ENFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
OPEN SESSION
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2008
An open session of the Enfield Town Council was held at the Enfield Street Elementary School, 1318 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut on Monday, May 27, 2008. Mayor Kaupin began the Open Session at 7:00 p.m.
Present from the Enfield Town Council were Councilmen Bosco, Dumont, Edgar, Jones, Kaupin, Kiner and Mangini. Councilmen Crowley, Lee, Nelson and Ragno were absent.
Also present from the Town of Enfield were Director of Social Services, Pamela Brown; Town Manager, Matthew Coppler; Assistant Town Manager, Daniel Vindigni; Director of Libraries, Henry Dutcher; Director of Public Works, Pia Hawkes; Director of Finance, Lynn Nenni; Town Clerk, Suzanne Olechnicki; Deputy Chief of Police, Anjo Timmerman; Director of Economic Development, Ray Warren; Director of Planning, Jose Giner; Director of Human Resources, William Mahoney
Tom Walsh, 6 Roseanne Drive
Stated a water company dug up the road near the corner of Peggy Lane and Post Office Road and left a piece of broken steel sticking up out of the road. He also noted there is a problem on Fletcher Road concerning a dip in the road.
As concerns the Peggy Lane/Post Office Road problem, Councilman Bosco noted Slanetz Construction put a water main in that area.
Mr. Walsh stated his belief the work on Fletcher Road shouldn’t warrant a cost of between $60,000 to $70,000.
Trudy Dorous, 57 Old King Street
Thanked everyone for doing a wonderful job on the last budget. She went on to question the status on the brown tipper barrels. Mr. Coppler stated the Town ran out of brown tipper barrels. He noted it’s not mandatory to have a brown tipper barrel. He added more will be ordered as soon as the money is in place.
Mr. Hawkes pointed out tipper barrels are still being delivered to residences by the manufacturer. He noted delivery costs are part of the purchase price.
Chairman Kaupin questioned if yard waste can be placed in brown tipper barrels and brown kraft bags, and Mr. Hawkes responded yes. Councilman Jones suggested information be put out to the public to clarify this.
Glenn Hart, 5 Cynthia Circle
Questioned why was the decision made to take $1.5 million dollars out of the education budget. Chairman Kaupin explained the Council has to operate within a very limited time frame when working on the budget. He pointed out the Republicans made a commitment that there would be no tax increase. He noted they talked with the Board of Education about the idea of taking money and putting it into CIP and Special Revenue Funds. He noted it was decided to set aside $150,000 for textbooks; $150,000 for LCD projectors and funds for a gymnasium floor and band needs. He noted there’s special revenue for Special Education. He noted it’s the Town Council’s opinion that this money is going toward the Board of Education.
Mr. Hart questioned why this money was taken out of the Board of Education’s control. Chairman Kaupin stated he does not see this as being taken out of the Board’s control. He noted a CIP account for school projects is controlled by the Town and could get transferred, however, that could not happen without the approval of the Board or School Facilities Director. He explained the reason for the Special Revenue Funds was the hope that this fund would not have to be depleted, and it could go back to the Fund Balance at the end of the fiscal year.
Chairman Kaupin stated according to the Town Attorney’s opinion, which was issued today, these are Board operating dollars, therefore, they are fully under the Board’s discretion and can be transferred anywhere. He pointed out remaining funds would go to the General Fund at the end of the year.
John Franciamore, 51 Old King Street
Questioned whether the Town Charter will be reopened so that voters can vote on the budget. Chairman Kaupin stated at this time there’s no formal proposal on the table to reopen the Charter. He noted any two council members can put an item on the agenda. Mr. Franciamore questioned how a citizen can motivate their Council representative to take action on this. Chairman Kaupin stated there is a list of steps that should be taken, and he could e-mail that process to anyone who would like to see it.
Councilman Mangini stated the Town Council goes through painstaking efforts to review the budget in order to save money. She noted if the budget went to a public vote, she’s unsure how that process would work.
Mr. Franciamore stated his understanding several neighboring communities allow citizens to vote on their budget.
Chairman Kaupin stated if citizens were allowed to vote on the budget, it would be written into the Charter as to how that process would work. He noted some towns allow only two votes on the budget. He pointed out once the Charter is open, the entire Charter is open to revisions.
Tom Walsh, 6 Roseanne Street
Questioned whether the school system purchased textbooks over the past six years, and Chairman Kaupin responded yes, the Board budgeted for textbooks but not to the level that would get them out of the $900,000 hole they’re in concerning textbooks. He noted in the past when the Board returned money to the Town, the Town put it back toward textbooks. Mr. Walsh stated his impression that by doing it this way, it’s guaranteed to go toward textbooks as long as those monies are kept in the textbook line item. He stated his belief this is a better way of doing this.
Lisa Rogers, 8 Winter Way
Thanked the Town for combining the grounds departments for the Town and Board of Education. She noted they’re doing a wonderful job. She added her hope the IT Department can be as successful.
Ms. Rogers stated she would love to see sidewalks between the Misty Meadow neighborhood and the Enfield Public Library. Chairman Kaupin stated the Town is looking at contiguous sidewalks and perhaps they can consider adding this section.
Questioned whether the Town could make it possible for a funeral procession to be able to move over into the breakdown lane so that cars may pass by in the area of the King Street Cemetery.
Questioned how the Town is doing as concerns collecting delinquent taxes. Ms. Nenni stated the Town has been working on putting together a tax lien sale and more information should be available in the next couple weeks. She added this is something that can be done on an annual basis. She explained a tax lien sale is where they sell the value of the delinquent taxes to outside vendors and the vendors have the right to collect those taxes.
No other questions or issues were raised.
Chairman Kaupin stated the next meeting is scheduled for August 25, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Nathan Hale School. He added another open session is scheduled for November 24th at the Prudence Crandall School.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION # 9874 by Councilman Mangini, seconded by Councilman Jones to adjourn.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION # 9874
adopted 7-0-0.