Board of Finance

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 15, 2007

Present: Ralph C. Gold, chairman, Tom Bechtle, Sally Hart, Celia Senzer, Anne Ingvertsen, Earl Brecher, members. Ginger Betti and John LaPorta, alternates.

Gordon M. Ridgway, first selectman and K.C. Baird, selectman.

The minutes of the January 18 meeting were approved with two usage corrections.

John LaPorta reported that the School Building Committee has declared the school building project complete. There is $5,860 left over out of the entire $3,550,000 project which John suggested might be added to the school’s capital projects line.

Chairman Gold, on behalf of the Board, thanked John and Jim Terrall for the long hours and persistence in carrying out the project.

Gordon Ridgway introduced the budget for FY 2008 with comments on the planned increases and reductions in proposed state grants; the net result is about equal to last year. The expenditure budget, he continued, is very tight. Highlights:

Insurance: Worker’s Comp and Public Liability are being held at zero increase under an agreement with CIRMA. Health is going up 10 percent at present; the total now includes life and a new long-term disability program. Employees’ co-pays will increase to offset the total cost.

Salaries: Increase 3.5% across the board. Joyce Hart will receive an additional $1,000 on top of the increase to move her salary more in synch with other clerks in area towns.

Town Departments: The Town Clerk’s lines decrease in aggregate, since the assistant’s wage is way down (Vera will be working more hours). The state grant next year will go toward an archival copier for town records. Probate functions have moved to Canaan and Cornwall’s share of the new combined office is $2,100. Land Use is up because of a new Land Use Administrator who will take on all three jobs for an increased salary. Highway spending increases mostly because of contracted salary increases and more for tree maintenance.

The Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department has only a minor increase. New gear must be purchased for several new members. The Sanitation Department also shows a small increase. The costs for disposal are expected to stay the same or decrease. The town is slated to receive $20,000 from the settlement of the Enron claims. The transfer station will be renovated.

Grants to other town organizations will increase slightly to reflect the increased activity at the Child Center, the Library and the Land Trust, among others.

Capital: Some of the new fire fighter gear costs will be paid from capital accounts. Also on the list is the first year of the cost of a new pumper for West Cornwall -- $150,000. Road improvement is at $180,000 and includes work on Dark Entry Road and other Cornwall Bridge roads. The town planning process gets another $30,000.

Gordon described a new federal road building program which will reconstruct town roads bringing them up to federal specifications – ie two lanes wide. Pine Street is expected to be the first.

Celia Senzer offered congratulations to the selectmen for maintaining a steady hand in preparing the new budget.

The meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Lisa Lansing

Clerk