Town of Bristol

Budget Committee Minutes

September 10, 2007

 

 

APPROVED ON:      10/15/2007

 

ATTENDED:               Archie Auger (Chairman), Skip Bowie, Joe Denning (Selectmen’s

Rep.), Ron Preble, Paul Simard, John Thouin, Richard Walenda,

Tom Winn, David Carr, Cathy Pitari, and Diane Marden

(Secretary).

 

ABSENT:                    Dorcas Gordon (Vice Chairman) excused,  and

Darla Jaquith excused.

 

 

OTHERS

PRESENT:                   Maury Campbell (CIP), Dan Paradis, and Elizabeth Corrow.

 

 

The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m., meeting

was video taped for LRPA.

 

August 13, 2007 Minutes

 

Ron Preble made the motion to accept the Budget Committee minutes of August 13, 2007. Tom Winn seconded the motion. Chairman Auger asked for any discussion, no discussion. The MOTION CARRIED. Joe Denning and Dave Carr abstains due to not being present at this meeting.

 

Correspondence

 

Chairman Auger passed around the schedule for the upcoming Selectmen’s Meetings. Cathy Pitari asked the secretary to email her a copy of the schedule.

 

CIP

 

Maury Campbell of the CIP thanked the Budget Committee for giving him direction at the last meeting. Mr. Campbell stated the town reports did give him a lot of historic data, but stated he is having difficulty figuring out the Water and Sewer portions of the budgets. Dan Paradis stated the tax rates seem to be all over the place making it difficult to determine the exact funds involved.

 

 

 

CIP continued

 

Town Manager, Elizabeth Corrow stated there are a variety of ways that items flow through the budget process making things difficult to follow. She suggested that the CIP Committee should focus on the last couple of years to get a good base and then move forward. Ms. Corrow stated she could spend a lot of time on trying to figure it out, but basically the numbers tend to get over inflated because things flow into other areas of the budget.

 

Chairman Auger stated he thinks the focus should be on major projects like those requiring bonds, rather than those that can be accommodated through the regular operating budgets. Selectmen’s Representative Denning stated he agreed explaining other towns tend to also look at the larger projects.

 

Mr. Campbell stated his group is trying to put his best foot forward to become educated on the town and its budget issues. Mr. Campbell stated he thought Jeff could be of help in moving forward. Chairman Auger suggested meeting with David Carr relative to the Fire Department, and that the CIP may need some similar issues answered relative to the Highway Department.

 

Dan Paradis asked the budget committee how they felt about a $25,000 engineering study? Chairman Auger explained he does not feel that he was asking the right group. Paul Simard stated in the past the Budget Committee did support the $90,000 for the Police Department study, and if it is seen to be a good cause there would be no impediment here.

Cathy Pitari asked by definition of a capital improvement item are there guidelines for money values or caps that would be affiliated with this. Town Manager Corrow stated “Yes, there are accounting standards for items that have costs that are spread out over a number of years.” Ms. Corrow stated not only the costs are spread out over a number of years, but the actual project lasts a number of years. The CIP not only figures out the cost of the project over the number of years, but the number of years the project will last within the community, and any of its operating costs.

 

Chairman Auger stated prior to moving ahead to get a better direction of the tax rate first this what the CIP Committee can move forward from there. Dan Paradis thanked the Budget Committee members for their time preparing their list of recommendations, and for their time this evening. Maury Campbell and Dan Paradis exited the meeting at 7:35 p.m.

 

2008 Budget Schedule -UPDATED

 

Chairman Auger stated that the updated 2008 Budget Schedule is in this months' packet. He asked if anyone had anything to add to the schedule, or if anyone noticed anything missing from the lists.

 

 

2008 Budget Schedule -UPDATED continued

The group decided to add New Found Lake Association under the November 7th meeting, and decided to add meeting with the Selectmen at the January 7th meeting. Paul Simard made the motion to accept the 2008 Budget Schedule as amended. Skip Bowie seconded the motion. The MOTION CARRIED.

 

Budget Review

 

Town Manager, Elizabeth Corrow stated the Ambulance Contracts are due for July 1st and run from March 31st to April 1st of the following year that includes the towns of Bristol, Danbury, Hill, and Alexandria. Each community is responsible for $25,777, and we are in the process of reviewing that calculation.

 

Ms. Corrow stated there has been an increase in the number of Beach Attendants and the number of hours explaining why that line item is over budget.  Ms. Corrow stated she does anticipate an increase in next years budget to accommodate the changes.

 

Paul Simard asked Ms. Corrow for the definition of Mutual Aide. Mr. Denning asked how many times does Bristol go out as a first responder to other communities? Ms. Corrow stated currently that is something that is being looked at as it is a policy issue, not necessarily that we respond first. Tom Winn stated in most instances Bristol is not a first responder anyway. Mr. Winn stated he believes it to be that our units (Fire, Ambulance, and Police) only respond to other communities when there is a need. He continued to say that Mutual Aide came about when insurance rates were determined based on the distance to the fire department. Paul Simard stated it was passed in 1973 within the state legislature. Cathy Pitari stated Mutual Aide is also set up with the individual Fire Chief’s through the use of response tables. Explaining should one community not have a ladder truck and another does, etc., giving the communities' access to equipment that otherwise would not be available. Ms. Pitari stated the Ambulance Services are handled differently through insurance and other criteria’s. Mr. Winn stated Mutual Aide does benefit all communities involved.

