BOARD OF SELECTMEN

JANUARY 24, 2006

MCAULIFFE MEETING ROOM

Present:  William Christensen, Chairman; Bonnie Phaneuf, Roger Challen, Janice Conlin, Town Administrator, Vanessa Hale, Assistant Town Administrator. 

 

FY2007 Budgets

Board of Health:  The largest increase in this budget besides salary is the Nurse’s hours from 2hrs/week to 4hrs/week.   The Board of Health will likely overrun these services in FY06, but don’t know how they will fund this.  FY07 is the last year in rental of the agent’s car   Nurse is shared with COA.  Both departments need to pay her the same hourly rate.  Does she have to file dual employment?  Overtime increased:  Mrs. Luther works OT during certain projects and alternating night meetings.  Fees have also been increased.  The nurse is not a state mandate but some of the work she does is mandated.  Mr. Pisinski spoke about an article being presented that will cost $10,000 for determining ephemeral smells that comes from streams. 

There was a discussion of whether the Conservation Commission could fund this article if situations were transferred to them. 

 

Building Inspector & Zoning Board of Appeals

·          ZBA salary has gone down due to a new employee at a lower rate

·          Building:  increase from 19.5 by 10.5 hours per week

·          Mr. Johnson prepared 2 budgets; one with   hours of support staff and the other with level funding of staff.  Both have 3% mandated contract increases

 

Conservation Commission

·          5 hr/week increase [includes contract increases]

·          Stormwater control permitting issue will result in the commission’s work increasing threefold [30-45 hearing/year will increase to 90-100/year]

·          Commission is stressing enforcement which is an additional hearing, process & form

·          Feel this is the least they can ask for to support upcoming endeavors

·          Mr. Christensen asked if professional training is needed for staff? 

·          Mrs. Russian said a town engineer is the best way the CC can be professionally supported

 

Planning Board:  Member Don Morris met with the Board to discuss this budget.   Administrative Secretary increase represents an increase in hours for this employee to work full-time for the Planning Board and not support the Building Inspector.  [She works 27.5 for Planning and 12.5 for inspectors.]  Some professional development for the planner in leadership training has been added. Fees have been increased recently to make sure the town’s fees are competitive.  Feels the increase will be offset by an action of the Planning Board raising its fees.  Mrs. Phaneuf supports this but told Ms. Kolias it may face an override.  Mrs. Phaneuf wants a description of what these individuals do.  Permit fees: Can you have differing rates for corporate and individual parties?  Send letter to the Planning Board supporting their increase of fees.   MWGMC will lower dues by $2,500 if you do not plan to utilize the purchasing consortium.  Should we still participate?  Bonnie wants to see all these budgets without new hours, Peter needs to verify holiday hours for Mrs. Survelle. 

 

General comments by the Board: 

·          Accommodate heating/energy costs

·          Current staff levels-cost of insurance increases

·          ARHS:  percentage going up 19%

·          Mrs. Phaneuf would like a chance to look at all budgets and submit her recommendation to the chairman; “increase only line items that have justification”

·          Mr. Christensen feels he may not be able to put mandated increases under the cap, along with utilities, insurance, etc.  He would be in favor of an override.  If it fails, we may be forced to cut staff.  Need to keep facilities going first. 

·          What is the cost of energy?   Savings is in salary and insurance lines. 

·          Mrs. Phaneuf asked for dept budgets with contractual agreements and increases in fuel and electricity only; if there is new staff in budget, outline need and what would happen without that position/service [could be in an override column]

·          Exceptions are Facilities.  Concern was noted that Mr. Diaz would not have enough staffing and equipment.  Need to discuss earmarking costs for maintaining fields and equipment. 

·          Whatever is left over will be prioritized, but new hours may be on an override

 

Regular Business

Trottier School: The Board discussed with Electrical Inspector Jim McCaw and others, an issue with defective lights in the gym.  This has caused some hazardous conditions.  They have various ranges which are overheating; one has totally burned.  Circuit breakers have tripped when they overheated and this is why there has not been a fire.  The problem arose with the motion detector.  Mr. McCaw said repairs could cost $24,000 if the same fixture is replaced.  He recommends avoiding the fire hazard.  He did inspect the work when these fixtures were installed.   Mrs. Phaneuf sees this as an unforeseen emergency repaid and should be funded through Advisory.  Town Counsel should try to recoup funding through the vendor.  National Grid is willing to work with the school in repairing for a lower amount.  [replace all fixtures with more appropriate ones] for half the cost of the job; total is $19,000.  It appears it can be approved by the school administration.  It should be recommended to the school committee that this repair be completed during the February vacation.  Although it was brought up last year, it may have been deleted from the list of capital projects in the interim.  Both Mass Electric and National Grid will be contacted immediately to seek their financial support and assistance in getting this repaired in February.

  

Wiring/Plumbing fees: Mr. Christensen asked about basing fees on the size of the house.  Approve changes for electrical fees with amendment [3 inspections for residential].  Plumbing fees were also discussed.  Both will be effective February 1, 2006.

 

Ambulance Fees:  Chief Mauro met with the Board to recommend a rate increase for ambulance fees.  They are 30% below the nationwide rate.  48% are Southborough residents.  Chief Mauro has recommended adopting Medicare rates plus 30%.  Fees can be waived if you do not have health insurance.  Mrs. Phaneuf asked that a written policy be developed.  The Board asked why Southborough doesn’t charge for ambulance calls with no transport to a medical facility.  Motion to approve fee changes as requested effective February 1, 2006 were approved unanimously.  He is permitted to go up whatever Medicare charges automatically without coming back to the Board for approval annually.  Cannot likely recover fees when there has been no “patient contact.”

 

George Mooney reclassification: Mr. Mooney was hired as a truck driver and now is working for the cemetery department and other divisions when needed.  There was a move to reclassify him from Grade 3 {$21.62] to Grade 4, Step 5.  The request was made to Mr. Boland in July.  He is more responsible now and is training employees and able to handle the department when called upon.  This would put him on par with other second in command staff although the other departments are much larger.  It is more visible in terms of public service than other departments.  The Board voted this reclassification to Grade 4 Equipment Operator II unanimously, effective March 2, 2006.     

 

FMLA leave:  The Board voted unanimously to place Pam LeFrancois on FMLA leave effective January 12, 2006.

 

Meeting Schedule:  The Board plans to meet every Tuesday in February.

 

The Board discussed what articles could be postponed to bring down the deficit. Ask department heads to reconsider their articles.

 

194

$135,611.95

1/27/06

SCHOOL PAYABLES

195

$204,479029

1/27/06

DEDUCTION REPORT

196

$3,553.00

1/27/06

SCHOOL PAYABLES FY05 ENC.

197

$226,162.21

1/27/06

SCHOOL PAYABLES

198

$3,500.00

1/25/06

MONTHLY TOWN PAYROLL

199

$85,639.40

1/25/06

TOWN PAYROLL

200

$23,092.42

1/25/06

FIRE DEPT. PAYROLL

201

$393,474.83

1/27/06

SCHOOL PAYROLL

202

$116,159.49

1/27/06

TOWN PAYABLES

203

$4,815.00

1/23/06

CHARTER COMM. CONTRACT

TOTAL

$1,196,487.59

 

 

 

Adjourned:  11:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Vanessa D. Hale, Assistant Town Administrator