Meeting transcript
Board of Finance - Regular Meeting
July 28, 2021 · Watch on YouTube · All meetings
So, and they've been kind of engaged and they get together once a month every other month. This has been going on for years. So I hadn't worked in almost a year and I went back to work and said what happened. They said they had to get married so that she could get across the border. Oh wow.
Wow. We're good at thinking of doing it eventually but it kind of
of pushed it along. All right folks if we could let's let's let's go ahead and get started. It's good to see everybody again. I guess the first order of business is to welcome our newest member, Joanne. I understand you've been sworn in and you're all good to go. So welcome to the board. We appreciate David's service in the past, obviously. It's obviously a time and away from family and other items things we'd like to do. So we do appreciate that. We made them work right to the bitter end. I'd also like to thank Diane and the rest of the board for kind of carrying the water as it were when I was out on vacation last month. So I know that's
a lot to kind of make that adjustment. Okay, so that being said, let's call this meeting to order and we'll say the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag The United States Of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, indivisible, liberty, justice for all.
You. All right, our first agenda item is public speak. Do we have any speak from the public? I don't see any members of the public other than Eric and Sherry. Oh by ourselves.
Yeah, know that's unusual right that's haven't had that happen in a long time.
I wonder why. Well, we'll see. It's not budget season. Yeah. Normal would be meeting in person. Yeah. Okay, fair.
I wouldn't be there though if we had to be in person I got a kid. Can't say.
Okay. Having those public speak let's move on to agenda item number three which is additions or deletions of agenda items does anybody have any additions or changes to the agenda they'd like to propose. Okay, hearing none, we'll go on to the town administrators report. Eric, floor is yours. Okay,
let me just share my screen real quick. Hopefully this works. Seems to be.
Okay, so this is going to be pretty brief. Just so that you all know I will not be here next week so if you need to get a hold of me I guess that's too bad. The auditor is starting on the audit. He was in at the on the board of bedside yesterday. Gonna be in today.
He was in today. I mean all right today and tomorrow he will be in the town hall. Correct. So we're hoping to get a jump on it and not be pushing it all the way up to the end of the one fiscal year to complete the audit for the previous year. So we are gonna have to create a couple of new funds fairly quickly. One is the community connectivity fund. That is because we should be receiving the grant money for that one shortly. And we need to create a standalone fund to account for. The second is we're going to need a standalone fund for the American Rescue Plan money. And the third one is the Board of Selectmen have asked you to set up a standalone recreation fund because they were unhappy that in the past some monies had just been rolled into the general fund that had been allocated specifically for recreation. They were mainly donations
from clubs and that money's ended up getting rolled into the general fund and then, you know, kind of lost for the original purposes it was donated. The other thing I wanted to say real quick is there are going to be some minor staffing changes. I've asked the board of selectmen for permission to add one extra hour for the building department, for the building official, and then, go back to what the town used to do up to a couple of years ago, which is have the person that takes minutes for all the land use agencies work a couple hours a week Monday nights to help out getting all the legal notices and dotting the t's and crossing the i's for the land use the zoning agent and the wetlands agent and helping out zoning board of appeal Total of those two things will add about $5,500 in cost. It's my intention to pay for that out of the rebate check we got from KIRMA. So those two should balance each other out. The Board of Selectmen have basically said they'd be okay with me doing it if I can show how I'm going to pay for it. So that would be my suggestion on how we pay for it. The Board of Selectmen has also asked that we hire a custodian for five to ten hours a week
to deal with collectively all the town buildings, minor repairs and then maintenance. Because that's not a budgeted expense, the only place we can really take that out of is the building maintenance fund. So that is going to deplete a reasonable portion of that fund and it's going to make it more difficult to do some of the bigger items, but they hope to accomplish a lot of the little items. So I don't think that's something we actually need action on the Board of Finance. I'm just letting you know that that is in the works that will be discussed again at the next Board of Selectmen meeting. As many of you know, we had a storm. We suffered some pretty significant and washouts. We've run probably about $4,000 in material costs we weren't really anticipating because of that just because we've had to buy an awful lot of process and an awful lot of stone and an awful lot of loan to repair all the washouts in the town roads. So we've expended about $4,000 in materials we weren't really anticipating. And ultimately, we're going to spend 3,000 to $5,000 in repairs to the Andover Ball Field. Some of that we're going to owe as extra fees to the maintenance contractor that we work there, which is Hebron Parks and Rec. And then some of that we're going to need to repair the fencing. We had an initial estimate from that, that was a lot higher than I really wanted to pay. So we kind of scaled back what we want to do
to that. So to try to make it basically functional, look reasonably aesthetic, and repair the existing fencing. So at this point we're okay funding wise for that, but I'm just letting you know that that has occurred and that's something we didn't really plan for in the beginning. At this point, we are finished with crack sealing and shimming roads. Shimming is just putting a very thin layer of asphalt on problem spots for the year. We've expended pretty much everything we budgeted for that. We put down a little over a thousand tons of asphalt total. And right now we are chip sealing roads. That should all be done in the next three days.
We should be done with chip sealing for the year. That's a fairly quick process. After that, we're going to be switching to drainage projects and then more tree work. And we are actively working on cost sharing some of that with Eversource where appropriate. And actually Jay and I were on the news tonight with NBC thirty News discussing that and some of the problems with tree work in collaboration with the utility company. And that's basically all I have unless you all have questions for me. I know this is a pretty abbreviated report for me, but it's July. Questions for Eric? I'm all set. Okay, thank you. Okay,
thank you, Eric. Finance department report is our next agenda item. Gary, you're muted.
Okay, in your packets you have the town budget summary. As of the other day, we are still taking in last minute bills. It's not the final budget summary, so we're still working on getting everything together so we can finally close out the fiscal year 2021. Also in the packet is the revenue summary. All the revenue, with the exception of the taxes, the last May and June at this point when I gave you the report, they were not recorded. They are recorded as of right now. So all the taxes that we have collected this year are reported on that report. The TAR aid wrote, town aid wrote, excuse me, spending detailed sheet was also in the packet for your review. And D, on this agenda, over expenditure report, I anticipate another one when I finalize the budget accounts on the report that will be covering more accounts as we finalize the fiscal year 2021. So I'll have that probably in August for you, For sure.
I just have two questions while looking at this. Some figures that just popped out for me, and I don't know if it's just the way numbers are hitting. But I noticed that in the Old Town Cemetery, it's like at 300% over and it was a big increase year to date expend over what we budgeted. I don't remember having a discussion that we were going over on that budget and I don't know what that was. Okay. I can check it out.
And then the Board of Ed line item in there? Yes. It's 180
k over what the budget is. I'm glad you brought that out. It is not that. Okay. Have not finalized their figures yet. We just caught a check for a total of $385,000 to pay back the town for the payroll for the grants and for food service. Okay. So we'll be depositing that check. Matter of fact, tomorrow, Marina is going to put that check-in the bank and then we'll make that entry and that will true up the amount where the board of that is truly at is that right because they're not over budget. No, are not. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And matter of fact, we were working on reconciling both the town and the board together. So we will have that figure finalized when we close out the report.
Just the old town somewhere, it's not a lot of money, but it's still just showed up as a big I think it's.
