Town of Pittsfield
Budget Committee
November 14, 2007
Members present: W. Abbott, W. Case, L. Deane, G. Gilman, F. Hast, C. Keuenhoff,
A.MacLellan, R. Morse, L. Okrent, J. Prue, L. Small (Select Board rep), L. Vogt (School
Board rep).
Members absent: H. Schoppmeyer
Meeting was called to order at 7:15 pm by Chairman C. Keuenhoff.
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as presented.
George Bachelder was present to explain the Highway Budget, 4311, 4312, 4313, 4316,
and 4319.
4311-1-411 Fuel Oil Where $3100 was budgeted last year, the proposed budget is for
$8,000 this coming year.
A new heating system is being installed in the highway garage and will be gas burning instead
of the wood which is currently being used. They will continue to burn wood until the gas
system is fully installed.
Lines 4312-1-001 and 4312-1-110 can be deleted from this section as they have been moved
to another section.
4312-2-445 , 4312-2-670, 4312-2-671 – these lines can be deleted.
4312-2-4-001 and 4312-4-430 Sidewalk Maintenance and Repairs can be deleted. The
sidewalks need to be fully reconstructed.
The major road project next year will be Upper City Road.
The Select Board will be asked to encumber the monies left over in 3 line items to do
reconstruction of Quail Ridge Road……….$34,000 from last year’s Quail Ridge Road
Budget that was not used; $17,000 left over from the Highway Block Grant; and
4312-9-001 $77,000 not used in the Road Reclaim budget line.
4915 Capital Reserve Asking: $10,000 in Small Highway Truck Reserve; $15,000 in
DPW Loader Reserve; $10,000 in Sidewalk Tractor Reserve; $30,000 in Dump Truck
Reserve (Select Board reduced this to $20,000; $15,000 in Grader Reserve; and $10,000 in
Backhoe Reserve; and $65,000 in Shaw Road Bridge Reserve for repairs.
Construction is to begin next week on the Salt Storage Facility and will be located at the
Del Castro pit.
Other budget items discussed:
4339 Pittsfield Aqueduct – fee for cleaning and maintaining the hydrants is $121,257.
The dam registration fee was increased from $100 – $400.00.
4414 Animal Control — 860 Humane Society line item has been reduced to $500, as
recommended by Chief Wharem.
4290 Emergency Management $132,740.18 was spent this year over a budget of $750, because
of the flooding situation. FEMA has reimbursed the town $124,000. Budget this year is
asking for $4410 for additional radios for vehicles.
4240 Building Inspection $2000 was requested by the Department Head, changed to
$1000 by the Select Board. This money is to be used to clean up abandoned buildings.
The next meeting of the Budget Committee will be held at the Town Hall on Wednesday,
November 28, 2007 at 7PM.
Meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.
Joan M. Prue, secretary