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Home My Public Portal AboutSelect Board -- 2020-02-05 Minutes \\N0NA'£ Wryy��N o� �� Town of Brewster ;; Office of: Select Board 2198 Main Street Town Administrator - o Brewster, MA 026314898 � . VO Phone : ( 508) 896-3701 Fax : ( 508) 896-8089 ' royy, F€PILCIIA,O, ,. �.6 1:::.:::t r..Ip �nin�rnrhuinivau MINUTES OF THE SELECT BOARD & FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING DATE : February 5, 2020 TIME : 6 : 00 PM PLACE : Brewster Town Office Building, 2198 Main Street PRESENT : Chair Whitney, Selectperson Bingham , Selectperson Chaffee, Town Administrator Peter Lombardi , Assistant Town Administrator Donna Kalinick, Mimi Bernardo, Finance Committee Members : Frank Bridges, Tom Fitzgibbons, Michael Fitzgerald , Frank Bridges, Honey Pivirotto, Harvey Dahl, ABSENT : Selectperson Dickson , Selectperson deRuyter Call to Order/ Pledge of Allegiance Chair Whitney called the meeting to order at 6 : 00pm . Chair Fitzgerald called the Finance Committee meeting to order at 6 * 00pm . Citizens Forum - Members of the public may address the Select Board at this time for a period not longer than 5 minutes . The Select Board is unable to respond to comments as It could be a violation of the state's Open Meeting Law which requires a specific topic to appear on the agenda for public discussion to occur. A topic raised by a member of the public may be added to a future meeting agenda if deemed warranted by the Select Board Chair. No discussion . Select Board Announcements & Liaison Reports No discussion . l Town Administrator's Report No discussion . I FY21 Budget Overview Presentation and Discussion Mr. Lombardi, Ms . Bernardo and Ms . Kalinick gave a high level presentation of the FY21 budget overview to the Select j Board and the Finance Committee . A department by department review of the FY21 budget will be held on Saturday j February 8, 2020 . A review of updated revenue assumptions — The Town' s " new growth" was projected at $ 175, 000 . 00 based on the assessor' s analysis . The projected State Aid, based on the Governor' s state budget proposal has a 2 . 87 % increase . The local receipts are estimated at 91% of the mean of the 3 previous year' s actuals . The new short term rental revenue is approximated at $ 250, 000 . 00 based on preliminary FY20 actuals to date . The new marijuana and j solar revenues are unable to be considered as a revenue source . Ambulance receipts will contribute $ 700, 000 . 00 to { the General Fund to cover a portion of the Fire Departments operating expenses including ambulance lease payments . j The Water department will transfer $ 143, 000 . 00 and the Golf will transfer $ 129, 000 . 00 to the General Fund to cover indirect costs . Notable changes from the FY20 budget to the projected actual include a $ 150, 000 . 00 reduction in the amount of proposed overlay transfer due to a healthy balance and limited abatements . The payroll will have a : www . brewster- ma . gov BoS 02-05- 20 Page 1 of 3 i i 01\\\0I1YNN0kY4'z °gOL '� 06 Town of Brewster Office of: , Select Board �3 +. 2198 Main Street Town Administrator _ o Brewster, MA 02631 = 1898 VO Phone : ( 508) 896-3701 Fax : ( 508) 896= 8089 .yam f�+elot "'4j��M/ilryNllNl llllll�l\�\�� $ 38, 000 . 00 reduction , based on FY21 having one less day, as FY20 was a leap year. The health insurance was projected at a 5 % increase, with a 0% actual . $ 92 , 000 . 00 was shifted back to the Golf Department for them to pay their own liability insurance . The Cape Cod tech saw a decrease in Brewster enrollment reducing the assessment by $ 175, 000 . 00 . Nauset Regional enrollment increased by 1 . 6%, upping that assessment, and Brewster Elementary Schools still anticipates a 2 . 5 % overall increase, which does not include $ 70,000 . 00 in health insurance savings . FY21 proposed budget initiatives include creating a Human Resources Department, investing new short term rental revenues in housing and long term tax relief, utilizing available FY21 levy capacity to transfer an additional $ 250, 000 . 00 to the Capital Stabilization Fund , for $ 350, 000 . 00 in total, continuing the commitment to fund the Towns OPEB liability in total of $ 250, 000 . 00 to the trust fund . Proposed budget initiatives for FY21 include using $ 65, 000 . 00 deferred salary wages to fund the local match requirement for 2 new SAFER grant funded firefighter positions, supporting the first year of a 3 year plan to shift the three part time library positions to full time, addressing the $ 120, 000 . 00 structural deficit in DPW solid waste, shifting ongoing capital obligations into operating budget where possible, $ 135, 000 . 00 for DPW projects and $ 15, 000 . 00 in IT upgrades . There is a need to increase the investment in technology platforms and infrastructure and cyber security . The result is a 2 . 