 

Town Manager, Elizabeth Corrow stated she wanted to discuss the Disability Policy. Ms. Corrow explained she is working on making changes to the personnel policy relative to tardiness, late, sick days, and the number of days an individual can accumulate. She stated she wanted to add a grandfather clause for those who already have time accumulated, so that they would not lose anything they had already earned. Ms. Corrow explained she has had some criticism on this, but is looking at these issues to save some money for the town. She stated she was hoping to get this in place by October 1st.

 

Ms. Corrow stated the Borough Road Bridge was recently closed due to safety hazards. Ms. Corrow stated she had met with the Town of Hill,  DOT, and it was recommended for immediate closure. It is hoped that the new bridge will go out to bid in January, and depending upon the results at Town Meeting, the construction could begin as early as April 1st.

 

Budget Review continued

 

Town Manager, Elizabeth Corrow stated the Town does have a Recycling Committee in place and that they have been meeting. Ms. Corrow stated they will be making suggestions to the Board of Selectmen soon.

 

Ms. Corrow stated the Police Department Building Project is moving forward explaining they have met with an architect regarding possible designs using the “Old” Town Hall.

 

Ms. Corrow stated there is one area of the budget I am a bit concerned with which is the Fire Truck. The Bond Payment was mixed up based on two invoices from Northway Bank invoicing the town for a whole payment instead of a half payment. Ms. Corrow explained she is working with the bank to resolve the issue.

 

Paul Simard inquired about the Police Department’s Overtime explaining currently the overtime is up at $26,000, and asked if the Chief is assigning overtime. Ms. Corrow explained the overtime comes from areas such as special events like Old Home Day where no budgeted amounts were added to the budget. Mr. Simard asked if all nine police officer’s needed to work a 40 hour work week? Ms. Corrow stated there is no flexibility in the schedule at all. Ron Preble suggested putting overtime into the budget under Patriotic Purposes for special events. Ms. Corrow stated she thought it was a good idea because currently overtime is not budgeted for Police and Fire for these special events.

 

Richard Walenda asked why a temporary bridge was being paid for when there is a way around it? Joe Denning responded stating he had said the same thing, but the alternative route was impassable to fire, police, and school buses. Mr. Denning stated he would take a closer look at the secondary route.

 

Chairman Auger asked the Town Manager for a breakdown on the Fire Energy Upgrade. Ms. Corrow explained the boiler and the windows came in over budget, but that off the top of her head should could not remember the exact figures. Ms. Corrow explained as long as the department head’s budget comes in budgeted, then she is not concerned with it. She explained she does not transfer money from one account to another otherwise it would be difficult to keep track of, and by doing it line for line keeps the accounts more accurate.

 

Revenues

 

Ms. Corrow stated she was working to revise revenues for DRA this week, and that the MS1 should be completed by October’s Budget Committee Meeting. David Carr asked if Ms. Corrow could explain the Revenue Sheets to him as he is having a hard time understanding them. Ms. Corrow explained the report is run by dates, and explained each column to the committee.

 

Revenues continued

 

Paul Simard asked what sort of impact does the foreclosures have on the town? Town Manager Corrow responded it has no impact on the equalization rate explaining utility values are having an impact at this time.  Elizabeth stated she would run new sheets for the budget committee, as the print dates were incorrect on the revenue sheets.

 

Other Issues

 

Paul Simard asked about Unmarked Police Cruisers explaining in 1994 through a petition warrant article Unmarked Police Cruisers were not to be used by on duty police officers. Ms. Corrow stated it was a policy issue, stating this issue needs to be looked at closer. Ms. Corrow stated she believes there are times the police department should be able to use an unmarked cruiser. She said she would check into them being used for everyday patrolling. Ron Preble stated he believed they could be used, but not for the purpose of patrolling. Ms. Corrow stated she would look into it.

 

John Thouin asked about Vehicle Mileage as to whether or not the information is still being collected, and if it is if the committee could look at that in the near future. Ms. Corrow stated it is being collected, and she would try to put something together. Richard Walenda stated it was a wrong decision to apply town employee’s to take town owned vehicles home.

 

Chairman Auger stated the Wage Study is underway, and we should have something by the end of the month.

 

Ms. Corrow stated that on Thursday, September 13, 2007, a public hearing on Franchise Fee’s will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Bristol Town Offices. Ms. Corrow stated a Franchise Fee is to assist with paying for the system. Money is collected from those who use the service, and then pooled back into the system. So a portion of cable costs (not Internet costs) will be billed to customers through out the year.

 

Town Manager Corrow stated the Board of Selectmen will soon be meeting with Department Heads relative to next years' budget. Chairman Auger asked who would be sending out letters to the Service Organizations prior to the Budget Committee meeting in November? Ms. Corrow stated her office would as they have the addresses and standard letter from last year.

 

Next Meeting

 

The next meeting of the Bristol Budget Committee will be held on Monday, October 8, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. at the Bristol Town Offices.

 

 

Adjournment

 

Paul Simard made the motion to adjourn at 8:40 p.m. Joe Denning seconded the motion. The MOTION CARRIED.