TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
WORK SESSION MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012
COUNCIL CHAMBERS TIME: 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Delnicki called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor Thomas Delnicki
Deputy Mayor Gary Bazzano
Councillor M. Saud Anwar
Councillor Cindy Beaulieu
Councillor Ed Havens
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Cary Prague
Councillor Janice Snyder
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Also Present: Matthew B. Galligan, Town Manager
Dwight Johnson, Town Attorney
3. Public Participation
None
4. Communications
Deputy Mayor Bazzano announced that South Windsor High School will be celebrating 50 years of history, memories and traditions. To commemorate this event, South Windsor High School is establishing a South Windsor High School Hall of Fame. The purpose of this is to recognize individual contributions to athletics, scholastics, associated body activities such as the arts, student government and other clubs, career, community service or society as a whole. The nomination deadline has been extended to November 2, 2012. Nomination forms are available in the main office at South Windsor High School or on the websites at southwindsorschools.org/highschool by clicking on the link for 50th Anniversary news. Eligible nominees include alumni of South Windsor High School or Ellsworth who
graduated a minimum of 10 years ago. Employee’s of South Windsor High School or Ellsworth who have left a minimum of 5 years ago and people who have made extraordinary contributions to South Windsor High School and may or may not have been an alumni or employee of South Windsor High School.
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4. Communications (Continued)
Mayor Delnicki announced three “Mayoral Appointments and or Reappointment as follows:
- Appointment of Elizabeth McGuire to the Cable Advisory Board for a term ending June 30, 2013.
- Appointment of Matthew Streeter to the Cable Advisory Board for a term ending June 30, 2013.
- Reappointment of David O’Neil to the Cable Advisory Board for a term ending June 30, 2014.
5. Town Manager’s Report
Mr. Galligan reported that he has applied for a $500,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program Grant with the State of Connecticut for the Town Hall Annex. This building could be used as an Emergency Operations Center for catastrophic events. This building could also be used as a training mechanism for employees of the Town as well as on a regional basis and be used as a business incubator. Mr. Galligan stated he would be bringing a budget to the Town Council. There are revenue ideas that could keep costs down. If the Town decided they did not want to use this grant towards the Town Hall Annex, the Town can replace the use of the grant with something else. It would be recommended that the IT Department move to this building which would manage and maintain the systems. The
construction cost has been estimated to be $1.2 million dollars.
The High School Fuel Cell will be coming offline in February 2013.
Shari Fiveash gives month reports regarding economic development to the Town Manager, but because some of these reports are confidential, the Town Council has not received these reports. Businesses provide information to the Town regarding their financial condition and expansion needs. Mr. Galligan stated he is trying to find a way to change the reports so they can be sent to the Town Council.
Mr. Galligan stated he will be on vacation and will provide the Town Council with the protocols as to who is in charge during emergency situations and during the normal course of doing business.
The Capital Projects Referendum will be discussed during the Regular Meeting but Mr. Galligan wanted to let the Town Council known that changes have been made based upon the last meeting. The Council should have received an email of items that Department Heads would like to see changed such as the Community Center having a generator rather than doing the oil tanks at the Town Garage.
ITEM:
5. Town Manager’s Report (Continued)
Councillor Anwar stated he is in favor of the emergency operation center and also the business incubator project. It is time for the Town to move forward with this project. Moving the IT Department to the Town Hall Annex will give extra space for Town Hall use. Councillor Anwar questioned if the Town Council could discuss the economic development reports in Executive Session?
Mr. Galligan said he would send the reports to the Town Attorney and if the Town Attorney says it is Executive Session material, the Town Council can do that. Another option would be to send the Town Council the list of questions that are asked of the companies.
Mayor Delnicki recessed the Work Session at 8:00 p.m. in order to call the Public Hearing to order. The Work Session reconvened at 7:19 p.m.
Councillor Havens stated that he would like to see someone use the Town Hall Annex but if the grant fails he would still like to see that building used any way. Councillor Havens then informed the Council that years ago the Economic Development Coordinator came before the Council to report on economic development and he would like to see that happen again.
Answering questions from the Council, Mr. Galligan stated he follows up on the questions that are given to different businesses. The questions involved are questions pertaining to their needs for expansion, what they like about the Town, what they do not like about the Town, etc. Councillor Yagaloff requested that Mr. Galligan discuss with Ms. Fiveash that in the role of the Town Economic Development Coordinator there will be no connections made between businesses for services. Mr. Galligan stated he would discuss this with Ms. Fiveash.
Answering further questions, Mr. Galligan explained that the dead line for the STEAP grant was August 1, 2012 and it could be between 30-90 days to receive an answer on whether the Town will be awarded those grant monies.
Mayor Delnicki felt that the Town Council should have Executive Sessions regarding economic development for items that can not be talked about in the public. Mayor Delnicki also requested that a report be done on items that can be talked about in public. Mr. Galligan stated he would send the information to the Town Attorney in order to get an opinion of what information can be out in the public and if the other information is Executive Session material. Mayor Delnicki also requested that a list be drafted of what can be done in the Town Hall Annex with the $500,000 and would like to see an operating and maintenance budget.