81 % operating budget increase, not including the $ 500, 000 . 00 in one time transfers to the Capital Stabilization fund and the Brewster Housing Trust . Other noteworthy items include only contractual step increases and cola adjustment for all town employees as contracts will be extended for one year for contract negotiations to fall in line with the wage and compensations study results . Snow and Ice will be returned to a standalone budget item , separate from the DPW operating budget . The excluded debt was reduced by $ 400, 000 . 00, as the last payment on the Police Station was made in FY20 and Cape Cod Technical High School project debt structured as level principal for this year. Mr . Fitzgerald commented that he would like to see the cost figures for new positions broken out for clarification . Mr . Dahl asked about the funding mechanism for funding new positions . Mr. Lombardi wanted the new positions to be sustainable, which is why they are included in the 5 year budget process, and feels there is healthy capacity for funding . Mr. Fitzgibbons noted the override last year, and the extended levy capacity . Mr . Lombardi explained that the override last year covered the wages for the four new hires, for that year and moving forward . Ms . Pivirotto would like it more clarified the need for the new fire department positions, as they are responding to the medical emergencies of the residents, not just fires . Regarding the 0% increase this year for health care costs, Ms . Pivirotto wondered if the schools had the 2 . 5 % increase built into their budget to anticipate for increases in upcoming years . The Regional School is carrying their own health care costs . Brewster Elementary Schools healthcare line is in the town budget, and included as a one time savings . This is the reason that the fund transfer to the capital stabilization fund this year is appropriate to build it up in the event of a health insurance increase next year . Mr . Meehan is in support of a Human Resources position, and is concerned with the Nauset Regional Building project . Mr . Fitzgibbons asked if in employee benefits increase of COLA will continue to rise . The expenses will be offset by revenue from the Ambulance, Water and Golf indirect payments . Liability insurance premiums raised from the prior year budget . Insurance premiums are paid monthly, as there is not a defined way to prepay a constantly changing policy . The capital projects, funding sources and tax impact will be discussed at the next joint upcoming meeting on February 10, 2020 . Mr. Fitzgibbons feels it would be more feasible to do the HR audit before the position is created . Mr . Lombardi mentioned that the position is not in question of a need . Mike Fitzgerald would like to see the new growth number plugged in to the report to show the budgeted figures . He is in favor of the capital stabilization fund, the housing trust and funding OPEB, and would like to see the PowerPoint presentation put on the website . Selectperson Chaffee noted Susan Broderick' s hard work in performing the HR role for the past few years . Snow and Ice is unique accounting and best put as a standalone budget item . Selectperson Bingham asked if the $ 117, 000 . 00 for 1 a www , brewster-ma . gov BoS 02-05-20 Page 2of3 t a��»Nnunuuununu�, w8ro� �.� Town of Brewster Office of: oo s �.� V *+�9 ; Select Board 2198 Main Street Town Administrator o wBrewster, MA 026314898 r Q , Phone : ( 508) 896-3701 Fax: ( 508) 896- 8089 �y� i�e►oe►+e1 O� 4��M//lnIfIIMIIIlri1N1\u�� the new HR positions was all new funding . This is the net effect of adding the 1 . 5 positions . This is inclusive of pension costs . Chair Whitney noted Capital Stabilization fund has never been added to so the account balance will start at zero . The sticker fees at the transfer station were questioned , if they were too low . Next year there will be a comp of where our fees are based on the carrying costs of providing the service . The sticker fee was increased two years ago . The tonnage for recycling and solid waste is steady . The solid waste deficit has been building over a number of years, incrementally . FYls No discussion . Future Meetings — February 8 and 10, 2020 Adjournment Selectperson Bingham moved to adjourn at 8 : 55 pm , Selectperson Chaffee second . The Board voted 3 -Yes 0- No . Finance Committee member Mr . Meehan moved to adjourn at 8 : 55 pm , Mr . Bridges second . The Board voted &Yes 0- No . Respectfully submitted , Robin Young Approved : l � Mcf" 202. E Signed : I Date Selectperson Dk,4Gn C4efkw& t-he Board of Selectman deR�j Accompanying Documents in Packet : agenda, budget presentation , FYI packet I i I i { i j i 7 i f i I i www , brewstermma . gov BoS 02-05-20 Page 3 of 3 r I