The following is the schedule for Precinct Meetings for the November 7th Annual Town Meeting.
Any boards, commissions, dept., or committees that have Articles on the Warrant are asked to schedule a representative to attend for questions and/or information.
All meetings begin at 7pm.
By Precinct:
Precinct 1 Thursday, November 3rd at the Civil Defense Room Ground Floor at Town Hall
Precinct 2 Thursday, November 3rd at the Civil Defense Room Ground Floor at Town Hall
Precinct 3 Wednesday, October 26th at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Precinct 4 Wednesday, November 2nd at the East Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 5 Thursday, November 3rd at the North Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 6 Thursday, November 3rd at the North Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 7 Wednesday, November 2nd at the East Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 8 Wednesday, October 26th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Precinct 9 Wednesday, October 26th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
By Date:
Wednesday, October 26th: Precinct 3 at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
AND Precinct 8 & 9 at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Wednesday, November 2nd: Precinct 4 & 7 at the East Falmouth Elementary School
Thursday, November 3rd: Precinct 1 & 2 at the Morse Pond School Library
AND Precinct 5 & 6 at the North Falmouth Elementary School
Contacts:
Precinct 1 & 2: Doug Jones at whcssjones at gmail dot com or 508-221-6804
Precinct 3: Michael Palmer at mpalmer at falmouthmass dot us or 508-495-7353
Precinct 4 & 7: Barbara Schneider at newsrm7 at aol dot com or 508-548-1703
Precinct 5 & 6: Nick Lowell at nick.lowell at gmail dot com
Precinct 8 & 9: Brent Putnam at brent at falmouthlocal dot com or 508-540-5662
This information and more is also available on the Town Meeting Information & Resources page on the Town of Falmouth website.
Showing posts with label Town Meeting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Town Meeting. Show all posts
Monday, October 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Spring 2010 Precinct Meetings
The following is the schedule for Precinct Meetings for the April 4th and 5th Town Meeting.
Any boards, commissions, dept., or committees that have Articles on the Warrant are asked to schedule a representative to attend for questions and/or information.
All meetings begin at 7pm.
By Precinct:
Precinct 1 Wednesday March 30th at the Morse Pond School Library
Precinct 2 Wednesday March 30th at the Morse Pond School Library
Precinct 3 Thursday March 24th at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Precinct 4 Wednesday March 23rd at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precinct 5 Thursday March 31st at the West Falmouth Library
Precinct 6 Thursday March 31st at the West Falmouth Library
Precinct 7 Wednesday March 23rd at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precinct 8 Wednesday March 30th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Precinct 9 Wednesday March 30th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
By Date:
Wednesday March 23rd: Precinct 4 & 7 at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Thursday, March 24th: Precinct 3 at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Wednesday March 30th: Precinct 1 & 2 at the Morse Pond School Library
AND Precinct 8 & 9 at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Thursday March 31st: Precinct 5 & 6 at the West Falmouth Library
Any boards, commissions, dept., or committees that have Articles on the Warrant are asked to schedule a representative to attend for questions and/or information.
All meetings begin at 7pm.
By Precinct:
Precinct 1 Wednesday March 30th at the Morse Pond School Library
Precinct 2 Wednesday March 30th at the Morse Pond School Library
Precinct 3 Thursday March 24th at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Precinct 4 Wednesday March 23rd at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precinct 5 Thursday March 31st at the West Falmouth Library
Precinct 6 Thursday March 31st at the West Falmouth Library
Precinct 7 Wednesday March 23rd at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precinct 8 Wednesday March 30th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Precinct 9 Wednesday March 30th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
By Date:
Wednesday March 23rd: Precinct 4 & 7 at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Thursday, March 24th: Precinct 3 at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Wednesday March 30th: Precinct 1 & 2 at the Morse Pond School Library
AND Precinct 8 & 9 at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Thursday March 31st: Precinct 5 & 6 at the West Falmouth Library
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Brent's Town Meeting Votes - Article 1
Report of the Board of Selectmen
November Town Meeting
November 15, 2010
Slide 1: Introduction
Thank you Mr. Moderator. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As chairman of the Board of Selectmen, it is my honor and pleasure to present to you this report from the Board.
