MEETING MATTERS
ASHBURNHAM ADVISORY BOARD
MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2008
Compiled by Caitlyn Kelleher Journal Reporter

Top Story:

The Advisory Board delayed a vote on the transfer of money to the Department of Public Works from the money appropriated at the fall town meeting because they had a series of questions about its expenditures.

The Advisory Board had been asked to transfer $80,000 from the reserve fund - an account set up for emergency or unexpected expenditures during the fiscal year - to the DPW to help account for the money spent repairing the Westminster Street Bridge.

The DPW used most of its road repair budget repairing damage from the strong storms on April 16 and the damage done when a tractor-trailer sideswiped the Westminster Street Bridge.

During the fall town meeting, voters, with more than the need two-thirds majority, approved moving $80,000 from the stabilization fund to the reserve fund.

"We voted to support it at town meeting. We still have to do our due diligence to make sure what they are spending it on makes sense," Johnson said.

One of the line items in the $80,000 request is $30,000 to install the waterlines for the fire protection system into the Town Hall during the renovations. Johnson said he was glad the DPW was able to do the work but wanted to know why the money was not coming from the renovation budget instead of the reserve fund money.

"I'm really troubled with this $30,000," Johnson said.

The discussion about where this money should come from lead the Advisory Board members to request meetings with representatives from both the Town Hall Renovation Committee and the Public Safety Building Committee. The committee members decided they would like a fiscal update on the status of the projects.

The board did vote to approve a $2,500 reserve fund transfer for the library because they had spent the money on unexpected repairs to the boiler.

The board complained that there were many requests coming in for additional money but not enough explanations with those requests.

"I think the committees and the administration think there is an unlimited checkbook," Advisory Board member Maggie Whitney said.

In Other News:

• Board member Leo Janssens II asked for a list of the town's exempt and nonexempt debt from the town's financial department. Janssens is heading a subcommittee trying to develop a capital plan for the town.

• The board reviewed a draft of a new town meeting information packet based off of information from the Westminster Advisory Board. The board is looking to develop a better booklet of information to mail to residents prior to the town meeting as away of encouraging participation.

"What's important is it goes to everybody's homes," Whitney said.

Whitney has been talking with the Westminster Advisory Board to develop the booklet.

"I think it's a good idea to work with out neighboring town," she said.

• The board decided to hold their own meetings with department heads and committee chairmen to discuss the budget instead of simply sitting in on the Selectmen's meetings.

The board also decided they would meet with every department.