HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Comm 02/11/1986TOWN OF MANSFIELD
Finance Committee Meeting
2/11/86
Called to Order by Chairman, Ed McQUalmid, at 7:30 p.m., six present.
d.
Purpose
1. To discuss transfers from the Reserve Fund.
2. To review and discuss with the appropriate department heads the proposed
budget for the following:
Public Safety - a. Civil Defense - Bob Butten
b. Police - Jesse Earls
C. Fire - Ed Sliney
Transfers
To transfer $60 for Assistant Inspectors fees (transfer #11). The
Account is in deficit ($60). This is reimbursable from fee and returned to
the General Fund. Motion to transfer - Kevin Sullivan; second - Fred Mueller;
4-0 in favor.
1112 - Electrical Inspectors fees $706.55. Similar to 1111 because of
growths This has been a $0 account for sometime. Motion to transfer - Fred
Mueller; second - Kevin Sullivan; 4-0 in favor. Transfer to date -
$13,159.12. Reserve Fund balance - $86,840.88
Budget Review
Civil Defense:
Includes Auxiliary Police/*Special Police* (paid), Emergency Volunteers,
etc. The budget does not consider emergencies such as hurricanes, blizzards
('78).
There is an 11.5% increase in the Expense Budget. The increase is
primarily confined to gas and oil - to $200 (figured at $1 per gallon),
equipment replacement up $200 (hoping to obtain a retrograde vehicle from
another department) and Auxiliary Police equipment up ;$300 (authorized 24
Auxiliary Police, have 19). They are allowed $100 per man for equipment and
ammunition.
Of the $10,200 requested, $4,600 is 50% reimbursable by the Federal
Government.
Police:
Town Managers Budget calls for a 19% increase -from $660,214 to
$784,377.
-2 -
This includes the addition of one Officer and three Dispatchers. Police
salaries are FY85 contract rates.
The Police Chief would like a $6,000 raise to $39,442. Secretaries pay
was corrected to $15,408. Other increases, such as holidays, vacations, etc.,
reflect the addition of an extra Patrolman.
It was pointed out that the raise in pay of $6,000 could come from a
direct assessment on the Arts Center or a charge per detail on the Arts
Center, i.e., no direct tax impact.
When asked his opinion of Joint Civilian Dispatchers (Fire and Police),
Earls was in favor. He stated that it would free up a Supervisor for 50% of
the time for patrol duty. The Chief's rational for an extra Patrolman is
that FBI stats dictate two police for every 1,000 in population. By adding
one person he can then promote everyone one step and have a Lieutenant, who
will in turn free him up to be a Chief.
In addition to the above, Earls is requesting three new cruisers from Cap.
Improvements.
Police expenses are up 4%, with little or no increase in equipment,
ammunition, uniforms. However, he is adding one Patrolman and three Joint
Dispatchers?
Earls has also acquired responsibility for the Dog Officer, whom he wants
to put on full-time at $12,000 per year. Earls feel that treating the Dog
Officer as full-time will make him more effective (Dog Officer is now paid
$4,000).
Earls does not know if benefits are involved.
Earls also wants to spend $5,000 on refurbishing a portion of the old
Sewer Plant and turn it into a Dog Pound. This may not be a bad idea.
The additional $6,000 for Earls' salary, $7,000 for the Dog Officer and
$5,000 ($18,000) is not in the Town Managers recommendation.
Fire:
Expenses in FY87 are the same (down $300). Sliney says he miscalculated.
He wants an additional $2,000 in equipment replacement (from $8,000 to
$10,000); an additional $400 in clothing (from $13,000 to $13,400) and $200 in
laundry. This brings expenses up to $71,800, a 37 increase.
Salaries:
Salaries were updated to reflect new contract. The total Salary Budget
increase is a 7.5% increase ($703,851).
-3 -
In addition, Sliney wants:
1. Sick pay, personal time and funeral time broken out separately. He and
the Union feel that they are misunderstood. However, they want sick pay
alone set at $30,000 and additional monies for personal and funeral. The
example cited was $8,000 for personal days, that's an average of two days
per man.
It was pointed out to Sliney that if $8,000 was for two days per man for
the department, then $12,000 was good for sick pay since the Union itself
gave the Finance Committee @�f three sick days per man and that a total of
$30,000 was in line. Also, the line item was already labeled Sick and
Personal.
2. Sliney wants two additional Fire Fighters. This would be an additional
$41,900 (salaries plus holiday, etc.) (These are not included in the
Town Managers recommendation nor is it included in benefits, etc.)
3. Sliney wants a part-time Secretary at approximately $6,000. Claims he's
doing all of the secretarial work himself.
4. Sliney wants a 20% raise or approximately $38,000 (Sliney paid $36,000).
An increase of $6,300, not counting the additional sick time of $18,000
or the additional benefits of two extra men. This adds $54,000 to their
budget.
Capitol Improvements
Sliney will be asking for a new ambulance. Depending on the type, this
will run between $35,000 and $70,000 (the present one is in very poor
condition).
Joint Civilian Dispatcher:
Sliney feels it can be made to work, he says this grudgingly.
1. He feels there are communication problems;, ____ because they
(Dispatchers) would be housed with the Police, that they would favor the
Police.
2. Since the new Dispatchers would not be familiar with the Fire Department,
they wouldn't know what to do. (Various examples were given, such as the
chemical spill.)
3. They just put in equipment, now they would have to set up all over again.
4. Various representatives of the Fire Department expressed similar concerns
over priorities, etc.
-4—
Two questions were put to Ed Sliney:
1. Assuming training, communications and priorities between Fire and Police
could be worked out, would it work out? Ed said yes.
2. Would it free up an additional Fire Fighter? Ed said yes.
It was pointed out to Ed that the Dispatcher was not necessarily a long
range saving device but rather an increase in efficiency.
Adjourned at 11:30 p.m.
/P-�- * �� -