WHITMAN — Residents will soon be asked to fill out questionnaires regarding the local government priorities they value — part of an effort, which will include financial work sessions with department heads, to start work on the fiscal 2020 town budget early.

“We’re approaching some pretty interesting times,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said, noting that Selectmen Chairman Carl Kowalski had raised the proposal of a community assessment survey.

Kowalski and Selectman Brian Bezanson were absent from the Tuesday, June 12 meeting. Lynam met Monday with Dr. Melinda Tarsi from the Bridgewater State University Political Science Department to discuss work on the questionnaire and Lynam has invited her to the June 26 meeting to discuss it with the board in more detail.

“It’s probably essential to our planning for fiscal ’20,” he said. “Not probably — it is essential.”

Selectman Scott Lambiase requested a budget review also be included on the June 12 agenda, and suggested it should be a regular agenda item for the foreseeable future. He said the budget season has to start earlier to get a handle on what is needed and what the town can afford.

“As we’re trying to work with the Finance Committee and trying to get a budget together that we can get into Town Meeting next year, it would be nice to have the department heads present to us … showing cuts and, within that, a narrative on how that’s going to affect services,” Lambiase said. “We need to know, and we need to get it out there to everybody, what’s going to happen if we do have to cut this budget and what it’s going to mean to the level of service that the town’s going to receive.”

Additionally, he said they should also present a level-service or level-funded budget as much is practicable.

“I think we need to be more involved and I think we need to have them come in and present to us [with a certain level of detail] that shows us what they’ve been doing historically and what they’re looking to do in the future,” he said. “We have to let the town know that we are taking this seriously.”

Lynam said the Selectmen used to be more involved in the budget process, but has relegated it to the Finance Committee over the years.

“This is the executive board of the town,” he said. “We need to set direction.”

“We have to jump in and help them [the Finance Committee],” Lambiase agreed. “we have to help set a tone, especially with the larger departments — some of the smaller ones, there’s not much they can do.”

A handful of line-item transfers were approved to fund current shortfalls and a tense discussion centered on the discovery of a calculation error regarding use of the motor vehicle fine reserve for appropriation account and how the Police Department was notified. The error means that, unless another funding avenue can be found, the department can only buy one new cruiser instead of the two approved by Town Meeting in May.

CRUISER CALCULATION

“Unfortunately, at the time we voted, there was a $14,000 credit from the state to motor vehicles that actually belonged to the Complete Streets program,” Lynam explained. “At the time we voted, we believed we had the funds to support the lease-purchase of two vehicles.”

He said he has been looking for options to retain the second cruiser, but so far does not see any. Line item transfers are not a viable option because the purchase involves next year’s money.

“The law requires that you make your appropriation based on what’s available the day it’s voted,” Lynam said.

Police Chief Scott Benton, meanwhile, expressed his irritation about not learning about the agenda item until Monday, June 11.

Lynam countered that the interim accountant informed Benton’s office through Administrative Assistant Katrina Patton the week before.

“For three weeks you’ve known,” Benton said. “Why wouldn’t you inform me as the department head?”

“I knew last week when the accountant came to me and said we had an error in appropriations and she said, ‘Katrina was very upset when I told her about it,’” Lynam related. “At that point, it would have been reasonable to assume that you also would have known.”

Benton said Lynam should have called him directly, but Lynam said Patton was advised since Benton was away.

“I was away — I have my phone,” he said. “I have to answer my phone.”

Regardless of whether, or how, the message was relayed, Selectman Dan Salvucci asked Benton if he had any ideas on how to find the funds for a second cruiser.

“Legally, I don’t know what I can do,” Benton replied. I rely on the town administrator to help me with that stuff.”

He did ask if Lynam could look into the propriety of encumbering funds from this fiscal year to the next, for example $10,000 slated to be turned in out of all other services.

“Fair question,” Lynam said.

The transfers Selectmen approved involved: $2,700 from the removal of dead animals line to animal control expenses;  $165 from Town Meeting and elections line to Town Clerk expenses; $22,000 from Norfolk County Vocational Tuition line to street lighting to cover a recent rate increase; and $44,000 from Norfolk County Vocational Tuition line to the law account. Three students who had planned to attend Norfolk County Vocational, two of which were already budgeted for, will not be attending the school, freeing up the funds.

