HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Selectmen Minutes January 4, 2010_2014020616201923361
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Minutes of the Meeting of January 4, 2010. The meeting took place in the Court Room, Town and
County Building, 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. Members of the Board present were Rick
Atherton, Brian Chadwick, Michael Kopko, Allen Reinhard, and Patricia Roggeveen. Chairman
Kopko called the meeting to order at 6:01 PM.
PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING FY 2011 BUDGET
Chairman Kopko opened the public hearing. Town Manager C. Elizabeth Gibson presented current
projections for the FY 2011 budget and reviewed options for reducing the projected municipal
budget gap for FY 2011. She said potential changes to the budget include reduced local revenue,
the level of state aid available, the Barnstable County Retirement final number, and the projected
Solid Waste Enterprise Fund (SWEF) subsidy from the General Fund.
At 6:25 PM Mr. Reinhard left the meeting.
Chairman Kopko opened the public hearing to public comment. Mr. Atherton said he feels the
Town should ask Town Counsel to freeze its legal services rates again for FY 2011. Mr. Chadwick
added the legal services retainer should be included in a possible freeze as well. School
Superintendent Robert Pellicone asked what the Board’s feelings are on a $1 million operating
override. Mr. Atherton said he doesn’t feel the budget numbers received to date have been
sufficiently refined to conclude whether an override is needed or not. Ms. Roggeveen said she is
committed to the SWEF being dealt with rationally. Mr. Chadwick said it is too early to “get married”
to any of the numbers. Chairman Kopko agreed with Mr. Chadwick and said everything is “on the
table” at this point. Middle school teacher Steven Sortevik asked when final numbers on the SWEF
and landfill legacy costs will be forthcoming noting that he feels more cuts in the school will result in
cuts to teachers and aides, which will directly affect student services. School Committee member
Robin Harvey added that the services needed to provide to students are “immense”. School
Committee vice-chair Melissa Murphy asked how the SWEF can be sustained and paid for going
forward, adding a global perspective is needed in terms of how cuts affect services. Chairman
Kopko said that the SWEF “bill” has to be paid every year by the taxpayers. A discussion on the
SWEF followed regarding revenues vs. expenses, and how to find a long-term funding source.
Finance Committee chairman Jim Kelly said he feels the school is doing the “yeoman’s” work in
dealing with budget cuts and the sooner Town Administration gets the budget numbers out the
sooner the school can move forward with its budget. Chairman Kopko said the Town should move
forward to establish an enterprise fund for Our Island Home. Chairman Kopko closed the public
hearing.
The meeting was unanimously adjourned at 7:05 PM.
Approved the 27th day of January, 2010.