The Board of Finance held a regular meeting on Thursday, March 23, 2006 in the meeting room at Town Hall South 3 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, Joseph Kearney,
John Torok
ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal, one member of press
VOTER PARTICIPATION: None present
COMMUNICATIONS: All Board members received a copy of the RFP for the Hawley HVAC project. In addition, copies of the Board of Education Budget Summary, ending 2/28/06, were distributed.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: Upon motion by Mr. Gaston, the minutes of the 2/28/06 meeting were unanimously accepted as presented.
Upon motion by Mr. Torok, the minutes of the 3/8/06 meeting were unanimously accepted as presented.
FIRST SELECTMAN REPORT: First Selectman Rosenthal reported that he testified before the Appropriations Committee in Hartford today, as President of CCM. He feels that members of the legislature are looking for ways to increase the amount of aid currently proposed in the Governor’s Budget. Hopefully, we will get more revenue than we are anticipating now in the town’s proposed 06/07 Budget.
TRANSFER
Mr. Torok moved to transfer FROM Account 01570-2000 Contingency $75,000 TO Account 01510-2032 Salt $50,000 and TO Account 01510-1003 Winter Overtime $25,000. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Chairman John Kortze advised that the Legislative Council will hold their public hearing on March 29, 2006.
Chairman Kortze read in the newspaper that the Board of Education is still looking to have proposed high school expansion plans submitted to the state by June 30. The Board of Finance prepared the CIP with the high school expansion pushed out a year. Mr. Kearney stated that he would not object to getting the architectural plans done now. Mr. Torok feels that we should not waste money rushing into design at this point when we may have to do it all over again. Option E was not even brought up until after the public meeting for discussion on the high school expansion. After some discussion, it was decided that Chairman Kortze will send a letter to the Board of Education reminding them that the Board of Finance still plans to stick with the CIP
which pushes all projects, including the high school expansion, out one year. In addition, the budget has already been approved and forwarded to the Legislative Council with a debt service that does not include this project. By Charter, the Council cannot increase a line item to more than the original request.
Having no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm.
Jan Andras, Clerk
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