Yeah, I'll check into it, you know, just thought some of this I don't have the history on so I just asked
some questions. Doing a lot of work in that cemetery so I don't know if something went over or not. And what line item are you talking? It's the old towns. It's the old cemetery down on Cider Mill there I think that's what it was I think we budgeted like 3,000 and it came in at 6,000. You know,
1 dash 100,030,355 if I can read the scan correctly but yeah.
It just stuck out because it's like 300% over budget or something. Oh, that's a good one to look at. I think
It's a round number, 6,000, which is kind of odd to know. Yeah. So I think
the issue with that is that we actually spend that every year. I think it's just the way we book it because we get a specific grant every year that I signed for, for the old cemetery, allows us to fix up the old headstones I believe is a total dollar value of $3,000 So I suspect you're seeing what we budget plus we booked the expense to that and not a grant would be my guess, but I would have to actually look before I said that definitively.
So that's going here for a while. So going forward in this next budget year, I just want to make sure that we're all in agreement that we going to show all revenue sources, every freaking grant that comes into this town we should have in.
Yeah. Auditors will be working with me tomorrow at the town. And there's a number of funds and accounts that we need to set up and get them properly classified in the audit report. I talked to him today at great length. He says, know exactly what you're talking about. And I said, well, this is what we gotta do and he goes, you're absolutely right. We gotta do this. So, I said, carve out some time to straighten this whole mess out because I don't like this all these liability accounts here because I know they're not liability accounts. So he suggest he is suggesting setting up separate funds and then taking those funds and bringing in the revenue and then bringing the expenditures so that you have revenue on one side, expenditures on the other, and then it creates a balance for each of the funds. So that's what we properly should set that up as and we're going to take care of that. Definitely. Also, I discovered today that we did receive the American Rescue Relief money in on June 22. We have 478,000 and change. I can get you an exact number, but I was going over what revenues we have received thus far through the June 30 with the auditor and it came up that, yeah, we did in fact receive it. We double checked it. It's in our bank account. And he also indicated to us that
any interest that we earn based on that amount of money, can certainly keep. So it'll be as income
as well. I mean, that's half of what our appropriations, correct? Right. Right. So that's good news and
to at least say that we've got the money. So now all we got to do is figure out how to spend it. That's all. Bottom line. So I think overall, I want to say I feel pretty good about the finances on both sides, town and Board of Ed. And today, after talking to the auditor, that's the feeling I got that we're not so far off and we're not so bad on the town side. I'm just giving you a little piece of information. It's looking good. We're making progress. We're doing things the right way we're supposed to be doing them. And I think with this audit cycle right here, we'll clean everything up, adjust the issues that he put in the management letter, And we'll move forward to getting an audit report sooner than what has been done in the past for sure. Okay. That's good. Yeah. Yeah. So I I was was in despair, believe me, but now I'm not. I don't you think she's like uphill. I
will tell you, To me, it's shocking to see the auditor already on-site.
You know, in end of July. I'm used to seeing the guy. I I saw her January. November. Yeah. December. One thing I told you when you interviewed me, I said, there will be an audit and there will be an audit done properly. And when it's supposed to be delivered, which is customary to having one done by December 31 for sure. And that's what OPM wants and that's what they're going to get. You know, there's no ifs ands buts about that. And he did a lot of work, preliminary work today at the Board of Ed, which was good. And he'll be there tomorrow to do pulmonary work. Then they'll loop back in another
week or so when we pull the test documents like all the receipts that he wants to test and AP, and then he wants to test. So they'll come back and they'll review all that piece of it. And he asked me how soon did I think I was going to close out? And I told him as soon as I can would probably be about the first week of August.
I'm hoping. Do you think it reasonable to think that, you know, come our next meeting, all these things that we nailed down? Yes.
Yes. That's what my goal was to make sure that we have all this wrapped up. Right now what I've got to do is I've got to get going on the EFS, which is the big year end financial report that is due for the school by September 1. So I'm compiling those records right now and getting that together. And that I will be working on that very heavily over the next few weeks to get that done. So I just wanted to bring you up to speed on on what's going on. There's a lot going on. Yeah, absolutely. Well, you very well done. Think
a lot of moving parts, a lot of plates spinning, and they continue to spin. So I'm happy.
Well, we'll be happy we get an audit in on time. I mean, yeah, I'm trying to remember last time we pulled that off.
Well, I am going to intend to do that this year. So that's it.
You know when you think about it historically it was not that long ago when we were three years behind on auditing the town.
Yeah. That's what you told me. Right. Yeah. So we're making progress. We are.
All right, I have just one little bit of information kind of related to the budget I emailed all the members of Board of Finance just before the meeting, so you wouldn't have gotten it. But we have a letter pending from the Board of Ed requesting that we allow them to roll up to 2% of any excess funds. Said they look like they're going to have some unexpected excess funds estimated at about 50,000. So it's not the but full two they asked if we could roll that into the non lapsing school improvement fund. I think there's a lot to talk about there. I suggest we not take that up at this meeting, but we set it up for new business on the next meeting agenda
once we get the official letter, but I did for the draft that Jerry Kermay sent to me so you have it, we can consider that for the next meeting.
At the last meeting at the last board of Ed meeting, it was suggested by Adrian that we asked the Board of Finance to do that. They may not do it, he said, and I agree he may not do it, but I think it's prudent for us to move forward and ask for it at least. And it's certainly a good place to be putting those funds in, in case for some likely expense that we come up with, if it's, you know, septic or whatever it is, you know, we have the money there.
You know, that's all I'm saying. Yeah, so I think next time when we discuss this, it would be helpful to know what that fund balance is and kind of what the options are, where there may be restrictions on where that ends up being spent so I think that that's talked about this before every year this comes up so just a just a refresher on all that so well it does have to be spent on educational purposes for sure.
Right, it's a building improvement fund, did you say school improvement fund is I think it would improvement.
Okay, so some of the things Jerry listed in his email. To me, I'm not sure what school improvement you know to me I always thought of that as building and facilities type thing but it's maybe that doesn't limit it to that I don't know. Guess
can get changed on that I think it can be used for educational purposes I don't think it's just limited to school. Yes,
checks. That's correct. The law was changed several years ago and the change was basically, it went from a maximum of 1% to a maximum of 2%. Right. I remember that. It really opened up the spending categories to make it very so that it could be spent on any educational needs. Okay. So
if we were to look back at prior years before that what we've spent it on it doesn't really matter because it's been changed. No. So we don't want to look because that was my next question is like what have we done with it in the past but relatively recently that's not really going to help us. Right.
Especially if they've opened up that much okay so that's just a little informational point. And we'll plan for that next meeting is new business.
Go ahead. Yeah. Yeah, I'm just curious where what fund or what investment did you put that money in the grant money that came in Sherry?
We haven't yet as you Eric has asked that the board of finance approve one of the three funds there. Have to create one. Yeah, we have to create it.
Do we look at that generally as to see what you know, the best bang for your buck? Or is it a general type of, you know, a norm that you normally set up a fund for this type of Should have Just like a grant. That
will help us out invest that money prudently. We shouldn't be getting point 1% on it. Do know what mean?
