Minutes of Regular Meeting on February 19th, 2008

Present Y- N

Regular Members;

Y

Anne Ingvertsen

Y

Earl Brecher

N

Celia Senzer

N

Sally Hart

Y

Ralph Gold

Y

Tom Bechtle

Alternates;

Others;

N

John LaPorta

Y

Barbara Cantoni, Board Clerk

Y

Jack Preston

Y

Gordon Rigeway, First Selectman

Y

Richard Bramley, Selectman

Call to Order:

7:38 p.m.

Chairman

Asked Jack Preston to sit in for Celia Senzer

Additions to the

None

Agenda

Minutes:

Minutes of the January 15th, 2009 meeting were mailed to all members.

All reported reading the minutes.

Chairman

asked for a motion

Motion:

Tom Bechtle - made a motion to approve the minutes as presented

Jack Preston seconded

Chairman

Asked for any discussion

One grammatical error and one typographical error were pointed out. Change the "T"

to the left of Tom Bechtle under "Present Y-N" to a "Y". Add an "s" to the word "line" in the

third sentence of the first paragraph under "Reports of Boards and Commissions"

Motion:

Tom Bechtle made a motion to approve the minutes as amended

Jack Preston seconded

Motion passed unanimously.

Reports of Boards

Board of Selectmen - First Selectman Gordon M. Ridgway

and Commissions:

"It is snowing... literally" was the segue into an update about the Highway Budget Lines. Gordon

reiterated that the Highway Snow Removal line is currently over budget due to the many snow and ice

events this winter. It is anticipated that the HWY repair line and the HWY fuel lines will be over

budget as well. These overages are connected to the Snow Removal line; the more a piece of

equipment is used the more maintenance it requires and the more fuel it consumes. The BOS

is hopeful that aside from the Snow Removal line, the rest of the HWY budget will offset itself and

stay within budget on an overall basis.

The relamping contracted for the town buildings has been completed and the CCS gymnasium is

reporting the same benefit as the town garage, better illumination. This procedure is expected to save

the Town of Cornwall approximately seven to eight thousand dollars per year. The savings

will offset the cost of the relamping in approximately three years and after that the savings will be

visible as a reduction in expenditure for electricity.

Additionally, CCS has received three years of free light bulbs for the new fixtures.

Through superior participation in the Energy Incentive Program , the Town of Cornwall has qualified

for a larger solar panel that will generate about $1,500 in electricity per annum for CCS.

The BOS anticipate a savings of two thousand dollars per annum from the HWY heat line for

next year as the waste oil furnace gets utilized.

Next week there will be a meeting of area town officials and the Lieutenant Governor at the Wandering

Moose to discuss current economic issues that are affecting the northwest corner of Connecticut.

Formal budget negotiations are not really underway at the state level, the actual deficit is much larger

than the figure used by Governor Rell when she created her preliminary budget.

The BOS and the school board met at a special meeting of the BOS on 1/27/2009

They discussed the recent teacher contract for 2009-2012 which had been negotiated and

received by the town clerk for review. They discussed options, the economy and the state's economic

status in terms of the new contract. The BOS made a motion and passed it unanimously to

submit a request to the BOE to reopen the teacher contract negotiations for the contract period

of 2009-2012 after two years, for the purposes of renegotiating salaries and benefits.

Subsequently the union was not amenable to this request, the recourse available is arbitration.

The BOS are not inclined to enter into arbitration. The effect of arbitration in other towns/regions

show benefit packages above what is currently fixed in this contract.

Transfers:

None

Number

Discussion of

Revision #12 of the BOS draft expenditure budget was mailed to all members with their packet.

BOS Draft

First Selectman Ridgway presented the budget by department, line by line pointing out reductions

Budget

and explaining any increases. Currently the overall budget increase is 1.29 % There are some

items that are under contract and not negotiable such as the cost of the town audit and the payroll

increases to the union employees. Health insurance costs are a major factor with an anticipated

increase in premiums of 24% projected by Sam Herrick, Business Manager for Region #1.

The BOS are currently exploring alternatives to our current health insurance provider including

offering a high deductible plan that includes a H.S.A. (health savings account)

Additionally, the BOS is increasing the % of premium contribution by each employee to help

mitigate the increase in overall cost.

Cornwall has a secured an extended rate freeze of one year on the Public Liability and Auto

Insurance policies, this a reflection of an excellent record.

All departments were discussed. First Selectman Ridgway fielded questions from the BOF regarding

some specific costs in the following departments; Finance Office, Park and Recreation,

Social Services, Organizational Support and Town Office Administration. It was agreed that

a copy of a report submitted to the BOS by the Social Service Administrator would be provided to

substantiate the request for a new line item and funding for a part-time clerk.

It was noted that the line for Cornwall Youth Safety has been dropped from the BOS budget.

The Cornwall Youth Safety group has disbanded.

A modest 3% increase to all of the non union salaries was presented by the BOS within this budget.

The underpinning for this measure is wage equity among all town employees. Union

employees have a built-in annual salary step in their contract. If the BOS increase

the % that employees contribute to health insurance premiums and do not

increase employee salaries at all, the effect is a financial penalty to all non union employees.

Discussion of

A Capital Budget proposal for FY 2010 was mailed to all members with their packets.

Adjustments to

Modifications to FY 2010 from the approved Five Year plan resulted in a reduction to the Capital

FY '10 Capital

Budget of $30,000. CCS Playing Field Upgrades for 50,000 was suspended after a discussion with

the CCS Principal. Highway Equipment was added for 10,000 and 10,000 was appropriated

for Town Hall Building Upgrades. The rest of the Capital Budget remained the same as the approved

Five Year plan. Highway Equipment would include a fire alarm system for the town garage

and a new bed for truck #3. Town Hall Upgrades would include replacement of rotting window

frames, replacement of the inseam gutters that are not working properly, refinishing the floors that

have worn down to bare wood and general painting.

Brief discussion ensued and First Selectman answered questions.

Chairman

Wanted to remind the BOF that the BOE has incurred Unemployment Benefit Expense

and they will be presenting a request for funding that expense as some point

before the end of FY 2009.

Chairman

Issued a general comment to the BOS about their proposed expenditure budget which requested

a closer look at the non union salary increases and the possible elimination of them.

Adjournment:

8:55 p.m.

Motion:

Jack Preston made a motion to adjourn

Earl Brecher seconded

Motion passed unanimously.

Respectfully Submitted:

Barbara Herbst

Board Clerk