Minutes of the regular meeting of the Legislative Council held on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 in the meeting room of the C. H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, Newtown CT. Chairman Rodgers called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: W. Rodgers, T. Holian, D. Amaral, J. Borst, D. Brown, J. Capeci, S. Doyle, M. Iassogna, K. Jacobs, P. Llodra, F. Pennarola. ABSENT: J. DiCandido. ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman H. Rosenthal, Board of Education member P. Mangiafico, eight members of public, one member of press.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Po Murray, 38 Charter Ridge Drive, feels that there is a compelling justification for a new high school facility. We can work hard to increase revenues with economic development. She is in favor of helping other town services, such as having a paid fire department and more cars for the police.
Gary Davis, 22 Charter Ridge Drive, thought it was a good decision to put town space needs on the agenda tonight. If the Board of Ed and the Town can work together to find the best plan for the town, we can find a way to do this with our state representatives and we can bring in economic development. We need a long term vision.
Ruby Johnson, 16 Chestnut Hill Road, suggests that volunteers for a Blue Ribbon Committee all be under the age of 50 because the town is about the young people in town.
Sarah Brier, 7 Yogananda Street, said that the PTA is trying to re-organize the town into a council from all the schools. The consensus of this council is that we want to support what is best for the entire community. She invited Mr. Rodgers, Mr. Holian and Mr. Rosenthal to attend a council meeting.
MINUTES of January 18, 2006 will be amended to note that Option #3 for the high school is a new high school and to move middle school and Option #4 is for a second full high school. Upon motion of Mr. Borst, the minutes were unanimously accepted as amended.
COMMUNICATIONS. Mr. Rodgers reported that Mr. Recht is home from the hospital.
There is a second joint meeting of the chairmen, vice-chairmen and a third member of the Boards of Education and Finance, the Legislative Council and Mr. Rosenthal. The third members will be Mrs. Llodra from the Legislative Council, Mr. Portnoy from the Board of Finance and Mr. Gissen from the Board of Education. This is not a public meeting as Mr. Rosenthal explained there will not be action taken but rather ideas will be formulated.
There will be a Board of Education Space Needs Forum on February 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the High School Lecture Room. The Legislative Council is invited to attend as members of the public. There will be preliminary information on high school options. No decision will be made and the meeting will continue on February 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Reed School Library.
On February 9 the Board of Education will have its final meeting on the budget at 7:30 p.m. at the Reed School Library. On February 7 the Board of Ed will have a question and answer session on the budget at 7:00 p.m. in the Reed School Library.
John Kortze, Chairman of the Board of Finance, sent a letter to Mrs. McClure, Chairman of the Board of Education asking for an update on insurance and benefit issues from last year and plans for temporary space at the high school. He asked that the Board of Finance be involved in space needs issues and has not heard back from the Board of Ed.
Judge Lavery from the Library Board of Trustees sent a copy to Mr. Rodgers of the Library audit, the 2006-07 budget and a summary of the assets and revenues and restrictive funds of the Library.
CCM has a seminar on parliamentary procedures on February 28. Mr. Rodgers asked that Council members notify Ann Mazur by February 19 if they plan to attend.
The agenda item “Possible Executive Session” will in the future read “Possible Executive Session Regarding Legal or Other Matters.”
Mr. Borst inquired of Mr. Rosenthal if Fairfield Hills could be a special tax district such as the Georgetown Special Tax District in Redding which enables the district to receive a special tax exempt bond status. Mr. Rosenthal said that we could create this tax district but that Fairfield Hills has always been a community project. Mr. Pennarola stated that since the Town of Newtown owns Fairfield Hills, there would be no one to tax. The Georgetown Special Tax District is not owned by the Town of Redding.
COMMITTEE REPORTS.
Ordinance has circulated the ordinance to divide the Conservation Commission into a Conservation and an Inland Wetlands Commission and will work on an Arts Ordinance at its next meeting.
Finance. No report. Mr. DiCandido was not present.
Education. Mrs. Llodra reported that the Superintendent presented his budget which represents an 8.92% increase.
Charter Review Commission Appointment Committee. Mr. Borst said that receipt of applications will close on February 7. Informal interviews will be conducted on February 8 and February 13. There are eighteen candidates at present. The full Legislative Council will vote on the final selections.
Charter Review Commission Charge Committee. Mr. Holian will circulate a draft of the proposed charge to the Committee for review then for presentation to the full Legislative Council.
FIRST SELECTMAN’S REPORT. Mr. Rosenthal reported that in light of the surplus in the State of at least $500 million, CCM is requesting that the governor and the legislature re-open the second year of the budget and that municipal shares should be increased. Newtown now would lose $452,000 in state aid this fiscal year. Mr. Rosenthal urged the Council members to contact the legislators and the governor’s office.