Mhmm. Oh, you bring up a thing that's been bugging me for years, Diane. We should be getting a little bit more money because of the dollar amount of it. But with respect to this particular tranche of money, I don't think that's the point right now. I think the point is that we need to allocate, we need to create a fund just so we can allocate it and air market properly. On the GL side. Correct. Right, you know, when it comes to our general fund money and how it's, you know what's earning that's something I'd like to come back to and Diane here is our resident expert so I want to have that conversation again but I don't think with it with this one it's just literally we don't have to place
a fund approved so that when we deposit it tomorrow that we can book it in that fund. That's right. And then move forward with deciding
what to do, what to spend it on and that kind of thing. We create a place for it to live and then the board of selectmen figures out what they want to do with it in consultation and with so on and so forth. Absolutely.
Okay. So it has to be like a liquid fund? Yes. You can't take Do any
you know what I mean? We should not be taking market risk with it. No, not market risk, but Which get more than a regular checking account. Yeah. Which gets nothing. Give me by point 5%, damn it.
We'll take it. Yeah, hey. Any other questions for Sherry on the report? I'm good. Thanks, Sherry. Very well done. So
we do we have we don't appear to have any budget transfers or overexpenditure requests for this month or do we? No,
we do not. And you won't until I finally close out. Okay,
got it. Okay, we'll move on to agenda item seven, which is old business. Seven A is the software transition. Part of that is we have the new chart of accounts draft. I know that Diane had said that she had some questions on that. Sherry's included a draft of those chart of accounts in with our packet.
Correct. And I just merely gave that as a listing of chart of accounts to let you know that it's actually in the new system. And there have been accounts that have been deleted that are no longer necessary. Have been other accounts have been converted into the proper expenditure categories that OPM is looking for. And this by no means is set in stone. There are going to be other accounts that are going to be added as we go along. So I just felt that you should know that we're really doing well with the software transition. We're using it, and it's very user friendly. We've processed checks so far. We've done deposits. We've done purchase orders and journal entries. And I'm now putting the budget into the system via Excel spreadsheet that was generated by the system and kicked out into Excel. So I'm doing that right now. And I also talked to Eric, our point person on Edmonds Golf Tech. He's been very helpful and he's very good because he's an accountant. And he has a CPA background. So him and I kind of talked the same language, which is excellent.
He knows his accounting, and I'm grateful for that because he's been giving us some good advice and tips and we say how do we do this or how do we do that and he's right on it. So, I feel comfortable with that whole piece. We're working on the reporting right now to get out a report, a financial report, where it shows all the budget and expenditures and any encumbrances that we have and the balance. That's what we're working on right now.
Question on the reporting. When we see things like budgets or I guess I mean our financial reports, we just report the budget. We don't typically report to previous year, but that is going to be a little bit of a challenge when we're trying to compare year over year budget next year, probably correct.
In the budget preparation module, it does give you a column where you put in your previous budget and where you expended what your final numbers were. There's a column for that as well. Okay, so you can compare. You'll have them last year. Yes, we can even though the accounts. Yeah, and what you do is you build it in the budget preparation module, which I think is a nice real tool. And it produces all kinds of reports that you can rely upon to forecast what you want to expand, you know, as an expenditure moving forward. And it gives you the history from the fiscal year before.
Okay, Yeah. I mean, I think that's what we were talking about. This is a history and being able to show year to year changing the funds. We have to be kind of clear about because people get confused. It's easy to get confused when you look at a large spreadsheet and we've switched up where things go.
Right. I will be producing a crosswalk that will take us from our old accounts to our new accounts. Okay. Also, there'll be an instructional piece with the reporting once I establish what that looks like and what that is, so that you actually go from your old reporting format to your new reporting format. And then we have questions and we can answer those questions and then we can build on that based on our questions. If we need it tweaked or we done a different way, that's fine. There's no problem with that. The system is allowing us to do just that. So I think it's going to be a work in progress. And to say, okay, is this the report that you like? If you don't like it, tell me what you don't like about it. Let's work on it to perfect it.
Will you be able to develop for us like a cheat sheet? I'm interested in knowing a cheat sheet of the GL account numbers so I know what department number and object and what they all mean and what goes in that account. Do you know what I mean? Yes. So I say the numbers, but the numbers mean nothing to me. You can't really always realize the descriptors because you have to abbreviate it so much. Do you know what I mean? Uh-huh. I'm looking some kind of road map or cheat sheet that will give me a grid that says
Right. These are our department numbers. Here's the you know? There is a listing. Okay. And you can call up for anything. You can call up department numbers. You can call up object code numbers and what they mean. You can take basically the chart of accounts the way it's strung together in the account, and you can break it down piece by piece. It'll give you all your object codes, and then it'll give you all your department codes, and then it'll give you all your functionality codes, which are basically what you use this particular account for.
Definitely we could produce those listings. It's not a problem. It's helpful when we're reviewing the sheets. One other question I had is when I was quickly looking at that chart of accounts, this past year's budget, we broke out employee benefits by department. And I didn't know if it needed separate accounts in there or if that's done behind the scenes. I was expecting to see accounts.
No, they're going to be, remember that I told you we're going to add new accounts. Okay, so you're going to add those. Okay. So there are going to be a series of new accounts added. In particular, is in the insurance area. Also,
thought another one today was FICA and Medicare could be broken out too by department. Yeah. I'll have Yeah, that has anything to do with insurance related related medical, dental, life, whatever.
Everything. Yeah. So we can break it out by departments.
And my contention was don't bring those accounts over, but create them as we're setting things up in the budget. Okay, you know, and and taking that big spreadsheet that we have that's approved and creating the accounts that way. Okay, And putting the budget in there firsthand.
And one other thing when I was looking at that account really quick, and I saw this probably answers the question for to add new accounts. I didn't see the fund account for the community center in there. I saw like the fire department and things like that, so I don't know. That's
another that's another department, if you would, that we'd have to create or fund. Those are the kind of questions that I have for the auditor, how he wants to see that put on the financial statements, you know, whether it be a fund or whether it be designated as a department. Okay. So those are the kind of things we're gonna straighten out tomorrow. Okay. Perfect.
I that's all I have for questions quickly on that because I know it's a preliminary list. So Yes. It is. And once I finalize that,
I will produce a a document that you will have to see all the different accounts. Plus, you'll see it on the reports that we generate as well.
Thank you. Any other questions for Sherry on these account structure or the software transition in general?
I just had a quick question for Sherry, just to follow-up on what Diane was asking. So Sherry, basically the department numbers are say, like the 109 is the department number for the Treasury, just because I'm looking at what was used before. Am I right? You know, that's that's your department number because I printed your chart of accounts and I'm familiar. And then the objects are like the two hundreds, the three hundreds. Yeah, the 100 codes are like your style is the language she's masking too.
Yeah, 200 codes of benefits, that kind of thing. You
follow the same account code that the schools follow, basically. Exactly. Yeah. That's that's why it made sense to me when I saw it. Absolutely. And are you happy? You seem happy with the new system.
Oh, yeah. Very happy. Super friendly. I've used a good number of financial software systems Munis to name one and Infinite Visions were very high sophisticated software or applications. And then I use Phoenix before. It's in between a Munis and a Phoenix. So it's not bad. It's it's a step up for sure. And it's pretty user friendly. And exactly what you used of the way you did things in newness or in infinite visions are pretty much the same in GovTech. So I'm very happy with it actually. I was a little nervous at first, but it's going well. Even my assistant said that she's finding it very easy as well.
