Town of Arlington, Massachusetts
Report of the Finance Committee
To the ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
[reconvened Monday, June 10, 2002]
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
ALLAN TOSTI, Chairman
ABIGAIL DUBOIS, Vice Chairman .RICHARD C. FANNING, Vice Chairman
CHARLES T. FOSKETT, Vice Chairman PETER B. HOWARD, Secretary
PRECINCT TERM PRECINCT TERM
ENDS ENDS
1 SUSAN JANOWITZ 2002 11 GEORGE KOCUR 2004
2 STEPHEN W. DECOURCEY 2004 12 KENNETH J. SIMMONS 2003
3 ALLAN TOSTI 2003 13 JOHN J. DEYST, JR. 2004
4 KERRI PIANDES 2002 14 VACANT
5 ABIGAIL DUBOIS 2002 15 RICHARD C. FANNING 2003
6 SIDNEY FEINLEIB 2003 16 DANIEL M. O'NEILL 2002
7 JOSEPH CONNORS 2002 17 LAURA MORRISETTE 2002
8 CHARLES T. FOSKETT 2004 18 MARY RONAN 2004
9 MARY FRANCLEMONT 2003 19 PAUL E. OLSEN 2003
10 PETER B. HOWARD 2002 20 ROBERT L. TOSI, JR. 2002
21 JOHN MAHONEY 2003
JOHN G. KNEELAND
Executive Secretary
The Finance Committee was established by vote of the Town over a century ago on March 7, 1895. Article 33 provided for the selection of a "committee of twenty-one", which would consider all articles in the warrant involving an appropriation of money and "make report thereof in print, with their estimates and recommendations for final action of the town....."
Arlington's Finance Committee, however, was not the first in the state. According to the Massachusetts Finance Committee Handbook, by Stuart DeBard, "The Finance Committee's beginning was the action of a group of citizens of Quincy in 1870 who created themselves a committee to restore financial order." In 1910, the legislature required finance committees for every town "whose valuation for the purposes of apportioning the state tax exceeds one million dollars." Chapter 39, Section 16, also provided that any other town may "by by-law provide for the election or the appointment and duties of appropriation, advisory or finance committees, who shall consider any or all municipal questions for the purpose of making reports or recommendations to the town ..."
In Arlington, the duties and responsibilities of the Finance Committee are stated in the Town Manager Act, Sections 31-35, and in the Bylaws, Article 8. Finance Committee members must be registered voters of the town. They are appointed by a three-member committee composed of the Moderator, the chairman of the Finance Committee and the chairman of the Board of Trust Fund Commissioners.
Under Section 5 of Article 8 of the Bylaws, the Finance Committee "shall consider all articles contained in any warrant except articles on zoning...and those articles which do not require or request an appropriation of money...said committee shall make recommendations, and shall report in print, if possible at or prior to each town meeting, but the omission of said committee so to consider, recommend and/or report shall not affect the validity of any vote or other action at any town meeting. The committee shall also make such general suggestions, criticisms and recommendations, as it may deem expedient. Nothing contained in this section shall preclude the Committee from considering, if it sees fit, articles which do not require or request an appropriation of
money."
Printed in Arlington on Recycled Paper
GLOSSARY
AVAILABLE FUNDS -- See Unencumbered Funds
CHERRY SHEET -- Cherry-colored form showing state and county charges and reimbursement to the Town as certified by the State Director of Accounts.
ENTERPRISE FUNDS -- Funds that account for all revenues and expenditures for services and allow surpluses to be used to reduce user fees for the services or to pay for capital improvements. Each fund has an independent budget. Losses are made up from the Town's general fund. Presently, Arlington has enterprise funds for Council on Aging Transportation, Recreation, Veterans' Memorial Rink, Water & Sewer and Youth Services.
FISCAL YEAR -- July 1 through June 30.
FREE CASH -- See Unencumbered Funds.
OVERLAY -- Funds set aside to cover abatements and exemptions. The amount is determined by the Board of Assessors.
OVERLAY RESERVE -- Unused accumulated amount of Overlay for previous years that is not required to be held in a specific Overlay account for a given year. Once released by the Board of Assessors, the funds may be used for any municipal purpose.
RESERVE FUND -- A fund established by the Annual Town Meeting. It is under control of the Finance Committee, which may authorize transfers for extraordinary or unforeseen expenditures. The fund may be composed of an appropriation of not more than 5% of the tax levy for the preceding year.
STABILIZATION FUND -- A special account created to provide a reserve for municipal expenditures.
