LC Ad Hoc Facilities Sub-Committee
Meeting: Wednesday, October 7,2009, 8:15 AM, Lower Meeting Room in Town Hall South
Present: LC Members – Dan Amaral, Jan Brookes, Pat Llodra, Paul Lundquist
BoF Member – Jim Gaston
Invited Guest – LeReine Frampton
Absent: Invited Guest – Bob Merola
Two Members of the Public
Co-chair, Paul Lundquist, called the meeting to order. He reminded the committee that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the brainstorming each member had done since the September 30th meeting.
Jim Gaston said that grant writing might be worthwhile to include in the committee’s report, but as an appendix. He suggested that because committee members had learned a lot, the LC should continue this committee even though some of its members might be new. He added that he wouldn’t want to see the LC have to start from scratch. Mr. Gaston said that he didn’t think the final report won’t be ready by the election.
Dan Amaral asked if the Facilities Committee should move from its ad hoc status to that of a standing committee.
LeReine Frampton suggested that a Facilities Committee become one of the BoS commissions, and that will give the oversight of this area longevity.
Mr. Gaston recommended that one of the selectmen become an ex officio member of the Facilities Committee, but that it remain under the purview of the Council.
Pat Llodra commented that a committee’s importance is elevated within the Council by an active chair and committee. For example, she noted that until she chaired the Education Sub-committee, no one made an Education Sub-committee report.
Jan Brookes stated that because of the importance of this topic, membership on the committee should include the LC, BoS, BoF and BoE.
Dan Amaral commented that sometimes he sees town trucks sitting along the highway, with workers doing nothing. “For example,” he said, “They paved FFHs parking lot and then dug up part of it. FFHs is too big a job for there to be adequate management of all workers.”
Mrs. Llodra suggested that perhaps the paving was done at FFHs to accommodate the needs of Relay for Life. Mrs. Llodra added that she also has concerns about managerial efficiency and personnel issues because the supervisor is in the same bargaining unit as the workers. She asked, “Is this the best managerial design?” She added that technology will provide information into how to solve issues of adequate management. Mrs. Llodra said to Mr. Amaral. “What you’re speaking to is a direction of exploration that we can address with better data. Data will make tackling this issue less personal.”
Mr. Lundquist commented that the issue of personnel management can be better addressed two years down the road when software that tracks work has been fully implemented.
Jim Gaston added that if it’s a blatant issue of personnel mismanagement, the First Selectman has to address it.
Mrs. Frampton said that when the contract with the Highway Department is opened, the town will have to opportunity to negotiate that supervisory positions be excluded from the worker contract.
Pat Llodra said that contracts can’t be about numbers, but about how workers will increase performance.
Mrs. Brookes commented that since the committee’s report will advocate for the heightened use of technology, the town has to provide the funding for training and the personnel to input data, and allow departments adequate time to implement tracking programs.
Mr. Lundquist asked that the committee turn to a discussion of its report.
Mr. Gaston suggested that issues involving the Edmond Town Hall be put in an appendix. He volunteered to write that part of the report.
Mrs. Llodra recommended that “the pitch be for more collaboration between the ETH and the borough.” She felt that the report should include a need for a vision of the building, and its long-term maintenance requirements. She noted that the core of the building is sound, although the addition is less worthy. Part of the ETH’s needs is information about what it would take to bring the building up-to-speed in terms of technology. In addition, more investigation needs to be done about possible building uses that would be consistent with Mary Hawley’s intentions. “What are other town functions that the building can serve?” she asked. “Does the infrastructure in place support those uses?”
Mr. Gaston concurred that building uses must be consistent with Mary Hawley’s stated intentions, because, if they aren’t, the ETH will revert to Yale University. Mr. Gaston said that he’d like to see the ETH used as a cultural arts center, and such a use might be viable because Newtown is a geographic center between Litchfield and Westport.
Pat Llodra stated that she’s reluctant to get ahead of the BoM.
Paul Lundquist remarked that “they seem to be willing to go in any direction.”
Several committee members commented that Jim Juliano, a member of the BoM, has saved the town a lot of money on various improvement projects he’s overseen.
Jim Gaston stated that he believes the ETH has a sense of self-sufficiency, and seems reluctant to come to the town.
Mr. Lundquist suggested that the committee turn to the technology piece of its report.
Mrs. Llodra stated that she has no sense that the BoE isn’t interested in using MUNIS. She reminded members that Bob Tait told the committee that Diane Raymo, interim BoE Finance Director, is familiar with both MUNIS and Phoenix.
Paul Lundquist suggested that the committee clarify that with both Daine Raymo and Scott Sharlow.
Both Mrs. Llodra and Mr. Lundquist stated that one of the committee’s recommendations should be a request to all department heads to fill out a facilities chart that will include information such as the number of facilities, square footage, number of maintenance orders per year, work order system, method of assessing all-over facility condition, primary users, number of instrumentation or maintenance mechanics, special credentials or licenses, special training, etc. That information needs to grow as buildings are added. There should be a separate category for fire facilities.
In adding up the approximate costs of maintenance for the BoE, Public Works Department, Park and Rec, and FFHs, Mr Gaston estimated that the total was just under 20 percent of the town budget.
Mr. Lundquist suggested that one person be in charge of creating an outline of a given part of the report. “The biggest struggle is how do we organize the report?” he asked. “How do we get a grasp on what the cost of work is? How do we increase efficiency and decrease cost?” He added that the culture is people rather than municipal dependent, and such a culture is fragile. “At a time of heightened competition for scarce resources, that culture may be damaged.”
The committee agreed that the members would be responsible for writing a detailed outline of the following areas of the report.
1. Jan – The Committee’s Starting Question and the Culture of Collaboration
2. Pat and Dan – Purchasing Agent
3. Paul – Use of Technology
4. Pat will call Bob Merola, and ask if he would be willing to be responsible for the grant
writing appendix.
5. Jim Gaston will write the Edmond Town Hall appendix.
Jan Brookes suggested that the committee make its report to the Council at its November 18th meeting.
Pat Llodra cautioned the committee that “it’s better to get it right than to get it done.”
Paul Lundquist summarized the outline of the report.
Main Points
1. Initial Question and Culture of Collaboration
2. Use of Technology
3. Purchasing Agent
Appendixes
1. Edmond Town Hall
2. Grant Writer
3. Facilities Audit
The committee set its next meeting for Tuesday, October 13th at 8:15 AM in the Lower Meeting Room of Town Hall South. Diane Raymo will join us.
Jan Brookes for the Committee
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