Special Selectboard Budget 12/17/24

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Selectboard Minutes 12-17-24 111 KB

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Town of Richmond
Special Selectboard Meeting
Minutes of December 17, 2024

Members Present: Bard Hill, David Sander, Jay Furr, Lisa Miller, Adam Wood (remote)
 

Absent: None

Staff Present: Town ManagerJosh Arneson;Assistant to the Town ManagerDuncan Wardwell; Planning Department Keith Oborne, Town Clerk Linda Parent, Finance Director Connie Bona, Library Directory Laurie Dana, Fire Department Chief Dennis Gile, Assistant Fire Chief Gerald Levesque, Highway Department Chief Pete Gosselin, Chief of Police Anthony Cambridge

Others Present: MMCTV Erin Wagg, Kevin Kittinger, Jeff Forward, Mary Ann Kittinger, Connie Van Eeghan, Caitlin Filkins, Patty Brushett, Dorian, TM

MMCTV Video: Recorded by MMCTV by Erin Wagg

https://youtu.be/n0S4pNfsQlM?si=pfIvOpKi3CYgjtn7
 

Call to Order: 7:00 pm
 

Welcome by: Sander

Public Comment:

Hill suggested that we start having quarterly meetings with the Selectboard in Hinesburg to check in and keep our conversation with them open.

Additions or Deletions to Agenda:  None

Items for Presentation or Discussion with those present

Review of draft FY26 Budget, including all departments and revenue
Timestamp: 0:03

https://www.richmondvt.gov/fileadmin/files/Selectboard/Meetings/2024/12/3a1_FY26_Budget_DRAFT_12-17-24_-_Flat_Staffing_Base.pdf

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.richmondvt.gov%2Ffileadmin%2Ffiles%2FSelectboard%2FMeetings%2F2024%2F12%2F3a2_FY26_Budget_DRAFT_12-17-24_-_Flat_Staffing_Base.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.richmondvt.gov%2Ffileadmin%2Ffiles%2FSelectboard%2FMeetings%2F2024%2F12%2F3a3_FY26_CAPITAL_PLAN_DRAFT_12-09-24.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

People who participated in discussion:  Sander, Arneson, Bona, Hill, Miller, Dana, Furr, KittingerK, KittingerM, Forward, Filkins, Wood, Brushett, Chief Cambridge

Arneson projected the spreadsheet available online and explained: He and Bona have adjusted the budget for Admin and Police to reflect what was calculated for the FY25 budget, essentially flatlining the budget, which was one Assistant to the Town Manager at 30 hrs. per week and 4 police officers with one 20 hour per week Admin. He explained that every year there is a unique challenge in the budget and this time it was the July 2024 flooding that created nearly $2 million in damages and the lack of funds coming back from FEMA in a timely manner. Hill interleaved that we've had to liquidate the money that's available to cover the $2 million, including things like vacancy savings that in other previous years would have been used to offset tax increases, we don't have that advantage this year.

Arneson explained that the Library Director had noticed a discrepancy in their hourly budgeting for a substitute and suggested that be reduced from 5 to 3 hours per week. Miller queried about that position, is that an existing staff member or is that paying for somebody to come in when they normally wouldn't, or is this a distinct person? Dana explained that rather than constantly using substitutes for times when they needed extra help, they created a 12 hour per week position, and that person was hired to avoid having to use substitutes. Hill stated that Dana would have to show that the money to pay for substitutes was more than the 12 hour per week employee, because adding another position raises the base budget. Bona added that they were struggling to find substitutes which is why they hired someone. Furr wondered if the substitute they initially had was unreliable, which Dana concurred with.

Arneson continued that another warrant from the Hillview Road flooding for $65,000 came in last week and needed to be added to the total for the FY25 budget. Approximately 90% of the total FEMA Highway 2024 Flooding Expenses (now totaled at $1.86 million) will be reimbursed by FEMA, but it affects what we can use for Unassigned funds. He is still expecting another $25,000 in bills to come from Hillview expenses. Arneson reiterated that sidewalk repairs, Kenyon Road repairs and other road repairs were budgeted for in 2025 and not completed, so that’s a savings. All told this brings the tax increase to 7.95%.

Hill pondered if there would be any cost associated with the Southview Stormwater issue. KittingerK concurred and wondered how the Town would budget for a cost associated to Stormwater compliance on Town roads in the Southview neighborhood. Gosselin didn’t think any construction would happen in FY26. Arneson described how costs are incorporated to calculate out 5 years in order to keep the Capital Reserve in the green, at this time the Capital Reserve will be negative in FY29. Hill pointed out that the Southview Drive expenses is not an amount we can plan for.

KittingerM asked if the Town had done projections regarding the increase in tax rate using “what if” scenarios? What does 3% mean versus 8% so people can understand? Arneson explained the big driver here is the use of unassigned funds, which is surplus money that we come out of one fiscal year with, not haven't spent, as an example in FY24 we put $500,000 into the budget to reduce the tax increase and in FY25 we put $433,000 in. At the end of this year, if we hadn’t had the flood, we would have nearly $1.5 million now.

Forward queried why the Community Outreach line item increased since it's unclear to him what services we've received from the Howard Center. Arneson replied that the cost for those services has increased, and others have wondered the same thing regarding what services we receive from them, particularly for residents in Richmond. He has asked for more timely reporting from them and better data. Forward supports the Capital Plan and how they are planning for future budgets.

