Budget Review Committee

BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE JANUARY 21, 2010 A meeting of the Budget Review Committee was held Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 7:08 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chamber. Alderman-at-Large David W. Deane, Chair presided. Members of Committee present: Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire Alderman Diane Sheehan Alderman Richard P. Flynn Alderman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja Alderman Jeffrey T. Cox Members not in Attendance: Alderman-at-Large Mark S. Cookson, Vice Chair Also in Attendance: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau Alderman-at-Large Brian S. McCarthy Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons Alderman Richard LaRose Alderman Kathy Vitale William Mansfield, Radio Systems Mgr., Nashua Police Dept. Chairman Deane I received a call from Alderman Cookson. He is out of town and unavailable. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE CLERK Chairman Deane I did receive an e-mail from Alderman Flynn who said he was willing, and this afternoon around 5:05 p.m. Alderman Cox left me a phone message and said if there was no one else that had expressed an interest, he would step up. Chairman Deane called for nominations for Committee Clerk ALDERMAN WILSHIRE NOMINATED ALDERMAN FLYNN MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS MOTION CARRIED ALDERMAN FLYNN ELECTED AS COMMITTEE CLERK FOR THE 2010-2011 TERM COMMUNICATIONS MOTION BY ALDERMAN DEANE THAT THE RULES BE SO FAR SUSPENDED AS TO ALLOW FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMMUNICATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS PREPARED MOTION CARRIED Budget Review - 01/21/10 Page 2 Chairman Deane I had spoken with Mr. Gilbar, the Chief Financial Officer, about getting some documents for the new members of the board to try to help them with some of these commodity codes. I do have some very light reading. There will be a lot more. From: Michael Gilbar, Chief Financial Officer/Comptroller Re: Account Codes and Descriptions MOTION BY ALDERMAN DEANE TO ACCEPT AND PLACE ON FILE MOTION CARRIED GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT Daniel Richardson, 70 Berkeley Street Stated this is the first time he has seen,an agenda include a general public comment period particularly at the beginning of the agenda. He thanked Chairman Deane for that. He remarked, with so many budget issues/overruns, the general public has a lot to contribute, and allowing them to address the committee provides for an understanding of their feelings. He commented there has been a lot of talk about school budget issues. Given the Board of Education and school administration have not been able to shepherd their budget correctly in the past number of years, it tends to fall on the Board of Aldermen to be able to act as responsible adults, to put a governor on that budget and ask the appropriate questions. He touched on the speed with which the public hearing was conducted last year due to the lack of public participation. He stated he arrived at 7:20 p.m., and the meeting had concluded at 7:12 p.m. He felt it likely other people may have found it difficult to get to the meeting for 7:00 p.m. due to travel times. Having a general public comment period on the agenda of the Budget Review Committee provides for obtaining the viewpoint of those people that feel so motivated to come and speak about the items of spending on a particular night, but also on general budget issues. