Live reporting: Town Council - Workshop - Jan 10, 2018 (part 1)

Present: Kelly, Dellorco, Earls, Hamblen, Mercer, Pellegri, Padula, Casey
Absent: Jones

every two years, get together to agree on agenda items, no debates, councilor conversation
contact chair or vice-chair for public to add comment

Fiscal

• Annual Capital Plan - Council subcommittee to review shortly

17, 24 and 31 scheduled for capital plan discussions
FinCom meetings remain to be scheduled

Free cash down about $1M from last year, estimate of baked in costs for use of Free cash, i.e. snow/ice, stabilization funds, about 1.5M remaining to be allocated

capital budget for first round likely in Feb (either 14 or 28)

• Annual Operating Budget - Large shortfall projected for FY 19

info being gathered, schools on parallel path, what is the gap, how can we resolve the gap, Council to ultimately resolve. Insurance numbers come in later

• Review/update/adopt Fiscal Policies - Budget Committee to review

hasn't been looked at in about 10 years, should be refreshed

• Continue to ask for OPEB options with state officials

going to be a goal for every year

typically 280,000 from free cash; attempting to add 500,000 per year

• Determine Sewer rate increase for FY 19

sewer fund balance only $900,000. only a balance of 500K projected and that is too little, sewer plant assessment increased

Charles River assessment, 60% of the cost is Franklin

no money available for sewer in capital funding

possible 10% this july, another 10% next year

approx. $40 this and next; remains to be decided

• Determine Water rate increase for FY 19

water increase would include treatment plant, haven't gone up in 5 years

• Explore new revenue options

looking for more grant options, Green Community just came in

Economic Development - I suggest a separate workshop

• Continue to look at downtown redevelopment
• MBTA parking Lot
• Cultural District Marketing Plan
• Zoning - R-7, C-1, "over 55", inclusionary, lot lines, other zoning issues

above items to be referred to Economic Development Committee

last to Council

still need to attract more business

need to address parking, i.e. deck or something, hence MBTA lot is key piece of the puzzle

solar going in at the Forge Park station; T caught trouble for their lack of communications on the solar planning

what do we do with a friendly 40B, while we are at about 12% if the right project comes along, what do we do

• Marijuana tax - increase from 2 to 3%

the prior State legislation permitted up to 2, then final rules raised it to 3, we currently have 2 so an increase to 3 before July is needed

expansion of current plant requires new scrubbers to fix existing plant