SURPLUS REVENUE -- The total amount of cash, accounts receivable, and other current assets that exceed liabilities and reserves.
UNENCUMBERED FUNDS -- The amount of surplus revenue, minus uncollected taxes of prior years. Unencumbered funds must be certified by the State Bureau of Accounts before they can be used. Also known as Free Cash or Available Funds.
REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN
The Finance Committee began its work in October, facing the most difficult financial situation since 1990. This situation was primarily caused by an economic recession which severely undercut the revenue structure of the Commonwealth and its ability to continue to support municipalities with local aid. It also impacted local revenues. Several meetings of the Budget and Revenue Task Force in November and December helped to publicize the situation and resulted in early actions by town officials to monitor revenues and freeze expenditures to the degree possible. In January, we proceeded to study the budget requests, meet with department heads and make every budget reduction possible that would still maintain essential services. The biggest challenge for fiscal 2003 is the continued growth in health insurance costs.
This combined with the possible loss of State aid could have resulted in a considerable reduction in budgets. The Governor's budget proposal in January level funded state aid. However the continued deterioration in State revenues caused the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman to warn of a possible 10% cut in local aid. With this threat and the concurrent possibility of an increase in taxes by the House, the Finance Committee recommended that the Town Meeting delay a vote on the budgets and other finance articles until after the House deliberations were complete. Fortunately for our Town, the House of Representatives were able to restore local aid through the use of some always controversial tax increases.
With this good news on local aid and after a lot of hard work over the last three months in cooperation with the Town Manager and School Department, the Finance Committee is able to present a budget that maintains essential services and provides for cost of living increases to Town employees. However in order to accomplish this the Town will be utilizing reserves. Compared to fiscal 2002, the financial situation for fiscal 2003 is expected to be approximately as follows:
+ $1,770,000 Increased property taxes allowed by Proposition 2 1/2
+ 0 Local aid
+ 110,000 Hotel/Motel Tax
+ 185,000 Local Receipts
+ 300,000 Use of Stabilization
+ 200,000 Increase in overlay surplus
+ 300,000 Increased free cash and Other reserves
+ $2,865,000
Of the balance of available funds: $1,175,000 was allocated to the Education budget, $1,000,000 for insurance for School and Town employees, $275,000 for collective bargaining for non-school employees for fiscal 2003, and the remainder allocated to the warrant articles and other budget adjustments.
One of the bright revenue elements for fiscal 2002 and 2003 was growth from new construction. Projects such as the Mirak apartments in Arlington Center, the office building on Water Street, the condos on Summer Street, the assisted living project in the Heights and the hotel in East Arlington have produced increased revenues of almost $1,000,000 at a critical time.
The impact of the growth in health insurance costs on the Town's budget can not be overstated. Page D1 in this report compares the growth in insurance costs to the growth in state aid since 1995. As you can see the growth in one of our major revenue sources does not even cover the growth in these costs.
The issue of future obligations for the disposal of trash has been stabilized. We have included three tables at the end of this report to explain what is happening to the Tip Fee and Community Stabilization Funds.
Over the next two years it is highly likely that the amount of state and federal aid available to Arlington will continued to be level funded or grow far less rapidly than in the past. In addition, the fixed costs of employee health insurance, pensions and special education will continue to substantially outpace inflation. The only factor that prevented further budget cuts in fiscal year 2003 was the use of reserve funds to a degree that cannot be maintained in the future. The Finance Committee believes this trend and the constraints of Proposition 2½ demand that the Town either raise additional revenues or substantially reduce services in the very near future.
****
In closing, we need to emphasize the importance of controlling appropriations in next years budget. We cannot use anymore of the Town's reserves without jeopardizing the Town's future financial condition. Last year, when we bonded the elementary schools, the Town maintained its high Aa2 rating from Moody's Investors Service, which rates the Town's bonds. We accomplished this because we continued funding the retiree health insurance fund, were conservative in projection of receipts and used only approximately half of our free cash in funding the budgets. That is not the case for fiscal 2003. We are using more of our reserves to give the Town a year to solve the problem discussed above. We need to return to these conservative financial practices if we are to maintain our high credit rating for future
bonding. This will be especially important to keeping interest rates and the resulting tax impact down for the taxpayers who entrusted us with their money for the rebuilding of our schools.
As in past years, we ask for your support to keep the budgets balanced. We have allocated revenues as prudently as possible and utilized reserves to maintain services for fiscal 2003. Proposed increases must be balanced by reductions elsewhere. As always, we are available to answer any questions you may have.
