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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-02-15-AC-min-summit 5February 15, 2012 Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee February 15, 2012 Place and time: Public Services Building Cafeteria, 7:00 PM Members present: Glenn Parker (Chair), John Bartenstein (Vice Chair and Secretary), Robert Cohen, Alan Levine, Eric Michelson, Dick Neumeier, Joe Pato, Jonina Schonfeld, Rob Addelson (ex officio, non - voting) Members absent: Mollie Garberg The Committee joined the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, and the Capital Expenditures Committee for the fifth Budget Collaboration - Financial Summit for FY 2013 (Summit 5). The agenda items were: 1. Proposed Changes: FY13 School Department Operating and Capital Budget 2. Proposed Changes: FYI Municipal /Shared Expenses Operating and Capital Budget 3. Schedule for FYI Recommended Budget (Brown Book) Please see the attached minutes of the Board of Selectmen, which are published on the Town web site at http://lexingtonma.gov/selectmen.cfm and which are also available in the Town Clerk's office, for details. A list of documents and other exhibits used at the meeting is attached. Respectfully submitted, John Bartenstein Approved August 2, 2012 -1- February 15, 2012 Exhibits Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee Meeting Budget Collaboration — Financial Summit 5 February 15, 2012 1. Agenda posted by Board of Selectmen of Budget Collaboration- Summit Meeting 5 2. Summit V, Proposed Changes to FY 2013 Operating and Capital Budgets -2- Summit Meeting 5 Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Appropriation Committee and Capital Expenditures Committee February 15, 2012 A Summit was held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the Public Services Building Cafeteria, 201 Bedford Street. Mr. Cohen (acting chair), Mr. Burnell and Ms. Mauger; Mr. Valente, Town Manager; Mr. Kalivas, Budget Officer and Ms. Chabot, Assistant to the Executive Clerk, were present. Also Present: All School Committee (SC) members; Dr. Ash, Superintendent of Schools; Ms. Dunn, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Business; all members of the Appropriation Committee (AC), with the exception of Ms. Garberg; all members of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC). Proposed Changes to FY2013 Operating and Capital Budgets Mr. Valente explained that the agenda for the meeting was to talk about the changes the Superintendent and he are proposing to the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget since the White Book came out on January 9. He reported that there were a modest number of changes. Mr. Valente explained that he broke up the presentation according to the three cost centers: the School Department cost center, Shared Services, and Municipal Expenses. Proposed Changes: FYI School Department Operating and Capital Budget The first chart Mr. Valente presented showed proposed changes to the School Budget as they were presented to the Selectmen. This included proposed operating budget adjustments to the white book, proposed capital budget adjustments to the white book, and revenue allocation/revenue adjustments. Dr. Ash, Superintendent, went over the proposed changes to the School Budget as they were presented to the School Committee. The main changes presented included eliminating the full day Kindergarten fee, eliminating the Instrumental Music fee, cutting the bus fee in half for Estabrook School during the two year construction phase, and not having to lay off 2.6 employees. This leaves a shortfall of $277,903 and is the additional amount of money the School Committee is seeking from Town Meeting, hopefully, with the group's recommendation. Proposed Changes: FY13 Municipal / Shared Expenses Operating and Capital Under Shared Expenses Mr. Valente explained that the Town was looking to increase the public facilities salary budget by $19,780. This is offset by a reduction in debt service by an equal amount so there is no substantive change. Mr. Valente reported that the proposed changes to the Municipal Operating budget include adjustments to the DPW budget, pending outcome of a new solid waste collection/ recycling Summit Meeting — February 15, 2012 contract; Human Services expenses, due to a revised Lexpress contract; and Town Manager's personnel services, due to salary and benefits expenses of bringing an existing half time administrative support person for Human Resources to full time in order to provide support for administering the GIC transition. Mr. Valente also reported that the municipal share of the reduction in the Minuteman School assessment (preliminary assessment) is $106,678. This leaves a total Municipal expenses surplus of $128,248. Mr. Valente also presented adjustments to the General Fund Debt. There were changes in four items: Street Betterment Improvements, Fire Pumper, School Department Classroom Furniture, and Visitor Center Upgrade. Mr. Valente also noted that the debt exclusion for Bridge, Bowman and Estabrook Schools was successful so the money being held for the Design & Engineering (D &E) process is now being moved from general fund debt to excluded debt. After all of the adjustments, there was a total reduction in general fund debt service of $32,093. Mr. Levine, Appropriation Committee, noted that the Town Budget is in reasonable shape, the construction environment is good and interest rates are low. He urged the group to take advantage of this environment and think about prioritizing other capital projects to push forward. Ms. Mauger commented that she will take this to mean that both finance committees will support the $65,000 request the Selectmen have endorsed for a municipal capital planning process that is in this budget book and will be coming before Town Meeting. Schedule for FY13 Recommended Budget (Brown Book) Mr. Valente presented the next steps and schedule as follows: 1. Selectmen continue /conclude FY13 Budget deliberations 2. February 27, 2012: Selectmen vote the FY13 Recommended Budget and Financing Plan (Brown Book) 3. March 2, 2012: FY13 Recommended Budget and Financing Plan to Appropriation Committee, Capital Expenditures Committee and Town Meeting Members 4. Continue to respond to questions from Appropriation Committee and Capital Expenditures Committee 5. March 26, 2012: Town Meeting begins 6. April 2, 2012: FY 12 Budget presentation Documents Presented Proposed Changes to FY 2013 Operating and Capital Budgets Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted 5 -0 to adjourn at 8:20 p.m. A true record; Attest: Diana B. Chabot Assistant to the Executive Clerk