TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
WORK SESSION MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2010
COUNCIL CHAMBERS TIME: 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Pelkey called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor John Pelkey
Deputy Mayor Edward Havens
Councillor Gary Bazzano
Councillor Tom Delnicki
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Cary Prague (arrived at 7:05 p.m.)
Members Absent: Councillor Janice Favreau
Councillor Kathryn Hale
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Also Present: Matthew Galligan, Town Manager
3. Public Participation
A resident came forward to represent the Varney Farm. The Varney Farm is in South Windsor and is a FoodShare farm. The Varney family donates the land, supplies, seeds and plants. The Varney Farm would like to promote the farm this year because the number of volunteers are very low and it is hard to get the farm going this season.
Sandy Varney who owns the farm on Pleasant Valley Road with her husband came forward. About four years ago it was decided to start growing food for FoodShare. To date we have produced over 30,000 pounds of food that we have donated to FoodShare and that is all with the help of volunteers doing the planting, weeding and harvesting all summer long. We are very low on volunteers this year and could use the help. Mrs. Varney left an informational sheet for review (Attachment A).
Mayor Pelkey stated that the contact information can be placed on the website.
Answering questions from Mayor Pelkey, Mrs. Varney explained that they type of volunteer help that would be necessary is for weeding of four acres and then harvesting in August. Councillor Havens suggested that the Varney’s get in touch with the boy scouts in order to do their Eagle Scout projects.
Mayor Pelkey recessed the Work Session in order to call a Public Hearing to order. The Work Session reconvened at 7:38 p.m.
ITEM:
4. Communications
None
5. Town Manager’s Report
Town Manager Matthew Galligan reported on the following items as shown in attached Exhibit A.
Councillor Delnicki thanked the Town’s Informational Technology Department for a detailed list of capital projects and how the money for computers is being spent. It is detailed and tells every tax payer where virtually every piece of computer is going and there are specifications, costs. Councillor Delnicki then stated that it is his hope that the Board of Education will draft a list that is similar to the Town’s prior to the July 6, 2010 meeting.
Councillor Delnicki then questioned if the Contingency amount of $72,566 will be the same number until the end of the year? Mr. Galligan explained that the Town is holding onto that number in order to offset any shortfalls in revenues.
Council members discussed in length the information provided by the Board of Education which included a link to the State of Connecticut website where there is a state contract that is used to procure equipment. Mr. Scott Roberts, Director of IT for the Town explained that during this process there are different options to choose from beginning with a base model and then choosing different options such as 17” monitor versus a 19” monitor. As long as it is known what the base model is, individuals could go in to see what the Board of Education is purchasing. Mr. Galligan stated that he would request from the Superintendent which Department the equipment that is being purchase for and will also ask what the base model is.
Mayor Pelkey informed the Council that although we may know what the model number is today, the configurations are constantly changing and there is no control of the manufacturers changing the base line number, serial number of model number of the computers.
Mayor Pelkey called a recess at 7:48 p.m. in order to call the public hearing for 7:45 p.m. to order. The Work Session reconvened at 7:50 p.m.
Answering questions from the Council, Mr. Roberts explained that some of the computers that are being replaced have LCD monitors. The Town has a bump down program which will use the equipment that is being replaced in another area that may have even older equipment. When equipment becomes obsolete they are stripped down to almost nothing and disposed of with a disposal company that has been certified. A report is given to the Finance Department which shows that the equipment has been property disposed of. Doing this type of technology refresh, the Town saves money in areas such as electricity. Presently the IT Department is researching other ways to save money.
ITEM:
5. Town Manager’s Report
Scott – yes by going through the technology refresh we get a lot in terms of savings and one of the things we are going to try to do is one of our vendors have offered us an energy ROI study as part of – we are evaluating – we are looking at different ways to save money for the town.
Councillor McCann requested that the Town Council receive a report from the Board of Education regarding what is happening with the equipment from their replacement plan that is being replaced. This would give the Town Council an idea of what is actually replacement of obsolete equipment and how much is new equipment that is being added in this plan. Mayor Pelkey asked Mr. Roberts to handle that communication to the Board of Education.
Councillor Delnicki requested that the Town Manger follow up with the Board of Education and show them the list that the Town IT Department compiled to give them an idea of what the Town Council is looking for from them.
6. Items for Discussion
None
7. Executive Session
None
8. Adjournment
At 7:56 p.m. Mayor Pelkey made a motion to adjourn the Work Session. Councillor Delnicki seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Clerk of the Council
Attachments: Exhibit A
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