03/14/1991 FINANCE COMMITTEE Minutes

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Finance Committee Minutes March 14, 1991 Page 2. The Harbormaster joined the meeting at 7:15 to discuss his budget. He stated that he had submitted a level-funded budget for FY92 with a bottom line figure of $41,407.00. This level-funded budget included $7,612 for two Waterways Assistants for 40 hours a week. The Executive Secretary had recommended that the Administrative Secretary be eliminated for a savings of $5,871 and that the Waterways Assistants be reduced to "$4,751. The Executive Secretary's recommendation would have provided for 2 Assistants at 27 hours per week. The bottom line figure of Kevin's recommendation was $32,675. The Committee's preliminary recommendation was $24,300 which recommended the elimination of the Assistants and the Secretary and a reduction to the expenses. The Harbormaster stressed that volunteers are tough to come by especially qualified ones in the summer. Part-time qualified help is hard to find but it would be better than no help at all. Selectman Joacobson noted that the town had fought long and hard for Waterways Assistants and she hated to see them cut. The public safety was at issue. Jim agreed with the Selectman. Selectman Gottlieb stated that the recommended cuts render this department non-functional. Jim agreed that there was a need to fund Waterways Assistants but stressed that it would be hard to duplicate last year's service. The Harbormaster would like to have 3 -Waterways Assistants at 27 hours per week at a cost of $7,612. The Chairman had requested the Harbormaster to compile figures on the cost of l Assistant at 32 hours or 2 at 16 hours a week. The Harbormaster stated the cost to be $2,768. Jim noted that the Finance Committee would take the information under advisement and do the best they could. Kevin Harrington joined the meeting along with Nancy Cannata and Errol Hicks of the DPW to discuss that budget. Jim noted that consideration of the DPW budget had been hampered by the resignation of the director and the illness of the Finance Committee's liaison to the DPW. The Finance Committee has recommended the elimination of the $19,603 position and Kevin noted his concern with this recommendation. He stated that the DPW can come back with further reductions but he was not sure they could come up with $19,603. He further noted that they could probably make additional cuts to expenses and add that to the salary account, but he felt that the DPW would probably require an additional $7,000 to the Finance Committee's preliminary recommendation. One DPW position will lost through attrition. Kevin agreed to return to the Finance Committee on Tuesday._with information as to where money could come from to reinstate the recommended position cut. Patrick Coffey of the Conservation Board joined the meeting to discuss the Conservation budget. He first informed .the Committee that last year's activity was up 687. and that the personnel in the Conservation office put in a lot of unpaid time to handle the workload. The reductions recommended to the budget will .have serious impact on the delivery of service and some of these services are mandated by the state. This reduction will impact both the town and the environment. Patrick expressed his fear that the reduction in personnel hours may make some of the competent staff on board leave. These cuts he stressed also affect morale. Patrick stressed that Mashpee has a lot of area to cover with only limited staff. The Finance Committee. recommendation for the Conservation budget was $45,465 which includes $3,000 in dedicated fees. Dedicated fees are the