HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-02-27-AC-MIN.pdf APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MEETING
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1996
COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, 7:30 PM
Present: P Lapointe, M Miley, R Borghesani, J Pagett, R Colwell, R Leone, M Mairson,
J Ryan
Absent: M Hastings, L Peck
* MOTION to approve, minutes of February 21, 1996 as amended, UNANIMOUS
* General discussion of contacts made in researching the articles as assigned.
R Colwell has discussed articles 24 & 25 with Joyce Miller. Joyce will attend the March
5th meeting to discuss the two requests (Winning Farm & Augusta property)
* P Lapointe has talked to J Young about the operating budget, enrollment estimates,
technology and space requirements. Jeff will attempt to have his staff attend either the
March 5th or 14th meeting
* P Lapointe has obtained a copy of an audit of the MMRVHS(voke) and will be meeting
with counterparts from Arlington and Belmont on Thursday evening(2/29). Group is
thinking of suggesting a 3 to 7% across the board reduction in the fiscal 1997
assessments. The town assessment only makes up approximately 40 to 50% of the
operating budget of the school. The remainder is generated by the " businesses"
conducted at the school
* General discussion of the concept of attempting to align operating expenses with
operating revenues and non-operating expenses with non-operating revenues in an attempt
to insure that funding is available for the infrastructure. General consensus was that
something needs to be done but concern expressed over the demands of the operating
budget and the funding available in order to maintain the same level of services.
* R Leone expressed concerns over the apparent leaping into the public power issue,
article 37, Municipalization of Utilities. Bob has had some experience in this area and
will assume a role in reviewing this article
* Discussion of the Fiscal Policy and Recommendation to the 1995 ATM. It was suggested
that the spread sheets prepared by P Lapointe could perhaps be used as a management
tool in budget preparation. AC needs to clearly define who our audience is and how we
are to present our report
* General discussion of free cash. How is it generated? How are estimates prepared?
What are future year projections? Do we only use free cash for capital expenses, debt
service and catch-up? What is an appropriate level for this reserve? Concern expressed
that it is a numbers game that ultimately can be used to balance our current financial
problem. AC needs to spend some time on this issue. Need to drive home the point that
the use of free cash to balance an operating budget problem automatically impacts all
future years unless the program being funded is either cut back or eliminated.
* P Lapointe discussed the possibility being floated that the town seek a debt exclusion of
existing debt as well as future debt. If this were to take place the pressure on the
operating budget would be removed at least in the short term
* P Lapointe will attempt to do some work prior to the next meeting in making projections
for future years and better define the school enrollment projections
* AC needs to look at "committed" costs and determine how much we really have any
control over
*` Perhaps free cash should be looked at as a % of operating budgets rather than as a dollar
amount
* MOTION to adjourn
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