BOARD OF FINANCE
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
40 OLD FARMS ROAD
WILLINGTON, CT 06279
BUDGET MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Members Present: Members Absent:
Alan Ference, Chairman
John Patton, Vice Chair
Elizabeth Treiber
Robert Wiecenski
Peter Latincsics
Jim Bulick
Geoff Prusak – Alternate
Annemarie Poole, Alternate
Also Present: Christina Mailhos, First Selectman; Kim Kowalyshyn, Selectman; Donna Latincsics, Business Manager; Tish Ignatowicz, Treasurer; Tyler Millix, Willington FD #1; Dave Harding, Superintendent; Karl Acimovic, Town Engineer.
Chairman Alan Ference called the meeting to order at 7:10 P.M.
SEATING OF ALTERNATES – not needed
PRESENT TO SPEAK
Dave Harding was present and asked to update the Board on an out of district placement. Karl Acimovic was present to speak on the Polster Road Bridge project. Both need to be added to the agenda.
Elizabeth Treiber motioned to add the two discussions of the out-of-district placement and the Polster Road Bridge Project to the agenda. Jim Bulick seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – not needed
NEW BUSINESS
BOE
Superintendent Harding informed the Board that since he presented the Board of Education Budget request he was informed that there is a change with the assumption. There will be an out-of-district placement at a cost of $79,000. If this had come up earlier they might have talked about cutting a position to cover this. This will mean a change in the assumptions but not the bottom line.
Board of Finance -2- February 20, 2014
Polster Road Bridge
Karl Acimovic reviewed the history of the Polster Road Bridge. In 2010 they had looked at replacing the bridge through the State at a cost of approx. $294,000. Now he estimates that the cost now would be between $350,000 to $400,000. This includes changing the roadway to avoid the trucks hitting the guard rails. Discussion followed.
Selectman Mailhos said that the reason for talking about this now is to start thinking about funding the project. We should go out to bid in the next month or so. Some of the suggestions for funding would be LOCIP funds or the General Fund Balance.
Selectman’s Budget
Selectman Mailhos presented the General Government Budget request. The total Selectman’s budget request is for $3,117,424 which is an increase of $158,407 or 5.35%. The Board asked questions and discussion followed.
Part of the discussion was with the Selectman’s salary. Traditionally the Selectman’s salary did not increase during the term. After the election it would adjust accordingly. John Patton said that he would like to look at the salary at the next election. The First Selectman’s salary should be at least the same as the Town Clerk’s salary. Discussion continued. The following topics were discussed:
- Pension funding
- Employee Health Insurance Place holders
- Trash removal increase
- Chip sealing
- PW Driver
- Catch basins
Peter Latincsics thanked the Board of Selectmen for their hard work in putting together the budget.
OLD BUSINESS
WFD#1 Compensated Absences
Discussion continued from yesterday’s meeting. On 7/07/2011, $68,124.37 was given to the charge of the Town to cover their compensated absences. It was fully funded at that time. Currently the fund has $48,231.74 in a CD. It was asked that information be provided to where the funds were used that decreased the fund.
CORRESPONDENCE – none
GOOD & WELFARE - none
Selectman Mailhos informed the Board that WINCOG has hired an independent insurance agent to review the Town’s liability coverage.
Board of Finance -3- February 20, 2014
She also updated the Board on the snow budget now being at -$54,000. The Town has received unbudgeted grant funds from the State for help with roads that include snow plowing for $18,827. They haven’t found a backhoe yet, so that would give us another $11,000 in the Public Works budget that could help fund this.
ADJOURMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra L. Lewis
BOF Recording Secretary
| 
