Present:

• Jay Bikofsky, Chair Finance
• Neil Holden
• Pam Boudreau
• Steve Shatz
• Diane Reuss
• Jim Balfanz
• Bill Vogt
• Roxanne McCaffrey, Chair Select Board
• Chuck Cardillo
• Patrick White

1. Bikofsky called the joint meeting to order and turned it over to McCaffrey
2. McCaffrey opened a SB public meeting to consider the application of Hand-Crafted Caterers doing business at the Stockbridge Train Station
   1. Justin Christopher was present for Hand-Crafted Justin Christopher; Kevin Chittenden and Tom Delasco present for Berkshire Scenic Railway Board.
   2. Hand-Crafted has reduced the number of parking places to 35, the capacity at an event to 70, and will place any amplified music under tent or under building canopy. Public meeting closed. Permit approved.
3. Minutes of joint meeting April 7 approved
4. Review operating budget
   1. Operating budget: $11,549,384
   2. Estimated Increases: Education $400,000+; Fuel $50,000+; Police officer $80,000 + $11,000; $38,000 Berkshire retirement fund; $20,000 ConCom agent; $20,000 info technology; Debt service $57,000; and Chime Tower $38,000. Total increase approx. $700,000 plus salary increases; estimated increases over $800,000
   3. Bikofsky — will salary increases include merit increases? Yes will be awarded at 1-2% in addition to 1-2% salary increase. Also smaller increases: $5000 for Cultural Council and $6000 for volunteer training. Bikofsky also noted increase in revenue: did not rehire a facilities manager ($137,000). Also mentioned offsets in police department and payout from an Opioid lawsuit settlement ($19,000)
   4. Balfanz: increase in retirement fund cost? Stockbridge is one of few towns that actually has funded it (103%) and does not have to pay that in this year/removed
5. Review capital expenditures
   1. Bikofsky said — decide what we fund from free cash, stabilization fund , or debt.
   2. Remove OPEB — retirement contribution — see above; remove $40,000 for Stockbridge Bowl Stewardship Commission (put in SBSC operating budget for water testing), and remove $85,000 because funded by Community Preservation Committee (CPC) and how to fund the rest? ($1,419,000)
   3. Three choices on how to fund: free cash $1.3 million — this is an estimate — actual calculation later in the year; stabilization fund is “real cash” (total not given); borrowing — goal to keep annual payment (interest) level. In addition, Water and Sewer has money from fees collected — more than ever before, and departments have reserve funds.
   4. Bikofsky suggested Town borrow whatever needed sooner before interest rates increase
   5. McCaffrey wanted to hire an expert to present Red Lion Inn Intersection plan at a special town meeting ($1 million for the work — expert to convince).
   6. However, other infrastructure costs: Pump Station$1.2 million, Salt Shed $400,000, Tuckerman and Averic Bridges ($2 million) total an estimated $3.6 million. So is this time for additional $1 million cost for intersection? Removed from Town Meeting Warrant
   7. Balfanz suggested the Warrant item for the other four infrastructure items ($3.6 million — pump station, salt shed, and two bridges) not be #52 but moved up on the Warrant so everyone present to vote. “Given magnitude, place the Warrant article earlier”

Meeting adjourned