According to the draft agenda we got on 10/2:

1. Approve minutes of September 24, 2014

2. Review Special Articles for fall Special Town Meeting.

Dispatch Overtime
The Police Department is requesting an additional $22,000 for the FY2015 Dispatch Overtime budget due to additional costs incurred filling a vacant position, to be funded from Free Cash.
• The vacancy created by a retirement last fiscal year has just been filled for the 3rd time.
• Both previous replacements quit before completion of training
• If newest employee seems to be working out by time of town meeting, requested amount will be reduced to as little as $15,000 on town meeting floor

Airport #2
Appropriate $12,000 to replacing or repairing the roof of the house located at 321 Miller Falls Road, to be funded from Airport Retained Earnings.
From Airport Manager Mickey Longo:
• The roof is estimated at 15-20 years old.
• The leaks are causing damage to the kitchen ceiling, back hall entrance ceiling, two bedroom ceilings sharing a common wall, and the ceiling of the hallway connecting the kitchen to a bedroom.
• I had just finished painting the entire interior of the house last fall and the leaks are staining my work.
• The roof already has two courses of shingles on it and we can't put a third one over it. It must be stripped, covered with felt paper and waterproofed at the ends of the roof. The roof is "wavey", but we are not rebuilding it. It is an old farmhouse and we just want to make it leak-proof. The roof will still have waves in it after re-shingling.
• I've discussed the job with contractors and I do not believe there is a cheaper way to fix it properly.
• The airport intends to keep the house for rental purposes until the house needs to come down due to an airport expansion, if ever (10 -15 years?) or until there is a catastrophic failure of the structure or it needs some level of work or repair which makes it unprofitable to invest in those repairs.

Library Repairs
The DPW is requesting $10,000 to make the following repairs to the Millers Falls Library and the Carnegie Library, to be funded from Free Cash:

Work to be done:
Millers Falls Library Roof -
• power wash existing shingles
• install new shingles rear slope
• install new plumbing vent boot
• repair header over book return to fix sag
• install new 6x6 presser treated post to replace broken post and
• associated work.

Carnegie Repairs –
• to bump out on right hand side of building,
• cover over existing roof edge with flashing with new brown aluminum flashing
• seal to rubber membrane roof
• scrape prime and paint all wood trim from top of windows to new roof flashing and
• any other associated work

WPCF Lab Software
The WPCF is requesting $20,000 for lab software, to be funded from Sewer Retained Earnings.
• What makes this different in character from the S/W updates that are part of operating budget requests? The lab data program (1982) updates ceased some 10 years ago, the company went out of business, there have been no payments for support or upgrades since then for this program. Is this a NEW suite or an UPGRADE? The request is for a new program.
• Was this forecastable during the FY2015 budget cycle? We have been aware of this for a number of years, so it was forecastable during the FY 2015 budget cycle but decided to keep it going as long as possible.
• Will annual budgeting cover periodic updates to this software? Yes.

WPCF FY2015 Budget - Engineering
The WPCF is requesting $20,000 be added to the FY2015 Budget for Engineering Services, to be funded from Sewer Retained Earnings.

WPCF Wages
The WPCF is requesting $13,700 be added to the FY2015 Budget to fund the temporary employee for an additional period of time to total 1 year. The employee is not expected to take health insurance, but there is sufficient budget to cover this cost if needed. The total amount would be funded from Sewer Retained Earnings.
• The FY2015 budget appears to include — in addition to the Sup’t and Lab Tech — four Grade 5 operators, two Grade 2 laborers and a secretary @ 25 hrs/wk. Except for the secretary all were budgeted as full-time. What is this temporary employee doing that will be extended in time? We will be increasing the number of thickened sludge loads received at the WWTP, this will also increase revenue. The laborer will pick up lower level work, i.e. painting, cleaning, snow shoveling, trash etc. from other personnel to allow them more time to handle the increased number of loads.
• Is this extension of a temp position driven by a longer-term operating need or a desire to convert an "agency service" into a benefited, formal employee position? This is a possibility. Should we continue to be successful in our efforts to expand revenue generation thus covering the increase personnel wages and benefits then I will seek to convert this position to full time benefited. Should we not be successful then we would return to seasonal employment.
• If an operating need, is it likely to be permanent (and has the Selectboard endorsed the addition)? See above and no I have not discussed with the Selectboard but have with Mr. Abbondanzio.
Sewer Retained Earnings to Sewer Capital Stabilization Fund
Appropriate $100,000 to the WPCF Capital Improvement Stabilization Fund, to be funded from Sewer Retained Earnings.

Sewer Retained Earning to Reduce Sewer Rates
The WPCF is requesting to use $294,000 of Sewer Retained Earnings to reduce the FY 2015 sewer rates. This is the amount needed to level fund sewer rates for the 5th consecutive year as voted by the Board of Selectmen

TFFD Reimbursement of Medicare Revenues
Appropriate $16,084 to reimburse the Turners Falls Fire District for the portion of Medicare reimbursements received by the town that were related to the Turners Falls Fire District Retirees, to be funded from Free Cash.

3. Respond to letter from Jeanne Golrick

4. 10/29/14 Special Town Meeting - Selectmen to approve and execute draft warrant, attached hereto

5. Set next meeting date
October 22nd or 27th for items relating to the STM
November 5 for items resulting from STM
November 12th to discuss FY2016 budget cycle

6. Topics not anticipated within in the 48 hour posting requirements

Miscellaneous Information:
• Reserve Fund = $50,000 Avail. Stabilization = $698,293
• Available Free Cash = $903,432 Avail. FCTS Stabilization = $488
• WPCF Retained Earnings = $486,453 Airport Retained Earnings = $13,744

Next Meetings: See #4

Future Items
• Invite GMRSD Superintendent and Business Manager to discuss the Excess & Deficiency Fund and GMRSD forecasted non-assessment revenue.