Board of Selectmen Workshop
November 28, 2012
Milton Town Hall
Minutes
Members in attendance: Bob Srnec, Tom Gray and Bob Bridges. Also in attendance was Joe Ryan, Interim Town Administrator and Wendy Keane, Recording Clerk.
Public in Attendance: Bob Carrier, Dale Sprague, Steve Elliott and Tom Vachon.
Regular meeting opened at 6:12 pm.
Joe Ryan stated that there are two questions regarding the Water Department: 1) how are the meters at the FD handled and 2) if there are possible increases for 2013. Steve Elliott stated that in 2013-2014 rates will not be changing.
Steve Elliott explained that the bills are sent by building quarterly and have a meter charge and usage charge on those bills. He further explained that the Fire Department (FD) domestic is one meter at $240+ charge and meter 0153 is for the filling of the trucks. Bob Srnec inquired why the FD is not filling from the hydrants and if they are allowed to. Steve Elliott said there is a hydrant down on Mill Street that was placed there for the FD to fill their trucks. He further explained that the 3rd bill issued to the FD is hydrants. Bob Bridges asked if the hydrant charges are $100 per hydrant with 41 hydrants. Steve said that is the rate (Steve said 47 hydrants at $4100-ish for bill.
There are 3 bills presently for the Recreation Dept. The service for the Commons was discontinued; however the past due bill was never paid. The beach bill is for the toilets and sinks and the ball field is for the watering of the field.
Bob Srnec stated that they are looking to get the fill meter out of the FD. Steve said that it is causing contamination and it will have to be cut out and one line done away with and then trucks be filled from the hydrant.
Bob B asked for a copy of the flow and pressure tests. Steve stated that they were given to Nick Marique.
This will be discussed with Nick and the BOS will get back to Steve with an answer.
SEWER DEPT: Joe stated that the salary reduction has been made in regards to Wendy Keane’s salary and that is recognition in the reduction of hours worked for sewer and there will be an increase in Planning and Code to reflect this.
Dale Sprague stated that originally we thought there was going to have to be a rate increase but numbers seem to be falling more into line. Dale said line 810 is increased and there is testing to be done and permitted that needs to be done by an engineer which is approximately $1.000. Dale said that he looked at the 2011 and 2012 expenditures and noticed a lot of the lines had misallocated funds and he tried to reallocate where they should be. Dale said he sent a list with specific vendors and which line they belong to so that the person paying the bills will be placed in the correct line and not misallocated.
Bob asked why supplies and building maintenance are increased. Dale stated that under supplies in particular was a line that vendors had been applied to that should not have been and more often than not vendors were being spent from another line. He has reassigned where things should have been. .
Bob Bridges asked if the Government Buildings Dept. mows the sewer plant. Dale said yes. $1k has been placed in line to mow the front per state guidelines. Bob B stated that we just bought a tractor with a brush hog. Tom inquired about the lagoons. Dale stated under equipment and maintenance those are covered and to bring a diving crew in. This summer he spoke with someone who is on a diving crew and does the hard hat diving. He put $4500 in the line and there is still a leak and some of the fittings (3k to fix one leak). To be pro active, he suggested that maybe some fittings should be replaced on the line at the same time and the expensive costs are for the divers. Dale stated that $7550 is the correct number in line 740.
Dale stated he would like to add $1 to sewer line maintenance line (based on replacing manhole covers this past year). The Board decided to place $1.00 under miscellaneous.
Bottom line $81,689.00 Increase of $2704 and 3.42% overall increase.
Joe Ryan: Briefly, the budget in front of them differs slightly under Fire with $324,658, no changes to bottom line.
The budget represents a bottom line increase of $241,337, representing a 7.43 % increase - 3,488,530.56 is bottom line number. As an overall breakdown of the increases, using loose numbers, big changes in police dept part time secretary and part time secretary for BOS office for an increase of $26,581, increase in insurance $36,495, specifically $21,000 for workers comp, Library repair plan at $17,500, and $11,000 for lawnmowers.
Reflective of pay for performance increases as well as COLA (2011 was 2.7%) and 2012 1st 6 months it was 1.7%, performance done was to take 1.7 and move the performance scale that the board implemented in September of this year and moved the scale accordingly. Does not include pay scale for Police Department. All those raised are responsible for a $93,679 increase.
Bob Bridges asked if under the FD a personnel increase if that is just the two full time personnel. It is for both full and part time increases.
Joe explained that the FD had a scale and he took the scale and added the 1.7% based on COLA. Bob B stated that there are two types of FD employees, there are 2 full time and the others are volunteer/part time, Joe said there is no projection of 1.7% increase on call personnel. Bob Srnec stated that he has an issue with a 7.43% increase and it will be hard to sell but we have to try our best. Tom agrees and quite frankly that we need to start stepping up and selling the budget. Joe stated that the big increases are from the police lines for salary to bring them up to par with local communities. Most of retirement increases are due to state costs. Joe stated that this town cannot continue to operate efficiently if there is not more help in the Town Hall.
Bob Bridges stated that for years we have cut from the budget on the Town side and now things are catching up with us. We have equipment that needs to be obtained and department heads feel their hands are tied in requesting items. Joe said the other area to look at is the fact there is a 3.5 million budget and to think that can be managed without a finance person is not a fiscally wise decision. This is not to be done by department heads but one person to oversee and to do the human resource aspect of it. There is a responsibility to the community and the state to have lawful records. Joe thinks the town was kidding itself when it cut 60 hrs from the town hall staff and expected things to be ok.
Bob Carrier inquired if we have the revenues to pay this? He is specifically worried about the PD. Joe Ryan stated that in his examination of the PD salary and benefits, the payscale will minimize the enticement, to a large degree, to leave. Bob Carrier asked if the PD has a separate payscale. Tom stated yes and Bob B. stated that the PD is a different breed in the sense that there is an increase in pay on achievements as the civilian employees will also have. Bob C said that the increase will be a hard sell. Joe said the same thing works for civilian employees but that the PD gets paid higher due to safety. Bob C asked if we keep them, then why is the training line not decreasing? Joe said the changes will be seen over a few years and not in yr 1.
Bob Carrier would like to see the yearly revenues for the Town.
Bob Bridges explained that the Milton mills library has been neglected and has life safety code issues that need to be addressed immediately which explains the $17,500 increase in the Government Buildings budget.
Dale inquired about the annual 2012 water quality test, CMA did the last one, and does the Board want him to contact them again? BOS stated yes.
Discussion was held on the per diem pay and where it was coming out of.
Fire Department total $394616, increase of $69958 with % increase of 21.55.
Bottom line budget is 3514530.00 increase of 267337.00 a 8.23% increase.
Joe stated he will make the changes discussed tonight to the proposed budget and will present the Budget Committee with a clean copy at their next meeting on November 29, 2012.
MOTION: T Gray moved to adjourn. Seconded by Bob Srnec. Motion carried 3-0.
Meeting adjourned at 7:25 pm.