Selectmen also approved the sale of a $280,000 bond anticipation note dated June 20, 2018 and payable on May 20, 2019 with an interest rate of 2.05 percent to fund streetlight conversion to LED lights.

“When this was first proposed a lot of this was hinging on grants,” said Selectman Randy LaMattina. “I just want to know where we stand with those grants right now.”

Lynam said the town is awaiting a response from the state on two grants — the Metropolitan Area Planning Council grant and the Green Communities grant — which are being sought to pay the full conversion cost. Both are reimbursement grants.

Lynam noted, as he did at Town Meeting, that the borrowing would ensure that the lights can be bought and the debt is serviced even if the grants are not received. If Whitman fails to win the grants, the net cost would be no greater than the $86,000 the town now pays National Grid for maintenance costs and rental fees each year, he argued.

“If we’re successful in getting the grants, it’s pure return,” he said, followed by a $60,000 to $70,000 per year savings on rental and maintenance after that.

“I believe the net savings on the light rentals is $50,000 and I expect that the energy savings is going to be another $20,000,” Lynam said. Even receiving only the $50,000 MAPC grant, he noted, servicing the debt over five years would mean a principal payment of $46,000 per year with interest costs of $5,600.

“The money that we pay out [with no other grant money] would be equal to or less than what we’re paying right now to rent the lights,” he said. “And then we achieve the energy savings of LEDs.”

Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green said comparable figures to other towns on maintenance contracts is difficult because the number of street lights is different from town to town.

“Right now the town is looking for ways of saving money any way we can because of the situation we’re in where we had to cut the budget drastically this year to make ends meet,” said Salvucci. “I think anything that we do that saves the town money in the long run, we need to plan ahead.”

LaMattina was concerned about the up-front installation costs as well as maintenance costs during the life of the bond.

“I don’t have any reason to believe that we would not receive the grants,” Green said. “We followed all deadlines and stayed up to date with all the requirements. … I’d be heart-broken if we didn’t receive the Green Communities, we’ve received it the last two years.”

Consultant costs for low-bidder Light Smart are $14,728, including the audit, lighting design and project management. The cost is part of the $280,000 total cost.

“There’s not many communities that fall into the timeline to apply for both of the grants,” Green said.

In other business, the board approved a three-step process for the application, evaluation and recommendation of those seeking appointment as constables. The police chief would be involved in investigating and evaluating applicants and make recommendations to Selectmen.

WHITMAN — The use of capital stabilization funds enabled the town to avoid an override ballot question — this year, Town Administrator Frank Lynam announced to the nearly 200 voters present at the start of the Monday, May 7 annual Town Meeting.

Capital stabilization was used to pay capital debt for the police station and Town Hall renovations as well as on a bond taken out in 2000 for limited repairs to Town Hall.

“The simple fact is that we can no longer raise enough money to fund the services that the residents of Whitman have become accustomed to receiving,” Lynam said of the $36,814,122 budget resulting from collaboration with all town departments, the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee. “We are presenting this budget with the realization that the town will need to increase its levy in future years in order to continue funding town services at our present level, and to meet the current and future capital needs of the Town.”

Lynam estimated there is only about $180,000 left in capital stabilization.

The fiscal 2019 budget is up $1,898,402 from last year.

Lynam warned residents that increases in fixed costs such as technology, public safety, education, solid waste, veterans’ services, health life and liability insurance, County retirement and other post-employment benefits are outstripping the town’s ability to fund the budget within the confines of Proposition 2 ½. Work on the fiscal 2020 budget will have to begin next month, beginning with a comprehensive review of our revenue, expenditures and capital assets toward developing that budget.

“The alternative to this would be to significantly reduce services and the quality of education we offer our youth and permit our capital assets to deteriorate over time,” he said.

Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson presented the “road map” for town spending in the coming year.

“This is in response to the extremely difficult budget we face this year,” Anderson said. “While we do not agree with each other, we all recognize the benefit of strategic planning and fiscal restraint.”

