Video index
1. Call Meeting to Order
7:04 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Roll call (9 Present, 0 Absent, 0 Excused)
After Roll Call was complete, Mayor Delnicki presented the Mayor's Cup to the 1st and 4th place winners of the Pinewood Derby.
3. Public Participation [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Town Council.]
None
4. Communications
5. Town Manager's Report [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Council.]
Galligan - May 25th dedication of the new gazebo. 5:00 p.m.. This week Wednesday to Sunday will be with CIRMA - seminar - During that time Vanessa Perry will be in charge. The budget amounts PW underspent - if you look at year
6. Items for Discussion
A. Public Works Budget
Bazzano - we received a lot of print outs this week. Fleet Services and Street Services have some of the same vendors, how would that occur? Mike - could be plows. Bazzano - so not all parts would have to go through Fleet Services? Mike - gnerally they do. there are specialties that vendors may offer. Bazzano- encumbrances, Petersons Hardware has large amount? Recess 7:15 p.m. for public hearing
Work session reconvened at 7:20 p.m.
Galligan - when first started here had to sign po's for everything (screws, etc). decided that proper accounting practices needed to be used so was changed 1996 or 1997. Found areas that needed improvements of the process.
Bazzano - truck equiopment that we have, two trucks next year? full size dump truck with plow and a smaller truck - lease over 3 year term. is the other truck pickup Mike - utility truck Bazzano - the large truck? Mike - have one truck that has been red lined. to fix 50-60,000 and the truck is worth 5,000 Bazzano - truck just sitting Mike - yes just parked Bazzano - what about the parts Mike - have to declare surplus and then go out to auction Bazzano - was impressed with equipment that we have. salt calibrations that we have one them, cost? Mike - units that measure how much to put on roads each time, I do not know off the top of my head how much that costs. Bazzano - do we get enough savings? Mike - yes - we were the first community to weigh all of our materials. we saved about 75,000 every year. The other area worried about is environmental because there are well sin South Windsor. More salt is not better, can create freezing situation. we continue to find ways to save funds. Bazzano - tree removal, looks like this past year spent a lot because of the storm, 45,000 budgeted and used an additional 75,000. what was storm related and what was maitenance? Mike - 45,000 was reduction from previous years. there was a lot of damage out there. we are putting that into FEMA and hoping for reimbursement. ER funding - we are hopeful will get some funds back. Bazzano - out of the whole 125,000 Mike - 50,000 or 60,000 Bazzano - this year have another 85,000? Mike - the budget was cut last year. there is a lot of damage out there. we are concerned that the next five yeas will see a lot of damage with teh branches. we have been proactive on that. Karl on task force and working very closely with CL & P. There are a lot of trees that CL & P will not touch and we are responsible. have to plan for the future. Bazzano - 85,000 is standard Mike - absolutely. Bazzano - CL & P even though they did a lot of work around town for us what would they not have covered? Karl - CL & P - their goal is to maintain their electric lines, not so much town trees. they will work closely with town with town trees that threaten their lines. They have taken private trees. A lot of homeowners do not want that because they are responsible for getting rid of tree. CL P chips the brush and we have been going in and getting the rest. We do removals in dagerous situations. Bazzano - when Lux has been doing that this year - Karl - what happens is if we see tree we will take care of it. if resident calls and brings it to our attention, we post it and give to the tree 60-70 have to do and that is not storm related. Bazzano - we go out to bid on that? Karl - yes Bazzano - any word when the State is going to come in and fix the roads in South Windsor? Mike - the only one aware of is Rte. 5 Galligan - they were looking at Ellington Road but that has not been determined yet, (next year). They still hav eto do design.