We will review three major topics: Actions the Board has taken since the April town meeting, our budget policy statement and the major courses of action the Board is recommending at this town meeting.
Slide 2: Actions of the Board – Concerns
Just six months ago, there were concerns throughout town about the Board's ability to work together and to get things done. We recognized this, and we addressed it. This is perhaps a simplistic equation, but it highlights the major steps we took.
On the recommendation of then-chair Mary Pat Flynn, the Board, in June, attended a Leadership Conference sponsored by the Massachusetts' Selectmen's Association.
At our annual retreat in July, we put our time and energy into the Leadership and Public Trust section of the five-year strategic plan.
In August, we established the Board's first ever Code of Conduct.
We have actively worked to resolve our differences, and to work together, better. This is not to say that we agree on everything. We discuss and debate issues – sometimes vehemently – but the Board has moved past the strife that marked prior years. We may not always agree – indeed, many of things the Board is supporting at this town meeting were not unanimous decisions – but we now agree to disagree, and to support the decision of the Board, whatever that decision may be.
And for that, I would like to thank the members of the Board for their efforts. It has been a pleasure working with you.
Finally, as you all know, our now-former town manager Robert Whritenour tendered his resignation this past week, and the Board accepted it. We thank Mr. Whritenour for his years of service to our community, and we wish him well in his future endeavors.
As per Section C5-13.B. of the town charter, the Board has confirmed the appointment of Assistant Town Manager Heather Harper as Acting Town Manager, and we thank her for stepping up into this role.
Slide 3: Actions of the Board – Results
The result of these changes has been most visible in the way the Board conducts its business. We no longer meet for the sake of meeting. We devote one meeting per month to a discussion – a workshop – of a major issue. The budget, waste – both solid waste and wastewater – and coastal resources have been addressed thus far. Joint meetings and policy discussions have become regular items on our agendas, and we have even gone so far as to review, update, and – where needed – retire old policies.
In short, we are putting our time and attention on the big picture items, and moving away from the minutia.
Slide 4: §C8-3.C. - FY12 Budget Policy
At one of the recent precinct meetings, a town meeting representative asked, “What's the plan?”
How is the town going to continue to provide services – police and fire, snow plowing and water, inspections and education – in the face of a slow economy, continued cuts in state aid, and rising expenses?
Well, there is no white knight.
We will manage this by addressing the shortfalls, improving the financial stability of the town, and becoming more efficient in the delivery of services.
You'll notice as we go through the next several slides that there are common, overlapping themes in our policy.
Slide 5: FY12 Budget Policy – Shortfalls
The state has reduced Chapter 70 school funding. They've slashed the PILOT payments for the 2400 acres of state-owned land in Falmouth. They've eliminated regional library funding. As you can see from this graph – which shows our state revenues over the past six years – we can't count on the state.
At the local level, receipts of local taxes such as excise taxes have also fallen.
Although Falmouth has not suffered such drastic cuts as some communities in the Commonwealth, these cuts have, nevertheless, created budget shortfalls. The budget policy addresses these shortfalls in three ways:
The first is to limit growth. There is no plan to ask for a Proposition 2 ½ override. In fact, budget growth for Fiscal Year 2012 is limited to 1.5 percent over Fiscal Year 2011. Although it might seem like an increase, 1.5 percent is hardly enough to keep up with our expenses. For example, this year, we must provide $250k to meet the state-mandated contributions to the town's retirement fund, and – if nothing changes - $800k for health insurance premium increases.
The second piece is to begin costing of services. This policy requires program budgeting, which is the first step in that process. Program budgeting looks at the cost of individual programs, providing us with a yardstick by which we can determine if any program is receiving too much, or too little, funding.
Finally, we seek to add additional sources of local revenue. Very simply, the less dependent we are on the whims of the state, the better.
Slide 6: FY12 Budget Policy – Stability
Earlier this year, our outside auditor presented the Board with some rather sobering facts. In 2003, Falmouth had more free cash than 95 percent of the communities in Massachusetts. At the end of Fiscal Year 2010, we had just $32k. At around the same time, one of the major bond rating agencies reduced Falmouth's bond rating. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get our attention.
A strong bond rating and an adequate safety net are not optional. We must maintain our ability to borrow at reasonable rates, and have rainy day funds available for emergencies.
