Audit Committee 070908

Nushong - Craig Abernathy

Le téléchargement nécessite un accès à la bibliothèque YouScribe
Tout savoir sur nos offres

4 pages

Español

Le téléchargement nécessite un accès à la bibliothèque YouScribe
Tout savoir sur nos offres

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

Town of Nantucket Ad Hoc Budget Committee Meeting thMinutes – Ad Hoc Budget Committee Meeting November 18 , 2008 Approved January 27, 2009 Present: Ms. Jenny Garneau, Ms. Susan Genthner, Ms. C. Elizabeth Gibson, Ms. Irene Larivee, Mr. Matthew Mulcahy, Dr. Robert Pellicone, and Ms. Patricia Roggeveen. Absent: Mr. Jim Kelly and Mr. Michael Kopko. Also present: Mr. Rick Atherton, Mr. Brian Chadwick, Ms. Robin Harvey, Ms. Jane Miller, Mr. Malachy Rice, Mr. Whiting Willauer, and Mr. Craig Abernathy Call to Order: Ms. Roggeveen called the meeting to order at 9:12 AM. Status of FY 2010 Budget Projections: Ms. Larivee highlighted a large decline in local revenues for FY 2009 that will also continue into FY 2010. She said that she will not be putting any figures into the forecast thfor FY 2010 until she looks at local revenue as of November 30 , 2008. Dr. Pellicone asked Ms. Larivee to elaborate on the $2.2 million deficit projected for FY 2010. Ms. Larivee explained that the deficit was a combination of a decline in building permits as well as new growth. She noted that as revenues continue to decline expenses are increasing at a rate of five percent in salaries and two percent in operating expenses. Dr. Pellicone asked if a lower salary increase could be projected, to which Ms. Larivee responded that the five percent projection is based upon reality ...

Informations

Publié par	Nushong
Nombre de lectures	51
Langue	Español

Extrait

TownofNantucketAdHocBudgetCommitteeMeetingth Minutes–AdHocBudgetCommitteeMeetingNovember18 ,2008ApprovedJanuary27,2009Present:Ms.JennyGarneau,Ms.SusanGenthner,Ms.C.ElizabethGibson,Ms.IreneLarivee,Mr.MatthewMulcahy,Dr.RobertPellicone,andMs.PatriciaRoggeveen.Absent:Mr.JimKellyandMr.MichaelKopko.Alsopresent:Mr.RickAtherton,Mr.BrianChadwick,Ms.RobinHarvey,Ms.JaneMiller,Mr.MalachyRice,Mr.WhitingWillauer,andMr.CraigAbernathyCalltoOrder:Ms.Roggeveencalledthemeetingtoorderat9:12AM.StatusofFY2010BudgetProjections:Ms.LariveehighlightedalargedeclineinlocalrevenuesforFY2009thatwillalsocontinueintoFY2010.Shesaidthatshewillnotbeputtinganyfiguresintotheforecastth forFY2010untilshelooksatlocalrevenueasofNovember30 ,2008.Dr.PelliconeaskedMs.Lariveetoelaborateonthe$2.2milliondeficitprojectedforFY2010.Ms.Lariveeexplainedthatthedeficitwasacombinationofadeclineinbuildingpermitsaswellasnewgrowth.Shenotedthatasrevenuescontinuetodeclineexpensesareincreasingatarateoffivepercentinsalariesandtwopercentinoperatingexpenses.Dr.Pelliconeaskedifalowersalaryincreasecouldbeprojected,towhichMs.Lariveerespondedthatthefivepercentprojectionisbaseduponreality.Sheelaboratedstatingthatitisnecessarytousecurrentfigureswhenmakingprojections,andhighlightedthefactthatcurrentcollectivebargainingagreementswerecominginatfivetosixpercent.Dr.Pelliconestatedthatinordertotacklethe$2.2milliondollardeficithewouldneedtocutsalariesbytenpercent.Ms.LariveerespondedthatinherreviewwithGlennField,NantucketPublicSchoolsAssistanttotheSuperintendentforBusiness,salarieswerenotproblematicbuttherewouldbeachallengeinreducingoperatingcosts.SheaddedthatboththeSchoolandtheTownwouldhavetomakereductionsinordertoachieveabalancedbudget.

