TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL WORK SESSION
COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY 3, 2004
SOUTH WINDSOR TOWN HALL 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Havens called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor Edward Havens
Deputy Mayor John P. Pelkey
Councillor William Aman
Councillor Thomas Delnicki
Councillor Deborah Fine
Councillor Judith Paquin
Councillor Elizabeth Pendleton
Councillor Matthew Streeter
Councillor Muriel Yacavone
Also Present: Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan
Town Attorney Barry D. Guliano
Public Participation
Annamae Davis, 9 Ridge Road, noted that members of the Town Council represent the entire Town and asked that the Council act in a bipartisan manner this evening.
Communications – None
Town Manager’s Report – None
Items for Discussion
A. Discussion Item – FEMA Update
Director of Public Works Mike Gantick reported that a meeting had occurred with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) regarding their examination of updates of the mapping of areas in Town. There were
6. A. (Continued)
three areas examined with regard to flood mapping – Plum Gully, Quarry Brook (from Clark Street to Mill Pond), and Podunk (from Foster Street Extension to Miller Road). A study of those areas was conducted, and they found that there were six areas of impact--
Parcel east of Foster Street Extension to Miller Road – There have not been any flood limits previously defined. This is a new area which has been mapped in Town.
Parcel east side of Nevers Road across from Ayers Road – Flood limits extended beyond where they had previously been mapped.
Parcel east of Nevers Road, adjacent to Nevers Road Park – the flood limits have been reduced.
Parcel southeast of the intersection of Buckland Road and Oakland Road – flood limits have been reduced.
Parcel near Evergreen Walk – flood limits have been reduced.
Parcel near the Pleasant Valley Condominiums – flood limits have been reduced.
Another area under further study is Deming Street and Buckland Road. There is conflicting information.
Mr. Gantick reported that the end result will be a new flood insurance study. Once information is provided regarding the Buckland Road and Deming Street area, the Town will have approximately 90 days to evaluate the information. If there is no comment from the Town, the study will be approved and there will be a six-month period during which changes can be made.
The Council will be advised once additional information is received regarding Buckland Road and Deming Street. It is anticipated that neighbors in those areas will be advised once the Town receives the additional information.
6. A. (Continued)
Deputy Mayor Pelkey, noting that he had attended the meeting, said that he was satisfied that the Town’s issues were resolved.
B. Volunteer Fire Department Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2004/2005
(See attached Exhibit A)
Chief Crombie began by briefly reviewing page 2 of attached Exhibit A, listing the distribution of the money which the Town gives to the Fire Department.
He then addressed the first page of the document. He said that for 2004/2005, the Department staff submitted requests totaling approximately $626,278, which was “pared down” to a request of the Town Manager of $481,233. The final amount of $461,895, is an increase of 5% over the current budget year. There is an additional $10,000 from interest and donations, which brings the total to $471,895.
Chief Crombie stated that the Department is comprised of about 100 volunteer firefighters. Each of those individuals is required to attend a certain amount of training and a certain amount of responses. The Department responds to approximately 500 fire and rescue calls per year.
Chief Crombie said that his department has been putting together two plans, one of which is a “facilities plan” which looks at the three fire stations concerning upkeep as well as preliminary plans with regard to what might be done with Station 3 on Sullivan Avenue. The “facilities plan” has been given to the Town Manager, but the two of them have not yet had an opportunity to review it together. In addition, they have an “apparatus plan,” which looks at the replacement schedule for the Fire Department fleet over the course of the next 17 or 18 years. Chief Crombie said he would like to present both of these plans to the Council in the near future at a work session.
Councillor Delnicki asked if the Fire Department is “ready” for Evergreen Walk and the demands which will be placed upon a volunteer fire deparment. Chief Crombie responded that they are ready for the types of alarms that they might receive with the types of buildings which will be in Evergreen Walk.
6. B. (Continued)
Chief Crombie and his department were thanked for their devotion to the safety of the community of South Windsor.
C. Budget Adjustments and Capital Projects, as Proposed by the Town Manager
(See attached Exhibits B and C)
Mr. Galligan said he was told to adjust the budget and determine if cuts could be made, while continuing to keep the current level of service and without making changes affecting personnel. He reported that the budget was adjusted by about $136,723 on the operating side and $100,000 in interest on the debt service side. The reduction in the interest is due to the fact that the Town refinanced between $6 million and $7 million of bonds.