Anwar - we received letter from Senator LeBeau about working on Ellington Road. Congratulated Mike for being recognized as Public Works -------. it is not easy to become a fellow, you hav eto have certain experience and qualities. How many complaints on Dashboard? Mike - can give monthly reports. Handed out report from last month. It is another tool - looking to develop - we have towns that want to participate with programs with us. we are looking beyond the citizen dashboard, snow, leaf collection, - we have had positive feedback from residents. we are finding it is a way for us to keep track of items. Anwar - emails have been positive. when a department is efficient and hard working sometimes there are too many people there and the are doing a good job. Mike - our staffing levels have reduced in the last 25 years. Fleet Manager position is critical for Public Works Anwar - you are an expert in what you do, our challenge is we want to figure out a way to make everything more efficient. wit the knowledge and experience that you have is there a way to reduce your budget 5% or more? Mike - we are always trying to increase the quality of the service. There has been some reduction of funding certain things. Growth has not been as much.
Prague - thank you for putting up the signs for the Armed Forces this year? What is happening at the Priest Property? Mike - would have to ask John or Ray about that. Heard it was part of a Boyscout project. I am not involved in that. Prague - Street Sweeper, we were told that would not be necessary because do not use sand? Mike - we do it with out own sweeper, 1500 to 2000 ore used to be pickedup. There is liter on the street and also part of stormwater we are required to clean up areas. we have seen savings. There have been positives and there have been reductions. Pragu e- in the last three years have there been any sidewalk repairs? Mike - I believe we have had a couple. I would have to check Karl - Mike - where there have been culverts or drainage issues. Pragu e- have we worked with ------- where there have been sidewalk damage by contractors? Mike Prague - have we ever charged resident for fixing sidewalk? Mike - not that I am aware of. Prague - residents have fixed their own sidewalks? Mike - either residents have fixed themselves or have hired a contractor. It is a burden to the public. Prague - are you aware of Homestead?
Yagaloff - Thanked Mike and staff for the work they do and the volume of work that is done. How much do we raise by taxes from the calculations di off last grand list? Galligan - 78 million Yagaloff - proposed 3.5 Yagaloff - 1.75% is maximum number increase and then have to reduce by 2% 1% is 780, Galligan - 1.4 or 1.5 million to get to calculation you are talkinga bout. Yagaloff - PW is 20% of Town side of budgt, would have to get 330,000 cut. clarified Galligan - Town Council made a transfer Yagaloff 70,000 surplus - then there were deficits the two years before that. I do not see surpluses running from Public Works. Public Works is hitting their targets. If we wanted target of 1.75% and then 20% comes from PW, 330,000 from PW. What would you suggest? Galligan - probabaly reduce salt budget, look at fuel, catch basin cleaning. These are things that we have already gone over. Could probably get about 200,000 from Public Works without hurting the budget. A lot of items are essential. The percentage of the publci 32% is salaries, 8% of budget is discretionary spending. Yagaloff - reorganizing the department is one of the reasons need to do. Galligan - we have not replaced any positions that have left Yagaloff - would you like % across the budget or would you like Council to review and eliminate. Galligan - as long as your target is reasonable. we put a spending freeze on. there are only essential purchases done. I would say at this point if you are looing to get - to get to magic number 1.4M looking to cut. The other amounts pension is required. Could go through budget and eliminate items and show the Town Counciil the impacts. Yagaloff -there is hardly any growth in the grand list. We do not have new projects - growth in the grand lists are just from motor vehicles. We have to go back to the departments and explain that have to do work with less funds. This is not a punishment.
recess work session at -8:01
reconvened at 8:24 p.m.
Beaulieu - how does the encumbrance process work when there is a spending freeze? Galligan - to encumber something it is done by a po. when close out accounts the funds go back to the general fund. encumbrances only freezes the account other wise would have to keep doing pos. we found that having open po's works for the flow of the operation. Beaulieu - we have a lot of encumbrances - some have been spent and some been paid, what determines Galligan - when we encumber - materials and equipment - after a certain amount more funds have to be encumbered. when finances goes through budget, when they submit something want to make sure have those funds for the project Beaulieu - trying to follow dollars, difficult to follw the dollars in the spreadsheets. we were given what has been spent and what remains psot the spending freeze, 640,000 - we were then given all of th eindividual accounts - when you add those to gether it is 1.6M why would that be different Galligan - what I could do is have Finance give you a more information on these accounts. Beaulieu - look at the fleet budget, 159,889 and sprea sheets 150 ----. STreet budget 168,000 encumbers but 202,000 on the other spread sheets.do not understand differences. Galligan - will take a look at that and get back to you.
