[Music] Okay, we will call this meeting to order. This is a meeting of the Halifax Finance Committee. It is being recorded
by Area 58. Present here in the room are Cheryl Burke, Michael Bennett, Frank Johnston, and myself. Uh we have Ed Bryant who is on uh video. So all items for vote will be done by roll call and uh for this specific meeting. So um we
will go ahead and get started. Um the first item on the agenda would be acceptance of minutes. We don't have any minutes in front of us right now and unfortunately Katie had to chase me down with a big stick to get the minutes from the uh from the town meeting which I did send to her. So, we should have some to
look at at the next uh at the next meeting if you accept. Uh any questions on that? Sounds good. All right. So, uh the next thing we have and I sent this out to everybody uh right before the meeting. So, are the
line item transfers. So, there's a few of them out there. Um so, one question. Um are we going to send EJ an electronic copy to sign or? Um, yeah, I can do it the way that I've done. Yeah. So, we'll need to probably get So, Mike's not here,
right? And, um, and EJ's on video, so he can't physically sign. All right. So, as long as we're going to do that, that's that's absolutely fine. So, can we share a screen with the transfers because I don't have access to
Well, sure. I don't know if I can share my screen. Okay. So, do you have hard copies? I have one. Okay.
I wasn't expecting Lindsay. I'll keep an eye out for an email too from you with the uh with the transfer. What are you talking about? Oh, I know what I have to do. I'll join the Zoom call. There you go.
Now you talking Give me one second everybody. Right there. How many did you say you had? Eight tonight. [Music] Well, it's the end of the last last
15 month. Yeah. All right. Two places. I know. Isn't that right? They say you can't be in two places at once. Yeah. Actually, there's been a lot more.
Is that AI gem on the screen? There we go. All right. Okay. So this is the first one that I have. I don't have in any specific order. Okay. So this one is transferring
$11,836 from the police regular fulltime to the accountant's salary. Um yeah, that is due to the consultant. um that's what we've been paying him out
of and then um also paying myself um and that's just the contract that was signed for them to continue to stay on train me. So we paid the um consultant through
that same uh line item as well. um whatever was left over from the from the assistant we used and um that's the remainder of that to them and that cleans up the year. Yep.
And we're taking that out of police straight time wages at least regular full time. Yep. Lindsay, what's the deadline for uh these requests to come in to you? the fly team. Okay, that's what I thought. Thank you.
All right. So, do we have any other questions regarding this specific one? I get a motion to approve. Second. Roll call vote. Cheryl, yes. Mike, yes. Frank, yes. on the $11,836.
EJ, yes. And I have a yes as well. All right. So, the next one that I have is the $8394
cents from sick sick and vacation buyout going to health inspection services. Um, I had emailed Bob Valerie and he said that it was um a
error in budgeting for this fiscal year. So, does that pay for a person at health inspection services or is that just clerical work or um it is the remainder of his salary that is owed to him. Oh, it's the remainder of his salary.
How did we not budget for his salary? Why he emailed me? That's an interesting one. Yeah. Because he's a flat salary. Yeah. So, we we know the dollar number, right?
It's not it's a it's an exact salary, right? There's no it's not time and time and a half or anything. No. Right. So, how can Right. How can we under cost that? Right. I don't know.
I don't know if stuffing. I don't know. He wasn't in when he emailed. He said he was at an appointment. He had to leave early. Um, so that is the only response that I got back. And we have till the 15th on this.
Yes, we did. I I would like to put a hold on it so we get a little more detail there. I mean, I realize it's less than $1,000. So, in the overall scheme of things, it's not that much, but it's a question of the budget at this point. Yeah. So, how could we have shorted him salary?
Right. Right. On on that, right? Yeah. He did say he could look into it further tomorrow. He just was not in the office. No. So, we'll just hold that. You okay with that, EJ?
Yeah, I agree with that, Jim. I'm sorry. No worries. Do we need to vote on that? I don't think so because we're not taking any action. Action taken is not approving. Well, we're not saying no. just need additional information.
So, Jim, just a just a quick question on it. Do we do we know is it just the one salary that falls under that bucket? Is that the only thing that lives underneath that salary bucket? Yes, it's just um the health inspector specifically. Okay. And we don't share that with anyone. That's a straight up for us,
right? Yep. Okay. Okay. Next up. [Music] All right. Next item. We will be
transferring $89,576 from police regular time to the town share health. And that's to finish out the fiscal year. Yes. Yes. Okay. How are we short on 89,000 in the
pastel? Um, Linda this morning said that she pulled the two FY24s and 23 and we had four employees. So the overall how increase in health insurance
was taken into account but not the overall employee amount that we would be like the um bodies percentage. Yeah. Okay. Wow. That's a big one. Yeah. So we do we pay that in a lump sum
like once a year we just pay that or is that a do we get invoiced quarterly or or monthly? I believe this one is quarter, but I'm not 100% sure. Okay.