That was my next question because I know you must have so much work. I know what this entails, everything you Are you in Marina? I mean, know that's a new department. You guys are hand in hand, like at the training, or are you kind of often doing that? We're working very
well together, and we have a help desk trainer that we can call no cost to the town or the Board of Ed to ask our questions and what we need to know. We put him on speakerphone and we're both there listening to whatever it is. That way we can be backup for one another. That's important. Whether it be payroll or related like prime pay, we have prime pay on both sides. I'll be a backup for that as well. And then now with the AP system being GovTech, I'll be backing her up on that as well, and she will back me up on the journal entries and things like that need to get done. So we feel pretty confident that between the two of us, we ought to be able to keep up on it.
Yeah. It's nice to have the two of you. Yeah. Mhmm. Yeah. Really move forward. Thank you. You're welcome. Okay.
Alright. Thank you. Any other questions for Sherry? Okay. Thank you, Sherry. Next agenda item is the audit business or old businesses, the audit status rather we've already talked about that. Do you have any other data on that Sherry any other well,
he has the audit books with him done to be handed out. And he would like to know when he can come before the Board of Finance and do a presentation. We had talked today to him and Eric talked to him as well. And we were thinking maybe in August, it might be a good time to do that. But we don't know how you feel about that.
I would agree with that. We tend not to be super busy with a lot of business. We have some things we have to discuss, obviously, but we could certainly work him in as the first agenda item and then cut him loose. So he's not waiting around for anything else. Other board members to get any input on that. That makes sense.
Okay, so I can let them know tomorrow that he can plan on coming to the next meeting in August. Yeah, the Board of Finance. And then we can get that set up and on the calendar and on the agenda. So it would be August 25 at 7PM.
Correct. Okay. Yep. Okay, good. Right. I'll be good. Okay.
Next item is under his whole businesses seven C, which is the community senior center building committee.
I guess Diane, you have anything you work on that typically right now. Eric got the RFP got out there. We've got a bunch of bids that came in so they're being looked at now. And that's kind of where we are so once we look that's for the site work and site engineering work. Then once we get that then things will start moving along. Good. Sounds like progress.
But any questions or additional questions or four or five, Eric, we got four or five in. We got four bids in five but one contractor
did not actually submit a bid. So at least it wasn't just two.
That's good. That's good response during a time the contractors are often pretty busy so. Right. Pretty So reasonable, I think. Okay. Nothing else on that. Let's move to the next item, which is 7D, the Veterans Monument Park updates. I think we've all probably physically seen if you've driven by you've seen the physical changes there. Looks good. In fact, a guy who works for me lives out in Chaplin, he commented how nice it looks when he drives by. So that's my only input. Anybody have any other comments or Eric, do have any update on that?
No, we're still trying to set up a combination meeting with our electrician and the contractor that's going to be installing the sprinkler systems. We'd hope to do that tomorrow but that does not appear to be going to happen. So, but we're plugging along. Jerry is actually still fundraising. He would like to add one additional monument down there called the Soldiers Cross. But that has to go before the Board of Selectmen. They're the governing body that makes that determination, yay or nay. But we basically have the sprinkler system, bunch of electrical work to do. And we have the money that was left over from the COVID relief funds that the Board of Selectmen dedicated to that purpose. And I believe Sherry that that just got rolled into the building improvement fund. Am I correct? So that it was spendable from that? Correct.
Yeah, so that money is still available in this fiscal year to deal with that. So we shouldn't take additional board of finance input for that.
Anybody have any additional input or questions? Okay, item seven E is the building and land use department online permitting system.
Okay, so that with a little left will go online on August 9. Finally, it's been delayed, you know, a couple of months. But we're at the point where we're about to roll it out. And so that you know, the way that works is we're paying for that by simply adding a fee to every building permit that gets applied for that gets rolled back to the contractor in exchange for them providing the software and support to the town. So, the Board of Finance or the Board of Selectmen has wanted to go this way, but I presented them several options in the past that they would have had the budget for and spend money and they didn't want to do it, they wanted it for free. Well, we can't actually get it for free, but we basically done it in such a way that it's paid for directly by whoever's doing the application.
So it's cost neutral to the town. And I think you pointed out before that that's really in line with what many towns if not most are doing in the area in Connecticut, right?
Correct, correct. So yeah, we're there are not too many towns left that do not have an online permitting system
for public works. Well, and our fee structure is not out of whack totally either.
No, not at all. Not at all. In fact, when we were going over it, you know, and putting in our fee structure into PermitLink, The guy commented, there's a number of areas where, like for instance, for stuff related to zoning that he said, we're still kind of undercharging compared to most, what most people do. So we will revisit that at some point in the future, but at least we'll be able to get it in and up and running and we can adjust fees as we need as, because it's really the board of selectmen has to approve any fee changes for that. Okay.
Other questions for Eric on that? Okay, let's move on to item seven F, which is the affordable housing plan RFQ. You've got a sheet in your packet on that.
Right, so we've sent out an RFQ planner to help the town develop an affordable housing plan. At the same time, we wrote a grant, which we are more than likely going to get to fund it. If we don't get the grant, and the RFQ comes due about the time that we'll know one way or the other whether we got the grant, so we'll just hold off on evaluating. We're not under any obligation to go with any RFQ if the grant does not come through.
However, we would need to spend some money because we are legally obligated to have an affordable housing plan in place by I believe next June.
So there is some money left over grant from the last grant the town got for studying affordable housing, which I wrote like ten years ago, there's still $2,500 in that account that's available. And we would probably have to take some money out of the fund dedicated to the plan of conservation and development, the ten year POCD fund to do that. Now the affordable housing plan will be part of and is required to be part of the POCD. So, and as many of you, some of you know, some of you don't know, our next POCD is due in about three and a half years at this point. So normally it's a minimum of a two year process. So in about a year, the town is going to be starting on the next POCD anyway. So this will just be essentially one chapter in the POCD. So again, there's nothing you need to do at this point, we're just waiting to see whether we got the grant, and then we'll proceed down one path or another. Hopefully it'll be fully paid for through the grant.
Okay. So POCD, Planet Conservation and Development, right? Correct. Okay. Anybody have any questions for Eric on that one? That wraps up agenda item number seven, which is our old business. We have a couple of items of new business here. The first one is 8A and I think have a little bit of discrepancy between our packet and the agenda that Amanda sent out, we'll talk about that. The agenda that Amanda sent out, This is gonna be a little tricky. So I don't know if she has it, but the first one is the Eastern Highlands Health District funding request.
Eric, can you address that? Sure, so you got a letter in your packet. Basically what happened is, we all know COVID was a thing last year. Eastern Highlands Health District all total gave out something like 27,000 vaccinations. And I forget the total number of clinics they held, but it was they held an amazing number of clinics now, including some traveling clinics. Now one of the facilities that they used was the Mansfield Community Center room. And the Mansfield Community Center had asked to get reimbursed for the cost of the use of their facility, which the board of the Eastern Highlands Health District of which I'm one member felt that was appropriate to ask the towns to contribute because Mansfield turned over some a little over $100,000 of its COVID relief money directly to the Eastern Highlands Health District for this.
