HomeMy Public PortalAboutFinance Committee -- 2019-03-13 Minutes a�ogv 01101111/ Approved : 3 /27/ 19
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TOWN OF BREWSTER
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Location : 2198 Main Street Brewster MA 02631
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Date : March 13, 2019 Time : 6 : 00 PM
MEETING MINUTES
Present : Chair Michael Fitzgerald , Vice - Chair Pete Dahl , Tom Fitzgibbons , Don Arthur,
Honey Pivirotto, Frank Bridges , Herb Montgomery, Bill Meehan , and Will DeMaida
Absent : N /A
Also Present : Tom Conrad , Giovanna Venditti , Greg Levasseur
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6 : 00 pm .
Recording or Taping Notification
"As required by the Open Meeting Law we are informing you that the Town will be audio and video taping this public meeting. In addition,
if anyone else intends to either video or audio tape this meeting they are required to inform the chair. " We request that all cell phones be
turned off or to vibrate.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Bill Meehan .
1 . Review and Vote Brewster Elementary School FY20 Budget
Superintendent Tom Conrad was present to discuss the school budgets . He went over the
demographics and the student populations . He explained that the projections for
enrollment across the entire Cape are flat at best . There looks like there will be a slight
decrease in enrollment over the years . The Superintendents are working on a number of
issues around the issue of affordable housing and raising the concern on how to attract
families who can afford to have housing and live in our communities . Tom Conrad also
stated that they are currently in negotiations at the region level with both Truro and
Provincetown . Along with that discussion they are talking about whether those two
communities have interest in exploring joining a region such as Nauset .
Giovanna Venditti reviewed the updated elementary budgets with the Finance Committee .
The updated budget for Stony Brook Elementary School comes to a total of $ 3 , 955 , 634
which is an increase of 1 . 97 % . For Eddy Elementary School , the updated budget comes to a
total of $ 3 , 821 , 479 which is an increase or 1 . 45 % . The total combined budget for the two
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March 13, 2019 Page 1 of 7
elementary schools is $ 7 , 777 , 113 which is an increase of 1 . 71 % . They also looked at the
fridge benefits which totaled is $ 2 , 215 , 147 and includes health insurance , life insurance ,
Medicare, and unemployment . This brings the combined budget to $ 9 , 992 , 260 .
A general discussion regarding the budget was held among Finance Committee members .
Discussions were held regarding technology, transportation , the special needs program ,
and a brief discussion regarding the impact of the School Choice program which the
Brewster Elementary Schools do not participate in .
MOTION to approve the combined budget of the Stony Brook and Eddy elementary
schools in the amount of $ 9, 992, 260 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Don Arthur .
VOTE : 9 -0 -0
2 . Review and Vote Nauset Regional School FY20 Budget
The Chair started by stating that the Brewster numbers are based on the population of
Brewster students attending Nauset which impacts the budget separate from any
increases . For FY20 the number of Brewster students is 545 . Giovanna went over the
numbers of students in the other member towns and explained how the number of
students from a town attending Nauset affects that specific town ' s assessment . With 545
students from Brewster attending Nauset ( out of a total of 1174 students ) , Brewster' s
assessment is 46 . 225 % .
Total expenses budgeted are $ 30 , 601 , 715 which is an increase of $ 923 , 252 or 3 . 11 % . The
income budgeted comes to $ 3 , 491 , 268 from State aid which reflects an increase of
$ 46 , 329 ; the Charter School aid of $ 61 , 549 which is a reduction of $ 12 , 456 ; State
Transportation aid of $ 819 , 851 which reflects a reduction of $ 7464 ; the Truro and
Provincetown tuition at $ 2 , 344, 166 which is an increase of $ 319 , 206 or 15 . 76 % , the
Elementary assessments for therapists ( OT and PT ) is at $ 202 , 429 which is an increase of
$ 12, 516 or 6 . 59 % ; the estimated receipts from Medicaid as well as interest and other
miscellaneous items at $ 200, 000 which reflects an increase of $ 15 , 000 or 8 . 11 % ; a transfer
of E & G funds of $ 590, 000 which has been level funded . The total income is budgeted at
$ 7 , 709 , 263 which reflects an increase of $ 373 , 131 or 5 . 09 % . The total operating budget of
$ 22 , 892, 452 which is an increase of $ 550, 121 or 2 . 6 % .
A discussion was held regarding School Choice/Charter school . Giovanna explained the
tuition /financial impact of these two school options . She stated that for the Charter
schools they are looking at a cost of approximately $ 19 , 382 per student for Lighthouse
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Charter ( there are 63 Nauset students attending in FY20 ) and $ 22 , 756 per student at
Sturgis (there are 13 Nauset students attending in FY20 ) .
