Finance committee starts year, makes transfers
By Doug Grindle Community Reporter

Marlborough - Marlborough City Council's Finance Committee took up several transfers as a new year of business geared up at City Hall.

The Finance Committee contains two newly elected members, Ward 1 City Councilor Joseph Delano and Ward 7 City Councilor Don Landers, who recently sat in on their first Finance Committee meeting.

At the meeting, the committee unanimously voted to approve a transfer of $4,285 to pay printing costs associated with the primary election Feb. 5 and the special election for the empty Ward 5 seat to be held Tuesday May 6.

City Council President Arthur Vigeant, sitting in on the meeting, said $5,972 would actually be needed for the printing, as the earlier estimates had been inaccurate, but he said the difference could be made up later.

"I am sure we can find additional money in the budget," Vigeant said.

The committee also voted to transfer $6,000 to pay for 12 additional lines to be used in the reverse-911 emergency notification system.

The system allows emergency officials to contact residents in the event of an emergency. The system is computerized, and an onsite emergency worker can use the system to designate an area within the city that will receive calls, using a message recorded by the emergency official.

The system is being upgraded from a capacity of 800 calls per hour to 2,300 calls per hour.

The councilors asked for details. Delano asked how it is possible to keep the database current. Councilors also asked if cell phone numbers would be included.

Emergency Management Director Donald Cusson told councilors that residents would be able to update their contact information by completing a form available on the city's website. He also said the system is designed to keep track of unlisted telephone numbers.

The committee also voted unanimously to approve a transfer of $130,649 to help fund the current union contract for the municipal employees for fiscal year

FY) 2008.

The balance is necessary because the contract was settled in May 2007.

A similar transfer was made last year to pay for the balance for FY 2007, Mayor Nancy Stevens said.

"This is the transfer to cover the FY 2008 portion," Stevens said.

The transfers will head to the full City Council from the committee.

Stevens said the city's employment contracts are due to expire in June 2009, and she expects bargaining to begin for that in early 2009, or even before.