There have been no cuts with regard to permanent personnel.
Mr. Galligan briefly addressed the items listed on attached Exhibit B “Budget Adjustments Summary – General Fund” and made the following specific comments.
South Windsor Redevelopment Agency - Councillor Aman had requested that the $30,000 be placed in the Town Manager’s budget under the Professional Account, as opposed to leaving it under the Redevelopment Agency budget, as that individual will be coordinating the efforts of redevelopment and economic development.
Emergency Planning and Response – Reduce the funding. This item was developed two years ago, and none of these funds have been used.
Town Manager – Add the $30,000 from the contractual services which was moved from the Redevelopment Agency.
Public Works – Motor Equipment Repair – Reduce Department equipment. This was for a light to do night work.
Conservation of Health – Reduce professional account. Mosquito control – the catch basins will be done twice a year, which is ample, rather than
6. C. (Continued)
three times per year. Concentration will be given more to parks and ponds. Less hepatitis shots are being given.
Library – Mr. Galligan noted his appreciation to the Library Board for their reductions.
The total adjustments come to $26,669,028. The Town Council has a line item for cuts to the Board of Education Budget of about $412,000, which looks like a 4.82% tax increase based upon the reductions discussed this evening.
Mr. Galligan was asked who receives the hepatitis shots, and he said it could include Public Works personnel, sewer plant personnel, Fire Department personnel and Police Department personnel. Chief Crombie indicated that the initial series of hepatitis shots come out of the Town Manager’s Budget. For new firefighters, the shots are part of their entry level physical.
As a member of the Capital Projects Committee, Deputy Mayor Pelkey addressed the Council with regard to the Capital Projects Plan. (See attached Exhibit C). Deputy Mayor Pelky recognized Councillors Aman and Paquin who also serve on the Committee. He said a new plan this year included the delineation of consistent $250,000 increases each and every year for the next nine years. Because at the present rate of funding, the Town is falling further behind in the maintenance of the Town’s infrastructure. There are presently $50 million of identified projects. By not completing these projects in a timely manner, the Town ends up paying more in the long run. As an example, Mr. Pelkey reminded the Council of the repavement of the parking lot at Orchard Hill
School. The project originally came in at $40,000, but because the Town is so underfunded in the Capital Projects Budget, it was delayed for a number of years. It ended up costing twice as much as originally quoted because the base had washout and had to be replaced.
There was a shifting of every project into a time slot that can be accomplished if the Council keeps to the revised plan of increasing the fund by $250,000 each year.
6. C. (Continued)
A column labeled “leverage” was added to the plan. After reviewing the projects, it became apparent that by grouping similar projects, it may be possible to leverage some of the savings due to volume, resources, time management, etc.
What had traditionally been the Capital Non-Recurring Account was separated into different budget categories. This better identifies the intended use of the money.
Also new are projects identified by two categories: Those which will immediately bring about direct savings to operations and those projects which, when done in a timely manner, will avoid potential deterioration or damage.
Deputy Mayor Pelkey continued by reviewing the projects listed on attached Exhibit C. He stated that the projects listed have been around for so long that “we will have to rely upon estimates.” The total of these projects is $2,741,000, and we were only budgeting for $2,235,000 on the budget presented. There is $140,000 to be utilized from previous year projects and there are LoCIP funds in the amount of $493,750 which can be used. We will use $366,000 of the LoCIP funds. This will provide enough money to fund all of the projects and have $127,750 remaining for next year.
Councillor Streeter referred back to the Town Manager’s discussion concerning budget adjustments. On the administration side for the Police Department, he said that the full-time salaries account was increasing by 24%. He said he would rather make cuts in public safety in that area, as opposed to cutting overtime or out of operations or technical side. As explanation, Mr. Galligan said that an individual was moved from one department to another.
Deputy Mayor Pelkey said that mentioned in the report was adding $250,000 to the capital project each and every year for the next nine years, and he hoped that the present Council is committed to doing that.
Executive Session – None
Adjournment
A motion to adjourn the Work Session was made at 7:55 p.m. and was unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Merlyn Guild
Assistant to the Clerk of the Council
Attachments
| 
