Committee Report - Finance - 3-6-18 — File 205294

Finance Committee Page 1 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 March 6, 2018 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Attendee Name Title Status Arrived William A. White Jr. Chair Present Mary Jo Rossetti Vice Chair Present Ben Ewen-Campen Ward Three Alderman Present Matthew McLaughlin Ward One Alderman Present Katjana Ballantyne Ward Seven Alderman Present Jefferson Thomas ("J.T.") Scott Ward Two Alderman Present Jesse Clingan Ward Four Alderman Present Mark Niedergang Ward Five Alderman Present Lance L. Davis Ward Six Alderman Absent Wilfred N. Mbah Alderman at Large Present Stephanie Hirsch Alderman At Large Present Others present: Alan Inacio - OSPCD, Michael Glavin - OSPCD, Frank Wright - Law, Doug Kress - HHS, Brad Rawson - OSPCD, Ed Bean - Finance, Rich Raiche - Engineering, Michael Mastrobuoni - Budget Manager, Charles Sillari - Clerk of Committees. The meeting took place in the Committee Room and was called to order at 6:00 PM by Chairman White and adjourned at 9:12 PM. Approval of the February 20, 2018 Minutes RESULT: ACCEPTED 205218: Requesting acceptance of a $400,000 grant that requires a match, from the MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs PARC Grant Program to SPCD for renovations to Lincoln Park. RESULT: APPROVED 205219: Requesting acceptance of a $150,000 grant with no new match required, from the MA Gaming Commission Community Mitigation Fund Transportation Planning program to SPCD for mitigation at the intersection of Rts 93, 28, and 38.

Finance Committee Page 2 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 This grant requires no match. The committee discussed a community process which will deal with design and improving the safety of this intersection. The bidding process will begin immediately after the grant is approved and the project will take less than 3 years. RESULT: APPROVED 205220: Requesting acceptance of a $100,000 grant with no new match required, from the MA Gaming Commission Community Mitigation Reserve Fund to SPCD for baseline monitoring of air quality and vehicular traffic in impacted neighborhoods. The city will use the grant to collect data which will allow for meaningful mitigation. RESULT: APPROVED 205221: Requesting the acceptance of a grant of $59,747 from HUD to support SPCD's Continuum of Care planning efforts. RESULT: APPROVED 205156: Requesting a transfer of $16,250 from the Salary Contingency Account to the Health & Human Services Personal Services Salaries Account to fund an Environmental Health Liaison. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205215: Requesting a transfer of $205,000 from the Police Department Salaries Account and $45,000 from the E-911 Salaries Account to the Fire Department Salaries Account to correct an under-funding in the FY18 budget. The committee discussed an accounting error that occurred which caused a shortage in the fire department and a surplus in the police department. The overfunding of superior officer salaries in the police department along with a grant in 911 made funds available to be used in the fire department. RESULT: APPROVED 205216: Requesting a transfer of $98,000 from the E-911 Salaries Account and $77,000 from the Parks & Recreation Field Maintenance Salaries Account to the Law Legal Services Account to fund anticipated outside legal counsel invoices. The committee discussed the possible need for additional staffing in the legal department to reduce the need for outside counsel. The law department will provide the committee with data on how many times outside counsel was utilized over the past year. RESULT: APPROVED 205217: Requesting approval to transfer $60,000 in the Health & Human Services Department from the Salaries Account to the Professional & Technical Services Account,

