HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-12-14-AC-MIN.pdf APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MEETING
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1994
COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, 7:30 PM
Present: P Lapointe, C Coughlin, J Pagett, R Leone, R Borghesani, M Miley,
R Neumeier, J Ryan
Absent: L Peck, M Mairson
* MOTION to accept minutes of November 30, 1994 as amended, UNANIMOUS
* P Lapointe distributed his suggested meeting agenda along with base projections spread
sheet and general fund strategies.
* Meeting dates noted, December 20th Superintendent's Budget Request, January 5th
next AC meeting and December 19th BOS meeting where Technology Group will make
a presentation to the BOS.
* J Pagett attended a meeting of the education group (Dick Howe).
* C Coughlin attended the Committee chair meeting on Friday, December 9th. Not very
productive. Too many participants and therefore not conducive to good dialogue. The
setting was not a good forum to raise issues at.
* M Miley indicated that when the Committee chair meetings were first instituted they
provided a good forum to share concerns and ideas.
* Discussion of Jeff Young memo of December 13th to N Cannalonga and P Lapointe
regarding the School Capital request for Fy 96. Request in excess of $ 5.1 million of
which $ 2.1 million is technology related. School Capital budget request adopted by the
SC on December 6th.
* General discussion of Article 31.
* R Borghesani will attend meetings regarding the middle school issues but has not been
informed as to their dates.
* P Lapointe feels that the AC should be pro-active in some area such as debt exclusion.
* J Ryan distributed debt schedules as well as copies of memo sent to R Leone in response
to his inquiries.
* General discussion on the debt schedule and maturities. There appears to be some room
for replacement of debt in a few years when debt service shows a significant drop.
* C Coughlin discussed her meeting with R White. There was a general discussion on the
content of his budget message which will include a list of all revenues and his
recommendations as to how any budget gap be filled.
* Section IV of the agenda was discussed, Long Term Financial Strategy.
General discussion on general fund base projections schedule prepared by P Lapointe,
town wide compensation policies, free cash, reserve fund and debt exclusion.
* P Lapointe shared his discussion with M Battin as to the possible procedures to be
utilized by the AC at Town Meeting. P Lapointe discussed the above issues and questions
as to whether the AC should reserve an article for Town Meeting even if the specific
topic is not known at this time.
* R Leone stated that he felt that the AC should establish a number of principles upon
which the recommendation of the AC are based. Each article should be judged against
these principles.
* R Borghesani stated the role of the AC is to advise the Town Meeting as to how to vote
on each article based on the financial considerations. He felt that the AC was going
astray in selecting specific targets upon which to devote our energies.
* R Leone will draft principles for the next meeting.
* MOTION to reserve an article for the Town Meeting. UNANIMOUS
* General discussion of automobile use and the sense that it will be an issue once again
at Town Meeting.
* R Leone will continue to work on the privatization issue with L. Coit and D Busa.
* General discussion of Article 31 implementation.
* Next meetings scheduled for January 5th and 19th, 1995.
* MOTION to adjourn. UNANIMOUS
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