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None NEW BUSINESS - RESOLUTIONS R-10-01 Endorser: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau Alderman Michael J. Tabacsko Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. RELATIVE TO THE ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF $75,000 FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY INTO SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT #336-6274 "PUBLIC SAFETY INTEROPERABILITY COMMUNICATIONS GRANT" AND TO AUTHORIZE THE TRANSFER OF MATCHING FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000 FROM ACCOUNT #590-23536 "PRIOR YEAR ESCROW, COMMUNICATIONS" Budget Review - 01/21/10 Page 3 MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE TO RECOMMEND FINAL PASSAGE ON THE QUESTION Chairman Deane Mr. Mansfield would you like to give us a brief description of what we will be doing with this money? William Mansfield The particular grant that you are looking at this evening is a $75,000 grant that is provided by Homeland Security through the State of New Hampshire to provide interoperability communications for not just the City of Nashua but for other areas of the state as well. We only have a portion of it, which is $75,000. There is a much larger amount that is being spread throughout the rest of the state. This money was earmarked for the City of Nashua because of our situation here. I see a lot of new faces here this evening. We have an 800 megahertz radio system in the City of Nashua. There is only one other entity in the state of New Hampshire that has an 800 megahertz system, which is the City of Manchester. Everyone else around us has VHF, very high frequency radios, or UHF. For the most part they are all VHF. I think there is one low band radio system somewhere. When police and fire leave the City of Nashua for mutual aid in each of the police cruisers and each of the fire trucks there are VHF radios in those vehicles so that we can communicate outside of the City of Nashua to those entities while we are outside of the city. Programmed in those radios are multiple channels for Hollis, Hudson, pretty much everywhere throughout the state. They are also releasing a new state template. We will have every community in that particular radio. The issue comes about when we require mutual aid here in the City of Nashua. Mutual aid for the most part is on the fire side, when we have large fires, but we have used it on numerous occasions as well on the law enforcement side. When entities come into the City of Nashua they have no way to communicate with us because they don't have an 800 megahertz radio in their vehicle whether it be fire or police. The proposal for this particular grant was to purchase two gateways so that we would have a VHF and a UHF frequency placed at one of our sites here in the city, and it would be permanently patched over to our 800 megahertz system so if an entity such as Hudson came to Nashua, and they should have the Nashua channel programmed in their radio, all they would have to do is turn to Nashua and they could talk directly with our dispatchers as well as they would be able to be patched over to another frequency meaning another channel within our system or everybody could move to that particular channel and we could have communications back and forth. It is not just the dispatchers they could talk to they could be talking directly to the personnel on the line by having this patch in there. The reason for the UHF channel is because of I think it was last year we had a major drill down at the Pheasant Lane Mall. A lot of the entities from Massachusetts, mainly I should say both police and fire operate on UHF radio frequencies, and that is why