So Mansfield's kicked in over $100,000 none of the other towns have given any supplemental money. So what it comes down to in Andover's part is about a $1,200 request from our ARP funding to rebate the money that they owe Mansfield. And everybody kind of felt since Mansfield already kicked in over a 100,000 in their funding that it was reasonable to expect them to be rebated the 20,000 in expense for the use of the room and facilities. So that's what that is. The Board of Selectmen has motioned to authorize that, but I thought it was appropriate that the Board of Finance at least be aware of it, you know, to see whether you had any commentary on it.
Okay, thanks. I think I understand that. Any questions for Eric on that concerns, it seems appropriate.
And money wise that would qualify for those medical relief funds.
Yeah, it's very definitely an approvable expense. I don't think there's any issue with that. Do we need a motion? Do we need a motion here, Eric?
I don't think you need a motion because the Board of Selectmen has already authorized that. I think now that the funding, we actually have the funding, Sherry, after the board's motion can spend that. I'm just providing it to you because that will be the first thing we've spent out of that pool of money. So out of the $478,000 now we have $477,000 left.
It does bring up an interesting question about the authorization of the expenditures and the funds in that American Relief Act fund. I don't know if we have guidance from the federal government or the state or even our charter on how we would authorize approval of those funds since they're really external to our budget, outside of our regular budget process.
So I would agree that there may be a little bit of gray area and who does what with that funds. I think generally speaking it's probably you know if you look at the documentation it is because it essentially falls under I forget what the term of it is. But as far as I can tell, that's it's primarily a board of selectman decision. I don't think any of this requires Because if you look at the charter, anytime you spend like more than 0.5% of the budget, not including the RAM budget, that's not already part of the budget. And this is not part of the budget. It requires a town meeting to authorize. But that's only for unexpended funds and fund balance. And since this isn't fund balance, I don't think that applies. If you would like, I'll get a legal opinion from the town's attorney if that you know if you're interested, but I'm assuming it's primarily a board of selecting responsibility.
Input on the board of finance members on that issue I mean, is it worth having the town attorney examine it and render opinion. It's a lot of money. It's correct, it is a lot of money.
I think the priorities of spending the money has to start with the Board of Selectmen. I mean, they have priorities for the town and what the money should be spent on. Yeah, how to start there. My main thing is just tracking it.
And then accounting wise we have to have the paperwork and the things and we probably should review it, I would think, to make sure everybody's keeping the records properly.
Yeah, it's just maybe what we do is, as part of our normal financial review just have a general
review of how that money is being spent I mean to me I think like Town Aid Road you know have some kind of a ledger where we see the money coming in money going out what it's been spent on you know I mean so. Yeah I'm guessing we probably get that anyway and Eric has included this first.
Know anticipated expenditure makes sense to me. Any other thoughts?
I feel the same way Diane does, just as long as we have accountability of what's spent, I think that is all we need.
I do believe one of the things that should happen at some point is that there should be a meeting of the minds between the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance and CIP. And out of it should come a very clear, easy to follow flow chart of who authorizes what and when, you know, for capital purchases such as this. Because it's not really necessarily clear to me whose authority it is to prove, you know, and there are times when I just kind of approve it on my authority and other times it goes through Board of Selectmen, CIP and Board of Finance and you all approve it. And I don't necessarily know exactly always who should be approving something. And I don't really want to overstep my boundaries. But then again, I don't want
have to get approval by more commissions than I need to get something done.
Right, and I don't think that's explicitly called out by the charter in any particular way about capital expenditures. We probably need to have a clear policy on it. So I would be in agreement with that. Mark?
Yeah. Mark, I kind of agree with you on that where it's not really something in our town budget. We're actually refunding another town. So how would they look at that with that grant that we got? I'm just not sure whether the specific
It's going to Eastern Highlands, right? Right. It's a payment to Eastern Highlands Health District, which is our health district, health district coverage. So I think there's no question that's an applicable use of that money. Okay, you've used them before in other words? Yeah, they are health district, so yes. Okay, gotcha.
So just to circle back to what Eric proposed and this is really kind of another topic and maybe we need to literally have it should I think we should consider a committee for this as much as that makes me cringe a little bit to add a committee but the, the with the what the Charter says the Board of Finance shall establish in consultation with the tip and board select Michelle establish and maintain written purchasing procedures and policies which include. Timelines and procedures for submission of capital equipment purchase requests. That probably falls under that procedures type thing. If it's not clear in such procedures, and I'm sure it probably isn't, then we probably need to revisit that. That's food for thought. I don't think we need to address it tonight, but that's something I think we need to do a better job of in general.
It's a timely discussion from that standpoint. Okay, any other questions on this particular funding. Oh. Okay,
so the next agenda item is a little bit confusing because in the packet it's it looks like it got it got missed but in the actual agenda that was posted on the town website. We do have the ram field installation and in our packet we do have a I think a letter. Feasibility study okay so that isn't I think the letter was actually an email that got submitted, so I don't know Eric if you were sharing want to comment.
Information right because that's got to go to referendum and everything.
Correct yeah There's no vote to be done on this side. Right.
So the RAM Board of Education voted at one of their meetings to send this to referendum in November of this year. And they have the right to send that to referendum. They have are supposedly preparing some letters and additional documentation. Their intention is to do some public meetings. And
they have asked the boards of selectmen of the three representative towns, whether the boards would like them to present to the boards of selectmen. If you so chose, I would tell them that they could present to your next board of finance meeting, if you so chose in August. I just got that letter today so I sent it to the Board of Selectmen because that's who it was addressed to. But if you want them to appear at a Board of Finance meeting, I don't know whether the Board of Selectmen is going to want to have them at the next board of selectmen's meeting.
We do a combined meeting for that. I mean, both people should probably put it this way. I was paying $70,000 for ten years is a big hit.
So I told him I thought it would be a nonstarter in the town of Andover. Right. And that it was gonna generate a lot of negative commentary. Right. But, you know, it doesn't, I'm just the administrator. So me telling them that is kind of irrelevant. If you want to harden them up, send them a letter from the Board of Finance, tell them to pound sand. That's your board, your prerogative if you choose to do that. But that's not for me to sign, that's for you guys.
Only curiosity is I don't know how when it goes to referendum with the three towns, does it have to pass in all three towns or is it just grouped together as a total. So, budget right so, but we could,
we could lose, we could completely vote it down here and it could pass. But I think it's worth mentioning that, you know, and we a lot of people and myself and I know Eric's made this point. There wasn't a lot of representation at the board, the RAM Board of Ed meetings, we probably didn't have as much voter turnout as we like. There's still an opportunity to impact this if people were aware enough of it and we're willing to go out and vote. That's going to be the kicker, right? So This is this referendum going to be held in the normal voting cycle, then November public Eric yeah so. So maybe you know, maybe that's an opportunity and you get a better turnout but that's going to be true in all three towns, so if you feel strongly enough, you need to make sure they go out and vote for this.
It's worth trying to have them come present it in a larger public forum. Collective meeting Board of Finance Board of selectmen. Yeah. Trying to get some people. With
the budget now, I mean, I think the residents need to hear that. Yeah. They want a good chunk of money from us. We just zeroed out our budgets.
I mean we just did that. All right. And now there's, you know, this comes down the pike. Yeah, fully, I fully agree that we need to be good to have some kind of presentation and hearing. Should be available online and as well as possibly in person, you know I think that having the board of selectmen and board of finance members available to ask questions is a good idea. Real audience for this needs to be the voters.
