Westport News

Present:    Bob McCarthy (BM), Charles “Buzzy” Baron (BB), Hugh Morton (HM), John Miller (JM), Mark Carney (MC), Marybeth Ferrarini (MF), Warren Messier (WM), Jack Baughan (JB), Tracy Priestner (TP)

1. HM, Chair, opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with the traditional salute to the flag.

2. JM began a discussion regarding placing an article on the annual town meeting to establish a committee to research and report back options for the pension liability.  (See attached.)  Steve Fors, Moderator, stated that the town meeting cannot force the BOS to establish a committee, the town meeting can appoint a temporary committee to do the research and report back to town meeting the following year.  BB made a motion and BM seconded the motion to draft a memo to the BOS requesting that they place an article on town meeting to establish such a temporary committee.  After much discussion, including rising health care costs, another motion was made by BB and seconded by BM to table this discussion till the next meeting.  The vote was 8-1 in favor. JM also introduced handout from Sen.Rodrigues meeting on pension and health cost projections State wide, at a meeting in Fall River March 7th.   Projections greatly exceeded income.  Material from Sen.Bernier and Chrm Wildner of MA Taxpayer Foundation.

3. Veterans’ agent, Ron Costa, was in attendance to discuss the Veterans budget deficit.  (See attached.)  He is requesting a reserve fund transfer of $43k. HM said there was not enough in the reserve fund to cover this and asked the Town Accountant for the balance.  She said there was only $34,280 and they had already committed to $20k for repairs to the Highway building.  HM then asked what the bottom line needed to cover until May 1st.  Mr. Costa said $14k.  A motion was then made by BM and seconded by WM to approve the transfer in the amount of $14k.  The vote was unanimous in favor.  

4. Mike Coughlin, Town Administrator, was in attendance to give his update on the FY12 budgets.  (See attached.)  He said the Fincom could count on having the revised budgets, with the cuts discussed, by next week to start the budget hearings.

5. WM continued the discussion of Snow & Ice costs from the last meeting.  (See attached.)

Adjournment and next meeting: There being no further business to come before this meeting, WM moved and JB seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:50pm.  The vote in favor was unanimous.  The next meeting will be on March 15th at 7:00 p.m. at the Westport Town Hall.
                            
Respectfully submitted,
Nicole Botelho, Recording Secretary