MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
JANUARY 21, 2003
A REGULAR MEETING of the City Council & WPC Authority was held on Tuesday, January 21, 2003, in the Council Chambers.
The following were in attendance: Mayor Owen J. Quinn, Jr., City Councilors Thomas C. Jerram, Paul F. Samele, Jr., Marie P. Soliani, David M. Bascetta, Richard E. Dalla Valle, and James D. Reginatto, Corp. Counsel Albert Vasko, Public Works Director Gerald Rollett, and WPC Administrator Raymond Drew.
Mayor Quinn called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
APPOINTMENT OF THOMAS C. JERRAM TO COUNCIL #010
On a motion by Councilor Bascetta, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Republican Town Committee’s recommendation that Thomas C. Jerram fill the City Council vacancy left by the resignation of Councilwoman Anne L. Ruwet for a term to expire 12/01/03.
City Clerk Joseph L. Quartiero administered the oath of office of Councilman to Thomas C. Jerram.
PUBLIC HEARING: SEWER LINE EXTENSION AGREEMENT
City Clerk Joseph L. Quartiero read the legal notice.
Mayor Quinn called the Public Hearing to order at 7:13 p.m.
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Reginatto, a public hearing was held to discuss the possibility of entering into a sewer line extension agreement with MBI Inc., for property located on Torringford Street. The proposed sewer line extends from Technology Park Drive northerly approximately 970 feet on Torringford St.
Pamela Kingsley Brida, 2519 Torringford Street, inquired whether plans were available for the public.
Corp. Counsel Vasko stated that he had just received a copy of the agreement and the Council would have to continue the public hearing to a later date.
Ms. Kingsley Brida inquired if and how the sewers would affect the widening of the road.
Mr. Rollett indicated that the final engineering work had not been done in anticipation of having to review the final plans.
Ms. Kingsley Brida inquired as to what would be done to ameliorate the fact that some of the area in question is extremely wet. (She noted one of the properties between her home and her neighbors was zoned wetland.)
MOTION TO CONTINUE #175
Councilor Dalla Valle made a motion to continue the public hearing to Tuesday, February 18, 2003. Councilor Jerram seconded the motion.
Plans would be made available prior to the public hearing.
During a discussion, Todd Brida, 2519 Torringford Street, inquired whether he would be charged anything if the sewer line went through and they chose not to connect. He wanted to know exactly where the line was going to be installed because he was concerned about three very old maple trees in the area.
Corp. Counsel Vasko indicated that Mr. Brida wouldn’t be charged if he didn’t hook into the sewer line. Essentially, the agreement was good for a period of ten years. In the event his septic tank failed and he hooked in eleven years from now, he would not be charged for part of the reimbursement for the sewer line. Mr. Brida would only be charged for the sewer connection fee to the city.
Mr. Brida asked if the land in front of his house would be re-graded and re-seeded if it was torn up with the installation of the sewer line.
Corp. Counsel Vasko said yes.
Mr. Rollett suggested that anyone still having questions or concerns after receiving the plans should contact the Engineering Department prior to the next public hearing.
Councilor Jerram noted that the memo the Council received said the extension of the sewer line was going to be paid by the owner, MBI, and inquired whether MBI would own the rights of the sewer line.
Corp. Counsel Vasko stated that the sewer line would be turned over to the city once it is constructed. Essentially, the proposed sewer line is larger than what is needed for their subdivision because the city required them to put in a larger sewer line as part of their subdivision approval. This has happened on several other occasions with similar agreements.
The vote to continue the public hearing was unanimous.
VOTE TO TABLE EXTENSION AGREEMENT WITH MBI #290
On a motion by Councilor Reginatto, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted unanimously to table the sewer line extension agreement with MBI, Inc., for property located on Torringford Street extending from Technology Park Drive northerly approximately 970 feet on Torringford Street.
MINUTES #300
On a motion by Councilor Soliani, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted, with the exception of Councilors Samele and Jerram who abstained, to accept the minutes of the regular meeting held November 19, 2002.
In regard to those minutes, City Clerk Joseph L. Quartiero noted that Ms. Linda Hall had e-mailed his office and requested her statements made during the public participation to be included in the minutes. (The e-mail was attached to the minutes.)
On a motion by Councilor Soliani, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted, with the exception of Councilor Jerram who abstained, to accept the minutes of the regular meeting held December 2, 2002.
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Reginatto, the Council voted, with the exception of Councilor Jerram who abstained, to accept the minutes of the regular meeting held December 16, 2002.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC #370
On a motion by Councilor Bascetta, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public.
Mayor Quinn recognized Kristen Shott and Tex Slanaker, attending the meeting for their Civics class.