Kind of my yeah and the taxpayers, and if they have to do it with a zoom meeting at least they get the information direct, you know, make them work for their money.
You know, yeah. I mean, they should work for the both one way or the other. Right? So Yeah.
Okay. So I just got this came in this afternoon, but I'll read you what it says. We will likely host virtual information meetings on August sixteenth and nineteenth. I would like to offer you the opportunity to have RAM board members attend any upcoming board of selectmen meetings to review the project and answer any questions. But I'm sure they would entertain a combined meeting or a board of finance meeting if you requested that of them.
Just for reference that's a Monday and a Thursday the sixteenth and the nineteenth.
Personally, I would also suggest that they need to hold informational sessions closer to the time of the vote. I mean that's three months in advance. Everybody's on vacation.
Yeah, exactly. You know so that may be a request that we make I don't know that. Let's have something October, you know.
Really quickly and then right after the vote and we had such a hard time with the vote, it just seems awful to have to ask the public, you know, I for one attended a lot of the RAM meetings and it really, there's no opposition at all. I was the one person, I think I told you guys at some of your meetings that spoke up, you know, and I, it was hard to do it, but I did it because they just, it goes right over their head. And I know that this is viewable, but for such a big commitment, such a big dollar amount when our own channel needs so much work and bonding, I mean, just needs a little time. You know, I, as soon as Amanda sent it out and I looked at it, I was glad that they had the breakdowns and everything so that we could look at the costs. But I mean, when you look at some of the things, site improvements,
227,000, changing the scoreboard. I mean, I get when you're redesigning a field, no one's a bigger sports fan than I am, but it's just, like you said, it is droning up our, the people to support. Dollars, I don't it's a lot of money.
Yeah. And I mean, it's just, it's hard, we just got through the budget season and if we're gonna have people, it's not that this can't be thought out, I'm sure there's a need, they're gonna have their whole town there, they're gonna have everybody that supports it. So like you said, Diane, the votes, it's in markets, it's going to be the votes and depending.
It'll be over $4,000,000 when you're done with it, because there won't be cost. What
I would what I'm going to suggest and you know we think we can think about this, but what I'm going to suggest is, first of all, I know Paul is on, but they probably haven't had a chance to really digest this, you know we let the board of selectman also. Digest this and consider you know my my personal feeling is that we should encourage the voters to review those one of those public meetings. Maybe we can do attend if we can, but I would suggest that we in concert with the board of selectmen. Have our own we you know, hopefully with the Ram folks in attendance, you know have our own review of this prior you know if forced the issue in a month or so, weeks prior to election or to the referendum and actually just suggest that we have a separate information session to make sure that people are well informed and have got the most up to date information.
Yeah, and just just are aware that this really important thing is coming up in an off year where nobody's really thinking about it. You know and it's this huge amount of money that you know in the past you get 50 voters to show up so we need to do better than that. Yeah.
Well, I think as a board, you guys all need to make a decision where you're at on this. Because in a sense, you do represent the finances of the town. So you probably should as a board make decision whether you're going to back it or whether you're going to oppose it.
Yeah, I think that's fair. I don't think we're in a position to do that now. Think we should wait until these public information sessions have been held. So possibly at the next board meeting, we have that as an agenda item. It'll we've got an under new business now it'll fall under old business. The next meeting. So does that sound appropriate to you guys?
Excuse me. Can, can I just mention if we're having the auditor come to the next meeting for a presentation do we want
ram coming is that going to make for a super long meeting or. Think no I don't I don't necessarily want them at a board finance meeting. I'd rather have some type of combined meeting or I think where the board of Slack meeting is more likely to have some attendance to it. Think we should put as much behind that as we can. That's my personal thinking.
Eric, have you had any discussion with Hebron or Marlboro on this, the town manager and the first electman in Marlboro? Have This came out. That that may help too because you know if you recall I mean both both Hebron and Marlborough were were were wrestling with budgets you know not as bad as us but you know during a budget season also, and I'd like to get the get the feeling, you know, beforehand of where they're at, because there it takes one one like like if they all the Hebron voters turn out and they could pass this thing by themselves, and the Andover and Marlborough can turn it down. And if you look at this, this has been going on for a long time, and they've actually added to their wish list of athletic field improvements, and it's really bad timing for everybody as far as I'm concerned, you know, the year we would I you know we're not even sure over with COVID yet, believe it or not, and here they are looking for
it's gonna be well over four million when they're done, no doubt about it.
Historically they have not done a good job managing any project over there. Exactly
they're still repairing the school. Right. You know from everything it fell apart on that $75,000,000 school they got so it's
it's it's it's I mean they're timing it really because don't isn't their last bond payment in this budget cycle so they're timing it to yeah spend that money in a new bond payment right?
Just as we thought we were out, they dragged us back in. Right.
Well, if you recall, there was a there was a big issue with it. This is synthetic turf system for the fields. 1,000,000 Oh, nice. Right. $1,044,000, and that's tucked right in there nice there's number two. I'm sure it's priority so you know it's crazy. Yeah. Now the way our the last heavy heavy water we got what kept the field together down here in Long Hill as far as I'm concerned I was sitting there talking with Scott Persano watching the water flow over everything and I recall you know that when it was when they were ball fields everything washed down the Hop River. Well that there are grass fields down there that we spent a lot of money on that that that saved the day because that that field, you know, the minor feel it's minor, the, you know, the costs of fixing what would happen there. That grass that grass field held up very, very well. So that's just my, my thoughts.
Yeah, I mean, I'm just gonna go, you know, piggyback on what Mark says that what we want here is the maximum amount of public engagement. So having them show up at a random Board of Finance meeting in August makes no sense to me.
Yeah, I do think Eric's probably right, though, that if we feel strongly about it as a board, we should provide some recommendation that which, know, in and of itself, hopefully will garner some interest and maybe media coverage, etc, that can then be kind of a launching point. And I'm sure the board of select one will feel likewise. I'm guessing.
I think we just we just reach out to the board of selectman, let them know our feelings, you know, tonight, and
see which way they want to go. Oh, Paul is on so she's got it firsthand. She's paying attention. Okay, good.
I'm assuming those meetings on the sixteenth and nineteenth are going to be zoom meetings probably right. I don't think they're going to be in person. Good questions you know where I don't have any information. They have been doing everything with zoom. Yes, they have. We
can listen to that and then probably pick it up at the next meeting. For all the downsides, it certainly makes it much more accessible and puts the meeting recording available for everybody. I
think it's important to hear why they think they need it. I want to get the facts of, and I was wondering if you guys have faced this every year. I mean, feel like I've been hearing a lot of field things like, so maybe it's been a little bit here, a little bit there, and now they're going for this big improvement, but I think it's good if we all educate ourselves as to why they want it now.
Yeah. And it's also important to ask them, ask them pointed questions and make them answer them. Yeah. You know, what's the counterfactual? You don't do this. Okay.
I don't care why they want. I mean, it's a good investment.
Wanna be informed too. I mean, I don't wanna always come in saying no. Like, I feel like I know a lot of things when I say things about school budgets. I don't know, I mean, I've been hearing about the fields, I know about fields, but why now? Why does it have to be this big improvement? I feel like they've been taking money every year and doing things. Why hasn't it worked? Why now? And
that's part of their argument and that's what we need to tease out is that it's not working this way. We have to shift gears and do a turf field. And I wanna hear more about that. Like why? Me too. Me too. Yeah.
