HARMONY FIRE DISTRICT

P.O. Box 360 – 194 Putnam Pike

Harmony, R.I.  02829

 

 

 

The regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Harmony Fire District Executive Board was held at the Harmony Fire Station on Thursday, May 17, 2007.

 

Present:     Chief Stuart Pearson; Moderator - Raymond Fogarty, Jr.;

      Treasurer - Sandra Owens; Tax Collector - Kimberly Barber; 

      Clerk - Ann Dahlquist; Attorney - Fred Mason, Jr.;

      Board Members - Louise Michaels, James Richards,

                        Milton Huston & George Kain

      Department Members –

Deputy Chief Michael Segee, Captain Randy Brackett,

Privates – William Vota, Marc Swartz & Andrew Gaiewski

                                

Absent:      None

 

Moderator Fogarty called the meeting to order at 7:04 PM.  He asked for approval of the minutes from the April 25th meeting.  Louise made a motion to accept the minutes.  Milton seconded it.  The motion carried.

 

Treasurer’s Report:

Due to extensive traveling and her computer breaking, Sandy did not have her usual report for the month of April.  She instead substituted reports generated through the QuickBooks software.  She presented the Board with a ‘Profit and Loss Budget Overview Report’ (this is essentially page 2 of the format she usually uses).  Ray requested the wording in the report title be changed to ‘Fund Balance’, since we are a non-profit entity.  Kim said she would check to see if the format could be changed.  Sandy stated that she and Kim would be performing account analyses on over budget accounts to verify the classification of expenses and/or reclassify.  There were no expenses out of the ordinary to report for April.

 

While the Board reviewed the report Sandy explained that this format might be a little confusing, since it is different from what everyone is usually given.  She also explained that we normally expense 94-95% of the budget every year.  Whatever is left over goes back to general funds, with the exception of the money budgeted for capital expenses.  If the capital items are not completed, their funds carry over to the next fiscal year.  Large expenditures for the year have already taken place, such as the $30,000.00 for the truck fund.  The Chief concurred with Sandy stating it would be only normal expenses for the remainder of the fiscal year.  He will try to finish up some small projects though, with funds left in this year’s budget vs. carrying them over to the new fiscal year.  At the next meeting [annual meeting] she will have the final figures for April and estimates for May.  Ray requested she get these figures to the board prior to the annual meeting.

 

Jim made a motion to accept the April treasurer’s report.  Milton seconded it. 

The motion carried.

 

Tax Collector’s Report:

Kim stated that the approximate balance due to be collected on past due taxes is $32,000.00.  Only $2,733.51 has been collected since the last meeting.  Most people that were sent tax sale notices are only paying their past due balances and not their entire balance due.  Another words, they are avoiding going to tax sale.  We have had some third party payments come in during the last month totaling $2,477.03. Also, we have collected miscellaneous income for smoke inspections, plan reviews, etc., totaling $140.00. 

 

This past Monday Kim met with Vivian Valentine, Glocester Tax Assessor, to go over questions discussed at the last Board meeting.  The first item was campers.  Vivian stated that they are also a real problem at the town level.  Vivian believes that they have a policy to write off these uncollectable balances after 10 years, since they can not be brought to tax sale because they are campers.  Unfortunately Jane Steere, Glocester Tax Collector, was out of the office the day Kim was there, but Vivian strongly suggested that she meet with her, to find out specifically how they are dealt with.  The next item discussed was the lots at Camp Russell, these are all camps on leased land.  She said they have the same problem with this item also.  The only thing she could suggest is to speak to the landowner and see if he would approach his leasees.  Other than that they would also be added to the uncollectable list and written off after 10 years. Another item discussed was the reevaluations and exactly how the town does them.  The information that Kim had been given and reported at the last meeting was incorrect.  Vivian informed her that the 5-year drive by revaluation was only a proposal and was never put into place.  Reevaluations are done by what she refers to as a 3-6-9.  They do a statistical revaluation every 3 years and there is one being done in 2007.  In 2010 there will be a complete revaluation done for the Town of Glocester. 

 

Another task that Kim has been working on is preparing numbers for the upcoming fiscal years budget.  She has been having a lot of problems working with the Access Database - Operations Program to get the information up to date to provide the call pay figure.  Mike Recorvits came in to help out with this problem.  The temporary employee had not been able to keep this data entry up to date, so everything had to be entered from January 1st to the present.  Although the call pay figure was not available at this meeting, she stated she would have it within the next week.

 

The Chief added that as the board hears all of the work that Kim has been doing in such a short period of time and how much that she has accomplished, he thinks they will agree it’s great.  The conversation she had with the Town of Glocester about the taxes has lead to a proposal that we have been putting together to fall under the IT portion of the up coming years budget.  The proposal involves the tax program that the town uses, Opal Data.  It would also be able to be used by the District, helping us immensely, and integrating fully with the town.  This is another project that Kim has put on the table.  She’s been working hard.

 

Kim stated that Glocester, as well as many other towns and fire districts throughout the state use Opal Data, owned by Peter DiCicco.  Peter has put together a quote for the District, which she has copied and enclosed in everyone’s meeting folders.  She adds that the system would eliminate manual input and speed the entire process of tax bill preparation.  They also offer credit card payment service through their website, with no additional cost to us.  Sandy asked about merchant charges for credit card payments.  She would like the cost issue clarified. 