So, I'm going to ask you a silly question then. Okay. Do we when we pay that first invoice, don't we like look at it and say we've got 10 people. We had 10 people last year. Yeah, I would think. Um, she I do know
that this has been something that her and Cody have been watching for a couple months now. So, I it was on their radar that we were going to need a transfer for it. We just didn't know how much or we just didn't know how much it was going to be for the exact number.
And this is for the final invoice then, right? Yes. $500,000 roughly a quarter. All right. Uh Jim, I got a quick question just on the other side of this. Um
Lindsay, when the number um from police regular full-time, that's it's at a 114 it looks like. Uh when is that number from? When was that pulled from? That was the
most recent payroll. Um, it's because of their they originally budgeted for their senior officers and sergeants and all that that ended up retiring. So, they had that money left over from hiring new
patrolman essentially and being able to pay less. Yeah. So, I I think I remember chief telling us that he was going to have the the um the excess on the because of that change. Um, so this is so this this
change is going to leave roughly $25,000 left in that account. Is that going to be sufficient for them for year end? Yes. Okay. That um payroll ended on the 28th and then they have their two day so 2930 which was
already entered. So Okay. Perfect. Awesome. Thank you. So everything's accounted for Lindsay then. Yes. Yeah. Okay. and they didn't have any um payouts or anything like that because everybody had used their sick time. So, they didn't
get any of those bonuses this year. Okay, great. Thanks, Lindsay. All right. Um any other questions? And that covers the wages for the fireworks that they the duty they did on the fireworks
the details. Yes. Yes. Those were paid on the previous payroll. All right. So, that's all accounted for as well. Okay. Okay. Okay. Good. Everybody good? Right. We get a motion to approve moving $89,000
from police regular fulltime to the town share health account. So move. Second. Roll call vote. Cheryl, yes. Mike, yes. Frank, yes. On $89,576. DJ,
yes. Right. That is approved. All right. Next, we have 1,000 an amount of $1,000 to be moved from sick and vacation buyout
to treasurer collector salary. Yes. um she gets a $1,000 stipen for having the treasures um her test and passing that I think her license. I don't know what
it's called. Um and that was not budgeted for which was brought to Cody's attention um like in August. Mhm.
Um, so he was aware of that one as well very early on. I'm not sure how it wasn't for, right? Um, but okay. So, um,
I'm sensing a pattern here. The pattern is is that we seem to know about these things. But we don't do anything about it. Um I would ask in the next fiscal year that we try to you know if something comes up and we know we need to move stuff around that we get it
in front of the finance committee as quickly as we can just so we don't so we can avoid the you know the stack of line item transfers at the end of every quarter or end of the year. Um I will say it was budgeted before this year
this one we run into that again. Okay. Anybody have any other questions? Get a motion to approve $1,000 moving from sick and vacation buyout to the treasur salary. So moved.
Second. Good. Roll call vote. Cheryl, yes. Mike, yes. Frank, yes. For the $1,000. EJ, yes. And I have a yes as well. Thank you, sir.
Next. Next is transferring $329 from police and regular full-time to retirey medical. The budgeted amount for this year was $0. The current balance is agative328.87.
So is that for that one employee from back in the 90s? So when they turn in receipts and he gets Yep. He gets reimbursed um twice a year. I believe it's December and June or something like
that. Um so that is the full amount for the year that we reimburse him. What had happened was um the account that has been used for him kind of acted as a revolving account in
a sense where it was just for him essentially. Um our consultant Bill was not aware of that. So he had closed the account out.
He closed the revolving account out. It wasn't it's not number as a revolving account. It is a general fund number. Um but it was an article that was passed in I believe the '9s. Yeah. Um so this past year when he was closing
accounts out um this was one that got closed out I would assume just due to the account number it was. He didn't think it was revolving. Um so that is what happened with this one. So it was never reopened in 25 as an account with
money in it essentially. It was part of his like employment agreement or something, right? Um well it was a war that was passed by the town. Yes, he went he got injured, right? He was a firefighter. Um he got injured on the job, I believe.
Okay. Yeah. And then it was an article from 90 he had to retire due to his injury that he has sustained. Um I want to say it was like 99 or 98 maybe
that town meeting. Um so that's what had happened with this one. I remember from last year. Yeah. All right. Any other questions? We get a motion to approve moving $329
from the police regular full-time account to the retiring medical account. So moved. Second. Very good. Roll call vote. Cheryl, yes. Mike, yes. Frank, yes. On $329. EJ, yes.
