Budget Committee
Minutes
Meeting 10/292003
PRESENT: Chairman Peter Webster, Members Earle Jenkins and Breda Ryan,
Select Board Representative Art Bartholomew, School Board
Representative Martha Macomber
CALL TO ORDER: The Meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM
MINUTES: The Minutes of the September 24 meeting were approved as written by a 3-0 vote in favor with Martha Macomber and Art Bartholomew abstaining.
2004 Budget Process Schedule: The Schedule for 2004 Budget Meetings was discussed and a proposed calendar distributed by the Chair (copy attached).
Master Plan: Copies of Ch8 of the 1994 Master Plan were distributed to show how the master plan can be used to help us reach our 0 based budgeting
School Budget Involvement: Peter Webster shared his conversation with Sandy McLaughlin regarding next year’s budget and its Capital Needs. She also said that the teachers and the School Committee were negotiating a new Teachers Contract. Martha Macomber brought the committee up to date on some of the issues facing the School Committee regarding a way of reducing the budget by increasing class size in certain cases
Review of the Town’s 2003 Total Net Assessment and 2003 Tax Rate: Peter Webster reviewed the Town’s 2003 Total Net Assessment which is 549,000,000 and the new 2003 Tax Rate that was set at $12.85 per $1,000 in valuation.
Updating The Town’s Computers and Software:
Zero-Based Budgeting: Our goal is to use Zero-Based Budgeting; however, because town expenditures are dictated by the basic levels of service Town residents expect, it may be more relevant to review those assumptions (e.g., hours of Police coverage, number of students per class, road conditions). These assumptions directly affect the cost of operating the Town and school. Peter Webster noted that the Town is working on a new Master Plan and that now may be a perfect time to review basic “service” assumptions and include those goals outlined in the new Plan. He will discuss this with Master Plan Committee Chair, Mike O’Donnell.
Our Performance vs. Other Towns of Similar Size: It was decided to set up a program after the Budget Process, February or March.
ADJOURNMENT: The Meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM.
NEXT MEETING: 5:30pm, Thurs. January 8, 2004 @ Town Hall
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