Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Finance Committee 

Minutes of the September 1, 2022

Members                                   Absent                                      Other                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Shaun Galliher                                                           Bob Graves, Town Administrator                                                                                                

Jim Chivers                                                                Earl Peck, Select Board Chair

Heather Brown                                                           Bart Collins, Select Board

Russ Parks                                                                 Ray Huntoon, Select Board

Bonnie Conner                                                           Ralph Cormier, Fire Chief and members of the Fire Department                                                                

Mary Rice                                                                   Officer Zip,  Hinsdale Police Department

The meeting was opened at 6:30 pm. 

A motion was made and seconded to accept the minutes of the August 4, 2022 meeting as written. The motion passed with two abstaining.

Chairman Galliher took the agenda out of order to allow the Fire Department to present the Bid for the Tanker.  The Committee and the Fire Department discussed the bid from Shakerley  Fire Truce Sales that was presented.  This bid was for $431,453.71  and due upon delivery to the Town estimated to be three (3) years.  In order to get ahead of the cost increases anticipated, the contract had to be signed by September 9, 2022.  Bob Graves and Chairman Galliher recommended to the Select Board and Chief Cormier  that no contract can be signed without a plan of how to pay for it.  They explained that the way the ATM Article was written , presented, and voted on, only $57K was approved at the ATM.  That is all the monies approved at this time and therefore they cannot and should not sign a contract committing to the 432K because we have no money to pay for it.  There was a lot of discussion and some confusion about what the ATM article actually authorized, and was explained in detail.  There was discussion also about possibly having a SPTM to present this again to the voters. Bob said the earliest there could be a SPTM would be November after Thanksgiving.  We just had a Special Election to fill a vacancy on the Select Board, the State Primary was next week, and the general election in November.

Chairman Galliher stated that can submit another Article but it must include a plan of how to fund it.  He compared it to a car purchase which would not be approved with only a down payment and not an approved  plan of how to pay for the balance.  At this point, we only have 57K that was approved at the ATM.

Chairman Galliher pointed out that the Tanker is on the Capital Plan for 2025.  The Committee does support the purchase, but not at this time.  He also stated that this Article was not recommended by Finance at the ATM because we did not have the money at this time.

Chairman Galliher did not see any red flags in the Accountant's report.

Bob Graves reported progress on the Landfill capping being done by Maxymillian.  Road Superintendent Jamie Callahan reported there are 17 or 18 manholes on Rt. 143 and some are need of repair prior to the road re-paving.  He will get estimates on this work.

Chairman Galliher reported the School Committee's proposal to replace the Track at Wahconah High School. He feels that any Capital Project should be presented to the Tax payers for their input and/or approval.  Jim Chivers, School Building Committee. explained that this could not be approved in the original quote because the State would not fund it in the original costs.  The project came in under budget and the School Committee wants to take advantage of the interest rates on the loan and do it with that money.  Each Town has 60 days to have a SPTM to discuss and vote on it.  However, if no meeting or vote is taken, it is an automatic approval from that Town.

There was a discussion about the new school being ADA compliant.  Although there are all the necessary things inside the building, including an elevator, the front door had no button to open the doors to allow a handicap individual to enter.  The only way is to activate a buzzer that alerts someone inside to assist with opening the door.  Although Bonnie Conner, Seven Town Advisory, presented this question to the Superintendent at a recent meeting in the School, no answer was provided other than “we are working on it”.

Mary Rice, Water Sewer Committee, reported that many households are experiencing brown water due to limited  flushing because of the low level of the Belmont Reservoir.  Jamie Callahan, Road Superintendent is working on this.  There are updates on the Town Website.

Bob Graves said Jamie Callahan, Road Superintendent, reported that the one ton truck is in need of serious repairs.  They don't use the big trucks as much as the one ton.  The excavator is also getting tired.  Ch 90 monies can pay for some of the repairs, but we should be looking to replace the one ton soon.

Chairman Galliher reported that Free Cash has been certified at $301,089.00 which is down from previous years.  He also mentioned the article in the Eagle that Windsor if offering 30K for Highway workers because they cannot get anyone to apply.  Currently,  our Town is averaging 25K to 26K but this may be the beginning of a trend among Towns.

Bob Graves reported no new information on the proposed Police merger with Dalton. He also reported that the Landfill capping funds are not enough to do some of the other items that need to be done.  It's possible that some funds could be taken from the Infrastructure and Engineering Account.  He also reported that he had two bids for the Plunkett Lake Beach project.

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn at 7:53 pm, the motion passed unanimously.  The next regular meeting of this Committee is Thursday, October 6, 2022 at 6:30 pm in the downstairs Community room at Town Hall.  

Respectfully submitted,

Mary A. Rice, Secretary