Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

 

Members                                   Absent                                      Other                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Shaun Galliher                         Russ Parks                      Bob Graves, Town Administrator (remote)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Jim Chivers                               Tracey Lussier                                     

Bonnie Conner                                                            

Mary Rice                                                                     

Heather Brown                                                                      

Candy Galeucia

Sarah Baumann

 

The meeting was opened at 6:36 pm. 

A motion was make and seconded to accept the minutes of the April 6, 2023 meeting as written.  The motion passed unanumously. 

Chairman Galliher reported that Police Chief, Susan Rathbun, may not need a Reserve Fund Transfer at this time.

Chairman Galliher, Bob Graves and the Committee went over some of the final figures on the Budget.  The Vocational list is in with a possible error.  A student is listed with an street addess in Windsor, but listed as Hinsdale.  Bob will check on that with the School District.  

The financing of the Fire Department Tanker was revised (round figures)as follows;  

          461K   -   Tanker cost

         -151K  -   35% USDA Grant

           280K      65%  our portion needed for filing Grant Application

          - 57K       appropriated at last ATM

            233K     Balance remaining for our 65%

          - 166K     taken from Capital Stabilization (leaving 38K in that account)

               57K    Raise and Appropriate at this ATM       

Chairman Galliher reported that Free Cash will be used for the new Police Cruiser, Highway Truck, left over Highway bills (previous Road Supt.), paper shreader for Transfer Station, and Cemetery Road repairs.

 

It was reported, by several people that attended the Select Board meeting the previous night, that Dick Peters, our School Representative made some rather disturbing comments.  His comments came when he was asked if the School Committee had revisited their Budget to reduce our assessment, as we requested.  He said it's not the obligation of the School Committee to buy us a Fire Truck, or other equipment, or fix our roads.  He also said, it is what it is.  

It is still our position that we, at the ATM, should vote down the school budget and force them to make cuts as we requested. Hinsdale's  assessment is over 4% this year and we have a lot of necessary expenses.  It is apparent that they haven't even considered taking another look.  Selectman Ray Huntoon has been reaching out to our other 6 Towns in the District,  to see if they will support us and also vote their School Budgets down.

We still have unknown numbers on Insurance, Fuel and Winter Roads over run, part of which will be paid from the Reserve Fund.  Also the Police Chief's contract has not yet been finalized.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the “preliminary” Budget as presented. The motion passed unanimously. There are still several accounts with no final figures therefore, our Committee will meet again next Thursday, April 20, 2023 for “possibly” our final vote on the Budget.

Several members expressed a deep concern since only one Select board member, Ray Huntoon, has attended any of our meetings.  The Annual Budget is the responsibility of the Select Board.  It was noted that  the Finance Committee has held weekly meetings on it since our all day Saturday meeting on March 4th.  We will continue our weekly meetings and take a final vote on our recommendations when all the figures are in.  The Select Board will also have to take a vote on the final budget.  They will be asked to attend our next meeting to review all the accounts prior to the votes.  This is the first time some members can ever remember, where the Select Board was not involved in the weekly Budget process with our Finance Committee.

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn at  8:11 pm, the motion passed unanimously.  The next  meeting of this Committee is Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 6:30 pm in the downstairs Community room at Town Hall.  

Respectfully submitted,

 

Mary A. Rice, Secretary