McCann - have some of the same problems and confusions as Councillor Beaulieu. Looked at salt Town used not this past year but the year before. Think we need to take harder look at salt. would like projections on lapses of encuberances Galligan - we can do that. around June we do resolutions which wipe out accounts. will have Melanie do during May. when yuou have underexpenditures it is becuase it to try to make up 800,000 in fund balance we put every year. when we give numbers McCann - we want to save money not spend. Galligan - want to keep same fiscal policy McCann - would like to save money to enhance services. we should know what kind of funds we have available. it owuld be good for us to have information in anticipated lapses of encumbrances. one of the things we don't want is the hot button issues that we have seen in other budgets in the past. do not want ot see fear factors. we want realizm but do not want to scare anyone.
Snyder - if money Galligan 0 at the end of the year we balance out all of the accounts. Snyder - money - goes back to the fund balance. when do you close out po's? Galligan - wait until July 15th bewcause may have purchases done later in June to make sure no on ehas spent any money after June 30ths. Snyder - those funds come out of the previous budget? Galligan - they have to be written before June 30th.
Delnicki - saw encumbrances in mid April and thre has been nothing liquidated from them. Is thre reason we encumbered Galligan - what account Mike - a lot of those things are related to buildings, - we can't just spending funds because the lights might go off? Delnicki - these costs are not associated to lights. Galligan - they are po's and once they are po's they are encumbered. Delnicki - looking at time line in May and April and we have spending freeze. 202,000 account have 98,000 left. if you do not have answer please come back to the Council. Galligan - will have to go through this. will spend time on this. agains playing Finance Director. I feel like I am not being trusted. Delnicki - that is not true - Galligan - I have always watched the budget. You have asked me to look at the encumbrances and look what they are for.
Bazzano - when we put spending freeze on what is the extent going to happen? Galligan - then the Council should tell me exactly waht to do. Councilis micro managing me to death. There is not a lot of discretionary spending. there is about 5% discretionary spending. every year send back 100,000. will go back and pull out detailed information. Bazzano - there are some that stick out. $35,000 - do not recall Mike - that item was in our budget - has not been spent. Galligan - Strong Auto is for Police vehicles. PW manages all of those vehicles. PW goes across all of the departments. Bazzano -
McCann - we would like to stop to begin to the general fund in our process - we would like to see elimination of process to take anything from the general fund. with respect to capital projects, it was mentioned that we have cut when in reality we bonded for a number of capital projects five or six years ago. if you consider the money that was made available through that process we have provided significant amount of funds for the capital projects. we have had bugert freezes adopted over the last couple of years. there are provisions in the spending freeze for the town to request a change. each freeze has said until further action by the Council. If there is a need for a provision and explain why expenditure is necesary it can be discussed with the Town Counicl.
Havens - I ahve never seen PW budget tht anyone has not saved money. They are cheap skates and they do me proud. If you are unhappy with Mr. Galligan's budget. If anythign taken from the department it should be minimal.
Beaulieu - point of clarification - I am new to this and would like to understand - it was not meant to offend anyone.
Delnicki - we have a responsibility to the taxpayers and that is to ask the tough questions.
7. Executive Session
A. To discuss pending claims and litigation (Hi-G property)
Deputy Mayor Bazzano, go into executive session 9:07 p.m., McCann seconded Mr. Exman invited unanimous.
Anwar, Bazzano, 9:45 p.m. unanimous - adjourned
adjourn work - Yagaloff - Snyder, 9:45 p..