Respectfully submitted,
Allan Tosti, Chairman
WARRANT ARTICLES
The Finance Committee recommends passages of the following votes:
(Unless otherwise indicated, the following recommendations were by unanimous votes: any exceptions are noted in parentheses following the text of the recommended vote. The Chairman votes only when the recommendation of the Finance Committee will be affected.)
ARTICLES 4-9, 12-16 The Redevelopment Board has reported on these articles.
ARTICLE 17 - 33 The Board of Selectmen has reported on these articles.
ARTICLE 34 APPROPRIATION/LAND ACQUISITION
ESTABLISH MUNICIPAL LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY
To see if the Town will vote to accept the applicable provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws including without limitation Chapter 164 relating to the establishment of a municipal light and power company, to authorize the Selectmen or other appropriate agency to take by eminent domain or purchase or lease that property which is owned by existing electrical and power companies doing business in the Town, appropriate a sum of money to fund such an acquisition including the possibility of borrowing all or part of such funds, to determine how the money will be raised and expended, to authorize ballot questions to seek the approval of the electorate, or to take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request 10 Registered Voters)
VOTED: The Finance Committee supports the recommendation of the Board of Selectmen. (11-2)
ARTICLE 38 ACCEPTANCE OF LEGISLATION/
EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE (ERI) PROGRAM
To see if the Town will vote to accept any legislation related to retirement changes and/or an Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) Program; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Contributory Retirement Board)
VOTED: There is no report at this time.
COMMENT: An early retirement bill has recently been signed into law. This provides guidelines for each municipality that wishes to adopt an early retirement plan for its employees. The goal of such a plan would be to reduce costs in a way that would eliminate the need for layoffs. For the Town to save money, the plan would need to be structured so that no more than 25% to 30% of retiring employees would be replaced. This will be extremely difficult under the restrictions of the law. The acceptance of this statute will need to be studied very carefully before any actions should be taken. If the Board of Selectmen decides to seriously pursue this option, the Finance Committee requests the opportunity to review and
comment before any final decision is made.
ARTICLE 39 APPROPRIATION/PENSION ADJUSTMENT FOR RETIREES
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to implement the provisions of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, Sections 90A, 90C, 90D and 90E, pursuant to which the Town pays up to fifty percent of the maximum salary as set forth in the classification and pay plan for the position formerly held by retirees of the Town, and in accordance with prior practice and understanding of the Town relating to the pension adjustment of former employees, determine how the money shall be raised and expended; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Contributory Retirement Board)
VOTED: That the sum of $0 be and hereby is appropriated to implement the provision of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, Sections 90A, 90C, 90D, and 90E (pursuant to which the Town pays up to fifty percent of the maximum of the classification pay plan for the position formerly occupied by the retirees, and in accordance with prior practice and understanding of the Town) relating to the pension adjustment of former employees, said sum to be expended under the direction of the Retirement Board.
COMMENT: This vote, which is required annually, allows the Retirement Board to ensure that retired employees will continue to receive payments consistent with their original benefits.
ARTICLE 40 RATIFICATION OF VOTE/SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATION/ INCREASED DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE
To see if the Town will vote to ratify the action of the Contributory Retirement Board, which voted to accept the provisions of General Laws Chapter 32, Section 7, Subsections (2) (a) (iii), and General Laws Chapter 32, Section 9, Subsections (2) (d), providing a mechanism for increasing the cost of living allowances paid for dependents of disability retires and dependents of members who die as the result of a job-related injury, determine how the money shall be raised and expended; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Contributory Retirement Board)
VOTED: The Finance Committee supports the recommendation of the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 41 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/LOCAL 680
To see if the Town will vote to fund any fiscal items in the event that any are contained in a collective bargaining agreement between the Town and that collective bargaining unit represented by Local 680, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: At the time of printing this report, contract negotiations had not been completed. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 42 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/NAGE
To see if the Town will vote to fund any fiscal items in the event that any are contained in a collective bargaining agreement between the Town and that collective bargaining unit represented by Local 113, National Association of Government Employees, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: At the time of printing this report, contract negotiations had not been completed. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 43 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS
