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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-07-14-AC-min 7/14/2016 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee(AC) July 14, 2016 : Ellen StoneRoom,Cary MemorialBuilding,7:30p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Mollie Garberg;Alan Levine;Eric Michelson; Andrei Radulescu-Banu, Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) Members Absent:Kate Colburn; Richard Neumeier Membership Note:Beth Masterman has left the AppropriationCommittee. Others Present:Elaine Ashton, Town Meeting member The meetingwas calledto order at 7:33pm. 1.Announcements Mr. Michelson stated that the Minuteman Regional High School Committee has scheduled a district-wide referendum to request borrowing authority for the funding of the new MRHS building project. The election will be held on September 20, 2016 from noon to 8:00pm. There will be a single polling station in Lexington at the Community Center. Mr. Levine asked if the Committee should invite a member of the School Committee to give that Committee’sperspective on current trends in school enrollment and the plans to accommodate them. The first Budget Summit for FY2018 will be held on October 6 at 7:00pm. 2.Liaison Reports Mr. Parker attended the most recent meeting of the Ad Hoc Streetscape Design Committeeas a liaison for the Committee. The meeting includedpresentations on: Sidewalk surface materials, relevance to Americans with Disabilities Act Street illumination, standards and design process The original Plan for Lexington Center authored in the 1960’s by a design committee headed by HideoSasaki of Sasaki Associates Mr. Michelson asked how the $600,000 capital budget item for sidewalks was allocated between maintenance andrepair. 3.FY2016 Final Budget Adjustments Mr. Addelson described ways that line items in the municipal budget can be reconciled at the end of the fiscal year. By statute, the Town may transfer up to 3% of the budget allocation from one line item to another line item, provided that funds are available. The Town also appropriates money annually into a Salary Adjustment Accountin anticipation of future salary and benefit expense increases, some of which are subject to union negotiations.As a courtesy, the Appropriation Committee is asked to give its approval to these two types of requests which are the prerogative of 1 7/14/2016 AC Minutes the Board of Selectmen. The Town also appropriates money annually into a Reserve Fund which can be used with the approval of the Appropriation Committee. This year, the Town requested three transfers from the Salary Adjustment Account and two line item adjustments under the 3% rule. No transfers from the Reserve Fund were requested at this meeting. Salary Adjustment Account $25,000Town Manager’s Office $550,000Police Department $16,000Cary Memorial Public Library 3% Transfers $50,739DPW expenses to DPW Personal Services (snowand ice) $27Finance Expenses to Non-Contributory Retirement It was noted that the Committee hadpreviously approved a 3% Transfer of $30,000 from Police Personal Services to Police Expenses for an animal controlofficer operating out of the Bedford Police Department. The Salary Adjustment Account transfers were due in part to vacation and sick leave buybacks, as well as the conclusion of a union contract negotiation withthe Police Department. The Department ofPublic Works was carrying a net deficit of $100,739 for snow and ice removal costs resulting from overtime work duringthe season’s snow storms, many of which occurred on evenings and weekends. This deficit will beresolved through a combination of $50,000 in internal budget adjustments and the $50,739 transfer requested here. These adjustments leave the Town with no snow and ice deficit for FY2016. Motion:Mr. Michelson moved to approve the transfers from the Salary Adjustment Account and the 3% transfers summarized above. The motion was seconded and passed. VOTE: 6-0 4.Election of Committee Officers Motion:Mr. Michelson moved that Mr. Parker continue to serve as Chair of the Committee, and that Mr. Bartenstein continue to serve as Vice Chair and Secretary of the Committee. The motion was seconded and passed. VOTE: 6-0 5.Minutes The Committee reviewed minutes for meetings on: March 16, 2016 March 17, 2016 May5, 2016 June 9, 2016 Motion: Mr. Levine moved to approve the minutes from these meetings. Themotion was seconded and passed. VOTE:6-0 2 7/14/2016 AC Minutes 6.Future Meeting Schedule Members suggested that the Committee schedule tentative dates for monthly meetings through December of 2016, and that these dates should generally follow one or two weeks after each of the planned Budget Summits. The datesagreed on were: Sep. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 8 Mr. Parker willsend a summary of these dates to the Committeeby email. 7.Adjourn The Committee adjournedat 8:40p.m. The documentsused at the meeting arelistedbelow. Respectfully submitted, Glenn Parker, Chair Approved September 21, 2016 Exhibits Agenda,posted by Glenn Parker, Chair 3