ADD TO AGENDA #440
Councilor Dalla Valle made a motion to add an item to the Agenda in regard to a spending freeze. Councilor Jerram seconded the motion. The Council voted 5-1. Councilor Soliani opposed.
SPENDING FREEZE #450
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Jerram, a discussion took place in regard to instituting a spending freeze until definite figures were received from the state. Any expenditures over $250.00 would need Council approval.
Councilor Soliani said the Council should place some confidence in department heads and preferred having them come forward to explain their expenditures as opposed to a blanket amount of $250.00.
Councilor Jerram indicated that the city should be prepared to make any changes in the current operating budget should funds from the state be reduced. Department heads should be able to operate their offices with purchases of $250.00 or less.
City Clerk Joseph L. Quartiero pointed out that he had just processed land records that cost $1,400.00 and envelopes that cost $995.00.
Councilor Bascetta agreed that a spending freeze was in order, however, he didn’t think the Council should micro manage the departments either. He suggested a workable number of $2,000.00.
Mayor Quinn agreed with Councilor Bascetta, noting that department heads had already been told this was a time for fiscal constraints.
The motion failed 1-5 with Councilor Dalla Valle the only one voting in favor.
ADD TO AGENDA #700
Councilor Jerram made a motion to add an item to the agenda by 2/3rds vote in regard to a spending freeze with a cap of $2,000.00. Councilor Bascetta seconded the motion.
The motion carried 4-2; Councilors Dalla Valle and Reginatto opposed.
SPENDING FREEZE #715
Councilor Jerram made a motion that any expenditure over $2,000.00 must come before the City Council for approval. Councilor Bascetta seconded the motion.
The motion carried 5-1; Councilor Dalla Valle opposed.
ITEMS TABLED #830
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted unanimously to table the following three items:
1. Board of Public Safety’s recommendation to award the bid for a Hostage Negotiation Phone, to Rescue-Phone, Inc. of Crofton, MD for $5,000.00. (Tabled on 1/7/03.)
2. Board of Public Safety’s recommendation to award the bid for Fifty-Eight Trench Coats for Firefighters to Mag & Son of New Britain, Ct. for $7,076.00. (Tabled on 1/7/03.)
3. Recommendation from the Superintendent of Equipment Maintenance and the Purchasing Agent to waive the bid process and purchase a Toro Sand Pro machine from Turf Products of Enfield, CT. at a cost of $10,637.25. (Turf Products is the holder of the State of Connecticut bid award for Toro brand products.) (Tabled on 1/7/03.)
CHARTER REVISION QUESTIONS #860
On a motion by Councilor Soliani, seconded by Councilor Samele, a discussion took place in regard to the request to a) approve Charter Revision questions and b) set the referendum date for Charter Revision. (Tabled on 1/7/03.)
Corp. Counsel Vasko recommended that the charter questions be placed on the ballot of the next municipal election to eliminate the cost of a referendum. He also stated that an explanatory text will be made available to the public prior to the vote.
Councilor Jerram inquired whether a charter change was necessary to create a Department of Finance.
Corp. Counsel Vasko noted that presently, there was no umbrella and no means to consolidate duties of the positions of Comptroller, Assessor, and Purchasing Agent.
Councilor Jerram inquired whether a charter change was necessary to create a position of Director of Finance.
Corp. Counsel Vasko indicated that the city could hire a Director of Finance but he/she presently wouldn’t have the ability to direct the entire financial operation. It would be up to the Council to determine how the department would operate.
Councilor Soliani noted that a Finance Director wasn’t addressed in the charter changes.
(It was noted that the Web site didn’t have the most current information in regard to charter revision.)
Councilor Jerram indicated that he wouldn’t feel comfortable voting on the new revisions that he hadn’t seen.
Councilor Bascetta stated that it would be beneficial to have an explanatory text on the questions.
MOTION TO TABLE #1080
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Bascetta, the Council voted 5-1 with Councilor Soliani opposing, to table the Charter Revision questions and set the referendum date for Charter Revision for more information to follow. (Tabled on 1/7/03.)
APPEAL: SEWER BACK UP, PRESCOTT STREET #1090
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Samele, a discussion took place in regard to the WPC Administrator’s recommendation to deny the appeal of a claim concerning a sewer back up at 40 Prescott Street.
WPC Administrator Raymond Drew indicated that his crew responded to a call at 40 Prescott Street at the request of a plumbing contractor retained by the homeowner. The crew discovered that a portion of the service lateral servicing the home had already been excavated to within approximately twenty feet of the main line. Upon opening both the upstream and downstream manholes, they discovered that there was no blockage since flow was occurring. They subsequently jet rodded the line four hundred feet at 25 pounds of pressure. All the debris was trapped in a basket. They did not find any large debris or anything that would have caused the blockage.
