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ENFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING
APRIL 10, 2000
A Special Meeting of the Enfield Town Council was called to order by Deputy Mayor Peter Falk in the Council Chambers of the Enfield Town Hall, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut on Monday, April 10, 2000 at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL-CALL - Present were Councilors Dodd, Falk, Fiore, Hall, Kaupin, Mangini, Surapine and Vayda. Councilor Egan entered the meeting at 6:01 p.m. Chairwoman Strom and Councilor McGuire were absent. Also present were Town Manager, Scott Shanley; Assistant Town Manager, Daniel Vindigni; Town Clerk, Suzanne F. Olechnicki; Director of Finance, Gregory Simmons; Director of Public Works, John Kazmarski; Director of Information Systems, Charlene Bond.
PRESENTATION OF PROPOSED 2000-2001 ANNUAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET
Mr. Shanley stated municipal operations, which includes a contribution from the General Fund to the Capital Budget, shows a 1.2% increase over the current year at $35,492,747. He noted the education budget at $57,315,609 shows a 5.7% increase over the current year. He pointed out that he reduced the education budget by $300,000. He stated the total budget at $92,808,356 reflects a 3.9% increase over the current year, and the Capital Budget this year is $6,782,000.
Referring to the revenue side of the budget, Mr. Shanley explained they utilized the Governors numbers for the state revenues. He noted aside from property tax collection, the state revenue is the single largest revenue source of the budget. He stated the Legislature meets throughout this month and into May in order to make their determinations on the budget. He noted theyre not expected to make significant changes to the Governors budget, however, there could be some adjustments. He stated he expects any adjustments to be up rather than down in the current environment.
Mr. Shanley stated they see a reduction on the revenue side in the construction reimbursement. He explained they paid off the last payment last year for the school code project bond, therefore, there is not that expenditure on the expenditure side in the bond account, but similarly they dont have the revenue coming in for reimbursement on the revenue side.
He stated there was a value increase this year of 2.2%, which generated additional revenue. He noted offsetting that, in the past theyve shown Special Education revenue due to the Excess Cost Grant, and in the past about half of it has been used by the School Department, and the other half was shown as a revenue in the school revenue line. He stated this year they were informed by the School Departments Financial Operations Manager that they were planning on using all of it so they do not show that as a revenue, and a revenue reduction is shown as a result of that.
Mr. Shanley stated Other Revenues are relatively steady.
Mr. Shanley stated the Capital Improvement Program is a separate fund and is a non-recurring fund. He explained the General Fund makes a contribution to this fund, and this year hes suggesting a much stronger contribution than in previous years. He stated this fund is $3,400,000 which is up by about $1,075,000. He explained the demand for capital projects from the Town and School systems exceeds the traditional budget theyve had in the past. He noted theyve been working with about $2.1 million for a number of years, and last year they tried to make that $2.5 million dollars, however, the Town felt the need to reduce that. He stated the demand continues to be very strong. He went on to note that because Enfield is a pay-as-you-go community, the Town has virtually no debt. He stated all of these capital projects have to be done out-of-pocket, and the Town is certainly in need of taking more out-of-pocket to do this. He noted in addition to all of the projects that are listed in the budget on the first expenditure page of the capital budget, the following items are not included in order to try to bring the overall costs into something the Town could live with - athletic fields at JFK, Fermi and Enfield High; Mancuso Park, North School, Higgins Building, old Senior Center, Hazardville Institute, Freshwater Pond rehab (unless they get the CDBG grant); South Maple Street Bridge; Scantic River escarpment reclamation project (Susan Circle and Kimberly Lane issue).
Mr. Shanley stated theres millions of dollars in town-wide drainage projects that can be identified, but are not in the capital budget. He went on to note theres a federal mandate for nitrogen reduction in Long Island Sound, which will mandate a doubling in the capacity size of the sewer treatment plant, and a bill has been put forth at the federal level to try and help fund municipalities in Connecticut in meeting this challenge. He pointed out this is a multi-million dollar challenge to reduce the nitrogen content in the Towns effluent, which will in turn decrease the nitrogen content in Long Island Sound
He went on to note that there is some money included for refurbishments in school auditoriums, but not to the degree requested by the School Department. He added theres a little money for parks, pools, athletic facility improvements, but nothing on the scale that they know is going to be necessary in the future.
Mr. Shanley stated on the property tax side, given the Towns current value as a community (about $1.8 billion in value), about $1.8 million is generated for each mill. He noted the current mill rate is 29.6, and the proposed mill rate in this budget is 31.8 mills. He pointed out this is a 7.35% increase, and it generates about $3,900,000 in new funding.
Mr. Shanley then invited questions.
Councilor Hall questioned where the $300,000 was cut in the education budget. Mr. Shanley stated he just took out $300,000. He noted he could suggest a list of where the $300,000 could be cut.
Discussion followed regarding the budget meeting schedule. Councilor Kaupin suggested one or two Saturday meetings in April. Acting Chairman Falk suggested everyone review the schedule.
RESOLUTION #4550 by Councilor Kaupin, seconded by Councilor Surapine.
RESOLVED, that the Town Council of the Town of Enfield values the opinions and comments of its constituents; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Chapter VI, Section 4, of the Enfield Town Charter, any elector or taxpayer may have an opportunity to be heard regarding appropriations for the ensuing fiscal years and for the purpose of being heard on issues of vital community importance and concern; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council shall conduct a public hearing at the John F. Kennedy Middle School on Raffia Road;
RESOLVED, that the order of business of the 2000-2001 Budget Hearing be arranged as follows:
1. Presentation of the Town Managers Budget;
2. The Chairman of the Board of Education highlights education budget;
3. Comments from members of the public for the first time.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that each speaker be requested to register with the Town Clerk his name and address and that no speaker be allowed to speak more than five minutes each successive time the speakers name is called, additionally, any speaker who has not registered with the Town Clerk will be allowed to speak only after those who have registered no longer wish to speak.
AMENDMENT #1 by Councilor Kaupin, seconded by Councilor Mangini to amend the third paragraph of the resolution as follows:
WHEREAS, the Town Council shall conduct a public hearing at the John F. Kennedy Middle School on Raffia Road on Wednesday, April 26, 2000 at 7:30 p.m.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared AMENDMENT #1 adopted 9-0-0.
Upon a ROLL-CALL vote being taken, the Chair declared RESOLUTION #4550 adopted 9-0-0, as amended.
MOTION #4551 by Councilor Vayda, seconded by Councilor Mangini to go into Executive Session to discuss Real Estate Negotiations.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION # 4551 adopted 9-0-0,
and the meeting stood recessed at 6:24 p.m.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Executive Session of the Enfield Town Council was called to order by Chairwoman Strom at 6:28 p.m.
ROLL-CALL - Present were Councilors Dodd, Egan, Falk, Fiore, Hall, Kaupin, Mangini, Surapine and Vayda. Also present were Town Manager, Scott A. Shanley; Assistant Town Manager, Daniel Vindigni; Town Clerk, Suzanne F. Olechnicki.
Real Estate Negotiations were discussed with no action or votes being taken.
Acting Chairman Falk adjourned the Executive Session at
Acting Chairman Falk reconvened the Special Meeting at 6:35 p.m. and stated during Executive Session they discussed Real Estate Negotiations with no action or votes being taken.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION # 4552 by Councilor Kaupin, seconded by Councilor Vayda to adjourn.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION #4552 adopted 9-0-0, and the meeting stood adjourned at 6:37 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannette Lamontagne
Secretary to the Council
By Suzanne F. Olechnicki
Suzanne F. Olechnicki
Town Clerk
Clerk of the Council
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