MINUTES
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF FINANCE AND THE
BOARD OF COUNCILMEN
JUNE 5, 2008
A SPECIAL JOINT MEETING of the Board of Finance and the Board of Councilmen was held on Thursday, June 5, 2008 in the Council Chambers.
Those in attendance included Mayor Ryan J. Bingham, Board of Finance members Daniel Farley, Laurene Pesce, Thomas Scoville, Wendy Traub, and James Zeller, Councilmen Rick E. Dalla Valle, Elinor Carbone, Thomas C. Jerram, Marie P. Soliani, and Drake L. Waldron, Comptroller Alice Proulx, Public Works Director Gerald Rollett, WPC Administrator Raymond Drew, and Tax Collector Robert Crovo. Board of Finance member Mark Bushka and Councilman Michael Colangelo were absent.
Mayor Bingham called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Mayor Bingham reviewed the cuts that followed and stated that only the City Council would need to vote on the adjustments to the budget.
TAX ASSESSOR #065
Line Item 5104 - Overtime, reduction of $2,500.00
Line Item 5106 - Extra Help, reduction of $2,500.00
Line Item 5199 - Contract Services, reduction of $5,000.00
Total cuts: $10,000.00
BOARDS & AGENCIES #090
Line Item 5503 - Community Development, reduction of $3,000.00
Line Item 5530 - Probate, reduction of $1,500.00
Mrs. Traub said she had a note stating that the original $18,000.00 in Community Development was statutory.
Ms. Proulx said it was based on a portion of the grand list and they actually budgeted more this year than necessary in the 07-08 year, so she was comfortable in reducing that amount.
Total cuts: $4,500.00
CITY REAL ESTATE #105
Line Item 5270 - Repairs, reduction of $5,000.00
CITY CLERK #110
Line Item 5103 - Regular Wages, reduction of $5,400.00
Line Item 5220.0001 - State Mandated Fees, reduction of $5,000.00
Line Item 5220.0002 - Land Preservation Fees, reduction of $50,000.00
Line Item 5753 - Employer FICA, reduction of $415.00
Total cuts: $60,815.00
COMPTROLLER #135
Line Item 5223 - Education & School Classes, reduction of $1,000.00
CORPORATION COUNSEL #145
Line Item 5213 - Conference, reduction of $500.00
MAYOR #150
Line Item 5223 - Education, reduction of $11,500.00
PERSONNEL #155
Line Item 5223 - Education & School Classes, reduction of $5,000.00
PLANNING & ZONING #160
Line Item 5201 - Advertising, reduction of $1,000.00
PURCHASING #165
Line Item 5265 - Auction - Cost of Sales, reduction of $1,000.00
TREASURER #175
Line Item 5213 - Conference, reduction of $250.00
Line Item 5240 - Equipment Maintenance, reduction of $100.00
Line Item 5280 - Office Supplies, reduction of $200.00
Total cuts: $550.00
DATA PROCESSING #190
Line Item 5345.0011 - Computer Mayor, reduction of $500.00
PUBLIC SAFETY MISCELLANEOUS #200
Line Item 5284 - Service Agreements, reduction of $125.00
Line Item 5292 - Physical Exam Expense, reduction of $1,000.00
Mrs. Traub noted that the reduction in service agreements would leave them with nothing in that line item.
Ms. Proulx stated that originally, the fees for the recording device was distributed to different departments, but it wasn’t worth the effort to distribute all those costs, so now it merely gets charged to one line item.
Total cuts: $1,125.00
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS #235
Line Item 5233 - Education, reduction of $250.00
Line Item 5229 - Equipment, reduction of $400.00
Line Item 5281 - Supplies, reduction of $200.00
Total Cuts: $850.00
FIRE DEPARTMENT #245
Line Item 5229 - Equipment Replacement, reduction of $5,202.00
Line Item 5344 - Promotional Test, reduction of $2,300.00
Line Item 5357 - Capital Reserve, reduction of $5,000.00
Total Cuts: $12,502.00
POLICE DEPARTMENT #255
Line Item 5201 - Advertising, reduction of $1,000.00
Line Item 5222.0001 - Accreditation, reduction of $750.00
Line Item 5223 - Education & School, reduction of $1,000.00
Line Item 5245 - Building Maintenance, reduction of $2,000.00
Line Item 5280 - Supplies, reduction of $1,000.00
Line Item 5281 - Supplies-Fleet, reduction of $500.00
Line Item 5350 - New Equip-Book Desk, reduction of $1,000.00
Line Item 5387 - Special Squads - SERT, reduction of $1,000.00
Line Item 5387.0001 - Bicycle Patrol, reduction of $2,000.00
Total Cuts: $10,250.00
PUBLIC WORKS #355
Line Item 5223 - Education/Schooling, reduction of $1,500.00
CITY HALL #360
Line Item 5398 - Custodial Services, reduction of $5,000.00
EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE #365
Miscellaneous Line Items - Implement charge back, reduction of $100,000.00
Ms. Proulx indicated that the city is implementing a charge back system where the balance in the Equipment Maintenance line items will be allocated to different departments and charge back fees will be charged to those departments. In analyzing the system, Mr. Michaud came up with reductions within his actual budget, based on historical data. This will be the first year to implement the system and, initially, they felt it would be better to have a cushion just in case there were any issues, and this is Mr. Michaud’s best guesstimate of where they are with the system.
