Town of East Windsor, CT - March 3, 2009 Meeting Minutes

March 3, 2009 Meeting Minutes


	TOWN OF EAST WINDSOR BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES MARCH 3, 2009 1 I. TIME AND PLACE OF MEETING Ms. Menard called the meeting to order on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the East Windsor Town Hall, 11 Rye Street, Broad Brook II. ATTENDANCE Denise Menard, First Selectmen Gil Hayes, Deputy First Selectmen Dale Nelson, Selectmen Mark Simmons, Selectmen UNABLE TO ATTEND: Edward Farrell, Selectmen III. ADDED AGENDA ITEMS IV. PREVIOUS MINUTES A. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of February 17, 2009 MOTION: To approve the regular meeting minutes of February 17, 2009 as submitted. Made by Ms. Nelson, Seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. MOTION: To take Item 12A Executive session out of order and pursuant to C.G.S. 1-200 (6)(b) to enter into Executive Session, to include the Assessor, Carol Madore, at 7:34 p.m. Made by Ms. Nelson, seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. MOTION: To come out of Executive Session at 7:45 p.m. Made by Ms. Nelson, seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED ACTION: MOTION: To approve the settlement agreement for Alamo East Enterprises LLC vs. Town of East Windsor in accordance with the Town Assessor’s recommendation to reduce the fair market value of real property located at 13 Stoughton Road by 16.39% for the Grand List of October 1, 2007. Made by Ms. Nelson, seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. MOTION: To approve the settlement agreement for Dharamshi, LLC vs. Town of East Windsor in accordance with the Town Assessor’s recommendation to reduce the fair market value of real property located at 53 Prospect Hill Road by 7.5% for the Grand List of October 1, 2007. Made by Mr. Simmons, seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED MOTION: To return to agenda order Made by Mr. Simmons, seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. V. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Bill Loos, Melrose Road – Mr. Loos spoke about budget. He detailed this is a bad recession and jobs are getting cut down in hours and pay and even a cut in days worked. Mr. Loos stated the Board should go over the job description of people in town. He comes in to town hall and feels there are people on coffee breaks more than they should be. He said the building department is not as busy with the construction down and that office should cut hours, not lay people off but cut their hours. The people of town are looking for a zero increase and no more paying taxes they cannot afford. There are seniors that cannot afford their prescriptions. Mr. Loos is asking the Selectmen come out with a zero percent increase in the tax rate. VI. COMMUNICATIONS – The following were for the board’s information A. Correspondence from Department of Social Services B. Correspondence from Cal Myers/Retired Broad Brook Fire Chief C. Correspondence from The Five-Corner Cupboard D. Recovery and Reinvestment Act VII. SELECTMEN’S REPORTS A. Denise Menard, First Selectman · One office personnel from the Selectmen and Treasurer offices went to a power point class this week. It will be helpful for presentations, especially budget presentations which can be similar to the Board of Education and Police Commission presentations. · Ms. Menard met and spoke with South Windsor about their trash – how they do it and what sharing of services an occur between the two towns. Ms. Menard also spoke with the town of Ellington about shared services possibilities. So instead of East Windsor doing it all alone, they can share with another community. · A meeting with Keith Tetro and Len Norton about the shared service for Parks and Recreation coming to the Public Works Department was rescheduled as originally it was the day of the snow storm. · Today $130,000 languishing in an account budget that needed to be used specifically for certain grant opportunities and Ms. Menard met with someone to revamp the ramp at senior center. The money is to be used for handicap, seniors and underprivileged. Also the back door to Town Hall will be handicap accessible. The bathroom at the Annex will be handicapped and also the Senior Center Bathrooms will be · CRA – the town has been overcharged per ton for quite a while and Ms. Menard worked to get it reduced as it should be for municipal rate. This should be roughly $10 reduction per ton. Investigating rebates will be the next step and will report to the Board regarding that initiative. · Friday Ms. Menard will be speaking with the trash hauler to discuss rates. · Today Ms. Menard met with the insurance carrier who had projected 25% increase insurance – she believes she may have them down to about 3%. The Town side with incidents and in looking at the BOE who does not have the incidents of liability, so the idea was to join the Board of Education – with all in one umbrella it spreads out the town side rating and the rating would be better if pooled. The BOE will get savings the rightfully deserve but hopefully in the future the Town will get better ratings. There will be a risk management group with the BOE. This will be a bigger safety committee and risk management committee. · None of