He offered the analogy that the Selectmen drive the fiscal car while the Finance Committee plans the route, but voters at town meeting decide whether to make the trip at all. Anderson also argued that the town’s position is due as much to unfunded or under-funded state and federal mandates as from spending and limited revenue.

“We have a long road — a long haul,” Lynam said after the Town Meeting, which he said went very well. “I can tell you right now there’s no way we can fund next year’s budget. We can’t continue down the road we’re going down an that’s why I wanted to make that clear tonight.”

There was an initial question, once the meeting got under way, from resident Elaine Williams on how the electronic voting devices would be used. Selectman Daniel Salvucci agreed with Williams’ suggestion that the devices be used in all questions.

“We’re paying the money to use these devices,” Salvucci said. “It seems to be working. Does Town Meeting want to use it for every single vote — and I agree, I think we should — I think that was the main reason we brought these forward.”

Moderator Michael Seele had recommended voice votes unless a voice vote supported using the handsets. Town Counsel Michelle McNulty’s interpretation of state statute agreed with Seele’s recommendation, which was the approach used, specifically on questioned items on Article 2 — which was decided by the devices when a voice vote proved inconclusive.

“The towns that use them on every question had lengthier town meetings,” said Seele, who chaired the committee that studied using the devices. “It’s up to the meeting.”

A special warrant article for $280,000 to purchase streetlights from National Grid was amended to authorize the borrowing of the funds and issue bonds or notes of the town for them. Lynam also indicated the town has applied for two grants, which if received, will pay for the borrowing in two years while the town saves on energy costs by switching to LED lights.

A line item within budget Article 2 later centered on $143,000 sought for street lighting. Lynam explained it was for electricity costs, which is expected to be reduced by the LED lighting in coming years.

BUDGET QUERIES

There were 25 line items questioned within budget Article 2, all of which were ultimately approved. Some of the questioned lines dealt with $1,000 certification stipend earned by some town employees as the town is obligated to meet as a result of approving state laws permitting the stipends several years ago.

A 4-percent increase for Lynam — the third year of an attempt to bring his salary closer to the minimum compensation for a town administrator — and a 2-percent increase for Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green after Green received a 1.5-percent increase last year — were also approved.

The question was prompted by the fact that the salary for the position was increased prior to hiring Green to a level that will still be the lowest among 15 people in equivalent positions through the region.

A question about Fire Department expenses triggered a question about why a brush fire off Indian Trail last year was left to burn overnight while fire personnel were sent home.

“Do you want me to comment on the expense or why we don’t go in the woods at night?” Fire Chief Timothy Grenno asked, then answered both, noting the expense line funds firefighter salaries, contractual obligations and benefits.

Fires in extremely dry weather burn deep underground along root systems and can take as long as two weeks to extinguish, Grenno added.

“If the ground is burned out and you have a firefighter walking across that ground drawing a hoseline and they fall into a pit, that fire can immediately flare up,” he said. “There’s too many obstacles in the woods, there’s too many obstructions, there’s dangers so when we confine a fire … so it doesn’t spread overnight in the darkness and then you go back first thing in the morning and you start up again.”

A Board of Health request for an additional $22,979 — bringing the inspector’s line from $43,148 to $66,127 — was also questioned. Lynam explained it was due to the board’s assumption of responsibilities for animal control services, placing the inspector at the department head level. Both the fire and health board expenses were approved.

A $6,000 expenditure to Whitman WILL was also questioned, with Lynam explaining it was a division of the $12,000 traditionally budgeted for the Whitman Counseling Center, which also was budgeted $6,000 this year.

“It’s no secret to anybody in this room that we’ve had an explosive growth in opioid addiction,” he said, noting the Whitman-Hanson WILL coalition is providing “serious effort to provide assistance and education to people in handling and combatting addiction to drugs.”

Two residents, who suggested the money go into the general fund, questioned a Police Department revolving fund financed through fines assessed by the department. The revolving fund is intended for training and education of officers.

“That fund offsets what this town spends in the police budget,” Police Chief Scott Benton said, comparing it to the Fire Department’s ambulance receipts account. “As the police chief, I want the money to go to the Police Department. I can appreciate where you’re coming from, but I object to [funneling the money into the general fund].”

