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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-01-13 FY2023 Budget Summit III-min Select Board Meeting Financial Summit III January 13, 2022 Remote participation Financial Summit meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 13, 2022 via Zoom remote meeting services. Present for the Select Board (SB): Ms. Hai, Chair; Mr. Lucente; Vice Chair, Ms. Barry, and Mr. Sandeen were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk; Ms. Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager – Finance; and Ms. Hewitt – Budget Officer. Present for the Appropriation Committee (AC): Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein; Alan Levine; Eric Michelson; Meg Muckenhoupt; Sanjay Padaki; Lily Yan; Anil Ajuha; Present for the School Committee (SC): Kathleen Lenihan, Chair; Eileen Jay, Vice Chair; Scott Bokun; Sara Cuthbertson; Deepika Sawhney; Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent of Schools; David Coelho; Present for the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC): Charles Lamb, Chair; Sandhya Beebee; Rodney Cole; David Kanter, Vice Chair, and Frank Smith. Ms. Hai stated that the meeting was being conducted via Zoom as posted, with the agenda on the Town’s website. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. FY2023 Budget Summit III  FY2023 Preliminary Budget & Financing Plan Ms. Kosnoff stated that tonight, the groups will review the White Book, which is the Town Manager's preliminary recommended budget and financing plan. The final budget will be voted on February 7, 2022. She noted that this budget is balanced. It is also a level service budget, meaning that last year’s services are still provided. Overall, the increase in revenue is 3.2% for the General Fund, and the expenditures match that at 3.2%. One thing that decreased the overall revenue a bit was the review of the parking meter fund. Also, Minuteman High School submitted its preliminary budget, which has not yet been voted on, which shows a 3% increase in its assessment. At the last summit, this assessment was slated to be 12%, so this is a proposed decrease for that item. Ms. Kosnoff explained that the total revenue projection for this year is $7.2M. Splitting this between the School and Town, the School is receiving an additional approximately $5.3M from last year, and the Town is receiving an additional $1.9M. The small surplus for the Town has been allocated to support a select number of Program Improvement Requests. She reviewed some of the outliers for increases to the proposed budget, including the Human Services budget, the Salary Adjustment Account, and the Town Clerk budget. Overall, the Town municipal Ms. Kosnoff explained that the Select Board reviewed the Senior Management Team’s $1.6M FY23 Program Improvement Requests at its December hearing. Out of that total amount, $446,000 has been approved for program improvements, with $127,000 of that for Recreation Enterprise. The approved program improvements include extra holding cell shifts for the Police Department which will be necessary if the Department relocates to 173 Bedford Street, required training for the Police Department, an increase in the Public Health Nurse from part-time to full-time, a training mannequin for the Fire Department, an additional crossing guard to be located at the Hastings School, election modernization in the form of electronic poll pads, a contracted facilitator for the Select Board goal setting process, and an increase in hours for two part-time administrative staff (one at the DPW, and one in the Finance Department). Ms. Kosnoff highlighted items from the shared expenses portion of the budget, including contributory retirement, employee benefits, and levee debt services. She noted that, for levee debt services, this item is decreasing due to the final payments for 173 Bedford Street and Pelham Road being completed in FY22. This Town is estimating to issue approximately $16.5M worth on bonds this January. She explained that the Town is going to try to complete more of its capital projects with cash, instead of debt financing them. Ms. Kosnoff highlighted some of the items in revenues set aside for other purposes, including Other Post- Employment Benefits (OPEB) at $1.9M. The cash capital line has $7.5M in total, with $7M of this from free cash. She explained that there is a proposal to place $3.1M into the Capital Stabilization Fund. The Capital Stabilization Fund is expected to have a balance of approximately $24M by the end of the year. There is approximately $500,000 set aside for any items that need to take place between now and when the budget is voted. Ms. Kosnoff explained that the capital budget is any construction projects or large equipment purchases for the Town. The requested capital plan for this year is $69M; $32.8M of that is for the proposed Police Station reconstruction, $18.8M is for general fund capital, $10.5M is from free cash, $8.2M is for debt financing, and $11.3 is for the CPA fund. Some of the proposed capital projects include the Battle Green Streetscape project, and the Police Station reconstruction. Ms. Kosnoff noted that there is a $500,000 contingency fund proposed for any potential mechanical breakdowns at the high school. There is also $945,000 set aside for the Network Redundancy and Improvement Plan to improve the Town’s fiber network between the schools and Town buildings. There is $650,000 in the budget for a