Willington Senior Center February 13, 2012
Craft Room 5:30 P.M.
First Selectman Mailhos called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectman Littell & Blessington, Public Works Director, Lynn Nicholls and Business Manager Donna Latincsics, CIP Chairman John Patton and Willington Fire Dept#1 Chief Tyler Millix.
First Selectman Mailhos asked Chairman Patton to review the Capital Improvement Plan. Chairman Patton stated at the last CIP meeting, the Committee went through the draft and made some changes based on further numbers and approved this version to the Board of Selectmen.
He added that it had become apparent that the Emergency Services Fund would become negative if the numbers incorporated in the five year projection stayed in that fund. The reimbursements for that fund have decreased; mostly due to uninsured patients and also due to Medicare. The plan was then revised to fund some emergency equipment requests out of the General Reserve; as well as pushing some projects out one year. He then added that future purchases for Emergency vehicles might need to come from the General Reserve fund if nothing changes (meaning the decrease in reimbursements to the Emergency Services Fund). Chief Millix added that the Emergency Services Fund has had a downward trend due to the growing number of uninsured people, Medicare, and it can also take a big hit if the Federal Healthcare comes into
play. He added that it will eventually stabilize.
First Selectman Mailhos asked Chairman Patton if the CIP Committee considered any of the discussions held by the Emergency Services Efficiency Committee and what they are looking at? Chairman Patton said no, they did not but it will be timely as there is no longer any money in the fund. First Selectman Mailhos stated that it concerns her that we know the fund is running low and it seems we can’t afford the new fire truck ($575,000), however it is in the plan for next year.
Chief Millix affirmed that purchasing the new truck is “do-able”, however, he added that the Willington Fire Department cannot justify a want versus a need at this time. WFD#1 can hold off on the purchase of the new truck for another year as long as the current ET249 stays in operable condition. (When WHFD got their new Engine Tank, the old ET249 went to WFD#1). He then stated he hopes and encourages the Efficiency Committee to make the apparatus review a priority and come up with some type of replacement / refurbishment schedule for the future and in turn ask Town Officials to stick with that plan.
Chairman Patton reviewed the five year plan as it stands:
- Debt payments (including the bond for the Library)
- Mortgage for the Fire Dept on Route 32 (7 years remaining)
First Selectman Mailhos asked if the mortgage for the Fire House can be refinanced, as the interest rate seems high. We should look into it.
- Leases for Public Works equipment
- Increase spending to $436,000
- Emergency Services lease
- Finishing Turnpike Road (drainage and roadwork) was a unanimous vote by the CIP Committee.
- Begin a bond for roadwork on Michalec, Village Hill and Turnpike Road with the salt shed project.
Chairman Patton added the downside of bonding, is it becomes part of our debt load and we have less money to work with. In years past, we used to have the money and put it aside to pay cash for things we needed. When we began the leasing process it was good, until the things started catching up to it, now it seems like we have more debt that needs to be paid down.
First Selectman Mailhos clarified only the year ahead of us gets voted on at referendum. The plan itself is conceptually approved, but the only dollars that get locked in are the ones coming out of the general fund as part of this plan for next year. Chairman Patton added that the CIP should tie into the budget that you are planning for each year. He added that money that gets approved at referendum can be allocated via purchase order as of July 1st unless it is slated to come from the general reserve, which will then need approval from the Board of Selectmen, Finance and then Town Meeting. Leases do not require Town Meeting; as leases can be broken at any time.
First Selectman Mailhos added that when the CIP Committee first started meeting, the list of requests was stacked about an inch thick. There are only a handful of projects that made it on the plan. A lot of the things have either been removed or pushed out to make this plan work. She then added that the list of projects seems manageable from a Public Works work load perspective; there should be no problem with completing them. Lynn Nicholls agreed.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to have the Board of Selectmen accept the CIP Plan as submitted with the exception of the moving the replacement of ET213 to the following year.
Selectman Littell seconded the motion.
First Selectman Mailhos thanked Chief Millix for being reasonable. Chief Millix added that he has no issues with moving the truck purchase out a year, but would like to make the Board aware that repairs might need to be made in the meantime.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Littell & Blessington) 0 No.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin Campbell
Robin Campbell
Administrative Assistant
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