TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
Board of Finance
302 Main Street • Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741
MINUTES
FIRST PUBLIC HEARING
MARCH 15, 2012 7:30 P.M.
OLD SAYBROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
CALL TO ORDER Chairman, David LaMay, called the Public Hearing of the Board of Finance to order at 7:30 P.M.
Attendant Members Absent Members
David LaMay, Chairman John O’Brien
Grant Westerson, V. Chairman Barry O’Nell
Brad Thorpe Derrick Kennedy
Tom Stevenson (8:15 p.m.)
In Attendance
Selectman Carl Fortuna
Selectman Scott Giegerich
Selectman Steven Gernhart
Bob Fish, Treasurer
Superintendant Joseph Onofrio
Julie Pendleton, Operations, Facilities and Finance Manager
Oliver Barton, Principal OSHS
Tara Winch, Ass’t. Principal
Michael Rafferty, Principal, OSMS
Sheila Brown, Principal, Goodwin School
Joanne Sullivan, Chairman, Budget & Fiscal Committee
Larry Bonin, Director Public Works
Michael Spera, Chief of Police
Chairman LaMay opened the Public Hearing with the Pledge of Allegiance. He then introduced the Board of Finance and the administrative clerk. He asked Ms. Lewis to read the call of the Legal Notice and she noted that the advertisement for the first Public Hearing on the budget was in the March 6th, 2012 edition of the Harbor News.
Chairman LaMay noted that this was the first Public Hearing on the budget.
At this time Mr. LaMay turned it over to Selectman Fortuna who presented the town government budget. Mr. Fortuna noted that after weeks of budget workshops, the BOS has adopted a $15,452,382 general government budget that reflects contractual salary increases for staff, an increase in the employee health insurance budget to correct this year’s health budget underfunding and to cover cost increases, and larger capital investments to protect town physical assets and save for future capital needs purchases.
Selectman Fortuna went through the budget and noted that the major components of the proposed $657,068 increase is due to health insurance increases and contractual salary increases for town employees and higher contractual costs for purchased services. The overall increase represents a 4.4% increase over the current year.
Mr. Fortuna also noted that he increased the town’s annual contribution towards pension funding from 6% to 6.25% of town payroll.
Mr. Fortuna noted that three capital funds will see increases in annual town contributions. The town’s road re-paving fund will increase; the annual contribution to the town’s capital non-recurring fund, used to pay cash for “soft costs” of town projects, and for capital maintenance like roof replacements, will double. The town will also set aside more funds now to help the fire department pay cash toward a planned fire engine replacement in 2014.
The BOS strongly supported a proposal of Acton Library Director Michele Van Epps and the Library Board to swap $30,000 of capital funding for computer replacement for $30,000, to support a new software and hardware conversion to the regional Library on-line system. This will provide added benefits for library patrons.
At this time, Selectman Fortuna took questions from the public of about 39 attendees.
Chairman LaMay, at this time, called upon Superintendent Onofrio before the presentation of the BOE budget. Mr. Onofrio thanked the Board of Finance and briefly discussed the review and considerations of the Board of Education while working on their budget.
At this time, Ms. Sullivan, Chairman of the budget and fiscal committee explained how the Board of Education came to the budget that was before them. She then turned it over to Ms. Pendleton who discussed briefly the Board of Education budget:
• Teacher contracts; certified salaries; non-certified salaries;
• Contractural salary increases;
• Increase in Health Insurance
• Special Ed services;
• Computer software;
There were no questions for Ms. Pendleton or the Board of Education.
There being no further business, Chairman LaMay adjourned the Public Hearing at 9:21 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Gerri Lewis, Clerk
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