Mr. Rosenthal met with representatives from the Board of Education, Board of Finance, Legislative Council and the Financial Director at which time the high school space needs issue was looked at. He was not aware of the four options being considered until Mrs. Llodra reported them to the Council. He does not feel that cooperation is being demonstrated when one group picks the dates and topics. He said that the Board of Ed is charged with reviewing matters concerning education and the Board of Finance as well as the Legislative Council looks at everything from the financial aspect.
Mr. Rosenthal said that a Blue Ribbon Committee may not bear in mind the checks and balances of the Charter because the Boards of Selectmen, Education and Finance, and the Legislative Council have their own functions in the Charter. He said that in 1999 the Board of Selectmen chaired by Bill Brimmer completed a town space needs study. He said that the high school space needs is the biggest issue and that all of the Town’s space needs do not make up the difference between the cost of a large high school and the cost of other high school options. He does not want to redo the space needs that are in the CIP. An architect is reviewing renovating a building or a new building for town offices. The Master Plan for Fairfield Hills was approved by Planning and Zoning. Mr. Rosenthal is meeting Monday with representatives of
the Ambulance Association and Hook & Ladder to discuss Scudder Smith’s property on Sugar Street that has been offered to them. He hopes that something will come out of this meeting for the CIP.
The Selectmen’s budget should be approved on February 7 and given to the Board of Finance on February 13. Our grand list grew just under 2.4% which is very good.
OLD BUSINESS was discussed under “Committee Reports” and will be carried forward under “Committee Reports.”
NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion and possible action on Town Space Needs. Mr. Borst said that the Board of Education should not be leading the charge and that a Blue Ribbon Committee would bring everybody together and would consider the space needs of the whole town. Mr. Borst moved that the Legislative Council request the First Selectman to establish a “Blue Ribbon” committee of representatives from the Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, Board of Finance, Fairfield Hills Authority, Parks and Recreation and any other Town Agencies deemed necessary to investigate, study, prioritize and recommend to the voters a long range Strategic Infrastructure Plan. Second by Mrs. Llodra for discussion. Mrs. Llodra said she is of two minds; she feels there is more planning going on than meets the eye and would like to know what
planning is being done. She is glad to see dialog between the groups. Mr. Borst said he would be willing to wait until the three meetings are completed before he makes this motion to form the Blue Ribbon committee. He said we must have a clear vision of where we are and where we want to go. Mr. Borst withdrew his motion and Mrs. Llodra withdrew her second.
Mr. Capeci thinks there is a need for the results of these studies.
At the request of Mr. Rodgers, Mr. Rosenthal will prepare a one page summary of town space needs studies that have been done. Mr. Rodgers noted that 1) the Board of Finance asked the Board of Education to work jointly which may moot some issues and 2) only the Board of Selectmen has the authority to form such a committee. He said that the Boards of Selectmen and Finance have specific long range functions and the Legislative Council does not.
Mr. Jacobs said that many new residents do want to become involved in planning for the Town and their opinions should be taken into account.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Ruby Johnson, 16 Chestnut Hill Road, was surprised that you did not jump at the chance for a Blue Ribbon committee. She said the system is not working or we would not have 17-18 space needs issues. You should have a subcommittee to help you. The First Selectman needs help to do all these things.
Po Murray, 38 Charter Ridge Drive, said that the demographics of the town have changed significantly. So many things are not in the CIP. We need a vision for the town that is longer than five years. In 2002 you knew we needed these items and the Town leaders could not pull together. She said that the Plan of Conservation and Development does not include Board of Education space needs.
Gary Davis, 22 Charter Ridge Drive, feels that there is planning in place after listening to Mr. Rosenthal. He said we must have a joint group working together on this problem and we probably need some type of a Blue Ribbon panel. Keep communications going.
Paul Mangiafico, Kent Road, spoke as a resident, not as a member of the Board of Education. He said that the miscommunication about the February 6 meeting is a symptom of a much bigger problem. He said that the Boards of Education, Selectmen, Finance and the Legislative Council need to do a better job of communicating with the other groups. Discussion must begin before there are issues.
Gianine Crowell, 26 Canterbury Lane, said you should allow the Board of Finance to make financially sound decisions without telling them what we can afford.
POSSIBLE EXECUTIVE SESSION. Mr. Borst moved to enter executive session at 9:10 p.m. to discuss a possible purchase of open space land. Second by Mr. Brown and unanimously carried.
Mr. Rodgers called a five minute recess before entering executive session. At this time the clerk left the meeting.
Ann M. Mazur, Clerk
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