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Town of Concord Finance Committee
FY09 Guideline Subcommittee
Minutes of October 18, 2007
Final Approved
The Finance Committee Guideline Subcommittee met at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 18, 2007 in the Board of Selectman's meeting room at the Town House, Concord, Massachusetts. Notice of the meeting was duly filed with the Town Clerk, Town of Concord, Massachusetts.
Members Present: Terri Ackerman, Tom Anzer, Susan Bates, Walter Birge, Mark Howell, David Kramer, Jack LaMothe, Maura Perkins, Mark Russell Prior, Judy Quanrud, Roberto Tenenbaum, Carol Wilson
Also present: Tony Logalbo, Concord Town Finance Director; Becky Shannon, School Committee; Virginia McIntrye, Board of Selectmen; David Verrill, Carlisle Finance Committee
Subcommittee Chairman Walter Birge brought the meeting to order at 7:32 PM.
1. Approval of minutes:
Upon a motion duly made and seconded the committee reviewed and unanimously approved the minutes of the October 11, 2007 Concord Guideline Subcommittee meeting.
2. Follow-up from presentations of Oct. 4 and Oct. 11
Mr. Birge invited discussion about the October 4 and October 11 presentations from the Town Manager and School Administration about their current fiscal financial status, program priorities and FY09 needs assessments.
Members of the committee commented that the school administration has detailed some significant challenges particularly in the area of special education at the high school. The school department has also attempted to outline some of the ways that they may address these challenges with while attempting to minimize the impact on student learning. It was also noted that at this point in the process it is too soon to understand the relative impacts of the limited funding on the entities. As each of the budgeting entities responds to the preliminary guideline, the committee will have an opportunity to gauge how to refine the allocation to meet the most pressing priorities of each.
3. Preliminary Guidelines
Mr. Logalbo reviewed the guideline worksheets which he had prepared for the committee to use in forming the allocation recommendation. There are no changes in the revenue projections from the previous level discussion on October 4. The estimate of new resources within the levy limit is currently $2,086,867. The committee developed a view of the funds available to each of the entities within this estimate at the levy limit. First the subcommittee discussed using a proportional allocation within the levy limit to the budgeting entities and compared the available funds to the stated needs. Then subcommittee reviewed the effects of other approaches and a held lengthy discussion of various alternative methods and rationales for the distribution of available funds within the levy limit.
Mr. Anzer moved that the guideline committee recommend that the Finance Committee allocate the following amounts to the budget entities within the levy limit, $692,039 for Town Government, $782,360 for Concord Public Schools, $612,468 for the Town of Concord assessment from the Concord Carlisle Public School contingent on the allocation of $500,000 of free cash. The motion passed by a vote of 10 to 2.
The table below shows the preliminary guideline levels as voted by the subcommittee:
Share of incremental funds
Operating Budgets |
FY07 Budget |
FY08 Budget |
FY09 Preliminary Guidelines |
Levy Limit Allocation Amount |
% change |
Town Government |
$15,648,414 |
$16,397,974 |
$17,090,013 |
$692,039 |
4.22% |
CPS |
$25,460,285 |
$26,423,840 |
$27,206,200 |
$782,360 |
2.96% |
CCRSD Assessment (w/o debt) |
$11,858,857 |
$12,191,417 |
$12,803,885 |
$612,468 |
5.02% |
Total |
$52,967,556 |
$55,013,231 |
$57,100,098 |
$2,086,867 |
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Ms. Bates moved that Guideline Subcommittee recommend that the Finance Committee recommend an allocation of $500,000 in "Free Cash" for the purposes of reducing the tax levy in support of FY09 operating budgets. The motion passed unanimously.
4. Other Business
Mr. Russell Prior recommended that the Finance Committee plan to discuss and take a position on Willard Construction Funds (Article 5 November 5 Special Town meeting) after the public hearing meeting on October 22, 2007.
Next week's meeting on October 25 will be a regular Finance Committee meeting.
Upcoming Meetings:
Reminders:
a. Next Subcommittee meetings - Nov. 1, 8
b. Next Regular FinCom meetings - Oct. 25, Nov. 15, Dec. 13
c. Public Hearing: October 22
d. Special Town Meeting: Nov. 5 (continuation Nov. 7)
e. Special Election for Willard School debt exclusion: Nov. 14
The meeting adjourned at 9:35 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark L Howell
Guidelines Clerk
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