Back to Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
June 16, 2009
Regular Session 6:35 pm
Ms. Burns, Mr. Rabuffo
The Board met voted to recess for five minutes to wait for Mr. Riley.
The Board resumed open session at 6:45. Mr. Riley joined the meeting.
Reserve Fund Transfers
Ms. Foley explained that the Hersey House furnace had failed during the winter resulting in a freeze up. In addition to those expenses the amount of the requested transfer includes money for a report from a structural engineer as to what would be necessary to stabilize Hersey House for a couple of years.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Selectmen’s Salaries Account to the Hersey House Expenses Account in the amount of $7,089.
Legal services are significantly over budget primarily due to some on-going cases and the Aquarion water rate case. Ms. Foley explained that the requested amount did not include any money for the Country Club legal expenses which will be paid from the Country Club budget or for the cable TV legal expenses which will be paid out of the cable operating budget.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Reserve Fund to the Legal Services Expense account in the amount of $124,804.
Mr. Alexiades explained that the Building Department had a shortfall in its in-state travel expense largely due to meeting and travel expense of the staff but there was a significant surplus in the salary line.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Building Department salaries account to the Building Department Expenses Account in the amount of $1,735.
Ms. Foley advised the Board that the Selectmen’s Expense over budget due to the Town Administrator search which cost over $10,000 and was not anticipated when the budget was crafted. The Selectmen’s salary account is well below the budget amount so a transfer from the salary account to expenses was requested.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Selectmen Salaries Account to the Selectmen’s Expenses Account in the amount of $6,500.
Mr. Alexiades told the Board that the charge for ambulance collections was budgeted to be $32,000 which would have been 4% of the anticipated revenue. Ambulance revenues are higher than expected thus the 4% figure is also higher necessitating a transfer.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Accounting Salaries Account to the Accounting Expenses Account in the amount of $8,751.
Mr. Alexiades said that as Chairman of the Retirement Board he was requesting an additional $7,405 which is the amount of retirement contribution due under the Special Fund for Military Service Credit which mandates that the Town be responsible for the payments a member would have made into the retirement system had they not been called to military duty.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Reserve Fund to the Contributory Retirement Account in the amount of $7,405.
Mr. Alexiades informed the Board that an additional $62,757 would be necessary for Veterans’ Services budget consisting of Ordinary Allowances and Medical Expenses. He cautioned the Board that a transfer of this nature is likely to be required next year as well.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Reserve Fund to the Veterans’ Benefits in the amount of $62,757.
The Celebrations account is also over budget. Mr. Alexiades said that this is due in part to the cost of flags and that his department would be looking into a centralized purchasing of the many flags used in Town.
Voted - to recommend a transfer from the Reserve Fund to the Celebrations Expenses Account in the amount of $494.
Ms. Burns noted that there was also a request for a precious metals license from King Jewelers. Ms. Foley explained that the Police Department would receive reports from the licensee as to the source of the jewelry purchased. Representatives of King Jewelers will be buying old gold, platinum and silver at a“jewelry party” at residents’ homes.
Voted - to grant a Dealers in Old or Second-Hand Metals and Precious Metals License to Valerie King (King Jewelers, Cohasset) to buy old gold, platinum and silver in Hingham.
Voted, by roll call vote, to adjourn to executive session for purpose of collective bargaining and not to return to open session this evening.
Mr. Riley – yes
Mr. Rabuffo – yes
Ms. Burns – yes
Open session adjourned 7:10 pm.
Betty Foley, Clerk