Finance Committee
Finance Committee: June 23, 2020
At its June 22, 2020 Warrant Article Hearing, the Marblehead Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend all fiscal articles on the 17-article town meeting warrant. The committee approved a $97,247,984 departmental expenses article and numerous capital and construction items, while indefinitely postponing four compensation and reclassification articles because no raises were being granted to non-union employee groups in FY21. The shortened warrant was the result of a court order allowing town meeting to proceed with only 30 citizens present during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FinCom unanimously approves $97.2M FY21 departmental expenses budget
Article 21, covering expenses of all town departments, was approved unanimously after the committee also endorsed a $7.53M draw from available funds to reduce the tax rate.
The Finance Committee unanimously approved Article 21, the expenses of several departments, in the amount of $97,247,984. Prior to that vote, the committee also unanimously approved Article 17, releasing $7,530,000 from available funds to reduce the tax rate, and Article 18 covering unpaid accounts totaling $3,628.38.
The chair noted the collaborative work among the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, School Committee, and department heads in arriving at a balanced budget under difficult pandemic conditions.
John Caswell (FinCom Chair)
Also on the agenda
FinCom chair explains shortened 17-article warrant due to COVID-19 pandemic
The committee describes a court-ordered condensed warrant focused solely on fiscal articles, with a $1.6 million estimated budget deficit to close.
The Finance Committee chair opened the June 22, 2020 Warrant Article Hearing by explaining that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a court order allowed Marblehead’s annual town meeting to proceed with only 30 citizens present rather than the usual 300. As a result, the warrant was shortened to 17 articles — compared to the typical 33–40+ — covering only fiscal and budget matters. Department heads and the school superintendent were asked to make difficult decisions in the context of a potential recession, a major school leadership transition, and an estimated $1.6 million budget deficit.
John Caswell (FinCom Chair)
FinCom reports FY21 budget is balanced; deficit solved for the year
Chair states that if projections hold, the presented budget resolves the FY21 deficit, though uncertainties from the pandemic remain.
The chair reported that, with accurate projections, the FY21 budget presented at the hearing is balanced and the deficit is solved. He acknowledged the year is filled with uncertainties due to the pandemic but expressed confidence in town leadership. The committee then began moving through the warrant articles.
John Caswell (FinCom Chair)
FinCom unanimously approves capital and construction articles totaling over $2.2M
Articles covering equipment purchases, lease-purchase, public buildings, water department construction, storm drainage, and Essex North Shore were all approved unanimously.
The committee voted unanimously in favor of the following capital and construction articles:
| Article | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Purchase of equipment, several departments | $68,000 |
| 9 | Lease purchase | $100,596 |
| 10 | Capital improvements, public buildings | $125,040 |
| 12 | Water department construction | $800,549 |
| 13 | Public buildings | $937,720 |
| 15 | Storm drainage construction | $314,000 |
| 16 | Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical | $787,946 |
All votes were unanimous.
John Caswell (FinCom Chair)
Four non-union pay-schedule articles indefinitely postponed; no raises given in FY21
The committee voted unanimously to indefinitely postpone reclassification and compensation articles for administrative, traffic supervisor, seasonal, and town officer groups.
The chair explained that four articles related to pay schedules and reclassifications were being indefinitely postponed because no raises were being given to non-union employee groups in FY21. He praised the groups for their collaborative approach in helping address the budget shortfall.
Articles indefinitely postponed:
- Article 25 — Proposed reclassification and pay schedule, administrative personnel
- Article 26 — Proposed pay schedule and reclassification, traffic supervisors
- Article 27 — Proposed reclassification and pay schedule, seasonal and temporary personnel
- Article 28 — Compensation of town officers
All four votes were unanimous.
John Caswell (FinCom Chair)
FinCom approves $34,500 for affordable housing trust fund and $6,200 transportation network release
Article 30 directs affordable housing tax title foreclosure proceeds to the affordable housing trust fund; Article 31 releases transportation network funds.
The committee unanimously approved:
- Article 30 — Affordable housing tax title foreclosures: $34,500 to be paid to the affordable housing trust fund.
- Article 31 — Release of funds from the transportation network: $6,200.
Both votes were unanimous.
John Caswell (FinCom Chair)
Annual Town Meeting announced for June 29 in Marblehead Veterans Middle School parking lot
The chair closed by reminding viewers that town meeting would be held outdoors on June 29, 2020 at 7:05 p.m.
