Minutes of the special meeting of the Legislative Council held on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 in the Meeting Room in Town Hall South, 3 Main Street, CT. Chairman Rodgers called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: William Rodgers, Timothy Holian, Daniel Amaral, Joseph Borst, David Brown, Jeffrey Capeci , Joseph DiCandido, Stacie Doyle, Michael Iassogna, Keith Jacobs, Patricia Llodra, Francis Pennarola. ALSO PRESENT: Financial Director Ben Spragg, Schools Superintendent Dr. Evan Pitkoff, Schools Director of Business Ron Bienkowski, members of the Boards of Education and Finance, approximately twenty-five members of public, two members of press.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Michelle Hankin, 48 Mt. Pleasant Road, said she spoke to many people. They are angry about the new town hall, the February 7 Legislative Council meeting and the fact that the High School is on warning and they feel Fairfield Hills is being mishandled. Suggest the Boards put out a brochure before the next referendum explaining what is the annual budget and what are other expenses.
David Gallassie, 151 Huntingtown Road, said that Fairfield Hills components are not in this operating budget. Would like Fairfield Hills debt service removed from the operating budget.
Ruby Johnson, 16 Chestnut Hill Road, read a letter (Att A to original minutes). She said do not move the bonding issue forward when people are raising doubts.
Mary Ann Jacob, 65 Mohawk Trail, is president of Sandy Hook PTA, understands that the Legislative Council can put advisory questions on the ballot. Chairman Rodgers said this could not be done this evening and this is not a power now.
Guy Howard, 4 Main Street, feels that the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers and Library should not get a blank check. Long term financing for computers a slippery slope. Choose what we can afford.
Jack Schwartz, Sweet Meadow Road, said his business will not look at prospective employees who do not have degrees. High and Middle Schools are a disgrace. Put money in education and pass the budget. He does not care what his taxes are.
Don Ramsey, 3 Prospect Drive, is a teacher at the Middle School. He said that the last time the budget went down three times this school was affected.
Desiree Gallassie, 151 Huntingtown Road, said she is leaving because Newtown failed her children. Do not cut the education budget or the computers.
Natalia Apperesio (sp)., 31 Littlebrook Lane, teaches junior achievement. She asked that the Legislative Council see what is a want and what is a need.
Kevin Fitzgerald, 24 Old Farm Hill Road, said that the Master Plan was defeated then the Board of Selectmen went ahead with the plan. No one approved a town hall. This was an illegal tactic to move ahead with Fairfield Hills. The plan was to include schools in the future. Mr. Rodgers said there was not a referendum, but a non-binding advisory question and the Board of Selectmen made changes to the plan after that.
Laura Davey, 30 Lyrical Lane, said there is poor communication in the town. You need to understand why people are voting yes or no. Do not cut the school budget.
Christ Smith, 22 Wills Road, supports all the comments made tonight.
Tammy Feorella, 42 West Street, said we are failing the children. The new town hall is a joke. There should be some way to protest. We are going down the wrong path.
Sharon Saunders, 2 Pumpkin Lane, said that people in this room are overwhelming in their support of education.
David Nanavaty, 28 Currituck Road, presented a list of the Board of Ed breakdown of how the cuts tonight will impact programs that exist. He said that there is divisiveness among the board and the First Selectmen is not listening. There is a lack of leadership among those elected. The budget is lean.
Kevin Fitzgerald said he was not talking about a protest vote. He said there is a link in this budget to Fairfield Hills and there will be a link to the Board of Ed budget with Fairfield Hills. Chairman Rodgers said that direct link is a term and there was not a legal referendum. Mr. Fitzgerald said this is Mr. Rodgers’ opinion.
Ruby Johnson said there is a direct link between the budget and Fairfield Hills. She said the Fairfield Hills Authority does not have to return unspent monies to the town but all other agencies do. She said the Fairfield Hills Authority did not request money for a town hall but took money from the rest of the bond issue.
Andrew Buzzi, Hanover Road, said there is a direct link with the bonding of the Fairfield Hills issue. He said if people do not vote for the budget until a certain line item is approved, what will happen to the rest of the town including the education budget. He said we have balanced interests in this town and there are other avenues to remedy these issues. We must maintain the education system in this town.
COMMUNICATIONS. Mr. Rodgers said that the three items requested for action tonight by Dr. Pitkoff will be on the May 16 agenda as one item requires Board of Finance action.
COMMITTEE REPORTS. None.
FIRST SELECTMAN’S REPORT. No report. Mr. Rosenthal was not present.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
Discussion and Possible concerning the fiscal year 2007-2008 proposed budget.
Mr. Rodgers noted that proposals put forward and adopted previously are wiped out. He asked that the Legislative Council avoid such funding mechanisms tonight.
Mr. Rodgers declared a recess at 9:40 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:00 p.m.
Mr. Pennarola moved to cut the proposed budget by $1,200,000, $600,000 from the Education side and $600,000 from the Selectmen’s side. The breakdown from the Selectmen’s side is $200,000 from the Capital and Non-Recurring Account, $200,000 from the Road Improvement Account and $200,000 at the discretion of the First Selectman. Second by Mr. Borst. Mr. Pennarola said that the starting figure would be $102,232,877. This motion represents $692,000 from the figure that the Legislative Council last cut. Mr. Rodgers asked Registrar Frampton about advisory questions. She said that there could only be one question because there is one budget, not a split budget. The question would have to begin with “Shall” and would have to be a question. The registrars have discs with capacity for six questions.
