Good morning everybody. Welcome to the June 8th 2026 meeting of the uh Milton Budget Coordination Committee. We are We have a >> [clears throat]
>> a pretty decent size agenda today. Uh we will be finalizing uh voting on the budget development cal- uh calendar schedule coming up. We'll also be
reviewing the uh survey results. Thank you to everybody who participated and sent uh Vice Chair Walker their survey comments. And we will be talking about calendar moving forward.
Um so before we jump in, uh I will just ask um Town Administrator Milano if he has anything to share, any updates, etc. >> Uh two quick updates just as the legislature's working its way through
the budget. Um we provided an update on the Senate budget, so the Senate budget does have significantly more um locally. That's That's good news for Milton. We'll have to keep an eye on what comes out of conference committee for that. In addition to that, this the state approved a supplemental budget late last
week. I don't know that it's been signed by the governor yet, but the supplemental budget includes additional circuit breaker funding. It also includes $100 million for snow and ice. Um and 80 million of that will be distributed to cities and towns based on the road mileage formula.
And 20 million of it will be distributed to kind of communities that are most affected um on a basis to be determined by MassDOT, which we haven't received news on, but >> [clears throat] >> at the very least, just doing the road mileage amount against the $80 million
statewide, that should be about $250,000 that comes to Milton in fiscal '26 that will obviously greatly help our fiscal '26 known as deficit. So, that's that's good news um and otherwise we'll continue to monitor the budget updates as we move along, but um
thanks to the legislators for um securing that funding that will help us in this year and the circuit breaker money. I I can't speak to specifically that what that will or won't do, but um more funding is always appreciated. So >> Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> That's great. Thanks.
Um okay, so do we want to move to the budget development schedule? >> Yes, we do. Nick, can you pull up the >> I can't right now. I still don't have internet. I'm trying to connect. >> So, okay. >> We're connected [clears throat] through there to a broadcast, but otherwise I
cannot >> Well, um >> Are you able to >> I sent out the final version last night. It's also in the shared drive. I could quickly read through what it says um
but it reflects all of the feedback that I got from >> [clears throat] >> many of you. So, I think really I we got some very good feedback and I accepted everyone's suggestions, so um >> It's great. >> we should enclose the with where we are.
Uh just quickly, August >> [clears throat] >> School Committee, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendents discuss the operating and capital budget priorities. Uh Town Administrator, Department Heads do the same thing. Um September, tomorrow 20th, appoint
subcommittees leads and respective subcommittee leads to out to departments in the budget communication process. The budget coordination committee discusses the plan budget process that we have in place. Uh finance director, of course, is the select board and the finance committee
results and the town's free cash flow free cash calculation to the department of revenue. October and the town administrator and finance director communicate the revenue expense projection and the required budget targets to all of the
departments. And the select board works with the finance committee. Budget coordination committee discusses those projections, logistics, communication strategies, and so on. Uh budget plan coordination committee plans and develops the budget 101
briefings. These are the briefings that This is not me creating the wheel. These are the briefings that Nick, Amy, and John have put together. They're excellent. Uh I just [clears throat] added the budget committee as as uh initiating that because we've got
everybody on the budget committee, including the school committee, so uh Mr. Rodney has the responsibility for that. Once uh committee subcommittees begin their research, um departments, boards, and committees submit the five-year capital plan
request. It's October, November. Select board, finance committee, and the schools finance subcommittee have their first planning session. Uh finance committee subcommittees continue research and preliminary budget discussions. Budget coordination committee discusses
progress in the budget process >> [clears throat and cough] >> and how the recommended process of coordination is working. Select board and the finance Select board finance committee and the schools finance subcommittee has their second planning session also in November.
Select board holds the tax classification public hearing. Capital improvement planning committee begins its review of capital requests. And the town administration makes initial recommendations on free cash available for capital.
December is where the rubber meets the road. The School Committee completes draft contingent and non-contingent budgets. The Select Board completes draft town contingent and non-contingent budgets including the schools. Town administrators submit those budgets to the Warrant Committee by close of
business on the second Friday of December. That's an attempt to come as close as possible to the requirements of the bylaw. The Warrant Committee begins its budget reviews. The Warrant Committee hosts the town administrator and the School Committee in separate meetings to provide
Warrant Committee feedback on the respective budgets. Uh This committee holds its first after-action review. And then January uh again a busy month. The School Committee will there
The They hold uh PTO budget briefings. Budget Coordination Committee has our second after-action review. School Committee holds their final budget. School Committee holds their required budget hearing. Uh Select Board
holds a briefing for uh the general public on the town finance 101 and town department budget progress. Select Board votes to final budget including the schools no later than January 31st. Again, an effort to
comply with the requirements of the bylaw. Capital Improvement Planning Committee votes on fiscal year capital recommendations. February, town administrator provides the final budget including [snorts] the schools to the Warrant Committee.
Town administrator and finance director continue to provide updates based on what's happening in the legislature. Uh Budget committee has our votes up through after action reviews.
