PITTSFIELD SELECT BOARD SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING
To listen to a recording of the meeting, please click here:
DATE: October 27, 2022
PRESENT: Ann Kuendig, Joyce Stevens, AJ Ruben
PUBLIC PRESENT: Trish Abbondelo, Town Treasurer; Cynthia Bryant, RCML Representative
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: October 20, 2022 Special Budget Meeting
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Insurance: Health Insurance Premium Increase
2. Budget: General Fund
3. Town Report: Auditors’ Timeline
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Library Budget & Capital Improvement Projects Presentation (CIP)
NEXT MEETING: Thursday, November 3, 2022 @5pm Town Office
ADJOURN
Ann called the meeting to order at 5:04pm. Seconded by AJ. AJ moved to accept the Minutes of the October 20, 2022 Special Budget Meeting. Ann seconded. All in favor. Ann moved to take NB#1 as the first item on the agenda. AJ seconded. All in favor.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Insurance: Health Insurance Premium Increase. Ann said she reached out to Quin-town members for information but has not heard anything yet. She urged the Board in crafting a budget they need to bear in mind that it’s using taxpayers’ money and the line items in the plan need to be studied. The “non-standard plans” may need to be looked at. The Board discussed how to manage an increase like the one for the currently used plan. Should the taxpayers be asked to cover the increase, or should it be shared? Trish brought up that if there is some point and increase needs to be shared, she felt there should be given some lead time for the employee to prepare financially for it. It was decided to have George look at the plan and see what kind of responses Ann hears from various towns. Joyce said she would speak with George and will be asked to attend either the November 3rd or 22nd budget meeting. The plans from Blue Cross/Blue Shield were briefly looked at and Trish will look into the MVP “non-standard” plans.
2. Budget: General Fund. Not discussed due to time constraints.
3. Town Report: Auditors’ Timeline: Ann asked the Board to look it over and it will be added to the next meeting’s agenda.
Pittsfield Select Board Special Budget Meeting Minutes page 2
October 27, 2022
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Library Budget & Capital Improvement Projects Presentation (CIP).
Budget: Cindy presented the proposed budget and CIP to the Board. It was reviewed line by line with discussion. She said that $4,438 was spent between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022. $4,385 had been previously budgeted. Trish provided an explanation as to why those figures would never be the same.
Changes (not final) were made to the following to the proposed July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 budget:
- Increases: Supplies (office/cleaning); Programs/Events; Telephone/Internet; Library materials/patron services; GMLC.
- Decreases: Museum passes, Social media/Advertising, Interlibrary loan currier
- No changes: Periodicals, KOHA DB support, Technical Services, Mileage
Capital Improvement Projects: Upon initial review, it was felt that some items could fall under Budget instead of CIP. The following possible changes were made:
- Year 1 (2023-24): Librarian chair $300 moved to ’23-4 Budget; Patron computer desk and chair decreased from $900 to $500; Librarian desk (basic structure) remain at $1,200; Expand adult area seating decreased from $1,000 to $700; Multipurpose tables for meetings/programs $1,200 could be a possible donation.
- Year 2 (2024-5): Expanded children’s area (seating, craft table) $1,000 no change; Additional circulations (librarian)desk design $1,000 no change.
- Year 3 (2025-6): Educational children’s toys $500 moved to Budget; Shelving for non-fiction area $1,500 no change.
- Year 4 (2026-7): Adult seating $5,000 decreases to $1,000; Replace librarian chair $250 moved to Budget (Supplies – office/cleaning).
NEXT MEETING:
- Special Budget Meeting: Thursday, November 3, 2022 @5pm Town Office
- Regular Meeting: same date @6pm Town Office
Ann moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:08pm. AJ seconded. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha L. Beyersdorf, Secretary
Approved: November 3, 2022
/ /
Ann Kuendig Joyce Stevens A.J. Ruben
To listen to a recording of the meeting, please click here:
DATE: October 27, 2022
PRESENT: Ann Kuendig, Joyce Stevens, AJ Ruben
PUBLIC PRESENT: Trish Abbondelo, Town Treasurer; Cynthia Bryant, RCML Representative
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: October 20, 2022 Special Budget Meeting
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Insurance: Health Insurance Premium Increase
2. Budget: General Fund
3. Town Report: Auditors’ Timeline
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Library Budget & Capital Improvement Projects Presentation (CIP)
NEXT MEETING: Thursday, November 3, 2022 @5pm Town Office
ADJOURN
Ann called the meeting to order at 5:04pm. Seconded by AJ. AJ moved to accept the Minutes of the October 20, 2022 Special Budget Meeting. Ann seconded. All in favor. Ann moved to take NB#1 as the first item on the agenda. AJ seconded. All in favor.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Insurance: Health Insurance Premium Increase. Ann said she reached out to Quin-town members for information but has not heard anything yet. She urged the Board in crafting a budget they need to bear in mind that it’s using taxpayers’ money and the line items in the plan need to be studied. The “non-standard plans” may need to be looked at. The Board discussed how to manage an increase like the one for the currently used plan. Should the taxpayers be asked to cover the increase, or should it be shared? Trish brought up that if there is some point and increase needs to be shared, she felt there should be given some lead time for the employee to prepare financially for it. It was decided to have George look at the plan and see what kind of responses Ann hears from various towns. Joyce said she would speak with George and will be asked to attend either the November 3rd or 22nd budget meeting. The plans from Blue Cross/Blue Shield were briefly looked at and Trish will look into the MVP “non-standard” plans.
2. Budget: General Fund. Not discussed due to time constraints.
3. Town Report: Auditors’ Timeline: Ann asked the Board to look it over and it will be added to the next meeting’s agenda.
Pittsfield Select Board Special Budget Meeting Minutes page 2
October 27, 2022
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Library Budget & Capital Improvement Projects Presentation (CIP).
Budget: Cindy presented the proposed budget and CIP to the Board. It was reviewed line by line with discussion. She said that $4,438 was spent between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022. $4,385 had been previously budgeted. Trish provided an explanation as to why those figures would never be the same.
Changes (not final) were made to the following to the proposed July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 budget:
- Increases: Supplies (office/cleaning); Programs/Events; Telephone/Internet; Library materials/patron services; GMLC.
- Decreases: Museum passes, Social media/Advertising, Interlibrary loan currier
- No changes: Periodicals, KOHA DB support, Technical Services, Mileage
Capital Improvement Projects: Upon initial review, it was felt that some items could fall under Budget instead of CIP. The following possible changes were made:
- Year 1 (2023-24): Librarian chair $300 moved to ’23-4 Budget; Patron computer desk and chair decreased from $900 to $500; Librarian desk (basic structure) remain at $1,200; Expand adult area seating decreased from $1,000 to $700; Multipurpose tables for meetings/programs $1,200 could be a possible donation.
- Year 2 (2024-5): Expanded children’s area (seating, craft table) $1,000 no change; Additional circulations (librarian)desk design $1,000 no change.
- Year 3 (2025-6): Educational children’s toys $500 moved to Budget; Shelving for non-fiction area $1,500 no change.
- Year 4 (2026-7): Adult seating $5,000 decreases to $1,000; Replace librarian chair $250 moved to Budget (Supplies – office/cleaning).
NEXT MEETING:
- Special Budget Meeting: Thursday, November 3, 2022 @5pm Town Office
- Regular Meeting: same date @6pm Town Office
Ann moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:08pm. AJ seconded. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha L. Beyersdorf, Secretary
Approved: November 3, 2022
/ /
Ann Kuendig Joyce Stevens A.J. Ruben
RSS Feed