TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBERS SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
SOUTH WINDSOR TOWN HALL TIME: 8:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Prague called the meeting to order at 8:03 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor Cary placeCityPrague
Deputy Mayor Gary Bazzano
Councillor Kathryn Hale
Councillor Edward Havens
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Paul Oates
Councillor John Pelkey
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Also Present: Matthew Galligan, Town Manager
3. Public Participation
None
4. Special Unfinished Business
A. Resolution Approving $______________ to be Designated Toward Renovations to the Town Hall Annex
WHEREAS, the Town is presently in a lease/purchase agreement with Kerin & Kerin, LLC for property located at addressStreet1530 Sullivan Avenue; and
WHEREAS, it is the Town Council’s desire to begin renovations on the Town Hall Annex as soon as possible; and
ITEM:
4. A. (continued)
WHEREAS, the Town has been negotiating with Kerin & Kerin, LLC and has received an estimate of $1,152,000.00 to complete the renovations on the building; and
WHEREAS, Kerin & Kerin, LLC has agreed to pay $306,000.00 towards the renovations to the building located at addressStreet1530 Sullivan Avenue; and
WHEREAS, additional costs associated with this project such as metasys controls, telephone system, key card system, IT connection/wiring, site work, and move/furniture have been estimated and will cost the Town of placeCitySouth Windsor an additional $259,634.00, making the total estimated cost for renovations $1,411,634.00
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council approves $_______________ to be designated for renovations to the Town Hall Annex.
Was made by Councillor McCann
Seconded by Mayor Prague
Councillor McCann felt that the Town Council needs to move forward with renovations on the Town Hall Annex and stated he would like to put $800,000.00 in the blank spot on the resolution. He stated that it should be an appropriate amount to move forward.
Town Manager, Matthew Galligan questioned if the $800,000.00 would be from the Town and the $306,000.00 from Kerin and Kerin for a total of $1,106,000.00? Councillor McCann said that would be correct.
A lengthy discussion took place regarding the total amount that should be used to renovate the Town Hall Annex.
Councillor Hale proposed an amendment that would be for the full build out of the Town Hall Annex, which would allow for alternatives to be sought. She proposed to replace the resolution on the table with the following:
ITEM:
4. A. (continued)
WHEREAS, on a number of occasions members of this Town Council have publicly indicated that the estimated bid that was negotiated with Kerin & Kerin, LLC to do this project was high in comparison to other similar or comparable construction projects they were personally aware of
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council instructs Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan to put this project out to public competitive bidding, and as an aspect of that bidding encourage any value engineering concepts that may lower the cost while still delivering the original quality and intent of the bid package provided by the town.
Councillor Pelkey seconded the amendment
Councillor Hale made a friendly amendment to eliminate the first WHEREAS, after she was questioned about the wording in it from Councillor Maneeley.
Town Council members discussed at length the bidding process which will give the Town Council members, Town staff, and residents other dollar amounts to take into consideration, especially in these economic times.
Councillor Pelkey suggested an amendment to the final paragraph. Councillor Yagaloff seconded the amendment which would read as follows:
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that said bid will be brought back to the Town Council for a vote by the November 17, 2008 meeting
Mr. Don Gonsalves, 40 Bayberry Trail came forward and stated that he feels there is only one solution to this problem and that is for the Town Council to buy the property now for $1,200,000.00 and decide later what to do with the property.
Mayor Prague called for a vote on the Amendment, it was approved unanimously.
ITEM:
4. A. (continued)
Councillor Pelkey then suggested further amendments to this resolution. The amendment was seconded by Councillor McCann and would include the following, (the first two WHEREAS):
WHEREAS, the Town is presently in a lease/purchase agreement with Kerin & Kerin, LLC for property located at 1530 Sullivan; and
WHEREAS, it is the Town Council’s desire to begin renovations on the Town Hall Annex as soon as possible; and
Mayor Prague called for a vote on the Amendment; it passed on a Roll Call vote of 8-1 with the dissenting vote being cast by Councillor Hale.
