WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Board of Finance met on November 14, 2023. All topics were discussed.
As part of the meeting, two different town department heads asked the commission for an off-cycle transfer of budget due to unanticipated expenses.
The Finance Committee’s fiscal year 2024 reserve fund is “for unexpected items,” according to Vice Chair Teresa Manganelli.
Public Works Director Jamie Magaldi appeared before the committee. Magaldi explained that Wilmington intends to enter into a 99-year lease for the 5-acre parcel at 175 Lowell St., which includes an existing tennis court and 4 acres of softball fields.
Magaldi said the town actually received a $75,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation for playground improvements and will use a portion of that money to determine both the condition and usage standards for the area. He said he would like to use it for a feasibility study on real estate.
Magaldi said he will seek stakeholder input to ensure the town’s needs are met. For example, does the town need more softball fields, or is a different type of ballpark appropriate for the location?
Magaldi explained that it takes several years to bring a field up to a quality level, regardless of its use. To do this, Magaldi explained, the fields will need to be mowed in the spring, which will have to be covered by the current budget.
Mr. Magaldi requested three items for the Finance Committee’s FY 2024 Provident Fund. A $2,400 increase in the contracted services budget for additional grass cutting, and a $3,700 increase in overtime until the department can add new employees to assist with the work. It will cost him $50,000 to purchase additional field space and a new 96-inch wing mower.
Manganelli asked about overtime and full-time staff, and Magaldi explained that overtime is short-term and that he expects the possibility of adding full-time staff in the 2025 budget. Magaldi also explained that additional personnel will help with winter work and maintenance of other facilities, such as the senior center and City Hall grounds, once replacement facilities are built.
Magaldi said he didn’t have to make a decision that night, but he did express a desire to at least receive an advance payment for the mower so he could order it before the spring 2024 mowing season.
Manganelli asked Magaldi if he could wait until the next finance committee meeting in late January to approve the $50,000 mower expense, and Magaldi said that was possible.
As a result of the personnel change, another request for a transfer from the Finance Committee’s fiscal year 2024 reserve fund was brought by Senior Services Director Terry Marciello. Veterans Services and Senior Services will share one full-time representative with her working part-time in each department. Patti Meehan has been selected to lead Veterans Services full-time as Veterans Affairs Agent Lou Cimaglia moves to the interim Town Manager position.
As a result, Marciello has now been removed from Meehan’s half-time service as a caseworker, and Meehan explained that he also helped deliver meals as a van driver when needed. Mr. Marciello called for that need and said part-time people are not the right solution.
“Our department is completely overwhelmed,” Marciello said.
Cimaglia said discussions about the need for full-time resources for both veterans services and adequate staffing of senior centers have been going on for years, and recent changes have elevated this topic to priority. That’s what it means. The commission could use reserve fund transfers to cover temporary needs with full-time employees, or be dissolved on July 1, when Cimaglia likely returns to his role as director of Veterans Services. debated whether to fund temporary workers to cover certain needs.
Marciello explained that waiting until FY25 to fund full-time staff and moving to a new senior center will put senior services in the red.
“We need to make a plan for the new center before we move in,” Marciello said, adding that the lack of staff will likely limit the amount of grants he can apply for.
Jackson said he has concerns about hiring new staff from reserve funds outside of the budget cycle.
“Those decisions will be made during town meetings and the budget process,” Jackson said.
Manganelli said he plans to communicate with the town’s attorney regarding the terms of the finance committee reserve fund to see what is possible regarding financing payroll and capital expenditures.
