Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, and School Committee
Minutes of Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Bourne Community Building
Bourne, MA 02532
TA Tom Guerino
Selectmen
Stephen Mealy, Chairman, Don Pickard, Vice-Chairman, Michael Blanton, Clerk, Don Ellis,
and Peter Meier.
Bourne School Committee
Christopher Hyldburg, Chair, Heather DiPaolo, Vice-Chair, Anne-Marie Siroonian, Secretary,
and Mitch McClain.
Finance Committee
Mary Jane Mastrangelo, Chair, Judy Conron, George Slade, John Redman, William Towne,
Michelle Ford, and Brian Lemee.
Documents
Meeting Called to Order
Chm. Mealy called the meeting back into open session at 7:00 pm.
Mr. Mealy invited the other committees to call their meeting to order. Finance Committee
and the School Committee called their meeting to order.
1) State Office of Campaign and Finance presentation on Do’s and Don’ts regarding
Overrides, what Employees can and cannot do regarding the Override Question,
forming, using Ballot Committees.
Jason Tate, from Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, OCPF, stated
they keep track and help the public see how political committees are allowed to raise
and spending money. The director is appointed by the head of the State Republican
party, the head of the State Democratic party, the Secretary of State, and a Law School
Dean who is appointed by the Governor, those four people get together every six
years and appoint a Director. They do the audit portion of money raised and money
spent. Mr. Tate went over campaigns involving public employ and public buildings.
He explained Public Employ - cannot solicit or collect money for a political campaign.
Public Buildings - cannot solicit or receive money for a campaign in a public building.
The Anderson Decision – cannot use public resources for political campaign services.
Emails – email addresses used for political services, objective material is also
prohibited. What can public paid officials do? They can appoint paid officials who
work for and support to form a ballot question committee. Mr. Tate also went over
Equal Access, Municipal Websites, and Automated Phone Systems. Ballot question
Committee – If committees are formed records must be kept. Reports must be filed 8
days before the ballot question to 30 days after. Mr. Tate stated you can call us if any
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August 18, 2015
of these issues come up. Board members and audience members asked Mr. Tate
questions.
2) FinCom/BOS/School Committee Review of two new Sources and Uses:
a. Sources and Uses with Override
b. Sources and Uses with reductions based on input from July 28th and yearend
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Linda Marzelli went over the Funds Cut Sources and Uses.
Stephen Mealy went over how we got to the budget numbers for the Public Safety,
Police, Fire, and Ambulance Departments.
Linda Marzelli went over the town cuts from the original budget.
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Linda Marzelli went over the Funds Override sheet budget numbers.
Stephen Mealy went over the budget line item for the snow and ice removal, if the
money is not expended it is turned back to the General Fund as unused funds.
Linda explained that in the override scenario everyone’s budget does not grow it stays
the same.
Stephen Mealy wanted to emphasize when we originally stated talking about an
override we had been discussing a number of 2.9 million dollars. When we started
looking at the long term planning model we were able to bring the number to 2.7
million dollars, and it will be adequate to supply the town funding for the next three
years we would like to propose we can stretch that to five years.
Mary-Jane Mastrangelo wanted to make sure everyone is aware with the override it
brings our revenue up to the point it will cover our expenses for a number of years.
Under the reduction scenario we will be back in the same scenario in 2019.
3) Fire Department Budget Adjustments
Chief Sylvestro, Bourne Fire Department, went over the cuts and changes he made within
his department, bringing dispatch into the community.
Stephen Mealy pointed out this is a temporary measure in order to address a means of
being able to take money that would have been spent outside the town to support and
maintain the four individuals that were originally going to be laid off and loosing the Safer
Grant. By taking dispatch in-house it puts the burden on the fire department temporary for
several years and allow us to provide that service. This allows us to maintain our own
personnel, maintain the Safer Grant, fully fund the full complement of members of the fire
department, and thus the services that we have at this date.
Tom Guerino stated this change can be done whether the override question passes or fails.
Mr. Guerino also stated that this is temporary for several years.
Don Pickard wanted to state that the Sagamore station was not going to close. There is
enough people to keep that station
Tom Guerino stated the Selectmen made it very clear to keep Sagamore open regardless
with what happened with the override.
4) Review and Discuss Community input and alternatives
Stephen Mealy wanted to mention there are two outreach presentations being made this
week and next week. This week at the Pocasset Heights Improvement Association at 6:30,
and on Taylors Point on Monday the 24th at 6:30 pm. At both of those meeting the
presentations will be made to allow give and take from the residents, and to ask questions
about what might happen if the override does or does not happen. Also to give the elected
officials an opportunity to explain how we find ourselves in this situation and steps we are
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taking to prevent it from happening again. What our proposal is to make these adjustments
and how the override amount came about.
Christopher Hyldburg stated members of the School Committee have come up with a
tentative collective bargaining agreement with the teachers union. They heard the situation
from the people of Bourne loud and clear. Mr. Hyldburg also wanted to reiterate this
override isn’t a bump, these cuts are not just to get us through; this just deals with 2016
and 2017. In 2018 we will be dealing with another series of cuts. Mr. Hyldburg also wanted
to state that on Wednesday, August 26th at the Bourne Middle School there is a public
meeting specific to the cuts of the schools and the potential impact of the override to the
schools.
Don Pickard directed a question regarding the Fire Chiefs proposal; if the Board is voting
on this will we have a draft approve to form agreement before we are asked to vote on it?
Mr. Guerino stated it is their intent to bring a draft to the Board.
5) Board of Selectmen Third, final reading of Financial Policy and potential vote for
engrossment.
Stephen Mealy went over what the Financial Policies covers and the changes that were
made to the way free cash will be utilized and to put a limit on how much free cash can be
utilized. With the stabilization account we recognized that in the past we have had a goal of
maintaining a 7% of the general fund operating fund balance as a balance to carry in
stabilization. We have never reached that amount of money; the recommendation is to
reduce that to 6%. Also recommended the amount that was going to be put in the reserve
fund, which we have seen from the past may have been underfunded. Within the new
policy, we are proposing this evening, we are asking that a limit be set at .5% of the general
operating budget, to insure we have adequate funds should we have any unforeseen
expense. This will be the third and final reading.
Voted Don Pickard moved and seconded by Michael Blanton that the Board of
Selectmen adopt the Town of Bourne Financial Management Policies and Guidelines
with the changes introduced in the June 15, 2015 draft. Vote 5-0.
Tom Guerino stated if the Board of Selectmen vote to adopt these changes the Finance
Committee should vote to adopt the changes. The Finance Director, Treasure, and Town
Administrator have to sign off on them.
On the Finance Committee John Redman moved and seconded by Michelle Ford adopt the
revised Financial Policies. Vote 7-0
6) Other business of the joint committee meeting
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7) Adjournment
Voted Peter Meier moved and seconded by Don Pickard to adjourn. Board of
Selectmen meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm. Vote 5-0.
Voted John Redman moved and seconded by Michelle Ford to adjourn the Finance
Committee meeting at 8:30 pm. Vote 5-0.
The next Bourne Selectmen meeting will be on Tuesday, August 25th at 7:00 P.M.
Respectfully submitted – Carole Ellis, secretary.
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