MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
MARCH 17, 2008
A REGULAR MEETING of the City Council & WPC Authority was held in the Council Chambers on Monday, March 17, 2008.
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, Corp. Counsel Ernestine Yuille Weaver, Public Works Director Gerald Rollett, Purchasing Agent Pennie Zucco, and Superintendent of Streets Robert Lizotte.
Mayor Bingham called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
MINUTES #020
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted to accept the following minutes: (Councilor Soliani abstained on the February 28, minutes.)
Minutes of the special meeting held February 28, 2008-re: public hearing.
Minutes of the regular meeting held March 3, 2008.
Minutes of the special meeting held March 10, 2008 on budgets.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC #040
On a motion by Councilor Colangelo, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public. No one spoke.
LITCHFIELD FORD #045
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendations from the Purchasing Agent and the Fleet Manager to purchase a 2007 Ford F150
4 X 4 from Litchfield Ford for $21,919.00 to replace the vehicle used by the Superintendent of Streets.
PURCHASE OF SALT #070
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to accept the request from the Superintendent of Streets to authorize the use of “up to” $64,000.00 from Contingency for the purchase of salt, but will only use $35,000.00 at the present time, based on current need, and refer the matter to the Board of Finance. (1,100 tons of salt X $58.18 per ton = $64,000.00)
UPGRADES TO EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER #075
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to authorize “up to” $1,800.00 from Contingency to be used for homeland security upgrades to the Emergency Operation Center and refer it to the Board of Finance. The city will be reimbursed from the remaining 2006 grant funds.
Mayor Bingham noted the amendment of the next agenda item. (Italicized)
RESOLUTION: STILL RIVER #085
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to adopt a Resolution authorizing Mayor Bingham to sign a “First Supplemental Agreement between the State of Connecticut and the City of Torrington for the Construction, Inspection, and Maintenance of the Still River Greenway Utilizing Federal Funds from the High Priority Project’s Program, and a Certification Indicating the Council Adopts as its Policy to Support the Non-Discrimination Agreements and Warranties Required under the Connecticut General Statutes.”
FERRARO-HIXON #110
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to waive the bid process and allow Mayor Bingham to negotiate a fee and execute a contract with the Architect of Record (Ferrero-Hixon) to update/revise the Coe Park Master Plan using Coe Trust Funds under “The Act.”
AGREEMENT: CRRA #120
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to approve the Transfer Station Host Community Agreement and authorize Mayor Bingham to execute the agreement with CRRA (Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority).
RESOLUTION: HISTORIC DOCUMENTS PRESERVATION GRANT #135
On a motion by Councilor Colangelo, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution appointing Joseph L. Quartiero, City Clerk, as designee for the Historic Documents Preservation Grant.
INVOICE: TORRINGFORD SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT #145
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the payment of $1,421.17 from the Torringford School Building Project Fund #0314 to Systematics, Inc. for Application #2 - shelving.
PUBLIC HEARING: NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE ACT #150
On a motion by Councilor Colangelo, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing for May 5, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. to review and discuss proposals for the 2008 Neighborhood Assistance Act.
BUILDING DEPT. REPORT #160
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to approve the Building Department Report for February 2008.
REOPEN TO THE PUBLIC #180
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to reopen the meeting to the public for “Agenda” items only. No one spoke.
BUS: DEPT. HEADS #190
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Department Heads. There was none.
BUS: MAYOR & MEMBERS #200
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Mayor Bingham and members of the City Council.
Councilor Dalla Valle asked Corporation Counsel Weaver if she could look into the Newfield Road contract for water, whereby the city will be paying back $180,000.00 for a $24,000.00 loan. He added that the payments are $6,052.00 a month, less any revenues.
A fifteen minute recess was taken at 6:45 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING #440
FISCAL YEAR 2008 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROG
Mayor Bingham called the Public Hearing to order at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the Fiscal Year 2008 Community Development Block Grant program and to solicit citizen input.
Larry Wagner, the city’s Small Cities consultant, explained that community development Small Cities’ Program is funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, annually appropriated by Congress. Each state is provided with funds from a block grant on a competitive basis, for cities like Torrington that have less than 50,000 population. In 2007, the state changed the application process from applying at any time, to a one-time, one submission annual competition. Each community is allowed to submit one project a year, which is done on a point system.
Mr. Wagner stated that the city has participated in the Small Cities Program every year since 1978. Torrington has had more Small Cities funds than any other small city in the state. In the past, Torrington used the funding for a variety of activities, including business loans, housing rehabilitation loans, sidewalks, etc. Its latest project at Willow Gardens is expected to begin within 30 to 60 days.
The state will allow Torrington to re-apply for 2008 funding, due May 30. The requirement is that the community must have a public hearing to identify community needs that could be met with this program and to review potential projects this round of funding could be used for. The program can fund projects in four major categories: housing, economic development, community facilities and/or social and public services. Things that are not eligible include buildings for the general conduct of local government. City Halls cannot be rehabilitated with the exception of ADA improvements. Anything that helps the disabled is eligible even if the building itself is normally not eligible. The new construction of housing is not eligible.
