Finance Committee

City of Fitchburg Massachusetts 01420 CITY COUNCIL Councillors at Large President Ward Councillors Jeffrey A. Bean Michael P. Kushmerek Ward 1 – Amy L. Green David Clark Ward 2 – Paul R. Beauchemin Marcus L. DiNatale Vice President Ward 3 – Joel R. Kaddy E. Thomas Donnelly Amy L. Green Ward 4 – Michael P. Kushmerek Dean A. Tran Ward 5 – Angelo J. Bisol, Jr. Ward 6 – Jody M. Joseph Finance Committee A meeting of the Finance Committee was called to order by Chairman DiNatale on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 6:01 p.m. in the Memorial Middle School Library, 615 Rollstone Street, Fitchburg, MA. Committee Members present: Councilors Angleo Bisol, Marcus DiNatale, E. Thomas Donnelly, and Jody Joseph Other Councilors present: Councilors Paul Beauchemin and David Clark Others present: Mayor Stephen DiNatale, Mayor’s Chief of Staff A.J. Tourigny, City Auditor Calvin Brooks, Police Chief Ernest Martineau, Police Captain Steve Giannini, DPW Commissioner Lenny Laakso, Interim Executive Director of Community Development Liz Murphy, Deputy Water Commissioner John Deline, DPW Business Manager Nelson Mui, FATV Glenn Fossa 143-17 ORDER: That there be and herby is appropriated the sum of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND, ONE HUNDRED NINETY-SEVEN DOLLARS ($200,197), same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to the following Fiscal Year 2017 Personal Services Accounts: Police Personal Services $193,100 Other Benefits $ 7,097 Discussion: A.J. Tourigny indicated that copies of the Memorandum of Agreement for the new police contract had been distributed to Councilors last week. He thanked the negotiating team for their professionalism. An educational incentive was added for officers hired after 2010 who have worked for six or more years. Councilors were told that the incentive makes Fitchburg more competitive with neighboring communities that offer incentives similar to the Quinn Bill. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 105-17 ORDER: That the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the U.S. Department of Justice Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (JAG), administered by the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, in the approximate amount of $49,881.15 (FORTY-NINE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE AND 15/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant. Discussion: Chief Ernest Martineau informed the committee that this competitive grant was awarded to the city to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic. The grant has three parts. The first is drug interdiction work with users with an estimated 200 four hour mobilizations. The second is purchase of six portable radios. The third is training younger officers by sending them to drug interdiction school. Councilors expressed the hope that spending money at the street level will be a wakeup call to someone. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 124-17 ORDER: That the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Pedestrian Safety grant awarded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research, Highway Safety Division in the approximate amount of $3,061.28. Discussion: Chief Martineau stated that funds from this grant will be used for education and enforcement to prevent underage youth from buying or having access to alcohol, including social host education and compliance checks at liquor establishments. Action: (4-0) be adopted 126-17 ORDER: That the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research, Highway Safety Division in the approximate amount of $4,950.63 (FOUR THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED FIFTY AND 63/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant. Discussion: According to Chief Martineau, this grant is directed toward improving education and enforcement of pedestrian and bicycle safety. One part involves decoy operations to educate drivers on crosswalk violations. Councilors asked if there is a list of grants that have been awarded to the police department during the budget cycle and were told that the information is included in the Police Department annual report. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 106-17 ORDER: That pursuant to the Municipal Modernization Act effective November 7, 2016, the City of Fitchburg hereby accepts General Laws Chapter 40, Sections 22A-22C, which establishes a Receipts Reserved for Appropriation special revenue fund to reserve parking meter or lot revenues for appropriation for parking and traffic regulation activities. Discussion: Calvin Brooks reported that Parking Fees used to automatically go to a Receipts Reserved account. The Municipal Modernization Act directed that the funds go to the General Fund. Acceptance of sections 22A-22C will continue to have Parking Fees go to a Receipts Reserved account rather than to the General Fund. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 107-17 ORDER: That the City of Fitchburg hereby accepts General Laws Chapter 44, Section 53F¾, which establishes a special revenue fund known as the PEG Access and Cable Related Fund, to reserve cable franchise fees and other cable-related revenues for appropriation to support PEG access services and oversight and renewal of the cable franchise agreement, the fund to begin operation for fiscal year 2018, which begins on July 1, 2017; and pursuant thereto, effective July 1, 2017, the City hereby transfers to the PEG Access and Cable Related Fund the remaining balance in the Cable-Gift account in the approximate amount of $100,743.88 (ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY-THREE AND 88/100 DOLLARS thereby closing the Cable-Gift account. Discussion: Brooks stated that the city has been using a gift account to account for the PEG Access funds which come to the city from various cable contracts. The Department of Revenue will no longer allow the city to account for the funds in that way. This order will set up a Receipts Reserved account similar to Parking Fees, with amounts to be appropriated by City Council. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 113-17 ORDER: That the City of Fitchburg hereby amends the City’s general ordinances by adding a new section to establish and authorize revolving funds for use by certain City departments, boards, committees, agencies, or officers under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, Sec. 53E½ . (First Reading - May 2, 2017) Discussion: Brooks explained that in past years, City Council has annually during the budget process authorized revolving funds and authorized the amounts to be spent in the coming year. The Municipal Modernization Act has changed that process. Authorization of the revolving funds must now be done by ordinance, which this order does. City Council will still annually authorize the amount that can be spent from each fund. