TOWN OF HARWICH, MA 02645

Town Hall

732 Main Street

Small Conference Room

FINANCE COMMITTEE

MINUTES

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Present: Chairman, Jack Brown; Larry Ballantine;Ed McManus;Rich Larios; Laurie Gillespie Lee, andMark Ameres

Absent:Dana DeCosta; Noreen Donahue, and Jon Chorey

Also Present: Superintendent, Bob Sanborn, Cape Cod Tech: Erin Orcutt, Cape Cod Tech, and BOS, Mike McAskill.

  1. Call to Order: Chairman Jack Browncalled the meeting to order at 6:30PM.
  1. Discussion: Topics for Discussion and Possible Votes
  1. Discuss Proposed Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Budget

Mr. Sanborn distributed copies of a power point presentation: “Cape Cod Technical High School FY18 Presentation Harwich Finance Committee Dated: February 28, 2017”

Also distributed were copies of Cape Cod Tech FY18 Budget Assessments and New Construction Estimates.

  1. Discussion:

Building –

  • Building improvements budget and cutbacks.
  • Aware of fact HAVC System could fail and cause adjustments to be made.
  • Ed McManus asked regarding approval process. Mr. Sanborn stated that there is district wide vote on same day and time (8 hours) Chapter 7116 Mandate. School Committee will vote in consultation with Town Clerks of Towns (50% + 1 Provincetown to Mashpee). Mashpee wants to do “Home Rule”. Discussion at February 13th meeting. Mr. Sanborn said they went in mass to urge Mashpee to stay.
  • New Construction site option selected on January 18th. November 20th School Committee came to decision.
  • Discussion of Evaluation Matrix A1 through C3.
  • Discussion of Preliminary Alternatives. C2 New Construction chosen.
  • Project cost $141 M.
  • Published rate of about 30%; Financing 70% at 5%; $23 M debt over 30 years.
  • Mr. Sanborn said he hopes schematic designs will present more definite cost assumptions.
  • Discussion of construction environment (impact of infrastructure construction; anticipates discussions with Compact Light regarding solar; seeking “green points”).
  • Technical School – technical areas costs are higher (equipment, construction, etc.)
  • Comparison to Monomoy School at $60 M.
  • Rich Larios discussed cost vs “Why” when enrollment declining.
  • Discussion of hybrid cross breading between Monomoy and Vocation Tech School. Mr. Sanborn said partnership opportunities are small.
  • Vocational school is an “application” school.
  • Discussed semantics of cross classes between Monomoy and Tech School.
  • Cape Cod Tech regionalized Provincetown to Mashpee; Upper Cape Tech goes over the bridge. Justification for two Tech. Schools is the commuting time.
  • Tech. students stay on the Cape and work here which supports the local economy.
  • Harwich assessment for 77 students is $1,487,000.
  • Larry Ballantine discussed debt payment on Web Site which explains how each taxpayer is impacted based on home evaluation for Wastewater.
  • Programs at the Tech School fluctuate over time (various disciplines).

Motion made by Jack Brown to approve the Cape Cod Technical High School FY 18 Budget of $1, 487,000. Seconded by Larry Ballantine. Vote: 6-0-0.

  1. Adjourn

Motion made by Ed McManus to adjourn at 7:35 PM. Seconded by Rich Larios. Vote: 6-0-0.

Respectfully submitted by Board Secretary Marie Hickey

Harwich Finance CommitteeMinutesFebruary 16, 2017