MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
MARCH 10, 2008
A SPECIAL MEETING of the City Council & WPC Authority was held in the Council Chambers on Monday, March 10, 2008 to discuss budgets.
Those in attendance included Mayor Ryan J. Bingham, City Councilors Rick E. Dalla Valle, Michael Colangelo, Elinor Carbone, Thomas C. Jerram, Marie P. Soliani, and Drake L. Waldron, Comptroller Alice Proulx, Director of Elderly Services Nancy Hodkoski, and Board of Finance members Laurene Pesce and Wendy Traub.
Mayor Bingham called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m.
SENIOR CENTER #030
Increase of 5,694.00 in Line Item 5100.0000 (Salaries I)
Increase of $435.00 in Line Item 5753.0000 (Employee FICA)
Mrs. Hodkoski explained that the Senior Secretary position and the Maintenance position have been combined in Line Item 5103.0000 (Regular Wages) where they used to be separated.
On a motion by Councilor Colangelo, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Senior Center Budget.
ENGINEERING #110
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Engineering Budget.
EQUIPT. MAINTENANCE #145
Increase of $8,558.00 in Line Item 5100.0000 (Salaries I)
The Fleet Manager has put in for retirement, and six weeks’ worth of training cost was included in this line item.
Increase of $655.00 in Line Item 5753.0000 (Employee FICA)
Reduction of $5,000.00 in Line Item 5345.0000 (Computer)
Increase of $25,211.00 in Line Item 5242.0000 (Gas)
Increase of $9,740.00 in Line Item 5242.0002 (Diesel Fuel)
Reduction of $15,000.00 in Line Item 5275.0000 (Vehicle Repairs)
Reduction of $7,000.00 in Line Item 5279.0000 (Repairs Outside)
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Equipment Maintenance Budget.
STREET AND STREET CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT #260
Mayor Bingham noted those major increases impacting this budget are in road repairs and resurfacing. Ten years ago, the city was able to resurface between seven and ten miles of roads a year with the money that was budgeted and now we’re down to about three miles a year. This puts us in a position where we’re treading water and not getting anywhere toward having all our roads redone in a reasonable amount of time. This bump in the budget will allow for inflation and enable the city to double the miles in the upcoming year.
Councilor Soliani indicated this was to be expected and it’s good for the city. She felt taxpayers needed to see that their money is being spent for important things.
Councilor Jerram asked if the increase in road salt was due to cost or if the city was building up its inventory. He also asked if Public Works was expanding the use of salt substitute.
Mayor Bingham said the price of salt has increased. It was his belief that Public Works was continuing to expand the use of salt substitute within the city limits with the exception of the higher elevation areas where they are still using a mixture of sand and salt.
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Street and Street Capital Improvement Budgets.
PARKS AND PARKS: CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT #375
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Parks & Parks Capital Improvement Budgets.
CITY REAL ESTATE #400
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the City Real Estate Budget.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR #415
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Public Works Budget.
CITY HALL
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the board voted unanimously to table the City Hall Budget.
Discussions are still being held with the Municipal Renovations Committee as to what budget is paying for what expenses.
LANDFILL #460
Increase of $175,000.00 in Line Item 5406 (Disposal)
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Landfill Budget.
Councilor Jerram inquired how many years were left on CRRA’s contract. It was his belief that it was a lot closer to the end of the contract’s life than what most people realized. It probably had two or three years left. He thought they should start investigating alternative sources.
SANITARY SEWER/STREET LIGHTS #500
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Sanitary Sewer / Street Lights Budget.
Councilor Jerram inquired whether the city had received any further information on the DPUC rate increase for the street lights.
Mayor Bingham said this budget included their best guess in moving forward for street lights.
HEALTH #525
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Health Budget.
Mayor Bingham noted that two more weeks will be added in the next budget year for yard waste which includes leaf pick-up, Christmas tree pick-up, and spring clean-up.
He also stated that trash barrels and service downtown will be increased slightly.
Councilor Soliani asked how much longer was our contract with Campion Ambulance.
Ms. Proulx noted that the contract was signed in February of 2006, and believed it to be renewable every five years.
Mayor Bingham said he would research that issue as well as the contract with CRRA.
Councilor Dalla Valle asked about the status of the Newfield Road Water Project. He pointed out that $2,500.00 has been in Line Item 5318.0000 for a number of years. He reported that only a certain number of houses hooked into the water line when it was installed and the city kept paying every year to buy it down until enough people hooked in, but they never had enough people to hook in so the city never collected all of its money. He asked how long the city would have to keep the $2,500.00 in the budget.
Mayor Bingham said he would look into that matter.
BUILDING #660
Reduction of $46,722.00 in Line Item 5103.0000 (Regular Wages)
Reduction of $3,689.00 in Line Item 5753.0000 (Employee FICA)
(This represents the reduction of one staff person.)
Reduction of $1,500.00 in Line Item 5104.0000 (Overtime)
Reduction of $2,925.00 in Line Item 5199.0000 (Contract Services)
Reduction of $2,500.00 in Line Item 5350.0000 (New Equipment F & F)
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Building Budget.
CITY CLERK #760
Increase of $8,914.00 in Line Item 5103.0000 (Regular Wages)
Increase of $3,566.00 in Line Item 5753.0000 (Employee FICA)
Reduction of $2,000.00 in Line Item 5104.0000 (Overtime)
Increase of $20,662.00 in Line Item 5120.0000 (Lump Sum Retirement)
Increase of $500.00 in Line Item 5213.0002 (Conference & Education)
Increase of $900.00 in Line Item 5216.0001 (Per Copy Costs)
Reduction of $2,000.00 in Line Item 5216.0002 (Copier Commission)
Reduction of $3,000.00 in Line Item 5346.0000 (Software)
Reduction of $2,000.00 in Line Item 5354.0000 (City Charter Ordinances)
Reduction of $5,000.00 in Line Item 5803.0000 (City Clerks Records)
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the City Clerk’s Budget.
ELECTION #835
Reduction of $500.00 in Line Item 5201.0000 (Advertising)
Reduction of $4,000.00 in Line Item 5265.0000 (Miscellaneous Expense)
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Election Budget.
It was noted that the increase of $30,000.00 in Line Item 5200.0000 (Fees - Election Workers) is due to two possible primaries in the 5th and 8th districts in the fall.
PLANNING & ZONING #875
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the board voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Planning & Zoning Budget.
DATA PROCESSING 890
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the board voted unanimously TO TABLE the Data Processing Budget.
ADJOURNMENT #900
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 6:30 p.m.
JOLINE LeBLANC
ASST. CITY CLERK
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