Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Live reporting - Finance Committee - 2/5/13

Present: Smith, Goldsmith, Dufur, Quinn, Roche, Dewsnap, Feldman, Aparo, Huempfner
Absent: none

Citizens Comments - none

Approval of minutes from Jan 8th, motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0

Action item:
Town Clerk advertising $1,000
proposed to move from free cash

motion to approve from free cash, seconded, passed 9-0

DPW Road Capital Plan
Mike Maglio, Asst Town Engineer

roadway inventory conducted and road ratings created
update the database yearly
determines the capital plan based upon the ratings

206 total miles, approx. 30 miles are unaccepted roadways

approx 23 miles are private roads, with another 18 miles  that are State roads

avg rating for roads is currently 76, would like to get up to about 80. That number tends to be a good one for communities of our size

if we attempted to upgrade all the roads at once, it would cost about $48M

$1.2 M per year would keep us just holding steady
$2.0 M would get us gradually to an 80 rating by 2022


The town is doing a lot of planning that folks don't always see
The Long Range Planning Committee reported that roads were one of the major issues to be addressed.

The DPW does work with the gas company to coordinate road work
There is a bylaw passed a few years ago that once a road was re-built, it is not to be touched (unless an emergency) for five years. 

Trying to narrow the width of the roads to reduce the storm water handling

What has been the average road budget?
Not sure, let me check and get back to you. I have been here year and a half and just gettign into the budget business

Can you explain the accepted road process?
Has to do with the final as-built reports and acceptance by the Town Council
Working to get some of those identified and accepted into the process
We would be plowing and doing that kind of maintenance but not physical road repair work

Most of the paving is through contracts
we'll do some of the smaller tasks but the larger roads are better done by contractors

Q - how did the sidewalks account for so much/
A - can't repair them, mostly replace. Hadn't done this particular slide so not sure exactly what the calculation was

Tabling the OPEB valuation discussion (J Nutting not here)

Susan Gagner - not much to add just yet, the Governor's budget is out and we are scheduled for more local aid, if that holds it is very open to discussion

Intending to get budget at end of March

Per Jeff Roy, there will not be a local aid cut for this fiscal year.

Tri-County assessment is up, we have more kids enrolled there

Special election cost
There will be a primary and election, whether the state picks up the cost is open

Jim Dacey
we may come back to you for an increase in the processing of the parking tickets
have written only $20K of tickets, had budgeted only $3K for the processing
will be looking to see what it will be before year end and may come back in Apr/May with a number that should be good

Excise tax bills will be going out next Monday


Annual report will be reviewed at the Town Council meeting
Management letter to be addressed regarding action items
esp. a policy for fund balances

May be a requirement to put the unfunded pension liability on the balance sheet
The county has not presented that number to us
it will be interesting to see, all net assets will go down when it is added

Clarification on the asset versus liability and the balance sheet
we are funding the liability but not booking it (pension)
we are not funding the liability (OPEB) but booking

motion to adjourn



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