Filkins does not think the Fire Department needs a designated rescue truck, because it’s a huge expense for a Town who only takes 250 calls per year, she thinks using a Fire engine should be sufficient. Levesque explained why the new Fire Truck needed to have an expanded tank of 500 gallons, because that’s the truck they will be taking to Interstate calls, and it holds more water and can take 4 people at once. The current trucks do not have room for stabilizing equipment, hydraulic tools, and personnel, presently they are forced to take 3 to 4 trucks on interstate calls. He pointed out that there are no fire hydrants on the interstate. Filkins asked why the Fire Dept doesn’t rely on Williston and Bolton Fire Departments on interstate calls, to which Levesque responded that those Depts aren’t always able to respond. Wood explained that the trend in Fire Departments is to reduce equipment so this truck would give the Fire Dept an opportunity to reduce the number of trucks needed to respond to calls. Arneson thought a good question for the Fire Dept was to determine the minimum amount of equipment needed to respond to calls.

Sander brought the conversation back to the Police and Admin departments. Wood asked if the Chief’s salary was included in the line item for 4 Police Officers, which Arneson said no, it’s budgeted separately because we share the Chief with Hinesburg. Brushett asked what would happen if the amount given to employees was a flat fee when they opt out of health insurance, could that flat fee be increased for those employees. Hill stated that those are not savings those are avoided costs. Half of the current Town employees opt out of Health Insurance. Arneson added that when they budget for new employees a 2-person health insurance is assumed. He added that the Police Admin position has not yet been posted, because it was uncertain if that person was going to be shared with Hinesburg. Brushett wants to know if 4 Officers were budgeted for next year, and if the Admin position was to be shared with Hinesburg was that person budgeted for 20 hours a week? Yes, that is correct. Hill wanted to know how plausible it is that 4 full-time Officers would be hired for next year. Chief Cambridge said it's important to keep the department the same size as Hinesburg, which is 4 Officers, based on the current climate of increased crime in both Towns, he is confident he can hire 4 Officers in the next year, he should have 2 more Officers by February 2025. Furr emphasized that budgeting for 4 Police Officers is imperative, because if we budget for 3 we won’t be able to “find money in the budget” for a fourth Officer.

Arneson explained that another 10 hours per week is needed for the Deputy Town Manager, Duncan’s position. There has been an increase in work particularly related to flooding, building support for committees, commissions, volunteer organization recruitment, financial assistance, grant management, request for proposals for installations in the park, and more. Furr commented on the need for both a Deputy Town Manager and an Admin person, because there are a lot of regulations that we have to follow, a lot of forms we have to fill out. Miller pointed out that Duncan is amazing and what he can do in 30 hours per week is outstanding, so he would benefit from having 10 more hours per week. Hill asked if Admin work that was performed related to FEMA claims was reimbursed, which Arneson said yes. Hill said that if the revenue supporting the workload is reimbursed then it isn’t an increase in taxes. Miller concurred and added that Duncan’s position is hard to define and some of his duties should probably be charged out to recreation uses and become part of the project cost for Volunteers Green or other organizations. Hill wondered how many hours he spends every week on FEMA, which Arneson emphasized that a refund from FEMA regarding administrative money is the last thing that gets repaid. Gosselin pointed out that workload is doubled for everyone in Town whenever there is a major event, like flooding. He said that Duncan’s position is critical because of all the work he has done in the past two years related to flooding, and for all the work he has taken off other people’s plates. Sander mentioned how quickly the in-house work post-flooding has been completed in Richmond.

Arneson queried if the Fire Department needed to be discussed again based on questions from the Selectboard last night. Filkins thinks an overall needs assessment should be done regarding the Fire Dept. Hill recommends someone to be hired to consult on and look at what is needed for the Fire Dept to effectively do their work. Bona pointed out that a consultant would add to expenses and not help the reduction in tax increases. Arneson wondered if getting a quote for consulting work would make it easier to plan the item for the budget, since $30,000 was thrown out as an estimation. Forward said Hinesburg recently had a study done for Police and Fire Dept needs, but it cost significantly more than $30,000.

Adjourn

Furr moved to adjourn. Hill seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Hill, Furr, Miller, Sander, Wood in favor. Motion approved.

Meeting adjourned at: 9:25 pm

Chat file from Zoom:
 

00:50:03          Patty Brushett: Great quote

01:02:08          Jay Furr:          www.richmondvt.gov/departments/police

01:02:22          Jay Furr:          the stats from the Howard Center regarding community outreach are down toward the bottom

01:09:02          Patty Brushett: Richmond needs to pay for a truck for the interstate?

01:09:57          Caitlin Filkins:            This line item can amount up to $800,000 and is completely unnecessary

01:25:26          Jeff Forward (He/Him):          In looking over the stats from the Howard Center, it looks like Richmond has somewhere about 50 contacts per year. It appears that these contacts are primarily phone contacts  There is no data on what kind of service was provided. Were these people who were having some kind of emergency mental health issue?   Help with finding emergency housing? Were these calls from the police department?  How many calls were from the community?  If it is indeed true that we have about 50 calls per year, that comes out to about $200/call.  Seems like a lot, but hard to know without more detail.

01:52:49          Jeff Forward (He/Him):          Does this mean we get pie at some point?

01:53:09          Jeff Forward (He/Him):          I want him to fax it to me

01:53:31          Jay Furr:          Catapult

02:12:16          Patty Brushett: Great suggestion

02:17:53          Caitlin Filkins:            Again - $800,000 fire truck. Eliminating that could lower taxes on its own.

02:19:13          Jeff Forward (He/Him):          Hinesburg did a public safety study recently. Maybe we should look at theirs?

02:22:10          Patty Brushett: Caitlin and Jeff - Good suggestions

02:29:39          Caitlin Filkins:            Thank you all for the healthy discussion and your time