Town of Bristol

Budget Committee Minutes

January 5, 2009

 

 

APPROVED ON:      01/19/2009

 

ATTENDED:             Andrew Hemingway (Chairman), Dan Bouchard (Vice Chairman),

Ron Preble , Richard Walenda, David Carr, Jon Thouin, Paul Simard, Ashley Dolloff, Tom Winn, Andrew Williamson, Brenda Fritz (enters 7:10 p.m.), Dorcas Gordon,  Bruce Van Derven (Selectmen), and Diane Marden (Secretary).

 

ABSENT:                   None

 

OTHERS

PRESENT:                 Paul Weston (Town Manager), Jennifer Correia (Consultant),

various Department Heads, and members of the public.

                                   

 

The Chairman, Andrew Hemingway called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., at the Old Bristol Town Hall, and the meeting was video taped for Bristol Public Access.

 

Minutes of December 15, 2008

 

Bruce Van Derven made the motion to postpone the minutes until a later time.  Dan Bouchard seconded the motion.

MOTION CARRIED 12/0 (Brenda Fritz not present to vote at this time)

 

Opening Discussion

 

Chairman Hemingway stated he would like to limit public comment this evening until the Public Hearing scheduled for February 9, 2009, to be held at the Bristol Elementary School. Bruce Van Derven commented that the Selectmen’s Recommendations will be complete by the January 12, 2009, meeting for budget committee review.

 

Dorcas Gordon, Bruce Van Derven, and Ron Preble expressed that they would like to hear from the public this evening possibly limiting speaking to 15 minutes per person midway through and at the end. Dorcas Gordon made the motion to allow the public to speak at the end for 15 minutes per person. Ron Preble seconded the motion.

MOTION CARRIED 12/0 (Brenda Fritz not present to vote at this time

 

  

Salary Discussions

 

Chairman Hemingway asked the Budget Committee members how they would like to proceed with the budget explaining line for line or by grouping line items together? The majority stated historically it has been line for line. Jon Thouin commented that salaries should be skipped at this time.

 

Bruce Van Derven made the motion to consider funding the second half of the salaries as intended last year, subject to the recommendations of the Board of Selectmen at the January 12th, meeting, and subject to reconsideration by the Budget Committee. Tom Winn seconded the motion.

 

Dorcas Gordon commented that she is not prepared to vote on salaries this evening. Ms. Gordon stated she would support the increases if first the budget could be level funded.

Dave Carr commented that we are currently $210,000 away from level funding the budget, and it appears this issue needs to be dealt with first. Richard Walenda stated everyone should be treated the same. Tom Winn stated not everyone will get the COLA those who are not entitled to a reclassification will receive the COLA, and those who are reclassified will not. Paul Simard commented that not everyone was in agreement with last years increase in salaries, and stated he intends to vote against the increase until a proper wage study could be done comparing Bristol with comparable communities. Ron Preble stated he preferred to wait until deliberations with the Board of Selectmen at the January 12th, meeting. Chairman Hemingway agreed with Mr. Preble calling for a vote on the above motion.

MOTION FAILED 3/10

 

Salaries will be skipped at this time.

 

Revenues

 

Chairman Hemingway stated he believes the committee should start with Revenues to determine what the committee has to spend on the budget. Mr. Hemingway stated this is how families' budget and he thinks this is the process that should be followed. Mr. Hemingway asked Town Manager, Weston to update the committee. Mr. Weston stated $140,000 Rooms and Meals Tax Revenue should be added to the revenue sheet.  Mr. Weston stated almost all of the revenue line items are down, and have been estimated conservatively.

 

Dan Bouchard asked how some of the revenue line items were determined. Mr. Bouchard stated in 2008 Land Use Change Tax was $11, 000 and now anticipated is $1,000. Mr. Weston stated the actual for 2008 is $3,000. Chairman Hemingway asked if most of this comes from the sale or transfer of property? Mr. Weston stated that is correct, and currently property is not selling as it had two or three years ago. Jennifer Correia stated most people who are buying homes are purchasing older homes, and staying away from new construction.

Revenues Continued

 

Dan Bouchard stated last year Old Home Day had a large donation, and if the donation is not anticipated at this time then maybe we should not have Old Home Day. Chairman Hemingway stated the Town Manager has only plugged in the definite numbers, and revenue not determined by definite numbers an estimate has been put in the line item.

 

Dan Bouchard stated we need to have accurate numbers to determine a budget, not numbers that are uncertain. Jon Thouin stated he applauds that things were done conservatively so not to count something that may not be there. Mr. Thouin commented that on the other hand revenues is not the place to cut the Concert Series or Old Home Day. Jennifer Correia stated the expenditure budget is larger than the revenues. Ms. Correia stated the taxpayers vote on the expenditures, not the revenues. Dave Carr stated in the past a budget has been set, and the tax rate was set based on that. Mr. Carr stated it is now time to set the revenues, and then determine what is spent.