Minutes – Ad Hoc Budget Committee th November 18, 2008Page 2 of 4 Onthetopicofreducingexpenses,Ms.GenthnerexplainedthattheSchoolCommitteehasinstructedeachdepartmenttosubmitbudgetswithatenpercentreduction.Ms.GenthnercharacterizedthebiggestchallengeofFY2010asmeetingfinancialgoalswithoutcuttingstaff.Dr.Pelliconesaidthatafterreviewingallotheroptionshesawnootheralternativethancuttingstaff.RobinHarveysuggestedthattheSchoolexplorefundraisingoptionsinordertooffsetcosts.Ms.Roggeveencommentedthatthefundraisingworldwasalsoexperiencingtheeffectsofthedecliningeconomy.InregardtobudgetcutsoftenpercentforFY2010,Dr.Pelliconeaskedifthesecutsinvolvedanyreductioninstaff.Ms.Lariveeansweredthatthetenpercentcutrelatestooperatingexpensesandnotpersonnelcosts.Ms.Gibsonaddedthatherofficeistakingacarefullookatreductionsinstaff.Ms.Lariveestatedthatsomediscussionshavecenteredontheoptionofunpaidfurloughs.Ms.Garneauaskedifthesecostsavingmeasureswouldrequireunionnegotiations,towhichMs.GibsonstatedthatitwouldbenecessarytonegotiateagreementswithalloftheunionsinordertoimplementthesetypesofchangesforFY2010.Discussionofteacherfurloughsensued,anditwaspointedoutthatteachersarerequiredbylawtowork186dayseachyear.IdeasforPublicEngagementintheFY2010BudgetProcess:Sparseattendancehadbeenthenormforpublicbudgetinformationmeetings,butMs.Gibsonnotedthepreviousnight’smeetingwiththeSchoolCouncilwasmuchmoresuccessful.Ms.GenthnerurgedMs.GibsontorepeattheprocesswithotherSchoolGroups.Ms.Garneauagreed,highlightingtheneedtomakefurtherpresentationsbeforebudgetsaredue.ShealsosuggesteddevelopingmailingsandpostingbudgetinformationontheTown’swebsiteasmethodsofdisseminatinginformationaboutFY2010budgetprojections.ThetopicofdiscussionshiftedtorumorsofpeopleleavingtheIsland.Ms.RoggeveenaskediftheSchoolhasseenadecreaseinenrollment.Ms.Garneauansweredthatthelatestenrollmentnumbersshowednosuchdecrease.Mr.AthertonofferedthetheorythatkidsarecomingbackintothepublicschoolsystemfromprivateschoolswhichisoffsettingthedeclineinenrollmentduetopeopleleavingtheIsland.Ms.Roggeveennotedthatshehasheardnumerousreportsofpeoplebeingwithoutwork,andstatedthatsheexpectstoseechangesintheIsland’sdemographicsthiswinter.Discussionfollowedregardingthetimingofthenextbudgetpresentation.Dr.PelliconestatedhisbeliefthatitwouldbebesttoresolveissueswiththeFY2009budgetpriortofocusingontheFY2010budget.HealsoexpressedconcernthatmakinganotherpresentationpriortotheSpecialTownMeeting(STM)wouldencouragethepublictotrytoaddresstheSchool’sbudgetissuesatSTM.Ms.Garneauassertedher

Minutes – Ad Hoc Budget Committee th November 18, 2008Page 3 of 4 opinionthattheFY2009budgetissueswouldhavetobeaddressedbeforeSTM,makingdiscussionoftheFY2010budgetpossiblebeforethemeeting.

Oneoftheoptionsdiscussedtoclosetheschool’sFY09budgetarygapwasclosingsomebuildings,Ms.Roggeveenaskedifeffortshavebeentakentomapstudentuseoffacilities.Ms.GenthnerrepliedthattherehavebeenpreliminarydiscussionsofclosingtheSchoolearlyforaportionoftheweekandpossiblyshiftingactivitiestoothervenues.Ms.Garneaustatedthatthereareathleticactivitiesconstantlytakingplaceduringtheweek,withsomeactivitiesfinishingafter8:00PM.