I have a yes as well. Thank you very much. Let's see. All right. Next one that I have is for $4,700 to move from the water supply to
water insurance. Um, this one there is an excess in the water supply because one of the Richmond Park is still offline. So, they don't need as many chemicals and supplies. Um and then they're not paying for as many
and then um there was not enough budgeted for the increase in insurance. Your insurance is separate from the town insurance. Is that correct? It is. They reimburse. So it's a it's
paid and then they reimburse us for for their share because they're an enterprise fund. Correct. Yeah, I got you. Okay. Anybody have any other questions? That's when you say the insurance, is
that their health insurance or Yeah, it's for health insurance. And how's their budget for for insurance, water insurance this year? Have they advertised that out? Do they let you the
town know at all? I'm not sure actually. I think um I think it was discussed in the budget meetings, but I'm not sure where because it gets approved as part of the whole time, right? Even though it's an
enterprise. Yeah, but that's what we did last year. They miscalculated. We're probably going to be short again. That's what That's what I'm We need to catch that in 27 numbers. Make sure that
there's enough health insurance in there. Well, at least increase it whatever grows it up 20%. No, whatever we whatever I think 47%. [Music] All right. Any other questions?
Very good. So, can I get a motion to approve $4,700 moving from water supply to water insurance? So, move. Second. Very good. Roll call vote. Cheryl, yes. Mike Bennett, yes. Frank,
yes. $4,700. EJ, yes. Thank you, sir. And I have a yes as well. And I think this is Is this the last one or is there um There's two more. All right. So, what I have in front of
me is uh moving $5,537.13 from custodial wages to town building prevented maintenance. Unexpected expenses. Building m is this the air conditioning unit?
No, that was a reserve on transfer. um the wages is they just didn't use as much overtime as they originally budgeted for. Um and the unexpected expenses is the only explanation that I
have. And that's who who turned that in Scott. Yes. [Music] Not a fan of it. Well, we need more explanation than just maintenance. What are we maintaining? We have
well it's prevented maintenance. So what did we preventedly maintain? And if it's prevented maintenance, why is it unexpected expenses? Right. I think I'm going to ask that we take a a little more detail on that one.
Okay. What everybody else thinks, but I'd like to know. I agree, Frank. just need to know what what the money's going towards, you know, and the reasoning behind it, you know, people
expect that. Well, I would expect it. Right. For sure. Yeah. You just can't come into a meeting and say, "I need $5,000." Thank you very much. To know what it is you need to hold as well.
All right, last one I believe. Yes, is moving $30,000 from veterans benefits to data processing expense. Why are you doing that? That's a big
one. Um, open the software program. Yes, that is what we use for building permits. Um, all of those anything that falls under that building permit. Um, that we also put the beach
stickers on there. Um, so people can get their beach stickers. So it's a third party service. So they pay the third party and then we just we just collect the money. Yeah. So it's b Yeah. So, it's essentially another software, right?
Um I believe they were putting dog licenses on there or trying to um and I want to um there might be something else in the clerk's office specifically. Okay. So, this looks like three parts.
So, the didn't account for the open.gov Open gov renewal. There's a typo in the FY25 request for our surplus renewals. Prior year's amount was at 187. However, it
should have been 287. That's a that's a that'sizable. Yeah. Total renewal for DURA ended up being 2279 due to credit consumption. So is so am I presuming that Duba is a
pay as you go set up? Um I do not know what DA is. Um Caesar is not on this, right? Um I don't I don't think I've ever heard of EJ. Have you ever heard of Drew?
No, but I'm looking it up right now. Yeah, that's what I've been doing, too. Okay. Due to credit consumption. So, it sounds like credit consumption would tell me that we're buying a certain amount of time or usage and then we just ran out of it. So, I
you know who's I guess the next question is who's using it and why how did we run over and do you get like who's who owns the license and do they get notified when they're getting like you know close to the end of you know the Right.
So I found I found a um cloud storage for onrem uh servers is what I see DUVA as being cloud storage. Okay. So we must have I don't know how you
overshot by security. Right. Well, you know Yeah. Exactly. software as a service, right? It's It's more backup than it is storage. So, well, it's one and the same, but you get it. Right. Right.
Couple things here. We missed the missed the target at 10,000 on the and then so so I I would just I would just wonder about um and it it shouldn't affect our
vote here obviously, but I I wonder about 26 now seeing what is right and if we're I I'm assuming some of this has to do with how we're using the the cloud in our environment now or not using the cloud in our environment now.
