Town of Willington
BOARD OF SELECTMEN • 40 OLD FARMS ROAD • WILLINGTON, CONNECTICUT 06279 • (860) 487-3100 • FAX (860) 487-3103
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
SPECIAL MEETING FEB. 28, 2005
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING 2:30 P.M.
First Selectman Eldredge called the meeting to order at 2:30 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectman Blessington, L. Nicholls, T. Hoffman, P. Andersen, S. Cobb, A. Gray, T. Millix and D. Woodworth. Selectman
Patton was absent. First Selectman Eldredge led the Pledge of Allegiance.
M. Bowen read the following into the record:
I would like Mary Bowen to~read into the record and it be reflected in the minutes that once again the First Selectman has scheduled a meeting during my work hours.~ Mr. Eldredge knows and was informed that I would not be able to make the~meeting due to my work schedule.~ This is a continuing pattern of scheduling Selectmen's meetings during times which are not convenient for me or the public at large as most people work during this time.~ This particular meeting is especially egregious since~people at last~Tuesday's meeting and during the week expressed an interest to discuss the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which~is on today's topic.~~The discussion was postponed from last Tuesday's meeting~because I was not attending the meeting and the CIP report was not available until last Thursday.~ In other words, we would have
been unable to discuss the report regardless of the agenda because it was not available until two days after the meeting was held.
~
In my cursory review, I have questions about this report regarding the lack of~funding for open space, why funds for the River Road Ballfields will not be made available to fund completion~for four years, some assumptions about revenue projections and why are we letting our total reserves reduce from almost one million dollars to approximately $200,000 in five years.~ I have~other questions and comments about the overall plan and about particular projects but I can not reduce them into writing in the time I have.~ I believe that this plan deserves further discussion at next Monday's regularly scheduled meeting where members of the public can also be present without having to take off time from their work.
~
Thank you.
~
John Patton
Selectman
First Selectman Eldredge commented that they will go over the plan first and then address that. First Selectman Eldredge commented that for the record, we had prepared all these sheets and the factual sheets, the only thing that we had not prepared was the cover pages last week and everyone was given them as a preliminary. First Selectman Eldredge read excerpts from the CIP report and then all items were gone over. Tyler Millix, Chief of Willington Fire Department #1, commented that he would like to clarify that the description for Building 213 should say building modifications not just roof, it includes more than the roof. Peter Andersen, Chairman of the Conservation Commission, commented that the Conservation Commission had put in a request for money for open space and it is not included.
We are concerned that if we do not keep money in open space we will not
have money to but it when it becomes available. First Selectman Eldredge commented that the feeling is that if something becomes available you can bring it to us and we can go to Town Meeting to buy it like we did with the Drobney property, right now there is nothing in particular. Selectman Blessington commented that the State is talking about funding easements and asked Peter if he thought they might do that? Peter commented that there is a possibility, they just restored some money that was taken away for land purchase and there is some in
SPECIAL MEETING -2- FEB. 28, 2005
the budget for next year but he is not sure if it is going to go through. First Selectman Eldredge returned to Selectman Patton’s letter and “why funds for the River Road Ballfields will not be made available to fund completion for four years.” Selectman Blessington commented that the River Road Ballfields is a nice thing but I don’t think we should drop everything else to finish them either. First Selectman Eldredge commented that $25,000 a year, with the soccer field in now, they just have to do the ballfield itself, we have the gravel there. They need to loam and seed it; with $25,000 being made available this year we should be able to do that. First Selectman Eldredge read the following from the letter: “some assumptions about revenue projections and
why are we letting our total reserves reduce from almost one million dollars to approximately $200,000 in five years” and asked Terry Hoffman to answer that. Terry commented that maybe he thinks I was a little generous where we revised this I did not do the interest in the out years and it was depleting. That is in the general reserve; the revenues are budget revenues, which we all know the reason for those going down is because of the library bond. The only other revenue is the interest and maybe I was a little generous calculating the interest, it could be a couple of thousand dollars less; I think that is immaterial right now, in looking out 5 years we don’t know if the interest rate is going up or down. Selectman Blessington commented that he thinks that what Selectman Patton is questioning here is the totals, they go from July 1, 2004 with almost a million dollars to July 1, 2010. Terry commented that’s the second part of the
question, she does not think that anyone intended us to keep our reserves up near a million dollars. The reason for building up the reserve initially was to prepare for the bonding of the library, once the library is on board and we start to pay it off we don’t need that huge reserve anymore. It can be considered a negative thing to have a large reserve because taxpayers will say why are we paying $4,000/5,000 in property tax when you are sitting on a million dollars in your savings account? The reserve was built up for a specific reason, so we could get to the building of the library and now we have accomplished that goal and now it can be worn down again, I don’t think it was ever meant to be kept at that level. Stuart Cobb asked how long the total amount of $509,000 will be locked in for the C.I.P.? How long can you function at that level? Terry commented that this is somewhat of a political decision. The more assets
you have, the more you need to put aside for capital expenditures. It is a political decision how much to spend on capital repairs. First Selectman Eldredge commented that he thinks the $509,000 this year is good because we are all being asked for budget reductions and he thinks that no matter what we put in it is going to come back and be reduced. Stuart commented that his comment wasn’t addressed to this year or next but the longer picture, the cost of everything is going up and the fund is not keeping pace with the ability to buy. First Selectman Eldredge commented that you have to look at it every year. Stuart asked how Willington ranks on percentage of debt vs. total assets? Are we in the hole more or less than others? Willington is far less in debt. First Selectman Eldredge commented that he thinks it is a pretty good plan. When it is approved, only the first year of spending is approved and the rest is a plan.
It must now go before the Board of Finance and then to Town Meeting for approval.
FIRST SELECTMAN ELDREDGE MOVED TO APPROVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS SUBMITTED BY THE COMMITTEE TO THE SELECTMEN.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
VOTE: 2 YES (ELDREDGE & BLESSINGTON) 0 NO
SELECTMAN BLESSINGTON MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 3:26 P.M.
First Selectman Eldredge seconded the motion.
VOTE: 2 YES (ELDREDGE & BLESSINGTON) 0 NO
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Bowen
Mary Bowen
Secretary
Board of Selectmen
860-487-3100
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