May 07, 2012 Town Council Work Session
Full agenda
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1. Call Meeting to Order
7:04 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Roll call (9 Present, 0 Absent, 0 Excused)
After Roll Call was complete, Mayor Delnicki presented the Mayor's Cup to the 1st and 4th place winners of the Pinewood Derby.
3. Public Participation [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Town Council.]
None
4. Communications
5. Town Manager's Report [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Council.]
Galligan - May 25th dedication of the new gazebo. 5:00 p.m.. This week Wednesday to Sunday will be with CIRMA - seminar - During that time Vanessa Perry will be in charge. The budget amounts PW underspent - if you look at year
6. Items for Discussion
A. Public Works Budget
Bazzano - we received a lot of print outs this week. Fleet Services and Street Services have some of the same vendors, how would that occur? Mike - could be plows. Bazzano - so not all parts would have to go through Fleet Services? Mike - gnerally they do. there are specialties that vendors may offer. Bazzano- encumbrances, Petersons Hardware has large amount? Recess 7:15 p.m. for public hearing
Work session reconvened at 7:20 p.m.
Galligan - when first started here had to sign po's for everything (screws, etc). decided that proper accounting practices needed to be used so was changed 1996 or 1997. Found areas that needed improvements of the process.
Bazzano - truck equiopment that we have, two trucks next year? full size dump truck with plow and a smaller truck - lease over 3 year term. is the other truck pickup Mike - utility truck Bazzano - the large truck? Mike - have one truck that has been red lined. to fix 50-60,000 and the truck is worth 5,000 Bazzano - truck just sitting Mike - yes just parked Bazzano - what about the parts Mike - have to declare surplus and then go out to auction Bazzano - was impressed with equipment that we have. salt calibrations that we have one them, cost? Mike - units that measure how much to put on roads each time, I do not know off the top of my head how much that costs. Bazzano - do we get enough savings? Mike - yes - we were the first community to weigh all of our materials. we saved about 75,000 every year. The other area worried about is environmental because there are well sin South Windsor. More salt is not better, can create freezing situation. we continue to find ways to save funds. Bazzano - tree removal, looks like this past year spent a lot because of the storm, 45,000 budgeted and used an additional 75,000. what was storm related and what was maitenance? Mike - 45,000 was reduction from previous years. there was a lot of damage out there. we are putting that into FEMA and hoping for reimbursement. ER funding - we are hopeful will get some funds back. Bazzano - out of the whole 125,000 Mike - 50,000 or 60,000 Bazzano - this year have another 85,000? Mike - the budget was cut last year. there is a lot of damage out there. we are concerned that the next five yeas will see a lot of damage with teh branches. we have been proactive on that. Karl on task force and working very closely with CL & P. There are a lot of trees that CL & P will not touch and we are responsible. have to plan for the future. Bazzano - 85,000 is standard Mike - absolutely. Bazzano - CL & P even though they did a lot of work around town for us what would they not have covered? Karl - CL & P - their goal is to maintain their electric lines, not so much town trees. they will work closely with town with town trees that threaten their lines. They have taken private trees. A lot of homeowners do not want that because they are responsible for getting rid of tree. CL P chips the brush and we have been going in and getting the rest. We do removals in dagerous situations. Bazzano - when Lux has been doing that this year - Karl - what happens is if we see tree we will take care of it. if resident calls and brings it to our attention, we post it and give to the tree 60-70 have to do and that is not storm related. Bazzano - we go out to bid on that? Karl - yes Bazzano - any word when the State is going to come in and fix the roads in South Windsor? Mike - the only one aware of is Rte. 5 Galligan - they were looking at Ellington Road but that has not been determined yet, (next year). They still hav eto do design.