Finance Committee Page 3 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 for temporary school nursing services. RESULT: APPROVED 205212: Requesting approval to create the Medical Marijuana Stabilization Fund and accept payments to the Fund from medical marijuana dispensaries. RESULT: APPROVED 205214: Requesting to transfer CPA funds totaling $1,214,322 from the CPA Fund Budgeted Reserve to designated CPA reserves per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. The committee discussed projects that will be funded with the CPA. Administrative expenses of the CPA were discussed. The use of funds for affordable housing was discussed. RESULT: APPROVED The Committee voted to discuss the critical positions collectively With regard to the proposed SPCD positions, Ald. Mbah asked Mr. Glavin how long he has been working for the city and if there has been an assessment as to whether jobs since he started are still relevant today. Mr. Glavin explained that nobody is idle and that the increase in meetings and the needs of the city are always looked at in deciding what positions are necessary. Ald. Mbah would like to continue to reassess positions because it costs the city a great deal of money. Alderman Rossetti read an email that she had received from Mr. Halloran, SMEA President that stated that most of the new positions that the administration was proposing should be union positions and not management. Members expressed a concern over this issue. Alderman Scott also raised a question as to whether the Housing Director’s position would be subject to Board confirmation. Ald. White explained that the Board technically cannot approve a funding request with conditions. If the administration were to agree to the condition, then it would have to submit a new request that included the condition. With regard to the dispute over whether the positions should be union or not, Chairman White explained that the union always has the ability to grieve whether a position should be union. The committee discussed the fact that department heads did not ask for more staffing in the last budget. Ald. Ballantyne expressed concern over why these positions are critical, when there was never discussion throughout the budget process and the GLX funding process. Mr. Glavin explained that the city has learned more over the past year as to how the city can benefit from the requested positions. The committee discussed the need for information from the administration to explain why the positions were created as they were and not as union positions. Ald. Niedergang would prefer to fill the positions and not hold up the hiring as he knows how long union negotiations can take. He also pointed out that no OSPCD positions are union. Ald. Scott expressed concern over allowing positions to become non-union. Ald. Clingan is hesitant to approve the positions as the request stands. Ald. Mbah discussed taking the bus with Brad Rawson and how he learned that Mr. Rawson is overworked and could be burned out. He wants the position to be funded but he thinks if

Finance Committee Page 4 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 it is a union position, it should be a union position. He doesn’t know how it works but it should be fair and true. He doesn’t understand the dynamic, but wants to fund the critical position right now, before we leave. Ald. McLaughlin stated he is suspicious of the positions being critical. He doesn’t understand why they are needed 3 months before the budget. He said the filling of the nurses was used as leverage against the union. He spoke to Ed Halloran who explained that there are positions in the union that could be performing these jobs. He wants to see the entire budget before he votes on these positions. Ald. Hirsch discussed her recent discussions with Brad Rawson about his concern with the safety on Webster Street. Ald. Ballantyne said she believes this is an example of poor management of the city staff. She would put the job descriptions out pending appropriation. She spoke about the fiduciary right of the BOA and can’t support this 3 months from the budget hearings. Chairman White said that he would put that union issue with regard to the critical appointees on hold until the next meeting to allow the Administration to respond. 205018: Requesting the appropriation of $10,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Communications Department Professional and Technical Services Account to fund construction translation services. Because of the concerns raised by Ald. Hirsch and Ald. Neidergang, the Committee discussed a position that was not considered critical by the administration. The committee discussed the positions and various ways of traffic calming, both low costs and high cost. Mr. Rawson gave examples of what can be done by the city with low cost resources, but more staff would allow for more on the ground improvements. Ald. Niedergang gave examples of traffic calming measures in Ward 5. He things delaying certain positions are needed now based on his experiences, specifically at the corner of Highland Ave and Cedar Street. RESULT: APPROVED. [9 TO 1] AYES:White Jr., Rossetti, Ewen-Campen, Ballantyne, Scott, Clingan, Niedergang, Mbah, Hirsch NAYS: McLaughlin ABSENT: Davis 205157: Requesting the appropriation of $16,250 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash') to the Engineering Division Salaries Account to fund a Construction Liaison and Compliance Manager. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205158: Requesting the appropriation of $20,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Engineering Division Salaries Account to fund a Construction Project Manager.

