North Stonington Board of Finance
Meeting Minutes
of
Wednesday February 6, 2013
New Town Hall
North Stonington, CT
1. Call to Order: Chairman Dan Spring called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Brent Woodward, Mustapha Ratib, Emile Pavolvics, Peter Nimirowski and Mike Urgo were present.
2. Public Comments and Questions: Joe Gross provided the Board additional comments regarding the need for clarification/standardization in the budget process.
3. Affordable Housing Review: Discussion was deferred pending representation by the Affordable Housing Committee.
4. PNZ Review: Juliet Leeming: Deferred.
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5. BOS: Appropriations Requests; Budget Prep (2013-2014); S. Welwood Audit Team; Calendar:
Appropriation Requests
First Selectman Nick Mullane briefed the Board on the Kingswood Stormwater Drainage Project which recently resulted in arbitration between the Town and the contractor. To resolve the decades old drainage problem in the Kingwoods neighborhood, the piping in the streets was modified to increase capacity. Due to a perceived change in the workscope, downtime and startup costs, the contractor’s final invoice far exceeded the original contract cost. The final arbitration judgment costs exceeded the remaining balance in the account by $87,253.02. The BOS requested a transfer of funds in CNR to cover the costs. As funds in CNR can not be transferred without Town approval a different method of funding was used as noted below in the motion.
Emile Pavolvics moved to authorize the transfer of $87,253.02 from line item BB 27.27 (Storm Damage) to the CNR Kingswood Meadow Wood account to pay for the final arbitration judgment and recommended that an additional appropriation of $87,253.02, to line item BB 27.27 (Storm Damage), be brought to a Town meeting. The motion was seconded by Dan Spring and passed 6-0-0.
After additional discussion between the Board and the BOS a modification to the above motion was moved and approved as noted below.
Emile Pavolvics moved to modify the above motion by authorizing the transfer of $87,253.02 from line item BB 27.27 (Storm Damage) to line item BB 27.29 (Kingswood Drainage) to pay for the final arbitration judgment and recommended that an additional appropriation of $87,253.02, to line item BB 27.27 (Storm Damage), be brought to a Town meeting. The motion was seconded by Dan Spring and passed 6-0-0.
Budget Prep (2013-2014)
Nick Mullane provided the Board with Governor Malloy’s Education Cost Sharing (ECS) budget for FY 2013-14 which showed no increase over the current year. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities showed the ECS increasing by $22,656.
Mike Urgo, who is acting as the liaison to the BOE, reported a preliminary increase in the BOE budget of $861,230.
Final budget numbers for the Main Street bridge repair should be ready by February 15, 2013.
The election for union representation of Town Hall employees should occur within two weeks.
The fire department has expressed the desire to meet with the BOF and BOS to discuss the new firehouse/EMT proposal. No date has been established.
S. Welwood Audit Team
Dan Spring provided the Board with a summary of anticipated tasks, from SEW LLC, resulting from the recent audit which if implemented would improve the financial status of the Town.
6. BOE: Budget Prep, Middle School Boiler: See paragraph 5. above for budget discussion. Bids for the middle school boiler repair/replacement have been received.
7. Previous Minutes: Mike Urgo moved to approve the minutes of January 16, 2013 as amended. The motion was seconded by Mustapha Ratib and passed 5-0-1. Peter Nimirowski abstained.
8. Future Strategies; ICONS Reception: The Informed Citizens of North Stonington(ICONS) have scheduled an informal gathering, on February 18, 2013, with members of various Town boards and committees.
The Profit and Loss statement dated February 6, 2013 was reviewed.
9. Adjournment: A motion was made by Dan Spring to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Mike Urgo and passed 6-0-0. The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 PM.
Respectfully Submitted
Brent Woodward
Secretary, Board of Finance
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