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Home My Public Portal About20090909 - Appropriations Committee - Meeting MinutesTown of Hopkinton Appropriation Committee (AC) Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 Town Hall, Room 211, Main St., Hopkinton, MA In attendance: Stuart Cowart Heidi Kriger Ron Eldridge Mary Lou Haroian Joe Lavin Joe Karner Chairman Eldridge called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm. Joe Karner moved and Joe Lavin seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the July 13, 2009 meeting of the AC. The motion passed by a vote of 4 – 0 (1 present not voting – MLH). Chairman Eldridge noted the need for a vice chairman on the Committee. Joe Lavin expressed his willingness to serve in this capacity. Joe Karner moved and Stuart seconded a motion to designate Joe Lavin as the vice chairman of the AC for the upcoming year. The motion passed by a vote of 5 – 0. Ron suggested a schedule of meetings for the remainder of the calendar year as follows: October 21, November 18 and December 16th. These dates did not conflict with anyone’s schedule and were readily agreed to. Ron filled the Committee in on his budget meeting earlier in the day with Town Manager Norman Khumalo, School Superintendent Jack Phelan, School Committee Chairman Nancy Burdick and Heidi Kriger. Budget proceedings from the previous year were reviewed and a preliminary budget timetable, in accordance with the town Charter, was set forth. The need for capital budgeting as well as operational expense budgeting was emphasized. The Capital Improvements Committee has already started their deliberations for fiscal year 2011. Ron noted that Town Clerk Ann Click has estimated the expense of holding a special election to determine who will complete Senator Kennedy’s unexpired term to be approximately $10,000. Correspondence from the State Auditor’s office indicates that since this special election is a mandate from the State, it should be paid for by the State. Heidi distributed and discussed preliminary Fingroup Worksheets comparing FY 2010 projections to actual amounts and to FY 2011 projections. It currently appears that the town will spend approximately $204K in excess of appropriations for FY 2010, thus necessitating an increase in 2010 taxes of this amount. Town Treasurer Maureen Dwinnell has informed Ron that there are currently about $500,000 in uncollected real estate taxes on the books. At this point in the budget cycle in previous years, this amount has been in the $200 - $250K range. Stuart moved and Joe Lavin seconded a motion to adjourn at 7:55 pm. The motion passed unanimously.