MINUTES
PUBLIC HEARING
BOARD OF FINANCE AND THE
BOARD OF COUNCILMEN
MAY 13, 2008
A PUBLIC HEARING was held on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 in the City Hall Auditorium by the Board of Finance and the Board of Councilmen on the proposed 2008-09 city budget.
Those in attendance included Mayor Ryan J. Bingham, members of the Board of Finance Daniel Farley, Laurene Pesce, Mark Bushka, Thomas Scoville, Wendy Traub, and James Zeller, members of the Board of Councilmen Rick E. Dalla Valle, Michael Colangelo, Elinor Carbone, Thomas C. Jerram, Marie P. Soliani, and Drake Waldron, Corp. Counsel Ernestine Yuille Weaver, Administrative Assistant to the Mayor Stephen Nocera, and several Department Heads.
Mayor Bingham called the Public Hearing to order at 7:00 p.m. and introduced the Board of Finance and the Board of Councilmen.
Mayor Bingham gave an overview of the proposed city budget. He indicated that the process started back in mid-January when department heads submitted their own individual budgets. The total at the beginning of the process was $52,946,140.00.
He indicated that the mandatory obligations totaling $1,910,220.00 included Utilities, Trash Pick-up, Wage Increases, Health Insurance, a new Tax Abatement Program, Fuel, and Sand and Salt.
Mayor Bingham noted that the budget included $176,000.00 for the hiring of new Police Officers, which will be added to the force in a staggering manner. The city was able to save $50,000.00 in wages by re-structuring personnel.
In the coming year, the city will be looking at pension contributions and a consultant will review the investments to see if we can get a better return.
Revenues will not be what we anticipated, both on the state as well as on the federal level. Therefore, the city will be recommending additional monies from the Fund Balance, also called the rainy day fund. The Fund Balance is exactly for this reason, for economies when our revenues are lower, and, by using a portion of it, it creates an opportunity to lessen the tax burden on the taxpayers. Ultimately, the decision to either use the Fund Balance or not will be entirely up to the Board of Finance.
Mayor Bingham noted that construction on the east and north ends of the city will benefit the grand list and diversify our tax base in the near future.
The bottom line of the city budget is $52,731,797.00.
Karla Woodworth, 245 South Main Street, member of the Torrington Early Childhood Collaborative, urged the Board of Finance to keep their request for $5,000.00 intact. She displayed her Certificate of Completion in Parent Leadership Through Civic Engagement from the NW CT Community College , which she received as a result of a grant the Collaborative was able to obtain from the Graustein Memorial Fund for her, and several other Torrington residents. She asked the boards not to pass over this opportunity for growth within the community. She said there are many people who are dedicated and willing to partner with the government and the Board of Education to make this town even better than it is.
Heather Kosmulski, 290 Roosevelt Avenue, also a member of the Torrington Early Childhood Collaborative, indicated that she just finished her PEP Training, (People Empowering People) and she thought it was something this community could benefit from. It involved the parents working together to make the community grow. She hoped the Board of Finance would support the $5,000.00 that TECC is looking for to help with their operational funding. She provided the Assistant City Clerk with a list of signatures from people who supports the $5,000.00 request.
Councilor Dalla Valle reported that the Collaborative has brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of grants from the state. It was his belief that TECC’s request for $5,000.00 would go a long way to sustain them in moving forward with their work. He asked the Coordinator, Donna Labbe, to say a few words about the work they do.
Coordinator Donna Labbe informed the boards that the Collaborative has brought the City of Torrington $225,000.00 in grants through private/state funds since 2004. The TECC has committees working on Kindergarten Transition, Professional Development for pre-school/childcare teachers and Parent Empowerment classes.
Councilor Dalla Valle explained that, although their request is not listed under Boards and Agencies, it was added by 2/3rds vote and approved by the City Council. He noted that he is one of the founding members of this committee and has worked with them since 2003.
With no further questions or comments, Mayor Bingham called the Public Hearing to a close at 7:18 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn.
ATTEST: JOLINE LeBLANC
ASST. CITY CLERK
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