Mr.MulcahyproposedthatabudgetforumbeheldatSTM.DiscussionfollowedregardingthetimingofaforumatSTM,anditwasagreedthatperhapsthetimingandmixingofissueswouldmakesuchaforumdifficult.Ms.GarneauproposedconductingoutreachandsendingbudgetflyerspriortoSTMandthenconductingtheforumafterward.Ms.Roggeveennotedthatpeoplewillbeaskedtomakesacrifices,andthatthevoterschosenottosupportadditionalspendingfollowingAnnualTownMeeting.

th Ms.GibsonproposedthatajointbudgetforumbeheldonDecember11 ,from5:30to7:30PM.Afterdiscussionofnotificationsandthesharingofinformation,Ms.Garneaustatedthatamoderatorwouldhelptoensurethemeetingwentwell.Ms.Genthnerstatedthatitwouldbeusefultoremindeveryonethattheforumisanopportunityforcommunitydialog,andnotedthatchoosingamoderatorfromthecommunitywouldhelptoreinforcethatmessage.

NewBusiness

CitinghisbeliefthattheTownshouldbe“leadingbyanticipating,”Mr.Athertonstatedthatnooneistalkingaboutmakingsignificantreductionsinexpenses.HeaddedthatforthevoterstounderstandthesituationtheTown’sfinancesareinandsupportapossibleoverride,itwillbenecessaryforthemtoseerealactiononthepartoftheTown.Mr.Chadwickstatedhisbeliefthatvoterswouldnotbeinclinedtosupportanoverride.Ms.HarveyassertedherbeliefthattheTownandSchoolmusttakeownershipofthechallengefacingfinancesanendeavortobuildtrustwiththecommunity.

Recallingpastsuccessesinaddressingbudgetissues,Ms.Genthnercitedapopularbeliefthatthemoneywouldbefoundtocoveranyshortfalls.Mr.Athertonagreed,notingthatthisisahardmythtodispelinlightofrecenteffortstousetheHealthInsuranceTrusttooffsetbudgetshortfalls.

Inregardtooverrideoptions,Mr.Athertonadvisedthathehasyettohearanymemberoftheboardsaythatanoverrideisthebestchoice.Ms.RoggeveenaddedthatshefeelstheTownandSchoolmustlookawaystoincreaseefficiencyandimplementnewstrategies,includingfees.Ms.GibsonexplainedthattheStateasksthatallsourcesofotherrevenuebeexhaustedpriortotheimplementationofnewfees.Ms.

Minutes – Ad Hoc Budget Committee th November 18, 2008Page 4 of 4 RoggeveennotedthatitmightsimplybenecessarytocutservicesduetothemandatehandeddownbyvotersthepreviousJune.Inlightofthehealthinsurancedrawdown,Ms.Genthnernotedthat$1millionwouldbeusedtooffsetalossinrevenue,andaskediftheTownisconsideringanyserviceorstaffchanges.Mr.AthertoncomplimentedMs.Genthneronherquestion,commentingthatrevenueaffectseveryoneequally.Heexplainedthathadasubstituteforthelostrevenuenotbeenfounditwouldhavebeennecessarytomakereductionsacrosstheboard.Ms.LariveeaddedthatasmoneyfromthegeneralfundissharedbetweentheTownandtheSchool,andthattheimpactofreductionswouldaffectbothparties.ShestatedthattheproposedsolutionofusingtheHealthInsuranceTrusteliminatedtheneedofmakingadjustmentstothebudget.Ms.GenthnerhighlightedthefactthatiftheTownwerenotabletooffsetthelossinrevenue,theSchoolwouldberesponsibleforcoveringapercentageofthedeclineinrevenue.OldBusiness:None.DateofNextMeeting:rd ThedateofthenextmeetingwassetforDecember3 ,2008,at11:45AM.Adjournment:Ms.Roggeveenaskedforamotiontoadjournthatwas“somoved”byMr.Mulcahy.Themeetingwasadjournedat10:10AM. PreparedbyCraigAbernathy