BOARD OF FINANCE
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
40 OLD FARMS ROAD
WILLINGTON, CT 06279
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Members Present: Members Absent:
Alan Ference, Chairman Robert Wiecenski
John Patton, Vice Chair Jim Bulick
Elizabeth Treiber
Peter Latincsics
Annemarie Poole, Alternate
Geoff Prusak – Alternate
Also Present: John Blessington, Selectman; Donna Latincsics, Business Mgr; Tish Ignatowicz, Treasurer; Tyler Millix, WFD #1, Tom Snider, WHFD, Members of the Fire Depts, Karl Acimovic.
Chairman Ference called the meeting to order at 7:10 P.M.
SEATING OF ALTERNATES
John Patton motioned to seat Annemarie Poole for Robert Wiecenski. Elizabeth Treiber seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
Elizabeth Treiber motioned to seat Geoff Prusak for Jim Bulick. John Patton seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
PRESENT TO SPEAK – no one
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of 6/19/14 with the following amendment was made by John Patton, Alan Ference seconded. All were in favor, motion carried. Elizabeth Treiber and Annemarie Poole abstained.
Alan Ference's name was listed under absent
NEW BUSINESS
STEAP Grant Appropriation/Turnpike Road
Karl Acimovic updated the Board on the project. He explained that the road is deteriorating rapidly. Discussion followed.
Alan Ference motioned that the Board of Finance recommends that the Board of Selectman call a Town Meeting to appropriate $500,000 from the Capital Projects Fund, Account #03-3061 for the continuation of improvements to Turnpike Road to be reimbursed by the Small Town Economic Assistance Program STEAP Grant. John Patton seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.Board of Finance -2- July 17, 2014
Alan Ference motioned to transfer $5,000 from #0831 Employee Insurance to #0503 Capital Projects. John Patton seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
Polster Road Bridge
Karl Acimovic explained the project to the Board. Discussion followed.
Peter Latincsics motioned that the Board of Finance recommends that the Board of Selectmen call a Town Meeting to appropriate $310,000 from the Unassigned General Fund Balance to Line Item 0503 Capital Projects for the replacement and repair of Polster Road Bridge. Elizabeth Treiber seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
WHFD Generator
Donna Latincsics updated the Board. Tom Snyder was on hand to answer questions. Discussion followed.
Elizabeth Treiber motioned that the Board of Finance recommends that the Board of Selectman call a Town Meeting to appropriate $50,000 from the Capital projects Fund-LoCip-WHFD Generator for the purpose of purchasing and installing a generator at the Willington Hill Fire Department to be reimbursed by the State of Connecticut Local Capital Improvement Program. Alan Ference seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
Transfers
Donna Latincsics presented the Board with the transfer request.
John Patton motioned to authorize the transfer of funds as follows:
$ 817 to line item 0111 Selectmen
$1,271 to line item 0831 Employee Insurance
$ 130 to line item 0185 Senior Center Operations
$6,250 to line item 0351 Transfer Station
$1,931 to line item 0141 Town Counsel
$2,500 from line item 0130 Accounting Services
$2,634 from line item 0811 Social Security
$2,248 from line item 0311 Public Works
$3,017 from line item 0841 Pension Fund
Elizabeth Treiber seconded. Peter Latincsics voted no, all others were in favor, motion carried.
Transfer Request - WHA
Donna Latincsics presented the Board with the request. Discussion followed.
John Patton motioned to transfer $1,500 from 03-3047 Capital Projects - Municipal Facility Study to 03-0034 Capital Projects - Housing Authority. Peter Latincsics voted no, all others were in favor, motion carried.
Board of Finance -3- July 17, 2014
Security Enhancement Grant
Donna Latincsics presented the Board with the request. The Board of Education received $18,810 from the 2013 School Security Competitive Grant Program for security enhancements at Center School. Superintendant Harding would like to use the funds to make additional security enhancements. Discussion followed.
John Paton motioned to appropriate $15,000 from the Unassigned General Fund balance to Capital Projects 0503 for security enhancements at Hall and Center School. Alan Ference seconded. Vote was taken: Yes - Patton, Ference, Treiber No - Poole, Prusak, Latincsics Motion Failed.
It was suggested that this project go through CIP.
Ink Cartridges
Chairman Ference explained that it's the practice of the Board Recording Secretary to purchase ink for her printer. The purchase was made and the Board of Selectman has denied payment stating proper procedures were not followed and it was not budgeted for.
John Patton motioned to authorize the Chairman to work out with the Board of Selectman the policy going forward. Peter Latincsics seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
Volunteer Firefighter Tax Abatement Ordinance
Chief Snyder, WHFD and Chief Millix, WFD #1, were present to discuss and answer questions. This has been discussed by the Board of Selectmen at 3 BOS meetings. The BOS is asking for the BOF for their opinion. Discussion followed. The discussion included:
- People joining for wrong reason
- gain for active members
- pressure of Chief for credibility
- safe guards for policies and procedures
- who will certify list and oversee authority
- retention on recruitment
- legislation - Town can offer tax abatement
- starting low and working up to stipend
- harder to have time to volunteer - help to keep going
The Board agreed to table this back to the Selectmen and come back with final recommendations.
OLD BUSINESS
Donna Latincsics was asked for an update on the Actuarial Reports. She said the work is in progress and she has provided them with bank statements.
Board of Finance -4- July 17, 2014
CORRESPONDENCE - none
GOOD & WELFARE
Increase in fees at the Transfer Station
Fees for things like tires and refrigerators have not changed at the Transfer Station since 1995.~ The Town is now paying more to remove some of these items than we charge to take them in.~ The Board of Selectmen will discuss the proposed changes at our meeting on 7/21/14 and all discuss at the upcoming Town Meeting on August 5th.~ Ultimately, the Board of Selectmen will decide if the fees should change and what they should change to.
New Dump Truck for Public Works
The leasing of a new dump truck for Public Works was in the approved CIP plan and a lease amount of $20K was included in this year’s operating budget.
Donna is looking into lease rates, but it appears that the lease amount for this truck will exceed the annual $20K budgeted amount by a few thousand dollars.~ We will be able to cover the cost of this without any additional appropriations as there are anticipated savings and the purchase of a backhoe is likely to be delayed.
This will be discussed at the Town Meeting on 8/5/14 and the Board of Selectmen will be voting on it at a meeting following the Public Hearing.
ADJOURMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:21 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra L. Lewis
Debra L. Lewis
BOF Recording Secretary
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