To see if the Town will vote to fund any fiscal items in the event that any are contained in a collective bargaining agreement between the Town and that collective bargaining unit represented by the Robbins Library Professional Association, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: At the time of printing this report, contract negotiations had not been completed. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 44 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/LOCAL 1297 FIREFIGHTERS
To see if the Town will vote to fund any fiscal items in the event that any are contained in a collective bargaining agreement between the Town and that collective bargaining unit represented by Local 1297, International Association of Firefighters, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: At the time of printing this report, contract negotiations had not been completed. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 45 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/PATROLMEN
To see if the Town will vote to fund any fiscal items in the event that any are contained in a collective agreement between the Town and that collective bargaining unit represented by the Arlington Police Patrolmen's Association, determine how the money shall be raised, transferred and/or expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: At the time of printing this report, contract negotiations had not been completed. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 46 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/RANKING POLICE OFFICERS
To see if the Town will vote to fund any fiscal items in the event that any are contained in a collective bargaining agreement between the Town and that collective bargaining unit represented by the Ranking Police Officers Association, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: At the time of printing this report, contract negotiations had not been completed. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 47 M SCHEDULE AND NON-UNION EMPLOYEES
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to fund salary or fringe benefit increases for those employees who occupy a position in Schedule M of the Compensation and Pay Plan or who are non-union Town side employees, amend the Compensation and Pay Plan accordingly, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: There is no report at this time. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 48 SALARY ADJUSTMENT/ELECTED OFFICIALS
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money in order to adjust the salaries or fringe benefits of certain elected officials, including the Town Clerk and Town Treasurer, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted by the Board of Selectmen)
VOTED: There is no report at this time. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 49 FUNDING FUTURE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
To see if the Town will vote to carry over a sum of money left unexpended at the end of Fiscal Year 2002 in Town budgets in order to establish a reserve for funding future collective bargaining agreements, to appropriate a sum of money for same, determine how the money will be raised or expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: That the sum of $273,180 be and hereby is appropriated, to be set aside for funding future collective bargaining agreements, said sum to be raised by the general tax and said sum shall not be expended without a further vote of the Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 50 POSITIONS RECLASSIFICATION
To see if the Town will vote to make additions, deletions and/or modifications to the Classification and Pay Plan, appropriate a sum of money to fund same if necessary, determine how the money will be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager and Personnel Director)
VOTED: That the Classification Plan, as established by Article 7C of the By-Laws, be and hereby is amended as follows:
1. By reclassifying/renaming the following positions:
A. Assistant Treasurer/Assistant Collector, ATP 10 to
Deputy Treasurer/Deputy Collector, ATP 11
Office of the Town Treasurer
FTE 1 $0
B. Health Compliance Officer/Public Health Nurse, ATP 6 to Public Health Compliance Officer, ATP 6
Department of Public Health
FTE 1 $0
C. Building Inspector, ATP 12
Department of Community Safety
to
Director of Inspectional Services, M2
Department of Inspectional Services
FTE 1 $0
and to fund said reclassifications, funds be and hereby are appropriated and included in the budgets of the departments affected.
2. By reclassifying the following titles:
A. Geriatric Nurse Clinician, ATP 9 to ATP 8
Department of Human Services
FTE 1 $0
3. By adding the following titles:
A. Senior Engineering Aide, ATP 3
Department of Public Works
FTE 1 $0
B. Customer Service Representative, ATP 3
Department of Public Works
FTE 1 $0
C. Office Manager, ATP 5
Department of Community Safety
FTE 1 $0
D. Public Health Nurse, ATP 7
Department of Public Health
Part Time ( 10 hours per week) $0
ARTICLE 51 APPROPRIATION/TOWN BUDGETS
To see if the Town will vote to make appropriations to defray Town obligations, liabilities, outlay and expenses and especially for or relating to all or any of the boards, departments, purposes and matters hereinafter mentioned, and to provide for the disposal of motor vehicles and other personal property belonging to the Town, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto:
Finance Committee, Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, Personnel, Comptroller, Data Processing, Town Treasurer and Collector of Taxes, Assessors, Legal and Worker's Compensation, Town Clerk, Registrars, Planning and Community Development, Redevelopment Board, Parking, Zoning Board of Appeals, Public Works, Highway, Snow and Ice Removal, Engineering, Properties, Natural Resources, Cemeteries and Sanitation, Community Safety, School Department, Libraries, Human Services, Insurance, Non-Contributory Pensions, Contributory Pensions, Town Debt and Interest, Reserve Fund, and/or any other Town Departments, Boards, Commissions or Committees, Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund, Recreation Enterprise Fund, Council on Aging Transportation Enterprise Fund, Veterans Memorial Rink Enterprise Fund, and Youth Services Enterprise Fund.
