The Board of Finance held a regular meeting on Monday, November 8, 2010 in the Council Chamber of the Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, Newtown, CT. John Kortze called the meeting to order at 7:45pm.
PRESENT: John Kortze, James Gaston, Joseph Kearney and Harry Waterbury and Michael Portnoy.
ABSENT: Martin Gersten
ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman E. Patricia Llodra, Finance Director Robert Tait, three members of the public and two members of the press.
VOTER COMMENTS: Ruby Johnson, 16 Chestnut Hill, Sandy Hook handed out a map of Fairfield Hills (att. A) laying out her ideas. She also presented a document with statewide information on full day kindergarten (att. B). Ms. Johnson respectfully disagreed with the letter written to the Board of Education on goals and space needs saying the space needs study should be done first. People look to the Board of Finance for guidance. The idea of using the duplexes was presented to the Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committee; if the Board of Finance funds it then it will be looked at as something we are going to do.
COMMUNICATIONS: Mr. Kortze spoke with Bob Mitchell about the Board of Finances concerns regarding the Middle School roof. The Newtown Facilities Ad Hoc Committee will meet this Thursday at 7:30pm to review space. He asked Mrs. Llodra to stress the importance of detail within the minutes of the Facilities Committee.
MINUTES: Mr. Gaston moved to approve the amended minutes of October 28, 2010. Mr. Waterbury seconded. All in favor
FIRST SELECTMAN REPORT: The greenhouse was re-specified and rebid. The best guess is that the project will be accomplished for $225,000. The town has met with the directors of agencies such as the library, Newtown Youth and Family, Children’s Adventure Center and the Edmond Town Hall to share Anthem Option 2, which is the medical plan that is being promoted as the municipal plan. The town is in mediation with the Town Hall union and making progress with the Dispatch union. Negotiations with the Police and Parks & Recreation Maintainers will begin in the spring. First Selectman Llodra shared the resolution (att. C) passed by the Board of Finance with Bob Mitchell. It is the intent of the Public Building and Site Commission bid the project with three levels of bidding: full compliance of the Bureau of Schools Facilities expectations, the second without the expectations and the third option of patching over five years. The market will determine which the best strategy to adopt
is.
FINANCE DIRECTOR REPORT: The first four months of the medical self insurance experience were reported: July was low; August was high because it was adjusting to what they didn’t do in July. September and October settled down. So far, so good.
Mr. Kortze said that the Board of Education had concerns about a memorandum of understanding. First Selectman Llodra said that one caution expressed was for some sort of protection. An ordinance to hold both parties accountable for the use of the fund is being drafted. The oversight system will parallel what we have with the pension fund.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
- Capital Improvement Plan: First Selectman Llodra presented the Town of Newtown 2011-2012 to 2015 -2016 CIP (att. D & E). Mr. Gaston asked if the $15,000,000 in year five for the community center is a place holder or a firm number. First Selectman Llodra said that it is a moving target; $15,000,000 is what we would be looking at if we were to build it today. Every mile of every road is being evaluated. The state recommends updating some bridges to current standards. The town engineer and deputy engineer will prioritize roads. They will be classified as minor and major. The types of vehicles and travel will be considered. The technology park is in year five and is project dependent. It is necessary to extend the sewer in order to develop Hawleyville, which is also in year
five. The Board of Selectmen recommends that utilities be extended to the duplex area to support the execution of the $500,000 grant to Kevin’s Community Center. Mrs. Llodra stated the purpose of the $1,500,000 for Hook & Ladder is to pay down the mortgage. After the permitting process is complete the issue of protecting the resources from future conditions will be addressed. A strategy to save toward the replacement of rolling stock for the fire departments is to use capital non-recurring, identifying the purpose for each purchase.
Mr. Tait explained the 3% estimated budget increase option is based on the current budget increase in the last four years; the other assumed budget increases are based on an estimate for next year and the last four years. Budget increases are a combination of tax increase and grand list increase. There are unknowns as far as the excess cost grant. The assessor has seen an increase in the taxable grand list.
Mr. Portnoy thinks it’s going to be another difficult year for those underemployed or unemployed. He would like to be financially frugal but is not prepared to state where we should go with a projected rate increase.
Mr. Waterbury questioned the increase in the grand list. Mr. Tait replied it would not be significant; using a budget increase of 2% creates an average of 2.24%. Mr. Waterbury thinks 2% for the operational budget may be high but realistically, for planning, would agree with 2%.
Mr. Gaston would support 2.24%.
Mr. Kearney is not sure it would make much of a difference. If it turns out we are over we can stop a particular expenditure in any given year. He is nervous about the operating cost of the big ticket projects driving up the percentage.
