The Board of Selectmen held a special meeting on Thursday, February 1, 2007 in the meeting room at Town Hall South, Main Street, Newtown. First Selectman Rosenthal called the meeting to order at 5:35 pm.
PRESENT: First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal, Selectman Joseph Bojnowski, Selectman William Brimmer
ALSO PRESENT: Finance Director Ben Spragg, Town Engineer Ron Bolmer, one member of press
VOTER PARTICIPATION: None present
NEW BUSINESS
Maintenance Bond Release, North Ridge Drive and Pond View Drive, “Newtown Hunt” Subdivision
Selectman Bojnowski moved to release the maintenance bond for North Ridge Drive and Pond View Drive, “Newtown Hunt” Subdivision in the amount of $106,400.00. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Maintenance Bond Release, Road & Drainage Agreement, Farrell Road, “Newtown Hunt” Subdivision
Selectman Brimmer moved to release the maintenance bond for Road & Drainage Agreement, Farrell Road, “Newtown Hunt” Subdivision in the amount of $6,400.00. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Maintenance Bond Release, Road & Drainage Work Agreement, Bryan Lane, R & G Riverview Associates, LLC
Selectman Bojnowski moved to release the maintenance bond for Road & Drainage Agreement, Bryan Lane, R & G Riverview Associates, LLC in the amount of $10,800.00. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Road Bond Reduction, Quail Hollow Lane, “Quail Hollow” Subdivision
Town Engineer Ron Bolmer asked to hold off on this bond reduction until the next meeting so that he could re-check the figures.
Driveway Bond Releases
Selectman Bojnowski moved to approve five driveway bond releases and to approve a six month extension for two driveway bonds as outlined on Attachment A. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
TnT Partners, LLC – Business Incentive Plan
First Selectman Rosenthal advised that the owners of this company had come to speak with him some time ago. The EDC is in favor of this project being considered for the benefits of the EDC’s Business Incentive Plan. This is a technical service company that is expanding at a considerable rate. They are currently located in Newtown and have considered other nearby towns as possible sites for their much needed larger building. The net tax payment over three years would be $148,191.74, with a total three year abatement of $109,793.26.
Selectman Brimmer moved to recommend that TnT Partners, LLC in Curtis Industrial Park be approved for the Business Incentive Plan. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
This recommendation will be passed on to the Board of Finance and Legislative Council
Town Hall Union Contract
Selectman Rosenthal advised that the Town Hall Union Contract has been finalized. These employees have been working without a contract since June 2006. They will receive a 3.75% increase for 06/07; 3.5% in 07/08; and 3.5% in 08/09. Their medical co-pays will increase for prescription, office visits and emergency care.
Selectman Brimmer moved to authorize the First Selectman to sign the 2006-2009 Town Hall Union Contract and to transfer FROM Account 01570-2000 Contingency $32,433 TO Various Salary Accounts (attached to original minutes) $32,433. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Public Building & Site Commission – Town and Education Offices and Senior Center Addition
Selectman Brimmer moved to authorize the Public Building & Site Commission to have control of supervision of construction of town and education offices and have control of supervision of construction of addition to Senior Center per Ordinance 19A. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
The Public Building & Site Commission members have submitted recommended changes to the Ordinance. They will be invited to a future meeting to discuss these with the Board of Selectmen.
Appointments/Reappointments
Selectman Bojnowski moved to approve appointments and reappointments as outlined on Attachment B. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
The two appointments to the Cultural Arts Commission are volunteers who served on the ad hoc committee. There are several other volunteers and the two political parties will be contacted to see if they have any recommendations before the rest of the committee is appointed.
NEW BUSINESS
2007/2008 Budget
Account 105 Selectmen Other
Selectman Brimmer moved Account 105 Selectmen Other in the amount of $962,456. Motion seconded.
Selectman Brimmer moved to AMEND by decreasing line 2013 Non-recurring Supplies by $51,530 to $389,675. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
This includes eliminating $11,830 in requests for 911 Dispatch (will utilize grant money); eliminating $26,000 for Public Works software program and palm pilots; reducing the Conservation request for a laptop PC and projector from $2,400 to $1,800; reducing the Police three desktop computers from $5,600 to $4,500 and moving the Conservation Commission request for Indexing of Open Space ($12,000) to the Land Use Account.
MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED ($910,926) UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED.
Account 490 Land Use
Selectman Brimmer moved to AMEND by increasing line 4060 Contractual Services by $12,000 to $52,000. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
This includes the addition of the $12,000 originally in the Selectmen Other Account to the Contractual Services line in the Land Use Department.
Selectman Brimmer moved a new bottom line for Account 490 Land Use in the amount of $561,505. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Account 570 Contingency
Selectman Brimmer moved Account 570 Contingency in the amount of $320,000. Motion seconded.