(Inserted by the Board of Selectmen and at the request of the Town Manager)
For recommended votes see Page B1
ARTICLE 52 APPROPRIATION/CAPITAL PROJECTS AND DEBT
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to defray the expense of purchasing, leasing, or bonding of capital equipment, infrastructure, buildings or other projects of the Town or to acquire real property for municipal purposes; to appropriate a sum of money to fund previously incurred or future Town debt, to acquire land for said projects where necessary by purchase, eminent domain taking or otherwise, determine how the money shall be raised including the possibility of borrowing any or all of the same, or the transfer of funds from any previous appropriation, determine how such money shall be expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted by the Board of Selectmen, and at the request of the Town Manager
and the Capital Planning Committee)
VOTED: (1) That the sum of $6,804,294 be and hereby is appropriated for various capital projects and equipment as shown below, and expended under the direction of the Town Manager, said sum to be raised by general tax:
And that the sum of $300,000 be hereby transferred from the Stabilization Fund (requires a 2/3 vote) and the sum of $105,000 be hereby transferred from the Debt Service Reserve Fund (unused funds in FY02 Capital Budget) to reduce expenses under this article as indicated above.
(2) That the various capital projects and equipment purchases shown below shall be undertaken and financed by grants or other funds as shown below, such grants to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager.
(3) That the sum of $2,206,500 be and hereby is appropriated for extraordinary repairs to public facilities, acquisition of land and the purchase and installation of equipment and for costs incidental and related thereto as follows:
And that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectman, is hereby authorized to borrow not exceeding the sum of $2,206,500 under and pursuant to the statutes cited above, and any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said sum to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager.
(4) That the Town Manager is authorized and directed to apply for and accept any further federal, state or other grants that may be available for any one or more of the foregoing projects and equipment.
(5) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that monies are not expended for the purposes delineated above then the Comptroller is authorized and directed not to transfer these excess funds to available funds, but said funds shall remain and be accounted for in the warrant article pending further vote of the Town Meeting, except as otherwise provided by law.
ARTICLE 53 RESCIND AUTHORITY TO BORROW
To see if the Town will vote to rescind the authority to borrow the amounts remaining with regard to the following numbered Annual Town Meeting Warrant Articles:
The total amount to be rescinded from the above-numbered Articles is $18,399; or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Treasurer)
VOTED: That the Town rescind the authority to borrow the amounts remaining with regard to the following numbered Annual Town Meeting Warrant Articles:
ARTICLE YEAR AMOUNT PROJECT
91 1997 $1,579 Appropriation/Capital
Projects and Debt
47 1998 $120 Appropriation/Capital
Projects and Debt
45 2000 $16,000 Appropriation/Capital
Projects and Debt
69 2001 $500 Appropriation/Capital
Projects and Debt
69 2001 $200 Appropriation/Capital
Projects and Debt
The total amount to be rescinded from the above-numbered Articles is $18,399.
ARTICLE 54 APPROPRIATION/MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of paying the Town's apportioned share of the operating and maintenance costs, including capital costs, of the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Minuteman Regional Vocational School District Committee)
VOTED: That the sum of $2,106,883 be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of paying the Town's apportioned share of the operating and maintenance costs, including capital costs, of the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School District Budget; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee.
ARTICLE 55 APPROPRIATION/COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum or sums of money to be expended under the direction of various committees, commissions, and boards of the Town, determine how the money shall be raised; provided that any funds appropriated hereunder shall remain under the jurisdiction of said entities until expended at their direction, unless otherwise appropriated by the Town Meeting; the entities included hereunder, without limitation, are: Arlington Historical Commission, Arlington Recycling Committee, Avon Place Historic District Commission, Broadway Historic District Commission, Central Street Historic District Commission, Mt. Gilboa/Crescent Hill Historic District Commission, Jason/Gray Historic District Commission, Pleasant Street Historic District Commission, Russell Historic District Commission, Conservation Commission, Capital
Planning Committee, Commission on Disability, Personnel Board, Public Memorial Committee, Human Rights Commission, and any other Town committee or commission, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Moderator and the Finance Committee)
VOTED: That the sum of $31,185, be and hereby is appropriated to be expended by the following commissions, committees, and boards in the amounts indicated:
A. Arlington Historical Commission -- $2,400
B. Historic District Commissions -- $4,200
(Avon Place Historic District Commission, Broadway Historic District Commission, Central Street Historic District commission, Jason/Gray Historic District Commission, Russell Historic District Commission, Pleasant Street Historic District Commission, Mount Gilboa/Crescent Hill Historic District Commission)
C. Conservation Commission -- $16,585
D. Capital Planning Committee -- $500
E. Commission on Disability -- $500
F. Recycling Committee -- $2,000
G. Human Rights Commission -- $5,000
Said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the various commissions, committees and boards, provided that any funds appropriated hereunder shall remain under the jurisdiction of said commissions, committees and boards until expended or released, unless otherwise transferred by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 56 TRANSFER OF FUNDS/CONSERVATION COMMISSION
To see if the Town will vote to transfer funds from the Receipt Reserve account of the Conservation Commission, established at Town Meeting in 1990, to the budget of the Conservation Commission for fiscal year 2003, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Conservation Commission)
VOTED: That no action be taken under this article.
