MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
November 13, 2012
A REGULAR MEETING was held by the City Council & WPC Authority in the City Hall Auditorium on Tuesday, November 13, 2012.
Present were Mayor Ryan Bingham, Corporation Counsel Raymond Rigat, City Councilors Gregg Cogswell, Paul Samele, Gerald Zordan and Drake Waldron, Acting Fire Chief Gary Brunoli, WPC Administrator Ray Drew, and Fleet Manager Emil Castro. City Councilors Elinor Carbone and Marie Soliani were absent.
Mayor Bingham called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.
MINUTES
On a motion by Councilor Zordan, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the Regular Meeting held October 15, 2012. Councilor Samele abstained.
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the Special Telephonic Meeting held November 1, 2012. Councilor Zordan abstained.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public. There was no one who wished to speak.
ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION: Kimberly Fazzino
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Zordan, the Council voted unanimously to appoint Kimberly Fazzino to the Arts & Culture Commission for a three year term, replacing Diane Consolini who resigned in August, 2012. The Assistant City Clerk explained that Ms. Consolini's term had expired before she resigned and once this vacancy is filled by Ms. Fazzino, a reappointment will be needed to create the next term of office.
ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION REAPPOINTMENTS
On a motion by Councilor Zordan, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to reappoint Bill Haygood, Kimberly Fazzino, and Lynn Gelormino to the Arts & Culture Commission for a three year term expiring December 31, 2014.
STREET DEPARTMENT: PURCHASE UTILITY TRUCK
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to purchase off State Contract #10PSX0239 one 4 x 2 utility truck for the Street Department for a contract price of $29,070.86. Mr. Castro said $6,000 would be saved.
SANITARY SEWER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
On a motion by Councilor Zordan, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the City Council herein acting as the Water Pollution Control Authority voted unanimously to approve a payment of $45,556.11 for Delray Contracting's Requisition #9 dated 9/30/2012 from Fund #490 Sanitary Sewer Capital Improvement for Capital Project D-13 New Harwinton Road.
WPCA ADVICE & REPRESENTATION
On an amended motion by Councilor Waldron, and an amended second by Councilor Cogswell, the City Council herein acting as the Water Pollution Control Authority voted unanimously to accept the Water Pollution Control Administrator's and Public Works Director's recommendation to waive the bid process and be advised and represented by Barnes & Thornburg of Chicago, IL regarding issues arising in connection with a wastewater discharge permit, according to the terms and conditions stated in Fredric P. Andes’ letter of October 15, 2012.
Mr. Drew said he'd like to join a coalition with four other towns for negotiations with the CT State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The towns are Danbury, Meriden, Wallingford and Southington. To illustrate the potential fiscal impact, Mr. Drew said in 2009, Torrington was given a proposed limit of .7 milligrams per liter, which might be accomplished with about a million dollars in modifications using a biological process with a chemical trim. In 2011, the DEEP changed the proposed limit to 0.4 milligrams per liter, with a projected cost of 13.4 million for a tertiary phosphorous treatment facility.
Mayor Bingham said that any costs associated with being a part of this coalition will be greatly paid back, especially with good legal arguments from somebody who knows what they are talking about.
Mr. Drew said the same strategy was used when dealing with nitrogen and that program worked extremely well in our favor. He said that strategy included the use of outside counsel, experts in environmental law, to assist us in those negotiations.
On a motion by Councilor Zordan, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the City Council herein acting as the Water Pollution Control Authority, voted unanimously to authorize the Mayor to execute Agreements with Barnes & Thornburg.
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the City Council herein acting as the Water Pollution Control Authority voted unanimously to authorize the use of Capital Reserve funds.
SMALL CITIES PROJECT #143-316
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of the Small Cities Committee to approve Project #143-316.
SMALL CITIES
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to approve a Change Order for Small Cities Project #143-312.
SMALL CITIES PAYMENTS
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Zordan, the Council voted unanimously to approve the following payments from Small Cities Citywide Housing Rehab Fund #251:
Vendor |
Invoice # |
Invoice Date |
Amount |
Description |
L. Wagner & Assocs. |
10-SC-55 |
10/5/2012 |
$1,200.00 |
Prof. Svcs. 8/1/12 through 9/30/12, drawdown #13 |
L. Wagner & Assocs. |
10-SC-56 |
10/5/2012 |
$4,950.00 |
Prof. Svcs. 8/1/12 through 9/30/12, drawdown #13 |
BUILDING DEPT. REPORT
On a motion by Councilor Samele, seconded by Councilor Zordon, the Council voted unanimously to approve the Building Dept. report for the month of September 2012.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AGENDA ITEMS ONLY
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Samele, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public on "agenda items" only. There was no one present who wished to speak.
BUSINESS BY DEPT. HEADS
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Zordan, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Department Heads. No business was presented.
BUSINESS BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by the Mayor and members of the City Council.
Councilor Waldron said three more Torrington legends have died including Vic Voss, a popular High School teacher, Dr. James McKenna, a legend in the medical community and Torrington High School sports, and Atty. John Gawrych, who ran for Mayor in 1975, served as State Senator and served a term as Torrington's Corporation Counsel.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Zordan, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn at 6:48 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC CITY CLERK
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Respectfully Submitted, Car
ol L. Anderson, CCTC Asst. City Clerk
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