Finance Director Ben Spragg explained that this number contained an estimate for raises for employees which can now be moved to the individual salary accounts and do not need to be in the Contingency Account.
Selectman Brimmer moved to AMEND by decreasing Account 570 Contingency by $120,000. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED ($200,000) UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED.
Selectman Bojnowski moved to AMEND various salary line items as outlined on Attachment B. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Account 240 Social Security
Selectman Brimmer moved Account 240 Social Security in the amount of $784,940. Motion seconded.
Selectman Brimmer moved to AMEND by increasing LINE 2002 FICA to $762,848. Motion seconded.
MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED ($777,848) UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED
Account 360 Lake Authorities
Selectman Bojnowski moved to remove motion from TABLE for Account 360 Lake Authorities in the amount of $46,155. Motion unanimously carried.
MAIN MOTION ($46,155) UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED.
Account 870 Fairfield Hills
Selectman Brimmer moved Account 870 Fairfield Hills in the amount of $598,500. Motion seconded.
Selectman Brimmer moved to AMEND by decreasing Account 870 Fairfield Hills to $498,500. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
This amount includes the estimates by DeMarco Management Co. for management fees plus approximately $50,000 for secretarial services and the possibility of a clerk of the works for construction projects.
Total Budget
Selectman Brimmer moved Total Selectmen Budget in the amount of $38,411,069. Motion seconded.
Finance Director Ben Spragg advised that this number represents a 3.9% increase in operating expenses; a 6.8% increase over the previous year with debt service included; and a 9.8% increase over the previous year if $1,050,000 from this year’s surplus is put into the Capital Reserve Fund. We currently have a larger than usual surplus due to a 99.1% tax collection rate that is higher than estimated last year; an increase in investment income from higher than anticipated interest rates and a higher than usual revenue from conveyance taxes over the prior years. Putting money into the Capital Reserve Fund, which is like the town’s savings account, could help with the town’s future bonding rates.
Selectman Bojnowski moved to AMEND by decreasing the addition to the Capital Non-Reserve Fund from $1,050,000 to $750,000. Motion seconded for discussion.
Finance Director Ben Spragg advised that this would change the increase to 8.9% over last year when including debt service and the Capital Reserve deposit.
AMENDMENT CARRIED 2 YES (Brimmer, Bojnowski) – 1 NO (Rosenthal)
MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED ($38,111,069) UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED.
Legal Matters
Selectman Brimmer moved to enter executive session to discuss a legal matter pertaining to a personnel issue and to invite the Finance Director and clerk to attend. Motion seconded and unanimously carried.
Meeting entered executive at 7:25 pm and returned to open session at 7:35 pm. with no action being taken.
Having no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
Jan Andras, Clerk
Attachment A: Driveway Bond Releases/Extensions
Attachment B: Transfer – attached to original minutes
Attachment C: Appointments/Reappointments
Attachment D: Salary line items in Budget – attached to original minutes
BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
FEBRUARY 1, 2007
DRIVEWAY BOND RELEASES
RELEASES
OAK ST. DESIGN, 15 Taunton Lane, Map 6, Block 7, Lot 51
CHARLES SPATH, Rockywood Drive, Map 51, Block 8, Lot 29
M&E LAND GROUP, Russett Rd., Map 52, Block 1, Lot 1.53 & 1.54
GARY PLATT, 2 Hoseye Coach, Map 45, Block 6, Lot 2.01
EDMOND HALILI, Mile Hill South, Map 37, Block 8, Lot 20.2
REQUEST FOR EXTENSION
SYLVESTER CLARK, 6 Glenmor Road, Map 6, Block 3, Lot 50
(construction delays)
KEN DEVELLIS, Lot 14, Newtown Heights, Map 12, Block 15, Lot 14.14
(construction delays)
BOARD OF SELECTMEN – February 1, 2007 Meeting
APPOINTMENTS
Expires
Cultural Arts Commission
(D) Jennifer Johnston, 11 Patricia Lane, Newtown 01/07/10
(R) Joseph Grasso, 88 Huntingtown Road, Newtown 01/07/10
Conservation Commission
(D) Mary Kaley, 5 Winslow Road, Newtown 12/31/09
REAPPOINTMENTS
Ad Hoc Trails Committee (one year term)
Paula Burton, 41 Longview Terrace 01/06/08
Barbara Gaydosh, 90A Huntingtown Road
James McManus, 40 Hanover Road
Susan Merchant, 48 Swamp Road
James Tevnan, 44 Littlebrook Lane
Commission on Aging
(D) Ross Carley, 66 Currituck Road 01/06/10
Water and Sewer Authority
(D) Philip Cruz, 92 Currituck Road 01/06/11
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