MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
April 4, 2016
A REGULAR MEETING was held by the City Council & WPC Authority in the City Hall Auditorium on Monday, April 4, 2016.
Those in attendance included Mayor Elinor Carbone, City Councilors Paul Cavagnero, Anne Ruwet, Gregg Cogswell, Daniel Farley, Luisa Noujaim and Drake Waldron. Also present were Fire Chief Gary Brunoli, Atty. Vic Muschell, Personnel Director Tom Gritt, City Engineer Ed Fabbri, Public Works Director Jerry Rollett and Parks & Recreation Superintendent Brett Simmons.
Mayor Carbone called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. starting with the Pledge of Allegiance.
MINUTES
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the Regular Meeting held March 21, 2016 with two corrections noted.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Farley, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public. There was no one present who wished to speak.
AGREEMENT: City and Local 1567 IAFF, 2015 to 2018
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to approve an agreement between the City of Torrington and the Torrington Firefighter’s Union Local 1567 IAFF effective 7/1/2015 through 6/30/2018, as described in Atty. Muschell’s letter dated 3/18/2016. Atty. Muschell said the salary cost increases are consistent with all the other bargaining units’ increases that have gone before.
RETIREMENT PLAN DOCUMENT
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to adopt the updated 401-plan document from ICMA Retirement Corp. entitled “Governmental Money Purchase Plan & Trust Adoption Agreement”, Plan Number 106639.
ADD SECTION B
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to add Section B to the agenda.
SECTION B
CENTER BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the Mayor to execute a Project Authorization Letter for Project #143-189 Center Bridge Improvements as described in the City Engineer’s Memo dated March 23, 2016. Mr. Fabbri explained that the project is slated for late fall.
SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Farley, the Council voted 3/1 to authorize the Mayor to negotiate a land lease with a solar development company for the installation, operation and maintenance of a solar energy project to be located on the closed city landfill located at Vista Drive. Councilor Cavagnero voted in opposition and Councilor Cogswell abstained.
Mr. Rollett explained this partnership with DEEP is to find a developer to install a solar project on our landfill. He said since each proposal is a little bit different, they enter negotiations with the developers, who have included non-disclosure requests in their proposals. Mayor Carbone added that the five interviewed companies each had their own intricacies in their proposals, which would require closed sessions for negotiations. Due to the long-term commitment for the City, Councilor Cavagnero said, he objected to the approval process, saying he would like to have Council review the top three companies.
End Section B
APPOINTMENTS
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to re-appoint Dr. Jessica Magda to the Torrington Area Health District for a 3-year term to expire January 9, 2019.
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL GRANT
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution #143-16-6, authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver a contract with the State of CT, Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, for the fulfillment of the America-the-Beautiful grant.
RESOLVED: That the Mayor, Elinor Carbone, is empowered to execute and deliver in the name
and on behalf of the City Council for the City of Torrington a certain contract with the Department
of Energy and Environmental Protection of the State of Connecticut for the fulfillment of the America-
the-Beautiful grant, and is authorized to affix the Corporate Seal.
TAX REFUNDS
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Farley, the Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of the Tax Collector and authorize the refunds indicated on the list dated 3/30/2016. Addendum 1
WPCA - SEWER TAX REFUNDS
Acting herein as the Water Pollution Control Authority, on a motion by Councilor Ruwet, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of the Tax Collector and authorize the sewer usage refunds indicated on the list dated 3/30/2016. Addendum 2
PARKS DEPT. BASKETBALL COURT RENOVATIONS
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Purchasing Agent’s and the Parks & Recreation Superintendent’s recommendation to award bid #BBC-032-031816 for basketball court renovations at Borzani Park to Lafferty Enterprises, Inc. of Harwinton, CT, in the amount of $51,090. Mr. Simmons explained that the seven City outdoor basketball courts received seal-coating recently, except this one on Jackson Street which needed a full renovation.
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
On a motion by Councilor Farley, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to accept the Purchasing Agent’s recommendation to extend the current Electrical Services contract with Connole’s Electric, LLC of Torrington, for FY16/17 at the current pricing of $52/hour for Journeymen and $34/hour for Apprentices.
SMALL CITIES
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to approve the following payments:
Vendor Requisition # Date Amount Description Fund
City of Torrington 15-SC-07 3/10/2016 $ 300.00 Title Searches 272
Republican American 15-SC-08 3/10/2016 $ 155.44 Invitation to Bid Ad 272
Republican American HRLR-246 3/10/2016 $ 603.20 Public Hearing Notice 250
THS ATHLETIC FIELDS
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the following payments:
Vendor Requisition # Date Amount Description
Giordano Signs Inv. #7901 2/26/2016 $ 2846.75 Exterior Sign
Sportsfield Specialties Inv. #58808 3/16/2016 $15372.00 Safety Netting
BUSINESS: Department Heads
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by Department Heads. No business was presented.
BUSINESS: Mayor & Members
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to consider business presented by the Mayor and members of the City Council. Mayor Carbone updated the Council on Main Street’s Sidewalk Renovations. She said she has been writing to, and attending meetings with, the Board of Trustees for the University of Connecticut regarding her concern over their closing of the Torrington campus.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council adjourned at 7:06 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC
CITY CLERK
Carol L. Anderson CMC
Asst. City Clerk
| 
