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ENFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2006
A Special Meeting of the Enfield Town Council was called to order by Chairman Tallarita in the Enfield Room of the Enfield Town Hall, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut on Monday, October 16, 2006. The meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m.
ROLL CALL – Present were Councilmen Crowley, Edgar, Hilinski, Kaupin, Lee, Mangini, Maxellon, Nelson, Peruta, Ragno and Tallarita. Also present were Town Manager, Matthew Coppler; Assistant Town Manager, Daniel Vindigni; Town Clerk, Suzanne Olechnicki and Town Attorney, Christopher Bromson
PRESENTATION: CONNECTICUT MUNICIPAL CONSORTIUM FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Present from the Consortium were Michael Guarco, Granby Finance Board Chairman, Arthur Johanson, Burlington Finance Board Chairman and Malcolm Hamilton, Windsor Locks Finance Board Chairman
Mr. Guarco stated this Consortium is a bi-partisan, grass roots group which was developed a couple years ago in hopes of changing some worrisome trends, i.e., the average annual rate of increase in the property tax rate state-wide was running close to 5% while at the same time overall municipal employment was flat or declining depending on the year; town budgets with unbridled compensation which squeezed programs out of the budgets; rate of budget rejection doubled and tripled from ten years ago.
He noted some Finance Chairs, First Selectmen and Board of Education Chairs from the Farmington Valley began discussions with peers in Litchfield County and others in Eastern Connecticut. They then met in Hartford with reps from the major municipal advocacy agencies – CABE, COST and CCM. He stated his impression Enfield is too big to belong to COST, which is the Council of Small Towns.
Mr. Guarco stated there isn’t enough of a presence of the towns at the State Capitol. He explained the towns don’t go when there are hearings that they should be at to make their point of view known. He stated they often only get a half-dozen First Selectmen, Board of Education Chairs, Superintendents, etc. attending these hearings. He noted they are attempting to get more people in attendance when certain bills come up.
He pointed out a bill came up this past spring that would have increased the threshold on the prevailing wage for new work vs. rehab/renovation work. He noted at that point all the groups spoke, and there were close to two dozen towns represented. He stated the Labor Committee decided not to debate the bill and that led to the Consortium’s request to meet with the Labor Chairs which they did do and more people attended and spoke from the towns. He pointed out they feel the threshold should be raised from the level that was set in 1991.
Mr. Guarco stated they are looking for changes that will benefit the towns. He pointed out CCM, COST, CABE and many other groups endorse this Consortium. He noted to date, about 101 towns have endorsed the activities of the Consortium group, and the Council has a draft resolution within their package.
He went on to explain towns are finding it very difficult to manage things locally and part of it has to do with the state continually filing mandates without funding commitments to the towns. He noted some of the labor mandates tie the hands of towns trying to manage their own local affairs.
Mr. Guarco stated by the next Session, the Consortium will have approximately 125 towns and they would like Enfield to be one of those towns. He pointed out there is strength in numbers. He noted they are looking to do things such as hold regional forums and bring the Legislators onto the local turf. He stated the commitment doesn’t require appearing at the Capitol once a week, but there will be certain issues that come up when it would be helpful to have a presence from as many towns and boards as possible. He noted they also look to the individual towns and board members to speak with their legislators, and they look for them to participate in the regional forums where they draw towns, boards and legislators together to have some good, open discussion on issues.
Mr. Hamilton stated in the Town of Windsor Locks, the Excess Cost for Special Education runs very high, and they have been getting about 67% of what the State is supposed to be reimbursing them. He noted another issue in Windsor Locks relates to PILOT monies for Bradley Field. He explained they do not directly get taxes from the airport, but rather they get a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes. He stated the airport assessment is capped at 45%, and Windsor Locks has never received 45%. He noted over the years, they have seen this figure as low as 32%. He explained the reason for this had to do with the State going through economic difficulties and this number became progressively lower year after year. He then referred to the PILOT monies for new manufacturing equipment. He pointed out they have Dexter’s and Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks. He noted those PILOT monies have never met the 100% financing that was at one time paid directly to the Town by Hamilton Standard and Dexter’s.
Mr. Hamilton stated unfunded or under funded mandates impact on everybody’s budgets. He noted if towns can’t keep the pressure on the Legislature regarding enacting new laws for which there is unfunded or under funded mandates associated with them, the towns are going to kill themselves when it comes to budgets. He emphasized that towns are not getting back the monies they need.
