WINDHAM SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (WSWMD)
BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT
FINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES OF
December 14, 2017
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Merrill Mundell, Chair, Wilmington; Jan Ameen, Westminster; Jim Damato, Readsboro: Cheryl Franklin, Guilford; Tim Franklin, Vernon.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Tony Gordon, Marlboro.
WSWMD STAFF PRESENT: Bob Spencer, Executive Director; Vicki Hayes, Office Manager/Bookkeeper; Kristen Benoit, District Clerk/Program Coordinator.
OTHERS PRESENT: Michelle Cherrier, Chair, BOS.
Mr. Mundell called Meeting order at 5:50 p.m.
1)Changes and/or Additions to Agenda: Add to agenda Approval of Minutes, 1a, and Discussion of PILOT,
1a) Approval of Minutes from 11/30,2017: Motion made, seconded, and carried to approve the Minutes of November 30, 2017.
There was discussion regarding the meeting of December 5th,where there was no quorum and if minutes should be prepared.
It was decided to defer to the BOS a policy on preparing minutes for meetings with no quorum in order to be consistent amongst committees.
2) Review Check Register- November 2017: Several items on the check register were discussed including Construction and Demolition disposal costs, and the cost of outsourcing payroll.
3) Review Financial Statement- November 2017: The committee reviewed the financials for November. Vicki noted that revenue is still tracking favorable to budget by 16%. Expenses were discussed, and it was noted that salaries and benefits were 9% over budget due to the half-time person that was added to the staff, but offset by favorable income due largely to baling and selling cardboard. Total Expenses are 11% over budget..
4)Consider draft FY 19 Budgets and Assessments: The committee reviewed two versions of the proposed FY 19 Budget, one with revenue from the solar facility lease at $102,000/year, and one without.. The committee discussed the need to increase staff for training a new employee in anticipation of the possibility of one of the staff retiring in January 2019. It was decided that in order to not increase the total assessment for the possibility of staff retirement, that a separate line item should be added, and funded by Solar Lease income. It was agreed to make the changes to the budget worksheets and send them to the Finance Committee on Monday 12/18.
Motion made, seconded, and carried to recommend to the Board of Supervisors, the FY19 budget with Solar Lease, and Total Revenues of $710,741, Total Expenses of $916,174, and an assessment of $307,433.
5) Update and Discussion of Brattleboro payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT): Jan Ameen and Jim Damato updated the committee on their meeting with Patrick Moreland, Assistant Town Manager, on reducing the PILOT. Patrick has agreed to present a PILOT of 5.5% to the Brattleboro Selectboard. The final agreement will probably not be in place for the final budget so an 8% PILOT will remain in the proposed budget.
6) Executive Session (if needed): None
7) Next Finance Committee Meeting: Public Hearing on Budget December 19 at 5 PM, and meeting January 4th, 2018 at 6PM.
8) Other Business as Legally Allowed: None
9) Adjournment: Meeting was adjourned @ 6:40 PM
Vicki Hayes
Office Manager/Bookkeeper