Board of Finance Minutes

Members Present:                                        

• Jim Bulick, Chairman                            
• John Patton, Vice Chair                         
• Robert Wiecenski
• Geoff Prusak
• Annemarie Poole - Alternate

Members Absent:

• Peter Tanaka
• Alternate - vacancy

Also Present: Christina Mailhos, First Selectman; Kim Kowalyshyn, Selectman; John Blessington, Selectman; Donna Latincsics, Business Manager; Tish Ignatowicz, Treasurer; Lisa A. Madden, Revenue Collector; Members of the Willington Hill and Willington #1 Fire Depts; members of the public.

Chairman Jim Bulick called the meeting to order at 7:08 pm.

SEATING OF ALTERNATES

Barry Wallett motioned to seat Annemarie Poole for Peter Tanaka, Robert Wiecenski seconded.  All were in favor, motion carried.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Annemarie Poole motioned to approve the Budget Hearing minutes of April 4, 2017 with the following amendment, Barry Wallett seconded.  All were in favor, motion carried.

        Page 1, last paragraph should read Doug Roberts.

Annemarie Poole motioned to approve the minutes for the meeting after the Budget Hearing of April 4, 2017, John Patton seconded.  All were in favor, motion carried.

PRESENT TO SPEAK

Maureen Parcels, Recreation Director informed the Board that the State has cut funding for LOCIP.  They were counting on the funds to put in lighting at River Road.  They have suspended funds for the rest of the year and cancelled funds for next year.  She asked the Board if they have any suggestions.  They will try to do fund raising but there is not enough time to get it done for this year.  

Peter Latincsics, Trask Road, expressed concerns about the budget.  Town is facing a large tax increase.  He asked that all discretionary areas of the budget.  Freezing the budget and capital projects.  The Board has been good stewards of the Town’s taxes.  He asked that the Board look at cutting spending next year.

NEW BUSINESS

Approval of the Suspense List

Lisa Madden, Revenue Collector presented the Suspense List for $15,484.65.

John Patton motioned to approve the Suspense List as presented, Annemarie Poole seconded.  All were in favor, motion carried.

Transfers

Donna Latincsics present the Board with the transfer request.  She gave a brief description of each transfer and answered questions from the Board. One transfer request was to transfer $12,468 for the purpose of funding the Capital Projects, SC Septic Re-permitting.  Discussion was held and it was decided to see if we can use the Utility Fund to cover the transfer, this will be added to the next agenda.  Another transfer request was for $15,549 to fund Capital Projects, MS-4 Consult Compliance; it was decided to postpone the transfer until we know how much and when it will be needed.  

        John Patton motioned to transfer $819 to line item #0130, Accounting services from line item    #0133 Auditor, Annemarie Poole seconded.  All were in favor, motion carried.

        John Patton motioned to transfer $270 to line item #0235, Fire, Main and Hydrant from line      item #0133 Auditor, Annemarie Poole seconded,  Geoff Prusak opposed, all others were in         favor, motion carried.

        John Patton motioned to transfer $4 to line item #0233, Public Safety and Welfare from line     item #0133 Auditor, Annemarie Poole seconded.  All were in favor, motion carried.

        John Patton motioned to transfer $18,906 to line item #0503, Capital Projects, Salt Shed        Engineering from line item #0930 Capital Expenditures, Annemarie Poole seconded.  Robert        Wiecenski opposed, all others were in favor, motion carried.

        John Patton motioned to transfer $35,000 to line item #0503, Capital Projects, WHFD Rescue      Tools from line item #0930 Capital Expenditures, Annemarie Poole seconded.  All were in favor,  motion carried.

        John Patton motioned to transfer $9,000 to line item #0503, Capital Projects, TOB Door  Replacement from line item #0183 Consulting Engineer-Public Works, Annemarie Poole      seconded.  Geoff Prusak opposed, all others were in favor, motion carried.

Review of Latest Revenue Forecast and Governor’s Budget

Tish Ignatowicz updated the Board on where things stand with the state.  The Town will have a $300,000 loss in revenue.

The following points were shared:

LOCIP funds frozen (Town can't spends funds on hand)

LOCIP funds zero'd out of the Governor's budget

PILOT finds zero

Pequot funds zero

ECS reduced from $2.265M to $2.046M

TRB $602K.

Discussion followed.

Setting of the MIL Rate

John Patton motioned with regret to set the mil rate at 30.90, Annemarie Poole seconded. Vote was taken – Robert Wiecenski, Barry Wallett, John Patton voted yes, Geoff Prusak, Annemarie Poole and Jim Bulick voted no, motion failed.

Annemarie Poole motioned to set the mil rate at 30.09, Jim Bulick seconded.  Barry Wallett opposed, all others were in favor, motion carried.

Discussion: Managing our Finances under the new “economic reality” of reduced revenues.  What can the Town do strategically to change the budget in the out years?  We will need a serious and intense look at Town and School operations.

Chairman Bulick told the Board that we need to look at the budgets.  John Patton suggested that the Board look at 5 areas

Consolidating the fire departments – see what we can combine or if there are any savings.

Consolidating the schools – the BOE has a study going on right now.

Personnel – we made some changes this year.

Do we need the Town office building open as many hours.

transfer station.

We owe the Town’s people, the tax payers to look at the numbers.  Everyone should pick a subject, what changes can be made, cost savings and have some better numbers.   Discussion followed.

Chairman Bulick spoke about per pupil cost. The Building Study will help us understand potential options.

Barry Wallett asked how we can implement this.  Unless the Board has power how can we change things?

Randy Belair , Village Hill Road, asked about our bond rating.  Donna replied it was A2.  Discussion followed.

John suggested that we come to the next meeting with 5 things to look at.
 

OLD BUSINESS

School Building Study – is in process

Annual Report for FY July 2016 to June 2017 – we will be sending out the request shortly.

Contract Negotiations – The Board went into Executive Session at 8:50 pm.

The Board came out of Executive session at 9:02 pm

CORRESPONDENCE - none

GOOD & WELFARE - none

ADJOURMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Debra L. Lewis
BOF Recording Secretary