Fire Pumper truck, and $65,000 for a Town-wide Pedestrian & Bicycle Plan. The Wastewater Enterprise Fund request has been increased to $2M. She also highlighted some of the proposed CPA projects for this year, including LexHAB requesting $5.3M for design funding for the Vine Street project, a request from the Recreation Department to reconstruct the Center basketball and tennis courts for $2.5M, a request to replace several playgrounds around Town with poured in-place surfaces for $1.5M, and the Center recreation complex bathroom for $915,000. Finally, Ms. Kosnoff explained that the total amount of projects that are being funding with the cash capital budget, as opposed to through debt financing, is at an increase of 9.9%. Ms. Kosnoff explained that the Select Board is likely to vote on the budget on February 7, 2022. The electronic brown book final budget will then be distributed on February 25, 2022, with printed copies being available the following week. Town Meeting will start on March 28, 2022. There is a potential extra Summit meeting that can be held in May. The potential debt exclusion referendum could tentatively be scheduled for June 2022. Superintendent Hackett (SC) explained that an additional $5.3M was added to the school’s budget, based on the incremental revenue allocation balance that was available. About 83% of that amount goes into salaries. Of the remaining $1.5M extra, 50% goes into the Special Education budget. She noted that this budget contains -1.3FTE, meaning that the schools are remaining mostly level for their number of employees. The schools have 111 fewer students this year, which is actually an increase from 292 fewer students the year before. In response to a question from David Kanter (CEC) regarding the design cost estimate for the Police Station renovation, Mr. Malloy explained that the architect will be presenting an update to the Select Board at its first meeting in February, regarding potential adjustments to that number. In response to a question from Mr. Padaki regarding possibly prepaying some amount of debt, Ms. Kosnoff stated that none of the debt is currently callable, per the Town’s financial advisors. In response to a question from Mr. Padaki (AC), Ms. Kosnoff explained that the 19.6% increase to the Human Services budget comes from the Lexpress bus operating budget. Part of this was grant funded last year and has now been moved back into the budget. In response to a question from Mr. Padaki (AC) , Superintendent Hackett (SC) explained that some of the security measures at the high school have been addressed, but there are a number of items that could still be completed in the future.  Capital Expenditures Committee - Preliminary Report: FY2023 Proposed Capital Projects Mr. Lamb addressed the problematic bidding and construction environment the Town is currently stuck in. The inflationary environment implies that many of the proposed projects may be underestimated in their current form, including the Police Station rebuild in the upcoming year, and, in the longer term, the high school project. As a result, cost estimates may need to be increased, and there may need to be more frequent supplemental appropriations. Ultimately, it may also mean that project scopes be reduced to accommodate the budget. Reprioritization may be necessary. Without the ability to make rational forecasts, a new level of uncertainty is present in the capital planning and budget process. Mr. Lamb noted that highlights of the White Book include the path of converting some formerly debt- based capital programs into cash-based programs, such as the school technology and pumper truck items. The Committee supports the ongoing plan to use free cash for the Operating budget, and the new fiscal guidance to have a dedicated allocation towards the Capital Stabilization Fund based on new tax levy growth, both of which add capital funding now and in the future. The Committee also agrees with the enumerated capital related Select Board priorities. The Committee endorses the ongoing effort to create a Stormwater Enterprise Fund. Mr. Lamb noted that the Committee would like to call attention to the following CIP items: the Center pool hot water heater replacement, if appropriate due diligence regarding the Battle Green Streetscape project can be completed prior to Annual Town Meeting 2022, and that the East Lexington Fire Station building is not presently fully functioning to meet all the Town’s needs.  Review Preliminary List of 2022 Annual Town Meeting Articles Ms. Axtell reviewed the preliminary list of items and articles for 2022 Annual Town Meeting. Ms. Hai (SB) noted that the Planning Board is currently holding hearings on several of these items. Some of these will be heard at the February 2, 2022 meeting. The Select Board is also hearing citizen presentations at each of its upcoming meetings. Mr. Kanter (CEC) noted that for proposed General Article CC - Accept MGL Chapter 41 Section 110A, the language is that this moves to the preceding last business day; it does not move to after the weekend. The Select Board is scheduled to vote on the Warrant on January 24, 2022. DOCUMENTS: Presentation on FY2023 Preliminary Budget and Financing Plan, Town Managers FY2023 Preliminary Recommended Budget, STM 2022-1 and ATM 2022 draft listing of articles ADJOURN Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 8:27 p.m. The other committees followed suit. A true record; Attest: Kristan Patenaude Recording Secretary