The Chair clarified that the change in actual cost per student for Brewster has gone from
$ 19 , 724 to $ 19 , 798 .
Voting on this item was held to be voted on at a later date .
3 . Review and Vote Nauset Regional School Agreement
To be voted at a later date .
4 . Discuss Draft Report Abrahams Services, DOR Report and Administrative Costs
This item was not discussed .
S . Review and Vote Health Department, Planning Department, Building Department,
Select Board and Town Administration, Council on Aging, Town Clerk
MOTION to raise and appropriate for general fund Board of Health wages for $ 233, 675 .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0= 0
MOTION to approve under general fund Board of Health contracted services the amount
of $ 20, 193 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0- 0
MOTION to approve under general fund Board of Health general expenses the amount of
$ 6, 025 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0 =0
MOTION to approve general fund Planning Department wages in the amount of $ 169 , 315
to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0- 0
MOTION to approve general fund Planning Department general expenses in the amount
of $ 2, 000 to be raised and appropriated .
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MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Building Inspections wages $411, 983 to be raised
and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Building Inspections general expenses in the
amount of $ 7, 625 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 - 0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Public Buildings wages in the amount of
$ 135, 213 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 - 0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Public Buildings expenses in the amount of
$ 28, 908 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Mill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Select Board/Town Administration wages in the
amount of $ 409, 942 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0 -0
MOTION to approve under general fund Select Board Administration Wages Elected in
the amount of $ 8, 000 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 8 - 1 -0
MOTION to approve under general fund Select Board/Town Administration Educational
Reimbursement in the amount of $ 13, 000 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 84 - 0
MOTION to approve under general fund Select Board/Town Administration in general
expenses in the amount of $49, 350 to be raised and appropriated .
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MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 - 0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Brewster Ladies Library wages in the amount of
$ 483, 267 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 84 - 0
MOTION to approve under general fund Brewster Ladies Library general expenses in the
amount of $ 172, 275 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Council on Aging wages in the amount of
$ 270, 385 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0 -0
MOTION to approve under general fund Council on Aging general expenses in the amount
of $ 16, 690 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Town Clerk wages in the amount of $ 162, 157 to
be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 - 0-0
MOTION to approve under general fund Town Clerk general expenses in the amount of
$ 23 , 625 to be raised and appropriated .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0- 0
6 . Vote Cape Cod Technical High School FY20 Budget
MOVE to approve Brewster' s assessment for $ 761, 787 to be raised and appropriated for
Cape Cod Technical Regional High School .
MOVED by Pete Dahl . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 9 -0- 0
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7 . Review and Discuss Follow Up Questions and Information Requests
This item was not discussed .
8 . Update OPEB Obligations and Funding Opportunities
This item was not discussed .
9 . Meeting Schedule Update and FY20 Budgets for Review and Voting
Next week there is a scheduled presentation on the draft warrant and two funding articles
for CPC . Town Administration has requested to do a presentation on potential scenarios on
an override . There will also be votes on various budgets .
10 . Liaison Reports and Future Meeting Requests
None .
11 . Approve Minutes of the March 6, 2019 Meeting
MOTION to approve the minutes of the March 6, 2019 meeting .
MOVED by Don Arthur . Seconded by Bill Meehan .
VOTE : 6 -0-3
12 . Topics the Chair Could Not Reasonably Anticipate
Greg Levasseur was present to give an update from the School Building Committee . They
are in the process of going through the requirements of Mass School Building Authority
which requires them to hit certain goals and timelines . One of the targets is that they have
to look at alternate sites within the four towns for a new high school . They are not moving
the high school but simply complying with one of the targets from Mass School Building
Authority . They also have been working on an educational plan which is the justification
for what Nauset does to teach its students . Greg further explained that the project will be
a major renovation of the property . The School Building Authority wants them to bring the
school up to code . The biggest code issue is energy efficiency . Additionally, the current
classrooms are 200 square feet smaller than what the current code allows . The Building
Committee is leaning towards renovating as much as possible/adding additions to the
buildings rather than building a completely new structure . The hope is to be able and
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ready to go before the voters at to ask for funding at the annual Town Meeting in May of
2020 .
Don Arthur moved to adjourn the meeting at 8 : 29 PM . Seconded by Pete Dahl .
VOTE : 9 - 0-0
Respectfully gsubmitted ,
Sarah L . Piebes , Recording Secretary
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