 

Paul Simard asked the Town Manager if there is a reduction in the interest on taxes that have been brought in as revenues? Raymah Simpson commented that 89% has been collected, and usually at this time of year it is around 92%.

 

Chairman Hemingway asked for the goal of this years Budget Committee? Jon Thouin stated if the intent is to keep the tax rate we need a number to represent this. Town Manager, Weston stated the net town appropriation for 2008 was $2,996,328, which we need to decrease the budget by $697,246 to level fund the budget. Mr. Weston stated the State sets the tax rate and is currently at 100% overlay.

 

Dan Bouchard stated the goal of the committee is to level fund the tax rate, and added to the anticipated revenues should give us the number we are looking for at this time. Paul Simard stated he is concerned that the Budget Committee has not received the Board of Selectmen’s recommendations, and this meeting is pre-mature because of that. Bruce Van Derven stated this meeting was called because the Town Manager had requested it explaining that the Board of Selectmen has had the information. Mr. Van Derven stated the Department Heads give the information to the Town Manager, the Board of Selectmen, and the Budget Committee to review the budgets making cuts, and then deliberating to come to the figure that we need to spend. Mr. Van Derven stated that is what the people depend on us to do and that is reduce the expenditures. Jennifer Correia stated that number is $5,769,227.

 

Public Comments

 

Paul Simard made the motion to allow public comment at this time to seek the direction of the Budget Committee. Brenda Fritz seconded the motion.

MOTION CARRIED 12/1

 

 

Public Comments Continued

 

Lloyd Belvin stated he would like to see what was spent last year on Health Benefits verses what the employee’s paid? Town Manager, Weston stated he could get that information to Mr. Belvin and to pick it up at Town Office’s.

 

Kathleen  Furf stated she likes a lot of what has been said this evening and being a small newspaper she has never once been approached for a donation. Ms. Furf stated she would be happy to make calls to get donations. Mr. Furf stated everyone in town is having a very difficult time financially.

 

Iming Glad stated he thinks everyone wants the best services they can get from the Town, but at this time the economy does not warrant the best of everything. Mr. Glad stated his taxes in Bristol are higher than his taxes in New York. Mr. Glad stated rather than have higher taxes each year he would like to see the Budget Committee work towards lowering the taxes.

 

Jeannie Solcalotzi stated she does not want to see her taxes any higher. People are being forced out of town.

 

Charles Carpenter stated everyone is having a loss of income all around. Mr. Carpenter would like to see decreases rather than increases across the board. Mr. Carpenter commented that maybe some of these projects should be put off until another year.

 

Chairman Hemingway put an end to public comment at this time, and asked for the direction of the Budget Committee. Mr. Hemingway stated he was confused as to why Paul Simard had made the motion at the last meeting to hold tonight’s meeting? Mr. Simard stated usually the Budget Committee has the Board of Selectmen’s recommendations by now. Bruce Van Derven stated he would like to correct Mr. Simard explaining that the Board of Selectmen make recommendations on the budget, and it is also the job of the Budget Committee to make their recommendations by building a budget. Mr. Van Derven stated if all the Budget Committee is waiting for is the Board of Selectmen’s recommendations then what is the purpose of the Budget Committee. At this time the Budget Committee went through the budget line by line making the following recommended budget cuts, and further discussion at the next meeting.

 

Chairman Hemingway turned the chair over to Vice Chairman Dan Bouchard at this time.

Mr. Hemingway made the motion to vote on the budget using bottom lines. The motion did not receive a second motion.

MOTION FAILED

 

 

 Public Comment

 

Chris Dolloff commented that when the economy is down that emergency services have a tendency to increase the call volumes. Mr. Dolloff stated he does not see how cutting these services benefits the public at all.

 

Mr. Carpenter commented that he applauds the cutting of personnel in such trying times. Jeannie Westfall stated times are tight, and we can not afford the best of everything anymore. Ms. Westfall also applauded the cuts within the budget. Raymah Simpson hopes that everyone present will also attend the school meetings to state their positions as well.

 

Paul Simard stated when going through these line items it is not easy. Mr. Simard stated he knows what it is like to have lost a job, or to go through trying times. Unfortunately, these things need to be done.

 

Kathleen Furf applauds the cuts made this evening as well, and the courage that people have had to get up and speak.

 

Adjournment

 

Paul Simard made the motion to adjourn at 9:30 p.m. Ron Preble seconded the motion.

MOTION CARRIED 13/0