BOARD OF FINANCE
MARCH 28, 2017
SPECIAL MEETING
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DRAFT
Attendance: Chairman
John Grabowski, Melissa Spear, John Ford IV, Robert Brinton Jr., Sharon Huxley,
Sally Huyser
Visitors: First
Selectwoman Derrylyn Gorski, Selectman Clark Hurlburt, Patsy Winer, Bruce
Loomis, Brian Eitzer, Tom Broesler, Fran Doba
Chairman Grabowski called the meeting of the Board of
Finance to order at 7:08 p.m. The
meeting was held in the Selectmen’s Conference Room of the Bethany Town
Hall.
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
Chairman Grabowski called for approval of the minutes of the
meeting of March 21, 2017. The motion of
approval was moved by Robert Brinton Jr. and seconded by John Ford IV. Robert Brinton Jr. moved to amend
the minutes as follows: if the state
budget were not completed before the Annual Town Meeting we should add the
amount of any expected school building grant reimbursement to the list of
information requested.
Under the Chairman's
report, I believe that Bethany's share of Amity's budget for next year is
expected to be $99,166 less than this year and that the Amity Board voted to
postpone an HVAC replacement project and to return 100% of this year's surplus
to the towns next year (the total expected surplus is about $800,000.
The amended minutes
were then approved on a vote of five (5) yes votes and one (1) abstention that
of Melissa Spear as she was absent from that meeting.
FIRST SELECTMEN’S
REPORT
First Selectman Gorski has attended COG meetings recently
with other Mayors and First Selectmen.
Many of the Mayors and First Selectmen are not including the Teacher’s
Pension in their budgets as there appears to be a legal issue.
REPAIRS TO
SECRETARY STAND AND FENCE AT AIRPORT
Sharon Huxley spoke to the Board of Finance regarding the repairs
needed to the Secretary Stand and repairs to the Corral Fence at the Airport
for summer equestrian events. The Pony
Club and Lion’s Club have been doing the repairs to the corral each year,
however more extensive repairs to the fence and Secretary’s Stand are required
this year. Following discussion it was
determined that the project can be completed for about $1,000 for materials. Volunteers will supply the labor. Melissa Spear moved to appropriate up to
$1,000 for materials to repair the Corral and Announcer’s Stand. Robert Brinton Jr. seconded the motion. The vote taken was five (5) yes votes and one
abstention that of Sharon Huxley because of her involvement in the project.
BUDGET 2017-18
Tom Broesler projected the expenditure spread sheet on the
wall for the Board of Finance to review for the fiscal year 2017-18 budget. The salary accounts had been increased
3%. Questions and comments were made as
follows:
Board of Finance This
line item can be reduced $750 if the number of Annual Report copies printed are
decreased?
Tax Collector’s Assistant Salary Why is there more than a 3% increase in this
line item?
Conservation Commission Increase
their request of $500 to $750 and leave the $100,000 in for Land Acquisition. The $250 increase is for members to attend
classes.
Eliminate the SRO Officer’s fee of $10,000 from the Police
budget as it is now in the Amity budget.
Sharon Huxley would like to see the Tree removal account
separate from Contracted Services.
Many other line items were questioned as either the expended
to date number was incorrect, the budget appropriation was incorrect or the projected
was questionable. Tom was asked to
update the sheet and get it to members before the weekend. Since he was not going to be in the office
until next Tuesday this would not be possible.
Members agreed that until numbers were corrected they can’t complete the
budget. It was decided that the meeting
for next week would have to be moved to Thursday April 6, 2017 because of the
lack of correct information.
ADJOURNMENT
Adjournment was called at 9:30 p.m. after a motion was moved
by Sally Huyser and seconded by Melissa Spear.
The vote taken was unanimous.
Respectfully
submitted,
June
G. Riley
Clerk,
Board of Finance