The state is using a point system and some of the factors include whether or not the project is ready to go, if plans are complete, and if the applicant has other funding in place. There are issues on equal opportunity, affirmative action, fair housing, etc. The following three national objectives also have to be met; 1) the project must benefit low and moderate income people, 2) jobs created have to be held by low and moderate income people, or 3) it could resolve a slum and blight problem, whereby the project would resolve an imminent threat to public health and safety, or it could resolve an urgent need, an imminent threat to public health and safety.
The state is looking at funds that Torrington has recaptured from loans. Torrington had a very active rehabilitating program and that money, as it was lent out essentially at no or low interest loans, came back to the city to be used again. Anything more than $50,000.00 may be subject to recapture by the state. Torrington has done very well in getting funds back in the past and the city is creating a Program Income Plan to advise the state how the city will be spending the money. We have funds in our housing rehabilitation fund for which we’ll keep recycling, however, we have more applicants than money. We have funds in our Micro Loan Program, which is a regional program consisting of the eleven towns in our region, and Torrington acts as the lead agency. The city has also been
recycling funds for city business loans since 1984-85. Approximately $5,000.00 has been recycled from community facility loans made to Susan B. Anthony and Fish and approximately $120,000.00 has been recycled from the Riverside School co-op.
Mr. Wagner indicated that the state is asking the City Council to adopt a Program Income Plan on how it intends to use that money. Mr. Wagner suggested that Torrington continue to use the housing rehabilitation and economic development money for the purposes for which they were generated, and further discussions will take place in regard to the Riverside and facility money.
The Program Income Plan is meant to encourage communities to use it or lose it, and the state is getting a lot of pressure to recapture this money if it’s not used.
The purpose of the public hearing is to review past projects and use of the money, eligibility and the kind of national objectives. The minutes need to specifically say that we talked about the Program Income Plan and how the money could or should be reused. The hearing is also to hear from the community in terms of what this money could or should be used for. Any action will take place during the next City Council meeting scheduled for April 7, 2008.
Mayor Bingham noted how great this program has been for the city in the past. His recommendation was to use the Small Cities’ funds tandemly with the Municipal Renovations Committee to do ADA improvements in City Hall. This will save the taxpayers of the city a considerable amount of money.
Ed Cook a member of the Municipal Renovations Committee furnished the Council with highlights of the ADA improvements. He noted that many departments need to be covered under ADA compliance and codes. He noted that the committee promoted the City Hall renovations with the intent to offset some of the costs of the fourteen million plus dollars project, by going after ADA grants. The committee would like the city to recommend applying these funds toward the project. A new elevator, front doors, handrails, door entrances, and wheel chair accessible bathrooms, are just a few of the items that would be covered under ADA.
Mike Clark, Chairman of the Municipal Renovations Committee, stated that many ADA requirements are not strictly for the physically disabled; they’re to allow people to go up and down stairs more easily and safely, and to allow access to every single person in the city who chooses to access this building for one reason or another. It’s also important to note that the monies available to them through Small Cities will not fully offset the costs of the ADA improvements that must be made to this building; however, the committee has money allocated for that purpose.
Mayor Bingham noted that one of the factors used to determine whether or not we obtain funds, is how ready the project is to move forward, and the MRC has instructed our architects and our construction management firm to start working on plans so they should have everything ready to go with the application process.
Mr. Wagner noted that the state has also decided this year not to have one specific grant amount. For community facility projects such as this, the maximum amount a community can apply for is $750,000.00. For housing, rehabilitation, it’s $300,000.00; for street improvements, it’s $500,000.00; for public housing projects, it’s $700,000.00. The city is also proposing to use $120,000.00 in its Program Income to supplement the $750,000.00 as part of its Program Income Plan. That money is unallocated in our loan repayments and it would go to supplement the $750,000.00. It would have the dual purpose of keeping it here rather than having it is at risk of being recaptured by DECD, and at the same time it would go toward the ADA portion of the project to supplement the $750,000.00
that the city can get from the grant.
Councilor Jerram asked how many small cities was Torrington competing against.
Mr. Wagner indicated that no one will know until May 30. There are approximately 120 to 130 small cities with less than 50,000 in population. Not every one of those communities apply. If a town received a 2007 grant, it can re-apply, but if a town received money in the fall of 2007 that came from the 2006 budget, that town cannot re-apply until it’s 50% spent. If you move your project along, you get rewarded by being given the opportunity to re-apply. The state recently decided to let applicants from the 2007 round re-apply almost immediately. The city is in a good position because it has a project ready to go and local funding is in place for it.
Councilor Dalla Valle asked Mr. Wagner if anyone had asked for funding.
Mr. Wagner indicated that requests could come at any time. This project has two very important criteria, it has plans and local funding has been appropriated. Once it’s approved, the city has two years to complete the grant. If it doesn’t move on a timely basis the city will not be able to apply for the next round of funding. Because of where the project is at this time, it should be substantially finished in two years. This small cities is not being done as a separate component; it’s being done as part of the entire project, which means that it’s subject to federal regulations, which is also state law, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
Mayor Bingham declared the public hearing closed at 7:18 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT #1065
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn at 7:18 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC
CITY CLERK
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