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THESE MINUTES ARE SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting on Monday, March 16, 2009 in the meeting room at the C.H. Booth Library, Main Street, Newtown, CT. First Selectman Borst called the meeting to order at 7:37 p.m.
PRESENT: First Selectman Joseph Borst, Selectman Paul Mangiafico, Selectman Herbert Rosenthal.
ALSO PRESENT: Finance Director Robert Tait, Town Engineer Ron Bolmer, eighteen members of the public and one member of the press.
MOTIONS OF THIS MEETING WERE SUBMITTED MARCH 18, 2009. THE FOLLOWING IS DISCUSSION:
VOTER COMMENTS:
Mike Lombardi, AT&T: In regards to the Queen Street VRAD box, Mr. Lombardi proposed that AT&T will either move the telephone pole, or put screening on either side, or move the sidewalk to better accommodate the Town. Moving the box across the street would disrupt existing customers and the pole in front of the AT&T building currently has laterals coming up the pole. Selectman Mangiafico stated this has become a test of wills.
NEW BUSINESS:
Appointments: Ann Peters of the Inlands Wetlands Commission thinks it would be in the best interest of the Commission to review all applicants and, as a courtesy, meet with the applicants. She requested the appointment of Edward Bryan be tabled until it was clarified that Mr. Bryan understands the time requirements involved in the Commission. Mr. Rosenthal stated it is incumbent upon the commissions to contact the candidates committee to let them know specific requirements. He also believes it is inappropriate for commissions to replace vacancies and for staff to be involved.
Board of Managers request for HVAC system for Edmond Town Hall theater: Jim Juliano of the Board of Managers explained the cost of the unit is $83,000 but they only need $27,000. The unit would be separate for the theater with its own economizer.
Stone Gate Drive: Attorney Bob Hall explained that the property is owned by individuals on either side of the road. This item is referred to Planning and Zoning.
Transfer: From acct. 01100 1073 Town Hall Salary Adjustment, $3,785 to acct. 01205 1002 Technology Administration: to make salary adjustments in the Technology departments for the Technology Director, Technology Specialist and the GIS Software Specialist. Selectman Rosenthal supports the department and the employees but suggested tabling the item until the budget is settled. Selectman Mangiafico thinks the increases are astounding and wants the item tabled until a more comprehensive presentation to justify the increases can be made.
Budget: Selectman Mangiafico questioned the reduction of two sworn officers and voiced confusion over the Board of Finances ability to make a decision on a contractual obligation that only the Board of Selectmen can agree upon. Selectman Rosenthal believes some actions by the Board of Finance will be detrimental to the town. If the pension is in critical straits then a special appropriation should be made but he doesn’t see a critical need to do this. Nobody from the pension committee told the Selectmen to put additional funds into the plan. Selectman Rosenthal stated the Fairfield Hills Authority budget had been reduced $40,000 by the Board of Selectmen and believes that the additional $56,000 cut by the Board of Finance matches a piece of substantiating information that was in the budget in
error; was produced originally by the manager of FFH and changed by the Authority. In effect, this is a double reduction; the same dollars are being identified to be reduced when the Board of Selectmen already reduced them. Selectman Rosenthal wondered who would manage Fairfield Hills if the management company was let go. Mr. Geckle, of the Fairfield Hills Authority, stated there was much more than clerical work involved in managing the campus. There are many activities that take place at Fairfield Hills, such as the Relay for Life, that need handling. Also, there are security issues. Selectman Mangiafico has difficulty with the additional $56,000 reduction in the Fairfield Hills Authority budget. Mr. Tait stated the management will be privatized, landscaping will be done by private companies and invoices can be handled through the finance department. The pumper truck for the Board of Fire Commissioners was discussed briefly. It
was explained that Mr. Cragin agreed the pumper truck could wait one year but he explained to the Board of Finance that the refurbishment of the tanker takes ten months meaning it would be set back almost two years. Selectman Mangiafico believed the Board of Fire Commissioners had a compelling argument for the truck. Selectman Mangiafico has a problem with the Board of Finance decisions regarding public building & maintenance, the pumper truck, the Fairfield Hills reduction, the reduction of two people in the highway department, the pension increase, the police budget reductions and the building official add-back. Selectman Rosenthal noted that the Board of Finance makes a proposal to the Legislative Council and the Board of Selectmen should have a counter proposal. Selectman Rosenthal said that the Board of Education contributes 40% to the pension, 60% from the town. If money is going to be added to the budget, $100,000 should be allocated to the
Board of Education budget, $150,000 to the town. Selectman Mangiafico sited mileage information on the patrol cars for replacement as 112,000 miles on one, 97,000 miles on another and 135,000 miles on a third car and disagreed with the Board of Finance’s decision to zero out the request.
The meeting went into executive session at 11:00 p.m. and returned to regular session at 12:47 a.m.
ADJOUNMENT:
Having no further business, the Board of Selectmen adjourned their regular meeting at 12:58 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
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Susan Marcinek, Clerk
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