 

While reviewing the financial report Ray had questions about clarifying the figures for the short fiscal year we just had.  It seems that expenses were higher than income because with the tax bills being sent out in April last year, most of the revenue was received prior to the start of the fiscal year on July 1st.  He would like Accountant Malo present at the Annual Meeting to answer any questions the taxpayers may have.

 

Ray and Sandy also agreed that the new Budget should include anticipated revenue figures.  Now that the tax bills are due in July and correspond with the fiscal year it would be appropriate and show a more accurate financial picture.  These figures are needed to set the tax rate anyway.

 

Kim and the Chief have also discussed the possibility of doing Payroll through QuickBooks.  This would possibly take place at the end of the calendar year after Paychex has completed the year end process.  The cost of the QuickBooks Payroll Program is $299.00, which is much cheaper than the approximately $250.00 per month that we currently pay Paychex. Sandy and Louise agreed it would save money, but Kim’s time might be better spent on other things.

 

Ray requested to schedule a time to meet and finalize the budget numbers before the Annual meeting.  Sandy felt that between herself, the Chief and Kim, they could verify the expense accounts, but she needs to have a complete list of the capital items.  A budget meeting was scheduled for May 30th at 8:00 pm at the fire department. 

 

Louise made a motion to accept the April tax collector’s report.  Jim seconded it. 

The motion carried.

 

Chief’s Report:

To start his report the Chief wanted to state that there have been no reports of injuries, sickness or illness of crew members.  Additionally, we have had two new members join the department and our roster has now risen to 28 members. 

 

We have had quite a bit a training activity, two nights each week, organized by Deputy Chief Segee and Captain Brackett.  They have been doing live burns at a house over on Pine Ledge Road collectively with the other fire departments in Glocester.  Live burn training is an invaluable learning tool and the drills have been a great experience.

 

The State of Rhode Island – Department of Health has again put out more new protocols for EMS training.  So now we are now in the process of updating all of our EMT’s. 

 

Also, the US Department of Homeland Security has required us to be trained to handle weapons of mass destruction/terrorism.  We have until December of 2008 to complete this training.  We have received a federal grant of $2,800.00 for equipment, which we have to match.

 

West Glocester has taken the lead on applying for a regional FEMA grant for communications.  This grant would provide us with 800mhz of radio transmission as a back-up in the case of a catastrophe.  It would not replace the system we currently use.

 

All department apparatus is in good working order.  The extensive repairs on Engine 22 were quite successful and it is now running well. 

 

As for the remaining capital improvement items for the 2006-2007 budget, we are still working on a few.  One that we are closing in on is the EMS computerized reports.  The heating system item is being checked into also, now that the heating season is over. One of the capital improvements the chief has been thinking about is sealcoating and restriping the parking lot, identifying the new handicap access parking area.  Another is the replacement of ceiling tiles out on the apparatus floor.  This would also include tracing the leaks or problem areas on the roof.  He believes the leaks were due to ice dams and expansion/contraction of joints in the roof.

 

The Chief introduced Private Swartz.  Marc spoke on behalf of the Association members present, explaining their idea for kitchen renovation and passing out sketches to visualize it. The goal they have is to make the kitchen more functional for people to use for fundraisers and ultimately generate revenue.  They felt since repairs need to be done to the stove hood/vent system to bring it into compliance with code, now would be the time to make the changes.  The quote the Chief had received to do the repair alone was $10,000.00.  The proposed renovation plan would cost approximately $30,000.00, with ½ being paid by the District and ½ by the Association.  Members took turns answering questions posed by the Board.  Ray stated that the project would have to go out to bid because it totals over $10,000.00 and proper plans need to be drawn up.  He also said there should be a building committee set up, comprised of Board members and Association members and Community members to oversee the project.  A major concern that was raised is the issue of parking when the fundraising events take place.

 

Louise made a motion to present a capital expense of $15,000.00, as an expense to be split 50/50 between the District and the Association, not to exceed $30,000.00 in total.  With the stipulation that there is a Planning Committee established to review the plan before it is begun.  Jim seconded it.

 

Milton made a motion to accept the April Chief’s report.  Jim seconded it. 

The motion carried.

 

Old Business: 

Sandy asked about bonding for her position, as well as the Tax Collector’s position.  The Chief said that this issue has been addressed.  Kim elaborated to say that she had contacted our VFIS representative and found out that it is the actual positions that are bonded, not the individuals.  The Treasurer position is bonded for $50,000.00 and the Tax Collector position is bonded for $25,000.00.

 

New Business:  None

 

Committee Reports:  None

 

 

 

Executive Session:

The Board then needed to go into executive session on a matter of personnel of which the individual has been notified in writing pursuant to RIGL 42-46-5(a)(1).

A motion was made by Louise to go into executive session.  Jim seconded it. 

Executive session began at 8:18 pm and ended at 8:27 pm. 

 

Milton made a motion to adjourn.  Jim seconded it.  The motion carried.

 

The May meeting of the Harmony Fire District Executive Board was adjourned at 8:30 pm.

 

The next meeting of the Executive Board will be the

Annual Meeting, June 2, 2007 at 7:00 pm at the fire station.

 

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

                                             

Kimberly S. Barber

Tax Collector/Secretary