The chair closed the meeting by reminding viewers that Marblehead’s Annual Town Meeting would take place on Monday, June 29th at 7:05 p.m. in the parking lot behind Marblehead Veterans Middle School, with the condensed warrant approved at the FinCom hearing.
John Caswell (FinCom Chair)
Tonight's record
17 decisions ▾
- Approved Article 7 departmental revolving funds ($2,728,000)
- Approved Article 8 purchase of equipment ($68,000)
- Approved Article 9 lease purchase ($100,596)
- Approved Article 10 capital improvements for public buildings ($125,040)
- Approved Article 12 water department construction ($800,549)
- Approved Article 13 public buildings ($937,720)
- Approved Article 15 storm drainage construction ($314,000)
- Approved Article 16 Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical ($787,946)
- Approved Article 17 available funds to reduce tax rate ($7,530,000)
- Approved Article 18 unpaid accounts ($3,628.38)
- Approved Article 21 expenses of several departments ($97,247,984)
- Indefinitely postponed Article 25 proposed reclassification and pay schedule — administrative
- Indefinitely postponed Article 26 proposed pay schedule and reclassification — traffic supervisors
- Indefinitely postponed Article 27 proposed reclassification and pay schedule — seasonal and temporary personnel
- Indefinitely postponed Article 28 compensation of town officers
- Approved Article 30 affordable housing tax title foreclosures ($34,500 to affordable housing trust fund)
- Approved Article 31 release funds from transportation network ($6,200)
17 votes ▾
- in favor (unanimous) Article 7 departmental revolving funds
- in favor (unanimous) Article 8 purchase of equipment
- in favor (unanimous) Article 9 lease purchase
- in favor (unanimous) Article 10 capital improvements for public buildings
- in favor (unanimous) Article 12 water department construction
- in favor (unanimous) Article 13 public buildings
- in favor (unanimous) Article 15 storm drainage construction
- in favor (unanimous) Article 16 Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical
- in favor (unanimous) Article 17 available funds to reduce tax rate
- in favor (unanimous) Article 18 unpaid accounts
- in favor (unanimous) Article 21 expenses of several departments
- in favor (unanimous) Article 25 indefinite postponement
- in favor (unanimous) Article 26 indefinite postponement
- in favor (unanimous) Article 27 indefinite postponement
- in favor (unanimous) Article 28 indefinite postponement
- in favor (unanimous) Article 30 affordable housing tax title foreclosures
- in favor (unanimous) Article 31 release funds from transportation network
13 min full transcript ▾
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Transcript machine-generated with Whisper speech recognition (the source video has no caption track). No speaker labels; proper names and dollar figures occasionally misheard. Click any timecode to jump to that moment in the source video.
0:05 Hello and welcome to MHTV’s Headliner, I’m John Caswell. At their June 22nd Warrant Article Hearing, the Marblehead Finance Committee made recommendations on the 17 articles on this year’s town meeting warrant. Here are the highlights. As your representatives, or as I like to say, as the citizens’ watchdog, FinCom is here tonight to vote on articles on the town warrant with financial impact for your consideration. You will notice tonight there are not as many articles as there usually are. The warrant only has 17 articles this year. Just for your background, it usually has between 33 and 40-something. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the town was granted the right to hold town meeting with only 30 citizens present. Usually we’re required to have 300 citizens present. But with that determination, and as a result of a court order, the town is only taking a shortened warrant this year. We’re only going to hear matters of fiscal articles related to the budget. Our department head schools, superintendent, finance directors, were required, were really asked to sharpen their pencil this year and make some very difficult decisions. In the heart of a pandemic, facing a potential recession, the school department in the midst of major leadership transition, and a town staring at an estimated $1.6 million budget deficit, it wasn’t the time to ask for everything you wanted. That’s a future conversation. Student, for sure, something we should absolutely look closely at in the next year and see if the timing is right then, but not now. This simply isn’t the right moment or the
1:39 appropriate financial time. Everyone got that, and we’re great teammates. And I’m happy to report if all projections come in accurately, the budget presented tonight is balanced. The deficit is solved for fiscal year 21. While fiscal year 21 is filled with many concerns and uncertainties, especially due to the impact of this pandemic, I am confident that these strong leaders will get us through this moment. I’d like to make a motion to approve articles that have been departmental revolving funds in the amount of $2,728,000. So moved. So moved by Pat. Do you have a second? Second by Ben. Ben, do you mind doing a roll call for me? Uh, Alan. Yes, approved. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Kevin’s on mute. Okay. You’re having all kinds of audio tonight, but we’ll work through it. Give me a thumbs up with the yes. You’re having audio issues. But I got, I got past. Yes. Not unanimously approved. I’d like to make a motion to approve article eight purchase of equipment of several departments in the amount of $68,000. Second. Second. Roll call, Ben, please. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Let’s hear everybody tonight. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes.