Mrs. Ellis, the property owner of 40 Prescott Street, felt it was a problem with the city main.
Mr. Drew indicated that the plumber had extricated a large, industrial type rag from Mrs. Ellis’ service lateral, but wouldn’t commit as to whether he had extended into the main and pulled that rag out of the main into the service lateral. Mr. Drew could not support Mrs. Ellis’ claim in the amount of $4,391.90 for this incident.
Councilor Bascetta noted that Mrs. Ellis’ memo stated that there had been a previous break in the line which had been repaired.
Mr. Drew indicated that the previous break had occurred in the building lateral from Mrs. Ellis’ house to the main line sewer. Mrs. Ellis indicated that the break had occurred at the repair.
Councilor Jerram inquired whether the city’s responsibility was the main line and the responsibility of the homeowner was the lateral to the house.
Mr. Drew said that was correct.
Mr. Drew explained that the main line is eight inches and the lateral is typically four inches. Since it was previously repaired, it probably had a four inch pvc pipe.
Mr. Rollett indicated that the recommendation to deny Mrs. Ellis’ claim was due to the fact that the sewer rod crew were able to determine that the main line was flowing.
Mrs. Ellis indicated that she lived close to Vogel Wetmore School and it was common to see custodians with their buckets and rags outside cleaning the decks in the summer months and noted that the breakage occurred in that same time range. In speaking with Mike Mascetti, it was her belief that the rag could have clogged the sewer line, which in turn caused such pressure into her house that it caused a weakened area to break and leak. She was certain that the rag wasn’t generated from her home, and Mr. Mascetti had indicated that the blockage was way out towards the road. Mr. Mascetti had informed her that the blockage felt like a stone wall and, after removing the rag, he still felt there was a problem in the line. She even thought he had spoken to city personnel stating his
belief that they should look at the line with a camera. She also believed that city crews had been working in that area due to some existing problems.
Mr. Drew indicated that his crews work in all areas of the city doing preventive maintenance so they may have been there, but they had not experienced any problems in that area.
Councilor Soliani inquired whether the rag may have gone from the main line into her lateral.
Mr. Drew said it would be unlikely, since that line is on a 2.73% slope downhill away from Mrs. Ellis’ house. Additionally, he informed the Council that Vogel Wetmore discharges onto Church Street, while Prescott discharges onto Church Street above the Vogel Wetmore School. In order for a rag to go from Vogel Wetmore School it would have had to gone upstream to Prescott Street.
Councilor Bascetta inquired whether the line had ever been under high pressure.
Mr. Drew said no, that it was a gravity sewer. PVC connections are usually a schedule forty with a water burst pressure of 220 psi. A cast iron pipe can withstand even higher pressures. His speculation was that the first breakage, thought to have been done approximately five years prior, hadn’t been efficiently repaired.
Mrs. Ellis indicated that the pipe was not PVC. She acknowledge that there had been a previous break but the cause of the second break was due to the pressure caused by the rag being tightly encased at the end of the pipe.
Mr. Drew indicated that a gravity sewer would not exert that much pressure to break a lateral connection.
MOTION TO DENY #1540
On the same motion, the Council acting as the Water Pollution Control Authority, voted unanimously to deny the appeal of a claim in regard to a sewer back up at 40 Prescott St.
CARDINAL ENGINEERING #1560
On a motion by Councilor Soliani, seconded by Councilor Samele, a discussion took place in regard to the request to authorize the payments of $10,465.00 and $4,017.50 from Bond Fund #302 to Cardinal Engineering Associates for sanitary sewer improvements on Highland Avenue, Oakbrook Lane/West Horace Street and Perkins Street.
Mr. Rollett pointed out that work on Highland Avenue would be paid from the Bond Fund while the work on Perkins Street would be paid from Sanitary Sewer Capital Improvement Fund.
Councilor Dalla Valle indicated that the motion would need to be corrected to reflect the change.
MOTION TO TABLE #1670
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to table the request to authorize the payments of $10,465.00 and $4,017.50 from Bond Fund #302 to Cardinal Engineering Associates for sanitary sewer improvements on Highland Avenue, Oakbrook Lane/West Horace Street and Perkins Street until such time as the matter could be addressed.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT REPORT #1670
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Building Department Report for December, 2002.
CONSIDER BUSINESS IN SECTION B #1700
On a motion by Councilor Bascetta, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to consider business in Section B.