COMMENT: This transfer is now handled under Section E of Article 37, Revolving Funds.
ARTICLE 59 RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL/MT. PLEASANT CEMETERY
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen and/or the Town Manager to enter into agreements with individuals who own property near the Mount Pleasant Cemetery so that the Town would obtain a Right of First Refusal, by which the Town would secure an option to purchase property from such individuals for cemetery expansion purpose, to appropriate a sum of money to fund same, including the possibility of borrowing; to determine how the money will be raised and expended, or to take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: That no action be taken under this Article.
COMMENT: The Finance Committee believes that this is not the time to be taking commercial or industrial properties off the tax roles.
ARTICLE 60 APPROPRIATION/TOWN CELEBRATIONS, ETC.
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum or sums of money to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager for the following celebrations and memorials, determine how the money shall be raised, or take any action related thereto:
A. Seasonal Lighting
B. Veterans' Day Parade, Memorial Day Observation and the Patriots' Day Celebration
C. 2002 Town Day Celebration
D. Display of American Flags on Massachusetts Avenue
E. Placing of American Flags on the Graves of Veterans
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: That the sum of $16,500 be and hereby is appropriated for the following celebrations and memorials in the amounts indicated:
A. Seasonal Lighting - $3,000
B. Veterans' Day parade, Memorial Day Observation and the Patriots' Day Celebration - $8,500
C. 2002 Town Day Celebration - $0
D. Display of American Flags on Massachusetts Avenue - $2,000
E. Placing of American Flags on the Graves of Veterans - $3,000
Said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction
of the various commissions, committees and boards, provided that any funds appropriated hereunder shall remain under the jurisdiction of said commissions, committees and boards until expended or released, unless otherwise transferred by Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 61 APPROPRIATION/MISCELLANEOUS
To see if the Town will vote the following:
A. Legal Defense - To appropriate a sum of money to replenish the Legal Defense Fund established under Article 13, Section 5 of Title I of the Town Bylaws,
B. Unemployment Compensation - To appropriate a sum of money to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager for the Unemployment Compensation Program,
C. Out-Of-State Travel - To appropriate a sum of money for expenses incurred outside the Commonwealth and as described in the General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 5, Paragraph 34, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager,
D. Revaluation - To appropriate a sum of money to fund the cost of a revaluation of Town property,
Indemnification of Medical Costs - To appropriate a sum of money in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 41, Section 100B of the General Laws, to indemnify certain retired Police Officers and Firefighters for all reasonable medical and surgical expenses which they incurred,
determine how the money will be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)
VOTED: The sum of $143,109 be and hereby is appropriated for the following purposes:
A. Legal Defense - To appropriate a sum of money to replenish the Legal Defense Fund established under Article 13 of Title I of the Town By-Laws - $0
B. Unemployment Compensation - To appropriate a sum of money to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager for the Unemployment Compensation Program - $100,000
C. Out-Of-State Travel - To appropriate a sum of money for expenses incurred outside the Commonwealth and as described in the General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 5, Paragraph 34, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager - $3,000
D. Revaluation - To appropriate a sum of money to fund the cost of a revaluation of Town property - $30,000
Indemnification of Medical Costs $10,109 (To indemnify certain retired Police Officers and Firefighters for all reasonable medical and surgical expenses which they incurred during 2001 that are the proximate result of the disability for which they were retired; and to defray the expenses of the Medical Panel required by law; provided, however, that no incurred expenses shall be considered for indemnification thereunder except only those such as are excess over covered benefits of any plan of Hospital, Surgical or other coverage which the retiree has or had available to him, either directly or through a member of his immediate family, which benefits shall be considered primary, and which must be disclosed by such plan, or by the physician, hospital or other medical personnel or facility
with or without the consent of the retiree.)
Said sums to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Town Manager, with the exception of the funds for Revaluation which are to be expended under the direction of the Board of Assessors.
