The Board of Finance held a special meeting on Monday, March 3, 2008 in the Middle School Auditorium, Queen, Newtown, CT. Chairman John Kortze called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
PRESENT: John Kortze, James Gaston (7:45), Martin Gersten, Joseph Kearney, Michael Portnoy, Harrison Waterbury.
ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman Joseph Borst, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janet Robinson, Assistant Superintendent Linda Gejda, High School principal Chip Dumais, Schools Director of Business Ron Bienkowski, Schools Director of Transportation Tony DiLonardo, Schools Director of Grounds and Maintenance Gino Faiella, Members of the Board of Education, Legislative Council, Parks & Recreation Commission, Director of Parks & Recreation Barbara Kasbarien, Police Chief Michael Kehoe, Director of Public Works Fred Hurley, approximately ten members of public, one member of press.
VOTER PARTICIPATION. Ruby Johnson, 16 Chestnut Hill Road, said that the CIP has $300,000 for lights for the Fairfield Hills ballfield. Mr. Kortze said that he has some answers to Mrs. Johnson’s questions about this, so she approached a different subject. She feels that the IPN did a good job of putting the education budget on the website. She wants to know why a backstop for the baseball diamond at Fairfield Hills and a flagpole there are in the Board of Ed budget. Mr. Kortze advised that these items have been removed from the Board of Ed budget.
Ben Roberts, 19 Farrell Road, said the increase in taxation to the town would be 8.9%. We need to understand how much is met by growth in the town. Is there any way to see how this is distributed.
Desiree Gallassie, 151 Huntingtown Road, said that the technology requests are for items that are needed; please don’t cut them though she knows that you can’t cut line items.
Don Ramsey, 3 Prospect Drive, is a teacher in the Middle School, said that the Board of Finance are good stewards of the public money. I encourage you not to cut the budget on the school side. There is no waste.
Kathy Fetchick, 18 Clapboard Ridge Road, distributed “Newtown School Budget 2008-2009 (Hardware Requests)”(Attachment A to original minutes).
FIRST SELECTMAN REPORT: Mr. Borst distributed a list of the 22 vehicles in the Police Department. He also distributed a list itemizing the cuts made by the Board of Selectmen. He noted that today the Board of Selectmen passed a $1,000,000 resolution for the architectural and engineering services for a combined Park and Recreation Community Center/Senior Center. The $600,000 and $500,000 will be carried over into 2008-09.
FINANCE DIRECTOR REPORT: Mr. Spragg was not present.
COMMUNICATIONS: Mr. Kortze distributed information from Mr. Spragg listing the expenses for the school system that are in the Board of Selectmen’s budget. Mr. Kortze noted that we would like to keep the Capital and Non-Recurring Account at 5% of our overall budget. There is $257,000 available in that account and this is above and beyond the $150,000 appropriated by the Legislative Council for legal expenses from that account.
A letter was received from Mr. Bienkowski stating that there is $121,797.00 in the current budget that is above and beyond what was expected.
Information was received from Mr. Spragg that if the Park & Recreation/Senior Center project is resurrected at $1,000,000 and if the anticipated interest rate for the December 2008 borrowing is lowered to 4%, the debt servicecould increase by $13,912.00 (Attacment B to original minutes).
Concerning the purview of the Board of Finance over the Fairfield Hills Authority, Mr. Kortze said that Legislative Council Chairman Rodgers indicated to him that it is somewhat limited. He spoke with Town Attorney Grogins and it is Mr. Kortze’ understanding said that any revenue from existing tenants should be segregated and that the Legislative Council and Board of Fnance have no purview over these individuals. Any new money at Fairfield Hills would have to follow the normal appropriation process. It is also Mr. Kortze’ understanding from Attorney Grogins that concerning any items interpreted as being in the original bond resolution, the Board of Finance oversight outside of the original confines of the bond resolution would take a certain course and those inside may take a different course. He had no
answer about the lights. Attorney Grogins will provide the Board of Finance with an answer.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
Town of Newtown proposed budget for FY 2008-2009. Mr. Kortze asked for questions from the Board of Finance concerning either the Town side or the Education side of the budget.
Mr. Portnoy asked Chief Kehoe about the fact that Lt. Mooney’s report indicated that one or more vehicles are always off the road and is there a maintenance problem. Chief Kehoe said he will defer to Lt. Mooney’s knowledge of the fleet but said that repair or maintenance issues also involve electronic equipment in the vehicles. Mr. Portnoy asked what would happen to service if the department is reduced by 2-4 persons. Chief Kehoe said that we could not deliver the service that we promised. The Department has a new Traffic Unit that is not fully staffed because of staffing shortages; the Department also has three officers in school, and two report to the State Narcotics Task Force; the patrol force is the 24/7 group and we like to have 5-6 officers on the road; we now have 39 out of 47 officers, 6 are
in training. Mr. Gaston asked Chief Kehoe how much the department receives for trade-ins. Chief Kehoe said that on average $1,000-$2,500. Of the three now planned for trade-in, one will have to be towed, one will be sold back to the insurance company and one will be retained to use around town as a deterrent.