we are proposing placing a UHF radio frequency up at one of the sites so that again it can be permanently patched over and we would be able to communicate with the responding entities directly. That is the main reason for the grant. Budget Review - 01/21/10 Page 4 Chairman Deane Does anyone have any questions of Mr. Mansfield? Thank you. Is there any further discussion on the motion to recommend final passage? MOTION CARRIED R-10-03 Endorser: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY TREASURER TO APPLY TO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES (NHDES) TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE LOAN BY UP TO $250,000 FROM ITS REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES RELATED TO THE HAINES STREET AREA SEWER SEPARATION PROJECT MOTION BY ALDERMAN FLYNN TO RECOMMEND FINAL PASSAGE ON THE QUESTION Alderman Flynn This has been a long problem going back many years on Haines Street. About a year and a half or two years ago as you know Alderman Deane, I approached the Department of Public Works, went to one of their board meetings. I had petitions, I had pictures, don't know if I had a lot of hope that anything different would happen, but the Mayor and the Board of Public Works seemed to be very attentive and they listened to what I had to say. I don't think the funds were there to take any action, but when this money came forward for the match with the federal money, I thank the Mayor, the city did have a plan in place to move forward and secure those funds. It is a project that has been going on all summer long now, and this is an opportunity to do a little bit more work to further enhance that bad sewerage problem that they had on Haines Street. I am very happy to see this come forward. Chairman Deane The Mayor stated last night there are probably another 6 acres of footage up there that still requires separation work. Unfortunately we don't have the funds, but this is going to help alleviate some of the surcharges they get up in that area. You will learn as ward Aldermen especially when you are in areas where you have combined systems that when you have these heavy downpours and you will find out from your constituency when they call there is nothing worse than having sewer backing up into your house, into your washer machine, into your basement or up out of the ground onto your front lawn. The Board of Public Works is currently very proactive in keeping a long list of problem areas that have been reported, and they are looking at resolving some of these issues through grants like this or through some other sort of funding or just work that is being done by either waste water or the street department to try to alleviate some of the problems. The motion on the floor is for final passage. Is there any further discussion? MOTION CARRIED NEW BUSINESS - ORDINANCES - None Budget Review - 01/21/10 Page 5 GENERAL DISCUSSION Chairman Deane Remarked he handed out the account explanation he received from Mr. Gilbar. Stated he will put together a working presentation that can be reviewed during a meeting. It will include information on special revenue accounts, trust accounts, general appropriations, capital, waste water and solid waste enterprise accounts and provide a better understanding of how the 2, 3, and 5 digit commodity code system works. Questioned whether committee members had an interest in spending meeting time reviewing such a presentation. Alderman Sheehan Was agreeable. Chairman Deane Stated it is a complex and confusing system when you first start looking at it, but once you start to grasp what it does and restrictions associated with