HomeMy WebLinkAboutAd Hoc Fiscal Committee Minutes - August 5, 2009_201402060901501963
Town of Nantucket
Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee
Minutes – Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee Meeting, held August 5th, 2009
Draft
A duly noticed meeting of the Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee was held in the conference room at #2
Fairgrounds Road on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009, commencing at 9:00 AM.
Present: Facilitator Dual Macintyre, Rick Atherton, Jenny Garneau, C. Elizabeth Gibson, Greg
Keltz, Neil Paterson, Dr. Robert Pellicone, Dr. Janet Schulte, Justin Strauss, John Tiffany, and
Constance Voges.
Absent: None.
Also present: James Kelly, Malachy Rice, and Steve Sortevik.
Call to Order:
Mr. Macintyre called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM.
Review and Approve Agenda:
The agenda provided by Mr. Macintyre was approved as presented.
Approval of Minutes; 17 June 2009:
Mr. Strauss moved that the minutes be approved as submitted, seconded by Ms.
Garneau. So voted unanimously.
Discussion of Revised Draft Report:
Mr. Macintyre directed membership to copies of a revised draft report. He pointed out
several changes incorporated into the report, including one that included some descriptions of
the exercises used to arrive at conclusions. In considering criteria for essential services, Mr.
Macintyre highlighted the need for time periods to be clearly specified as well as the need for
Minutes – Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee
August 5th, 2009 Page 2 of 5
functions to be clearly defined. He added that there is also a great need to ensure that the
criteria are being consistently applied.
On the topic of potential efficiencies, Mr. Macintyre stated that he attempted to
compile member recommendations in order of priority based upon data collected from an
earlier exercise. He added that he also divided the efficiencies into either long‐term or short‐
term items. Mr. Macintyre explained that he used two criteria to create the list of efficiencies:
the average score from member evaluations and the number of people that voted for a
particular item. Among items receiving broad support were renegotiate Waste Options
contract, remove Our Island Home from the Town’s budget, and establish Management by
Objectives within the Town.
Ms. Gibson stated that she wished to comment on the list of potential efficiencies. In
response to a recommendation to outsource road maintenance, she pointed out that the Town
does very little road maintenance other that filling potholes from time to time. In response to
the recommendation to establish Management by Objectives within the Town, Ms. Gibson said
that while this may be considered an efficiency, she believes it is a management issue. She
added that this item seems to be approaching future options for the Town on a much more
detailed level than that with which the Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee is tasked.
Ms. Gibson then commented that the language suggesting that Our Island Home be
removed from the budget. She recommended that this language be changed, as simply
removing the nursing home from the budget is not a viable option. Continuing, Ms. Gibson
referenced an item suggesting that the Town examine its subsidy to the Nantucket Regional
Transit Authority. She explained that there is no subsidy but instead an assessment from the
State. Mr. Atherton commented that this assessment is practically mandated by the State. Ms.
Garneau spoke of the difficulty the Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee faces in achieving the goals with
which it has been tasked, stating that membership does not always have enough information to
achieve objectives. Mr. Macintyre responded that these are high level suggestions for another
party to consider and added that he included every item put forward by membership in order to
capture the focus of the Committee.
Discussion then centered on the language contained within the draft report with
membership expressing concern that members of the community may misconstrue the intent of
the Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee. Mr. Macintyre agreed to incorporate language into the report
that would specify that options would only be examined and that these options would be
examined for feasibility in regard to the FY 2011 budget. As discussion continued, concern was
also expressed about the level of detail within some recommendations and the knowledge of
membership in regard to these recommendations. Mr. Atherton asked if there will be a point in
the process for there to be a final consolidation of ideas while incorporating both the
suggestions of the Committee and Town Administration. Mr. Macintyre answered that a final
report will be provided to Town Administration for internal review and they in turn will present
the report to the Board of Selectmen with a response to these recommendations.
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August 5th, 2009 Page 3 of 5
Several different formats were suggested to incorporate all of the ideas elicited from
membership while explaining that some items cannot be done because it would be illegal to
implement the item, the item is mandated or the item is already being done. Ms. Gibson asked
to speak to some of the items listed in Appendix B. She pointed out:
• “Right‐size department and Schools” might be better stated as examine staffing levels;
which is something the Board is working on for FY 2011.
• Minimum and maximum wage scales are already included in all union contracts.
• Zoning enforcement and the Building Department are already consolidated.
• An examination of combining Police and Fire has already been implemented as a long
term plan. It has been included in the current Police Department project.
• Outsourcing of beach maintenance is already in place. She suggested that this might be
amended to beach management.
Mr. Paterson asked for clarification on an item stating that there should be an
examination of all payments from enterprise funds. Ms. Gibson answered that these payments
are for an indirect cost assessment from the Town. Ms. Voges stated that the process of
reaching agreement on a formula for assessing indirect costs has been long but it appears that it
is almost complete. She asked to speak to some of the items listed in the draft report. Ms.
Voges pointed out:
• The Town is actively in the process of implementing centralized purchasing for all
departments.
• A problem with outsourcing Town and School payroll processing is that it would still be
necessary to have someone in the Town to send all of the information to the processing
company.
Mr. Macintyre stated that he will edit the document per the recommendations of
membership and then submit a new draft report.
Discussion of Cost Reductions:
Mr. Macintyre distributed an unedited list of potential cost reductions submitted by
membership. He noted that many of the items are also on the list of efficiencies. He suggested
that members go through the list and edit statements or eliminate them. Since only five
members responded to his request for potential cost reductions, he stated that the discussion of
these items would begin at the meeting but also allow for more input prior to the next meeting.
The suggestions were as follows:
• Buy out department heads and replace with new hires at lower salaries.
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August 5th, 2009 Page 4 of 5
• Save five percent in salaries across the board through furloughs and layoffs.
• Eliminate full‐day kindergarten.
• Privatize Our Island Home.
• Charge patients for Med‐flight support.
• Increase the number of pupils per teacher in the School.
• Outsource building and grounds maintenance at the School.
• Right‐size the Town of Nantucket Finance Department.
• Stop hiring consultants except as extra hands when necessary.
• Examine Human Services funding.
• Institute a wage and hiring freeze.
• Move Annual Town Meeting to a single eight hour day, on a Saturday.
• Reduce the number of drive home vehicles.
Mr. Macintyre stated that due to time constraints the discussion would need to be
suspended, but asked if a comprehensive list of consultants could be provided to the
Committee. Ms. Gibson and Dr. Pellicone answered that they would provide the information.
Presentation of Homework for the Next Meeting:
Mr. Macintyre asked the Committee to go back and revisit the potential list of cost
reductions. He added that he will e‐mail the current list and asked that membership identify
items that may have been covered elsewhere.
Public Comment:
None.
Date of Next Meeting:
The date of the next meeting was scheduled for August 19th, 2009, at 9:00 AM in the
conference room at #2 Fairgrounds Road.
Adjournment:
Mr. Macintyre asked for a motion to adjourn that was “so moved” by Ms. Garneau. The
meeting was adjourned at 10:38 AM.
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August 5th, 2009 Page 5 of 5
COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES
1. Develop criteria for essential services.
2. Recommend expense reductions or efficiencies in current operations.
3. Recommend actions to increase municipal revenue.
Prepared by Craig Abernathy