TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBERS MARCH 22, 2004
SOUTH WINDSOR TOWN HALL TIME: 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Havens called the meeting to order at
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor Edward Havens
Deputy Mayor John Pelkey
Councillor William Aman
Councillor Deborah Fine
Councillor Judith Paquin
Councillor Elizabeth Pendleton
Councillor Matthew Streeter
Councillor Muriel Yacavone
Also Present: Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan
Absent: Councillor Thomas Delnicki
Town Attorney Barry Guliano
3. Public Participation
First to speak was Mark Sobel, 28 Bramblebrae, who rose to question the Town Councillors as to whether they “tell” or “suggest” to the Board of Education the budget figure they should come in with. And, when the Board returns with a figure “higher” than the one given by the Town Council—when, he asked, does the Town Council finally say “We mean it; 4% (i.e.) really means 4%.” Mr. Sobel also questioned that all perceived problems with our school system are always solved by “more money.”
Mr. Sobel concluded by stating that he was looking forward to “my Town Council doing what it was elected to do—which is to set a goal for the Board of Education.” And, he added, he was depending on the Town Council to “stand by that goal, and to be firm.”
3. Public Participation (Continued)
Next to speak was John Sand, 201 Miller Road, who said he was present to comment on the proposed Board of Education Budget. Referring to recent articles in the newspapers addressing how much South Windsor spends on education, and the Town’s ranking per capita income, Mr. Sand said he decided to do his own research with regard to this, and was surprised with what he had found.
Saying that “per capita income,” South Windsor ranks extremely high—or, about 40th of 170 Towns—with an income, on average, of over $40,000. However, he said, with regard to how much South Windsor spends “per student on education,” the Town is “way down the list.” Of the 9 poorest Towns in the State, according to Mr. Sand, eight (8) of them spend more money, per student, on education than South Windsor. He then went on to name the surrounding Towns of Ellington, East Hartford, Vernon, and Manchester, and what they spend on education.
Mr. Sand said he hoped the Town Council did not already have a “closed mind” on the subject of the Board’s budget; and that during its upcoming deliberations it remember that the Town already spends less on education than other Towns; that this Budget will still keep South Windsor “way below the vast majority of Towns in the State; in our ERG, and below the Towns in our immediate area.”
4. Communications - None
5. Special Business
A. Presentation of Board of Education Budget
( Presented by Robert E. O’Connor, Chairman, Board of Education)
Mr. O’Connor began his presentation by introducing those Members of the South Windsor Board of Education who were present at this evening’s Special Meeting. They were: Anthony Fornuto, David Joy, Janice Snyder, Thomas Reale, and Keith Yagaloff.
Also present from the Board of Education was Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Wood, and the Board of Education’s Business Manager Donald Neel.
5. Special Business
A. Presentation of Board of Education Budget (Continued)
Mr. O’Connor began by explaining that a “Budget Committee” of the Board of Education had been appointed this year; and it was that Committee, not the Town Council, that had set the challenge of a 4% goal. That figure was set, he stated, to acknowledge the fiscal constraints that the Town and the State of Connecticut were experiencing this year. Mr. O’Connor then went on to explain the importance of a good educational system when people were looking for a place to live and bring up their children. He then provided samples of “noble achievements” resulting from quality education.
Following his opening remarks, Mr. O’Connor then requested that Members of the Town Council move from the dais into the audience in order to better observe the datapoint presentation he would be making, capsuling the proposed 2004/2005 Board of Education Budget. (A copy of this summary is attached hereto as Exhibit A.)
In conclusion, Mr. O’Connor reported that the proposed increase over last year’s Board of Education Budget was $2,854,995 (or a 6.1% increase); and that the total proposed Budget, with that increase, would be $49,639,491.
Mr. Lyman Maytubby, 16 Lake Street, said it surprised him that 83% of the Board’s Budget “went to teaching;” and requested more definitive information as to how many of this 83% were “stand-up before the classroom teachers,” and how many were administrative personnel. He also requested information regarding the “dollars” associated with these positions.
Mr. Maytubby went on to question increases in “contractual obligations;” and the Town’s salaries in comparison to the “ERGs;”
Mr. O’Connor then invited Dr. Wood to come forward to answer some of the questions put before the Board of Education.
Dr. Wood said that the South Windsor Public Schools (as audited by the State) is a “very efficient operation.” He continued by stating that the Board “spends less in areas where we want to spend less (health insurance and indirect costs, etc.); and it spends more where we want to spend more (educational supplies, equipment and text; and being competitive among our teachers and administrators in salaries).
5. A. Presentation of Board of Education Budget (Continued)
All this, Dr. Wood added, and still remained one of the lowest in per pupil cost in the State. He felt it was important for the Town Council and the public to know this because, as he put it, “there is not anywhere to go when you start reducing the Budget.”
Dr. Wood added that he did not look at the Town’s per pupil costs as a “negative” because the lower final cost was the result of efficiency in the Board’s operations. By way of example, Dr. Wood asked that Council look at other Towns where increases running as high as 9% to 15% in insurance costs were being experienced.
This concluded the Board’s presentation of their Proposed Fiscal Year 2004/2005 Budget. (See attached Exhibit A.)
