Dublin Budget Committee
Minutes
May 6, 2008
Present: Nancy Campbell, Ed Germain – Selectmen’s Representative, Judy Knapp, Curt Merrick, Rich Scheinblum – Chairman and Leslie Whone
Also Present: William Raymond and Sterling Abram
Absent: Ken Woods
Meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Rich Scheinblum.
Motion to accept minutes of both the February 14, 2008 Budget Committee meeting and Public Hearing was made, seconded and passed with one abstention (Curt Merrick). Rich Scheinblum welcomed Curt Merrick to the committee.
The Committee reviewed the 1st Quarter budget, revenue and expenses.
Expenditures:
Town Clerk/Tax Collector [4150.4-131 Deputy]: budget 100% spent. Bill Raymond to review this account.
Other General Government [4199.1-344 Website]: Done in 1st quarter.
Other General Government [4199.1-550 Town Report and Ballots]: Should be more than $280 spent.
Other General Government [4199.1-551 Town Meeting Expense]: Should only be $327 spent, not $2,304. It appears the Report and Expense lines were posted incorrectly. Bill Raymond to review both accounts.
Other General Government [4199.1-625 Postage]: This is for all departments, will be reallocated to each department in 2nd quarter.
Site Inspector [4120.4-291 Training]: 80% spent because of a two-day conference.
Highway [4312.1-140 Overtime]: 94% spent, including the additional appropriation from Town Meeting. In response to a question about department employees being told that they can no longer work overtime, the Selectmen are unaware if that is true.
Highway [4312.9-634 Diesel]: 58% spent, including any gallons that the recycling center or fire department have used.
Animal Control [4414.1-810Expense]: 77% spent because of a cat that needed to be quarantined.
Welfare : 53% spent. Currently all expenses for welfare are being taken from the trust funds set-up for that purpose. It is unclear how much longer this practice will last.
Library [4550.1-411 Heating Oil]: 45% spent but one bill was paid twice.
Warrant Articles: no expenses to date. The Town has accepted donations totaling $48,000 for the heating system for the Town Hall top floor. The Town is hoping the State will pay for the test deflection island at Old Common Road
Revenue: Several of the larger revenues come in later in the year, so the revenue flow shouldn’t be a concern at this point. To date only two permits for new houses have been issued.
Budget Committee officers for the year were elected as follows:
Chair: Rich Scheinblum (unanimous)
Co-Secretary: Nancy Campbell and Judy Knapp (unanimous)
Discussion on the 2009 budget process: Ed Germain reported that the Selectmen would get numbers and commentary to the Budget Committee at the same time as the Selectmen receive the information, some budget reviews could be done earlier in the process and the Selectmen would get the Budget Committee a budget by a date certain. Rich Scheinblum suggested a placeholder for any employee raises, so as not to hold up the process. Warrant articles also need to be done in a more timely manner - estimates on known projects could be done earlier. Rich Scheinblum requested a calendar for the budget process from the Selectmen at the Committee’s July meeting.
Discussion on the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP): The plan needs to be reviewed earlier in the process, so the plan is known before the budget process starts, possibly starting the CIP in July for a budget in October. Curt Merrick expressed his concern with how to finance large expenses and leveling them out in the CIP. Sterling Abram suggested having two parts to the CIP – imminent/minimal expenses and recognized future problems. All expenses in the CIP would need rough budget numbers.
The Committee had received no information from Ken Woods on health insurance (Rich emailed him). Sterling Abram reported that the Town’s health insurance costs would be going down 7%.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Nancy E. Campbell
Co-Secretary
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