Mattapoisett’s Finance Committee met remotely on July 9 after a four-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In February 2020 they were just wrapping up meetings with department heads and school committees, retrospectively discussing 2019 expenses, revenues, hiring potentials, and all other matters related to the financial health and wellbeing of the community. Warrant articles were being crafted for the planned, annual town meeting, and pencils were being sharpened on expenses. Everything was moving along quite well for the running of the town’s business. Then on March 2, The Wanderer reported for the first time that clouds were forming on the horizon – COVID-19 was about to change life as it was known.
Now, despite the rearview mirror and the view through the front windshield, both displaying yellow caution lights, the town’s business must move forward.
Members of the Finance Committee meeting via remote meeting protocol were chairman Pat Donough, Paul Amoruso, Colby Rottler, Kevin Geraghty, and Gary Johnson. Also in attendance were Town Administrator Mike Lorenco and consultant Mike Gagne.
Covering much of the same ground discussed with the Board of Selectman at their last meeting, Lorenco outlined the need to trim all expenditures not absolutely necessary, temper revenue expectations at the state and local levels, and plan on a town meeting warrant (date and time pending announcement) stripped to its bare bones.
FinCom heard that, at the June 23 selectmen’s meeting, Town Meeting was postponed with the selectmen opting instead to wait and see how local and state revenues shake out before setting an FY21 budget. Lorenco said at that meeting, “Due to the uncertainty and a possible 20-percent decline in state funding, we wanted to take the time to look at receipts before making any assumptions.” He also said that, by postponing Town Meeting, better attendance might be achieved. He told the committee members that the state grants cities and towns the option of conducting the town’s business by using a one-twelfth formula based on the FY20 budget. The only additional spending, he said, would be for contractual, one-time payments that are due in July.
The total July-only budget accepted by the selectmen on June 23 was approximately $2,473,000. This sum represents $192,372 general government, $406,044 ambulance payment, $151,657 highway contractual obligation, $42,882 human services, $56,593 contractual salary increases for library and recreation departments, $3,386 debt service, $1,618,451 Plymouth Country pension payment, and $1,950 intergovernmental assessment. Also approved were Enterprise Fund payments of $8,117 for the town landfill station, $608,042 Mattapoisett River Valley Water District, $614,695 for sewer treatment plant expenses, and seasonal increases for harbormaster staff expenses. The schools will also be operating on the one-twelfth plan with a July budget of approximately $1,210,000, Lorenco said.
In its July 9 meeting, the Finance Committee voted to approve Reserve Fund transfers. Those transfers were $8,759 AC chiller unit town hall, $3,054 software upgrades, $5,819 library security-system control panel, $6,536 radiator replacement in fire apparatus, $9,560 professional search management services, $20,000 retirement- and vacation-accrued buy-backs, $2,194 landfill reporting services, and $12,025 River Road Dam assessment reporting.
Good news came in the form of cost estimates on two large-ticket projects coming in under expectations – those were the new Fire Station currently under construction, and repairs to the Acushnet Road bridge.
Shedding light on other savings, the FinCom members learned that the interior light-bulb replacement project was expected to save the town $17,458 annually spread across town hall, the police department, library, and highway department. It was also noted that local schools had also participated in the project with savings there as well.
Lorenco said that the administration plans to present a budget to the Finance Committee on July 24 and that during the next selectmen’s meeting a date for Town Meeting will be discussed.
Before adjournment, Lorenco said there were two candidates vying for open seats on the Finance Committee. Tom Kelley, a CPA who has worked in finance throughout his career, and Tyler Macallister, who has an MBA along with many years crafting budgets in his role as a selectman.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee will be posted at mattapoisett.net.
Mattapoisett Finance Committee
By Marilou Newell