Minutes Nov. 21, 2002
Lincoln Finance Committee
Present: Susan Brooks, Mary Cancian, Paul Giese, Pat Phillipps, John Robinson, Robert Steinbrook (arriving late from concurrent K-8 School Committee meeting); absent: Al Schmertzler. Also present: Town Administrator Tim Higgins, Selectman Gary Taylor.
The principle purpose of this meeting was to clarify the preferred format for the Town Operating budget requests presented to the FinCom the previous Monday, Nov. 18th. All agreed that the analysis and information provided by Tim in support of the Selectmen s budget requests was well done. However, the FinCom s Budget Guidelines have this year required that budget presentations concentrate on the level-funded (zero growth) budget first, before presenting and explaining the additional expenditures deemed necessary by the Selectmen in their Recommended Budget. This year s approach was designed to ensure that everyone is fully aware of the implications of a no override situation, as well as to clarify the additional services gained by any override request.
All present agreed on a refined format which will show first the FY 03 budget; then a level funded 04 budget annotated to indicate service reductions, reallocations or other adjustments; and finally showing the second, Selectmen s Recommended 04 budget, again annotated to show and explain which services have been added back, which services were new and why they were necessary. Tim will revise the presentation format as per the discussion.
Mary agreed to write the first draft of the FinCom Commentary on the Selectboard s Budget Requests before the Thanksgiving holidays. Susan and Paul are responsible for collecting additional inputs and submitting the final draft to the local yellow sheet.
Pat Phillipps discussed the draft conclusions of the K-8 Task Force. All were encouraged to read the Task Force report and to prepare for the K-8 budget presentation, scheduled for December 12th, accordingly.
Robert previewed K-8 budget issues to date. He, Paul and Susan will review K-8 preliminary budget requests and alert Mickey Brandmeyer and the School Committee on issues, including presentation format, the FinCom will want to explore in the Dec.12th meeting.
Susan, Al and Paul reported that the Association of Town Finance Committees conference was very informative and covered many topics of interest to FinCom.
Action: Prepare and share a list of important topics that were discussed at ATFC Who: Susan, Al and Paul
The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be Dec.12 in the Donaldson Room at 8PM when K-8 will present its initial budget requests to FinCom and the Selectmen.
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