EAST WINDSOR BOARD OF FINANCE
EAST WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
MINUTES OF BUDGET PRESENTATION OF MARCH 9, 2005
ASSESSMENT APPEALS, REGISTRARS, TOWN PLANNER, BUILDING DEPARTMENT,
ELDERLY SERVICES, SENIOR CENTER, HIGHWAY, ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, ENGINEERING, HUMAN SERVICES, GENERAL ASSISTANCE, AUDITOR, TREASURER’S OFFICE, PENSION FUND, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, PUBLIC WORKS, CONSERVATION AND HEALTH, CONTINGENCY, BOARD OF FINANCE, SELECTMEN
Clerk Floyd called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. in East Windsor High School cafeteria.
Present at the meeting: Clerk Al Floyd, Members Gil Hayes, Jack Mannette, Denise Sabotka, and alternate Dale Nelson. Absent: Catino, Dove, Farrell. Also present were First Selectman Linda Roberts, Selectmen Ken Crouch, Mike Balf, Al Regina and Tom Sinsigallo, and Recording Secretary Linda Nolan.
Upon motion by Mr. Hayes, seconded by Ms. Sabotka, it was unanimously
VOTED: To appoint Dale Nelson to full time voting status for tonight’s meeting.
Ms. Roberts reported that Mr. Dove and Mr. Farrell had family emergencies. Mr. Floyd reported that Mr. Catino was ill.
Ms. Roberts said she would bring ratified union contracts to the board at a future meeting.
1035 Assessor. Carol Madore presented her 2005-2006 budget request for $152,290. Increases include salaries, overtime and conferences and training. She said training is needed to earn or retain required certification. She is requesting that a part-time position increase from 10 to 15 hours per week. Discussion was held re the next revaluation in 2007 and possibly doing some of it by the town. She is anticipating a large increase in workload in her department. 5% reduction would affect salaries.
1045 Assessment Appeals. $5,230 requested which represents a zero increase. 5% reduction would affect salaries.
1050 Registrars. Requested 2005-06 is $40,592. Increases are in salaries, communication and postage. The registrars were at another meeting.
1115 Economic Development Council. Laurie Whitten requested $1,300, same as current year.
1124, Planning. Laurie Whitten’s 2005-06 budget request is $186,500, an increase of $10,033. Increases include salaries and longevity. She said that she hopes to phase in a geographic information system (GIS). She is anticipating a large increase in workload in this department.
5% reduction would come from non-salary items.
1125 Building Department. Rand Stanley’s budget request is $133,314, an increase of $3,638. Increases include salaries, cell phone use and printing for anticipated applications and permits.
The Board discussed getting the best price for cell phones used by town employees. Ms. Roberts will investigate this.
Mr. Stanley said he plans to propose an ordinance regarding charging for re-inspections.
1129 Elderly Commission. Laura Clynch said there is no increase in this budget. A 5% reduction would affect the ability to pay the recording secretary.
1130 Senior Center. Laura Clynch’s 2005-06 budget request is $220,521, an increase of $14,111. She reported an increase in the senior population in town. Increases include more building maintenance hours, more programs, printing,and communications because phones were under-budgeted last year and she requested that a part time position be increased from 19 to 25 hours per week. She is also requesting a new desk and some chairs and printing. She did not include salary increases in her budget.
Ms. Roberts said that as the state closes offices, the town could get good used office furniture.
A discussion followed concerning the use of money that the department had received to purchase a defibrillator.
The Board asked for a list of program, services and transportation and the number of seniors who use them. Mr. Mannette suggested that these statistics be part of the annual report.
3180 Highway Department. Leonard Norton’s 2005-06 budget request is $428,503, an increase of $26,238. Increases include salaries, longevity and he is requesting an additional public works maintainer.
3183 Road Improvements. 2005-06 request is $150,000, same as this year. Linda Roberts said there is currently a paving schedule is in place. 5% reduction would result in less road repairs.
3190 Engineering. 2005-06 request is $81,690, an increase of $2,400. Increases include salaries only. 5% reduction would affect salaries.
5235 Human Services. Betsy Burns’ 2005-06 budget request is $117,456, an increase of $1,806. Increases include salaries and longevity. Ms. Burns stated that there would be a need to budget for ADA in the 2006-07 budget
5236 General Assistance. 2005-06 budget request is $7,500, same as this year.
1020 Town Auditor. Mary Szabo presented the 2005-06 budget request of $29,800, a $1,000 increase.
1025 Treasurer’s Office. 2005-06 budget request is $147,105, an increase of $4,542. Increases include salaries and longevity. She anticipated a decrease in needed professional services.
Ms. Szabo stated that staff in the treasurer’s office has accumulated 150 hours of comp time. Ms. Szabo said that a 5% reduction would devastate her department.
1065 Pension Fund. 2005-06 budget request is $4,547, an increase of $112 in the pension administrator line. Ms. Szabo distributed actuary figures for the pension plan. At this time, the town contributes $348,954, the school system contributes $123,825, and WPCA contributes $35,150 for a total of $507,929 per year. The auditor has recommended that the total contribution from those three sectors should equal $537,989 per year.
3195 Public Works Employee Benefits. 2005-06 budget request is $207,524, an increase of $21,579. Increase includes the request for an additional employee in the highway department.
5295 Conservation Health/Employee Benefits. 2005-06 budget request is $54,005, an increase of $7,629. Increase in health insurance is 12.5%.
7350 Unemployment Compensation. 2005-06 budget request is $5,000, same as this year.
8410 Contingency. 2005-06 budget request is $200,000. Ms. Roberts said this number is at the discretion of the Board of Finance. Ms. Roberts reported a surplus in the debt service account.
1135 Board of Finance. 2005-06 budget request is $4,175, an increase of $675. Increases include postage and recording secretary.
1010 Selectmen. Ms. Roberts' 2005-06 budget request is $147,716, an increase of $5,213.
Increases include salaries. Ms. Roberts said she would be requesting an appropriation of $987 at the next Board meeting due to a miscalculation in this year’s clerk salary.
1015 Legal. 2005-06 budget request is $60,000, same as this year.
1070 Advertising and Printing. 2005-06 budget request is $12,500, an increase of $500. Ms. Roberts said cost of printing for the annual report and quarterly town newsletter has gone up.
2160 Fire Protection. 2005-06 budget request is $247,500, up $22,500 from this year. Increase reflects area covered by hydrants and water, which has increased by approximately 9%.
3185 Street Lights. 2005-06 budget request is $120,000, same as this year.
4205 Waste Collection. 2005-06 budget request is $670,000, increase of $16,725. Increase reflects 3% contract increase plus 100 additional households.
4220 WPCA/Sinking Fund. 2005-06 budget request is $5,000, a reduction of $12,000.
5210 Miscellaneous Health. 2005-06 budget request is $68,677, an increase of $1,621 from this year. Ms. Roberts stated that all of the agencies listed provide services to the town.
5245 Medical. 2005-06 budget request is $15,000, an increase of $5,000. Covers actual physicals and immunizations.
6310 Community Activities. 2005-06 request is $3,000, same as this year, for town sponsored events.
7345 Insurance and Benefits. 2005-06 request is $248,000, an increase of $12,000. The increase is based on heart and hypertension and increase in property values such as the police department and vehicles.
8425 IT. Ms. Roberts reported that Carol Madore spends 20% of her time as the town’s IT technician. Ms. Roberts proposed hiring a part-time IT technician.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Nolan, Recording Secretary
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