In order to improve Falmouth's fiscal stability, we recommend new local options taxes. However, our policy requires that any new revenues will NOT be immediately factored into the operating budget. A minimum of 25 percent of new revenues shall be allocated each to the Stabilization Fund, and for Capital Expenses.
Slide 7: FY12 Budget Policy – Efficiency
It is not enough to ask for new taxes. We must also develop more efficient ways of doing business, and our policy seeks to improve efficiency in number of ways.
The first is health insurance. There are new, less expensive health insurance plans available to our employees, but these plans must be adopted by the unions. The Board encourages this. These plans would save town employees hundreds of dollars in premiums annually, and give them more control over how they spend their health care dollars. If adopted by every union, the aforementioned $800k increase in premiums would be unnecessary.
As previously noted, this policy requires program budgeting so that we can fully understand the cost of town services. Only when we know the cost can we determine if there is waste, or a cheaper alternative.
Which brings us to the last bullet. The Board is encouraging the ongoing exploration of regionalization, consolidation, outsourcing, and/or privatization of town services. For example, the town and the schools both have human resources, finance, library and janitorial services. Towns such as Plymouth and Barnstable have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by merging these duplicate departments. Falmouth could too.
Slide 8: Major Courses of Action
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the warrant.
Each of these articles mentioned is recommended by the Board as part of a larger plan. For example, the affordable housing fund dovetails into the town's housing production plan. It will help facilitate the production of affordable housing so that we may meet the state-mandated 10 percent.
There is direction here.
Slide 9: Report of the Board of Selectmen
Just a few weeks ago, one town meeting representative told me, “I feel like this Board is listening to us.” It was a wonderful compliment.
There is perhaps no better example of this than Articles 25 and 26. In years past, petitioner's articles were the red-headed step child of the warrant. Prior Boards would place them at the end, and recommend only Indefinite Postponement based on an unwritten policy.
This time, the Board specifically placed these articles in the middle, listened carefully to the petitioner's arguments, and made recommendations based on the facts, not unwritten policy.
In summary, we are working together, on major issues, and are listening to you. We hear your concerns, and we are making every effort to address them.
That should give you something to smile about.
Mr. Moderator that concludes my presentation. I would be happy to take questions.
November Town Meeting
November 15, 2010
Slide 1: Introduction
Thank you Mr. Moderator. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As chairman of the Board of Selectmen, it is my honor and pleasure to present to you this report from the Board.
We will review three major topics: Actions the Board has taken since the April town meeting, our budget policy statement and the major courses of action the Board is recommending at this town meeting.
Slide 2: Actions of the Board – Concerns
Just six months ago, there were concerns throughout town about the Board's ability to work together and to get things done. We recognized this, and we addressed it. This is perhaps a simplistic equation, but it highlights the major steps we took.
On the recommendation of then-chair Mary Pat Flynn, the Board, in June, attended a Leadership Conference sponsored by the Massachusetts' Selectmen's Association.
At our annual retreat in July, we put our time and energy into the Leadership and Public Trust section of the five-year strategic plan.
In August, we established the Board's first ever Code of Conduct.
We have actively worked to resolve our differences, and to work together, better. This is not to say that we agree on everything. We discuss and debate issues – sometimes vehemently – but the Board has moved past the strife that marked prior years. We may not always agree – indeed, many of things the Board is supporting at this town meeting were not unanimous decisions – but we now agree to disagree, and to support the decision of the Board, whatever that decision may be.
And for that, I would like to thank the members of the Board for their efforts. It has been a pleasure working with you.
Finally, as you all know, our now-former town manager Robert Whritenour tendered his resignation this past week, and the Board accepted it. We thank Mr. Whritenour for his years of service to our community, and we wish him well in his future endeavors.
As per Section C5-13.B. of the town charter, the Board has confirmed the appointment of Assistant Town Manager Heather Harper as Acting Town Manager, and we thank her for stepping up into this role.
Slide 3: Actions of the Board – Results
The result of these changes has been most visible in the way the Board conducts its business. We no longer meet for the sake of meeting. We devote one meeting per month to a discussion – a workshop – of a major issue. The budget, waste – both solid waste and wastewater – and coastal resources have been addressed thus far. Joint meetings and policy discussions have become regular items on our agendas, and we have even gone so far as to review, update, and – where needed – retire old policies.
