I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

Meeting was called to order at 7:35 P.M. by Mr. Samz.

Attending: Stephen Dugan

Robert Sarley

Tim McCue

Doug Samz, Chairperson

Absent: Ray Perry

Robert Gerry

Also

Attending: Jim Silvers, Trustee Liaison

Russell Benford, Village Administrator

Donna Lobaito, Assistant Village Administrator/Recording Secretary

II. OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE

None this month.

III. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 10, 2003 MEETING

A motion was made by Mr. McCue to approve the November 10, 2003 minutes. Second by Mr. Sarley.

Mr. Dugan noted one change to be made to the minutes. Under New Business – Quarterly Revenue and Expenditure Report – Second Quarter. Mr. Dugan stated the last paragraph should be changed to read that the Committee wanted Trustee Silvers to go to the Village Board to obtain information and details on hiring a financial planner.

The motion, with changes, passed unanimously.

IV. NEW BUSINESS

A. Technology Committee Request for Funding

Trustees Riess and Weick were present to discuss the need for additional funding to resolve some immediate technology concerns. Trustee Riess stated that in 2002, he requested approximately $30,000 for certain technology needs for the Village. At that time, the Village Board only allocated $9,500. He stated that the Village should be concerned about the fact that the support for Windows Server NT 4.0 has diminished and an end of life date for any support is December 31, 2004.

Trustee Riess recommended that the Village migrate from the NT 4.0 server to the Windows 2000 server and include Microsoft Exchange. Also, it was recommended that we provide for more storage to accommodate additional software in the future.

Trustee Riess stated that RFQ’s were sent to 30 vendors to perform such work with nine responding. The Technology Committee has reduced the list to three potential vendors. The cost estimate is up to $15,000. He is requesting the additional funding in the 03/04 Fiscal Year budget so that the work can be performed prior to the busy season in the office, as well as the diminished service available to the Village.

Mr. McCue commented that the Technology Committee budgeted $4,000 for the current fiscal year even though they were questioned at the time the budget was being prepared if that would be enough. Mr. McCue also questioned why the Technology Committee waited so long to respond to the pending end of life support for the NT 4.0 server. Mr. McCue recommended that the additional funding should be included with the FY 04/05 budget.

Mr. Sarley agreed with Mr. McCue that the time for planning is at budget time. Mr. Sarley stated that the urgency with losing support is diminished by the fact that the end of life date is December 31, 2004, not December 31, 2003 as first thought.

Mr. Riess stated that the proposals will probably increase if the Village waits until next fiscal year to commence the work.

The Committee expressed concern about spending more money when the water facility has not been paid as of yet.

A motion was made by Mr. McCue and seconded by Mr. Dugan that the request be deferred to the budgeting process for FY 04/05.

Trustee Silvers commented that it’s ironic that the Finance Committee was bi-passed when the decision was made to spend money on the water facility, yet now we deny a $15,000 request. Trustee Silvers commented to Trustee Riess that the underlying problem with his technology requests in the past has been a lack of an overall technology plan. He further stated that at the Village Board meeting last month, it was noted that the technology request would be approximately $6,000 - $8,000 and now they are requesting up to $15,000. Trustee Weick stated that the price quote given to the Village Board did not include training, which is a part of the $15,000 request.

On a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.

Trustee Riess stated that he would like to see a separate budget for the Technology Committee. Assistant Administrator Lobaito commented that there’s a separate line item in the budget for technology needs – in the Building and Grounds account. Mr. McCue suggested that the Technology Committee attend the Finance Committee meeting at the time the department heads make their requests for budget items.

Trustee Riess commented that he believed the Police Department was not backing up their computers. The Committee suggested that the Technology Committee show the Police staff how to back up on their individual PC’s if they can’t back up to the server.

V. OLD BUSINESS

Mr. McCue commented about the Village Board minutes not mentioning action items from the Finance Committee. Mr. Dugan stated that at the October 27, 2003 Village Board meeting, the lack of communication between the Village Board and the Committee’s was discussed. The minutes from that meeting read that the consensus of the Village Board is that the Committee members should attend the Village Board meeting to improve communications. Mr. Dugan stated that communications need to go both ways. Mr. Dugan stated that the Finance Committee relies on Mr. Silvers to be their voice at those meetings.

Mr. Silvers addressed the concerns of the Committee members. He stated that communications is a two-way street and that he is always open to a phone call from a committee member if there are any questions.

VI. ADJOURNMENT

On a motion by Mr. Sarley, seconded by Mr. McCue, the Finance Committee adjourned at 8:42 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

____________________________ ___________________________

Bob Sarley, Acting -Chairperson Donna Lobaito, Recording Secretary