DRAFT

Weathersfield Budget Committee
Minutes
April 12, 2011

Members present: Mike Todd, Alan Hudson, and Jeff Slade

Members absent: none.

Also present: Jim Mullen, Town Manager

Elect Chair and Vice-Chair

Jim asked for nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair. Jeff nominated Mike as Chair and Alan as Vice Chair; Alan seconded. There were no other nominations. The vote was 3-0; the motion carried.

Review Status of FY'11 General Fund, Highway Fund, Solid Waste Fund, Delinquent Taxes, and Reserve Fund

The Committee reviewed these funds from spreadsheets provide by the Town Accountant dated 4/7/11. They asked Jim to find out if the NEMRC software was capable of showing the year-to-date from the same quarter in the previous fiscal year.

Review List of Public Trust Funds

The Committee reviewed these funds and asked that someone who is knowledgeable with the purpose and restrictions on these funds be invited to a future meeting.

Discuss budget areas to be explored in more detail in preparation for development of FY'13 budgets

The Board brainstormed possible areas of town services and budgets to review:

Articles on Town Meeting Warning should request voter approval of specific dollar amounts (e.g., to approve "$27,000" for the Motorized Fire Apparatus Reserve Fund rather than to approve "$.01 per hundred dollars of valuation").

Move toward consolidating the 2 fire department into one Town fire department.

Review number of trucks needed in Highway Department, their type (F-550, 6 wheel, 10 wheel), extended warranties, and replacement intervals, and update Capital Plan accordingly.

Trade in the 1992 10 wheeler now when we buy a new 10 wheeler in FY 2012?

Use contractors to fill in during times extra help and equipment are needed rather than staffing and equipping departments year round to cover the "worst-case?"

Leave current vacancy in Highway Department unfilled, saving a driver and truck?

Use "force accounts" wherein contractors bid on services they will provide to Town for a fixed hourly fee anytime during the year that they are needed?

Review plow routes: how many drivers and trucks are needed?

Establish a sand pile in Bow Pit in addition to the one at Highway Garage?

Compare staffing in Highway Department to that in similar towns.

Contract out snow plowing and shoveling at Library, Martin Memorial Hall, etc.?

Review policy on health benefits and whether employees should share in the costs, particularly the costs of any premiums increases?

Go to a bi-weekly payroll?

Tape meetings and reduce minutes to the bare necessity required by the Open Meeting Law to reduce cost of recording secretaries?

Look at how police services are provided in similar towns.

Review our "total compensation package" for each job classification and compare to similar towns.

Look at the efficacy of continuing to levy a personal property tax on business equipment.

Compare our tax rates to those of similar towns.

Establish Work Plan

Jim said that it is important for the committee to work now to explore "structural changes" that will both improve services and reduce costs rather than wait until the fall to begin thinking about issues. He cited as examples of "structural changes" made in the past year to no longer produce or truck our own gravel, to contract with WSWMD to transport and process our recyclables, to purchase of a ten wheel dump truck, etc.. Employees have to be engaged in the process early on to learn their needs and get their thoughts. The goal is that structural changes are well thought out, explored over a long period of time, with no last minute surprises. The Committee agreed with these thoughts.

The Committee decided that they would visit each department to learn first hand of each department's services, goals, equipment needs, and staffing needs.

Request Meeting with Select Board

The Committee decided to request to meet with the Select Board at the May 3rd Select Board meeting to receive direction from the Select Board as to the Committee's work plan and to receive guidance from the Select Board on the Town's FY'13 budget goals.

Budget Goal for FY'13 Budgets

The Committee decided that at this early date that the Select Board consider setting an overall FY'13 budget goal of at least no increase in the total municipal tax rate.

Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at 9:45 PM.