2006-02-23-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

February 23, 2006 Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee February 23, 2006 Members Present: Al Levine (Chair), Deborah Brown (Vice Chair), John Bartenstein, Rod Cole, Paul Hamburger, Pam Hoffman, David Kanter, Eric Michelson. Additional Attendees: Roger Borghesani (Capital Expenditures Committee), Andy Friedlich (TMMA Executive Committee), Tom Griffiths (School Committee), Olga Guttag (School Committee), Richard Pagett (Board of Selectmen), John Rosenberg, Edith Sandy, Frank Sandy, Shirley Stolz (Capital Expenditures Committee), Carl Valente (Town Manager), Michael Young (Town Budget officer). The meeting was called to order at 7:35 by Al Levine in Town Office Bldg. Rm. G15. PM 1. Paul volunteered to take minutes. 2. The Appropriation Committee discussed the Community Preservation Act (CPA) insert in the Lexington Minuteman which wrongly stated that the Committee supported CPA and misprinted a website address. It was agreed that we should ask for a boxed correction and ask for a reprint of the article, or if that was not possible a boxed correction. 3. The Chairman reminded us of three meetings: a. Summit Wednesday March 1 at 7 pm in the High School Commons Room II b. Summit overflow, if necessary, on March 2 at 7 at Cary Hall PM c. Appropriation Committee Meeting on March 2 at 7:30 in room G15 (if not PM superseded by the Summit meeting) 4. The Committee was given a review of the most recent Selectmen’s Ad Hoc Financial Policy Committee meeting by Appropriation-Committee attendees. The following potential policies were discussed at that meeting: a. The town should try to go cash only for equipment renewal, roofs, maintenance, etc. There was pushback from the Town Manager and finance-committees attendees. There was not universal agreement on this. b. There should not be ever-increasing debt, but the specifics of this are murky. It was acknowledged that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to make an immediate transition. 5. The Chairman opened the meeting to the public for discussion on the budget. a. Al reviewed the 10 items on the discussion agenda. Paul introduced the question of making overrides last for two years without reducing reserves by including a question on money for reserves in the override. b. Olga: Worried about economy and demoralization of staff by overrides every year. She said we are losing good teachers to other states where this instability does not exist or is less severe, although most Massachusetts cities and towns are experiencing similar problems to those in Lexington. She urged we offer a lower override than $6.7M and give a decision to the voters. c. David: All options should be available. 1