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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Comm 03/19/2026Town of Mansfield 6 Park Row, AIanffie(d, Adassm-hnse/ts 02048 Finance Committee a Q.. oy'�ons nos Meeting Minutes March 19, 2026 Present: Sara Walsh, Chair, Scott Feely, Vice -Chair; Melinda Tar�f+Gplclfein; Clerk, Ryan Martin, and Jack Cooney, were present in the Meeting Room 3 A/B at Town Hall. Greta Loukos participated remotely. Not Present: Mr. Michael Flaherty Guests: Josh Reinke -Acting Town Manager, Nick Monticelli-Town Accountant, Sacha Zlatkova-MIS Director, Josephine Madrazo-Council on Aging Director, Amy Donovan Palmer -Public Health Agent, Katelyn Gonyer-Conservation Agent/Environmental Planner, Matthew Violette-Finance, Mansfield Public Schools, and Dr. Michelle McKeon - Superintendent of Schools. 0 enin Meeting 1. Open Meeting Ms. Walsh called the Finance Committee meeting to order at 6:14 PM. 2. Discussion and Consideration to Approve February 19, 2026 Meeting Minutes Motion: To approve the minutes of the February 19, 2026. (Feely/Cooney). Roll Call Vote: Scott Feely, yes. Melinda Tarsi-Goldfein, yes. Ryan Martin, yes. Jack Cooney, yes. Greta Loukos, yes. Ms. Sara Walsh, yes. Passes: 6:0 Financial Updates 3. Discussion with School Department The Committee then held an extended discussion with representatives from the School Department. Dr. Michelle McKeon and Director of Finance and Operations Matthew Violette provided a high-level overview of the FY27 budget process. Mr. Violette explained that the initial budget request submitted in December totaled $62,911,943, and that the 6.3% increase in health insurance premiums resulted in a $3.8 million shortfall. He reviewed the Tri-Board agreement that the School Department would assume 63% of the deficit due to school -related costs carried within the Town budget. Two budget scenarios were outlined: one assuming a $2 million override, which would reduce but not eliminate the need for school reductions, and one assuming no override, which would require approximately $2.4 million in school -side cuts. The School Department also summarized prior reductions, including the elimination of 21 FTEs over three years and several program closures, and highlighted ongoing cost -saving initiatives such as early retirement incentives, contracted services review, digital process transitions, and the pursuit of competitive grants totaling more than $500,000. The Committee also discussed bus routing efficiencies, with Mr. Violette noting that each bus route costs approximately $80,000 annually. The School Committee's public hearing on the FY27 budget is scheduled for March 24 at 6:30 PM. 4. Discussion with Town Departments: MIS, Sacha Zlatkova: Following the school presentation, the Committee met with several Town departments. MIS Director Sasha Zlatkova provided an overview of the Town's information technology infrastructure and the challenges associated with rising cloud -based licensing costs. She emphasized that only 32% of the MIS budget is allocated to salaries despite the department supporting 10 buildings with a staff of five. She described the Town's reliance on its own fiber network and data center, the failed experiment with outsourced network management, and the importance of continuous cybersecurity monitoring to reduce exposure to ransomware and other threats. COA, Josephine Madrazo: Council on Aging Director Josephine Madrazo then presented an update on COA and Social Services operations. She described the department's mission to support residents aged 60 and older as well as younger residents through Social Services. Ms. Madrazo noted significant increases in service demand since 2021 and highlighted the projected growth of the senior population, which is expected to nearly double by 2040. She explained that the COA relies heavily on volunteers, grants, and the Friends of COA nonprofit, and that the department plans to reduce specialized services by $5,000 while using COA Trust Fund investment income to offset impacts. Public Health, Amy Donovan Palmer: Public Health Director Amy Donovan Palmer provided an overview of her department's responsibilities, which include enforcing state and local health regulations, issuing approximately 500 permits annually, and conducting inspections across food se rvice, septic systems, housing, pools, and camps. She discussed the increased administrative burden created by the SAFE 2.0 legislation and emphasized the department's close collaboration with Police, Fire, COA, and regional partners. Ms. Palmer also noted the ongoing challenge of funding the annual Household Hazardous Waste Day, which has been suspended due to budget constraints. Conservation, Katelyn Gonyer: Conservation Agent Katelyn Gonyer concluded the departmental presentations with an update on the Conservation Department's expanding role in environmental management, including wetlands permitting, stormwater oversight, open space stewardship, climate resiliency planning, and invasive species control. She described the department's reliance on grants and highlighted current projects such as knotweed mitigation and hazard -mitigation planning. 5. Review and Discussion of FY 26 Financial Updates a. Discussion of snow and ice deficit and funding mechanisms The Committee then reviewed FY26 financial updates, including the snow and ice deficit. Snow and ice spending exceeded $1 million, resulting in a deficit of approximately $646,000. The Town has submitted $326,000 to the state for potential reimbursement related to the peak 48-hour storm period, though reimbursement is uncertain and may take up to a year. The Committee discussed options for addressing the deficit, including the use of turn -backs, free cash, the Finance Committee reserve, or raising the deficit on the FY27 tax rate. 6. Review and Discussion FY 27 Budget Planning The Committee continued with a discussion of FY27 budget planning. Members reaffirmed their prior recommendation that the Select Board pursue an override, noting that the Board must vote by April 1 to place an override on the ballot. Public outreach sessions are expected to follow if the Select Board moves forward 7. Discussion of CIP Planning The Committee also discussed CIP planning, with particular emphasis on the $200,000 request for schematic design of the Jordan/Jackson roof project, which is required for MSBA reimbursement eligibility. Additional CIP needs, including a $39,000 GIS flyover update, were also reviewed. 8. Discussion of Long -Term Tracking The Committee noted that the cell phone tower discussion was passed over. Updates were provided on the Roland Green building, including that there was a slight delay due to the Select Board asking the Town to look into the report that there was a time capsule buried at the school site. Investigation of this could not discover any new information about where it was buried, so the project is moving forward. Remediation and demolition are expected to begin shortly at a total cost of approximately $400,000, below the previously authorized $600,000. The property is expected to be sold by the end of FY26. The Committee also discussed the Town leadership transition, noting that salary savings and the use of the compensated absences trust have resulted in a neutral or slightly positive budget impact. The Committee is awaiting updated actuarial information regarding the Bristol County pension contribution. Public Comment 9. Public Comment There were no comments from the audience. Committee Business 10. Review and Discussion of Survey Status The Committee then reviewed the status of the community survey, which has received 475 responses. Respondents expressed a preference for single -year override votes and online information sessions, with class sizes and transfer station hours emerging as top service concerns 11. Discussion of March through June Schedule The Committee reviewed its upcoming schedule, including meetings on April 16, May 21, and June 18, and noted key dates for Town Meeting on May 5 and the Town Election on May 12. 12. Committee & Liaison Updates None 13. Any items not anticipated by the Chair 48 hours prior to this meeting Mr. Reinke offered updates which included Select Board approval of increases to non-resident parking fees at the train station and water/sewer rates. 14. Member Comments Ms. Walsh offered brief closing comments emphasizing the value of the departmental presentations. 15, Adjourn Motion: To adjourn the Finance Committee meeting of March 19, 2026 at 8:59 PM. (Feely/Cooney) Roll Call Vote: Scott Feely, yes. Melinda Tarsi-Goldfein, yes. Ryan Martin, yes. Jack Cooney, yes. Greta Loukos, yes. Sara Walsh, yes. Passes: 6:0 1 4 a Signature Minutes prepared by Nancy Griffin Date