MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
January 20, 2015
A REGULAR MEETING was held by the City Council & WPC Authority in the City Hall Auditorium on Tuesday, January 20, 2015.
Those in attendance included Mayor Elinor Carbone, Corporation Counsel Raymond Rigat, City Councilors Paul Cavagnero, Anne Ruwet, Christopher Anderson and Gregg Cogswell. City Councilors Drake Waldron and Paul Samele were absent. Also present were Board of Education Chairman Kenneth Traub, Vice Chair Fiona Cappabianca and Secretary Ellen Hoehne and Fire Chief Gary Brunoli, Police Chief Michael Maniago, Fleet Manager Emil Castro and Comptroller Alice Proulx.
Mayor Carbone called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.
MINUTES
On a motion by Councilor Ruwet, seconded by Councilor Anderson, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the Regular Meeting held January 5, 2015. Councilor Cogswell abstained.
On a motion by Councilor Ruwet, seconded by Councilor Cavagnero, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the Special Joint Meeting with the Board of Finance on January 5, 2015. Councilor Cogswell abstained.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
On a motion by Councilor Anderson, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public. There was no one present who wished to speak.
ADD TO AGENDA
On a motion by Councilor Cavagnero, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to add to the agenda.
BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET GOALS
On a motion by Councilor Ruwet, seconded by Councilor Cavagnero, the Council voted unanimously to open the floor for a discussion on Board of Education Goals and Budget Parameters.
FY14/15 Goals
Mr. Traub explained that Board goals have always been lagging behind, as they are approved in late summer or early fall. He said that this year they established two years’ worth of Board goals and are now a year in advance. This was their first goal. Another goal is to establish a policy, procedure and protocol manual for each executive to help new administrators. In an effort to control costs, a third goal is to conduct a comprehensive review of the Student Services Department, he said, which are the Special Education and Outreach programs. Mr. Traub said their fourth goal is for the administration to develop a five-year plan to expand, support and sustain electives at the secondary education level and to evaluate the budgetary impact and staffing requirements.
Mr. Traub explained that the largest budget increase is in out-of-district and special education costs, because students may now select where they want to go to school. In response to this, the District created an Options Program, partnering with the Warner Theater to offer programs that compete with more expensive programs available in Waterbury or Hartford. He said the Administration will continue to expand that and try to find partnerships in the local community.
FY15/16 Goals
Mr. Traub said the Board of Education will design and implement at least three programs of study leading to respective concentrations for THS graduates, such as health care studies, human services or manufacturing. Their second goal is to oversee the revision of curriculum based on the Common Core within the principles of transparency, with the opportunity for public input and the involvement of all classroom teachers who wish to participate. They are going to revamp the curriculum for next year, he said.
Mr. Traub described the third goal of overviewing and implementing the comprehensive review of the Student Services Department that was done this year. He said they will try to find additional ways to keep some of our special needs in district.
The fourth goal that Mr. Traub described is the Marketing/Branding of Torrington Public Schools, to find a way to turn around some of the negativity that has overshadowed the District in the last four or five years.
Councilor Cavagnero noted that these goals are very well thought out and asked how the City can assist the Board of Education in their goals. He said the key thing to determine is where the job opportunities are for students.
Councilor Ruwet encouraged the Board of Education to look for opportunities to share services with the City. Mayor Carbone added that the combining of financial services should be looked into. Mr. Traub said the financial management software may need to be changed to facilitate mandated reports, and added that the Torrington Board of Education has been working with the manufacturing coalition in Torrington.
BUDGET TRANSFERS
On a motion by Councilor Cavagnero, seconded by Councilor Anderson, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the budget amendments/transfers described in the Comptroller’s memo dated January 13, 2015, having been approved by the Board of Finance in a previous meeting.
PAYMENT FROM CONTINGENCY – Gateway Project
On a motion by Councilor Anderson, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to authorize a payment from contingency to the State of CT in the amount of $2,772.18 for the municipal share of costs incurred for the Torrington Gateway project, having been approved by the Board of Finance in a previous meeting. Mayor Carbone explained that this is a federally funded project designed to provide at least a dozen signs at various gateway locations throughout the city. She said the funding will be used for one project with a bigger impact – aesthetic improvements to the Main Street/South Main Street bridge with signage and landscaping.
BUDGET AMENDMENTS – Wage Increases
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to authorize budget amendments relating to 7/1/14 wage increases for both UPSEU and Local 424 Supervisors and Management Resolution employees, having been approved by the Board of Finance in a previous meeting.
PAYMENT – THS ATHLETIC FIELD RENOVATIONS
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Anderson, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the following payments:
Vendor Invoice # Date Amount Description
Gale Assocs. 1408235 9/12/14 $8,224.00 Architectural Services THS Track & Field Renovations 8/3 – 8/30/14
Gale Assocs. 1409230 10/10/14 $1,776.00 Architectural Services THS Track & Field Renovations 8/31 – 9/27/14
PURCHASE POLICE INTERCEPTORS
On a motion by Councilor Anderson, seconded by Councilor Cavagnero, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Purchasing Agent’s, Police Fleet Manager’s and City Fleet Manager’s recommendation to purchase two 2015 Ford Utility Police Interceptors off the State Contract, from MHQ of Marlborough, MA in the amount of $35,986.93 each, having been approved by the Board of Public Safety on January 7, 2015.
PURCHASE TRAFFIC PICK-UP TRUCK
On an amended motion by Councilor Cavagnero, seconded as amended by Councilor Anderson, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Purchasing Agent’s, Police Fleet Manager’s and City Fleet Manager’s recommendation to purchase a ¾ Ton 4x4 Pick-Up Truck for the Traffic Dept. from Shaker’s Inc. of Watertown, CT in the amount of $34,943.00, having been approved by the Board of Public Safety on January 7, 2015.
SMALL CITIES COMMUN. DEVEL. PROGRAM ADMIN.
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Purchasing Agent’s recommendation and authorize the Mayor to award the Small Cities Community Development Program Administrator to L. Wagner & Associates, Inc. of Waterbury, CT.
SMALL CITIES PAYMENTS
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Anderson, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the following payments:
Fund Vendor Invoice # Date Amount Description
271 L. Wagner & Assocs. 14-SC-01 12/3/2014 $4,500 Prof. Svcs. Block Grant Applic.
270 City of Torrington 13-SC-44 1/9/2015 $225.00 3 Title Searches
BUILDING DEPT. REPORT
On a motion by Councilor Anderson, seconded by Councilor Cavagnero, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Building Dept. Report for December 2014.
BUSINESS: DEPT. HEADS
On a motion by Councilor Anderson, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Department Heads. No business was presented.
BUSINESS: MAYOR & MEMBERS
On a motion by Councilor Anderson, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by the Mayor and members of the City Council.
Councilor Cavagnero thanked the Mayor and Board of Education for the discussion.
Councilor Cogswell congratulated Board of Finance member Joshua Ferreira on the birth of his second son.
Mayor Carbone announced an upcoming Dr. Seuss Breakfast sponsored by the Mayor’s Committee on Youth to begin the 2015 Fireworks Fundraising, announced a breakfast being held to begin a dialogue on how to grow our economic base, and announced the “Torrington Walks” workshop. She thanked the Police Chief and Police Department for a tremendous job done in the recent drug bust.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Councilor Anderson, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to
adjourn at 7:27 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC
CITY CLERK
Carol L. Anderson CMC
Asst. City Clerk
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