certain accounts, you have a better understanding. With regard to the budget process, he had informed the Mayor he did not care how the departments came in, they would work around whatever was convenient to the department heads coming before the committee for review sessions. With regard to process, questions that arise after a review session should be e-mailed to him for distribution to the appropriate department heads (will copy the entire board). This will allow for the elimination of duplicate requests. Alderman McCarthy Endorsed the process as described. Alderman Wilshire Stated R-10-01 has also been referred to the Human Affairs Committee. She suggested, as everyone on the Human Affairs Committee was in attendance for this meeting, they would likely not require Mr. Mansfield to be in attendance at the Human Affairs Committee meeting. Alderman Flynn Questioned whether he could expect receipt of monthly reports indicating burn rate; rate of revenue, and rate of expenditures for each individual department. He requested that be provided. Chairman Deane Stated he would request that information be provided on a monthly basis. He questioned whether members were familiar with the Warrant. He informed members of the link to the Warrant on the city's web site, and explained the information contained therein. He suggested if members would Budget Review - 01/21/10 Page 6 like to be put on the distribution list for the warrant that is sent out by Financial Services, he can request that. Alderman McCarthy Stated with regard to the revenue and expense summary, he has been receiving those for at least ten years. He had no idea those were linked to committee membership. Stated he believes they ought to be electronically distributed to the entire board. He will facilitate that. Alderman Flynn Stated there used to be a book in the back room that had a monthly list of transfers by department. He has not been able to locate that. It would be a value to him. Alderman McCarthy Stated he would discuss that with Ms. Lovering. ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY ALDERMAN COX TO ADJOURN MOTION CARRIED The meeting was declared closed at 7:34 p.m. Alderman Richard P. Flynn Committee Clerk ACCOUNT CODES AND DESCRIPTIONS REVENUES DEPARTMENT CODES 412 - FINANCIAL SERVICES 413 - CITY CLERK'S OFFICE 416 - PURCHASING DEPARTMENT 417 - BUILDING MAINT - CITY ADMIN 419 - ASSESSORS 420 - HUNT BUILDING 431 - POLICE DEPARTMENT 432 - FIRE DEPARTMENT 442 - COMMUNITY HEALTH 443 - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 444 - WELFARE DEPARTMENT 451 - PUBLIC WORKS DIV & ENGINEERING 452 - PARKS AND RECREATION 453 - STREET DEPARTMENT 457 - PARKING LOTS 461 - EDGEWOOD CEMETERY 462 - SUBURBAN CEMETERIES 463 - WOODLAWN CEMETERY 472 - PLANNING 475 - PUBLIC LIBRARIES 476 - BUILDING 481 - SCHOOL DEPARTMENT REVENUE 492 - BONDED DEBT SERVICE 498 -INTERFUND TRANSFERS IN 499 - MISCELLANEOUS COMMODITY CODES 110 PROPERTY TAXES 130 TIMBER YIELD TAX 131 EXCAVATION TAX 142 NASHUA HOUSING AUTHORITY 153 RAILROAD TAX 161 INTEREST ON TAXES 162 INT & COST ON REDEMPTION 171 VENDOR'S LICENSES 172 AMUSEMENT DEVICE PERMITS 173 TAXI & CHAUFFEUR LICENSES 174 SHOW LICENSES 175 POOL & BOWLING LICENSES 177 SPAITUB/POOL FEES 178 DRAINLAYER LICENSE FEES 179 CABLE TV FRANCHISE 180 AUTO PERMITS 182 MV-MAIL IN PROCESSING FEE 191 BUILDING PERMITS 192 ELECTRICAL PERMITS 193 FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM PERMITS 194 MECHANICAL PERMITS 195 PLUMBING PERMITS 197 LAND USE PERMIT 198 SIGN PERMIT 201 CERTIFICATES OF TITLE 202 MUNICIPAL AGENT FEES 203 MARRIAGE LICENSES 204 DOG LICENSES 205 RAFFLE PERMITS 207 ALARM