Councillor McCann suggested amending the title of the Resolution to read, “Resolution Approving a Process to Renovate the Town Hall Annex. Councillor Pelkey seconded the Amendment and it was approved, unanimously.
Councillor McCann then suggested amending the following paragraph of the resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council instructs Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan to put this project out to public competitive bidding, and as an aspect of that bidding encourage any value engineering concepts that may lower the cost while still delivering the original quality and intent of the bid package provided by the town.
To read as follows:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council instructs Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan to put this project out to public competitive bidding, and as an aspect of that process encourage any value engineering concepts that may lower the cost while still delivering the original quality and intent of the bid package provided by the town.
Councillor Pelkey seconded the amendment and it was approved, unanimously.
Councillor Hale suggested a friendly amendment to the title of the Resolution to read, “Resolution Approving a Bidding Process to Renovate the Town Hall Annex”, Councillor McCann was in favor of the friendly amendment.
ITEM:
4. A. (continued)
Mayor Prague called for a vote on the Amended Resolution; and it was approved, unanimously.
B. Discussion Item: Town Council’s Responsibility Regarding the Audit – requested by Councillor Yagaloff
Councillor Yagaloff began discussions stating that he would like to make the Town Council members aware that there is a disconnect between the Town’s Finance Office and the School’s Business Office because there is no process to communicate effectively. Councillor Yagaloff stated he would like to ask the Board of Education to direct the Superintendent and Business Manager to meet with the Town Manager and Director of Finance to discuss communications. Another issue that should be reviewed is to combine shared services between the Business Office and Finance Office.
Town Manager, Matthew Galligan explained that it is the feeling of the Superintendent of Schools, Robert Kozaczka, is that any information coming from the Audit Committee should be addressed to him and not to the Business Manager.
Councillor McCann agreed with Councillor Yagaloff that the Finance Office for the Town and the Business Office for the Schools have to work to get communication better between themselves. There are three steps that need to be taken care of between both parties:
· Resolve the issue of the discrepancy found during the audit process.
· Get the computer systems (MUNIS) to work together between the School and Town.
· Discuss shared services for these two entities.
Mr. Galligan explained that the IT Department for the school and the town have been working on the MUNIS systems to try to make them work together. The systems are different and have presented problems.
ITEM:
4. Special Unfinished Business
C. Resolution Approving a Refund of Taxes to Twenty-Eight (28) placeSouth Windsor Tax Payers
BE IT RESOLVED that the South Windsor Town Council approves a refund of property taxes to twenty-eight (28) South Windsor Residents, the total of said refunds being $9,653.82, and as more fully described on attached Exhibit A.
Was made by Councillor Havens
Seconded by Councillor Pelkey
The motion was approved, unanimously
5. Special New Business
A. Discussion Item: Changing the Budget Process – requested by Mayor Prague
Mayor Prague suggested to the Council that a Bipartisan Sub-Committee be formed consisting of four individuals that will come back to the Town Council with ideas regarding how to go through the budget process and allow the process to run more smoothly. Mayor Prague would also like more pubic input involved in the budget process.
Town Manager Matthew Galligan suggested that the Town Council start the process earlier and have each department come in to go through each of their costs. This allows for everyone involved in the budget process to become familiar with all aspects of the budget. Councillor Hale then suggested that these sessions be televised in order to keep the public informed.
Councillor Hale felt that the Town Council Rules and Regulations should be revised in order to allow for more dialogue back and forth between the Council and the public. Mayor Prague stated a Town Council Rules and Procedures Committee can be formed to make the necessary changes. Deputy Mayor Bazzano added that the Work Session is where dialogue cam be exchanged between the public and Town Council.
ITEM:
7. Adjournment
At 10:07 p.m., a Motion to Adjourn was made by Deputy Mayor Bazzano; seconded by Councillor Pelkey; and was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Clerk of the Council
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