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Advisory Committee
February 12, 2008 Meeting Minutes

 

APPROVED
Town of Hingham
Advisory Committee
February 12, 2008 Meeting Minutes
Hingham Town Hall
Committee Members Present: Bierwirth, Asher, Farrell, Friedman, Innis, Johnson, Kiernan, Lauter, Port, Seelen.
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1.Chair Joe Bierwirth called the Advisory Committee meeting to order at approximately 7:34 PM.

2.The Committee reviewed and approved the minutes from the 2/5/08 meeting.

3.Sewer Commission Report and Budget Presentation
Irma Lauter introduced Sewer Commission Chair Michael Salerno, along with other members and staff of the Sewer Commission. Michael gave a brief report and stated that the Commission’s budget is a level services budget, with the exception of a request for added funds for new systems that will help keep the sewer pipes free of grease build-up. Irma noted that all Sewer Commission costs are covered by receipts from rate-payers. The Advisory Committee voted favorably on the Sewer Commission’s operating budget, as shown in Attachment A.

4.Recreation Commission Report and Budget Presentation
Amy Farrell introduced Recreation Commission Chair Frank Jones, along with other members and staff of the Recreation Commission. The Recreation Commission’s operations are currently running in the black; the Commission’s expenses are covered by revenues from its revolving fund. Frank stated that this appears to be a good year financially, but that potential increased personnel costs may add financial pressures next year. The Advisory Committee voted favorably on the Recreation Commission’s operating budget, as shown in Attachment A.

5.Capital Plan Update
Irma introduced Capital Outlay Committee Chair Andy Mooradian and other members of the Capital Outlay Committee. Irma noted that individual departments had been asked to rank their capital spending priorities for the benefit of the Capital Outlay Committee, and that most departments had done so. Andy reviewed the Draft Report of the Capital Outlay Committee, and there was discussion of the following items:

  • Tennis Courts: Ongoing maintenance of the Town’s public tennis courts is required to forestall the even larger costs of re-building seriously deteriorated courts. Questions were raised about the rationale for the Town to be in the tennis court business. Questions also were raised about private parties using the public courts for paid lessons.
  • DPWBalerBuilding: A question was raised about the status of the BalerBuilding roof repair project. The project seems to have gotten off track, but the current intent is to repair/replace the roof for no more than the $500,000 authorized in the FY ’08 budget at 2007 Town Meeting. There was consensus that if the cost of repairs exceeds this amount, the project should be revisited.
  • Middle School: There was discussion about the need for the School Department to develop more specificity about the 5-year capital needs of the Middle School. The Committee recognized that the uncertainties associated with the MSBA reimbursement program have made capital planning at the Middle School more difficult.
  • Annual Capital Expenditure: Irma remarked that while the recent target for annual capital expenditures from non-debt funding sources has been $2,000,000, a more realistic amount to meet the town’s annual capital needs would be $3,000,000.
  • Town Pier Float: Town resident Dana Baxter expressed concern that funding for repairs to the Town’s float (approximately $40,000) is not included in the Capital recommendations for FY ’09. According to Dana, the float is in a state of serious disrepair. The Capital Outlay Committee may review and reconsider this item. There was much discussion about the possibility of increasing Hingham’s mooring fees to help pay for this and other maintenance and improvements along the public waterfront, and the Advisory Committee voted favorably on the following motion by Irma Lauter:
    “The Advisory Committee recommends that the Board of Selectmen consider increasing Hingham Harbor mooring fees to be more in line with similar fees in neighboring towns, and that the revenue from such fee increases be dedicated in large part to addressing ongoing Hingham Harbor needs, such as float repairs and maintenance.”

6.

SchoolBuilding Project

Dennis Friedman reported that the flow of information from the MSBA is still slow and that, as of this date, there is no new news.

7.Warrant Articles
The Advisory Committee voted favorably on the following warrant articles:

The meeting was adjourned at approximately

9:36 PM.

The next Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for 2/26/08, 7:30 PM. Meetings will continue thereafter on a weekly basis, Tuesday evenings, 7:30 PM, unless otherwise scheduled.

Respectfully submitted,

Jerry Seelen, Secretary