SYSTEM PERMITS & FEES 209 MISC. LICENSES & PERMITS 211 FIREARMS LICENSE 212 FLAMMABLES PERMITS 214 PLACE OF ASSEMBLY PERMITS 216 BLASTING PERMITS 223 SUBDIV & SITE PLAN FEES 224 VAR & SPECIAL EXCEPTION FEES 225 HOME OCCUPATIONS 227 NEW HIRE APPLICATION FEES 231 REVENUE BLOCK GRANT 232 MEALS & ROOMS TAX DISTRIBUTION 233 TRANSIT REIMBURSEMENT 234 REZONING FEE 235 INSPECTION FEE 236 ABUTTER NOTIFICATION FEE 240 STATE REIMBURSEMENT 241 HIGHWAY BLOCK GRANT 244 FIRE PLAN REVIEW 247 FIRE INSPECTION FEES 254 MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT 293 CIVIL UNIONS 295 WEDDING CEREMONY FEES 301 DUPLICATE TAX BILLS 302 FINANCING STMTS RECORDING 303 CERTIFIED COPIES 305 SALE OF VOTER CHECKLISTS 307 MISC SERVICES RENDERED 311 WITNESS FEES 313 FINGERPRINT CARDS 314 SALE OF PHOTOCOPIES 315 REMOVAL OF UNDERGROUND TANKS 318 FIRE REPORTS 319 CLINIC SVCS. -IMMUNIZATIONS 321 FOOD SERVICES 322 SEPTIC SYSTEMSITEST PITS 324 SUBDIVISION REVIEW 326 WELFARE RECOVERIES 329 BASKETBALL 330 CTS REVENUE 331 BASEBALL REGISTRATION FEES 338 WEDDINGS 343 LEASED-GARAGE 344 METERED-GARAGE 345 PARKING METERS-LOTS & STREET 346 LEASED PARKING-LOTS 347 SETTING OF VAULTS 348 BURIAL FEES 349 OVERTIME CHARGES 350 TEMP LEASED METERS 351 GRAVE LINERS & BOXES 352 MONUMENTS AND FOUNDATIONS 353 SALE OF FLOWERS 354 EQUIPMENT RENTAL 355 SETTING OF VAULTS 356 SALE OF MAPS AND BOOKS 357 NON-RESIDENT CARDS 359 SALE OF BOOKS 360 CRIMINAL REGISTRATION FEES 366 NON-CITY SPORTS FACILITY 368 RECRUITMENT & HIRING 423 NASHUA PRIDE LEASE PAYMENT 432 DPW LABOR REIMB - RT 101A PROJ 433 FEMA REIMBURSEMENT 447 VOLUNTARY MERGER 501 VETERAN'S CREDIT REIMBURSEMENT 524 INTEREST EARNED ON INVESTMENT 525 TRANS OF INTEREST -FLOWER INV 526 GAIN(LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS 536 EQUIPMENT RENTAL (TENT) 537 RENTAL-CIVIL DEFENSE BLDG. 541 COLLECTION FEES BAD CHECK 542 MISC. COURT FINES 543 PARKING METER VIOLATIONS 545 ALARM SYSTEM FINES 547 CIVIL FORFEITURE 548 TOWER FEES - SKATEBOARD PARK 549 RENTAL-14 COURT STREET 555 TOWER FEES - HOLMAN STADIUM 556 TOWER FEES - MINE FALLS PARK 558 CONCESSION FEES 563 CASH - OVER & SHORT 565 FISH HATCHERIES 571 LETTERS OF GOOD CONDUCT 572 DAILY LOG ENTRY LETTERS 578 SOLID WASTE 579 GARDEN LOTS 583 SWIMMING CLASSES/LOCKER FEES 586 TELEPHONE COMMISSIONS 588 HYDRO - MINE FALLS 589 HYDRO - JACKSON FALLS 591 MISC. CITY REVENUE 593 SHADY LANE STATE BOND REIMB 599 MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE 610 PRIOR YR PENSION REIMBURSEMENT 611 CERF TRANSFERS IN 622 HIGH SCHOOL - STUDENT PARKING 624 BUS TRANSPORTATION 627 STATE AID - BUILDINGS 629 SPECIAL EDUCATION CATASTROPHIC 630 STATE ADEQUACY GRANT 650 TUITION-OUT OF DISTRICT 706 SALE OF HISTORY OF NASH BOOKS 715 RENTAL INCOME 717 SALE OF SHADE TREES 738 SALE OF EQUIPMENTNEHICLES 971 IMPACT FEES-SCHOOL BONDED DEBT 985 MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENTS 986 TRANSFER FROM SRF-QUTSIDE SVS 994 TRANSFERS IN-CITY TRUST FUNDS 995 TRANSFERS IN-SCHOOL TRUST FNDS APPROPRIATIONS DEPARTMENT CODES 501 - MAYOR'S OFFICE 502 - LEGAL DEPARTMENT 503 - BOARD OF ALDERMEN 505 - CIVIC & COMM. ACTIVITIES 506 - TELECOMMUNICATIONS 507 - PENSIONS 508 - INSURANCE-EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 511 - CITI-STAT 512 - FINANCIAL SERVICES 513 - CITY CLERK'S OFFICE 514 - INSURANCE-PROPERTY & CASUALTY 515 - HUMAN RESOURCES 516 - PURCHASING DEPARTMENT 517 - BUILDING MAINT - CITY ADMIN 519 - ASSESSORS 520 - HUNT BUILDING 522 -INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 523 - GIS 524 - COMPUTERS - CITYWIDE 531 - POLICE DEPARTMENT 532 - FIRE DEPARTMENT 533 - WATER SUPPLY (PUBLIC HYDRANTS) 534 - STREET LIGHTING 