Minutes from the Regular Meeting of the Legislative Council held in the meeting room of the C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, Newtown, CT, on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, Chairman Rodgers called the meeting to order to 7:30 pm.
Present: Francis Pennarola, Jan Brookes, Paul Lundquist, Will Rodgers, Gary Davis, Patricia Llodra, Jeff Capeci, John Aurelia, Joseph DiCandido, Daniel Amaral, Po Murray,
Absent: Joseph Hemmingway
Also Present: Selectman Joe Borst, Finance Director Robert Tait, Conservation Director Rob Sibley, eight members of the public and one member of the press.
Public Participation: NONE
Mr. Capeci moved to accept the minutes from the August 5, 2009 meeting as amended. Mr. Aurelia seconded. Mr. Capeci noted 2 additional changes that need to be made. First, Mr. Capeci’s name was spelled incorrectly and secondly, In the Selectman’s report the second to last line, the word rating should be percentage. Motion unanimously accepted.
Mr. Capeci moved to accept the minutes from the October 7, 2009 meeting as presented. Mr. Pennarola seconded. Motion unanimously accepted with the exception of Mr. Capeci who abstained because he was not present.
Communications – None
Committee Reports – Education report, Mr. Capeci reported on the teacher’s contract. Overall changes were salary, clean up of wording, and health care was replaced with a point of service plan. It met the town’s savings goals with the co-insurance cost. The contract covers 2010-2013 with no general wage increase in 2010-2011. There is an add back of 3 days to the work year and a commitment to sustain that for the life of the contract. The language to take out the language of furlough days has not come out of the contract. In the second year of the contract there is a general wage increase and a movement of the teachers to the step. The step movement will take place in January. Year 3 is a total combined increase of 3.45% which
includes a midyear step of 1.44% - Only those teachers at the very top would receive the 1.44%.
First Selectman’s report – The Glen Mountain Holding Company sent a letter stating that they cannot get financing for the veterinary hospital at Woodbury Hall.
OLD BUSINESS
Mr. Pennarola moved to transfer the sum of $5000 from Contingency fund 01570-2000 to the Tick Borne Disease Action Committee 01375-0003. Mr. Lundquist seconded. Ms. Murray asked if this will be an annual budgeted item. Mr. Borst replied that it will be done by the end of this calendar year. Motion unanimously accepted.
Mr. Pennarola moved to transfer the sum of $28,700 from Contingency fund 01570-2000 to Contractual Services 01490-4060. Ms. Brookes seconded. Mr. Sibley spoke that this is a re-appropriation. A PO was not generated in June and the money went into the general fund. Now that the project is up and running, bills are starting to come int. This is for a natural resource inventory for the town. Motion unanimously accepted.
Mr. Pennarola moved to adopt, chapter 262 the Newtown Noise Control Ordinance as published in the Newtown Bee, Mr. Capeci seconded. Mr. Pennarola explained that this is an ordinance that has been worked on for some time. This is the third public hearing. The current version has been sent to the DEP for their preliminary review and they said that this would pass muster. Motion unanimously accepted.
Discussion of CIP budget and other LC functions – tabled for next meeting
Report by the Ad hoc Facilities Sub-Committee – tabled to next meeting
NEW BUSINESS
2010 Meeting Schedule – meeting schedule unanimously accepted.
Mr. Davis moved to add the Teachers contract to the agenda, Ms. Llodra seconded. Motion unanimously accepted. Mr. Rodgers stated that this contract represented forward progress in this area of negotiations. Mr. DiCandido stated that it does look like this is a good deal, however, this is the worst economic conditions, and this represents a 2.3 million dollar increase over 3 years. This is setting a precedent. Ms. Llodra stated that this contract is in the mid-range of other negotiated settlements. Mr. Davis articulated that in a letter to the Board of Education, the teachers, the school district and the negotiation team should be commended for recognizing that they have to pull together for the good of the community and the instruction of our children. Mr.
Rodgers will construct a letter.
Public Participation: None
Announcement – None
Having no further business, meeting was adjourned at 8:32pm
Arlene Miles, Interim Clerk
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