A SPECIAL MEETING of the Board of Public Safety was held to discuss budgets on Wednesday, March 26, 2003, in the Council Chambers.
Present were Mayor Owen J. Quinn, Jr., members of the Board of Public Safety, Richard L. Zaharek, Robert C. Zordan, Thomas T. Telman, Jr. James E. Potter, Carolann Kennedy-Pucino, and Christopher H. Cook, Police Chief Roger Janelle, Deputy Police Chief Robert Milano, Traffic Officer Robert Shopey, Fire Chief John Field, and Deputy Fire Chief Jaye Giampaolo.
Mayor Quinn called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m.
PUBLIC SAFETY MISC. #100
Commissioner Potter inquired whether any numbers had been received from the Tax Assessor concerning the Volunteer’s abatement.
Mr. Lastra would be asked to furnish a report.
Line Item 5524.0001 Crime Watch, $1,200.00 was removed.
On a motion by Commissioner Potter, seconded by Commissioner Telman, the Board voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council that they approve the Public Safety Miscellaneous budget, including the reduction of $1,200.00 in Crime Watch.
CIVIL PREPAREDNESS #440
Commissioner Potter noted that line item 5251 Communications was increased by $3,000.00 last year to purchase ham radios and felt the line item could be zeroed out this year.
Officer Vannini indicated that they were looking to purchase an incident command system that would allow any responding agency in the northwest corner to tie into it and communicate.
Further tweaking would be necessary.
On a motion by Commissioner Pucino, seconded by Commissioner Telman, the Board made a motion to tentatively approve the Civil Preparedness budget.
CANINE CONTROL #660
Commissioner Potter made a motion to approve the Canine Control budget after decreasing line item 5223, Education and School Classes by $500.00 and decreasing line item 5281 Supplies by $250.00. Commissioner Telman seconded the motion. Unanimous.
TRAFFIC MAINTENANCE #860
Officer Shopey pointed out that the board may want to increase his overtime line item for next year’s budget because he needed to overdraw that line item this year.
It was noted that the total dollar amount for storm related costs, such as overtime, should be referred to Officer Vannini and Chief Janelle so the budget may reflect the possible reimbursement from the federal government.
On a motion by Commissioner Potter, seconded by Commissioner Pucino, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Traffic Maintenance budget.
FIRE DEPARTMENT #1110
The subcommittee consisted of Commissioners Telman, Potter and Zaharek.
Ms. Proulx noted that $3,500.00 from Computer Software was missing from Chief Field’s budget summary. (Paperwork dated 3/10/03 included the $3,500.00.)
Mayor Quinn pointed out that actual expenditures in almost all line items were way below the budgeted figure and inquired whether that was a result of a time lag situation.
Chief Field indicated that large expenditures were still forthcoming from this year’s budget.
On a motion by Commissioner Telman, seconded by Commissioner Potter, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Fire Department budget.
POLICE DEPARTMENT #2170
The subcommittee consisted of Commissioners Cook, Pucino and Zordan.
Both chiefs noted that the dispatching issue had been temporarily placed on the back burner.
Chief Field pointed out that it was important for the board to know that he had not included any capital expenditures in his budget due to budget constraints.
Commissioner Potter noted that the boiler unit at the Fire Department would probably need to be addressed in the near future.
Line Item 5295 Telephone included a $17,000.00 increase to pay for the use of the 800 megahertz lines for the Mobile Data Terminals.
Line Item 5296, Telephone Long Distance, was deleted and the $4,500.00 was transferred to Line Item 5295, Telephone.
Line Item 5387.0003 DARE - Chief Janelle pointed out that the funds would no longer be available from the state to fund the DARE Program. He personally felt it was a very important program and would require $35,000.00 to fund it.
Chief Janelle indicated that wages alone accounted for a 3.5% increase to the budget, and they managed to keep their budget at a 3.13% increase including the DARE Program. (Officers are mandated to be paid from overtime for the DARE Program.)
On a motion by Commissioner Telman, seconded by Commissioner Pucino, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Police Department budget.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Commissioner Telman, seconded by Commissioner Potter, the board voted unanimously to adjourn.
Minutes typed by Joline LeBlanc
Assistant City Clerk
| 
