HomeMy WebLinkAboutFin Comm Minutes 3/10/2005Town Of Mansfield
Finance Committee
March 10, 2005
Presiding: Charlene Lavin
Present: Jess Aptowitz, Greg Arnold, Jack Goldberg, Jim Lazzara;:and Mike. Sams
11 T TS
Vice Chairman Lavin called the meeting to order at 7:05 P.M.
On a motion that was made and duly seconded it was voted
To accept the minutes of the March 3, 2005 meeting (6 -0)
A general discussion was held about town contracts.
On 3/22/05 Jack and Jim will be meeting with MMED.
Jess will be meeting with CIP on Tuesday.
At approx. 7:30, the FINCOM opened the floor to a discussion about the process of the
negotiation of all town union contracts. Several elected members were present including
Bernie Dolan, Mike McCue, Roger Achille, Lou Amoroso, Mike Trowbridge, Jeff
Sankey, Jean Miller as well as John D'Agostino, John Moretti, Lincoln Lynch and
several union members representing both municipal and school unions.
Jim Lazzara started off by asking if a "grid" could be developed formatting all labor
related costs of all town union contracts.
Mike Sams discussed the financial parameters of contract negotiations.
John D'Agostino stated that the FINCOM's responsibility is to TOWN MEETING and
that he and Superintendent Moretti know the parameters of how much the town can
afford for budgets and that both the municipal and school sides do have a system for
negotiating contracts. Superintendent Moretti elaborated on this and said that the school
department has fiscal autonomy from the finance committee.
Mike Sams did say that it is the finance committee's recommendation that the selectman
are more involved, upfront, with contracts prior to the contracts being negotiated and
perhaps the selectmen would assist the negotiators in setting up parameters as to what the
town can and cannot afford.
There was input from all members of the school committee that attended and Mike
McCue and Lou Amoroso.
It was stated several times by FINCOM that the spirit and the intent of calling this
meeting was to help develop a process, which is understood and agreed upon by the
selectman and that the FINCOM was not attempting to micromanage the affairs of the
town. FINCOM just wants to act as an advisory board so when the town meeting goes to
vote, that the taxpayers feel comfortable with our analysis.
On a motion that was made and seconded, it was
Voted to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 P.M.
; especIlly sub ' ed,
Aptocretary