So And they had the one meeting that I went to when they were deciding how they were gonna hit all the towns with the capital projects because they have their two budgets. So there were huge amounts of money that they had then and they were gonna do a little bit here, voted into a meeting here and they ended up doing it. It is in their budget, you know, like you said, there wasn't a lot of people voting no to that budget. It passed pretty handily. Surprising, you know, even, you know, I'm shocked at our town doesn't represent better, but they had some pockets of money that maybe they could have used then if they really needed some of these things that are itemized and they refuse to, they have other projects. So we're not only funding that to the tune of the 5,000,000 or whatever Andoverpays,
now we get hit with this while everybody's on vacation. Like let's slide it in. So I like your thoughts of moving it along.
We're not past the COVID issues yet. This school year is all gonna be tough going into this next school year with all the variants out there. Right. Fair enough.
I think that we can discuss this as board on our next meeting as an old business item. And I don't, I think we're in agreement, it sounds like that we don't need a presentation, but that we would expect to maybe work with the board of selectmen to to have some type of presentation focused on and over and over voters if we can swing that maybe a little closer to the referend of time, but we can talk about it next week. Next month. Next month sorry. You. Me more. I know.
And into this now we're getting all excited what's going on here All right. Okay, if there's nothing else on that then we'll, we'll treat it next. Next meeting. The next item under new businesses HC was to discuss funding for the one hundred and seventy fifth anniversary committee $500 We have Miss Paula King as a guest speaker here today so the chair recognizes Paula Paula you wanted to talk to this.
Yes, sorry I just just got in the house here so I hope you can hear me okay. Yeah, gotcha. Hi all, thanks for putting this to the agenda. I am asking for some funding for the one hundred and seventy fifth anniversary committee. I'm going to be their new liaison and they are asking for a bank account that they can have their names on that they have access to. They're asking for minimal amount of money about $500 they have a lot of they're very ambitious and I love their planning they're going to be selling cookbooks and hats and pens and card magnets and things like that so in order to get that off the ground they need a bank account and some money so that they can kind of get these things rolling and then from there the sales of those items are going to be self sufficient. So this is kind of seed money. And that's,
this is just kind of seed money for that account to get that, then you'll expect other funds coming into, we're not just setting up another checking account for $500 to be expended. Okay, no, no, if they're, they're looking for an account that they you know, when they have to pay for
it pay these vendors to get things rolling for you know their cookbooks and things that they're going to be selling to the public. They need something to you know to get started with so that they can get things off the ground and then they were they were hoping to and forgive me if I'm ignorant about how these accounts work they were hoping that they would have the ability to go in and write checks and you know deposit stuff and do things on their own. I had a look I had a conversation with Eric about this. I had a conversation with Sherry about this because I wanted her to you know kind of talk to the auditor to see how how that would go and Sheri, I left you a message. Don't know if you talked to the auditor on Monday just to see if that was something that would concern them. No, I got your message.
The auditor unfortunately just came back from vacation. So I wasn't able to get to him. But today he was at the Board of Ed doing the preliminary audit and tomorrow he'll be at the town. That was my first order of business to ask him questions about this account. And as soon as I get an answer from him tomorrow, I was going to reach out to you and let you know the information. That's the second guess I could get this addressed because he's willing to, you know, take my questions and discuss these things tomorrow morning. I should have an answer by tomorrow morning.
What are you? What are your what are your thoughts, Sherry? Is this something that that my thought is perfectly it'll
fine. You just have to have good accounting of the money, checks and balances and receipts and deposits and
how would, how would that happen possibly because you know somebody would need to keep track of that I mean is that something I'm sure you would reconcile with the member of the committee every month. I mean who somebody got to be like the treasurer. Yeah. Somebody's like that.
How is the account going to be titled? Because then a person
who may not be a title How is the accounting questions that I have for the May not be authorized to ask funds. Who's gonna be responsible for these kind of things? And yeah. So that's why I'm going to have that conversation tomorrow morning first thing. And
fundraise that account as well. Ask, I asked you are they going to fundraise and put money in that account take donations in. Yes, that's what I'm hearing.
All right. And the ladies who are representing this committee, very detailed ladies Kathy Palazzi, Catherine Lewis, Linda Armstrong, Mary Annella Chalfant, Sue Slater. I know all these ladies very personally. I've worked with them with PTA stuff and town things so they're very detailed with and very organized with keeping records and they'll do their best. Have no doubt that they're gonna reconcile and do what they need to do from their standpoint with the town. So I if I didn't feel comfortable with the ladies or gentlemen or whoever was in this committee I wouldn't have come to you for you know to ask this request but I'm totally confident that they're going to keep records and be very diligent about working on the account.
I think it just kind of lends, I think Sherry's right, we get the auditors
input on it and it just lends itself to following a set of procedures that are defined and I think it's how the accounts going to be titled who's going to be the owner of the account. Right. That's one of my questions.
That's definitely I'm still sort of trying to figure out how Sherry isn't have to be involved in every transaction. Right. Yeah. I mean, some point gotta be It was the end of her fundraising association.
You know? My hope is that they can record their transactions. And when the bank statements come in, I act like a quasi auditor and audit the bank statement and double check all the transactions throughout the month and balance it and make sure it looks But you're gonna go to a bank and the bank's gonna ask for documents for the title to the account.
So is he I understand. But that's that's like I said, Diane. That's my first question for the auditor. Okay. And then after that, all these other questions are going to fall into place. I hope to get all these answers tomorrow. Okay, we'll take it from there. What do you need from us? I'm lot dollars. Right, right. Just, know, your your approval that you emotion pending approval. $500 are pretty lean. Extra God. $500
after we balance the books for the year. I'm not sure we can take action until we hear back about the auditor's comment. Alright. Yeah, we can't do anything. Kinda what I was asking.
Yeah. I'm good. Yeah, the timing of this is unfortunate. Know, he was on vacation, so I was hoping that everything would fall into place. So I don't know if you can make a motion and say hinging upon, you know, the auditor feels comfortable or I you know however you want to handle it if it's got to be discussed at next month's meeting then it needs to be discussed at next month meeting so But it's just unfortunate he was out of town. It just didn't work out that way.
Is there some urgency behind this? They just kind of eager to get going?
They're eager. Don't meet every month. I believe they had a meeting this month. So they just they want to get the ball rolling because as we know, we love our town. We love, you know, everything that goes on, but it just sometimes we hit some roadblocks and just takes things longer. So they're hoping that by the fall they can have some of these answers so they can start getting going on their cook book and these other items that they're looking to print.
So I'm okay with waiting until next month after we get some opinion from the auditor. Other option I think would be that we could vote to authorize the funding and separate checking account. Dependent upon you know the committee following procedures established by Eric and cherry. John You know, as the town administrator and town finance director, and we could do it that way that you know if they and obviously the town auditor expressing some level of comfort, although that's kind of. Lucy goosey I'm not sure how to do that. Eric you have any input on that or.
You'll have an issue on the bank side that's where you're gonna have an issue so. I'm okay with that.
Yeah. So, you know, thank you for pointing out the bank side.