Public Works Director Fred Hurley was asked how Newtown’s staffing compares to other surrounding towns. He said that our drivers’ plow runs average 14-16 miles and other towns average 8-11 miles. It would be difficult to cut back staff because we have no reserve and during a snow storm the same personnel must continue beyond their shifts. Mr. Kearney said that the ratio of capital expenses to personnel seems to indicate inefficiency or asking for more than the department needs. Mr. Hurley said that there is no relation between capital road costs and labor because most of the capital projects are completed by outside contractors. If capital funding is cut, town employees would have to be taken from their scheduled tasks to complete the capital road work. At Mr. Kearney’s request, Mr. Hurley agreed to
provide some metrics concerning our labor costs vs other towns.
Mr. Portnoy asked Dr. Robinson if consideration could be given to reducing the number of staff in the elementary schools. Dr. Robinson said that decreases could not be made at the High School or Middle School levels, but if staff must be cut, it would have to be at K-4, but we want to increase literacy so we need to be strong in K-2; we would like to keep the students per teacher at 18 or below. Mr. Gersten asked Dr. Robinson if she would rethink the size of the High School addition. Dr. Robinson said the proposed size is necessary because the High School capacity is 1600; we now have 1720, in two years 1820, and when the present fifth grade class is in High School, 2200.
Mr. Kearney asked Parks & Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian why Parks & Recreation Contractual Services is proposed to increase from $272,000 to $307,000, or 13%. Mrs. Kasbarian said that curbing at Treadwell will cost $15,000, and lawn maintenance contracts will increase by 10%.
Mr. Portnoy moved to increase the Board of Education revenue by $121,797. Second by Mr. Gaston. Mr. Bienkowski advised that this money relates to this fiscal year and will go to the audited surplus for the following year. Mr. Portnoy withdrew his motion.
Mr. Portnoy moved to decrease the Building Revenue in the Board of Selectmen’s budget from $500,000 to $400,000 for a net decrease of $100,000. Second by Mr. Gersten and unanimously carried.
Mr. Portnoy moved to increase Revenue in Collections by $172,000. Second by Mr. Gaston and unanimously carried. This increases the collection rate from 98.8% to 99%.
Mr. Portnoy moved to increase Capital and Non-Recurring by $257,000. Second by Mr. Kearney and unanimously carried.
Mr. Portnoy moved to increase the Board of Selectmen Debt Service by $13,912. Second by Mr. Gaston and unanimously carried. Mr. Kortze noted that it is not necessary for the Board of Finance to change the Capital Improvement Plan, that if the Legislative Council changes the CIP it will come back to the Board of Finance.
Mr. Portnoy moved to reduce the Board of Education budget by $900,000. Second by Mr. Waterbury. Motion unanimously carried by roll call vote. YES 6 (Gersten, Kearney, Waterbury, Portnoy, Gaston, Kortze.)
Mr. Portnoy moved to increase the budget of the Women’s Center of Danbury by $1,500.00. Second by Mr. Gersten and unanimously carried.
Mr. Portnoy moved to reduce the Board of Selectmen’s budget by $600,000 over and above the debt service, reduction to include any items except for debt service other than the adjustment already made of $13,912 . Second by Mr. Waterbury and unanimously carried by voice vote.
Mr. Waterbury moved the Board of Selectmen’s budget at $39,443,400. Second by Mr. Gaston and unanimously carried.
Mr. Waterbury moved the Board of Education budget at $66,031,444. Second by Mr. Kearney and unanimously carried.
Mr. Waterbury moved the total budget at $105,474,444. Second by Mr. Portnoy and unanimously carried.
Mr. Waterbury moved the Board of Selectmen’s revenue at $12,030,459. Second by Mr. Gaston and unanimously carried.
Mr. Waterbury moved the Board of Education revenue at $4,667,129, Second by Mr. Gersten and unanimously carried.
Mr. Waterbury moved the total to be raised by taxation at $88,776,856. Second by Mr. Gaston and unanimously carried.
Mr. Waterbury moved the total at $105,474,444. Second by Mr. Portnoy and unanimously carried.
Mr. Kortze moved that the Financial Director be authorized to make any necessary mathematical corrections in revenue and capital and report back to the Board of Finance. Second by Mr. Gaston and unanimously carried.
The recommended mill rate is 23.2 mills.
Mr. Kortze moved the following Resolution to the Legislative Council: That we, the members of the Board of Finance, recommend to the Legislative Council that the Town of Newtown should combine the High School referendum and the budget referendum to be held on the same day. Second by Mr. Gaston and unanimously carried.
Town Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY 2008-2009 through 2012-2013.
Mr. Gaston moved to approve the Capital Improvement Plan as presented to the Legislative Council with the following changes: Engine #441 for Sandy Hook to be moved from 2008/2009 to 2009/2010, Animal Shelter move from 2010-2011 to 2008/2009, and increasing the Debt Service in 2008-2009 by $13,912.00 for the Park & Recreation/Senior Center. Second by Mr. Kortze and unanimously carried.
ADJOURNMENT Having no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Ann M. Mazur, Clerk
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