302 Main Street Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741
BOARD OF FINANCE MINUTES REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 15, 2015 at 7:00 P.M. |
BOF Attendant Members Absent Members
David LaMay, Chairman Breck Lindley
Brad Thorpe, Vice Chairman Greg Gernhardt
Tom Stevenson
John O’Brien
Barry O’Nell
In Attendance
Selectman Carl Fortuna
Bob Fish, Treasurer
Jan Peruccio, Superintendent of Schools
Julie Pendelton, Director of Finance & Operations
Lee Ann Palladino, Interim Finance Director
Larry Hayden, IT Director
Gracia Lewis, WPCA
Attorney Joe McQuade
Call to order
Mr. LaMay called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM
Pledge of Allegiance
Mr. LaMay led the pledge .
IV. MINUTES
A motion to approve the minutes of the November 17. 2015 meeting was made by Brad Thorpe and seconded by John O’Brien. Discussion resulted in amending a typo error on the date of the minutes from the 18th to the 17th and the minutes were unanimously approved.
Minutes for the 12/1/15 meeting were unavailable for review and a motion by Chairman LaMay and a second by Brad Thorpe to table approval to the next meeting was unanimously approved.
V. Board of Education Report
Jan Peruccio reported that work on the 16/17 budget was underway and would be ready for presentation to the Board of Education on December 23rd for their review. She also reported that officers for the Board of Education are Kelly Kennedy, Chairperson, Joanne Sullivan, Assistant Chairperson, and Karen Brodeur, Secretary. The current budget is still status quo. Mediation is in the first week with the Para educators, and negotiations with the secretary union should start within the next 2 months.
VI. Attorney Joe Mcquade of the law firm Kane, Escalara, and McHale provided an overview of Connecticut General Statue Section 7-4-33c concerning Heart and Hypertension, which affects Police Officers and Fire Fighters. Heart and Hypertension claims are similar to workmen’s compensation with the exception that heart and hypertension claims do not have to prove that the job caused the condition. Towns banded together in 1996 changing the law to cap Heart and Hypertension benefits, which are now covered under workmen’s compensation. He stated that no one insures Heart and Hypertension claims and payments for claims by Police Officers hired prior to 1996 must come from the town budget. Selectman Fortuna stated that we have been putting money in a fund each year to help the town prepare for
future claims.
VII. Treasurer’s Report on Off Budget Account for the WPCA.
Bob Fish stated that there are 3 off Budget accounts for WPCA.
210 Account called the Sewer Avoidance Fund, is money used as working capital, allowing the WPCA to spend money to get work done for which they are reimbursed by the state following completion of each project phase. The current balance in the account is $877K.
366 Account called the Small Cities Grant Fund is a low income grant given to the town allowing them to install sewer avoidance system in homes of property owners who qualify for assistance. The grant money covers 50% of the cost of the system and the home owner is only required to cover interest only payments until the property is sold. When the property is sold money is returned to this account. Currently the balance in this account is $54K.
368 Special Assessment Account is a pass through account for the homeowner’s assessment. The town takes the homeowner’s payments and sends it to pay the installments on the 20 year loans. The fee is currently $18,500 per month.
Selectman Fortuna went on to further clarify the issue by stating that the money is split into 2 bonds. One bond is a general obligation bond, which everyone in town pays as part of our annual budget. The second bond is a special assessment bond, which is the 368 account paid for by the homeowners of the septic systems and is sent to the state in one check from the town each month.
Barry O’Nell asked Gratia Lewis which account the money came from to pay the $4500 for landscaping of 2 properties in phase one since phase one had been closed months ago and the time to appeal had passed. Gratia stated that it came from the 210 account. O’Nell asked if the money could be taken out of this account for those 2 properties, why wasn’t it used to cover all the complaints of other properties rather than have them challenge in court or go unsatisfied. Gratia did not know the answer to why, but if he wanted to know he would have to wait for Steven Mongillo to return.
8:00 PM Brad Thorpe had to leave the meeting.
VIII Selectman’s Report.
Selectman Fortuna told the board about the recent building problems in the Youth and Family building and complimented the Chief of Police for following up with the insurance company to cover the cost of the repairs. John O’Brien stated that he visited the building to review the situation and voiced his concerns about only fixing the necessary repairs and maybe we should consider repairing other areas not covered under the insurance as the building is very old and now that everyone is out of the building this may be the right time to fix those areas.
The town is still pursuing a $200K state grant to review the Mariner’s way. We have made it to the second round and had 10 minutes to give a presentation to the state and are now waiting to see if we qualify for the grant.
Blast All had donated a lift to the town to decorate the Christmas tree. While the lift was available the town had Mike Macri contractors go on the roof of the Kate to replace 2 loose roof tiles which were leaking.
The dispatcher contract expired July 1 of this year and there is no negotiation set on that right now.
Bob Fish is reviewing the bond payments for next year’s budget and it appears our payments will be $90 - $100K less than this year.
Tom Stevenson noticed the lights on the veteran memorial flag are not working. Selectman Fortuna said he would look into it.
Public comment: One citizen expressed his concern about the town liability that could result if a new law considering coverage of cancer for our fire fighters were passed. Another citizen urged us to prepare for future Heart and Hypertension claims and also expressed the same concerns as John O’Brien on the condition and repair of the Youth and Family Service building.
Motion to adjourn made by Tom Stevenson, second by Chairman LaMay unanimously approved.
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