In short, we are putting our time and attention on the big picture items, and moving away from the minutia.
Slide 4: §C8-3.C. - FY12 Budget Policy
At one of the recent precinct meetings, a town meeting representative asked, “What's the plan?”
How is the town going to continue to provide services – police and fire, snow plowing and water, inspections and education – in the face of a slow economy, continued cuts in state aid, and rising expenses?
Well, there is no white knight.
We will manage this by addressing the shortfalls, improving the financial stability of the town, and becoming more efficient in the delivery of services.
You'll notice as we go through the next several slides that there are common, overlapping themes in our policy.
Slide 5: FY12 Budget Policy – Shortfalls
The state has reduced Chapter 70 school funding. They've slashed the PILOT payments for the 2400 acres of state-owned land in Falmouth. They've eliminated regional library funding. As you can see from this graph – which shows our state revenues over the past six years – we can't count on the state.
At the local level, receipts of local taxes such as excise taxes have also fallen.
Although Falmouth has not suffered such drastic cuts as some communities in the Commonwealth, these cuts have, nevertheless, created budget shortfalls. The budget policy addresses these shortfalls in three ways:
The first is to limit growth. There is no plan to ask for a Proposition 2 ½ override. In fact, budget growth for Fiscal Year 2012 is limited to 1.5 percent over Fiscal Year 2011. Although it might seem like an increase, 1.5 percent is hardly enough to keep up with our expenses. For example, this year, we must provide $250k to meet the state-mandated contributions to the town's retirement fund, and – if nothing changes - $800k for health insurance premium increases.
The second piece is to begin costing of services. This policy requires program budgeting, which is the first step in that process. Program budgeting looks at the cost of individual programs, providing us with a yardstick by which we can determine if any program is receiving too much, or too little, funding.
Finally, we seek to add additional sources of local revenue. Very simply, the less dependent we are on the whims of the state, the better.
Slide 6: FY12 Budget Policy – Stability
Earlier this year, our outside auditor presented the Board with some rather sobering facts. In 2003, Falmouth had more free cash than 95 percent of the communities in Massachusetts. At the end of Fiscal Year 2010, we had just $32k. At around the same time, one of the major bond rating agencies reduced Falmouth's bond rating. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get our attention.
A strong bond rating and an adequate safety net are not optional. We must maintain our ability to borrow at reasonable rates, and have rainy day funds available for emergencies.
In order to improve Falmouth's fiscal stability, we recommend new local options taxes. However, our policy requires that any new revenues will NOT be immediately factored into the operating budget. A minimum of 25 percent of new revenues shall be allocated each to the Stabilization Fund, and for Capital Expenses.
Slide 7: FY12 Budget Policy – Efficiency
It is not enough to ask for new taxes. We must also develop more efficient ways of doing business, and our policy seeks to improve efficiency in number of ways.
The first is health insurance. There are new, less expensive health insurance plans available to our employees, but these plans must be adopted by the unions. The Board encourages this. These plans would save town employees hundreds of dollars in premiums annually, and give them more control over how they spend their health care dollars. If adopted by every union, the aforementioned $800k increase in premiums would be unnecessary.
As previously noted, this policy requires program budgeting so that we can fully understand the cost of town services. Only when we know the cost can we determine if there is waste, or a cheaper alternative.
Which brings us to the last bullet. The Board is encouraging the ongoing exploration of regionalization, consolidation, outsourcing, and/or privatization of town services. For example, the town and the schools both have human resources, finance, library and janitorial services. Towns such as Plymouth and Barnstable have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by merging these duplicate departments. Falmouth could too.
Slide 8: Major Courses of Action
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the warrant.
Each of these articles mentioned is recommended by the Board as part of a larger plan. For example, the affordable housing fund dovetails into the town's housing production plan. It will help facilitate the production of affordable housing so that we may meet the state-mandated 10 percent.
There is direction here.
Slide 9: Report of the Board of Selectmen
Just a few weeks ago, one town meeting representative told me, “I feel like this Board is listening to us.” It was a wonderful compliment.