the supervisors have recently had sexual harassment training and Ms. Menard arranged it so that on March 25, there will be a sexual harassment seminar here – which has no cost as E.W. is hosting it. · The website is getting cleaned up so it is less cluttered and more accurate to locate items. Residents will be directed to the website more and more for its information. Ms. Menard met with 15 residents recently and they were pleased with the website. B. Gilbert Hayes, Deputy First Selectman · Ed Farrell is doing well and Mr. Hayes gave the Board an update on his health. · Independent Transportation Network is up and running. It is for residents 60 and over and visually impaired. There is a cost, but it is less than CT Transit. · Htfd Transit meeting to attend about four projects funded with stimulus money. He will be there and has requested to be on the subcommittee that makes decisions about distribution of funds for “shovel ready” projects. C. Edward P. Farrell, Selectman - None D. Dale Nelson, Selectman · No report for Elderly Commission. · Housing Authority was same night of Board of Selectmen. o Ms. Menard stated that interviewing for Director of Housing Authority this week and down to the top five applicants. Ms. Menard has inquired if she can be part of the process for the five. E. Mark Simmons, Selectman · Park and Recreation the move went well, there is a drop box at the town hall. There is now on line registration now. · Planning and Zoning applications and approvals was briefly detailed. · BMX Committee has a fundraiser on March 14 at Elaines’ St. Patricks Party. The committee is making slow but sure progress. March 28 there is a bus trip to the casino – meeting at the Golden Gavel. · Veterans Commission has been discussing Memorial day Plans. One new member Ed Filipone and possibly Gil Hayes will be a member as well. VIII. BOARD AND COMMISSION RESIGNATIONS & APPOINTMENTS A. Resignations: Leo Szymanski, Board of Finance Alternate MOTION: To accept, with regret, the resignation of Leo Szymanski as a Board of Finance alternate effective 2/18/09. Made by Ms. Nelson, Seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED B. Re-Appointments: None C. New Appointments: Veterans Commission Gilbert Hayes, (D) as a full member for a 4-year term to expire 3/1/2013 MOTION: To appoint Gilbert Hayes to the Veterans Commission as a full member for a four year term to expire 03/01/2013. Made by Ms. Nelson, seconded by Mr. Simmons ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. D.Board and Commission Current Vacancies (See Attached) IX. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Charter Revision update by Commission Members of the Charter Revision Commission, George Butenkoff, Scott Riach, Bonnie Yosky and Marilyn Thompson, came before the Board to discuss the Charter Revision. There will be a public hearing for Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. Also they are trying to get a booth at community day to publicize the Charter. New approach on the Charter – doing away with the old – revamping it – looking at a Constitution for the Town of East Windsor – needs to be reviewed every five years. The recommendation will be to keep the same form of government – put everything in general mode by ordinance. Ordinances will be the way to establishing committees. The charter needed some cleaning up from duplication. Today’s meeting included Assessor, Tax Collector, Treasurer, Town Clerk, the First Selectmen and the attorney and it was informational and productive. Due to the consensus in town, part of the suggested changes include automatic referendum for budget – instead of collecting signatures. The problem currently is determining how many referendums. The section continues to be worked on. This is the one remaining item to wrap their arms around. One item they felt needed attention was the Cemetery Association – established in 1960. The town owns cemeteries. Mr. Butenkoff noted that the Cemetery Association annual meeting is this Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Scantic Church and he would recommend one of the members of the Board of Selectmen attend. There is no agreement between town and Cemetery Association nor is it in the Charter – so it is not a permanent commission. There are feelings in this regard that they are town cemeteries and town money funds it yet it is not considered a town governed entity. Mr. Butenkoff went to last year’s Cemetery Association meeting and learned their treasurer is paid $2500 and town has a treasurer and there is payment to a secretary as well. It was mentioned the Parks and Recreation should maintain cemeteries – it is a good way to save. In sum, the Charter Revision people felt the town needs to address this issue as it cannot be handled in the Charter as there is no authority. Ms. Menard requested, for items such as the above where an issue is present but not under the purview of Charter revision, that the Commission send the information to the board. Ms. Yosky said they will give the recommendation to the Board that this should be looked at. Another issue will be the Ordinances. Ordinances and the Charter have many discrepancies with dates (For example, Commission A has two year term per Ordinance and that same Commission A has four year