THESE MINUTES ARE SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting on Monday, December 6, 2010 in the Council Chambers,
3 Primrose Street, Newtown. First Selectman Llodra called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
PRESENT: First Selectman E. Patricia Llodra and Selectman William F. Furrier.
ABSENT: Selectman William F.L. Rodgers.
ALSO PRESENT: Finance Director Robert Tait, three members of the public and one member of the press.
VOTER COMMENTS: None.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: Selectman Furrier moved to accept the minutes of November 15, 2010. First Selectman Llodra seconded with the following corrections: Page one, under Karen Pierce comments, the third line should read ‘slippery slope’. Page two, second line, Economic Development should not be capitalized, as not to confuse it with the Economic Development Commission. Page three, Road Acceptance Boulder Creek, the amount of money identified to be returned to Mr. Petrucci is an incorrect number. This item will be clarified and corrected at the next meeting. Page four, comments under Robin Fitzgerald, fourth sentence from the bottom should read ‘Public Works will be used to do the trenching for the infrastructure at the duplex area; it is not
specific to Kevin’s Community Center. Selectman Furrier moved to withdraw his motion. First Selectman Llodra seconded the withdrawal. All in favor.
COMMUNICATIONS: First Selectman Llodra sent a letter (Att. A) to Jon Chew, an executive with HVCEO, relative to Public Act 10-111 (Secondary School Reform), an unfunded mandate that has the potential to be extremely costly for all communities; implementation in today’s dollars would exceed $700,000. This was discussed with Dr. Robinson, who whole heartedly agreed with the substance of the letter and hopes the legislators pay attention to the comments. The letter was also discussed with Bill Hart who agrees this is another unfunded mandate and hopes the state would consider guidelines instead of mandating. This Act requires that students graduate from high school with a minimum of twenty-five credits in designated identified subject areas and then pass a competency test, designed by the
state, in those areas. The high school principal, Mr. Dumais, did an analysis of what the impact would be on today’s programs and determined eleven additional teachers would be needed to deliver that aspect of this mandate. Much of what this public act is seeking to achieve is very good; the concern is we need to start gearing up for that very soon for implementation by the year 2018. Chief Kehoe sent First Selectman Llodra a letter from the Town of Trumbull thanking Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR) for responding to a call in Trumbull involving a missing child involving a watercourse. A letter, on behalf of the Board of Selectmen, will be sent. A request for proposal to combine municipal and school finances, human resources and building management has been drafted by Mr. Tait, Mrs. Llodra, Dr. Robinson and Mr. Bienkowski. The RFP is due back on January 31, 2011. The Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers received a
resignation and filled the open position with Margot Hall. A graphical comparative performance on the portfolio relative to the pension plan was shared with the board. First Selectman Llodra said that budget recommendations are quite reasonable and will be discussed more at one of the next two meetings.
FINANCE DIRECTOR REPORT: Mr. Tait said that the bonding agencies look for a formal financial plan for the future. There is money in his budget for a GFOA (Government Finance Officers Association) recommended financial planning software, MuniCast, (Att. B) that is specific for local governments. He has about 85% downloaded information, ten years of municipal, board of education, revenues and various segments of fund balance and will attempt to input staffing. The software will go back ten years and forecast ahead ten years. Columns show actual, budget and forecasted information. Capital projects can be recalibrated once a variance between the expected expense and what we thought our revenue would be is calculated. A group of experts will be formed including Elizabeth Stocker
and Ron Bienkowski to help put this together. The impact of state revenues, increase or decrease, can be tracked.
ADD TO AGENDA: Selectman Furrier moved to add a driveway bond extension request as item #7 under New Business. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor. Selectman Furrier moved to add a road renaming action as item #8 under New Business. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Discussion and possible action:
1. Town of Newtown Employee Handbook, Non-Union: First Selectman Llodra noted that each employee will sign upon receiving a copy of the handbook; any subsequent changes will be noted and every employee will have the most recent copy of the handbook. Selectman Furrier moved the acceptance of Draft #5 of the Town of Newtown Employee Handbook for Non-Union Personnel. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor.
2. Use of Municipal Space: Final insurance language should be ready for the next meeting. No action on this item.
3. Implementation Plan – Plan of Conservation and Development: The Legislative Council Administrative subcommittee is crafting recommendations to send to the Selectmen to add to anything the board intends to do as a support system for Planning and Zoning. Item carried to a near future meeting.
NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion and possible action:
1. Transfer: Mr. Tait explained this money is for a CIP software program. It is a simple, year to year set up with the advantage of having a completed CIP document at fiscal year end. First Selectman Llodra stated this will allow online comprehensive description of projects for a more effective communication stream to the community. Projects and photos can be updated as the project is in process. Selectman Furrier noted that the feedback he has received is that this is something the community wants. Selectman Furrier moved the transfer of $2,025.00 from 01570-2000 Contingency to 01200-2017 Technology Maintenance. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor.
2. Transfer: Mr. Tait said that the Tick Borne Disease Action Committee was appropriated $5,000 FY 2009-2010, they spent $3,325; $1,675 fell back into the fund balance. First Selectman Llodra stated the committee hopes to have their work completed soon. The research has been extensive; the additional money will be well spent. Selectman Furrier moved to transfer $1,500 from 01570-2000 Contingency to 01375-0003 Tick Borne Disease Action Committee. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor. Mr. Tait stated that currently the Contingency balance is $361,000, prior to these transfers. First Selectman Llodra explained that the rule of thumb is to have $200,000 in the contingency fund for what may, or may not be, a bad winter season.
3. Abatement of open space taxes for Boulder Creek, LLC: This item will be carried forward to the next meeting.
4. Tax Refunds: Selectman Furrier moved the December tax refunds No. 8 in the amount of $6,290.01. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor.
5. Appointments/Reappointments: Selectman Furrier moved the reappointments of Robert Edwards and Anthony D’Angelo to the Public Building and Site Commission for terms to expire on January 6, 2015. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor. First Selectman Llodra announced that there continue to be alternate openings on the Commission on Aging, one to any party, one to a republican or unaffiliated voter. Lake Lillinonah Authority has a vacancy open to an unaffiliated voter and there continues to be openings on the Hattertown Historic District, Sustainable Energy and the Building Appeals Board.
6. Driveway Bond Release: Selectman Furrier moved the release of a driveway bond for Connie Elmore, Todds Road, M42, B4, L82 in the amount of $1,000. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor.
7. Driveway Bond Extension: Selectman Furrier moved the six month extension for Stephen DeGrazia, Lot 2,
3 Taunton Lake Road, M17, B1, L46. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor.
8. Road renaming: The first meeting of November renamed Tinkerfield Road. Subsequent to that action it was found that a facility on that road had not been consulted. The section to be renamed is the section known as Old Rte. 25; Tinkerfield will remain the main portion of the road, Freedom Defenders Way is the section that runs in front of the VFW. Selectman Furrier moved to withdraw the motion made on November 1st to rename Tinkerfield Road Freedom Defenders Way and any effect that motion had. First Selectman Llodra seconded. All in favor. Selectman Furrier moved to rename the portion of Tinkerfield Road that was formally known as Rte. 25 to Freedom Defenders Way for that portion of the road only. First Selectman Llodra
seconded. All in favor.
VOTER COMMENT: Barbara O’Connor, Little Brook Lane said that she received a memo that the state is reimbursing towns 80%-85% for old lawn equipment. First Selectman Llodra said that Fred Hurley and Amy Mangold are aware of this and the equipment they have does not qualify for the exchange.
Al Roznicki, 169 Hanover Road stated that the financial tools Mr. Tait spoke about satisfy his financial needs for the town. He asked if the system is capable to comparing the budgets for the periods of time that the actuals show. The purpose of the question is to be able to calibrate the estimators in each of the departments that are forecasting this kind of information. If that were possible then we could determine whether any of the individuals estimated high or low and be able to better calibrate our budgets going forward. Mr. Tait said he thinks the program will allow that. Mr. Roznicki asked if the program allows a matrix type calculation, can you control by function or category. Mr. Tait said it can be sorted by type.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: First Selectman Llodra said the board should be prepared for additional budget deliberation meetings for more in depth discussion. Anticipated budget dates are January 18, which is a regularly scheduled Board of Selectmen meeting, January 20, January 24 and January 26.
ADJOURNMENT: Having no further business, the Board of Selectmen adjourned their regular meeting at
8:37 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
____________________________
Susan Marcinek, Clerk
Att. A: First Selectman memo dated 11/29/10 to Jon Chew, HVCEO
Att. B: MuniCast
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