TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
WORK SESSION MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 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 M. Saud Anwar
Deputy Mayor Edward Havens
Councilor Thomas Delnicki
Councilor Carolyn Mirek
Councilor Janice Snyder
Councilor Stephen Wagner
Councilor Keith Yagaloff
Members Absent: Councilor Liz Pendleton
Councilor Cary Prague
Also Present: Matthew B. Galligan, Town Manager
Kari Olson, Town Attorney (arrived at 7:30 p.m.)
3. Public Participation
Mr. Carl Werkhoven, 68 Oakwood Drive came before the Town Council to reiterate that his goal is for the Town of South Windsor to be the first Town in Connecticut to be a no hand held telephone and texting Town. Mr. Werkhoven would like signs put up around Town with the message “No hand held phones, No texting, It’s the Law”. Mr. Werkhoven stated he would be collecting donations of non-perishable food items as well as warm clothing that will be distributed to residents of South Windsor.
Mr. Mike McClelland, 107 Murielle Drive stated he is hoping to work with Mr. Werkhoven to put signs up throughout Town to get his message out.
Mr. Matt Riley, 12 Heatherwood Drive came forward and voiced concern regarding the item on the agenda regarding instituting a hiring/spending freeze. Mr. Riley said he was surprised at this junction that the Town was anticipating a shortfall in revenues and asked for the Town Council to elaborate on those shortfalls. The other issue of concern is regarding the Town seeking further STEAP funds for the Old Post Office. Previously there was STEAP funds in the amount of $500,000 awarded to the Town to build out that facility. Mr. Riley requested the status of the plans for that development and what the current and proposed $500,000 would be used for.
Ms. Cindy Beaulieu, 19 Cody Circle stated that she came tonight to discuss the second STEAP grant being sought for the Old Post Office building. Ms. Beaulieu questioned why there is a need for another $500,000. A STEAP grant was supposed to be sought for the athletic fields that have been approved.
ITEM:
4. Communications
Councilor Wagner informed the public and the Council that the Planning & Zoning Commission will be holding a meeting at 7:30 p.m. CRCOG will be at the meeting to discuss Sustainability Zoning Regulations and will initiate their work on a plan for the Town Center.
Mayor Anwar informed the Council of the following:
- As a Mayoral Appointment, Mr. Charles Margolis will be reappointed as the South Windsor Poet Laureate.
- As another Mayor Appointment, Ms. Sandra Jeski will be appointed the Town Historian.
- Council members should have received a list of all the various Committees and Liaison appointments.
- The MDC has done a revaluation which is resulting in some of the expenditure to come down There is a meeting of the MDC District Board on December 9th at 5:30 p.m. at the MDC Headquarters on 555 Main Street in Harford. There are approximately 1,826 users in South Windsor that will be impacted by this.
Councilor Snyder said she would like to work on getting some signs and literature out regarding distracted driving and she would be more than willing to seek donations for the endeavor as well as help design signs.
Mr. Galligan explained to the Councilor Snyder that Dennis Sheridan would like to come to the next meeting because Human Services has been working on this issue with the school district.
Councilor Snyder felt that permanent signs should be created and put up around the Town. The State of Connecticut, Department of Transportation has a program where they speak about this issue as well as show a video. Councilor Snyder requested that she would like to work with the school board and get the State of Connecticut, Department of Transportation in to do their program. Mr. Werkhoven could be a part of this endeavor.
Mayor Anwar explained that Dennis Sheridan was planning to be at the next meeting because they have been doing this type of work. It may be better to go through the existing group that is already doing work on this issue and combine resources.
Mr. Galligan felt that Dennis Sheridan and Councilor Snyder could work together. Mayor Anwar stated he would support them working together.
Councilor Mirek felt that Youth & Family Services is involved in working on a campaign for no texting and feels that more people that come together on this issue, the more it will take off. The High School should also work with Dennis Sheridan and Councilor Snyder.
ITEM:
4. Communications (Continued)
Mayor Anwar offered Mr. Werkhoven air time on the public television station to get his message out.
5. Town Manager’s Report
Mr. Galligan reported on the following:
Ambulance Service RFP Committee
The Committee consists of Councilors Keith Yagaloff, Carolyn Mirek, Tom Delnicki and Mayor Anwar. Ashley Summers will contact Committee members to set up a date to review the two RFP’s.
EMS Task Force
The Task Force is making some headway in providing better communications to municipalities and giving municipalities control of their emergency medical service. It is hopeful that work will be done before the February 15th deadline and be able to get a report out to everyone who is effected.
Board of Education
Chairperson David Joy and Superintendent Kate Carter will be coming forward tonight to talk about the Board of Education’s ten year plan. Mr. Galligan explained that he prepared the economic impact of that plan and would discuss that tonight after the presentation.
Budget Freeze Resolution
There is a Police Officer who has been scheduled for hire in January based upon a prior resolution by the Town Council. There may be some issues that need to be discussed go the hiring of the Police Officer can be continued and other key positions.
Leasing Ordinance
This item will be discussed tonight.
