PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES
APRIL 3, 2006
7:30 P.M.
SOUTH WINDSOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PURPOSE: TO RECEIVE CITIZEN INPUT ON THE PROPOSED GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006/2007.
The Public Hearing was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Matthew Streeter. The Assistant to the Clerk of the Council read the Call of the Meeting (a copy of which is attached). The following Town Council members were present: Mayor Matthew Streeter, Deputy Mayor Thomas Delnicki, and Councillors Fine, havens, McCann, Moriarty, Pelkey, Prague, and Yagaloff. Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan was also present. There were approximately twenty (20) people in the audience.
Mr. Tom Dillon of 34 Barber Hill Road commented on the budget as a whole. He mentioned a statement from the meeting with the Board of Education. Not quoting, he said that the comment was that the Republicans ran this past election on cutting taxes. He said that he expects them to fulfill that promise. He said that people lack integrity when they do not keep promises that they may freely.
Mr. Dillon said that regarding the school budget, they always ask for the world but then doing with less. He said that South Windsor has a good school system, but it is not superb. He said that the Council can not be everything to everybody. He said that if people feel strongly about a particular program, let it be “pay to play”. He also said that once his son graduates, their plan is to relocate to somewhere that is more reasonable.
Mr. Larry Torff of 521 Quarry Brook Drive came forward to say that on balance, he is quite satisfied with the services that South Windsor offers and provides. He said that this budget year the Town is faced with escalating costs in utilities and fuel, as well as the usual salary and benefit cost increases. He complimented the Town Manager and Staff. He said that for 2006/2007 he would like to see the Town Council and the Town Manager adopt three objectives. 1) Transparency – Provide more information to residents; 2) Improved Communications – Update website; and 3) Shared Services – Take advantage of opportunities, centralization is proven to lower costs. He also encouraged all to put political posturing aside because residents are counting on the Council to make decisions in
the best interest of the Town without bias.
Mr. Bob Entigam of 41 Norman Drive came forward and stated that a 3.5% increase for the average employee is reasonable. He said that he does not understand where the other half of the spending is going. He concurred with the previous two speakers in that the Council should be diligent and not over spend.
Ms. Iris Ruiz of 4G Amato Drive stated that she works at the Interval House for Victims of Domestic Violence. She said that they are asking the Town of South Windsor for $2,000 to help them to deliver services to victims of domestic violence. Ms. Ruiz also thanked the Council for their support in the past. She distributed brochures explaining the Interval House. She stated that last year they delivered services to 116 residents of South Windsor. She asked if there were any questions.
Mayor Streeter explained that because this is a public hearing, it is basically the public the speaking at this time. He said that he believes the Town has support this in the past, and he does not see any reason not to continue supporting it.
Mr. Tom Lines of 43 Wedgewood Lane said that he comes up and talks every year, but it is always predicated by a feeling of complete helplessness. He said that since he has lived in Town since 1984, he sees this year after year bickering between the Board of Education and the Town, which to him seems immature. He said that both sides have valid arguments. He explained how a couple of years ago he had a son and a daughter that attended the High School and played sports. At that time it was “pay to play”, but he explained how it goes beyond that with added costs.
Mr. Lines said that it seems like sports and recreation in this Town seems to get the tail end of the consideration. He gave some examples that included Ellsworth Gym, the new practice fields at the High School, and the game field at Rye Street Park. He said that it seems like the main plank in everybody’s platform is to keep the Board of Education in check.
Mr. Lines also discussed how he is not sure what the Council’s responsibility is, i.e. being responsible to the tax payers or to every citizen in Town. Of all of the citizens in Town that don’t vote, the children, does the Council have a responsibility to them or just the taxpayers? He said that there has been one time since 1984 that the Town Council gave the Board of Education their requested budget.
Mr. Bill Davis of 9 Ridge Road came forward to discuss how the Cost of Living is 4% and the Town wants to raise the taxes so high. He also discussed how the price of gasoline is so high and when he goes to Vernon he sees a Town car every once and a while at a restaurant there. He wants to know how many Town employees that travel out of Town with Town cars buy their own gasoline.
Mrs. Annamae Davis of 9 Ridge Road came forward to add that they have lived in Town for almost 50 years and she feels that the Town has enough tax money from her. She asked that the Council look into possibly freezing senior’s taxes at a certain rate, raising the income level so that they can get dispensation on their taxes of some kind. She said that a lot of surrounding Town’s have raised it a lot higher than South Windsor has. She explained that seniors are a powerful segment of South Windsor.
There being no further discussion, Mayor Streeter called for a Straw Vote of the audience, the results of which were as follows:
Those in favor of the Proposed General Government Budget for Fiscal Year 2006/2007 as presented. – 6
Those in favor of decreasing the Proposed General Government Budget for Fiscal Year 2006/2007. – 5
Those in favor of increasing the Proposed General Government Budget for Fiscal Year 2006/2007. – 1
Respectfully submitted,
________________________________
Vanessa Perry
Assistant to the Clerk of the Council
Attmts. (1) Public Hearing Notice
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