BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting March 15, 2010
Lower Level Conference Room 6:30 P.M.
First Selectman Mailhos called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectmen Millix & Blessington, Lynn Nicholls and residents. First Selectman Mailhos led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes:
Selectman Millix motioned to approve the regular minutes of March 1, 2010 as written.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Millix & Blessington) 0 No.
Approval of minutes for 3/8/10 @ 12 P.M. and 2:15 P.M. were tabled until next regular meeting.
Present to Speak:
No one.
Correspondence:
A list of correspondence was available at the meeting and in the Selectman’s office.
First Selectman Status Report
First Selectman Mailhos went over the updated report:
- Transfer Station Policy Review – The Board met at the Transfer Station earlier today and went over the bulky waste policy. In the future we are going to create a one page flyer that lists procedures for dumping bulky waste and we are working on a pamphlet with all of the rules and regulations of the Transfer Station. We also talked about improving signage and discussed electronic waste. We discussed the proposed material swap shed and reviewed the proposed location. Lynn reiterated that we also made it known that we are not closing the Transfer Station. The rumors going around Town are not true.
- Budget Plan – On Thursday night, the Board of Finance approved the proposed 2010-2011 Board of Selectmen budget. They made a $25,000 reduction to CIP for the amount to go into reserves.
- First Selectman Mailhos spent some time touring the spaces in Tolland and Mansfield for hosting the probate court along with officials from Coventry, Mansfield and Tolland. No decision has been made.
- Senior Center Recreation Area – This project has become a priority. In order for the Housing Authority to pursue more grant money for the Senior Cottages, the recreation area needs to be completed. As soon as the ground thaws work will be done so Planning and Zoning can sign off on the project.
Public Works:
Lynn reported that Public Works can hopefully start working on the Senior Center recreation area next week, depending on the weather. They are cleaning up storm damage, cleaning up roads and parking lots.
Lynn also said that she has received a letter from Mr. Sadow that the curbing on Miller Farms and Parker Road will be repaired as soon as the asphalt plant opens. It should be in about 2 weeks.
First Selectman Mailhos asked the status of Kechkes Road Bridge. Lynn said that the contractor will be back in operation as of March 22, and will begin on prep work.
During the storm yesterday there was a large hanger on Village Hill Road. She thanked the Fire Department for using the ladder truck. It paid for itself yesterday. The power outages throughout town were mainly on the TA side, or North of the highway in Town. Alan Ference said that there was some confusion with Route 32 being closed, as people coming from Stafford did not know it was closed until they got to Old River Road. That is a long drive only to find out that you can’t get to the highway.
Old business
A. MIRMA update
First Selectman Mailhos was able to talk to a few other First Selectmen on the list who were also affected by the MIRMA assessments. Also, the Board met with our insurance agency to get some more information on the issue. In the meantime, we received our final assessment. She asked the other two Selectmen if they were still interested in talking with the Town Attorney. It seems that other Towns are in a holding pattern, and we could hold too. Selectman Millix asked if the other Towns had contacted their Attorneys. Selectman Blessington said that he has spoken with some other Towns, as well. He thought it would be advisable to have an audit done by someone who is not connected with MIRMA. Discussion was held on if whether or not we should figure it into the budget for next year. He
asked for another 2 weeks to continue researching. First Selectman Mailhos agreed. Melissa Welsh asked if the bill had been passed to allow the Town to pay the payments over a 5 year period. She said it looks like it may have passed on March 11 in the insurance and real estate committee. We have not officially heard as of yet. First Selectman Mailhos said the way they restructured things this current year is not assessable from this point forward. She said we will sit tight for now and keep it on the agenda as an old business item.
B. Discussion of Town Attorney interviews
First Selectman Mailhos said that we received five proposals from Attorneys and the Board held five interviews last week. She said we should discuss our options, and asked the other two Selectmen their thoughts. She made herself a chart of the firms and crossed off the highest priced firm, and the one with the least amount of municipal experience, although they had the lowest price. The one with the best value had a high level of service for the price, seemed most versed. Selectman Millix came to his top choices by price, the approach to our unique issues that we have faced; experience with Towns our size. He came down to two firms and widdled down to the best firm to fit our needs. Selectman Blessington said that his choice was the most expensive, but they are very good and work quickly, so he
would rather be billed $220 per hour and have the task done in 10 minutes rather than be billed $150 per hour for 30 minutes. Another firm seemed to love labor law, but was a bit weak in land use and municipal; he put them as his second choice. Melissa Welsh asked if the Board has asked if any of the firms had any conflicts of interest with Willington. First Selectman Mailhos stated that it wasn’t asked, but she didn’t think that the firms who interviewed had any pending or ongoing litigation with Willington. Selectman Blessington stated that one of the firms that was invited to bid declined to submit a proposal to us due to a pending litigation conflict.
