City Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Jun 24 2024 3:37 pm City of Fitchburg Massachusetts 01420 CITY COUNCIL Councillors at Large President Ward Councillors Anthony M. Zarrella Sally H. Cragin Ward 1 – Bernard J. Schultz III Marcus L. DiNatale Ward 2 – Paul R. Beauchemin Amy Green Vice President Andrew J. Van Hazinga Ward 3 – Andrew J. Couture Elizabeth R. Walsh Ward 4 – Andrew J. Van Hazinga Anthony M. Zarrella Ward 5 – Marisa R. Fleming Ward 6 – Derrick J. Cruz COUNCIL AS A WHOLE COMMITTEE MEETING Legislative Building, 700 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. The Council as a Whole Committee Meeting was called to order by President Zarrella at 7:44 PM. The meeting opened with a salute to the Flag led by Councilor Schultz. The clerk called the roll and 11 Councilors were present (Cruz, via Zoom). Also present where members of the Finance Team: Jacquelyn M. Cronin, Auditor, Anne Cervantes, Treasurer, Chris Paquette, Chief Assessor, Myles Phillips-Wilcox, Deputy Chief of Staff and Hon. Mayor Samantha Squailia. The agenda will consist of the following: The Honorable Mayor Samantha Squailia and the finance will formally present in detail the FY2025 budget to the City Council for Airport, Police, Fire, Department of Public Works, Water and Wastewater. The Budget and related Orders to be addressed are as follows: I. BUDGET ORDERS-FY 2025 124-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget: General Fund $169,788,795 Water Enterprise $8,396,998 Wastewater Enterprise $17,655,832 Airport Fund $1,084,715 125-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($700,000), same to be credited to the Fiscal Year 2025 TAX LEVY and charged against OVERLAY SURPLUS. 126-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,200,000), same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to the Fiscal Year 2025 TAX LEVY in order to reduce the tax rate. 127-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of THREE MILLION TWO HUNDRED THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED NINETY-TWO AND 37/100 DOLLARS ($3,203,292.37), same to be charged against RESERVE FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES and credited to the Fiscal Year 2025 TAX LEVY in order to reduce the tax rate. 128-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($80,000), same to be charged against PARKING METER/GARAGE RECEIPTS and credited to Fiscal Year 2025 accounts as follows: Treasurer Personal Services $ 20,000 Treasurer Expenses $ 60,000 129-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($50,000), same to be charged against PEG ACCESS AND CABLE RELATED FUND RECEIPTS and credited to Fiscal Year 2025 accounts as follows: Information Technology - PEG Expenses $25,000 Information Technology - PEG Capital $25,000 130-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($15,000), same to be charged against CEMETERY SALE OF LOTS AND GRAVES and credited to Fiscal Year 2025 CEMETERY PERSONAL SERVICES. 131-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of EIGHT MILLION THREE HUNDRED NINETY-SIX THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY-EIGHT DOLLARS ($8,396,998) same to be charged against WATER ENTERPRISE FUND RECEIPTS and credited to Fiscal Year 2025 Water Enterprise Fund accounts as follows: Personal Services $2,318,468 Expenses $2,180,500 Indirect Costs $1,410,000 Debt Service $1,988,030 Capital Expenses $ 500,000 132-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SEVENTEEN MILLION SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO DOLLARS ($17,655,832), charging $15,240,002 against WASTEWATER ENTERPRISE FUND RECEIPTS and $2,415,830 against WASTEWATER ENTERPRISE FUND RETAINED EARNINGS, and credited to Fiscal Year 2025 Wastewater Enterprise Fund accounts as follows: Personal Services $2,932,460  Expenses $5,179,584 Indirect Costs $1,510,000 Debt Service $6,329,788 Capital Expenses $1,704,000 133-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of ONE MILLION EIGHTY-FOUR THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTEEN DOLLARS ($1,084,715) same to be charged against AIRPORT RECEIPTS RESERVED and credited to Fiscal Year 2025 Airport Fund accounts as follows: Personal Services $ 359,955 Expenses $ 724,760 134-24. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the following Revolving Funds, authorized by City Ordinance, up to the amount available in the fund or $100,000 (except Public Health Sustainability which shall have a FY2025 limit of $750,000), whichever is less: Revolving Fund Authorized Official Animal Control Police Chief Civic Days Mayor or Mayor’s Designee, Recreation Director Communication Tower & Equipment Fire Chief Community Development Community Development Director or Designee Demolition Community Development Director or Designee Public Cemetery Cemetery Superintendent, Public Works Commissioner Public Health Sustainability Public Health Director Public Library Library Trustees, Chief Librarian Traffic Enforcement Police Chief Traffic Safety Equipment Police Chief Senior Center Activities Executive Director of the Council on Aging Sidewalk Public Works Commissioner Stormwater Maintenance Public Works Commissioner FY25 - Final Budget Mayor Squailia addressed the Council with the following remarks: Dear Honorable City Councilors, I am honored to present the official Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for the City of Fitchburg which breaks down as follows: • General Fund $169,788,795 • Water $ 8,396,998 • Wastewater $ 17,655,832 • Airport $ 1,084,715 This budget reflects our collective commitment to addressing the financial challenges that lie ahead while continuing to provide essential services to our community. We are facing significant fiscal pressure through FY25, FY26, and FY27 due to upcoming obligations that have been made and our upcoming schedule of debt payments. The projects we have borrowed for and the competitive contracts we have awarded have stretched our financial resources thin. Over the past few years, we have relied on free cash to balance our budget and pushed revenue estimates higher without corresponding measures to increase needed revenue to balance these actions. Additionally, we are seeing unprecedented increases in health care and school transportation costs. Despite these challenges, our finance team worked collaboratively with our department heads and city staff to deliver a balanced budget for FY25 that does not cut existing staff and meets Fitchburg’s current needs. Our goal is to ensure financial sustainability into the future years while continuing to provide the high-quality services our residents deserve. Future fiscal year planning will begin immediately following this budget, where we will be actively identifying efficiencies, reviewing programs and staffing levels, and prioritizing our city’s comprehensive safety, educational, and infrastructure needs. This budget is not just a financial document; it is a plan for our city’s future, reflecting our collaborative efforts to provide for our community’s encompassing critical needs while ensuring we maintain fiscally responsible budget management for our taxpayers. Please feel free to schedule an appointment with our department heads for any questions or concerns, or contact my office anytime 978.829.1801 or mayor@fitchburgma.gov. Samantha M. Squailia, Mayor The meeting adjourned at 10:24 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, City Clerk