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TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL WORK SESSION
COUNCIL CHAMBERS APRIL 29, 2002
SOUTH WINDSOR TOWN HALL 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Aman called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor William Aman
Deputy Mayor Matthew Streeter
Councillor Barbara Barbour
Councillor Paul Burnham
Councillor Thomas Delnicki
Councillor Deborah Fine
Councillor Edward Havens
Councillor Marianne Lassman Fisher
Councillor John Pelkey
Also Present: Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan
Town Attorney Barry D. Guliano
3. Public Participation
John Panora, 36 High Tower Drive, representing the South Windsor Boys
Don Mercure, 107 Marc Drive, President of the South Windsor Little League, referenced the revised Master Plan and indicated the League
Communications
Councillor Havens indicated his concern with regard to the purchase of the old Post Office. He asked for some resolution with regard to the purchase of this building as soon as the budget process has been completed. Mr. Galligan said that Peter DeMallie of Design Professionals has been hired to do work on the building, which will look for some type of office use. He said that the staff is trying to obtain more detailed information. When asked whether the Town had the right of first refusal with regard to the building, Mr. Galligan said that the Town did not have the right of first refusal, but the owner had originally said that he would first offer it to the Town.
Councillor Barbour noted that she had asked the Public Building Commission to provide a report on the building to the Council, but she has not yet heard from them.
Councillor Lassman Fisher said that, at the CouncilPublic Hearing held so that the public would be made aware of the details. She expressed concern about questions being answered before money is dedicated to this project.
Mr. Galligan said he wants to have the Public Building Commission, as well as a group from the Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools, to answer the questions. He emphasized that the Council can change an appropriation at any time, and he felt he had made it clear that this money is not going anywhere until a presentation is made by all of the parties involved.
Councillor Lassman Fisher asked the following question: If the Resolution on this evening He said that there is a specific procedure which would be put in place if this were earmarked in Capital Projects. The Board of Education and the Public Building Commission would have requests for proposals for the architectural contract. The procedure adopted between the Council and the Public Building Commission is that once a company has been selected, a contract is negotiated; but, before that contract is signed, the Public Building Commission has to submit it to the Town Attorney
Councillor Lassman Fisher was concerned that the resolution on this subject this evening was not clear, in that it did not require the Public Building Commission to be involved.
Howard Fitts of the Public Building Commission (PBC) said the normal practice is for the Town Council to pass a resolution requesting the PBC to take on a project. The Town Council sets the guidelines, and the PBC reports to the Council. The money which is spent is authorized by the Council. He said he has had discussions with Dr. Wood and Kathy Daugherty, Chairperson of the Board of Education, and they are in agreement that the approach for this project would be the same as used previously--The town Council would pass a resolution requesting the Public Building Commission to undertake an effort; the Council would appropriate money to the PBC to spend for items necessary to carry out the charge; and the PBC would come back to the Council periodically to provide updates.
Continuing, Mr. Fitts said that he would see the expenditure of $200,000 or less as being for professional services of an architect or a construction manager, or a combination thereof; for test borings; and perhaps additional funds for whatever might be necessary to provide the public with some information. If they are looking for a referendum, he said we are already late getting started.
Councillor Lassman Fisher stated that what has not happened in the past is that the Board of Education has passed a resolution regarding the type of capital funding that they are requesting. They passed a resolution last week saying that the money needs to come from the Capital Improvements account and not Capital Non-Recurring because it was their opinion that they need to access that money and don
Mr. Fitts repeated that the Town Council controls the process. The Council would provide a resolution which instructs the PBC to work with the Board on carrying out the project. The Council would appropriate the money to the PBC (not the Board) which keeps the control of the funds within the General Government side, which is where it would be in this kind of process; and it empowers the PBC to move ahead on the project and have the money to pay for professional services. If the money goes to the Board, then the PBC is essentially out of the process.
