The Board of Finance held a regular meeting on Monday, July 11, 2005 in the meeting room at Town Hall South, Main Street, Newtown, CT. Chairman John Kortze called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm.
PRESENT: John Kortze, James Gaston, Harrison Waterbury, Michael Portnoy
ABSENT: Joseph Kearney, Peter Giarratano
ALSO PRESENT: Finance Director Ben Spragg, Board of Education members David Nanavaty and Paul Mangiafico, two members of press
VOTER PARTICIPATION: None noted
COMMUNICATIONS: Chairman Kortze received a copy of a memo from Dr. Evan Pitkoff to First Selectman Herb Rosenthal requesting that the town bond $4.5 million for the Hawley School HVAC project. It was pointed out that this project was approved in the CIP for $3.3 million and the debt service in the current budget reflects that amount. Mr. Nanavaty will advise the Board of Education at their next meeting that the Board of Finance needs more information regarding this cost increase.
Board of Finance members were in receipt of the Board of Education transfers, dated 6/15/05. The final report should be available in August.
Chairman Kortze received a copy of a request from the Commission on Aging regarding the Senior Center. This will be included in the CIP requests which are currently being submitted to the Board of Selectmen before being presented to the Board of Finance.
FINANCE DIRECTOR REPORT: No report
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: Upon motion by Mr. Gaston, the minutes of the 6/13/05 meeting were unanimously accepted as presented.
FIRST SELECTMAN REPORT: First Selectman Rosenthal was on vacation.
OLD BUSINESS – None
NEW BUSINESS
Board of Education Capital Improvement Plan – Copies of the schools CIP were distributed to Board of Finance members prior to this meeting. Dr. Pitkoff and Mr. Bienkowski were unable to both be present at this meeting. Finance members will look over the CIP requests and if they have questions, Dr. Pitkoff and Mr. Bienkowski will be invited to the August meeting.
Town-wide Insurance Costs – Chairman Kortze advised that he put this item on the agenda to find out where we stand as a town on escalating insurance costs and if there is anything that can be done. He feels discussions should begin now and not during budget deliberations. Mr. Kortze attended a meeting, along with Mr. Portnoy, Mr. Gaston and members of the Board of Education, to hear from Mary Griffith of T. R. Paul. Mr. Mangiafico advised that the Board of Education members also had a session with TR Paul and Anthem Blue Cross some time ago. Mr. Kortze advised that the First Selectman is making arrangements for the town’s labor attorney to attend a Board of Finance meeting to discuss what is and is not possible. This will be on a future agenda.
Transfer
Mr. Gaston moved to transfer FROM Account 01570-2000 Contingency $57,224.00 TO Account 01500-1003 Highway Payroll $57,224.00. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
This transfer covers salary increases from recently negotiated Public Works Department union contract.
Update on Board of Education Contract for School Nurses
Mr. Gaston moved to enter executive session to receive update on union contract and to invite Mr. Mangiafico, Mr. Nanavaty, Mr. Spragg and clerk to attend. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Meeting entered executive session at 8:00 pm and returned to open session at 9:00 pm at which time meeting was adjourned.
Jan Andras, Clerk
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