A map was displayed which showed the towns participating in this Consortium.
Mr. Hamilton stated time is of the essence because the Legislature will be going back into Session very soon and they would like to get more towns on board.
Councilman Mangini stated her belief CCM does go to the Capitol on a regular basis and does do some lobbying on behalf of the towns. She agreed there is strength in numbers. She went on to note there is some movement happening at the national level through the National League of Cities (NLC) and this is filtering down through CCM and to the local municipalities. She noted they are looking at various ways to address tax issues, i.e., property tax reform, unfunded mandates and Congress is being lobbied to include some fiscal changes. She noted she would like to see this Consortium coordinate with the larger picture and somehow mesh. Mr. Guarco stated their steering group meets occasionally in Hartford with a rep from CCM. He noted they’re looking to get CABE, COST and CCM to unify their stances so they’re all on the same page.
Councilman Kaupin stated if they moved forward with a resolution, what would be expected from the Town of Enfield. Mr. Guarco stated the mission statement is fairly fixed and involves issues that are problems which go back many years, and it will take many years before they see change. As concerns the support from a town, he noted the simplest is support of a motion. He explained these are volunteers and there is no paid staff. He noted they made a decision not to develop a new pact or organization that raises money. He stated when they testify at the Capitol, they tend to come first before paid parties speak. He noted it’s hoped some of the Consortium reps can attend sessions when certain bills come up.
Councilman Peruta questioned whether this Consortium puts out a newsletter or some type of communication that comes out periodically to keep towns educated about what’s happening. Mr. Guarco stated they usually communicate via e-mail because they don’t have a central point to mail. He noted they could e-mail one person or a group from a certain town. He added they periodically send something out to the whole Consortium.
Councilman Peruta stated his belief this Consortium is a great idea.
Councilman Crowley questioned how this Consortium effects their relationship with CCM, and Mr. Guarco stated CCM supports them.
Councilman Crowley questioned if this Consortium has an organized structure, and Mr. Guarco stated they don’t want to supplant CABE, COST and CCM, but rather supplement them.
Mr. Hamilton stated he has been favorably impressed with CABE’s interest in the endeavors of this Consortium.
Councilman Hilinski questioned if there are any particular successes this Consortium has experienced, and Mr. Guaraco stated as concerns bills, the answer is no, however, in terms of building this Consortium, the answer is yes. He noted he has learned that this Consortium is being noticed, and they need to keep doing what they’re doing.
Mr. Johnanson stated there have been several regional meetings with legislators, and they’re interested in the Consortium, and they encourage them to continue building this Consortium.
Chairman Tallarita stated Enfield does try to lobby its representatives and state senator to let them know what the resources in Hartford truly mean to the Town of Enfield and how this town is effected with every decision that’s made in Hartford. He noted most of the towns in the Consortium are small and Enfield would be the largest if they were to join. He questioned if this is becoming in any way a small town vs. a large town kind of lobby. He questioned whether this presentation has been made to any other large communities, and Mr. Guarco responded no, however, they will go to every town and every board that they can. He noted they are making progress, but it does take time.
MOTION #8957 by Councilman Maxellon, seconded by Councilman Crowley to go into Executive Session to discuss Real Estate Negotiations, Pending Litigation and Personnel Matters.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION #8957 adopted 11-0-0, and the meeting stood recessed at 6:57 p.m.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Executive Session of the Enfield Town Council was called to order by Chairman Tallarita at 6:58 p.m.
ROLL-CALL – Present were Councilmen Crowley, Edgar, Hilinski, Kaupin, Lee, Mangini, Maxellon, Nelson, Peruta, Ragno and Tallarita. Also present were Town Manager, Matthew Coppler; Assistant Town Manager, Daniel Vindigni; Town Clerk, Suzanne Olechnicki; Town Attorney, Christopher Bromson; Chief of Police, Carl Sferrazza; Lt. Larry Curtis and Lt. Gary Collins of the Enfield Police Department.
Real Estate Negotiations, Pending Litigation and Personnel Matters were discussed with no action or votes being taken.
Chairman Tallarita adjourned the Executive Session at 7:33 p.m. He reconvened the Special Meeting at 7:34 p.m. and stated that during Executive Session, Real Estate
Negotiations, Pending Litigation and Personnel Matters were discussed with no action or votes being taken.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION #8958 by Councilman Mangini, seconded by Councilman Crowley to adjourn.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION #8958 adopted 11-0-0, and the meeting stood adjourned at 7:35 p.m. |