East Windsor Police Commission
Regular Meeting - May 10, 2006
Minutes
CALL TO ORDER AND ATTENDANCE
The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Chairman Sherman. Commissioners Devanney, Barton, Simmons and Sinsigallo were present along with Chief DeMarco and Maria Diana Root, Administrative Assistant to the Chief.
ADDED AGENDA ITEMS
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to add the following items to the agenda:
Under New Business
C) Special Hearing
D) Gas Consumption/Conservation
Under Executive Session
A) Litigation Update
Sinisgallo/Simmons Unanimous
PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting - April 12, 2006
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to accept the minutes of the regular meeting of April 12, 2006 as presented.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Barton - Aye
Devanney - Aye
Sinsigallo - Aye
Simmons - Abstention due to absence from meeting.
Special Meeting - April 19, 2006
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to accept the minutes of the Special Meeting of April 19, 2006 as presented.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES
A) Police Department - Monthly Billing
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to approve the East Windsor Police Department monthly billing dated May 5, 2006 in the amount if $7377.18 for the fiscal year 2005/2006
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
B) Police Department Financial Statement
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner
Simmons to approve the East Windsor Police Department Financial Statement dated May 5, 2006 for the fiscal year 2005/2006.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
C) Police Commission - Monthly Billing
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to approve the East Windsor Police Commission Monthly Billing for the fiscal year 2005/2006 dated April 30, 2006 in the amount of $409.92
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
D) Police Commission Financial Statement
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to approve the East Windsor Police Commission Financial Statement for the fiscal year 2005/2006 dated April 30, 2006 as presented.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
E) Animal Control Monthly Billing
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner
Simmons to approve the East Windsor Animal Control Monthly Billing for the fiscal year 2005/2006 dated May 5, 2006 in the amount of $357.68
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
F) Animal Control - Financial Statement
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner
Simmons to approve the East Windsor Animal Control Financial Statement for the fiscal year 2005/2006 dated May 5, 2006 as presented.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
G) Legal Billing
There was no Legal Billing
PUBLIC INPUT
There was no Public Input
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A) Police Station Renovations update
Mark Sevitz has done a walk through and will be formulating a report as to what absolutely needs to be done to bring the renovations to code. The Building Department did a walk through on April 24th. When any additional information is forthcoming it will be brought to the attention of the Commission.
B) Alarm Reduction Ordinance
There is nothing new to report.
TRAFFIC AUTHORITY
The request from Max and Lea Silva of 114 Rockville Road has been assigned but no action to report at the present time.
PUBLIC INPUT #2 (Comments only - no discussion)
There was no public input.
NEW BUSINESS
A) Special Meeting for Chief’s evaluation
A date of May 24, 2006 has been approved by the Commissioners present for the annual evaluation of the Chief. The meeting will be held at Town Hall at 7:00 p.m.
B) Specifications for Bid of Repair Vehicles
The bid specification packet was reviewed by all commissioners present. Letters will be sent to various garages in the area with a return date prior to the June 14th meeting so that the bids can be discussed at that meeting.
C) Special Meeting
A date of May 24, 2006 has been approved by the Commissioners present to hold a special meeting regarding the incident which occurred at the Police Department this past Monday.
D) Gas Consumption/Conservation
This topic was thoroughly discussed between the Chief and the commissioners present with the Chief noting that most of the officers who take cars home use their own money to fill up at least once a week and that the mileage figure is down about 1,000.
Although this item involves gas consumption/conservation, the discussion centered around whether or not the officers who have assigned cars should be taking them home on a regular basis. The Chief defended his position by stating that allowing the officers with assigned cars to take them home gives the Police Department 24/7 coverage and allows easier access to an active crime/investigation scene. He reiterated that these officers fill their cars using their own funds on a regular basis.
Commissioner Barton noted, at this time, that the commission should have been asked before allowing the officers to take their assigned cars home.
After a further discussion revolving around the pros and cons of taking the cars home and the need to update the 5 year plan of the Police Commission; the discussion returned to what measures the Chief was taking to conserve gas consumption.
The Chief reported that he has sent “soft” e-mails to all officers involving the voluntary reduction of unnecessary driving, of utilizing the radar more, not leaving the cars running, etc. These measures, although just recently put in effect, have reduced the amount of mileage and gas consumption considerably.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
A) Litigation Update
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to go into Executive Session at 7:50 p.m. for the purposes of Litigation Update, to include Chief DeMarco and First Selectman, Linda Roberts.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to come out of Executive Session at 8:28 p.m.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
No action taken.
COMMUNICATIONS
The Chief presented to the Commission members present a request for an added appropriation to the 2005/2006 budget to include the following line items:
Account 103 - Variable Overtime (contractual)
Account 124 - Clerical (contractual)
Account 403 - Vehicle Maintenance
Account 620 - Gas and Oil
This request for added appropriation will also include accrued compensatory time and time left on the books due to the officer who has resigned his position.
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commission Simmons to give the Chief permission to forward his added appropriation request to the Board of Selection at their meeting on Thursday, May 11, 2006.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
MONTHLY REPORTS
A) Chief of Police
There was nothing additional to report.
B) Commission Members
At this time, Commissioner Barton brought up the subject of the Administrative Sergeant having an assigned car and taking this same car home. The Chief stated that since this officer has had use of an assigned car, he is willing to come out at anytime of the day or night and has not asked for any compensation for same. The Chief also stated that he feels that if the car was removed from this officer, the coverage would not be the same.
There was a lengthy discussion involving this subject among the Chief and the Commissioners present and the consensus among the commission members present was that this officer should continue to have the use of an assigned car.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Commissioner Sinsigallo, seconded by Commissioner Simmons to adjourn the regular meeting of the East Windsor Police Commission at 8:56 p.m.
Sinsigallo/Simmons Unanimous
Respectfully submitted,
Darlene H. Kelly
Recording Secretary
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