I don't I don't think we're using it yet. I I that I'm aware of. Right. So if there's I mean if there's anything we should have our eyeballs on is it is it some type of transition away from onrem to start moving towards the cloud
as if nothing else a cost savings for us you know. Yeah man I couldn't agree with you more. Um, what I would like Lindsay is can Caesar give you to give to us a list of all the software that he is using and
how much each license is or how many is it a per license fee? Is it a one license that has X amount of users? Something that we can, you know, something tangible we can look at and kind of digest. Yeah. Um so that we can when we get to,
you know, when we start going through next year. Yeah. Make sure we're capturing right in there. Yeah. Yeah. And it makes Caesar's life a lot easier as well. Oh, absolutely.
Oh, and renewal dates. Yeah. Yep. So, it should be should be. Well, it should be, but it's probably not because if you buy it in like December and all it's December, right? Yeah.
Okay. All right. What we going to do here? Are we getting anything turned off here today with this one? Well, there's antivirus in there. So, Oh, I'm serious. You know, I don't think the there was an increase
in the COA's cont. That's the last line number four. It's increased to what is the coast doing? Yeah. Is that for um programs or is it
that one budgeted for it? You guys want to hold this till we can talk to Caesar? Yeah. Well, I just want to make sure that I think that's probably the next best everything we read on there questions. So, it's good to have him
here to answer those question. Have him pull that information as well and then he can talk. You don't have any invoices in front of you on your desk or any of that we're talking about today associated with this. Okay.
Okay. So, you have a little bit of time 30,000 shut down. No, we certainly don't want it. All right. Um, I think that's everything. Is it? That's all I have.
So, we've got a hold on the $839. We've got a hold on the custodial wages, $5,000, and then a hold on the 30,000. Y, right. Correct. That's what I have. Okay. Okay. Are we going to sign those today
while we're here? the other ones and then I can scan them after and send an email. No, I don't think that's really necessary. Just have to meet next week,
right? Yeah. So, we need to wrap this. So, do you guys have time next Monday for like a 30 minute virtual meeting? Yeah. Yeah. To just go over the stuff that we put a hold on. Mhm. Monday. 14. And fingers crossed there's not one
outside. Yeah. 14th works for me. Yeah. I can do that. So, Katie, let's put an agenda in for next Monday um for like, you know, I don't know, 6 o'clock to 6:30, whatever it is. uh just to cover the line and the
one item would just be the line item transfers. Okay. Do you want me to move the items for the 21st to that meeting or just still keep the 21st? No, keep the 21st because we have those two people showing up. Okay. Hey, hey, Jim, just real quick on that
last one that we discussed. Um when we I just want to make sure that I I know we talked about not wanting to disrupt any of the front-end stuff. M um but from what some of that stuff is, some of it's backend that we wouldn't normally see. So like backup storage and
things like that. Um I just want to make sure if there's expiration dates on contracts or anything like that involved that we're not going to we're not going to lose any type of redundancy for any period of time. That's all. No, that's a fair question. No, we shouldn't. Okay.
Well, just check to see if Mercy just so we can confirm that. And if there's something that we need to um you know, if there's something that we need to tend to quickly, these are state contracts that Well, they're cut off. Yeah, they'll keep they'll keep there's provisions for that kind of
stuff, right? There are parachutes built into the contracts through the state. All right. That is some some safety work. Yeah. All right. All right.
[Music] Thanks, J. No worries. I hope everybody can see them. Yeah, DJ. I'll send these to you in the morning. Okay, that's perfect. Thanks, Lindsay. All right. So, the next item that we
have is we have been asked as the finance committee to appoint someone from our committee to the town administrator search committee. Um, in my opinion, and if any, you know, it's up it's up to the committee
obviously. I think so. Frank was on the one that found Cody. I think he would be the perfect candidate just to jump back on there. Sure. So, since it's a horse, he already knows how to ride or at least he knows enough to hold enough to hold on to the reins. Um, that's my opinion. Um, there I think
it's like I think it's the selectman finance committee. Uh, are you on it also? No, there's two at large positions for anyone for any citizen that wants to go. school committee. I think school committee school committee member school committee.
Okay. So that's that's that's my suggestion and I open it up to the floor for any discussion or other nominations. I second that motion. Okay. Absolutely. All right. So we'll just take a quick vote. Cheryl, yes. Mike, yes.
EJ, yes. And I am yes as well. So Frank tag, you're it. Yeah. So, I know how to ride the horses. That's right. You know how to hold on to the range. Thanks. No, I uh I look forward to
working on that again. Um and I've learned a lot since then as well now. So, kind of what the role is all about. I think that's really You get a lot more what the role's about and um Yeah. Yeah.