ITEM:
5. Town Manager’s Report (Continued)
Councillor Anwar requested an explanation regarding the two dispatch center hires that resigned after finding out that the job required skills they did not possess. Mr. Galligan explained that if the person can not handle the job it is better to get rid of that individual before they become a full time employee and will be safe guarded through the Union.
Councillor Anwar congratulated Chief Reed for being elected President of the Capitol Regions Chief of Police Association. Councillor Anwar then requested an explanation regarding the portable one man lift. Mr. Major explained that this equipment is primarily for inside use which will alleviate safety concerns. Answering a question from Councillor Anwar, Mr. Galligan explained that in the Town Manager’s Report under Street Services, the equipment that is being talked about that is 17 years old and has received many costly repairs is the catch basin cleaning machine.
Answering questions from Mayor Delnicki, Mr. Major explained that the one man lift is approximately $6,000 and the employees do follow the two step rule (from the top down).
Mr. Galligan explained to the Council that the fuel cell is being dismantled because the fuel cell has to be taken down for maintenance and when it is put back up, the energy has to come from C L & P who charges a surcharge which wipes out a good portion of the electricity savings. When the fuel cell was first put up there were a lot of promises that fuel cells would be the technology and there would be grants available which has not happened. Mr. Galligan stated it does not make sense to spend $500,000 to restack the fuel cell when a generator can be purchased for $200,000 and can energize the entire building where the fuel cell energizes half the building.
Mayor Delnicki questioned if the Main Street Bridge over Stoughton will be done for the Hartford Marathon? Mr. Galligan stated that he is being told that it will be done. There is a meeting scheduled Thursday, September 6, 2012.
6. Items for Discussion
- Repealing of Article III. – Sidewalk Ordinance – Sections 86-82, 86-83, 86-84, 86-87, 98-88 and 86-89 (requested by Councillor McCann)
Councillor McCann explained that this is a discussion item concerning the Sidewalk Ordinances of the Town. There has been difficulty in the past of getting approval of new sidewalks because of the opposition of abutting land owners. There are some Ordinances that create a burden on abutting landowners. The Sidewalk and Bikeway Subcommittee has recommended that the Town Council repeal portions of the Ordinance that impose costs on abutting landowners for ordinary repair of sidewalks and construction of new sidewalks. The Town Attorney is drafting an amendment to certain sections of the Ordinance. The amendments will not remove the liability to the landowner for repair of the sidewalk which is actually damaged by the landowner. Sections 86-82, 86-82 and 86-84 would be amended so that the
only cost that would be imposed on the abutting landowner for repair to the
ITEM:
6. A. (Continued)
sidewalks would be for damage caused by the abutting landowner or the abutting landowners agents. Sections 86-87 and 86-88 would be repealed as recommended by the Subcommittee. All other sections would remain as they are. The Town Attorney has suggested that the Town Council may want to address the desirability of amending section 86-91 to include the removal of all debris on the sidewalks by the abutting landowner to make it passable in addition to the current responsibility of removing snow and ice. That is something that should be discussed by the Town Council.
Councillor Yagaloff stated that he feels the suggestions are good and also feels the amendments are appropriate, but does feel there will be additional concerns of abutting property owners. In the older neighborhoods there are very small front yards which would cause the sidewalks to be closer to homes and also during the construction of the sidewalks they could lose vegetation. There are also concerns of the removal of snow and ice. There are a lot of advantages to sidewalks which will connect the community, and residents may appreciate that aspect. Councillor Yagaloff stated he supports the modifications as proposed but feels the Town Council will have to inform the public regarding the issues of sidewalks.
Councillor Snyder said she agrees with the changes in the Ordinance and feels the Council should go forward with a public hearing. Sidewalks enhance walking and exercise; and will also be helpful for children to walk to school.
Mayor Delnicki stated that Councillor Yagaloff brought up some good issues and feels this is a step in the right direction.
Mayor Delnicki recessed the Work Session at 8:00 p.m. in order to call the Regular Meeting to order. The Work Session reconvened at 8:13 p.m.
7. Executive Session
At 8:13 p.m. Deputy Mayor Bazzano made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss possible purchase or real estate for the Town and to discuss potential claims and litigation. Councillor Snyder seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.
The following individuals went into Executive Session: Matthew B. Galligan, Town Manager; Dwight Johnson, Town Attorney; Mayor Delnicki; Deputy Mayor Bazzano; and Councillors Anwar, Beaulieu, Havens, McCann, Prague, Snyder and Yagaloff.
At 8:43 p.m. Deputy Mayor Bazzano made a motion to adjourn the Executive Session. Councillor McCann seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.
ITEM:
8. Adjournment
At 8:44 p.m. Councillor Yagaloff made a motion to adjourn the Work Session. Deputy Mayor Bazzano seconded the motion and it was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Recording Secretary
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