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 125-17 ORDER: That the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Municipal Small Bridge Program in the approximate amount of $130,000.00 (ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant. Discussion: Lenny Laakso and Nelson Mui reported that this grant will pay for needed repairs on the Ashburnham Street bridge. The bridge is only ten feet in length and does not qualify for federal programs which are for bridges twenty or more feet in length. There is no city match required. This grant is one of the first to be approved under a new state program. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 156-17 PETITION: Jacquelyn Poirier, Cemetery Superintendent, to amend Chapter 44, Section 10 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg by inserting: Effective 5/1/2017, Parks /Cemetery Temporary Seasonal Laborer $13.00 Discussion: Laakso reported that the pay for several years was $10.50 per hour, which at the time was above minimum wage. The rate was changed to $11.00 per hour when the minimum wage went to $11.00. The higher rate of $13.00 per hour is to try to attract good help for these summer jobs. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 127-17 ORDER: That the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Department of Energy Resources, 2016 Green Community Designation Grant in the approximate amount of $306,265.00 (THREE HUNDRED SIX THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant. Discussion: A.J. Tourigny said that this grant is for various energy saving projects in the School Department and Public Works Department. When asked if this grant changes the building code, he answered that the city has already adopted the Stretch Code. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 128-17 ORDER: That there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($300,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to STABILIZATION FUND. Discussion: Calvin Brooks stated that the current balance in the Stabilization Fund is $5,490,310, which, adding this appropriation, brings the fund to about 4.9% of the General Fund budget. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 129-17 ORDER: That there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($300,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DEMOLITION for the purpose of demolishing various buildings within the City of Fitchburg. Discussion: The mayor is looking to combine this $300,000 appropriation with an additional $300,000 from Block Grant funds to demolish additional buildings. Liz Murphy estimated that twelve to fifteen properties could be demolished and hopes to be ready in the fall. Work will begin in June with a site survey, followed by environmental assessments. Many of the parcels are tax possessions. Councilors expressed their pleasure at seeing the city cleaning up vacant and decrepit buildings. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 130-17 ORDER: That there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SIXTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($60,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, SNOW & ICE, PERSONAL SERVICES, OVERTIME ($30,000.00) and DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, SNOW & ICE, EXPENSES ($30,000.00). Discussion: Lenny Laakso reported that this appropriation will cover the balance of city snow & ice costs, which totaled $1,309,000 for this past winter. This amount is on the high end. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 131-17 ORDER: That there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of TEN THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($10,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to BUILDING EXPENSES, CITY HALL RELOCATION for the purpose of relocating the Community Development offices from the library to Boulder Drive office space. Discussion: The mayor reported that moving and consolidating the Community Development Department will take the employees out of a difficult situation in the basement of the library and offer a convenient space for staff to meet with business people interested in doing business in Fitchburg. Funds will be used to renovate the space, primarily painting and wiring. When complete, the space will look similar to city hall offices currently located on Boulder Drive. The lease cost for this additional space is included in the FY2018 budget. There is no lease cost for FY2017. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 132-17 ORDER: That there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of EIGHTEEN THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($18,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to LIBRARY, BUILDING MAINTENANCE for the purpose of replacing a medium voltage switch and related electrical work at the library. Discussion: The mayor reported that these funds will be used to replace an electrical switch located under the sidewalk grates outside the library. The current switch has been shorting out and affecting the library as well as other areas on Main Street. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 133-17 ORDER: That there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($65,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to COUNCIL ON AGING, BUILDING MAINTENANCE for the purpose of improving the air quality in the basement of the Senior Center. Discussion: The mayor explained that there is an odor of dampness in the Senior Center which comes from the basement and is long overdue for repair. This order will cover the cost of doing the work to correct the situation. Action: (4-0) be adopted. 134-17 ORDER: That there be and hereby is transferred from within the sum of EIGHTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($18,000) same to be transferred to WATER DIVISION PERSONAL SERVICES OVERTIME and from WATER DIVISION WATERSHED MAINTENANCE. Discussion: John Deline stated that the Water Department has had higher than normal overtime costs due to winter plowing and a water main break for which repairs were done at nighttime. He also would like to do some flushing of mains at night for traffic convenience. Action (4-0) be adopted. Meeting adjourned at 7:01 PM. Respectfully submitted, Calvin D. Brooks, Clerk