Okay. Very good. Thank you. Thank you. And if uh you know if you just give us an update as as things come along. Anything that you can. Yeah. Some of that stuff I know is going to be on um closed door. Right. Right. Yeah.
Because it involves people that are currently working. [Music] Thank you Frank. Thanks for for putting the faith in me everybody. All right. So um that closes out that specific item. So the next agenda item that we have is correspondence or as may
arise. I have not gotten any emails that have been addressed to the finance committee uh since our last meeting. Um and I think we've covered just about everything um with the the water department and all that stuff. Um
so I don't have anything else. So I open it up to the floor for any comments or questions since we're all here. I do have good news. We hired an assistant. Oh yeah. And she starts on Wednesday. That's excellent. That's good. Nice. Congrats on that.
That's a blessing from everybody. Awesome. Yep. She lives in town. Um she is I want to say mid20s. Um she currently or I guess until
tomorrow works at Rockland Trust in Plymouth. Um Oh. So she has that Right. So, she'll start tomorrow on Wednesday. Wednesday. Wednesday.
And where is she off at your with you? Yep. Yeah. Okay. Good. Good. Well, that's great. Yes. I'm going to have her start FY26 basically with all the entry that I've
been doing for like both sides. I'll have her start with the assistance entry as of FY26. She'll do all that. Um I'm going to finish up some of the 25 stuff cuz I'm halfway through it anyway. Um
so it'll be good to get back on a good schedule, entering everything and all of that. So yeah, that'll help you on your a lot of your duties as well. Yeah. Definitely excited about that.
Yeah. I know that's good. And she lives in town, too, so that's even better. And she'll she'll be happy she's not that deployment this summer with all the traffic and everything, that's for sure. Yeah, it's going to be good. Yeah,
that's excellent news. I have one thing on as needed. Just wanted to circle back to um Highway had put in a um transfer a couple weeks ago. You requested more information. Didn't receive anything. Correct.
Yeah. I'm gonna email Steve in the morning. Has he responded to that request for additional information in the last two weeks? Um, I told him I did highlight everything and show him that the numbers didn't change. Um, he said Kathy was
out. She was in the hospital. Um, so I think that might have thrown a little Right. She had administrative assistance. So, I'm going to reach out to him again in the morning. Um, yeah, if he truly needs that money.
Yeah. Then he needs to have one more meeting. Yeah. The special meeting we're going to have. So, yeah. So, I'm just going to reach out, let him know that I need it by ideally not Monday. Not Monday. I can have it ahead of
like Thursday. Yeah. So, I will reach out to him tomorrow. Okay. Yeah, because if he needs that money, then we need to see what's going on there and understand that. Or maybe he doesn't need it and that's why
he hasn't responded back. I'm not really sure. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Anyone else? No. All right. So, we'll close out correspondence and as may arise, moving into public participation. I see no one
on the Zoom call and we have no special guests here with us at town hall. Um, which takes us out of public participation into next meeting planning. So again, we we're going to have a quick meeting next Monday 6:00 to
cover the last to cover let's hope four line item transfers that are currently outstanding. Um and uh then we meet again on the 21st to talk to the two candidates who put in talent bank forms for us. So and then we'll follow up in
the next meeting for a vote on who's regarding the new candidates. Is that an inerson meeting or No, that'll be virtual. That'll be a virtual for them as well. I'm going to be down at Cape on vacation, but I can dial in. Yeah, I'll
bring my laptop with me on my iPad. Very good. Very good. And it's got their blank forms here. Okay. And that'll be at 6 p.m. as well. Yes. Um
the interim town administrator, no one was chosen. And do you know if contract have been negotiated yet? Um, I believe because Cody said he
starts on Wednesday. So, okay. So, they came to terms already. It seems like it. I know they did their Slugman's meeting. They interviewed um two gentlemen and then I believe after that they went right into
Exactly. Yep. to choose and negotiate more. Well, they chose they chose before going in executive and then they went into executive to start contract. So, they've got that all done already.
Oh, good. So, he'll be here to soon, I assume. Wednesday. This Wednesday. That's quick. That is quick. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's good. Very interesting. Well, that's all I had. I know I got
kind of out of turn on that one. I just thought about it. Okay. So, anybody have anything else? Anything you want to discuss? All right. So, can I get a motion to adjurnn? So, move second.
Very good. Roll call vote. Cheryl, yes. Mike Bennett, yes. Frank Johnson, yes. To adjourn. EJ, yes. Hope you feel better, EJ. I'm a yes as well. Thank you all. feel better. Thanks everyone. Take care.
[Music]