ARTICLE 62 AUTHORIZATON TO PURCHASE LAND
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to acquire by gift or purchase or eminent domain two certain parcels of land located between Reed Street and the Arlington / Lexington town line and shown as Parcel “A” and Parcel “Map 109, Block 1, Lot 10” on a plan entitled “Easement Plan Reed's Brook, Arlington, MA” by Holden Engineering dated January 29, 1998, to appropriate a sum of money to fund such acquisition, determine how the money will be raised and expended including the possibility of borrowing all or some of same, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Arlington Redevelopment Board)
VOTED: That the Town authorizes the Board of Selectmen to acquire by gift or purchase or eminent domain two certain parcels of land located between Reed Street and the Arlington-Lexington town line and shown as Parcel “A” and Parcel “Map 109, Block 1, Lot 10” on a plan entitled “Easement Plan, Reed's Brook, Arlington, MA” by Holden Engineering dated January 29, 1998 on file in the Town of Arlington Department of Planning and Community Development, and appropriates the amount of $1.00 to fund such acquisition, said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 63 APPROPRIATION/HARDY SCHOOL
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to augment previous appropriations for the construction, reconstruction or renovation of the Hardy School, or to take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Permanent Town Building Committee)
VOTED: That the Town does hereby appropriate the sum of $125,000 in addition to the monies previously appropriated under Article 26 of the Special Town Meeting commenced on May 22, 1995, Article 3 of the Special Town Meeting commenced on June 3, 1998 and monies appropriated under Article 3 of the Special Town Meeting commenced on April 9, 2001 for the Hardy School construction project for a total appropriation of $8,586,000 and to raise this additional appropriation, the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $70,000 under and pursuant to Chapter 44, Section 7 or Chapter 70B of the Massachusetts General Laws, or any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor and that $55,000 be transferred from unexpended funds remaining
in the Capital Budget, such funds to be expended under the direction of the Permanent Town Building Committee.
COMMENT: This appropriation is to cover the final costs of the Hardy School. These resulted from unexpected additional structural work and financing costs. This borrowing will not be exempt from the limits of Proposition 2 ½.
ARTICLE 64 APPROPRIATION/ATHLETIC FACILITY
To see if the Town will vote to fund the construction of an athletic facility at the site of the former practice soccer field off of Grove Street, including a plan for the bonding such construction, and further to establish a special account to receive contributions from the industrial parties as provided for in a certain agreement between the industrial parties and the Town as approved at the 2001 Annual Town Meeting, to amend the vote under Article 2 of the May 2, 2001 Special Town Meeting, to authorize the Selectmen to file a home rule petition if same is necessary to provide for such an account or otherwise to establish a mechanism for receiving such funds in order to defray the initial debt service obligations related to this construction, determine how the money will be raised and expended, including the possibility of borrowing any or
all of same, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the School Committee)
VOTED: There is no report at this time. The Finance Committee will report when this article is considered by Town Meeting.
COMMENT: The Finance Committee has not been presented with any proposal or financial plan for the building of an athletic facility at this site.
ARTICLE 65 APPROPRIATION/PEIRCE FIELD ASSESSMENT COSTS
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to fund the remaining Town obligation for assessment of contaminants on the Peirce Field, to determine how the money will be raised and expended including the possibility of borrowing any or all of same, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Superintendent of Schools and Town Counsel)
VOTED: That no action be taken under this Article.
COMMENT: Other funds in the Legal Budget were utilized to cover these costs.
ARTICLE 66 APPROPRIATION/TRANSPORTATION STUDY
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to fund a Town-wide study to examine transportation issues including without limitation the impact of increasing traffic volume and parking issues throughout all neighborhoods in the Town, determine how the money will be raised and expended, including the possibility of borrowing, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Selectmen's Transportation Advisory Committee)
VOTED: That the Town does hereby appropriate the sum of $25,000 to fund a Town-wide study to examine transportation issues including without limitation the impact of increasing traffic volume and parking issues throughout all neighborhoods in the Town said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Town Manager.
COMMENT: These funds will be combined with the $25,000 from the Water Street development previously voted by Town Meeting under Article 25.
ARTICLE 67 APPROPRIATION/FINANCING OF CONSTRUCTION OR
RECONSTRUCTION OF SEWERS AND SEWERAGE FACILITIES
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of financing the construction or reconstruction of sewers and sewerage facilities for inflow/infiltration reduction or system rehabilitation, including costs incidental and related thereto, and to determine how the appropriation shall be raised or expended, including the possibility of borrowing, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager and the Director of Public Works)
VOTED: That no action be taken under this article.
COMMENT: Previous year's borrowing authority is still in effect and sufficient for current needs.
