Town Office Building January 31, 2013
Lower Level Conference Room 6:30 P.M.
First Selectman Mailhos called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. with Selectmen Littell & Blessington, Business Manager, Donna Latincsics and Public Works Director, Lynn Nicholls.
Donna presented draft #4 of the budget, (which includes K-8, Selectmen & Region 19) which shows an increase in the Selectmen’s budget of $359,000 or 13.2%.
First Selectman Mailhos stated there are a few things driving this increase: We have increased the chip seal budget this year and it is reflected in a variety of line items. CIP has a request to be funded at $126,000 over last year and $110,000 is slated for the proposal of a Resident State Trooper. The last addition would be the contractual 2% increase for the union and non-union personnel as well as insurance increases. First Selectman Mailhos asked Donna if the addition to the Planning and Zoning office is part of this increase. Donna said it is not. First Selectman Mailhos said since it is not part of our budget we cannot make the decision but the Board of Finance might ask if we are in support of it, and we have established that we are not.
Donna noted that the Emergency preparedness budget was not submitted.
First Selectman Mailhos reviewed the chip seal budget; all of the roads on the proposed list haven’t been done in 9 years or more; noting some on the list haven’t been done in as many as 15 years. Selectman Littell stated that the longer we wait to maintain our roads; we could end up having a bunch of roads that end up like Turnpike Road. At what point do you cut down so much that you end up spending more in the long run. Selectman Blessington said we have held the line on spending for several years and we sooner than later there is going to have to be one year we bite the bullet and do things like chip sealing. The roads are expensive but we need to get caught up on it. Selectman Littell agreed and stated it is time to maintain what we have before we lose the whole infrastructure. At that
point it could get really expensive.
First Selectman Mailhos added that in addition to the chip sealing, the crews are going to do the aggressive cleaning of brush which will also help with drainage along those roads. Lastly she added it is a safety issue, and the cost should not be the driver. She added over the last three years, the Selectmen have returned between $30,000 and $50,000 each year; and we have said “no” to many things in order to be able to return that money in the past.
Selectman Blessington said we are pretty much in agreement in the chip seal increase but then stated that he doesn’t feel a need for a Resident Trooper. If we were to get one, he is sure the officer would do a great job and straighten out the town, but he would rather spend that kind of money to fill the vacancy in the road crew position; his feeling is ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.
First Selectman Mailhos said she has had many requests to look into the program, and the State Police will be here on Monday, February 4th to present the program. Discussion was held on putting the amount in the budget or adding a question on the referendum.
Selectman Littell said he would like to wait and see what they offer before making a decision adding that the budget is tight right now. He likes the idea of putting the question on the referendum to see what the public wants. He added that we have survived without it for all these years.
First Selectman Mailhos said we could put it on the referendum as a question and we will know what the people want. Selectman Blessington said he would rather put it on the referendum as an advisory question and get a feeling what the public wants and if it is overwhelmingly yes we can put it on the referendum next year.
First Selectman Mailhos motioned to remove line item 0211 300 Police Protection in the amount of $110,000 and add a question to the referendum for the townspeople about their feelings about having a Resident State Trooper with the idea of moving forward next year if it is an affirmative vote.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote; 3 Yes (Mailhos, Littell & Blessington) 0 No.
First Selectman Mailhos said she met with Lynn today and went over a few things on the Public Works budget.
The contractor line for snow removal was decreased. Lynn said she has discussed this with the crews and it was agreed to decrease it one more year. The decrease is for $9,000 bringing the line item down to $41,042.
Lynn added they decreased the mowing line item from $10,000 to $6,500. Selectman Blessington asked if this included the request that Parks and Recreation had put in for. Lynn said yes, we get one invoice and it is broken down between her department and the Recreation Department.
The equipment rental line item will remain at $36,000.
Tree removal has been increased an additional $10,000 and is now up to $25,000.
Donna asked Lynn for clarification on the protective clothing increase of $2,000. She stated that the new employee contract allows an additional $50 for boots, which would equal $300 plus some additional purchases but would like further clarification of the additional $1,700 before keeping the line item as is. She asked Lynn if she has a schedule of purchases. Lynn said there is no schedule, but in the past, the crews used to purchase rain jackets and safety goggles as needed and would take those items out of the supplies budget and would like to get away from doing that this year. First Selectman Mailhos agreed it is a large increase and would like further clarification.
Discussion was held on the computer purchases as well as computer support. First Selectman Mailhos said Donna had put in a request to CIP for replacement of 8 computers, but the CIP Committee suggested taking the funds from the operating budget. Donna has made a place holder in operating budget at a cost of approximately $8,000 and stated she would like to initiate a computer upgrade program in the office, upgrading a few each year. Selectman Littell said he saw a computer support line item as well. First Selectman Mailhos said since the prior IT person who worked for the Town and BOE left, the new BOE Computer Technician cannot help us. We have contracted a computer technician from the Town of Windham. He comes in three hours every other week and helps us out with our computer issues
and is working out so far. A meeting was held with the two technicians as well as Superintendent Harding and First Selectman Mailhos to figure out how to move forward. Selectman Blessington stated usually he is pretty cheap when it comes to spending, however with computers, you have to keep up and there is no savings involved. We really have to bite the bullet on computers.
First Selectman Mailhos stated with the proposed cuts, we are down to a $239,000 increase which includes CIP, chip seal, insurance increases and salary increases. She will prepare a letter to send to the Board of Finance before our budget hearing on February 21st.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to reduce mowing line item 311-420 from $7,497 to $6,500 for a reduction of $997 and also reduce line item 311-422 for snow removal contractors reducing the requested amount of $50,000 to $41,000 for a reduction of $9,000.
Selectman Littell seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Littell & Blessington) 0 No.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to accept the budget with the three changes.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Selectman Littell asked about the change in the protective clothing line item. Lynn stated she will look into it. First Selectman Mailhos stated if she and Donna decide it should be decreased, she will inform the Board of Finance.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Littell & Blessington) 0 No.
Selectman Littell moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:30 P.M.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Littell & Blessington) 0 No.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin Campbell
Robin Campbell
Administrative Assistant
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