TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
WORK SESSION MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL MONDAY, MAY 3, 2010
COUNCIL CHAMBERS TIME: 7:15 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Pelkey called the meeting to order at 7:16 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor John Pelkey
Councillor Janice Favreau
Councillor Tom Delnicki
Councillor Kathryn Hale
Deputy Mayor Havens
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Members Absent: Councillor Bazzano
Councillor Cary Prague
Also Present: Matthew Galligan, Town Manager
3. Public Participation
Mr. Bill Flagg, 140 McGrath Drive came before the Town Council to state his concern with the traffic light at Foster Street and Oakland Road. He asked that a 10-second lead be added to the light. Town Manager Galligan said that Commander Reed would give him an update on what was investigated.
Mr. Bruce Braithwaite, Cinnamon Springs commented on the proposed budget. He said that the budget needs to be controlled; people do not want a 5% increase. Employee benefits and pay is where the budget should be cut, not so much the Town side, but the teacher side. He suggested regionalization.
Mr. Mark Duclos, 94 Berle Road came forward to speak about the need for a written policy on scheduling fields for the various sports and that the person in charge should be required to keep the public informed. He explained a scenario he had with regard to the girls’ lacrosse team having a problem getting a field to use.
4. Communications
None
5. Town Manager’s Report
None
ITEM:
6. Items for Discussion
A. Information Technology Budget Presentation
Director of IT, Scott Roberts came forward to review the Information Technology Department’s proposed budget. A copy of the presentation is attached as Exhibit A. He described 3 awards that the Department recently received.
Mayor Pelkey congratulated the Department on their awards and stated that the Department is one of the finest. He suggested that the next time they have an innovative idea that they should think about patenting it and charging other towns to use it.
Mr. Roberts stated that the Town will be invoicing the Town of Coventry for regional GIS services.
Mr. Roberts explained for Mayor Pelkey that the Footprints Helpdesk BOE line item is the system that they replaced. This product was $1,200 and the product they replaced it with is Spice Works, which is only $200. He confirmed that $1,000 can be cut from the budget.
Councillor McCann asked if the budget included any additional personnel and Mr. Roberts confirmed that it did not. He also asked if the increase of $15,592 included any programs that were purchased last year that maybe did not need to be purchased this year. Mr. Roberts assured him that they evaluate that every year and they are always challenging the department heads with regard to what they say their employees need.
Councillor Yagaloff stated that the Council was still uncertain as to whether they were going to remove the 53rd pay week. The Town Manager confirmed that the five employees in the IT Department are all salary. Councillor Yagaloff stated that the Department’s operations have been really good and the service is excellent.
Mr. Roberts pointed out that the IT Department staff has already worked 362 hours of unpaid overtime. After hours, the Department rotates the staff they have on call to ensure that someone is available at all times should the Police Department have any emergencies.
B. Library Budget Presentation
Ms. Mary Etter, Library Director came before the Council to present the 2010/11 Library Budget and provided statistics on upward changes in service. A copy is attached as Exhibit B.
She pointed out the increase in interlibrary loans and holds. Even though this can be done online at home, it still can not be done without staff intervention. The Library is
ITEM:
6. B. (Continued)
throbbing with business and it is self-consciously attempting to make use of the resources they have in the best way possible and share them regionally.
Councillor Hale thanked Ms. Etter for always administering things together with the Board in a very professional manner. Councillor Hale asked why full-time salaries have gone up and part time salaries down. Ms. Etter explained that it stemmed from part time people being unavailable for various reasons and there was also a typo in the budget last year.
Ms. Etter confirmed for Councilor Hale that office supplies have gone up because the use has gone up.
At 8:00 pm Mayor Pelkey Recessed the Work Session; Called the Regular Meeting to Order; Recessed the Regular Meeting; and Reconvened the Work Session.
Ms. Etter confirmed for Councillor Yagaloff that for a couple of years customers can download audio books from home. There is about 2,000 audio books available on the Library’s website and about 200 are available on the State side.
Mayor Pelkey asked what utility was covered under the $3,900 utility item. Ms. Etter stated it was just the telephone.
At 8:03 p.m. Mayor Pelkey Recessed the Work Session and Called the Regular Meeting to Order. At 8:17 p.m. Mayor Pelkey Reconvened the Work Session.
C. Capital Projects Budget Presentation
Mayor Pelkey, Capital Projects Chairperson presented the Capital Projects Budget. The Capital Projects Committee recommended a zero percent increase, which will be $1,261,605. A copy of the recommended line items are attached as Exhibit C.
He pointed out the there is $200,000 for Safe Routes to School in the budget, which is required in order to receive a matching amount of about $800,000.
Town Manager Galligan stated that Facilities Manager, Clay Major will give a report on the payback amount for the Energy Management Project at the Library. He also confirmed that there will be an opportunity to receive a rebate. The Town always applies for rebates on projects that are done.
Councilor Delnicki asked for a hard copy of the Capital Projects Budget along with an explanation of each item. The Town Manager suggested that the Capital Projects Committee give a presentation of the priorities. He will also provide the Council with a written report.
ITEM:
6. C. (Continued)
Councillor Prague wanted to know why roads were not on the priority list. Mayor Pelkey explained that it is his intent to Bond the remaining money of the $10 million from the referendum question to go for road work this year. There is about $850,000 left. The Town Manager will be providing an exact amount. They will also be recommending a referendum question in the fall for $10 million to be put for road
repairs. The Town Manager added that the Town received the one-third reimbursement from the bridge program.
Councillor McCann stated that there was about $200,000 left in the Recreation Special Revenue Fund. He suggested that there either be a transfer from the Special Revenue Fund to the Capital Projects Budget to take care of the $175,000 of Capital Projects for Recreation or take it out of the Capital Projects Budget all together and have it paid for directly by the Special Revenue Fund. It is his understanding that one of the purposes for the Recreation Special Revenue Fund is to provide funding for improvements to the overall facilities and programs for Recreation in Town.
Councillor Yagaloff explained that it is his understanding that the Recreation Special Revenue Fund is the flow over of any money that is made by the Recreation Department Programs. He had previously proposed that half of the administrative costs be paid for out of this Fund. He was concerned that if that was done, and the Recreation Department needed some money to balance their budget, they would need to go into their Special Revenue Fund. There was some resistance to that idea, but he is still proposing that $100,000 be removed from the Recreation Administrative Costs and be moved to their Special Revenue Fund. He suggested that the Council be cautious of depleting the entire Recreation Special Revenue Fund, should they need a buffer.
Mayor Pelkey noted that there is a clerical error on the attached Exhibit C. The $399,210 for Computer Improvement Program should be $399,105 and the Total should be $1,261,605.
7. Executive Session
None
ITEM:
8. Adjournment
At 8:30 p.m. Mayor Pelkey adjourned the Work Session.
Respectfully submitted,
Vanessa Perry
Acting Clerk of the Council
Attachments:
Information Technology Budget Presentation – Exhibit A
Library Budget Presentation – Exhibit B
Capital Projects Budget – Exhibit C
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