Center for Emergency services
North Stonington
40 Main Street
North Stonington, Connecticut 06359
860-535-2877
Meeting Minutes of February 1, 2016
ATTENDANCE:
COMMITTEE: Chairman Mark Perkins, Vice Chairman Joe Cassata, Bob Shabunia, Charles Steinhart V, Ryan Burdick, Greg Howell, Paul Kowack
OTHER: First Selectman Shawn Murphy, Peter Springsteel-Project Manager, Kati Murphy-Committee Secretary, Jim Rossman-Stadia Engineering.
CALL TO ORDER at 7:03 PM by Chairman Perkins
MINUTES:
Minutes of January 25, 2016
MOTION to approve made by Joe Cassata, second by Greg Howell.
All in favor, motion passed
Invoices for Payment:
Kati Murphy invoice #79 - $94.88
MOTION to approve by Ryan Burdick, second by Greg Howell.
All in favor, motion passed.
Correspondence:
Via e-mail to Committee
Committee members were each sent a copy of Proposed Bill #507 (dated 2003) relative to conveyance of land at the corner of Rocky Hollow Rd and Rt 2, for the construction of an emergency services complex. A copy of the vote approving the bill has been requested from Rep Urban’s office.
Peter Springsteel has been in communication with Christine Marques of the Department of Economic and Community Development regarding verification of exactly how the property on Rocky Hollow Rd was conveyed to the Town.
DEEP’s records have not been updated to show that the property had been transferred to the Town of North Stonington. There is a deed which verifies the transfer to the Town for the purpose of constructing and emergency services facility.
The State’s Conservation and Development map still shows the site under State jurisdiction. Peter indicated that the site plan had been approved by Town’s Planning & Zoning and if site plan did not meet all of P&Z’s requirements for the Town’s C&D plan they would not have approved it. Peter will continue to pursue clarification of this.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Bob Shabunia asked that, relative to the first $300k award, Rep Urban’s office be requested to send a copy of that first Bond Request Form to the Town/Committee.
Peter and First Selectman Shawn Murphy have been working cooperatively on completing the second request form. Rep Urban will be picking the completed form up from the Selectmen’s office later this week. Shawn will include site plan, budget, and PowerPoint presentation along with the Bond Request and also ask Rep Urban if there is any more information that can/should be included. Rep Urban’s office will be asked to replace the building rendering on her web site with one from the PowerPoint. Shawn will ask Rep Urban for a copy of the original filing.
Charlie Steinhart asked if the error on slide 20 of the PP presentation had been corrected. Peter will touch base with Brian Elias to make sure it has been taken care of. Shawn asked that it then be sent to the Selectmen’s office so it can go up on the Town’s website.
Regarding the email prior to the Public Hearing on the 30th, concerning what financial detail would be presented, Shawn stated that the Board of Selectmen (BoS) discussed the issue and consensus was they would only provide what the annual payment would be, not the tax impact, as it has yet to go to Board of Finance (BoF). It is typically up to BoF, once they’ve received a request for additional appropriation to provide that information.
Shawn then asked, that, based upon what Committee heard during the Public Hearing, where there any changes they wished to make, or any unanswered questions? If not, then the Selectmen will vote at their next regular meeting to forward Committee’s request to the Board of Finance and then go to Town Meeting. It would be at that time that BoF can weigh in on effect this would have on taxes.
Charles Steinhart IV, Vice Chair of the Board of Finance, stated that an amortization schedule had been provided to the BoF by the Town Treasure indicating what the full increase could be. Shawn was not comfortable putting that information out at this time.
Joe Cassata stated that feedback he had received after the Public Hearing was that people want to know the bottom line impact on their wallet. He also stated that people questioned if the BoS would say “let’s finish one project before we start another”.
Shawn indicated there will be no putting school project on hold. There are hearings on that scheduled for February 8 and 13.
Mark Perkins stated that it’s difficult to give an absolute number because there is no way of knowing what financing terms will be in a year. We can only provide numbers based on current interest rates offered by USDA.
Bob did indicate that several borrowing options have been looked at and USDA continues to have the best rates.
Bob did not feel that the January 30 Public Hearing was successful. There weren’t many new faces and that some of those familiar faces may already have their minds made up. Maybe a weeknight hearing should be considered. What else can be done to get the information out to the Town’s people?
Mark stated that the Town Meeting will be held on a Monday and he thinks that the people have heard all of the rhetoric on this.
Gary Baron told the Committee that what he was hearing is that there isn’t’ any PR program to get the word out. What Gary hears is that people are more upset with politics and taxes.
Joe Gross indicated that tonight was the first time he’d heard anything relative to the possibility of a problem with the site on Rocky Hollow Rd. Mark Perkins stated that it was only brought to the Committee’s attention last Monday. Joe went on to compliment Committee on their presentation on January 30.
Paul Kowack stated that at the Public Hearing the subject of the method of assessing taxes was brought up. One was a flat tax the other a mil rate change. Shawn stated that we could ask the assessor to weigh in on that but he did not believe a flat tax was allowed by current tax code. This will be on the agenda for the next regular meeting BoS meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Mark Perkins stated that, following the Public Hearing, a formal request should now be sent to the BoS requesting that they forward Committee’s request for additional funding on the Board of Finance. Once BoF reviews and approves BoS can set a date for Town Meeting.
Peter mentioned that someone had asked at the Public Hearing would happen if there were funds left over. It may be prudent to mention that the state funds ($300k) will reduce what the Town would need to borrow. Bob asked if the Town would have those funds at the close out of the project. Shawn indicated that bills will be paid and the funding would come through from the State, with more hoops likely before it is all done. Bob mentioned that if we’ve already borrowed what was needed, $300k could be a payment into the principal.
MOTION by Joe Cassata, second by Ryan Burdick supporting the Committee’s original request for additional funds be forwarded from the Selectmen’s Office to the Board of Finance.
All in favor, motion passed.
Mark Perkins brought up the topic of the Phase II Clerk of The Works contract. The Committee has had questions regarding the contract, services provided under the contract, as well as the cost. There had been an NTE value of $156k on a contract for the Clerk of The Works, which contract had never been executed. Jim Rossman of Stadia Engineering, who had been the Clerk for Phase I, and the successful candidate for Phase II, informed the Committee that this figure did not come from Stadia Engineering, but generated from the Selectmen’s Office.
Stadia engineering submitted a response to the Town’s RFP. The rates submitted by Stadia in their Phase II response are the same as those submitted in their Phase I response. The job of Stadia is to focus on their responsibilities and deliver that to the Town. Stadia has defined their responsibilities in their response to the RFP.
NEW BUSINESS:
ADJOURN: MOTION to adjourn made by Charles Steinhart V, second Ryan Burdick.
All in favor, meeting adjourned at 8:28 PM
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