Bank side, if it's gonna be a town account, it has to be a town authorized person, which would be Sherry would have to open the account. If it was just me, it's $500 and it's not the dollar amount it's the mechanics you know. Exactly and that's what I'm worried about here is that
I don't want to make a mess when I mean maybe there's another way of doing it even but paid to the card. That's what we should be doing.
I really think August meeting we need to take this back up and after the auditor has a chance to talk about it.
Sherri, can it be like a student activity account like at the schools how we have people that manage money just like you're talking about, they keep all of the receipts, make that as long as you have one authorized person like you're all talking about. And then Sherry is the auditor of it as far, I don't know, that's what they do for all the student activity accounts where we have people that are responsible I for don't know, this is bigger because it's the town, just my little. Well, that's a good point. In a student activity situation,
you have building secretaries that handle Yeah. A lot of it. Like and it could be a number of secretaries that handle it. So Right. There's we don't have staff like that. You know what I mean? So I want to do it as efficiently as possible. And I don't want to be, you know, run into the bank and, you know, not No, of course not. Yeah. So I'm going to have this discussion with him and see the best way to set this up so that we can comfortably know what is going on in this account and also to be as the treasurer to audit it in a proper way.
Eric, you started to raise your hand. Did you have input?
Yeah, I just wanted to say, this is not completely new territory for us anyway. I mean we already essentially have a library board, which has its own checking account. Fire department or fire Fire department and we have a third small one for the senior activities fund which we funded a couple thousand dollars a year. And they do the same thing they, you know, they get half the money in July, they have to bring us all their receipts from the first half of the year, documenting all their expenses, they get the second half. At the end of the year, they give us a check register. So, know, we've been doing this before, it's just one additional group that we're doing it for. The only difference is that like at least the senior activities group, they have their own checking account that's not through Peoples, not through our bank. We just cut them a check. This will be something that's a Peoples Bank account in the town's name, but specific to that committee with essentially different signers.
I would assume we'd probably have the same requirement for dual signatures on checks. And you know since we have that or you as a board have that as a policy but it doesn't seem like it's something that it's not doable it's just we got to work it out. Yeah. It strikes me as doable.
Has been sold to M and T Bank, so they're gonna go through a conversion this year. Yep. Ready for that.
All right. Any other does anybody want to make a motion do we want to table so we hear back from the auditor about how it would work and Sherry and how it would work.
Well, sounds like as long as we wrap this all up by August meeting, we would be okay and then they could get running with it in September, right? Yeah. Way. So we can make a motion next meeting.
Alright. That's my gun on it too is is get the auditor comment. I mean, it does stink that it's one day. One day. But at the same time, if if the goal is to get hit the ground running and fall, we should be able to do that next meeting.
And any expenses could be reimbursed in that account if the committee so decides that somebody pre expenses some money right so they could reimburse them as long as documentation is there there's some ways they could do some of that. Okay, so sounds like I'm failing to hear emotion and we authorize this and the expectations we'll get a little more information next meeting.
Make sure it's on the agenda and we'll do it. Okay,
all right. Thank you, I think we'll we'll do that as it sounds like the consensus is. All right, well that takes us to item agenda item nine, which is the approval of the meeting minutes from Wednesday 06/23/2021 regular meeting minutes. Anybody have any comments. I want to make a motion.
I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from Wednesday June 2321.
Okay, we have a second. I'll second it. Okay, Louise seconds, any discussion. Okay, should we have a vote, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? And one abstention, that's me. I wasn't at the meeting. I'll abstain. Okay, the motion passes. Thank you. Agenda item 10 is liaison reports. Do we have any reports from our committees? We already heard about senior citizen committee or senior center committee from or function from Diane. Does anybody have anything else?
Apologies, Bill. The last couple of CIP meetings I haven't been able to make. Volunteered for this thing and then this summer got crazy with kid camps and stuff like that and I just haven't been able to make it work. So I've missed the last two CIP meetings. So Eric can probably fill you in if there's anything important.
Okay. Nothing. The big debate has been the last CIP meeting did not have a quorum so there was officially no meeting. However, we did informally about what we were going to do with the library chimney and I have enough information to go back to the original contractors and request a more specific set of specifications for what they want to do. The members that were there were pretty well in agreement that what we wanted was a complete teardown of the chimney essentially from the roof line up, which was a little more extensive than what we had quoted. So the goal will be to get those requoted and then, you know, I'm basically as soon as they're all requoted, you know, we'll look at them and just go for it.
Yeah, thanks. All right. Anything else from any other liaison committees? Don't know that we have any other than CIPC in the senior center or community center, I should say. Okay, hearing none we'll move on to agenda item 11 which is board open discussion. Somebody have anything else to bring before the board.
We still have some motions to make I assume on those new accounts we have to set up. Part of the software right.
We talked about earlier. There was, three accounts being set up. Right? So
it would make sense to formally motion to set up a community connectivity fund, a fund specifically for the American Rescue Plan, and a recreation fund. Those would be the three if you were amenable. Know, Sherry is going to do it as part of the the setup. But since technically only the Board of Finance can create funds, it would make sense for you to motion to allow those three funds to be created.
It would make sense to do it at this meeting because Jerry's got work to do to get it set up for this fiscal year.
Right, so we should do it now unless anybody has any reason we shouldn't do it. Obviously the rescue fund money is a no brainer. Have to have a fund to put that in. So that's how to get done. Yeah. I personally don't have any issue with the other two. So unless there's something else, why don't we make why don't we get a motion on the floor to just do that as proposed? We need Sherry, I assume you will create you'll generate the numbers.
Right. It'll be a new account number and with a fund assigned to it.
Okay. So because a lot of times we make a motion, we specify the number. There is no number. We're making There's no number yet. Not yet. Right. So
our three are the American Rescue Fund, money. Yep. Right? Recreation Committee. Recreation Committee. Yep.
And what was the third one? And the third one is. No, it's the first thing we go. Connectivity grant fund.
It's bad, I tell you. I'll make the motion right off. It works earlier in the Let's say, Grant, we're always trying to figure out what it covers, right? So as
stipulated, I would move that we create those three funds and tasks Sherry with appropriately setting them up in our accounting software. Second.
Hey, Curt seconds. Any discussion? Sounds reasonable to me I hesitated on the recreation funding fellow Derek explained why it was there, it does make sense, based on that. So I'm good with that I understand and agree that that should be identified separately and used appropriately. Any other discussion. Okay I'll call for a vote all those in favor say Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed. Any abstentions? Motion passes unanimously. You. I think it's appropriate. Thank you, Rob, for bringing that up. All right. Any other further board discussion?
I want to know how Kirk can sit outside and not have the mosquitoes carry him away. I was just gonna say I lost the sun went down and mosquitoes are eating me alive right now at Andorra. They're pretty brutal right now. They're pretty brutal. Can't walk down my driveway. Was just wooden. I go outside. They come from miles around to eat me. Oh gosh, the path.
All right. Okay. Hearing no further Board of Finance business discussion we'll move on to agenda item number 12 which is public speak. Anybody would like to contribute any public speak or comment? Okay, hearing none agenda item 13 is adjournment. Do I have a motion to adjourn? I'll make the motion. Kerr makes a motion Second. To Rob seconds. Any discussion? Okay. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? And any abstentions? Okay, none, the meeting is adjourned. Thank you everybody. We'll be in Thank you.