TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
WORK SESSION MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013
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 Janice Snyder
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Members Absent: Councillor Cary Prague
Also Present: Chief Matthew Reed, Acting Town Manager
3. Public Participation
None
4. Communications
None
5. Town Manager’s Report
Mr. Matthew Reed, Chief of Police explained that he is sitting in for the Town Manager who is on vacation. Chief Reed reported that on tonight’s agenda the Human Services Department will be presenting their budget. Mr. Michael Gantick, Director of Public Works will be updating the Town Council regarding Storm Charlotte.
Mayor Delnicki informed the Council that Mr. Charlie Danna, Town Assessor is working to see what the impact of the Governors proposed elimination of property tax on vehicles assessed at $20,000 or with a regular value of $28,000 would be. This impact could be significant to our community.
ITEM:
6. Items for Discussion
- Human Services Department Budget Presentation
Mr. Dennis Sheridan, Director of Human Services came before the Town Council explaining that with him tonight are Andrea Cofrancesco who is the Coordinator for Adult and Senior Services and Joann Moriarty who is the Coordinator of Youth and Family Services. Mr. Sheridan reviewed the presentation as shown in attached, Exhibit A.
Answering questions from the Council, Ms. Cofrancesco explained that some of the special programs for seniors that have increased include all of the different things that are done at the Senior Center such as the special lunches, parties, dances, bingo, etc. The lunch program is run Monday through Friday and has increased to 8,000 lunches per year. Mr. Sheridan explained that under Transportation Trends there are riders which are an unduplicated number of people who use the transportation system on an annual basis. The $11,291 that was taken out of the budget to meet a 0% budget increase was taken from all areas of Human Services Department. The Human Services Department was successful in acquiring a grant last year where the State pays 80% of the cost of the bus and the Town pays 20% of the cost of
the bus. The bus fleet is at four now because the Town kept the bus that expired in terms of its usage. This allows the department to transport teens as well as seniors and disabled individuals but only on this particular bus because the Town owns it.
Councillor Anwar stated that a large portion of the budget is dependent on the grant, does Human Services anticipate any problems? Mr. Sheridan explained that this is a concern, but it is hopeful that the grants will be sustainable as they have in the past and not impact the department. Councillor Anwar stated that if it comes to the point that the budget is impacted he would like Mr. Sheridan to let the Town Council know.
Answering further questions, Mr. Sheridan felt that the Department of Human Services is able to meet 99% of the needs of individuals. At this time Human Services has not had to turn people away but if there is a need to dig further into the budget, personnel and programs will be affected. In the future it is known that there will be more seniors who will need services. This is a concern and there needs to be a plan for the future. At this time the department is in need of a printer/copier in the rear office which the Social Workers use and a department vehicle is also needed. These are items that the department has lost in this past year.
ITEM:
6. A. (Continued)
Ms. Andrea Cofrancesco explained that when individuals come to Human Services for energy assistance there is protocol followed. First they go through the CRT program and if they do not qualify for that they may qualify for operation fuel. The last resort is the private fuel funds. These funds are managed and given to people that really need it. The department has been able to meet the needs of individuals and has enough funds in the fuel bank, but is always willing to take donations.
Councillor Snyder stated that she understands that the rear printer/copier is used for confidential matters and would like to find a way to get both items (printer/copier and vehicle) for Human Services.
Mr. Sheridan explained that the $11,291 is the amount that the budget had to be cut in order to come in with a 0% budget increase. The department will not know how it will be affected with the grant funds until June, July or August. Ms. Moriarty stated that Youth and Family Services will not know until about September how it will be affected by grant funds. The State Department of Education grant is on the chopping block, the Enhancement grant looks like it will be eliminated from the budget, Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addition Services looks like it is going to get cut, the ERASE: Drug Free Communities grant will be gone next year, Stop Act grant will be gone next year, SBM Foundation we are hopeful to receive their funding again. Mayor Delnicki requested that a hard
copy of the grants that in jeopardy be given to the Council. Ms. Moriarty said she would send the information to the Town Council as soon as it is definite.
Councillor Anwar requested that Mr. Sheridan explain to the Council how the spaces issues are impacting the programs at the Community Center. Mr. Sheridan explained that in general it is a daily scrabble. Both Human Services and the Recreation Department need program space. Both departments work hard together to handle the space needs. It is a fair statement that the Town has outgrown the Community Center. Ms. Cofrancesco explained that one of the things the Town has is the Home Management Program which provides home maker services and handyman services to individuals. There are clients that need more help than others and in some situations no matter what is done for them, it will not be enough. There comes a point when people have to make the decision whether or not they
should stay in their homes.
Mayor Delnicki requested that a meeting be scheduled for a discussion regarding the expansion of the Community Center. Individuals involved in this would be myself, Councillor Anwar and Councillor Prague.
Mr. Sheridan came forward and thanked the Mayor for his annual light display which brings donations to Human Services.
ITEM:
6. A. (Continued)
Ms. Joann Moriarty commented that Youth and Family Services provides counseling and as far as space issue concerns it becomes very hard to find appropriate space for counseling. So it is not only a need for space, but appropriate space.
Ms. Moriarty then announced that Youth and Family Services will be hosting a benefit dinner for Sandy Hook Memorial Scholarship Fund on Friday, March 1, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Community Center. The money will be going towards University of Connecticut's fund for survivors of Sandy Hook and the older children who attended the school. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at the Human Services Office.
- Storm Charlotte (Mike Gantick, Director of Public Works to be present)
Mayor Delnicki thanked and commended the Public Works for a job well done during the recent snow storm.
Mr. Michael Gantick, Director of Public Works came forward and introduced Supervisors at the Town Garage, Mark Owens and Leon Clough who were present at the meeting and Ron Asselin who was unable to attend the meeting tonight. Mr. Gantick thanked the residents for their patience during this storm, thanked contractors who helped out, and thanked the Public Works employee’s and their families. Mr. Gantick reported that in some areas of the Town there was well over 30 inches of snow and there were drifts four to five feet deep. Prior to the storm, five extra contractors were contacted. Employee’s shifts were cut off on Friday night while the contractors continued. In the morning Town crews were back out and on Saturday there were eight trucks broken down, four or five medical calls,
two structure fire call outs, a water line break and at any given time we had one to two trucks stuck as well at the pay loader getting stuck. On Saturday, the Town Manager contacted the Governor to request assistance from the National Guard. On Sunday the goal was to get every road opened up with at least one pass. A formal request was filed with Department of Emergency Management/Homeland Security for truck mounted snow blowers and also trucks to be used to transport the removal of snow. The Governor at that point made an announcement that he would not be making any equipment available to any Towns for at least five to seven days because they had their hands full. The Town determined that the use of pay loaders would be better and they were used to put snow on sidewalks so as not to block driveways, mail boxes, and not take down utilities. The Town is in the midst of having conversations regarding what can be improved upon, what could be done
differently, and developing the cost for this storm. It is hopeful that the Town will be able to put in for reimbursement to FEMA.
Mayor Delnicki stated that it is his understanding that the FEMA reimbursement will be taking the most expensive 48 hour period of time and reimburse for that time frame.
ITEM:
7. Executive Session
None
8. Adjournment
At 8:00 p.m. Councillor Havens made a motion to adjourn the Work Session. Councillor Anwar seconded the motion and it was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Recording Secretary
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