City Council - Finance Committee

Finance Committee Minutes June 11, 2025 Members present: Chair Tom Peake, Councilor Koni Denham, Councilor Peg Conni (Remote) Members absent: None Also in Attendance: Chief Chad Alexander, EPD; Chief Chris Norris, EFD, Hetal Patel Auditor; Emily Russo, HR Director, Mayor Nicole LaChapelle; Dr. Michelle Balch, School Superintendent, Greg Nuttelman, Director, DPW Meeting called to order by Councilor Peake at 5:30 pm 1. Public Speak Time: No one from the public chose to speak 2. Approval of the Prior Meeting Minutes: None to approve 3. Mayor’s Communications: None 4. New Business: Interdepartmental Transfer • $44,845.05 for the PEG Access Account for cable related purposes FY25 • Money from Cable company paid to city for franchise fees This transfer moves it from the inbound account to the account for Easthampton Media • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 Supplemental Appropriations • $136,000 to fund the design and installation for upgrades to Water Dept. SCADA System • Supervisory Controls and Data Acquisition. Controls are obsolete. IT was able to obtain a grant for half the cost of replacing and shoring up the water system and this has been a known entry point for hackers. • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 • $128,000 to fund the installation of the new return & waste pumps at the WWTP • Motion: Councilor Peake, Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 ff ff ff  • $307,000 to fund the construction of repairs & upgrades at the Love eld St. WW Pumping Station • Full repairs are needed and full rehabilitation is needed. • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • $2,400,000 to fund General Stabilization, Capital Stabilization, Tax Rate Stabilization • Free Cash was certi ed on 5.28, and council made it clear to shore up General Stabilization so this is a higher amount being moved into the account. Moving $1.8 M to General stabilization. Capital Stabilization has a healthy balance but more equipment expenses so moving $500K back to that account. $100K to Tax Rate Stabilization to provide a bit of a bu er for taxpayers. • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 • $19,309.60 to fund Cannabis Stabilization to cover de cit • Intent was to use all the remaining Cannabis Stabilization to support FY25 budget but it was put into wrong account. Would like to get this de cit o the books so it doesn’t hit free cash. • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • $9,102 to pay Workers Comp Audit Adjustment invoice for FY24 • Every year the liability insurance and worker’s comp is an estimated amount. In November an audit is done. Sometimes the City gets a credit back and sometimes the City owes more. This year, the City will owe more. • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • 270,000 to cover the remaining health & dental insurance premiums for May, June, July 2025 • To cover remaining expenses for health and dental for active employees, school and retirees. Rates are going up 18% next month but the premiums has to be made the month before plans people will be selecting. Hard to predict what plans people will select in advance. The total request is divided into Active City/Retired City and Active School/Retired School employees. City pays 75% of active ee’s and 50% of retired ee’s. • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • $20,945 to cover liability adjustment & deductible invoices for FY24 fi ff ff ff fi ff ff fi ff ff fi  • Request to use money from this year budget for ongoing claims from last year. • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • 15,000 to cover the remaining exp. for Fire Dept. Injured on Duty from FY23 • Claim that is still being paid for from prior year (2023). The person is still an active employee. • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 • $113,010.14 for Police O cer retirement buyout, overtime expenses, anticipated cruiser supplies • $50,510.14 costs for contractual payout for retired police o cer. $57,000 for over team - 1 o cer on pregnancy leave, 3 o cers on FMLA, K-9 o cer in Training for 12 weeks, o cer deployed to South Africa or 11 months and additional o cers in National Guard, 1 open slot as a result of the Chief position being lled, 1 o cer retired, 1 new o cer. So this is for OT. $5,500 cruiser maintenance primarily for tires. The overall cost for cruiser paint was much more. • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 • 321,230.45 to cover a shortfall in the Snow & Ice Removal budget for FY25 • Salt was expensive this year. And the need for this is di cult to anticipate YOY • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • $2,000 to cover a shortfall in FY25 Animal Control Professional Services • Contract with West eld rates went up from $689/mo to $811/mo. In addition, each time animal control has to make a response its $50 and $100 after hours. If the animals requires rabies shots that is additional costs. Councilor Peake asked if contract with West eld is the best deal we can get. Chief Alexander stated that for this year it is but there can be other options to look at next year. • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • 14,930 to cover cost of EMS supplies for remainder of the year & cost for re, • police & dispatch fees. • $11500 ambulance supplies: To cover maintenance and upkeep for 2 ambulances. $3430: Invoice Fire paid for Police, Fire Dispatch. This money was not budgeted. Going forward it will be budgeted. These are unanticipated expenses. fi ffi ffi ff ff ffi ff fi ffi ffi fi ffi ffi ffi ff ff fi ffi ffi  • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 • $40,000 for Fire Dept. medical eval., re apparatus repairs, hose testing & extrication equip. • Medical evaluations for new hires. Repairs for equipment - Ladder truck needed a new diesel exhaust lter and that was $10,000. $7000 for annual service testing of hoses. $7000 for extrication equipment testing. $3000 Fire education as more people are continuing education. $1500 Building Equip, $1500 for Vision 21 system which is the re alarm transmitting stations across the city (Call boxes). • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 • $28,000 for funding for School & City Medicare expenses FY25 • Mayor explained that this is di cult to anticipate each year. The city tries to get as close as they can but this are the overage from their best attempts. • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 • $300,000 to cover de cits in the School Dept. for unanticipated Special Education tuition and trans. exp. • Four areas of budget de cits this year. Out of district for special ed as IEPs changed; Special Ed transportation; Foster care transportation; special instructional costs and student evaluations. • Motion: Councilor Denham, Second: Councilor Conni APPROVED 3-0 - Request from the Police Dept. for a creation of a donation account supporting mindfulness and meditation in the Police and Fire Departments. • Grant received from Easthampton Savings Bank for mindfulness and meditation • Motion: Councilor Conni , Second: Councilor Denham APPROVED 3-0 Motion to adjourn at 6:22 PM made by Councilor Denham and seconded by Councilor Conni . APPROVED 3-0 5. Old Business: - FY 2026 Municipal Budget - Quarterly scal reports from the City Auditor ff ff fi fi ffi ff fi ff ff fi ff fi fi 6. Next Meeting: TBD No additional business to discuss. Respectfully submitted, Councilor Peg Conni ff