilets. Suzanne explained that the state pay has risen.  There is an increase in salary and wages, up by 2.5% because of DEA increases. Suzanne explained that Becky has been in talks with Nauset Regional school to receive a gift of a used van to increase activities around town. Most of the increase is for part time drivers year-round.
• The Bakers Field Shade structure was discussed. Dan explained this would come through as Community Preservation Grant, not a capital improvement expense. He explained that Becky applied for the grant the Community Preservation Committee has approved the grant pending town meeting approval. Suzanne explained a little more in detail how the town would benefit from this structure and save the town money as they are spending $5000 every year to rent at tent. The structure would be safer in stormy weather conditions.
• The replacement of the bandstand was discussed. Suzanne explained that it was more the metal staging on the shade structure that needed to be replaced not the entire structure. The basketball courts need to be resealed regularly (every 5 years), the Bache ball courts to be built. A new office to be built in Wellfleet elementary school, the office would be used for recreation personnel to be used as an organizational point. Ira asked if the whole recreation department would be moved. Christine explained that the elementary school office would be used as a hub for all activities, child and adult.
• Janet asked about Becky’s revenue stream. She stated that she would like to see more revenue coming in. Kathy asked to have Becky’s revenue for the past 5 years. A summary of the number of children and adults served on the budget for recreation. Suzanne expressed she would reach out to Becky to get this information.
• Cell phone and portable toilets were on the budgets discussed with this budget. Janet asked how many portable toilets are used, Suzanne said about 20 sometimes 21 for the season. Increase in the minimum pay to pump the portable toilets by the state was discussed.

Beach Department Budget

• Operating costs are lower due to the portable toilet budget being moved. A second AED (automated external defibrillator) was added to her budget, stand up paddle boards for shark awareness instead of the laying down paddle boards. Suzanne is looking into inflatable paddle boards.
• Fred asked about credit card fees, Judy told Suzanne to call the company and have the fee lowered, she explained that the company will want to keep her business, so they will cut the fees for her. Suzanne explained to the committee that people will now be able to order their beach and dump stickers on line, hopefully easing up the lines at the beach sticker building.
• Pay and display kiosk’s will be placed at the beaches so there will be no cash accepted at the beaches. The beaches will still be manned by people just no cash accepted. Outsourcing the trash was discussed and will be further investigated. Helen asked about the carry in and carry out the trash at the beaches, Suzanne explained how costly it would be to the town to have the parking lots monitored on a 24-hour basis.
• The beach has a 2003 pick up truck, and it needs to be replaced due to salt rot on the undercarriage. The truck is stored in the parking lot COA and was used for snow removal but is not to unreliable. Suzanne explained she doesn’t need a 2500 but a 1500 because she won’t be plowing with the new truck. The committee asked about a used vehicle, Suzanne expressed she still wanted to put in for the full amount.
• Suzanne discussed with the committee the transfer of funds for the 1/8^th share of the study.  She explained this is a study done by Woods Hole, across the cape to detect sharks. She stated she wanted to do this study, just to learn more information on sharks across the cape. This will help to understand the behavior of sharks and how they move around the cape. Fred asked about this summer, how will Wellfleet present its beaches to the public. Suzanne explained that along with other towns across the cape, to have more public awareness not just signs that say beware but go into detail about explaining the sharks are in the water and that swimmers need to be aware and understand the risks.
• Land line phones for each of the beaches were discussed, if there is any emergency the life guards will pick up the phone and it will immediately be connected to dispatch and the emergency can be stated. Dispatch will know what beach the call is coming from so they can respond quickly.

Ira moved to accept the transfer of funds, Jeff seconded the motion 7-0 motion carried

            COA Budget

• In home town nurse services was discussed the budget went up due to the higher on increased demand for these services.
• There is a request for a new cell phone for the 7-passenger van driver.
• Janet talked about Human Services not being on the agenda, Dan explained that could answer any questions at the meeting on February 13^th.
• Ira brought up a town public pool, Suzanne explained that there is a resident willing to set up a fundraiser for a pool. This is in the works for future discussion.

Future Planning

• To be tabled for a future meeting

Strategic Planning

• Shark Study

Liaison Reports

• To be tabled for future meeting

Correspondence

• None

Minutes – January 23,2019

• Stephen moved to accept the minutes, Kathy seconded the minutes 7-0 motion carried.

Other Business

• Kathy will read the Wellfleet Disaster plan and report back to the committee
• There will be three meetings in February (13^th, 20^th, & 27^th)
• Waste water, Water commissioners, and the superintendent of schools will be invited to the February 13^th meeting.

Janet Moved to adjourn the meeting, Ira seconded the motion 7-0 motion carried

Meeting adjourned at 9:02PM