Attorney Guliano explained that the money is not being added to the Board's budget. The way in which the resolution reads, it is being added to the Capital Improvements Budget which, although it is being earmarked for a Board project, is still in the Town's budget.
Councillor Streeter noted that the resolution approved by the Board of Education states that the Board will work with the Public Building Commission overseeing and managing the project.
As clarification, Atty. Guliano said that, even though the funds would ultimately be appropriated to the Public Building Commission, they have to go through the Town Manager to actually have the funds released.
Councillor Lassman Fisher still asked that the resolution be reviewed to include language which indicates that there is a policy which must be followed.
Patrick Hennessey, a Board of Education Member, who said he was not speaking as the official Board representative, stated that it was never the Board
Mr. Fitts stated that the PBC would be looking for a resolution from the Town Council requesting their involvement and a resolution appropriating money so that they would have the funds to hire professional services in order to carry out the charge.
5. Town Manager's Report - None
6. Items for Discussion
Proposed 2002/2003 Budgets:
Appropriations and Transfers
Mr. Galligan spoke of the transfer of money (which he referred to as CRRA money) in the Public Works Budget which was earmarked for the $16/ton but was changed to $6/ton.
Mr. Galligan explained that there are various resolutions being addressed this evening to realign money. (See attached Regular Meeting Agenda with attachments.)
Item I. realigns about $20,000 in the General Fund and appropriates $117,120 to the Capital Fund to take care of capital items recommended by the Capital Projects Committee.
Item II. involves no increase in the budget; it takes the Sewer Fund, which is a self-sustaining fund, and realigns capital projects which were discussed at the Water Pollution Control Authority meeting. One of these involves the extension of the sewer on Pleasant Valley Road and the other involves the pump station replacement and removal. He emphasized that there is no increase in the budget because there is a capital reserve account within the Sewer Fund that pays for those items.
Item III., although the resolution says increasing the Capital Improvement Budget to $1,791,773, is not actually increasing the budget; it would be approving the capital budget.
Mr. Galligan referred to the footnotes listed on attached Schedule A. The project concerning the Town Garage salt mixing and storage shed was budgeted for $500,000; the recommendation is for $181,678 from the readjustment of other capital projects which have been closed out. He said that a Public Hearing would be required to make the transfer. Regarding the Elementary Study, this project would be administered by the Public Building Commission.
Projects which had been removed included the door handles/locks at Eli Terry and Orchard Hill Schools and the new voting machines.
There is an item listed as Capital and Non-Recurring for $62,000, which is not earmarked for anything. Capital and Non-Recurring, under State Statute, was created to put a certain amount of money aside for unforeseen projects, but a Public Hearing is required to take the money out of the account.
Mr. Galligan said that the remaining resolutions will increase the bottom line of the budget and could cause the increase in taxes. He did indicate, however, Item VIII., relating to the Fire Marshal
Mr. Galligan said he wished to make it clear that the budget was not being approved this evening; accounts were simply being realigned.
At 8:00 p.m. the Budget Work Session was recessed in order to call the Special Meeting to order, and the Budget Work Session was immediately reconvened.
Mr. Galligan referred to calculations prepared with a proposed mill rate, together with the tax rates. (See attached.)
Councillor Barbour, referring to the resolution for the Public Building Commission to utilize monies for a Board of Education project, asked if the resolution providing the Public Building Commission with the funds would have to be passed concurrently with the budget approval. Atty. Guliano said that they would not have to be done at the same time. Mayor Aman said he would prefer to see the budget approved first and then the Board of Education and Public Building Commission meet to prepare a resolution as to how the $200,000 would be spent.
Atty. Guliano said that no parts of the budget are being approved this evening. The Council is examining various potential amendments and is directing the Town Manager to put together those potential amendments for next week when the budget is to be approved.
General Budget Discussion - None
7. Executive Session - None
8. Adjournment
A motion to adjourn was made at 8:10 p.m. It was duly seconded and was unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Merlyn P. Guild
Assistant to the Clerk of the Council
Attachments
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