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Home My WebLink About2005-03-15-AC-min March 15, 2005 Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee March 15, 2005 Members present: J. Bartenstein, D. Brown (Vice Chair), R. Eurich, P. Hamburger, A. Levine (Chair), E. Michelson, R. Pawliczek Also present: Michael Young, Budget Officer The meeting was called to order at 8:23 by Al Levine in Cary Hall Legion Room. PM Material Distributed: ?? Agenda 1. Minutes : E. Michelson agreed to take the minutes of this meeting. 2. Old Minutes : P. Hamburger will make corrections to 3/4/05 minutes as discussed. 3. Report on Selectmen’s Meeting : The Selectmen have decided to use newly calculated $299K of unanticipated new growth to fund an additional $91K of school costs, $31K of Minuteman Regional costs, and place the balance into the Stabilization Fund. They also voted to support the following parts of the warrant article to implement the Community Preservation Act: the 3% tax surcharge level, the exclusion of the first $100k of property value, and the low-income exemption. They have not taken a position on the exclusion of commercial property. 4. Preparing for BCG Meeting : M. Young presented the latest changes to budgets: FY05 New Growth (uncertified) $1,692,120 FY2006 $ 292,120 unanticipated growth FY05 7,303 add 2.5% 299,423 unused New Growth - 91,563 for schools - 31,339 for Minuteman Regional 176,521 additional contribution to Stabilization Fund FY2005 $1,000,000 budgeted New Growth 692,120 anticipated additional new growth 108,725 additional State Aid received 800,725 additional revenue - 181,946 Snow & Ice deficit FY04 618,779 surplus – - 1 - March 15, 2005 M. Young said some of this FY05 surplus may be asked to be transferred to the reserve fund to address FY05 legal. The balance may be used to address the FY05 Snow & Ice deficits. He is planning to discuss the options with J Ryan. The feeling of the meeting was to await a recommendation from staff. The committee engaged in a discussion on the merits of increasing the Snow & Ice line item amount (FY05 = $497K, FY06 = $533K) to reflect the 5 year average of $700K- 800K. Reducing the annual S&I deficit would eliminate the need for appropriating from Free Cash or Reserves, to reduce the chance of having a negative growth in reserves. E. Michelson moved that the committee recommend to the Selectmen to raise the Snow and Ice budgeted amount for both FY05 and FY06 by $100,000 per year, except if contrary information emerges from M. Young and J. Ryan’s meeting. Seconded by P. Hamburger. Approved 7-0. M Young noted that 5% of local receipts were non-recurring items: $ 575,000 NESWC Stab. Fund transfer 150,000 Avalon Bay building permit fees 336,122 the revenue offset to fully cost LEXPRESS and Adult Day Care W/S additional staffing positions It was asked if the $40K budgeted salary is for a financial administrator, or is it for another clerk? Would there then be a need for additional money for the “CFO” type position that the W/S committee seems to feel is needed? Should there be additional money budgeted to this line item? M. Young will discuss this with Linda Vine. The committee would also like to know if the Legal budget is being increased for FY06. 5. Report to Town Meeting : A review of the minutes showed the following committee votes: Article 20, Pending; Art. 21, Pending; Art. 22, 9-0 to support. st 6. Edit Group : 1 meeting Saturday 11am – 2pm at A. Levine’s, with D Brown, R Eurich The meeting was adjourned at 10:47 PM. Eric Michelson, Acting Secretary Approved June 22, 2005 - 2 -