535 - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 536 - CITYWIDE COMMUNICATIONS 541 - COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION 542 - COMMUNITY HEALTH 543 - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPT. 544 - WELFARE ADMINISTRATION 545 - WELFARE COSTS 551 - PUBLIC WORKS DIV & ENGINEERING 552 - PARKS AND RECREATION 553 - STREET DEPARTMENT 555 - TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT 557 - PARKING LOTS 559 - SOLID WASTE 561 - EDGEWOOD CEMETERY 562 - SUBURBAN CEMETERIES 563 - WOODLAWN CEMETERY 564 - NASHUA AIRPORT AUTHORITY 571 - COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 572 - PLANNING DEPARTMENT 573 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 575 - PUBLIC LIBRARIES 576 - BUILDING DEPARTMENT 577 - CODE ENFORCEMENT 581-SCHOOLDEPARTMENT 590 - PRIOR YEAR OBLIGATIONS 591 - CONTINGENCY-GENERAL 592 - BONDED DEBT SERVICE 593 - CAPITAL RESERVE FU ND 594 - HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAX 595 - OVERLAY 596 - CONTINGENCY - RETIREMENTS 597 - CONTINGENCY - NEGOTIATIONS 599 - "CERF" - EQUIPMENT PURCHASES 617 - CAP IMP - BUILDING MAINT 622 - CAP IMP - INFORMATION TECH 632 - CAP IMP - FIRE 651 - CAP IMP - PWD & ENGINEERS 652 - CAP IMP - PARK & REC 653 - CAP IMP - STREET DEPT 655 - CAP IMP - TRAFFIC 675 - CAP IMP - PUBLIC LIBRARIES 681-CAPIMP-SCHOOL 699 - MISCELLANEOUS 801 - SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL 802 - WASTEWATER TWO-DIGIT COMMODITY CODES (FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE FIVE-DIGIT CODE) 01 - GRANT EXPENSES/REIMBURSEMENTS 03 - NASHUA AIRPORT REVENUE OFFSET 11 - PAYROLL - FULL TIME 12 - PAYROLL - PART TIME 13 - PAYROLL - OVERTIME 15 - PAYROLL - HOLIDAY 16 - PAYROLL -INCENTIVE 17 - PAYROLL - LONGEVITY 18 - PAYROLL - SPECIAL 19 - PAYROLL - OTHER 21 - COUNTY APPROPRIATION 22 - OVERLAY 23 - PRIOR YEAR ESCROWS 24 - PRIOR YEAR ENCUMBRANCES 31 - TELECOMMUNICATIONS 32 - ELECTRICITY 33 - WATER 34 - HEATING FUEL 35 - UTI L1TI ES 41 - OFFICE SUPPLIES 42 - JANITORIAL SUPPLIES 43 - POSTAGE 44 - PRINTING 45 - MAJOR DEPARTMENTAL EXPENSE 46 - CLOTHING 47 - MEDICAL SUPPLIES 48 - AUTOMOTIVE FUEL 49 - MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES 51 - LEGAL SERVICES 52 - FINANCIAL SERVICES 53 - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 54 - ADVERTISING 55 - TRANSPORTATION 56 - RENTALS 57 - COMPUTER SERVICES 58 - STENOGRAPHIC SERVICES 59 - MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES 61 - OFFICE FURNITURE 62 - OFFICE EQUIPMENT 63 - OTHER FURNITURE & FIXTURES 64 - OTHER EQUIPMENT 66 - EQUIPMENT RENTAL 68 - MOTOR VEHICLES 69 - MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT 71 - OFFICE FURN. REPAIRS & MAINT. 72 - OFFICE EQUIP. REPAIRS & MAINT. 73 - OTHER F & F REPAIRS & MAINT. 74 - OTHER EQUIP. REPAIRS & MAINT. 75 - BLDGS & GRNDS REPAIRS & MAINT. 77 - MAJOR SYSTEMS REPAIRS 78 - MOTOR VEHICLES REPAIRS & MAINT 79 - MISCELLANEOUS REPAIRS & MAINT. 81 - COMMUNITY AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES 82 - PENSIONS 83 - INSURANCES 84 - SPECIAL EDUCATION 85 - BONDED DEBT 86 - CONTINGENCY 87 - CAPITAL RESERVE FUND 91 - TRAVEL 94 - EDUCATION & SEMINARS 95 - DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS 96 - CAPITAL OUTLAYIIMPROVEMENTS 97 - WELFARE COSTS 98 - OTHER EXPENSES & TRANSFERS 99 - DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET REDUCTION CAPITAL PROJECT CODES 617 - CAP IMP - BUILDING MAINT 622 - CAP IMP - INFORMATION TECH 632 - CAP IMP - FIRE 651 - CAP IMP - PWD & ENGINEERS 653 - CAP IMP - STREET DEPT 655 - CAP IMP - TRAFFIC 675 - CAP IMP - PUBLIC LIBRARIES 681-CAPIMP-SCHOOL 699 - MISCELLANEOUS