TOWNSEND -- The Finance Committee approved a municipal transfer, selected a representative to the Capital Planning Committee and discussed future plans at a brief meeting.

Unexpected repairs to an ambulance resulted in a transfer of $4,330.29 from wages for on-call firefighters. The Finance Committee unanimously approved the request on July 5.

The Board of Selectmen had already signed off on the Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department request at its July 3 meeting.

Andrea Wood, Chairman of the Finance Committee was selected to be the committee's representative on the Capital Planning Committee.

Two members of the Finance Committee already serve on the Capital Planning Committee. Carolyn Smart and Colin McNabb were both appointed by town Moderator Gene Rauhala.

"Actually, we should find somebody from the outside to take it so we don't have a quorum," Wood said.

"I think Gene already took all the low-hanging fruit," Smart said.

Representatives to capital planning are selected by town boards and the moderator. Even though Smart and McNabb are on capital planning, they are not representing the Finance Committee.

"I've been on and off it for a number of years and just never liked it. OK, I'll do it," Wood said.

The committee also discussed the need for future training.

In previous years, the committee belonged to the Association of Town Finance Committees, part of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

The

Advertisement
annual dues were paid by the Board of Selectmen because the Finance Committee did not have a budget, Smart said.

"They have a new officials forum a couple of times a year. We have to join," Smart said.

Wood questioned the need to join the association.

"When we got out of it, we had the book. They weren't updating it. We didn't get any better information from them than we got from the state," Wood said.

"Why don't you write to the organization and find out what our membership entitles us to," Smart said.

Wood agreed to contact the group.

Other options for training exist for the volunteer board.

"We're all going on a field trip to the DOR classes," Smart said. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue offers free classes nearly every month.

The committee also agreed to review their own policies and discuss them at a later meeting.

All the members should have copies of the handbook, policies and bylaws in addition to material from the DOR, Smart said.