March, uh, the town administrator recommends and submits what those are and required budget adjustments based on final outcomes from the state budget process. The select board makes a decision and approves on the operating budget
stabilization fund. You don't know last night actually. >> Yes. >> [clears throat and cough] >> Any questions, additional thoughts, concerns? >> Can Can you go to the top? Yeah.
My only question is this and I apologize if I missed this, but it says I must admit something else last night. Um, Um, never mind. No. >> You sure? >> Yeah. That's right. >> Mark.
Or Nathan or Nathan and Mark both have their hands up. We'll start with Mark. >> Um, yeah, I I don't have any edits. I appreciate Leroy, uh, you taking all the kind of feedback you've gotten over the multiple iterations putting this together. Just really appreciate you spearheading kind of putting this. I think this will
be a very helpful document, uh, going into next year and I'm and it seems good. I'm sure there will be some issues that will come up with it that we'll figure out along the way and then iterate for the following year, but um, this is this is great and again just wanted to shout out Leroy for really helping keep us organized, spearhead
this and and complete this project. Uh, so we feel much more aligned going into next year. It's great. >> Thanks, Mark. Ditto. >> Yeah. >> Nathan. >> Thanks, Mark and yeah, ditto.
>> Mark said. Leroy, this is a great work product and appreciate everything you did to pull it together. As a new [clears throat] finance chair for the school committee, I'm excited to be able to put it to use and to have that kind of guide. So, just really grateful for that. I had one
question. Um has any So, Leroy, you were at our finance subcommittee meeting where we discussed this and you know, everyone everyone was really in favor of it. Has anything substantive changed from the version we
reviewed to the version that you sent out the other day? I just haven't had a chance to look at the most recent one you sent out. >> No, because the the version that we looked at with your subcommittee um actually I I added all of your comments.
So, the the edits that you suggested are in this version. Um they they weren't in the version I think that that the subcommittee looked at. >> Okay. All right. >> the edits you suggested I I included. [clears throat] >> Okay, great. I just if we were going to vote on it today, I just want to make
sure nothing nothing new was in there since the other than what we discussed since the committee reviewed it. But that that sounds great. Thank you, Leroy. >> Okay. So, if there's no further >> Should I make a motion?
>> You may make a motion. Yeah. >> Okay. I will make a motion to adopt the um uh budget timeline as presented today. >> Second. >> Okay. Um >> So, I'm going to do a roll call.
>> Yeah, do a roll call. >> Uh for anyone who's here and I'm I'm uh according to the charge, we have certain number of voting members, but I'm going to since we got feedback from everyone including our town professionals, I'm going to ask
everyone to vote official votes count on me. Everyone's vote counts. Uh Ms. Hedo? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lauren? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lauren?
>> Sorry, yes. >> Mr. Hedo? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hedo? >> Yes. >> [clears throat] >> Mr. Mulato? >> Yes. >> Ms. Dexter? >> Yes.
>> Ms. McCarthy? Ms. McCarthy? >> I wonder if we're having a bit of a >> I'm not able to get on the internet. >> That's fine. >> Try again. Ms. McCarthy? >> Yes. >> Supposed to be yes.
>> [laughter] >> Ms. Oldfield? >> Yes. >> Mr. Mills? >> Yes. >> Can you hear you, but >> This meeting is >> Yes. >> That sounded like a yes.
>> Oh, maybe write in the comments. >> The issue is whatever they're speaking to us is not coming through. It sounds like we're going through to them, all right? So, cuz you can hear it garbled in our end. So, there's a with the internet >> They can't hear us because they're trying to respond. >> Yes. So, we we're having an issue
hearing them. Um >> They could write in the comments to vote if they want. >> We are not allowed We turn those on. >> Uh Mr. Maguire. >> Yes. >> Mr. Mills. >> Yes. >> He's talking Yeah.
>> Miss Miss Blake. >> She knows it. >> Mark just confirmed that everyone online was a yes. We can't hear all of you fine. So >> Okay. >> Just in case. >> Yes. >> [laughter] >> Okay.
Mr. Walker, yes. Mr. Nance. >> Thank [snorts] you. >> Yes. >> What an achievement. >> [laughter] >> Okay. So, uh since we have since we've cleared
that item, we will now go to the survey results. >> Well, actually, we won't go to the survey results because >> Because I was late in getting mine in. >> [laughter] >> While the response has been great and the comments that I've received, the
responses that I've received have been very thoughtful. Um we do not have 100% participation yet. And the expectation is that all 15 of us will respond to the survey. So,
um thank you very much for those of you that have responded and those of you that haven't, if you could take 10 minutes sometime this week and get that in, uh that would be really helpful. >> Yes. I can say it doesn't take long to
do. >> Correct. >> So, it would be it would be very helpful and we want to hear from everyone and incorporate suggestions. >> Right. This is the way we do process improvement, so.
>> Okay. >> You don't have to give names, but how many people are left? A number? Eight. >> Okay. I was like if it was one. I thought I was the weak link. Yeah, so we it would it would really be
great if folks could because we we just don't know what we don't know unless unless you provide the feedback. >> Right, and then everyone's got a different perspective and a and a valuable perspective that we need to hear from everyone. >> Mhm.
