MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL AND WPC AUTHORITY
AUGUST 15, 2011
A REGULAR MEETING of the City Council & WPC Authority was held in the City Hall Auditorium on Monday, August 15, 2011.
Present were Mayor Ryan Bingham, City Councilors Marie Soliani, Gerald Zordan, Paul Samele, Gregg Cogswell, Elinor Carbone, and Drake Waldron. Also present were Comptroller Alice Proulx, Purchasing Agent Pennie Zucco, Deputy Fire Chief Gary Brunoli, Board of Public Safety Commissioner James Potter, City Engineer Edward Fabbri, and Republican Registrar of Voters Amelia Waldron.
Mayor Bingham called the meeting to order at 6:26 p.m.
MINUTES
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Zordan, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the Regular Meeting held July 18, 2011. Councilor Cogswell abstained.
MINUTES
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the Regular Meeting held August 3, 2011. Councilors Samele and Zordan abstained.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
On a motion by Councilor Samele, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public. There was no one who wished to speak.
TORR. HOUSING AUTH.: Re-Appoint Dr. D'Angelo
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to re-appoint Dr. Mario D'Angelo as Commissioner for the Torrington Housing Authority for a five year term beginning September 1, 2011. Torrington Housing Authority Chairman David Murelli said Dr. D'Angelo has the knowledge and experience they need.
He gave the Council an update, saying last year they lost their State money, but were able to obtain federal funding. Two or things, such as a parking lot, had to be brought up to acceptable standards in order to get federalization. He said they had saved a lot of reserve money over and above what it costs to run the Housing Authority, but spent most of that money to get federalized.
He forewarned of a difficult year in 2012 as all reserves have to go back to HUD and this will show up in their budget. He reminded Council that the Housing Authority deals with over 2,000 people, and predicted that they will be shortchanged.
Mayor Bingham thanked Dr. D'Angelo for agreeing to serve again.
CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to appoint the following as members to the Charter Revision Commission established August 3, 2011:
William Battle (D) |
James McKenna (D) |
James Steck (R) |
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Debra Brown (D) |
Victor Muschell (R) |
James Thibault (R) |
* = public official |
Elinor Carbone (R) * |
Marie Soliani (D) * |
Gerald Zordan (R) * |
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Mayor Bingham said this mix of people who have been on Charter Revision in the past, some new members, will be a good group, as they are smart and experienced.
RESOLUTION: Electric Procurement
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to adopt the following resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a contract to pursue the Electric procurement for the contract extension for the City:
BE IT RESOLVED, the City of Torrington hereby approves the cooperative purchasing of electric procurement for the extension of the Electric Contract ending 12/31/2014 through the CCM Energy Purchasing Program to take advantage of increased purchasing power of a collective purchasing group;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of City Council, the Mayor, in his sole discretion, is authorized to execute, on behalf of the City of Torrington, an extension of the electric contract. Where practical, the Mayor shall submit the agreement to the City Council for review; however if time does not permit such a review by the City Council, the Mayor is authorized to execute the agreement, in which case the Mayor shall provide the City Council with a copy of the executed agreement at the City Council's next regularly scheduled meeting;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, any agreement executed pursuant to this resolution may be of duration of more than twelve months but shall not exceed sixty months.
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Mayor Bingham explained this will preclude having to call a Special Meeting on Aug. 17th. He will proceed with what CCM recommends which looks like it will be at the 2004 level, informing the Council thereafter.
MUNICIPAL RENOVATIONS
On an amended motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Zordan, the Council voted unanimously to approve the following payments from Fund #316, Municipal Renovations:
VENDOR |
INV# |
AMOUNT |
DESCRIPTION |
Executive Glass |
6342 |
225.00 |
tax collector window |
Soundworks & Security |
4288890 |
570.00 |
disable/enable smoke detectors |
McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter |
706957 |
1,440.50 |
legal svcs-Friar |
O & G |
#22CtYhALL |
$119,709.16 |
Services through 6/30/2011 |
LOCAL FLOOD PROTECTION, VEGETATION CLEARING
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the Mayor to award a contract for Local Flood Protection Project Vegetation Clearing Phase I – Step 3 to Lenahan Land Clearing and Grinding, Inc. of Southbury, CT, in the amount of $86,400.00, and to authorize the Mayor to act on behalf of the City regarding the execution of the contract and its administration including approval of alternate bid items and pay applications.
Mr. Fabbri said he doesn't know why there is such a disparity in the bid amounts and that Lenahan did the original clearing on the river. He said the area is right below Palmer Bridge, next to Toro field, and is about seven acres in size.
FINAL BUDGET MODIFICATIONS
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to approve final budget modifications identified in the Comptroller's Memo of August 11, 2011.
Mrs. Waldron spoke in opposition to the cuts to her budget. She said she feels very strongly that a full time office is required to provide checks and balances between the Republicans and the Democrats. It's a quiet year, she said, and she doesn't anticipate a big voter turnout this year.
However, Mrs. Waldron noted, in 2012 there are so many more things going on such as the presidential election with an anticipated turnout of 90% of the voters, an expected presidential primary in February, and expected primaries for the U.S. Senate seat and the U.S. Congressional seat in August. Redistricting will be coming up in 2012, she said, and Town Committee elections will be held the beginning of the year. She will be doing a canvass held every fourth year, registrations at both high schools, and absentee ballots at convalescent homes. Mrs. Waldon said she will need a lot more staff for that year as it will take a lot of work and training.
Mrs. Waldron noted that the State decided to do a computerized pilot program on the check desk at the polling places, which will be done here at City Hall, and will include training. The Secretary of the State is very adamant to get this going, she said, but the legislators must be convinced first. She cautioned that the State of CT is not going to pay for those computers, the City is.
Mrs. Waldron declared she can't have a small budget next year, it will be a very busy year and the Council will be asked for more money in 2012.
Mayor Bingham clarified that the Registrar's office hours are not changing, with one full-time person, and there is money in the budget for a part-time person, about 20 hours per week. He said there is also an opportunity to pay a stipend for a future Deputy Registrar. Mrs. Waldron said they are paid per diem. Mayor Bingham said he never closed the door on two full-time persons in the Registrar's office next year, but that will be the subject of discussion during the next budget process.
Councilor Cogswell asked about the Secretary of the State's reference to a new computerized system for registrations. Mrs. Waldron said they haven't done anything with that yet.
ADD SECTION B
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Soliani, the Council voted unanimously to
add Section B to the agenda.
SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY COMM. APPT.
On a motion by Councilors Soliani, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously
to reappoint Adele Reale to the Svcs. for the Elderly Comm. for a second term expiring July 6, 2014.
OPEN TO PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public on agenda items only. There was no one who wished to speak.
BUSINESS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Department Heads. There was no business presented.
BUSINESS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Carbone, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by the Mayor and members of the City Council.
Mayor Bingham reported on the "Mayor Bingham's Boundless Bookworms" program which challenges children to reach a goal for the number of books they read. He said close to two hundred children participated, reading 4700 books, and the top book-reader read over two hundred books. He stated that the Torrington Library is beyond compare.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, and unanimously approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:48 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC CITY CLERK |
Respectfully Submitted, Carol L. Anderson, CCTC Asst. City Clerk |
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