A REGULAR MEETING of the City Council & WPC Authority was held in the Senior Center Main Room on Monday, April 20, 2009.
Present were Mayor Ryan J. Bingham, Corporation Counsel Ernestine Yuille Weaver, Administrative Assistant to the Mayor Stephen Nocera, City Councilors Rick Dalla Valle, Michael Colangelo, Elinor Carbone, Thomas Jerram, Marie Soliani and Drake Waldron, WPCA Administrator Raymond Drew, Superintendant of Parks & Recreation Brett Simmons, Fleet Manager Emil Castro, and Superintendant of Streets Robert Lizotte.
Mayor Bingham called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m.
MINUTES #83
On a motion by Councilor Colangelo, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the regular meeting held April 6, 2009.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC #99
Councilor Waldron made a motion, seconded by Councilor Carbone to consider business in Section B. Councilor Waldron then amended his motion to open the meeting to the public. Councilor Carbone amended her second and the council unanimously approved.
Cheryl Kloczko, Torrington Board of Education, and Donna Labbe, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Torrington Early Childhood Collaborative, presented their "Birth Through 8 Three-Year Plan" draft, thanked the Council for their support, asked for continued supplemental financial support, and announced a "Free Back to School Clothing Event" August 8, 2009 in the City Armory.
ADD SECTION B TO AGENDA #292
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to add Section B to the Agenda.
SELL POPPIES #297
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to give the local Polish Army Veterans and Ladys Auxiliary of Post 110 permission to sell poppies within city limits on Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8, 2008.
FUESSENICH PARK CONCESSIONAIRE #304
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Purchasing Agent's and Parks & Recreation Commission's recommendation to accept Tom Keslow's bid for the Fuessenich Park Concessionaire in the amount of $1,010.00 for the 2009 season.
CONSERVATION COMM: BRIAN REARDON #315
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to appoint Brian Reardon of Torrington to the Conservation Commission to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of Joseph Friscia.
Mayor Bingham added that Mr. Friscia has been a phenomenal asset to the City and will be missed by the Conservation Commission.
PLOW TRUCK CHASSIS #337
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to consider waiving the bid process and accepting the State Bids for the purchase of two plow truck chassis and two dump bodies for fiscal year 2008-2009 out of Acct. #0309.5900.0105.
Mayor Bingham explained that the vehicle replacement subcommittee approved this over a year ago and the trucks to be replaced are in poor condition.
Mr. Castro said it would take in excess of $100,000 to keep the vehicles on the road as they are now. With the purchase of the two vehicles, it would be $50,000 to $100,000 less to keep them running. There would be no need to purchase new spreaders, the maintenance costs would be down, and the price of parts would be nonexistent because the vehicles would be under warranty. If the vehicles aren't replaced, they will need to be retrofitted with new fuel tanks, new suspensions, and the spreaders replaced. This would cost the City far more than the cost of new vehicles. If the vehicles aren't replaced, the replacement parts and labor costs will go sky high and spreaders will need to be rebuilt which is money that will never be recovered from the truck.
Mr. Lizotte added that the total price for both new trucks is $341,100, a savings of about $32,000 by going through the State Bid. The current vehicles are 20 years old. The approval is needed right away to ensure the vehicles arrive in time for winter, with four or five months needed to build a truck.
Mayor Bingham said this vehicle replacement has been budgeted for.
Council Jerram said his concern is that we won't have our complete budget picture put together for another six weeks. Councilor Jerram made a motion to table this until the middle of May, seconded by Councilor Colangelo. The motion was tabled with Councilor Dalla Valle opposed.
BLDG DEPT: MARCH 2009 #528
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Building Department report for March 2009.
WAIVE SEWER CONNECTION FEE #537
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to waive the $2500.00 sewer connection fee for 54 East Hill Rd and 30 East Hill Rd.
WILLOW GARDENS: DIAMOND INC. #545
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to approve payment to Diamond, Inc. for Roof Replacement Work done to date on the Willow Gardens Project, from fund #0288, in the amount of $58,322.40 for Requisition #07-SC-23.
WILLOW GARDENS: THE HARTFORD COURANT #551
On a motion by Councilor Dalla Valle, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to approve payment to The Hartford Courant for an Invitation to Bid Ad placed for Site Improvements regarding the Willow Gardens Project, from fund #0288, in the amount of $90.74 for Requisition #07-SC-24, Reference #E2279939.
MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM: UNIV. COPY #558
On a motion by Councilor Soliani, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the Council voted unanimously to approve payment to Universal Copy, LLC for the Loan Repayment Book processed for the Micro-Loan Program, from fund #0274, in the amount of $24.68 for Requisition #MLR-15.
MUNICIPAL RENOVATIONS #565
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Colangelo, the Council voted unanimously to approve the following payments from the Municipal Renovations Fund #0316.
Corporate Express |
94011751 |
$ 6.20 |
orange labels |
Joseph Merritt & Co. |
I0113936 |
1776.09 |
copies of plans & specs |
Power Access |
29903 |
1038.00 |
handicap opener |
Register Citizen |
02351052 |
2448.18 |
invitation to bid-ad |
Register Citizen |
INV00676780 |
51.24 |
renovations bid ad |
Republican American |
INV000439954 |
27.84 |
renovations bid ad |
Federal Express |
9-156-70242 |
16.55 |
to Torrington Bus. Park |
Torrington Business Park |
40109 |
10140.85 |
April Rent |
Councilor Colangelo questioned the expense of newpaper advertising vs. website use. Mr. Quartiero said this has been discussed amongst CT Town Clerks and will obtain more information for the Council.
RESCIND WAGE INCREASE #656
On a motion by Councilor Colangelo, seconded by Councilor Dalla Valle, the Council voted unanimously to rescind the wage increases of all Management Resolution employees which are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2009.
Councilor Dalla Valle commended the employees who volunteered to give up their raises.
OPEN TO PUBLIC, AGENDA ITEMS #727
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the
Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public on agenda items only. No one wished to speak.
BUS: DEPARTMENT HEADS #739
On a motion by Councilor Jerram, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Dept. Heads.
City Clerk Joe Quartiero said he received a $10,000 grant from the Public Records Administration.
BUS: MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL #762
On a motion by Councilor Colangelo, seconded by Councilor Jerram, the Council voted unanimously to consider business by the Mayor and members of the City Council.
Mayor Bingham said a Zero-Turn Mower Manual was received, at no cost.
Councilor Carbone informed the Council of the upcoming Earth Day event, the Youth Service Award Ceremony at Coe Park.
Councilor Colangelo inquired about Revaluation and Assessment. Mayor Bingham said by the end of this week more information should be available. Over 1300 appeals were filed. He is trying to get more members onto the Board of Appeals, and that the goal is for everyone to be heard.
Councilor Dalla Valle spoke of his involvement in Youth Service Day.
Councilor Jerram announced the Youth Service Banquet on May 6th at the Elks at 6:00 p.m.
Mayor Bingham said the April 27 special meeting on budgets is rescheduled. He said the Earth Day event starts at 9:00 a.m. at Coe Park. Scarpelli's will provide lunch with over 100 people helping out a good cause that is well-needed. Regarding single stream recycling, Mayor Bingham presented the Council with some of the website items designed to inform the public about the switchover from weekly to bi-weekly recycling collection, and asked the Council to think of ways to get the word out.
ADJOURNMENT #1200
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn at 7:07 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC
CITY CLERK
| 
