HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-9-28Minutes for September 28, 2017, adopted by FinCom Dec. 18
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Town of Nantucket I i f f4-
Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, Capital Program Committee
Joint Meeting 2017 OEC 21 PM 12:15
xaww.nantucket-ma.gov
Minutes
Thursday, September 28, 2017
4 Fairgrounds Road, Training Room — 4:00 p.m.
CapCom called to order at 4:03 p.m. by Kickham
FinCom called to order at 4:03 p.m. by Worth
BOS called to order at 4:03 p.m. by Hill Holdgate
Staff: Libby Gibson, Town Manager; Gregg Tivnan, Assistant Town Manager; Brian Turbitt,
Director Finance; Julia Lindner, Financial Analyst; Terry Norton, Town Minutes Taker
CapCom Members: Christy Kickham (Chair), Peter McEachern (Vice Chair), Jason Bridges, Nat Lowell,
Stephen Welch
FinCom .Members: David Worth (Chair), Stephen Maury (Vice Chair), Christopher Glowacki, Joseph Grause,
Peter McEachern, Joanna Roche
BOS Members: Dawn Hill Holdgate (Chair), Matt Fee (Vice Chair), Jason Bridges, Rita Higgins, Jim Kellv
Absent Members: Richard Hussey, Peter Kaizer, Denice Kronau, Henry Sanford, Clifford Williams
Documents used: FY2019 Capital Project Request From; Worksheet: Capital project Requests — Ranks of
Relative importance to CIP Prioritization Criteria
ANNOUNCEMENTS1.
Discussion Kiekham — Introduced the subject of the meeting.
Welch — Explained the goals and intent behind establishing the new process. Walked through the
categories of the Revised capital request form. Explained the form is filled out by department
heads and reviewed with Town Manager before submission to CapCom. Mentioned the form is a
form -to database solution designed to provide various functionality, otherwise requiring an overly
complex process; explained how the database can be used for various analytical process and to
provide customized reports required for informed evaluation of requests and after -action review.
Explained other intended benefits, including to limit human data -input error and redundancy;
explained how, once the database is on line, any personnel cost information would be
automatically inserted under Basis for Cost.
Kiekham — The ranking sheet would not replace department interviews and the committee
review process.
McEachern — F1nCOm wants to know the personnel costs; this provides that information. This
is an educational document for all the boards involved in the process.
Welch — The CapCom recommendation can now include a summary of increased/ decreased
personnel costs if those costs affect capital allocations; this and other personnel information will
inform the CapCom evaluations and final recommendation to FinCom and BOS. Also the
information retained in the database would help department heads and Town Manager track
anticipated versus actual personnel costs as a project progress.
Explained the Worksheet groups and criteria and how the Worksheet prioritizes each project. In
response to a question about CapCom's newly adopted ranking process, he is not aware of this
particular ranking system in use by other towns; explained our ranking system is derived from a
system created in the 1970s and used internationally which analyzes complex decisions based on
mathematics and the psychology of multi -criteria group decision making.
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Minutes for September 28, 2017, adopted by FmCom Dec. 18
Roche – Asked how this would tie into the Town Strategic Plan.
Welch – Explained how as more variables come into play and the CapCom process is refined,
criteria and rankings can expand accordingly to guide behavior which supports the strategic plan.
Kickham – Noted that this requires every committee member to comment on every item.
Welch – Explained that after the department head presentation and before the next CapCom
meeting, each member completes a ranking worksheet with the results inserted into a spreadsheet
that consolidates and automatically provides the group -rank for the project.
Kelly – This prioritization worksheet is a very robust CapCom tool based on sound statistical
thinking. As a Board of Selectman, he's most interested in the process.
Welch – As a tool, it has a lot of potential to inform and more so as criteria are added, refined,
etc. CapCom will include in each evaluation a discussion of relative rankings. This information
informs CapCom decisions and its final recommendations to help inform FinCom and BOS.
Worth – If there is a public safety project and a infrastructure enhancement project that improves
the quality of life, asked how those get weighed out.
Welch – In time, more granularity and sensitivity- needs to be built into the system, we consider
this a phased process—changes and refinements are required. These current criteria are from the
financial procedures and priorities established in 2016 by the Town. CapCom can always fall back
on discussion -based evaluation as other parts of the process are being developed. Explained the
Pre -ranking priorities (Imminent Threat, Legal Requirement, Phased Funding, and Placeholder)
and how these can bring an otherwise low -ranking project to the top. Beyond Joint Priorities in
front of us today, suggests these three boards work with Town Manager to develop a more
unified capital allocation process; key elements being a single plan that identifies longer -range
requirements and anticipations while incorporating community- goals and some degree of
financial modeling. Current model, which is pretty widely used, has various drawbacks even if we
focus on the same goals in a couple of meetings each year—just can't get far enough ahead.
Suggests various TON plans as resources; lot of ground already covered in those plans, these
include Master Plan, Housing Prod. Plan, Facilities Maintenance Plan, Comprehensive
Wastewater Management Plan, etc.
Kickham – Stated that as CapCom chairman, he never was able to coordinate with the Town to
get information on the BOS priorities.
Gibson – She has gotten feedback from the BOS that infrastructure is a high priority; that will
come through in the ranking process.
Kickham – CapCom has a FinCom and a BOS representative that can bring concerns and
thoughts of those boards up at CapCom meetings and inform the recommendation.
Hill Holdgate – In the BOS first strategic planning session, the priority is year-round,
affordable, and workforce housing, then all transportation issues, and lastly environmental issues
and quality.
Kelly – Noted CapCom might think about how to solicit thoughts on capital expenditures from
department heads in regards to the strategic plan priorities.
Gibson – She should be worrying about that. She has tentatively scheduled another joint meeting
on Tuesday, December 12 after CapCom has gone through its review process; at that time
CapCom will have its recommendations.
Turbitt – Have identified a database developer. He believes department heads are thinking more
proactively.
0
1. CapCom: 5:24 by unanimous consent
2. FinCom: 5:24 by unanimous consent
3. BOS: 5:24 by unanimous consent
Submitted by:
"Ferry L. Norton
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