HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-01-25-AC-MIN.pdf APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MEETING
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1996
COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, 7:30 PM
Present: P Lapointe, J Pagett, M Miley, M Hastings, R Borghesani, M Mairson,
R Colwell
Absent: L Peck, R Leone, J Ryan
* MOTION to approve minutes of January 11, 1996 with two changes: 1) the school capital
budget should be $ 2,210,000 and 2) the Town celebration expense should be $ 11,500
* Upcoming AC meetings :
February 7, 1996 with Jeff Young, Joe Dini and Sandy Guryan as well as meet with the
Capital Expenditures Committee
February 21 regular AC meeting
* P Lapointe opened a discussion on the Town Celebration Committee (TCC) request for
a Reserve Fund transfer of $ 11,500. There was a general agreement amongst the
members present that the AC's authority is not well understood among various town
groups. The AC is the only committee which has authority to approve transfers from the
Reserve Fund. The sense of the AC members was that alternate sources of funding had
not been pursued. Reserve Fund transfers appear to be the easy solution: however
Reserve Fund guiding documents suggest that the TCC request is not an unforeseen
expense. Paul Lapointe sees broader questions:
1) Who has the authority(BOS,Town Manager,Comptroller)?
2) Better communication with the BOS and Town Manager
3) Role of the AC (not a ratifier)
4) Role of the Reserve Fund
In summary the AC was not in favor of reconsidering their vote of January 11, 1996;
however would hold judgement until after a discussion with Pat Flynn and Norman
Cohen. As a process requirement, the AC feels that the town departments and boards
should not overspend their budgets without approval of the Ac if funds are to be
transferred from the Reserve Fund.
* The AC discussed the SC request for a $ 230,000 supplemental appropriation was
postponed until the February 7, 1996 meeting. P lapointe briefly commented on the
school's operating budget major increases over 1996. These are:
1) $ 1,500,000 contractual obligations
2) $ 1,200,000 increased enrollment
3) $ 300,000 materials
4) $ 155,000 other
This reflects approximately a $ 3,000,000 increase ( Town Manager's allocation
$ 1,400,000)
* The Town Manager's proposed FY 97 budget was briefly discussed; a more lengthy
meeting on the issues will follow after the SC budget presentation on January 30, 1996.
* The AC met with Pat Flynn and Norman Cohen. General discussion followed on the key
factors supporting a Reserve Fund transfer request. Simply stated, without a fund
transfer the TCC will use a major portion of the FY 96 appropriation to pay the expense
associated with the Veteran's day celebration, leaving less than $ 1,000 for the Patriots'
Day celebration. The AC suggested that the TCC seek other funding sources i.e.,the
Chamber of Commerce, donations, trust funds, and the Town manager's discretionary
fund. After Pat Flynn and Norman Cohen departed the following motions were voted:
* MOTION: P Lapointe, Reconsideration of the January 11, 1996 vote against the Reserve
Fund transfer of $ 11,500 to the TCC, Seconded by M Miley
UNANIMOUS in favor of reconsideration.
* MOTION: P Lapointe, to approve the Reserve Fund transfer request of $ 11,500 from
the Reserve Fund to the TCC, Seconded by M Miley.
UNANIMOUS: opposed to the transfer.
* Meeting adjourned at 11:10 pm
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