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. 15, 2007
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING 5:30 P.M.
First Selectman Eldredge called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectmen Patton and Lewis, D. Latincsics, L. Nicholls and residents.
PUBLIC WORKS
There was only one bill for the Board to sign. Selectman Lewis asked about Lynn’s truck. Lynn commented the breaks don’t work when they are wet from plowing. Discussion on the breaks followed, the truck is going in for repair. Lynn commented the truck also needs new tires. Further discussion on the storm followed. Lynn commented it never stopped, there was wind, snow, ice and on and on. It stopped at 2:00 A.M. Thursday; the fine mist froze when it hit the ground. Lynn commented she wants to change some things for plowing. She wants to overlap if a truck breaks down.
BUDGET
Discussion followed on line items of the budget. Selectman Lewis commented everything in Public Works is a must. Discussion on the $40,000 for time and materials for catch up on Public Works jobs followed. First Selectman Eldredge asked do you want to go in with this? We can take something out of the project (time & materials). Lynn commented we went to Board of Finance in the fall and told them we would be looking for big dollars, we have a lot of projects to catch up on and explained everything, the roads are falling behind. First Selectman Eldredge asked is this all road projects? Lynn commented there are catch basins, cross culverts, it is headwalls falling over, it is asphalting, wherever I can use it. With the right equipment a job will take one day, with just us it
would take 3 days. Every time we get on a project for 3 days we fall behind somewhere else. Selectman Patton commented our commitments have grown in Public Works, we are not bringing anyone else on board, we are supplementing that with a time and material basis. This is a very cost effective way of getting jobs done. Every year there is an increase in work, if we are not keeping up with what we have and falling further behind it just gets harder to do. Lynn commented this year we have the library, the ball fields and the senior center and whatever goes on there. First Selectman Eldredge commented you plan on doing some of the smaller jobs. Selectman Patton commented there are things that need to get done and if you do get to them it takes time away from other things. The crew has been here a long time and with their time off, at some time 1/3 of our work force is off. First Selectman Eldredge commented I agree. Selectman
Patton commented you are not saving money by just deferring maintenance, it will cost more later. It is our responsibility to maintain the roads. First Selectman Eldredge commented we can go to Board of Finance with it, personally I would like to go in lower but we can go in and if they tell us to cut it we will have to do something. Selectman Patton commented can you tell me where to cut other than the time and materials, which we have talked about for years; you are not saving money by deferring maintenance. You are deferring your cost, which means when we have to do it, it will cost a lot more money. I don’t think we are going overboard, it is a very reasonable response to one of the primary responsibilities we have, which is to maintain the roads. A big part of maintaining roads is controlling water. First Selectman Eldredge commented fine, we will go in with the 8.3% and see what they say. Selectman Lewis commented I think
we have to; I am notorious for not wanting any increase. First Selectman Eldredge commented I think that is part of our job to try not to have an increase. Selectman Patton commented this is something you have to do all year round, you can’t just sit at a meeting and say lets cut it; it doesn’t work that way. Selectman Lewis commented if you don’t do an 8.% increase now you will have to have a 20.% increase latter; so you have to work on it on a regular basis. First Selectman Eldredge commented we will try the 8.3 and see what happens; I think we can justify it. First Selectman Eldredge
SPECIAL MEETING -2- FEB. 15, 2007
commented I think we should try the inmate program. Selectman Patton commented we talked about it 2 years ago, go ahead. A discussion on the prison program followed. Lynn commented some of the crew does not like the idea of the prison program; they didn’t like it before and are not for it now. First Selectman Eldredge commented they helped to do a lot; there was a lot of things that got done that needed to get done when we had the extra manpower.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – PERSONNEL ISSUES
Discussion followed on going into executive session and union steps.
FIRST SELECTMAN ELDREDGE MOVED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 6:21 P.M. AND TO INVITE DONNA LATINCSICS, LYNN NICHOLLS AND MARY BOWEN.
Selectman Patton seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PATTON & LEWIS) 0 NO
FIRST SELECTMAN ELDREDGE MOVED TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 7:08 P.M.
Selectman Lewis seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PATTON & LEWIS) 0 NO
Further discussion on salaries, steps, etc. was held. The budget will be on the next agenda also.
SELECTMAN PATTON MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:20 P.M.
Selectman Lewis seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PATTON & LEWIS) 0 NO
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Bowen
Secretary
Board of Selectmen
860-487-3100
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