Lynam agreed that the funds are used to finance the unique needs of the Police Department.

WHITMAN — The Buildings, Facilities and Capital Expenditures Committee is considering the appropriate role for the board toward the ultimate goal of creating an operating plan to identify and prioritize capital needs.

The committee plans to meet again at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 26 to discuss their impressions of a planning guide and manual from the state’s Department of Revenue Division of Local Services as a blueprint for a town capital planning bylaw proposed by Finance Committee member Shawn Kain.

“I don’t disagree,” said Town Administrator Frank Lynam, who chairs the Buildings Committee. “What I do disagree with in his recommendation is the immediate implementation, because until we have a sense of organization and how we’re going to approach it, putting a bylaw on the books is not going to accomplish much.”

He said it would be up to him, the Finance Committee and department heads to work through the numbers in department requests, instead of bringing them back before the Buildings Committee.

“I would rather devote our efforts to building a plan, creating a process — a matrix — and then begin to follow it,” he said. The aim is to accomplish that over the next few months and “really start in August” to begin meeting with people. “I’m going to ask in July that all these proposals come in so that they can be footed into the matrix so that we can then look at them and start setting priorities.”

Lynam said that, given the town’s financial condition, which as of March 29 has Whitman $1.3 million short of balanced, if all warrant items are funded — with a number of articles still to be reviewed and vetted.

“I should have better prepared this group for the changing assignment of capital expenditures,” Lynam said. “It’s something we can’t do right now because we simply don’t have a revenue plan. … Our process for capital spending has been a reactionary one.”

Finance Committee member Vice Chairman David Codero, who also serves on the Buildings Committee, said the FinCom has similar concerns and questions about goals.

While Lynam credits Kain with being relentless, “one size doesn’t fit all,” he said, noting any capital committee and plan must fit Whitman’s specific needs.

A separate capital investment account, for example, would require long-term planning.

“It’s a great idea, but the money isn’t there [right now],” Lynam said. “It may even take a little pain on the part of the town to find where those funds are going to come from.”

Since the pie can’t be increased in size, it would have to be redistributed, according to Lynam. Codero suggested it could mean asking department heads to take a step toward presenting a plan before the “end goal” of specific warrant articles.

Lynam said that would mean, should the Buildings Committee take on that charge, to start the planning process as early as July for a next fiscal year to review plans with department heads and develop a matrix of long-term needs.

That would entail creating a database of the town’s capital assets, the condition they are in and short-term vs. long-term needs, coupling that with purchases the town makes, including large-scale purchases such as vehicles.

“These expenses can add up quickly and, periodically, you have to upgrade them and that’s when it becomes a capital expense,” Lynam said.

The DPW, for example, has withdrawn requests to buy two of three vehicles sought in warrant articles for the May 7 Town Meetings after discussions about the town’s financial outlook. The one item they are now putting through is a plow truck with dump body.

As a capital planning entity, the Buildings Committee would meet with department heads in that way, confirm early requests already made, identify new requests and analyze those needs in light of other departments.

“I do credit the schools with an analysis process that they use for the town buildings and the regional buildings,” Lynam said. “They have a matrix. It goes on the matrix and stays on the matrix until it either gets done or the building goes away.”

Another concern for the town is the change in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) coming in February 2019 that will make towns subject to OSHA regulations. That would require changes — especially at the DPW — that are not now required.

Buildings Committee member Donald Esson, who is an electrical enginer, asked if the town has a risk manager, which Lynam said yes — through the Mass. Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA), a self-insured group that constantly runs risk-management scenarios for member towns. MIIA also helps with grants, training, inspections and recommendations for improvements.

“As a group we need to prioritize, but we need to go back to the requestors and get their feedback on why [certain requests are made], Lynam said.

“I think that is step one — we need to understand the budget, understand the funding of what we have,” Esson said. “We have to be realistic, we can only spend what we have and get them on board [about] how do we do it?”

Lynam said the Buildings Committee can go a long way toward outlining needs, what is being done and why because it could identify and get into the details involved in requested projects.