Finance Committee Minutes
Wellfleet Finance Committee
February 14, 2018 7:00PM
Wellfleet Senior Center, 715 Old Kings Hwy
Present: Chair, Janet Loewenstein; Ira Wood; Vice Chair, Fred Magee; Kathy Granlund; Linda Pellegrino; Robert Wallace, Jeff Tash
Absent: Stephen Polowczyk
Others Present: Town Administrator, Dan Hoort
Chair Loewenstein called the meeting to order at 7:04 P.M.
Transfers-No transfers to note.
Discussion-Liaison Report
Magee reported the Wellfleet Elementary School budget is a decrease of 0.69% from FY2018. The Nauset Regional School District budget, while not yet final, is an increase of 2.49% from FY 2018. The Cape Tech budget is coming in at approximately the same increase as seen in FY 2018.
Chair Lowenstein distributed the liaison lists and said the assignments will be reviewed at the next meeting.
Discussion-Strategic Planning
The spreadsheet for the future big-ticket items is getting filled in. Magee talked to Town Moderator Danny Silverman about how to present this information to Town voters. Options included
- Brief presentation at start of Town Meeting
- Include information in the Town Meeting warrant
- Have information on table at entrance to Town Meeting
- Post in the Banner
Hoort reported that he requested information from the Recreation Department such as schedules and timeframes. Chair Loewenstein requested Granlund be involved. Granlund agreed to meet with Suzanne Thomas.
The Finance Committee would like an activities’ report from the Recreation Department.
Strategic Planning-
Magee prepared handouts examining potential “Disruptors” to the Town Budget. The Committee members reviewed the informational material.
Tabled for a future discussion.
FY 2019 Budget Review
Town Administrator Hoort said no significant change since the last update dated January 24th was provided to the Committee.
Water Enterprise Budget – The Committee discussed the possible new department head position for Water and Wastewater that has been proposed. No job description has yet been received. Hoort mentioned the subsidy that would be requested from the General Fund to fund the FY 2019 Water Enterprise budget.
Wood moved, Pellegrino 2nd, to recommend the Water Enterprise Budget as requested ($278,486). Motion carried 7-0
Marina Enterprise Budget –
Granlund moved, Wallace 2nd, to recommend the Marina Enterprise Budget as requested ($651,171). Motion carried 7-0
General Government Budgets – The Committee was reminded by Hoort that the only budget in General Government that had any significant changes was the Shellfish Dept. budget and the Committee had already met with the Shellfish Dept. staff. Hoort also pointed out that the Town Collector is retiring and the Collector and Treasurer positions were being combined which reduces staff by one position.
Wallace moved, Woods 2nd, to recommend General Government budgets #114 through #162. Motion carried 7-0.
Note: Those budgets include
114 Moderator $425
115 Constables $100
121 Audit $22,500
122 Selectmen $9,370
123 Town Administrator $237,121
124 General Administration $145,909
131 Finance Committee $300
132 Reserve Fund $85,075
135 Town Accountant $149,890
141 Assessor’s Office $170,911
145 Treasurer/Collector $217,313
161 Town Clerk $84,234
162 Elections/Registrations $11,504
The Committee briefly discussed the Shellfish Conservation/Propagation budget. The Committee requested the Town Administrator follow up with the Shellfish Dept. and DPW to see if it would be possible to reduce trucking costs by having cultch brought back to Town by an empty DPW trash hauler. Committee postponed any recommendation to their meeting on February 27th.
The Committee reviewed the remainder of the General Government budgets.
Wood moved, Wallace 2nd, to recommend General Government budgets 151, 153, and 158
Note: Those budgets include:
151 Legal Services $103,300
153 Computerization $157,933
158 Tax Title $11,000
Wood moved, Granlund 2nd, to approve budget #171, Conservation Commission ($3,630). Motion carried 7-0.
Wood moved, Granlund 2nd, to approve the remainder of the General Government budgets. Motion carried 7-0.
Note: Those budgets include:
174 Planning Board $10,435
176 Zoning Board $1,756
177 Open Space Committee $1,500
178 Herring Warden $2,500
181 Shellfish Advisory Committee $100
182 Chamber of Commerce $10,000
183 Natural Resources Adv Bd $1,150
189 Housing Authority $5,000
195 Town Reports & Warrants $13,000
196 Consultancy $20,000
Public Safety Budgets – The Committee reviewed the budgets for Police and Fire previously during a joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen.
Wood moved, Pellegrino 2nd, to recommend the 210 Police Dept. budget ($1,406,469). Motion carried 7-0.
Granlund moved, Pellegrino 2nd, to recommend the 215 Communications/Dispatch Dept. budget ($374,857). Motion carried 7-0.
Wood moved, Wallace 2nd, to recommend the 220 Fire Dept. budget ($1,520,747). Motion carried 7-0.
Tash moved, Magee 2nd, to recommend the 241 Building Dept. budget ($220,934). Motion carried 7-0.
Wood moved, Granlund 2nd, to recommend the 291 Emergency Management Dept. budget ($5,000) and the 293 Traffic/Parking Control budget ($6,250). Motion carried 7-0.
Correspondence-No correspondence to note
Other Business-Nothing to report at this time
Minutes
No minutes were approved at the meeting.
Moved to adjourn by consensus at 8:55 P.M.
Public Record:
-Magee’s report of “disruptor’s” to the Town budget.