Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Finance Transfers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
North Brookfield selectmen approve multiple transfers, delay final budget vote amid ongoing police negotiations
Summary
At its June 3 meeting the Board of Selectmen approved a series of warrants, cemetery and highway repairs, and transfers including a $39,181.10 move into snow-and-ice salt; members said they will not vote on the town budget until police negotiations are complete.
The Town of North Brookfield Board of Selectmen on June 3 approved payroll and vendor warrants and a string of departmental transfers, but postponed a final vote on the town budget until pending police contract negotiations are resolved.
The board approved payroll warrant No. 25 for $394,700.08, a school warrant for $219,399.58 and a general fund warrant for $77,990.24. Selectmen also approved three cemetery expenditures — $647.70 for emergency vehicle repair, $1,000 to Rusty’s Tree Service to remove two hazardous trees at Cutter Cemetery, and $2,496 to excavate and repair an underground water leak — and an emergency $380 purchase for a rear window replacement on a highway department backhoe. The board approved transfers to cover postage, training and salary lines and authorized several snow-and-ice budget reallocations, including a $39,181.10 transfer from highway salary to snow-and-ice salt.
The transfers and spending requests were presented and moved by the board and carried by voice vote. After approving a reserve fund request of $6,000 to cover a negative balance in the fire department salary account, Selectman Jason Betrayes told the meeting he would not adopt the town budget until all numbers — including results of police negotiations — were final. “I will not vote on a budget that isn't complete,” Betrayes said.
Why it matters: the transfers shift existing appropriations to meet winter-maintenance and salary shortfalls this fiscal year; the board’s decision to delay the budget vote means the annual town meeting will proceed without a finalized town-side spending plan until contract talks conclude. Finance committee members in the room said they prefer to review a completed budget before they vote or forward recommendations to town meeting.
Details of actions and votes: the matters listed above were each moved, seconded and approved by voice vote during the consent and transfer portions of the agenda. The cemetery repair invoices and the backhoe window purchase were approved as presented. Multiple snow-and-ice transfers were approved in several separate motions; the transcript records each as carried on an “Aye” voice vote.
Background: board members discussed the timing of the formal budget vote and stressed the legal requirement to complete a vote before town meeting; selectmen said the town must wait on final figures from police labor talks and related staff meetings. The board also noted that some transfers were routine end-of-year reallocations to use available balances for departmental needs.
The meeting record shows the board handled the financial items first, then moved on to new business and public comment; the postponed budget vote and multiple approved transfers were the meeting’s principal financial outcomes.
