1994-FINANCE COMMITTEE - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 4 The Committee spoke about the 53rd week. Mr. Goggin suggested that they should recommend bi-weekly payroll. Mr. Gallo thought this might not be acceptable because it looks as though the Town is holding onto employees' money an extra week. Mr. Goggin asked if the Committee should send a letter to the Selectmen, because this would save the Accounting Department some time by doing the payroll bi-weekly? They agreed. OTHER BUSINESS Ms. Greelish also issued to Committee members a memo in which she drafted in regard to replacement of vehicles. The Committee agreed that the memo was excellent with just a wording change in the last paragraph and in the heading to read from the Finance Committee. John Ferriday MOTIONED that the letter be sent to both the Board of Selectmen and the newspapers with an appropriate change in the heading along with the list of vehicles which had accompanied the memo. Mr. Goggin requested that Ms. Greelish review with the Committee the initiatives of departments, as well as, new capital requests on their worksheet. Ms. Greelish explained the following under the initiatives column: Accounting $1,388 for clerk; Building Department $35,616 Asst. Inspector; Conservation $27 ,096 agent; Elections/Reg. $5,000 change in way that people are paid; Harbormaster $12 ,379 salary jump to full time; Health Dept. $8 ,059 clerk; Herring Warden $2,000 total increase for department; Leisure Service $2 ,500 grounds and maintenance; Personnel $43 ,482 director; Planning Dept. $13 ,301 Increase salary asst. planner; Selectmen $8,000 special events and education account; and Town Clerk $6,564 new wages. Under NEW capital requests are as follows: Assessors $5,225 furnishings; Building Dept. $795 typewriter; Conservation $20,000 bog and land maintenance; Fire $171,000 aerial ladder and utility truck; Leisure Services $3,650 computer; Appeals Board $700 file cabinet; and Police $27 ,456 communication equip. There was a question as to what is happening with the Shellfish Department's truck. The Committee spoke briefly again about salaries and how they should be preparing their recommendations. Mr. Ferriday added that if the town is revenue driven then this should drive the budgets. The budget should not be request driven. How much money the Town has should drive everything. He explained that of the 2 1/2% increase in revenues the Town receives, the Finance Committee wishes to take 1% off the top then it is the question as to how the 1 1/2% is divided? He felt that if the Committee could assume that last years budget was reasonable they wouldn't be involving themselves in managing each department by giving each them each