Draft Report of Financial Statements
Have been going back and forth with the Auditors as well as our Financial Advisor and hope that the report will be issued shortly.
ITEM:
5. Town Manager’s Report (Continued)
Answering questions from the Council, Mr. Galligan explained that the Town received the RFP’s for ambulance services in October.
Councilor Delnicki felt that a meeting should be set up as soon as possible to get the ambulance services issue resolved.
Answering further questions, Mr. Galligan stated that he thinks the pricing in the RFP’s will remain the same because two of the companies have priced it at zero if they do everything.
6. Items for Discussion
A. Proposed Ordinance Concerning Referenda for Leases or Other Expenditures having a Cost Equal to or Exceeding One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) (requested by Mayor Anwar)
Mayor Anwar explained that a number of people in the community have felt that in the past the Town Council has gone against the general views of the public when doing lease purchase activities on certain projects. Creating an Ordinance that establishes a process where the Town Council will have to bring a project to referendum if the price exceeds $1 million dollars is a way to solve this issue.
Mr. Galligan explained that the Ordinance before the Council is a draft and will probably need revisions after discussion with the Town Council.
Councilor Yagaloff felt that Paragraph B is confusing. If the policy is going to be that the Council will not do more than $1 million dollars in expenditure without a referendum, then there should not be any exceptions that the Council could vote for during the annual budget.
Town Attorney Kari Olson explained that the Town Council does not want to be in a situation where a project that is necessary for the operation of the Town has to go to referendum and potentially tie the Councils hands on something that has already been approved by a Town wide budget appropriation. The draft Ordinance focuses on leasing and tax exempt leasing, not on expenditures in general. Town Attorney Olson then stated that the Council may want to consider exempting redevelopment projects through the Redevelopment Agency as well as the Water Pollution Control Authority.
Councilor Delnicki suggested that the amount discussed in the Ordinance be changed. Anything in the amount of $1 million dollars would require a majority vote when going to referendum and anything $1.1 million dollars to $1.5 million dollars would require a super majority vote. The Ordinance should begin with a draft that addresses the leasing issue and some of the other issues can be handled in the future.
ITEM:
6. A. (Continued)
Answering questions from the Council, Mr. Galligan explained that the Council has the final decisions on items that would use the lease program.
Councilor Snyder voiced concern regarding this Ordinance and requested that the Ordinance not be so binding. If the Council has to do something because of an emergency or a capital project that responsibility should still be decided on by the Town Manager and the Town Council.
At 8:00 p.m. Mayor Anwar recessed the Work Session in order to call the Regular Meeting to order. The Work Session was reconvened at 8:09 p.m.
Mayor Anwar stated that the idea of the Ordinance is not to restrict the workings of the Town, but to have a checking system to make sure the Council remains responsible while making decisions on projects.
Councilor Mirek suggested that the Ordinance should include urgent repairs. This would allow repairs to items such as water lines and if a roof collapses without having to go to referendum.
Councilor Snyder suggested that during the Regular Meeting, the date for the Public Hearing be changed to January in order to allow amendments to the Ordinance.
Mayor Anwar stated that the Ordinance would only be restrictive to leasing and he would not have a problem changing the date of the public hearing.
B. Proposed Changes to the South Windsor Town Council Rules and Procedures (requested by Mayor Anwar)
Mayor Anwar explained to the Council that he would like to change the format of the meetings to make the meetings more efficient. Presently there is a Work Session prior to the Regular Meeting and Mayor Anwar is suggesting that the Work Session only be held on an as needed basis. The Regular Meeting would then be moved to 7:00 p.m. and the critical issues could be taken care of. The discussion items would become part of the Regular Meeting. Article 4 – Order of Procedure would remain as it is presently, except that the Town Council Regular Meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. beginning January 2014.
Councilor Wagner voiced his support and stated by moving the business of the Town earlier in the evening, the Town Council is promoting the idea of open government.
Councilor Delnicki questioned if the Town Manager’s Report would remain at Item 16 because there were concerns in the past of not having the Town Manager’s Report earlier in the meeting.
ITEM:
6. B. (Continued)
Mayor Anwar felt that during the various Resolutions there is a lot of discussion that is usually covered under the Town Manager’s Report and could now be discussed during each Resolution.
Councilor Yagaloff suggested that if the Town Council holds a public hearing it not be scheduled until 8:00 p.m. or later. This will help with the flow of the meeting. Councilor Yagaloff also suggested that the Town Manger’s Report be moved after Section 8 or 9.
Mayor Anwar felt that if the meeting is running efficiently and is planned to start at 7:00 p.m., the Town Council could probably get to the Town Manger’s Report by 8:30 p.m.
Deputy Mayor Havens felt that the suggested changes will promote more involvement and feedback from the community.
Councilor Snyder suggested that something be written near each resolution that the Town Manager has addressed in his report.
7. Executive Session
None
8. Adjournment
At 8:32 p.m. Councilor Delnicki made a motion to adjourn the Work Session. Councilor Wagner seconded the motion; and it was approved unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Recording Secretary
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