2011-08-18-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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August 18, 2011 The Committee discussed the arbitration and time -lines that would apply, assuming the Town and its unions were to bargain to an impasse over this issue, to meet the March 2012 deadline. Town staff will be attending a Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) seminar on August 25 and will begin researching future plan design options after Labor Day. The Committee briefly discussed the Town's tier plan being compared to the Navigator plan, bargaining leverage, as well as the progress that has been made by the Town to date in controlling health care costs. 6. Planning for Anticipated Special Town Meeting. Mr. Addelson informed the Committee that interest has recently been expressed in expanding the scope of the Center Fields drainage renovation project that is currently underway to install synthetic turf. The goal would be to help address the Town's shortage of playing fields by increasing the amount of time the Center Fields can be maintained in use. The CPA does not currently permit the use community preservation funds for a project that enhances recreational fields, as opposed to restoring them to their original condition. Thus, if the town decided to proceed with a synthetic turf project, it would have to be funded with non -CPA sources, and would potentially require a debt exclusion override vote. The Town will seek legal guidance regarding how much of the CPA funds currently assigned to the center fields drainage project can be used if the town decides to install synthetic turf instead of natural grass. In the meantime, preliminary field work and a boring analysis to determine the scope of work that would be needed has been scheduled for early September and time is of the essence. A funding source needs to be identified before a contract can be signed to perform the preliminary testing, which would cost about $20,000. One option would be to request the Committee to approve a transfer from the Reserve Fund. Alternatively, the expense could be posted against the DPW budget now and a request could later be made, either at a Special Town Meeting in the fall of 2011, or at the Annual Town Meeting in the spring of 2012, for a supplemental appropriation to restore the DPW budget. The opinion of some members of the Committee was that the best route would be to use DPW funds and seek to restore them later with Town Meeting action. 7. Liaison Reports by Staff and Members. Snow and Ice — Mr. Michelson and Mr. Neumeier met with Bill Hadley at the DPW. They found no reason to pursue a change in the snow and ice contract. The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m. A list of documents and other items used at the meeting is attached. Respectfully submitted, Andrea Yepez Recording Secretary Approved October 6, 2011 3