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News/Events - Meeting Minutes

MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob DeLorenzo, Chairman; Mark Sandham; Maura Curran; Anthony Antoniello; Kevin Dolan; Frank Judge; Lincoln. ALSO PRESENT: Patricia Vinchesi, Town Administrator.

1. Chairperson Bob DeLorenzo called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM in the Library meeting room on Branch Street.

2. The agenda was accepted by unanimous vote.

3. NOMINATION/ELECTION OF OFFICERS

4. SEPT/OCT MEETING SCHEDULE.

5. NOVEMBER STM. Date is November 8. Budget must be rebalanced: $274,680.

• KEY DATES. The warrant closes September 21. Ballot initiatives to reduce state and alcohol tax at the state level. There is an article being brought to STM to rescind the CPA surcharge and if it passes it will go to ballot. If it passes then an article could be brought to Town Meeting to appropriate the 3% into the Town budget. Another article is being brought to STM to prevent the Town from any override proposals for FY 2011 and FY 2012. A third article deals with the Town’s adoption of the Stretch Code which promotes more energy-efficient building and will be a first step in making the Town eligible for Green grants from the State.

Re sea walls Ms. Vinchesi said the town owns 5 miles of sea walls and she said that the Town needs to start appropriating funds for sea wall repair.

She said she hopes to have a list of articles on the warrant by next week. The articles will be voted by the Selectmen on October 5. The Advisory Committee can plan to vote the articles on October 7. Following that will be the assignment of articles and write ups.

Warrant to be posted October 22, printed in the Mariner October 21.

The book should be ready to go to print by October 29.

6. FY 2012 BUDGET

• OUTLOOK. Ms. Vinchesi said she expects level funding from the State and the schools will again be down $1.5-$2 million. This budget year will be no easier than FY 2011.

There are 5 vacancies in DPW. The conservation agent left and has to be replaced.

• KEY DATES

• PROCESS DISCUSSION. It was agreed that the process went well for this year’s TM. Some of the subdata will not be provided again as it has not changed, ie, departmental benchmarks.

There was a discussion about process for the new members and also ways to be more proactive regarding the departmental budgets, ie asking for head counts in certain departments or requesting other information that will dig a little deeper. Mr. DeLorenzo suggested pondering the role of potential liaisons. Mr. Antoniello suggested breaking the school budget out and assigning elements to different people.

7. OTHER BUSINESS. Next meeting: Thursday, October 7.

8. The meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote at 8:10 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Martin