ARTICLE 68 APPROPRIATION/FINANCING OF CONSTRUCTION OR
RECONSTRUCTION OF WATER MAINS AND WATER FACILITIES
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of financing the construction or reconstruction of water mains and water facilities, including costs incidental and related thereto, and to determine how the appropriation shall be raised and expended including the possibility of borrowing, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager and the Director of Public Works)
VOTED: That the sum of $1,300,000 be appropriated for the purpose of financing the construction of water mains and water facilities, including costs incidental and related thereto; and that to raise this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $1,300,000 under and pursuant to Chapter 44, Section 7, of the General Laws, as amended, or any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; and that the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager be and hereby are authorized to enter into any agreements they determine to be necessary in connection with the project and its financing and are further authorized to accept and expend in addition to the foregoing appropriation any grants that may become available therefore
from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority or otherwise.
COMMENT: This authorization allows the Town to receive an interest free loan from the M.W.R.A., which will be repaid from revenues of the Water Enterprise Fund.
ARTICLE 69 APPROPRIATION/RETIREE HEALTHCARE TRUST FUND
To see if the Town will appropriate a sum of money to the Healthcare Trust Fund as established by Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1998, and to accept into said trust fund a transfer of funds and/or additional moneys that the Town may deem advisable from other sources in order to fund its healthcare obligations, determine how the money shall be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Town Treasurer and the Finance Committee)
VOTED: That the sum of $175,746 be appropriated to fund the Healthcare Trust Fund as established by Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1998, and to accept into this fund any other monies the Town may deem appropriate to fund its healthcare obligations, said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Town Treasurer.
COMMENT: This continues the action to fund the unfunded liability for retiree health insurance. We are utilizing the decrease in the non-contributory pension system to contribute to this fund. We use $500,000 in the non-contributory pension appropriation as the base and each year the difference between that base figure and the next year's requirement would be added to the Retiree Healthcare Trust Fund.
ARTICLE 70 APPROPRIATION/TIP FEE STABILIZATION FUND
To see if the Town will vote to make an appropriation/transfer from the Tip Fee Stabilization Fund established by Chapter 8 of the Acts of 1998 for any purpose allowed by such act, to determine how the money will be raised and expended, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Finance Committee)
VOTED: That the sum of $1,660,045 be and hereby is appropriated and transferred from the Arlington Tip Fee Stabilization Fund established under Chapter 8 of the Acts of 1998 to the Sanitation Budget 16d Rubbish Disposal/Recycling, said sum to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager.
COMMENT: See page G-1 for an explanation of how the fund will be utilized to level our appropriation over the next four years.
ARTICLE 71 TRANSFER OF FUNDS/CEMETERY
To see if the Town will vote to transfer a sum of money to the Cemetery Commissioners for the improvement of Town cemeteries, said sum shall be taken from the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery “Sale of Lots and Graves Fund”, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Finance Committee)
VOTED: That the Town transfer $63,000 to the Capital Budget and $44,900 to the Cemetery Commissioners for the improvement of Town cemeteries, said sum shall be taken from the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery “Sale of Lots and Graves Fund.”
ARTICLE 72 APPROPRIATION/OVERLAY RESERVE
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money from previous years overlay reserve surplus accounts, determine to what purpose this appropriation shall be made, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Finance Committee)
VOTED: That the sum of $500,000 be and hereby is appropriated, to be transferred from Overlay Reserve Surplus Accounts of previous fiscal years, said sum to be utilized in the determination of the tax rate.
ARTICLE 73 USE OF FREE CASH
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the taking of a sum of money voted for appropriations heretofore made at the Town Meeting under the Warrant and not voted to be borrowed from available funds in the Treasury, and authorize the Assessors to use free cash in the Treasury to that amount in the determination of the tax rate for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2002, or take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Finance Committee)
VOTED: That the sum of $2,767,285 will be taken from available funds in the Treasury, and that the Board of Assessors is instructed to use said amount in the determination of the tax rate.
ARTICLE 74 APPROPRIATION/PEIRCE SCHOOL
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to augment previous appropriations for the construction, reconstruction or renovation of the Peirce School, or to take any action related thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Permanent Town Building Committee)
VOTED: That the Town does hereby appropriate the additional sum of $173,000 to supplement the monies appropriated under Article 3 of the Special Town Meeting commenced on April 26, 2000 to supplement the appropriation for the new Pierce School for a total appropriation of $10,278,000 and to raise this additional appropriation, the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $173,000 under and pursuant to Chapter 44, Section 7 or Chapter 70B of the Massachusetts General Laws, or any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, such funds to be expended under the direction of the Permanent Town Building Committee.
COMMENT: This appropriation is to cover the final costs of the Pierce School. These resulted from unexpected additional structural work and financing costs.
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