2003-06-23-AC-MIN.pdf - Laserfiche WebLink

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APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MEETING MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2003, 7:30 PM, ROOM 111 Present: D Brown, P Hamburger, E Michelson, K Dooks, S Spector, A Levine, R Pawliczek, A Nedzel, J Ryan Also Present: J Bartenstein, T Griffiths • Discussed assignment of tasks for the upcoming special town meeting. Need to research labor contracts in other towns, review per student costs with other communities, identify and present affordable indices, research police and fire metrics. No assignments made at this time. • Update from J Ryan regarding the recent salary transfers approved by the BOS for Fiscal 2003. Most of the transfers are for non-union personnel. This transfer is a normal event at the close of each fiscal year. • Discussed the current snow deficit, approximately$750,000 that needs to be raised in setting the Fiscal 2004 tax rate. Also discussed the current state budget situation. It appears at this time that Lexington will receive approximately$1.6 million less state aid in Fiscal 2004. The 2003 Annual Town Meeting allocated slightly less than$900,000, which creates approximately a$700,000 problem. This does not include any assumptions around reimbursement for school transportation or the METCO program. The Fiscal 2003 local receipts are also coming in less than we had estimated for Fiscal 2003, which impacts Fiscal 2004. These situations need to be addressed and added to the discussion of whether we have another override vote for Fiscal 2004. • It appears that sufficient signatures have been submitted requiring the BOS to call a special town meeting. • P Hamburger discussed his projections for Fiscal 2005 and 2006. With assumptions used by Paul the town is looking at a potential gap in 2005 of$4.2 million and $7.6 million in 2006. These estimates will be revised as the process moves forward. • Post override options currently being discussed are a small override in the area of $700,000, a tiered set of questions or a single unbundled question. • AC feels that we need to deal with the problems long term. A quick stopgap response will not go far in solving the problems. General sense of the AC is not to support an override at this time.