Finance Committee Page 5 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE Motion To: Motion: To keep items related to positions with questions regarding union in committee until the Administration can respond. RESULT: APPROVED. [8 TO 2] AYES: White Jr., Rossetti, Ewen-Campen, McLaughlin, Ballantyne, Scott, Clingan, Mbah NAYS: Mark Niedergang, Stephanie Hirsch ABSENT: Lance L. Davis 205159: Requesting the appropriation of $16,250 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash') to the Communications Department Salaries Account to fund a Construction Information Officer. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205160: Requesting the appropriation of $18,750 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to SPCD's Transportation & Infrastructure Division Salaries Account to fund a GLX Project Liaison. The committee discussed the duties and the need for the GLX Liason position. State positions who perform similar functions were discussed, and the reasons why those positions are not compatible with the city’s needs. Ald. Mbah and Ald. Clingan said they are in support of this position starting right away. Roll Call Vote -Approved 9-1-1 RESULT: APPROVED. [9 TO 1] AYES:White Jr., Rossetti, Ewen-Campen, Ballantyne, Scott, Clingan, Niedergang, Mbah, Hirsch NAYS: McLaughlin ABSENT: Davis 205161: Requesting the appropriation of $21,250 from Unreserved Fund Balance to the Capital Projects Department Salaries Account to fund a Project Manager. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205162: Requesting the appropriation of $18,750 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to SPCD's Transportation & Infrastructure Division Salaries Account to fund a Streetscape and Public Space Planner. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205163: Requesting the appropriation of $21,250 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Engineering Department Salaries Account to fund a Project Manager.

Finance Committee Page 6 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205164: Requesting the appropriation of $20,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Engineering Department Salaries Account to fund a Junior Project Manager. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205165: Requesting the appropriation of $21,250 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to SPCD's Transportation & Infrastructure Division Salaries Account to fund a Senior Urban Forestry & Landscape Planner. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205166: Requesting the appropriation of $18,750 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to SPCD's Transportation & Infrastructure Division Salaries Account to fund a Transportation Planner. RESULT: NOT APPROVED. [4 TO 6] AYES: Ewen-Campen, Clingan, Niedergang, Hirsch NAYS: White Jr., Rossetti, McLaughlin, Ballantyne, Scott, Mbah ABSENT: Davis 205167: Requesting the appropriation of $21,250 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Inspectional Services Department Salaries Account to fund a Senior Zoning Review Planner. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205168: Requesting the appropriation of $27,500 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Capital Projects Department Salaries Account to fund a Capital Projects Assistant Director. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205169: Requesting the appropriation of $7,200 from Water Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings to the Water Enterprise Fund Salaries Account to fund a Director of Finance & Administration. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205170: Requesting the appropriation of $15,300 from Sewer Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings to the Sewer Enterprise Fund Salaries Account to fund a Director of Finance & Administration.

Finance Committee Page 7 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205171: Requesting the appropriation of $32,692 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the SPCD Office of Housing Stability Salaries Account to fund a Director of Housing Stability. RESULT: APPROVED 205172: Requesting the appropriation of $20,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the SPCD Office of Housing Stability Salaries Account to fund a Deputy Director of Housing Stability/Program Development. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205173: Requesting the appropriation of $15,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the SPCD Office of Housing Stability Salaries Account to fund a Housing Counselor/Case Manager. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205174: Requesting the appropriation of $15,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the SPCD Office of Housing Stability Salaries Account to fund a Housing Counselor/Case Manager. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205175: Requesting the appropriation of $12,500 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the SPCD Office of Housing Stability Salaries Account to fund a Housing Intake Specialist. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205014: Requesting approval of a mid-year staffing request to fund construction oversight, management and associated issues. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 205029: Requesting the approval of funding to establish an Office of Housing Stability in SPCD. RESULT: APPROVED Handouts: • CPA Data (with 205214)

Finance Committee Page 8 of 8 Printed 3/12/2018 • Salary Data • SMEA Letter (with 205018 et al)