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BOARD OF FINANCE
MINUTES
JULY 24, 2006
I. CALL TO ORDER – Chairman Tom Harrison called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Members present, Margaret Bratton, Cathy Durdan, Tom Gugliotti, Bill Hooper, Mike Monts and Jim Speich. Pictures for the Annual Report were taken by Officer Tim Casey.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Led by Ms. Durdan.
III. COMMUNICATION FROM AUDIENCE – None.
IV. MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING: June 26, 2002
On a motion made by Mr. Speich, seconded by Ms. Durdan, it was voted:
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance approve the minutes of the June 26, 2006 meeting, as submitted.
Tom Harrison, Margaret Bratton, Cathy Durdan, Bill Hooper, Mike Monts and Jim Speich voted in favor. Tom Gugliotti abstained, absent from meeting.
V. OLD BUSINESS
05/06-24 – Review and Discussion: FY07/08 Budget
The Chairman indicated he would like to discuss the issue of the High School Referendum, the Building 6/7 at a Town Meeting vs Referendum vs doing it all together.
A memo from the Town Manager was circulated explaining the details on the building projects and also with Charter provisions. The issue is that we know the estimates are coming in now – we should have a figure by the end of the week. He feels we are safe in assuming that there will be a request for a supplemental bond issue. The tentative schedule the Council has recommended for a Town Meeting is September 7th for whatever the amount needed is for the high school and that would be adjourned to a Referendum on October 10th. Another item that the Council is recommending to a Town Meeting during the summer, is to complete the repairs and additions to the Town Hall Complex to comply with the American’s With Disabilities Act. There has been some
consideration given to have this item discussed and voted at the Town Meeting for the Referendum for the high school on September 7th.
The Town Manager indicated that approval of the High School project has extended beyond its anticipated life span because of the Avon High School Budget issue. Other projects have been considered in our management strategy along with the Avon High School and include the Library, the ball fields, water at Secret Lake and a new fire station / training facility. The issue here is that the Board of Finance has to be concerned with the scheduling and debt management issues and the impact on the tax payers. These projects have all been considered in a plan which move these projects along sequentially.
After considerable discussion regarding the functions of the Board of Finance and the use of Town Funds, it was agreed that this problem could be handled by a combined Town Meeting, without jeopardizing either the High School additional appropriation referendum, or the additional appropriation needed to complete the additions to the Town Hall Complex. However, it was also agreed that the scheduling of such a meeting should be discussed between the Town Council, the Board of Finance and also the Board of Education, all of whom are deeply concerned with the scheduling of the Town Meeting/Referendum question. A date for further discussion will be arranged.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
06/07-01 Supplemental Appropriation: $104,418 FEMA Grant.
Flood and Snow Storm Costs.
On a motion made by Mr. Harrison, seconded by Mr. Hooper, it was voted:
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance hereby amends the FY 05/06 budget by increasing REVENUES General Fund, Intergovernmental, FEMA Reimbursement, Account #01-0330-43313 in the amount of $104,418 and increasing APPROPRIATIONS General Fund, Buildings & Grounds, Overtime, Account #01-3401-51015 in the amount of $36,706/18, General Fund Buildings & Grounds, Motor Fuel, Account #01-3401-52201 in the amount of $3,033.45, General Fund, Roadways, Overtime, Account 301-3101-51015 in the amount of $27,145.55, General Fund, Roadways, Materials-Other, Account #01-3101-52239 in the amount of $30,162.36, General Fund, Roadways, Motor Fuel, Account #01-3101-52201 in the amount of $3,033.46, General Fund, Parks, Overtime, Account #01-5201-51015 in the
amount of $2,500.00 General Fund, Parks, Other, Account #01-5201-52219 in the amount of $1,837.00 for the purpose of recording additional revenues received as reimbursement from FEMA for exceptional flooding and snow storm costs.
Ms. Bratton and Ms. Durdan, Messrs. Harrison, Gugliotti, Hooper, Monts and Speich voted in favor.
06/07-02 Supplemental Appropriation: $150,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) Buckingham Road Playground.
On a motion made by Mr. Hooper, seconded by Ms. Bratton, it was voted:
RESOLVED: That the Board of finance hereby amends the FY06/07 Budget by increasing REVENUES Capital Projects Fund (Facility & Equipment), Intergovernmental, Small Town Econ. Assistance Program – Playground Grant, Account #02-0330-43382 in the amount of $150,000, and increasing APPROPRIATIONS Capital Projects Fund (Facility & Equipment, Town CIP-Facilities, Buckingham Road Recreation Area – Playground Development, Account #02-4829-53048, for the purpose of acquisition and construction of a handicapped accessible playground on Buckingham Road with funding from the State’s Small Town Economic Assistance Program.
Ms. Bratton, Ms. Durdan, Messrs. Harrison, Gugliotti, Hooper, Monts and Speich voted in favor.
VII. MISCELLANEOUS
The Town Manager reported he distributed a copy of the new Replacement Program for the ERG grouping of school districts. They are now called “district reference groups”. They created a new category and Avon has been dropped from the “A” group to the “B” group. The reason it’s been dropped is primarily due to economic factors; the cost of housing and lower income as compared to the ‘group’. We used to be in the ‘A’ group. In terms of comparables, it will make us look, instead of being in the middle to lower end of the pack, demographically, economically, etc. we’ll probably be at the very top of the “B” group.
VIII. OTHER BUSINESS – None.
IX. ADJOURN
On a motion made by Mr. Gugliotti, seconded by Mr. Hooper, it was voted:
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance adjourn at 9:00 p.m.
Ms. Bratton, Ms. Durdan, Messrs. Harrison, Tom Gugliotti, Bill Hooper, Mike Monts and Jim Speich voted in favor.
Respectfully submitted.
Thomas A. Gugliotti, Secretary
Attest: Elinor Burns, Clerk
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