Mr. Kortze agrees to the middle ground. Mr. Tait confirmed a $500,000 Land Use grant will be used for debt service and also said this CIP does not include the recent refunding. Mr. Kortze would like to have the proposed CIP online as attachments to the minutes.
Mr. Gaston moved to approve the second scenario, using an estimate of 2% budget growth for the 2012 year which would give us a five year average of 2.24% as presented in Mr. Tait’s CIP structure (att. F) with the provision to include the addition of Land Use revenue to be applied to debt service and amend the CIP debt schedule percentage accordingly. Mr. Waterbury seconded. All in favor.
Mr. Gaston moved to recommend to the Legislative Council a 2% 2012 budget estimate, for purposes of the CIP, that would give us a five year average of 2.24%. Mr. Waterbury seconded. All in favor.
Mr. Gaston moved to approve the combined Board of Selectmen/Board of Education CIP as presented for the of the Town of Newtown in a document dated November 8, 2010. (att. E) Mr. Waterbury seconded. All in favor.
NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion and possible action:
- Resolution regarding support of First Selectman letter on town wide space needs review: (att. G) First Selectman Llodra said the letter was written from a planning prospective. The letter respectfully states that designating use for spaces at the same time you are evaluating space is an inconsistent behavior. Full day kindergarten is an opportunity that needs to be discussed along with every other option. It is not a value judgment on the merits of full day kindergarten. She is concerned that the implementation of a program that uses space prior to knowing what our space needs are preempts some decisions. Mr. Gaston said we should conform the facilities to the needs and not conform the needs to the facilities. We want to look at all the needs, and then look at what facilities we have to
accommodate those needs. First Selectman Llodra said that the Board of Education is doing what they should do in exploring every possible ways to boost achievement. However, implementation before the space needs study is making a decision before examining all the facilities, needs and opportunities. Mr. Kearney said that the space needs study needs to be done first before considering implementation of full day kindergarten. Mr. Kortze noted that the merits of the efficacy of full day kindergarten is not the issue of the Board of Finance. The Superintendent asked for full day kindergarten last year and the Board of Education rejected it. From a capital plan, prospective space needs and the demographic changes in town need to be vetted. It is prudent to understand the merits and have a public discussion on everything including a demographic study. Mrs. Llodra said the town space needs study would be done after the Board of Education
study is complete. Mr. Gaston said the Board of Education should have the final say on full day kindergarten, facilities or not. First Selectman Llodra noted it is the decision of the Board of Education to program K-12. The results of their evaluation of their buildings is going to inform the town study of facilities; that is why they are being done sequentially and not in tandem. Mr. Portnoy is in favor of looking at space facilities for the entire town before implementing any programs. Mr. Waterbury said from a cost standpoint we have to know the use of the buildings. Mr. Gaston doesn’t want to step into the province of the Board of Educations decision as to whether or not to implement full day kindergarten. Mr. Kearney moved a resolution supporting the idea of looking at town wide space needs in regards to both the town and board of education and understanding what those needs are before moving forward. Mr. Portnoy
seconded. Motion passed YES (Kearny, Portnoy, Waterbury, Kortze), NO (Gaston). Mr. Kortze said this doesn’t preclude anything. Mr. Waterbury said every time we take money out of the Board of Education budget we are cutting off some of their planning; not because the school system doesn’t need it but because, in the big picture, we can’t afford it. His concern is implementing kindergarten before the space needs study it is spending money before we have a chance to see if the town can afford it. Mr. Gaston disagreed saying the Board of Finance doesn’t have line item authority; it is up to the Board of Education to decide what to do. Mr. Kortze said this is an attempt to let the process take its course and let the Board of Education tell us what they need. First Selectman Llodra said she is confident a decision will be made that is in the best interest of the community but to foreclose that discussion is a disservice to
the community.
2. Board of Finance 2011 Meeting Calendar: Mr. Gaston moved to approve the 2011 Meeting Calendar. Mr. Waterbury seconded. All in favor.
3. 2011-2012 Budget Timetable: Mr. Gaston moved the 2011-2012 budget timetable. Mr. Waterbury seconded. Mr. Kortze noted the dates after January should be 2011. All in favor.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: none.
ADJOURNMENT:
Having no further business the Board of Finance adjourned their regular meeting at 9:55p.m.
_______________________________
Susan Marcinek, Clerk
Att. A: R. Johnson, Fairfield Hills map
Att. B: R. Johnson information on full day kindergarten
Att. C: Resolution re: Middle School Roof project
Att. D: 2011-2016 CIP narrative
Att. E: Board of Finance approved 2011-2016 CIP
Att: F: Town of Newtown CIP forecast
Att. G: P. Llodra letter to B. Hart on goals and space needs
| 