First Selectman Mailhos made a motion to hire Halloran and Sage LLP as the Town Attorney.
Selectman Millix seconded the motion.
Open for discussion.
Selectman Blessington said he personally prefers to work with Murtha Cullina and feels outvoted. First Selectman Mailhos said that their Senior Attorney is retiring and phasing out, and their prices are substantially higher. They have a depth of experience, but so do the other firms. Selectman Blessington asked to look at a third option to make everybody happy. Selectman Millix said that Halloran and Sage gave wonderful answers to the questions that were asked – and there were a lot of questions asked. They were well versed on Willington. They came very highly recommended. If you want to dig deep enough in a small Town, you could find a conflict with anyone. He felt that Halloran and Sage is the best fit for us. Selectman Blessington brought up some previous issues with
Halloran and Sage. First Selectman Mailhos noted that there is apparent baggage with both firms.
First Selectman Mailhos withdrew her previous motion.
First Selectman Mailhos motioned to hire Siegel, O’Connor O’Donnell and Beck for Town Attorney in the interest of a fresh start.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 2 Yes (Mailhos & Blessington) 1 No (Millix)
Motion passed.
First Selectman Mailhos stated that if we ever need to hire one of the other Attorneys for a special circumstance, we can.
C. 2010-2011 Budget update
As stated on the First Selectman Status Report, the Board of Finance has cut $25,000 out of the CIP Plan to put back into the reserve fund.
Selectman Millix asked how many different agencies budgets were reduced based on their requests. Peter Latinscics said none that the Board of Finance changed other than the Fire Department. He stated that there is no quorum for next meeting, so the Board will reconvene on March 25th. This will give the Board a chance to review all of the changed and reduced numbers, which they got while at the last meeting. Alan Ference said that there is an overall budget number, but different scenarios they will be evaluated at the next scheduled meeting. Selectman Millix said the Fire Department was the only department whose budget number was arbitrarily reduced. He said he has an issue with that and would have liked to been given an opportunity to go back to the Board of Selectmen or Public Works to
make changes.
First Selectman Mailhos said that she, Ken Schoppmann and Mark Makuch are working on a letter to the editor of Horizons, which explains the process that we have been going through and what the numbers are looking like. The goal is to keep residents informed of where we are.
New Business:
A. Open Bids for GMC Sierra Pick Up Truck
We received 2 bids for the pick up truck. First Selectman Mailhos opened the bids.
#1: From H&B Siding; 143 Monson Road; Stafford Springs, CT for $450.00
#2 From Geoff Prusak; 57 Schofield Road; Willington, CT for $500.00
First Selectman Mailhos motioned to award the bid for the GMC Sierra Pick Up Truck Model 1500 4x4 with plow as is to Geoff Prusak for $500.00.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Millix & Blessington) 0 No.
Good & Welfare:
First Selectman Mailhos mentioned the following:
Willington was ranked #7 in the March issue of CT Magazine for Small Towns.
Willington Day will be held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend this year, following the PTA fun run. The Memorial Day parade and ceremony will still be held on Monday of that weekend.
Thank you to all who came out to the Board of Finance meeting on Thursday to support the various budgets.
There will be a Town Meeting on March 23, at 7 P.M. to see if the Townspeople will adopt Wilderness Way. The meeting will be held in the Common Room upstairs as the Old Town Hall is still closed for the winter season.
Kudos to the Public Works crew and Fire Department for their hard work cleaning up after the storm.
First Selectman Mailhos would like to wish Hanna Makuch good luck on Thursday; she is heading to Danbury, as she was the Hall School Spelling Bee winner.
First Selectman Mailhos adjourned the meeting at 7:28 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin H. Campbell
Robin H. Campbell
Administrative Assistant
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