What follows is an email sent to the selectmen on Sunday, July 25 @ 9:51pm:
Shortly after my election as chair, Gary Anderson extended an offer to meet, asking that we build on the relationship between the selectmen and FinComm. As Pat was former chair, I asked that she attend in order to maintain the continuity of the relationship.
He, Pat and I did so this past Tuesday, and we discussed a great many items. From that meeting, I developed this list (below) as a guide for our budget workshop on August 3.
Please, scan the list and let me know 1) which items you wish to address first, and 2) any items you think should be added. I will compile the responses and provide them later this week as a guide for our agenda.
Please, reply only to me - do not reply to all - so that we avoid getting tangled in any open meeting law issues.
FY10 close-out
FY11 balance/$400k state cut/5-day furlough details
FY12 planning & budget policy statement
Combining Treasurer/Collector positions/departments
Finance Director
Outside auditor to document Treasurer's role, responsibilities, etc.
Bond rating
Budget policies
Costing services, i.e., What does it cost to run town government?
Program budgeting
Performance management & measurement
Fees - Water/sewer, Enterprise funding
Grants - grant writer for town?
Grants - analysis of long term cost, i.e., Are grants a foot-in-the-door proposition?
Department consolidation - school & town have building maintenance, janitorial services, HR, Finance; town & county have Weights & Measures, Human Resources
Strategic Plan needs to tie-in with Local Comprehensive Plan and budget
Combine capital & operating budgets (interest for the capital budget is already included in the operating budget)
New finance software
Debt exclusions - combinations vs. separate, prioritization
Regionalization - Weights & Measures, Collector
Also, as a primer, you may want to visit http://www.seagov.org This website is a compilation of financial reports & efficiency efforts of a number of towns.
No comments:
Post a Comment