There is perhaps no better example of this than Articles 25 and 26. In years past, petitioner's articles were the red-headed step child of the warrant. Prior Boards would place them at the end, and recommend only Indefinite Postponement based on an unwritten policy.
This time, the Board specifically placed these articles in the middle, listened carefully to the petitioner's arguments, and made recommendations based on the facts, not unwritten policy.
In summary, we are working together, on major issues, and are listening to you. We hear your concerns, and we are making every effort to address them.
That should give you something to smile about.
Mr. Moderator that concludes my presentation. I would be happy to take questions.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Precinct Meetings
It's time for precinct meetings!
If you're not a town meeting representative, you can still attend your precinct meeting (or any precinct meeting, if you can't make yours). It gives you an opportunity to meet and influence those people who represent you in town government. It's Democracy at its best!
Precincts 1 & 2: Thursday, April 1st, 7:00pm at the Morse Pond School Cafeteria
Precinct 3: Thursday, March 25th, 7:00 PM at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Precincts 4 & 7: Thursday, March 25th, 7:00pm at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precincts 5 & 6: Wednesday, March 31st, 7:00pm at the West Falmouth Library
Precincts 8 & 9: Wednesday, March 24th, 7:00pm at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Administration Building
If you're not a town meeting representative, you can still attend your precinct meeting (or any precinct meeting, if you can't make yours). It gives you an opportunity to meet and influence those people who represent you in town government. It's Democracy at its best!
Precincts 1 & 2: Thursday, April 1st, 7:00pm at the Morse Pond School Cafeteria
Precinct 3: Thursday, March 25th, 7:00 PM at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Precincts 4 & 7: Thursday, March 25th, 7:00pm at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precincts 5 & 6: Wednesday, March 31st, 7:00pm at the West Falmouth Library
Precincts 8 & 9: Wednesday, March 24th, 7:00pm at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Administration Building
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Irresponsible
"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."
--General George S. Patton
After town meeting, one of you asked me, “Can you ever speak about something without getting shouted down?”
She was referring to my comments on town meeting floor about Article 30 - a Prop 2-1/2 tax override that would give $3.7 million to 210 homeowners in New Silver Beach for a neighborhood septic treatment plant. I didn't expect to be the only person speaking against the tax override, but I was, and one of the selectmen called me "irresponsible."
Who was being irresponsible? I was simply questioning the public benefit of giving more public money to private homeowners. Every year, many of Falmouth's homeowners will replace failed septic systems. However, unlike the residents of New Silver Beach, they won't get a penny from the town, let alone $17,000.
In fact, the town has already helped New Silver Beach with the costs of this plant. All of the engineering and permitting (not to mention 10 years of legal fees) have been paid for with public funds. One of our elderly neighbors keeps her thermostat at 60 degrees all winter and she watches TV in the dark to keep her utility bills down. We're going to increase her taxes so that 210 homeowners can have another $3.7 million of public money?
Whether the override succeeds or not, New Silver Beach will have a septic treatment plant. The question - to be decided at the town election next May - is whether we should increase our taxes to give away $3.7 million.
Tell me what you think.
--General George S. Patton
After town meeting, one of you asked me, “Can you ever speak about something without getting shouted down?”
She was referring to my comments on town meeting floor about Article 30 - a Prop 2-1/2 tax override that would give $3.7 million to 210 homeowners in New Silver Beach for a neighborhood septic treatment plant. I didn't expect to be the only person speaking against the tax override, but I was, and one of the selectmen called me "irresponsible."
Who was being irresponsible? I was simply questioning the public benefit of giving more public money to private homeowners. Every year, many of Falmouth's homeowners will replace failed septic systems. However, unlike the residents of New Silver Beach, they won't get a penny from the town, let alone $17,000.
In fact, the town has already helped New Silver Beach with the costs of this plant. All of the engineering and permitting (not to mention 10 years of legal fees) have been paid for with public funds. One of our elderly neighbors keeps her thermostat at 60 degrees all winter and she watches TV in the dark to keep her utility bills down. We're going to increase her taxes so that 210 homeowners can have another $3.7 million of public money?
Whether the override succeeds or not, New Silver Beach will have a septic treatment plant. The question - to be decided at the town election next May - is whether we should increase our taxes to give away $3.7 million.
Tell me what you think.
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