City Council - Finance Committee

CITY OF EASTHAMPTON OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL Easthampton Municipal Building 50 Payson Ave., Ste. 100 Easthampton, Massachusetts 01027-2260 Telephone #: (413) 529-1460 Fax #: (413) 529-1417 Finance Sub Committee meeting 3-11-2020 Chair – Dan Rist Members –Bill Lynch (Clerk) – Peg Conniff Councilor Rist called the meeting to order at 5:30pm. Minutes for last meeting Councilor Coniff motioned, Councilor Rist second and it passed 2-0-1 Public communications – None New Business – Request to accept MGL Chapter 40 – This would allow the City to have the cannibas money into the Stabilization fund. If it went to Free Cash we would not have to wait for it to be certified, the stabilization fund would gain interest and we would have the ability to monitor how it is spent. Councilor Lynch made a motion to recommend it to the full council to accept the paragraph, Councilor Coniff second the motion and it passed 3-0 Supplemental Appropriation for $25,000 to be transferred from CPA reserved for Historic Preservation to be appropriated to Historic Structure Inventory – Main st. Ext. This funding would be repaid up to 12,500. In order to get the amount repaid to the city would be after the completion of the project. This would build a register in the city for a main street area. This would add 100 new structures to the files that we do not currently have. It would benefit the City in the event someone would want to remodel or demo historic buildings. Councilor Coniff made the motion to approve Councilor Lynch second the motion and it passed 3-0 Continuing Business Review Salaries and Stipends – more information coming for next meeting around the last raises. This will continue next meeting. Proposal to accept MGL Chapter 44B to have an exemption for the surcharge on property owners – Councilor Rist has questions on who monitors it, who qualifies for it and how does it get confirmed. Moderate senior income and low income qualify and there are specifics that would need to be verified. Must be reapplied annually by the residents. There is a request that we get the amount or a ball park amount of what this impact will be. The CPA reviewed and is in favor of it to protect the seniors. Next meeting is 3-25-2020 at 5:30pm in room 1. Councilor Lynch made a motion to adjourn second by Councilor coniff and it passed 3-0 Submitted by, Bill Lynch