term in Charter). Working via ordinance allows the Town to grow and if there is a problem, and ordinance is a fast remedy, where Charter Revision is more labor intensive. The drafting by the commission has including editing of references to specific ordinances and specific state statutes which have been removed, making the Charter more general. They are pleased with the assistance of the attorney. The commission has worked well together. The meetings are on television and the charter revision is well advertised to residents. It is near the end. After the public hearing the proposed draft gets forwarded to the Selectmen. Mr. Butenkoff has stated it has been consensus the one question ballot is not the way to go nor is the extreme for example, where Ellington had 16. Some possible questions will be the automatic referendum; splitting school budget and town budgets. Some discussion took place on this concept; including that sometimes a philosophy that to split those budgets is to pit the seniors against young families. It was mentioned that this will always be a divide between the two groups. The idea, is the two budgets would go simultaneously – if one failed, it goes back to referendum to do the process again and the other one proceeds if passed. Ms. Menard did mention to the members present that the charge to this Commission by the Board of Selectmen was for basic changes and attention to budget and she noted changing from a Charter to a Constitution is not a basic change. Mr. Butenkoff stated that per Attorney Steve Melnick, in order to finish up charter, he requires another $5,000. Original cap amount approved by the Selectmen was $7,500 to be taken out of legal fees. It would be unfortunate if the Charter could not be completed at this point the drafting at this point is important. Ms. Menard just asked that this Commission go to bat for the Selectmen if in the future there is rumbling about the issue with the legal cost for the Charter Revision. The Members were asked if the commission felt they were 90% done, then will they really need $5,000 to complete it. The additional need for the attorney was discussed. Ms. Menard suggested $2,500, which is a cap of $10,000 total. (It was noted that Attorney Melnick is not charging the town for travel time.) Ms. Menard will discuss the additional $2,500 with Attorney Melnick. This was acceptable by consensus. B. Resident’s Request/Municipal Tax Amnesty (pending information from Tax Collector after March 25^th) C. WHPFD & BBFD Request for Funding D. DEP/Television & Computer Equipment Recycling Program E. Discussion and Action regarding Snow Removal Ordinances 1. Ordinance 68-2 Concerning the Removal of Snow and Ice 2. Ordinance 74-4 Concerning Night Time Parking and Also Snow Removal in the Town of East Windsor X. NEW BUSINESS A. Approval of Tax Refunds MOTION: To approve the tax refunds as recommended by the Tax Collector in the amount of $5,879.48. Made by Ms. Nelson, Seconded by Mr. Simmons ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED XI. BUDGET MATTERS A. Budget Discussion Ms. Menard distributed the latest printout of the budgets. Ms. Menard spoke with the Probate Judge who did agree to last year cost for this budget season and will forward a new letter. Communications line - the fire departments agreed that the same amount as last year should be okay. Street Lights will be a 2.01% increase – not 3%. Landfill costs is going to be further discussed this Friday. Ms. Menard has spoken with Town of South Windsor and Ellington for ideas and shared service possibilities. Ms. Menard has a call into the Ambulance Association and is awaiting a call back. In talking with the Town Treasurer a new procedure will be that Account 2185 will be the budget fire departments – a category with BBFD Budget; another with WHPFD budget and the Fire benefits another line item. Instead of three separate pieces throughout the budget – this will have one pot that reflects the whole money spent in the Town budget, presenting a real number as to what the Town spends for fire services. CIRMA realized the potential for the town not settling for the projected large increase – it is factored in now at 15%, but if it is lower as possible, that will help. The consensus was to present the budget as discussed to the Board of Finance. XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION A. Pursuant to C.G.S. Section 1-200 (6) (b) To Include Town Assessor – addressed above. B. Pursuant to C.G.S. Section 1/200 (6) (a) Personnel Matter MOTION: To enter into Executive session at 9:01 p.m. pursuant to C.G. S. section 1-200 (6)(a) to include the Selectmen only. Made by Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Simmons ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED MOTION: To come out of executive session at 9:30 p.m. Made by Ms. Nelson, seconded by Mr. Hayes ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED No action XIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: To adjourn at 9:30 p.m. Made by Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Simmons ALL MEMBERS IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, Cynthia D. Croxford Recording Secretary *Starred items will not be discussed, but will remain on agenda pending receipt of additional information.