B. Presentation of General Government Budget
(Presented by Matthew B. Galligan, Town Manager)
Town Manager Matthew Galligan, too, presented his proposed 2004/2005 General Government Budget to the Town Council and the listening public through the use of a datapoint presentation. He stated that this was one of the most difficult budgets he has had to do due to 1) a weaker economy than in the past; and 2) many new “mandates” coming down from the State and Federal governments resulting in increased costs in the upcoming Budget.
Mr. Galligan pointed out that there were Department Head requests totaling $28,537,551; and, following that, Manager-proposed requests totaling $26,905,751--or, $1.6 million that was taken out of Department Heads’ requests—none of which were on a “wish list,” but were items that they were “very serious about;” and were actual programs that would have benefited the community. He explained what they were in more detail.
The Town Manager then brought to Council’s attention his concern about the Town’s Pension Fund; and the cost of about $514,000 associated with it. He explained that the market has been going back and forth between 80% funded and 100% funded; the Board of Education’s Pension Fund, he added, is about 95% funded
ITEM:
5. B.. Presentation of General Government Budget (Continued)
Mr. Galligan felt that if this cost could be split between two years; and, at year’s end, perhaps the “surplus” or at least a part of the surplus could be used in the Pension Fund; and next year, such things as “refinancing” could provide funds for this account.
One of the proposed increases that Mr. Galligan specifically referred to was the $643,000 increase in full-time salaries; however, the overall personnel service increase, he added, is about $496,000. In the $643,000 figure, he added, there is about $145,000 of new positions—including two (2) Dispatchers. (Mr. Galligan then explained the very real need for more Dispatchers.) Another position to now be funded through this increase was that of a “Senior Outreach Worker”--which position, for the last three years, he said, has been funded through a Grant but will now be included in the Town’s Budget.
Also included in this figure, Mr. Galligan reported, were salary increases ranging between 2% and 3-1/2%; and a $291,000 additional cost of meeting the salaries and fringe benefits for a “53rd payroll week,” which occurs every 7 years and would be the case in the upcoming budget year.
Mr. Galligan continued to highlight and explain those increases or new expenses of particular note—road repair and replacement inventory; changes in the refuse collection program; setting aside monies to fund an “in-house” revaluation process every four years as mandated by the State of Connecticut; etc.
Mr. Galligan then went through comparisons in accounts from year to year.
In summary, the Town Manager stated that what was being proposed this evening including all the items he referred to, but excluding the Board of Education’s budget, amounted to a 4.37% increase (or $1.1 Million).
ITEM:
5. B.. Presentation of General Government Budget (Continued)
Continuing, Mr. Galligan said he had the most difficulty this year with the “Revenue” side of the Budget—primarily because it had become necessary for the State to cut back on their aid to municipalities. Where South Windsor used to get $1.3 million from the State; it was now receiving about $985,000.
The Town Manager then referred to where the Town was attempting to raise its own revenues through tax sales, building permit fees, an increase in revenues from Town Clerk fees because of the re-mortgaging going on in Town; etc. Total reduction in revenues from just three accounts, he added, was over $508,000.
In summary, Mr. Galligan said that the Board of Education Operating Budget (as presented this evening) would result in a 6.1% increase; and the Town’s Operating Budget as presented this evening would see a 5.7% increase. The overall budget increase, for Fiscal Year 2004/2005, he summarized, would be a 5.47% increase if the Budgets were accepted as presented.
Referring to area Towns and their anticipated increases for the upcoming Fiscal Year, Mr. Galligan informed Council that Glastonbury’s Proposed Budget would result in a 7.17% increase; West Hartford – 7.98% increase; Tolland – a 6.83% increase; Newington – 4.27%. Mr. Galligan said that the average increase, at this time, between the 15 Towns surveyed is 6%.
He, again, pointed out that much of these increases are due to the loss of aid from the State; and to State and Federal mandates. Included in the General Government’s Budget, he said, are $175,000 worth of new mandates. These mandates, he added, are passed on to the Towns with no funding included.
With a tax increase of 6.17%, Mr. Galligan said that the new Mill Rate would be 31.63 mills under the Budgets presented this evening. Mr. Galligan’s presentation was then completed.
(Attached, as Exhibit B., is a hard copy of Mr. Galligan’s datapoint presentation on the Proposed General Government Budget for Fiscal Year 2004/2005.)
ITEM:
5. B.. Presentation of General Government Budget (Continued)
Mayor Havens then asked if those present had questions on either of the presentations. There was none. The Mayor also informed the listening public that there would be three or four more meetings of the Town Council, over the next few weeks, at which the Councillors would be “dissecting” the Town Manager’s Budget; and invited the public to attend one or more of these meetings.
6. Executive Session
Town Manager Matthew Galligan asked the Town Council for a few minutes of their time to provide an update on the status of union negotiations with Public Works personnel.
Councillor Streeter then moved to go into Executive Session for this purpose. The Motion was seconded by Councillor Aman and unanimously approved.
7. Motion to Adjourn
The Special Meeting was adjourned following the close of the Executive Session.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia R. Brown
Clerk of the Council
(Attmts. Exhibits A. and B.)
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