Mrs. Doyle supports the motion. Mr. Jacobs is concerned about a protest vote and feels the cut is too severe. He thinks the computer funding proposal was a problem. Mr. Iassogna agrees with Mr. Jacobs about the computer financing and feels there are underlying reasons for “no” votes. Mr. DiCandido feels that spending is too high. Mr. Borst agrees with Mr. DiCandido and feels that there was a protest against the computers. Mr. Brown said that people told him they are tired of increasing taxes. Mrs. Llodra said some people are concerned with the schools and some with the cost of living. Mr. Capeci said people made it clear to him that the budget is out of whack and we need to control spending better. Mr. Pennarola said he heard that issues are computers and Fairfield Hills. Mr. Rodgers said that people told him
3-1 that there is a spending issue and he feels that less than an ½ mill reduction will guarantee failure. Mr. Jacobs would like to make it clear that if people vote “no” there is no chance that the Legislative Council will put money back in the budget. Newtown is growing faster than some other towns. Mr. Holian heard comments that people have sticker shock. Mr. DiCandido said that the education budget doubled from the 1999 budget to the 2007 budget. Mr. Amaral said taxpayers feel the budget is excessive. Mrs. Doyle said that the mill rate in this proposal is less than 2/10 of a mill from the last one.
Motion failed by roll call vote 6-6. YES (Borst, Doyle, Iassogna, Jacobs, Llodra, Pennarola). NO (Amaral, Brown, Capeci, DiCandido, Holian, Rodgers.)
Mr. Rodgers declared a recess at 9:30 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:35 p.m.
Mr. Amaral moved to cut the proposed budget by $2,500,000, 2/3 from the Education side and 1/3 from the Selectmen’s side. Second by Mr. DiCandido. Mr. Amaral said we need value for our money and taxpayers want reductions.
Mr. Rodgers declared a recess at 9:40 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:42 p.m.
Mr. Brown moved to amend the motion to cut 50% from each side, second by Mr. Borst. Amendment passed 9-3 by roll call vote YES (Borst, Brown, DiCandido, Doyle, Iassogna, Jacobs, Llodra, Pennarola, Rodgers). NO (Amaral, Capeci, Holian.)
Discussion returned to the main motion. Mr. Iassogna said that education cuts can only come from teachers and he cannot support this motion. Mrs. Llodra feels this will have a draconian impact on the schools and the town and cannot support this.
Main motion failed 4 yes – 8 no by roll call vote. YES (Amaral, Brown, DiCandido, Rodgers). NO (Borst, Capeci, Doyle, Holian, Iassogna, Jacobs, Llodra, Pennarola).
Mr. Rodgers asked Mr. Spragg what portion of the debt service is obligated to which Mr. Spragg replied that $300,000 of Open Space money is obligated.
Mr. DiCandido moved to cut the proposed budget by $2,250,000, 60% from the Education side and 40% from the Selectmen’s side. Second by Mr. Holian. Mr. DiCandido said that this includes the $750,000 already deducted from the original budget. Mr. Iassogna cannot support the motion. Mr. Rodgers supports it. He said this represents a 5% increase in spending and a 3.2 mill increase. Mr. Pennarola is concerned that programs such as AP classes may be cut. Mr. Jacobs said that once programs are cut it is difficult to get them back. Mrs. Doyle and Mrs. Llodra feel the cut is too high. Mr. Capeci said we are higher than other towns. Mr. Rodgers said that budget travails will make it harder to get candidates for the Legislative Council and First Selectman.
Mr. Brown moved to amend the motion to cut 50% from each side. Mr. Rodgers asked if any Legislative Council members would change his/her vote from the previous amendment to cut 50% from each side. All said they would not. Mr. Rodgers declared the amendment passed.
Main motion failed 6-6 by roll call vote YES (Amaral, Brown, Capeci, DiCandido, Holian, Rodgers). NO (Borst, Doyle, Iassogna, Jacobs, Llodra, Pennarola).
Mr. Rodgers declared a recess at 10:20 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 10:25 p.m.
Mr. DiCandido moved to cut the proposed budget by $1,750,000, 50% from the Education side and 50% from the Selectmen’s side. Second by Mr. Capeci. Mr. DiCandido noted that this represents a 3.7% mill increase.
Motion passed 10 yes – 2 no by roll call vote. YES (Amaral, Brown, Capeci, DiCandido, Doyle, Holian, Iassogna, Llodra, Pennarola, Rodgers). NO (Borst, Jacobs).
Mr. Holian moved to authorize the Financial Director to make any mathematical corrections in appropriations and revenues and report back to the Legislative Council. Second by Mrs. Llodra and unanimously carried.
Mr. Holian moved to request that the Board of Selectmen schedule a town meeting for the purpose of discussion and possible action on the budget proposed tonight. Second by Mrs. Llodra and unanimously carried.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. None noted.
ANNOUNCEMENTS. Mr. Rodgers said there likely will be a regular meeting on May 16.
EXECUTIVE SESSION. None noted.
ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at 10:35 p.m.
Ann M. Mazur, Clerk
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