ORDER-2016-142 : Appropriation in the amount of $210,000.00 to Fire Overtime (012211-511000) from Available Free Cash (01-324001)

Transcript (~3 min @ 11:29)

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▶ 10:03 Peter D. Mortimer: ladies and gentlemen it's 751 on April 25th 2016 this is the Committee on Appropriations I am the chairman Peter Mortimer we are joined this evening by other aldermen this is a committee of the whole meaning all aldermen are on this committee and our voting members we're joined by alderman Michael work Alderman John Tramontozzi, Alderman Monica Medeiros, Alderman Robert Boycelle, Alderman Jennifer Lemmerman, Alderman Scott Forbes, and President Donald Kahn. This meeting is being recorded, broadcast on MMTV, and it will be rebroadcast, and a DVD of the meeting is available for anyone who would like to have one at our MMTV television station headquarters located here on Main Street in Melrose. Is there a motion to open the floor? So moved, Mr. Chairman. Alderman Forbes has made a motion to open the floor for public participation, duly seconded by Alderman Boycelle. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed, hearing none, public participation is now open. Seeing no members of the public wishing to come forward, Alderman Forbes has renewed, once again made a motion this time to close public participation. Once again, it was seconded by Alderman Boycelle. All in favor of closing public participation, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed, hearing none, public participation is now closed and we will proceed with the agenda. The first order we have before us is order 2016-142. It is an appropriation in the amount of 210,000 to fire overtime. 012211-51100 from available free cash. It's offered by the mayor and it is here assigned to this committee. Is there a motion to suspend the rules, please?

▶ 11:54 Speaker 4: So moved, so we can second the appropriate parties.

▶ 11:56 Peter D. Mortimer: Has made a motion to suspend the rules. Alderman Boycella has seconded said motion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed, hearing none, we are under suspension. Chief Larry, would you join us, please? This is the Chief of the Melrose Fire Department, Chief Larry. Good evening. Come before us, would you like to make an opening statement, sir?

▶ 12:14 Speaker 5: Yes, I look forward tonight to request an appropriation of $210,000 to go towards an overtime line. This year has been a very bad year for illnesses and injuries. And we also had a member deployed in the military that's been gone for over a year and a half.

▶ 12:33 Peter D. Mortimer: Thank you, sir. President Kahn, please.

▶ 12:37 Speaker 3: Chief, if this order passes, what period of time will this fund? Is this prospective or retrospective or a combination of both?

▶ 12:46 Speaker 5: I'm confident by any catastrophic event that this should carry us through the end of the year.

▶ 12:50 Speaker 3: Okay, and I know we haven't seen your budget yet, but what have you been allocated for your overtime budget for the upcoming fiscal year?

▶ 13:07 Speaker 3: Through Mr. Del Russo and the auditor's office, they've increased the line by $100,000 to make it more in line with our expenditures. And are you going to continue to be set with the problems that you're currently facing relative to deployments, sicknesses, and what not? Is there anything that's resolving of the situation?

▶ 13:21 Speaker 5: Yeah, one member that was out on long term injury has filed for disability retirement, is now retired.

▶ 13:30 Speaker 5: Hopefully the member will come back from the military at some point, but then there's always other ones that could go.

▶ 13:35 Speaker 3: And do you anticipate funding the position for the individual who's applied for disability retirement in your next year's budget?

▶ 13:54 Speaker 3: Yes, we're in the process of hiring two hopefully by July, we'll be ready. Okay, and at some point in time, I'm sure somebody's going to ask Mr. De La Russa to come up here, and when he does, I would be interested in knowing if all these orders pass this evening, where we're going to be at the free cash. But we can discuss that at any point in time this evening, I think.

▶ 14:11 Peter D. Mortimer: Thank you. Thank you, President Kahn. Any other aldermen wishing to be, Alderman Medeiros, please.

▶ 14:15 Monica C. Medeiros: you uh thank you chief leary uh just what does this put your total budget uh line item for overtime at for the fiscal year close to 500 000. close to 500. okay thank you very much thank you

▶ 14:30 Peter D. Mortimer: alderman Medeiros seeing no further alderman wishing to be heard is there a motion please motion to recommend second i have a motion to recommend this order by alderman boisselle duly seconded by alderman lemmerman all in favor please say aye aye any opposed hearing none this order will be recommended to the full board at our next full board meeting the next order we have before