BUDGET COMMITTEE

               Public Hearing: February 8, 2010
 
Present: John Balla, Craig Oshkello, Jim Jennison, Linda Brenneman, Jim K. Brown, Tom Esslinger (Selectmen Rep).
Absent: Sue Metsack

Public: Scott Luther-Houghton (treasurer), Gretchen Abendschein (Selectman), John Tuthill (Selectman), Kathi Bradt, Gorden Gowen, Hugh Gendron, Tara Lynn Balla, Peg Kish, Carole Wallace, F. Joann Brown, Frank Emig, Rudy Klein

Meeting began: 7:00 PM

Discussion of Draft MS-7
1. Line 4150 – Executive Expenses: HG why payroll items are included here and not in places where salaries are; SLH stated intended purpose was so budget read clearly.
2. Line 4153 – Legal Expenses: CW asked how often town uses lawyers; JT states all legal is contracted; KB reminds 2k is for Planning Board.
3. Line 4199 – Town Office Expenses: HG asks what town policy is for health insurance for town employees; TE currently not policy, yet shall be in place prior to next hire of full time employee; TE curent health benefit is for 2-person plan; many in the public comment that most local employers do not offer 100% nor a 2.9% annual raise.
4. Line 4312 – Highway Maintenance: public concern about benefits being too expensive.
5. Line 4313 – Bridges: PK suggest we include town bridges in next iteration of CIP.
6. Line 4909 – Warrant to Pave Section 3 of CPR: CO suggests if article fails, he would like to ammend from floor so money can be voted on being used for the other improvements scheduled on the CIP; TE says that Road Advisory Committee is preparing to facilitate this at Town Meeting; public mentioned numerous roads in town that would be well served by expending money on them as soon as possible (all of the roads mentioned were also included in the list in the 2010 CIP Table 4).
7. Line 4915 – Warrant to Fund Cap Reserve for Reval: KB noted that if we do not do a reval when state suggests, the State will hire a company to to it for the town and bill the town for work completed.
8. Line 4909 – Warrant to Purchase Desbiens: Article is going to be voted on after public votes on overall budget to minimize the potential for negative impact on operating budget.
9. Line 3934 – SLH dicusses 60k surplus from 2009; applause for selectmen.
10. Bottom line tax impact is 6.33 per $1,000 value; recommended by budget committee.
11. Public hearing closed, 8:55 pm; JB declared recess: TE asks if JB would sign tonight; JB states preference not to, would like more time to review MS-7 which was first distributed on Feb 8, 2010, recess until Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

12. Meeting ended: 9:10 PM

Respectfully, Craig Oshkello