Mrs. Pesce asked if other departments had money in their budgets for what they will be charged back.
Ms. Proulx indicated that the balance that will remain in Equipment Maintenance after this reduction will be allocated to the different departments that will be charged back for the services they receive from Equipment Maintenance. She will be coming before the board with budget transfers so those costs can be appropriated to those different departments.
Mrs. Pesce stated that eventually every department will have money to pay for its own charge backs.
Ms. Proulx said that was correct.
STREET DEPARTMENT #425
Line Item 5818 - Drainage Improvements, reduction of $144,210.00
Line item 5220 - Publication Dues, Fees, reduction of $1,198.00
Ms. Proulx explained that they are cutting $144,210.00 from the Bridge Fund to make certain that the number of roads to be repaired can remain the same.
Mr. Rollett stated that the line item is a catch all for both drainage and road repair work.
Total Cuts: $145,408.00
PARKS #470
Line Item 5357 - Capital Reserve, reduction of $60,000.00
Mr. Rollett indicated that the money from this year’s budget will be added to next year’s money and they will re-prioritize the capital projects for Parks.
It was noted that endowment money is used to repair the Besse Pond Park, which is currently fenced off and under construction.
HEALTH #555
Line Item 5203 - Recycle Contract, reduction of $8,000.00
Line Item 5229 - Equipment, reduction of $10,000.00
Total Cuts: $18,000.00
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT #565
Line Item 5223 - Education, reduction of $4,000.00
INSURANCE #570
Line Item 5700 - Worker’s Comp., reduction of $5,000.00
Line Item 5701 - Liability Insurance, reduction of $27,500.00
Ms. Proulx indicated that she cut a small part of the contingency that’s built into these line items for i.e., a payroll audit. On the liability side, some times they have increases and exposure as well.
Total Cuts: 32,500.00
TAX COLLECTOR #610
Line Item 5215 - Tax Collector Contract, reduction of $7,500.00
TOTAL RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS: $500,000.00
MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET #620
Councilor Jerram made a motion to accept the changes to the budget in its entirety. Councilor Waldron seconded the motion.
Councilor Dalla Valle said he thought it was wonderful that department heads volunteered the cuts but still felt there was money to be found without taking from others. He was referring to the $8,000.00 being allocated to the Twisters. He noted that it’s been a few weeks since a discussion was held on this matter and wondered if the matter had been discussed with the Twisters. He was surprised to see that the city would take public safety money instead of taking funds from the Twisters.
Secondly, Councilor Dalla Valle spoke in regard to the amount of money the city is paying for gas for vehicles that are used by managers, especially those who drive out of town. He was wondering why the city wasn’t looking into green vehicles or hybrids. He noted that two vehicles going out of town last year spent almost $5,000.00 on gasoline alone. One vehicle was driven 26,000 miles at a cost of $2,600.00 and the other was driven 13,000 miles at a cost of $2,300.00.
Mayor Bingham agreed that the city should start looking at different types of vehicles and they will do just that in the months ahead; but, unfortunately it won’t affect this budget.
In regard to the Twisters, Mayor Bingham noted that he met with Robin, the new President, and felt it was too premature to do anything, given that the season hasn’t started and she’s still working with Parks & Rec and the Fuessenich Park Commission. The board can make a decision if they feel it’s something they want to pursue.
Councilor Dalla Valle said he’s heard the argument that the city should try to help new businesses coming into town and he fully agrees with that, but when it comes to monetary help, how would they pick and choose who they were going to help?
Mayor Bingham indicated that the Twisters is an established organization that is good for Torrington. It brings people to Fuessenich Park and gives them something to do on a summer evening. He noted that taking away their funds is not something they feel comfortable doing at this time.
Mrs. Traub publicly extended her thanks to all department heads for coming forward with these cuts. She knew it was difficult for them to decide where to make the cuts, but they stepped forward with recommendations that they were comfortable with and made this budget process a lot less painful for all those who are experiencing tense times.
Mrs. Pesce noted that many of the cuts dealt with capital/maintenance, in addition to the million dollars that they’re taking from the fund balance for the road and drainage improvements. She said it was very important for them to start July 1 to figure out what they’ll be doing for next year, because there won’t be any fund balance and probably not any insurance money either. It’s hard to imagine where the money will come from in the next year and it’s frightening to take money from capital projects because part of what the Board of Finance has been charged with is to protect the assets of the community that the taxpayers are paying for. Mrs. Pesce noted that a large cut was also taken from education and the only way that people get to do their jobs better is by
keeping current, particularly in government, so these cuts are not without their effect on programs.
VOTE TO ACCEPT THE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET #890
The Board of Councilmen voted unanimously to accept the changes to the budget in its entirety.
ADJOURNMENT #895
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 6:00 p.m.
ATTEST: JOLINE LeBLANC
ASST. CITY CLERK
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