3:23 Ben. Approved. I can’t get over that background. Ben, yes. Unanimously approved, Emily. And I will make a motion to approve article nine lease purchase in the amounts of $100,596. So moved. Second by Pat. Adrian. Adrian. Adrian. Sorry. All right. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. I’m a yes. With that, I’d like to make a motion to approve article 10 capital improvements for public buildings in the amount of $125,040. Move by Blair. Second. Second by Alec. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. And I approve unanimously approved. I’d like to make a motion to approve article 12, water department construction in the amount of $800,549. Second.
4:56 I didn’t hear who said who. I think Adrian seconded. I move. Thank you. Ben, would you like to take a look at? Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. I am approved. Move to make a motion to support article 13, for public buildings in the amount of $937,720. Don’t move. Oops. We’ll let Kevin do that one. I’ll second. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Approved. And I approve. I would like to make a motion to support article 15, storm drainage construction in the amount of $314,000. So moved. Move by Pat. Second. And second by Adrian. Alec. Yes. There’s got to be one guy like that every time and it’s me. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes.
6:29 Kevin. Approved. And I’m approved as well. I move that we motion to support article 16, Essex North Shore agricultural and technical in the amount of $787,946. So moved. Move by Emily. Second by Kevin. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. And I’m approved. Then I’m going to move to make a motion to support article 17, available funds reduce the tax department. Sorry. Available funds reduce the tax right in the amount of $7,530,000 even. So moved. Move back in. Second. And second by Alec. Okay. It’s fine. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. And I’m approved as well. So I’m pleased to make motions for article 18, unpaid accounts in the amount of
8:02 $3628 and 38 cents. Move by Dan. Second. Second by Adrian. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Kevin. Emily. Pat. Approved. And I’m approved as well. All right. Then I will make a motion to support article 21 expenses of the several departments in the amount of $97,247,984. Move by Blair. Second. Seconded by Pat. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Approved. The budget is unanimously approved. Thank you all. I will be speaking to the collaboration and cooperation that we have gotten from all of these non-union employees. I’ll talk about that. And then I will say that these four articles are we are moving indefinite postponement because there are no raises being given to these groups of people this year, unfortunately. But they were very, very collaborative about helping to address this issue.
9:40 I move to indefinitely postpone article 25 for proposed reclassification and pay schedule administrative. Move by Blair. Second by Kevin. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Agree. And I’m approved unanimously approved. Article 26, I move to indefinitely postpone article 26 proposed pay schedule and reclassification traffic supervisors. Move by Emily. Second. Seconded by Alec. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Great. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. And I’m approved unanimously approved. Article 27, proposed reclassification, I’m sorry, I moved to indefinitely postpone article 27, proposed reclassification and pay schedule seasonal and temporary personnel. Move by Emily. Second. Second by Adrian. Sorry, Pat. That’s okay. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Agree. And I am approved as well. Article 28, I moved to indefinitely
11:12 postpone compensation town officers. Second. That’s all right. So I’m going to move by Blair. Second. Second by Alec. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Great. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. And I am approved as well. I’ll make a motion to support article 30, affordable housing tax title foreclosures in the amount of $34,500 to be paid to the affordable housing trust fund. Move by Blair. Second. Second by Emily. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yep. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. Perfect. Approved by me as well. And I will round up and make a motion to support article 31 release funds from transportation network in the amount of $6,200. So moved. Move by Pat. Second. Seconded by Blair. Alec. Yes. Adrian. Yes. Blair. Yes. Emily. Yes. Kevin. Pat. Approved. And I am approved as well. That wraps up the warrant. I appreciate all you being on tonight and working through this. But I truly appreciate the collaborative nature of the process to get to this point between the Board of
12:46 Selectmen Finance Committee, School Committee, other committee and commissions department heads. It’s been a challenging process. But I think I said at the last meeting too, it’s been as smooth as you could expect, I think, because of the kind of, again, collaborative approach and the partnership that was developed between departments. And I want to thank the Fin Com and Board of Selectmen, especially for their role in helping to make that happen and facilitate that. A reminder that Marblehead’s Annual Town Meeting will take place Monday, June 29th at 7.05 p.m. in the parking lot behind Marblehead Veterans Middle School. For Headliner, I’m John Caswell.