BOARD OF SELECTMEN
SpecialMeeting Minutes
Town Office Building November 29, 2010
Selectmen’s Conference Room 12:45 P.M.
First Selectman Mailhos called the meeting to order at 12:45 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectman Millix & Blessington with Donna Latincsics and Lynn Nicholls.
First Selectman Mailhos informed the Board Members that she has sent a letter to the Union, requesting a discussion about budgetary issues. She has not heard back yet.
Donna Latincsics presented a worksheet with data regarding possible budget reductions. The worksheet included numbers for reducing hours, salary freezes, furlough days, eliminating temporary help and possibly eliminating a position.
Lynn presented the cuts she proposed in the Transfer Station and Public Works budget. This included reducing the chip seal route to 4 miles of road, reductions in training, building maintenance, stone, line striping, and mowing. She also provided the number showing Public Works secretary expenses for 15 and 12 hours per week. Lynn’s budget also includes repairs to Village Hill Road.
Selectman Blessington said he researched our Transfer Station and Public Works budget for Ashford and we are about the same as them as the Transfer Station, but we are way off with the Public Works operations. Lynn said Ashford’s roads are in worse shape than ours are.
First Selectman Mailhos said it was brought up at the last budget meeting; should we look at charging for Transfer Station stickers. If 2,000 households pay $20 for stickers, we would have $40,000 in revenue to offset the costs. Selectman Blessington said it might be time to think about it. Discussion was then held on reducing hours that the Transfer Station is open during the week. Lynn also said she checked on portable scales. The cost for one scale is $7,000, but then we would need to have the operators certified to read the scale, and then maintain the scales. Selectman Blessington suggested that we discuss this at a regular meeting and invite the two Transfer Station Operators to get input from them. Selectmen Millix and Blessington do not believe that the hours should be
reduced.
First Selectman Mailhos is concerned if we reduce the chip seal route, it will be difficult to bring it back into the budget next year. She does not think that the roads should endure drastic cuts. We have gone from doing 15 miles of road each year to 7, now we are talking about cutting that in half.
First Selectman Mailhos asked Lynn to propose a budget to chip seal for 4, 5, 6 and 7 miles of road.
Selectman Millix asked First Selectman Mailhos if she has checked with regionalizing the dog warden services. First Selectman Mailhos said she will be looking into that.
Selectman Millix then asked Lynn if she has researched straight salt versus using sand. Lynn said that she does not have numbers, but it needs to be reapplied every 4 hours, and it is $56 per ton and sand is $11 per ton. She also said it chews up bridges & roads, and the environmental impact is not yet known. Selectman Millix said that Coventry, Tolland and the State is using it, they are not taking 3 months to sweep it up. There must be a reason why they have switched to it. He would like to see a comparison.
The snow budget was then discussed. Lynn presented the map with the double routes and a regular storm map. She suggested that the Selectmen go plowing with the crew to see the operation while it is in progress. We average 11 – 13 miles per driver in a storm. Donna changed the budget to a 5 year average, based on the actual. Lynn said that the only thing that might change is overtime. Lynn would like to revamp next year’s plowing contracts. The current contract is that the Town supplies the plow, radio and calcium tanks. Selectman Millix said that the current set up is ridiculous.
Next budget workshop will be held on December 13th.
Selectman Millix motioned to adjourn at 2:30 P.M.
First Selectman Mailhos seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Millix & Blessington) 0 No.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin Campbell
Robin Campbell
Administrative Assistant
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