DIESEL FUEL BID #1710
Councilor Dalla Valle made a motion to table the Purchasing Agent’s recommendation to award the Diesel Fuel Bid to the low bidder, Dime Oil Company for their alternate proposal for further information. No one seconded the motion.
Councilor Reginatto inquired how long the prices were good for. He noted that no one was present to answer those questions.
Mr. Rollett indicated that these prices were generally 20 to 25% higher than last year’s prices. He indicated that he and the Purchasing Agent had met with an energy broker who stated that, if these prices were no longer any good after today, they may be better off to wait til spring because prices were going up very quickly due to the current events. Mr. Rollett noted that the city was locked into the current price until the end of the fiscal year.
MOTION TO TABLE DIESEL FUEL #1830
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the Council voted unanimously to table the Purchasing Agent’s recommendation to award the Diesel Fuel Bid to the low bidder, Dime Oil Company for their alternate proposal for further information.
MOTION TO TABLE FUEL OIL, & GASOLINE #1850
On a motion by Councilor Reginatto, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the Council voted unanimously to table the recommendations from the Purchasing Agent to award the #2 Fuel Oil Bid to the low bidder, Dime Oil Company for their alternate proposal and to award the Gasoline Bid to the low bidder, East River Energy, at their regular bid of .9550/gallon plus GRT, or $75,382.50 estimated annually.
BUSINESS: DEPARTMENT HEADS #1860
On a motion by Councilor Bascetta, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Department Heads. There was none.
BUSINESS BY MAYOR AND MEMBERS #1900
On a motion by Councilor Samele, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Mayor Quinn and members of the City Council.
The City Council welcomed Councilor Jerram to the board.
Councilor Reginatto expressed his concern over the absence of the Purchasing Agent when she had several items on the agenda.
Councilor Reginatto requested adding an item to the agenda by 2/3rds vote to address the hiring freeze mentioned two weeks ago.
ADD TO AGENDA #1920
On a motion by Councilor Reginatto, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the Council voted unanimously to add the item to the agenda.
HIRING FREEZE #1930
Councilor Reginatto made a motion “That a hiring freeze go in place, that no outside persons are hired for any positions. If they want to post them inside the....contractual, that’s fine, except for the three pending, I believe it’s three police officers we are making offers on right now. We have four other jobs that we have open right now that I’m aware of...Data Processing, Street Department, Purchasing, Clerk or Assistant, I’m not sure what the title is under the Public Works Director - Sanitary Sewers. That’s what I got from Tom Gritt. So, I’d like to make a motion that no outside hiring, is hired before it comes to the Council.”
Councilor Jerram seconded the motion for discussion.
Councilor Reginatto said he wanted to make certain it was clear, since he had seen postings in the newspaper and he didn’t know whether they had already been placed in the process.
Mayor Quinn said “They have been posted, they’re in their interview process and I think that you’re going to see things in the newspaper. I don’t think that’s inconsistent with what we said at the last Council meeting. That’s my interpretation, and anything that would, would come back before the City Council, before any of those type of things were going in another direction.”
Councilor Jerram said “I think that falls under the auspices that these are budgeted positions, and, would a new hire typically come before the City Council?”
Mayor Quinn said “No, but by virtue of what we said at the last Council meeting, that’s what we extracted from that, so that no hiring would come forward, no motions, no bills would come forward until they are run by the City Council.”
The vote was unanimous.
Councilor Bascetta indicated that Mr. Driscoll had made an interesting statement about bidding on E-Bay.
For the record, Councilor Bascetta wanted to state that Mayor Quinn and the Council were aware of problems with the Middle School roof and ceiling tiles and were working on a resolution.
Mayor Quinn indicated that the problems were not going unnoticed and was happy to take any offers of assistance from the Council on similar issues.
Councilor Bascetta suggested prioritizing capital improvement projects for the upcoming year.
Councilor Soliani added that the Council needed to take a good look at projects that were due to begin in the spring.
Mayor Quinn stated that this year’s budget process would be more difficult than last year’s. He would be inviting all boards to the Mayor’s Budget Informational Meeting scheduled for January 29. As CEO, the objective of this meeting will be to inform the taxpayers of the City of Torrington where the city’s money comes from and have an up-front discussion on where the city will go with the budget.
The city will be challenged to come up with a fiscally responsible budget by keeping taxes down while continuing to provide the residents with necessary services including education, snow removal, public projects, etc.
Councilor Dalla Valle was hoping that Charter regulations could be adhered to by distributing budgets to the Council by February 15th.
ADJOURNMENT #2565
On a motion by Councilor Reginatto, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn at 8:16 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CCTC, CMC
CITY CLERK
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