Anwar - we received letter from Senator LeBeau about working on Ellington Road. Congratulated Mike for being recognized as Public Works -------. it is not easy to become a fellow, you hav eto have certain experience and qualities. How many complaints on Dashboard? Mike - can give monthly reports. Handed out report from last month. It is another tool - looking to develop - we have towns that want to participate with programs with us. we are looking beyond the citizen dashboard, snow, leaf collection, - we have had positive feedback from residents. we are finding it is a way for us to keep track of items. Anwar - emails have been positive. when a department is efficient and hard working sometimes there are too many people there and the are doing a good job. Mike - our staffing levels have reduced in the last 25 years. Fleet Manager position is critical for Public Works Anwar - you are an expert in what you do, our challenge is we want to figure out a way to make everything more efficient. wit the knowledge and experience that you have is there a way to reduce your budget 5% or more? Mike - we are always trying to increase the quality of the service. There has been some reduction of funding certain things. Growth has not been as much.
Prague - thank you for putting up the signs for the Armed Forces this year? What is happening at the Priest Property? Mike - would have to ask John or Ray about that. Heard it was part of a Boyscout project. I am not involved in that. Prague - Street Sweeper, we were told that would not be necessary because do not use sand? Mike - we do it with out own sweeper, 1500 to 2000 ore used to be pickedup. There is liter on the street and also part of stormwater we are required to clean up areas. we have seen savings. There have been positives and there have been reductions. Pragu e- in the last three years have there been any sidewalk repairs? Mike - I believe we have had a couple. I would have to check Karl - Mike - where there have been culverts or drainage issues. Pragu e- have we worked with ------- where there have been sidewalk damage by contractors? Mike Prague - have we ever charged resident for fixing sidewalk? Mike - not that I am aware of. Prague - residents have fixed their own sidewalks? Mike - either residents have fixed themselves or have hired a contractor. It is a burden to the public. Prague - are you aware of Homestead?
Yagaloff - Thanked Mike and staff for the work they do and the volume of work that is done. How much do we raise by taxes from the calculations di off last grand list? Galligan - 78 million Yagaloff - proposed 3.5 Yagaloff - 1.75% is maximum number increase and then have to reduce by 2% 1% is 780, Galligan - 1.4 or 1.5 million to get to calculation you are talkinga bout. Yagaloff - PW is 20% of Town side of budgt, would have to get 330,000 cut. clarified Galligan - Town Council made a transfer Yagaloff 70,000 surplus - then there were deficits the two years before that. I do not see surpluses running from Public Works. Public Works is hitting their targets. If we wanted target of 1.75% and then 20% comes from PW, 330,000 from PW. What would you suggest? Galligan - probabaly reduce salt budget, look at fuel, catch basin cleaning. These are things that we have already gone over. Could probably get about 200,000 from Public Works without hurting the budget. A lot of items are essential. The percentage of the publci 32% is salaries, 8% of budget is discretionary spending. Yagaloff - reorganizing the department is one of the reasons need to do. Galligan - we have not replaced any positions that have left Yagaloff - would you like % across the budget or would you like Council to review and eliminate. Galligan - as long as your target is reasonable. we put a spending freeze on. there are only essential purchases done. I would say at this point if you are looing to get - to get to magic number 1.4M looking to cut. The other amounts pension is required. Could go through budget and eliminate items and show the Town Counciil the impacts. Yagaloff -there is hardly any growth in the grand list. We do not have new projects - growth in the grand lists are just from motor vehicles. We have to go back to the departments and explain that have to do work with less funds. This is not a punishment.
recess work session at -8:01
reconvened at 8:24 p.m.
Beaulieu - how does the encumbrance process work when there is a spending freeze? Galligan - to encumber something it is done by a po. when close out accounts the funds go back to the general fund. encumbrances only freezes the account other wise would have to keep doing pos. we found that having open po's works for the flow of the operation. Beaulieu - we have a lot of encumbrances - some have been spent and some been paid, what determines Galligan - when we encumber - materials and equipment - after a certain amount more funds have to be encumbered. when finances goes through budget, when they submit something want to make sure have those funds for the project Beaulieu - trying to follow dollars, difficult to follw the dollars in the spreadsheets. we were given what has been spent and what remains psot the spending freeze, 640,000 - we were then given all of th eindividual accounts - when you add those to gether it is 1.6M why would that be different Galligan - what I could do is have Finance give you a more information on these accounts. Beaulieu - look at the fleet budget, 159,889 and sprea sheets 150 ----. STreet budget 168,000 encumbers but 202,000 on the other spread sheets.do not understand differences. Galligan - will take a look at that and get back to you.