>> And as you said, it only takes 10 minutes. That's That's all it takes. >> Mhm. Okay. So, in terms of schedule coming up, um we we wanted to open this up for a little bit of discussion, but what we're
thinking at this time is that we would take the month of July, give everybody a breather, and then reconvene under the auspices of
the new um calendar beginning in August. So, I'll just throw that out there for comments. Yes, Mark. >> [clears throat] >> Can you all hear me okay? >> We can. We can hear you.
>> Okay, great. Um that sounds fine to me. I guess the one thing I just question, which is more I think a select board process, is I think I'm not sure if the committee has already been extended into next year given I think it was established as a one-year committee. And so, was wondering if
there's some presentation discussion that needs to be done. It's select board, obviously we have two select board members here who can probably just do that cells, but um just wanted to raise that up for a point of discussion. >> We [clears throat] are We already voted it. Correct? >> Yes.
>> We So, we did already vote it, but I can talk to Chair Daily and confirm. It might be a good idea for us to have a presentation to the board anyway to
to present the updated schedule. >> Yeah, but that I totally defer to the the select board members on that. I just want to make sure we're all set on that end. Okay, great. Thank you. >> Thanks, Mark. I would offer that we I've gotten
feedback from several members of this committee about the timing of the meeting itself that 8:00 a.m. on Monday is really hard for people to make. Um I'm sympathetic to that myself. I don't know if we
should consider adjusting the time slot of the meeting. >> Evening? >> I'm retired, so it's just a matter of the time. >> Yeah. Yeah. Evening Evening may work better. I mean, this is for for me it's easier to do in
the evenings because I've decided to focus my time this year on on financial matters, so I don't have as many town meetings at night as I had had before, so I'm
open to to doing meetings, but school I know the school committee members have a lot of meetings as well. Um But yeah, may- maybe that's something if if we can't answer that now, maybe we can throw out a
survey on just timing to the group. Um >> I think that's good, right? >> Yeah. Rather than making a commitment, but I just wanted to raise the issue up at the timing of the meeting. >> I have a question.
>> I'm really leaning to that. If we don't meet again until August, is that going to put too much of a pause on the survey? >> We have a meeting placeholder for the 22nd of this month, so it's 2 weeks from today. >> Okay. Okay, so we would do the 22nd. So we
could wrap up if everyone got the results in and then that could be done on the 22nd. Okay. Nathan has his hand raised. >> [laughter] >> Thanks, Megan. You can hear me? >> Yes.
>> Great. Um yeah, [clears throat] thank you for considering a different date and a day and time. I'm happy to take a survey um if you want to do it that way, and I'll just add that
almost any other time other than Monday mornings, you know, I can probably make work. So I could do another morning in the week or evenings are fine. Most of our school committee meetings are or school committee adjacent meetings are um in the evening, but um
you know, given that this we typically meet once a month, it's not that big of a deal. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So Nathan, I I think we're going to do a separate survey to try to see what days and times work best for
everyone. >> That's great. Okay. >> on the question of if if I can receive all the responses to the survey by the 22nd, uh we might have some preliminary
information. I'm expecting that uh there will be some uh pretty weighty uh >> [snorts] >> recommendations and issues to consider. I mean, people are very Thus far, people have been very thoughtful. So, uh I'm not sure we're going to be able to present those results and wrap that
up in one in one meeting. But, we'll see. We might we might have to take it up again uh in August. Try to get it done then and place. See, the idea here is to
part of what we're asking everyone is, "What would you do differently for the coming year?" So, uh >> [clears throat] >> we're not giving ourselves a lot of time to have that discussion and implement whatever it is we're making work.
>> Maybe I missed this, but should the June 22nd meeting be in the evening? Or maybe switch that time if that's suitable to people. >> We'll see. I I don't got a couple of votes for no more in this poll. Let's see what the
what the the large group says. We'll try to make greatest good for everyone. >> It's so important. >> Yeah. >> I mean, this is important. Keep it >> Okay. I think that that's that's pretty much
all we had for an agenda today. >> So, just Can I just say one more thing about the meeting schedule? So, my thought was um for frequency um one meeting in August, one meeting in September
and then two meetings a month October through February and then one meeting in March, April, May, June. That kind of corresponds if you look at the schedule, it corresponds with the act the amount of activity that's going on. >> Mhm.
>> two months months. So, just just a thought for you to think about it. >> Yeah. >> Give us some feedback. >> [clears throat] >> Okay. >> I think it it'll be helpful um not only if you have a schedule, but we
know when the meetings are. >> Yeah. >> throughout the year rather than >> [clears throat] >> kind of having it week to week. >> Right. >> Better for the schedule. Want to make a motion? You done? >> Uh unless anyone has any other items
that they'd like to raise. So, yeah, I'm I'm all in favor. >> Motion to adjourn? Motion to adjourn? >> Second it. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Yes. >> Hope we can hear those people. >> [laughter] >> The [clears throat] ayes have it. Okay, thank you everyone. Have a great week.
>> Thanks.