McCann - have some of the same problems and confusions as Councillor Beaulieu. Looked at salt Town used not this past year but the year before. Think we need to take harder look at salt. would like projections on lapses of encuberances Galligan - we can do that. around June we do resolutions which wipe out accounts. will have Melanie do during May. when yuou have underexpenditures it is becuase it to try to make up 800,000 in fund balance we put every year. when we give numbers McCann - we want to save money not spend. Galligan - want to keep same fiscal policy McCann - would like to save money to enhance services. we should know what kind of funds we have available. it owuld be good for us to have information in anticipated lapses of encumbrances. one of the things we don't want is the hot button issues that we have seen in other budgets in the past. do not want ot see fear factors. we want realizm but do not want to scare anyone.
Snyder - if money Galligan 0 at the end of the year we balance out all of the accounts. Snyder - money - goes back to the fund balance. when do you close out po's? Galligan - wait until July 15th bewcause may have purchases done later in June to make sure no on ehas spent any money after June 30ths. Snyder - those funds come out of the previous budget? Galligan - they have to be written before June 30th.
Delnicki - saw encumbrances in mid April and thre has been nothing liquidated from them. Is thre reason we encumbered Galligan - what account Mike - a lot of those things are related to buildings, - we can't just spending funds because the lights might go off? Delnicki - these costs are not associated to lights. Galligan - they are po's and once they are po's they are encumbered. Delnicki - looking at time line in May and April and we have spending freeze. 202,000 account have 98,000 left. if you do not have answer please come back to the Council. Galligan - will have to go through this. will spend time on this. agains playing Finance Director. I feel like I am not being trusted. Delnicki - that is not true - Galligan - I have always watched the budget. You have asked me to look at the encumbrances and look what they are for.
Bazzano - when we put spending freeze on what is the extent going to happen? Galligan - then the Council should tell me exactly waht to do. Councilis micro managing me to death. There is not a lot of discretionary spending. there is about 5% discretionary spending. every year send back 100,000. will go back and pull out detailed information. Bazzano - there are some that stick out. $35,000 - do not recall Mike - that item was in our budget - has not been spent. Galligan - Strong Auto is for Police vehicles. PW manages all of those vehicles. PW goes across all of the departments. Bazzano -
McCann - we would like to stop to begin to the general fund in our process - we would like to see elimination of process to take anything from the general fund. with respect to capital projects, it was mentioned that we have cut when in reality we bonded for a number of capital projects five or six years ago. if you consider the money that was made available through that process we have provided significant amount of funds for the capital projects. we have had bugert freezes adopted over the last couple of years. there are provisions in the spending freeze for the town to request a change. each freeze has said until further action by the Council. If there is a need for a provision and explain why expenditure is necesary it can be discussed with the Town Counicl.
Havens - I ahve never seen PW budget tht anyone has not saved money. They are cheap skates and they do me proud. If you are unhappy with Mr. Galligan's budget. If anythign taken from the department it should be minimal.
Beaulieu - point of clarification - I am new to this and would like to understand - it was not meant to offend anyone.
Delnicki - we have a responsibility to the taxpayers and that is to ask the tough questions.
7. Executive Session
A. To discuss pending claims and litigation (Hi-G property)
Deputy Mayor Bazzano, go into executive session 9:07 p.m., McCann seconded Mr. Exman invited unanimous.
Anwar, Bazzano, 9:45 p.m. unanimous - adjourned
adjourn work - Yagaloff - Snyder, 9:45 p..
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