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1976/05/03MINUTES EXECUTIVE BOARD May 5, 1976 The meeting was opened at 7:00 p.m.'by Mayor Arthur B. powers. Mayors Lanzoni and Dickinson were present. Deputy On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to ac- cept the minutes of 4/26/76 as submitted. MOTION CARRIED. On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to sign a tax refund form in the amount of $51.50 to Richard J. Mayer, 26 School Street, underthe provisions of Sec. 12-128, Veteran's Refund of Tax ronerously Collected. It should be noted that the tax refund is to be Paid provided there are enough funds in Account #164, Tax Refunds. MOTION CARRIt Mayor Powers said that bids were opened by the Park and Recreation Depart- ment for a television set, anteanna, etc. Low bidder was Frank's Appliance at $695.00. The only other bidder was Kensington Appliance at $7S0.00. Mr. Roe recommended the low bidder. At this point Mr. Joseph Adelewski joined the Executive Board to complain about the way the bids were advertised. Mayor Powers said he too had just become aware that the ad appeared in the paper after the date established for opening of bids. The Mayor said that there was not enough time for people to bid on the item. It was also pointed out that the ad stated "television anteanna". This may have been a typographical error, but none- theless, it was an error and the Mayor said he did not feel we could accept the bids under the circumstances. On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted'to reject the bids for a television, antenna, etc. and advise Mr. Roe that the pro- ject should be rebid. MOTION CARRIED. Mayor Powers read a Letter from Thomas C. Marshall, Chairman of the Board .of Education, (see copy of letter attached)in which he states that he read "wit. great dismay" that in a newspaper account of the Public Hearing on the Budge that Mayor Powers considered it to be a "significant mandate" and justifi- cation for cutting further the Board of Education's fragile budget" He continues that no vote was taken, nor a show of hands. "The true litmus test for a mandate is a town meeting where the people can vote and by secret ballot." He furthers states': "Of late You {Mayor Powers) have been ~ rougY[fhod over the mandates of town meetins and listening only to what you want to hear. It was my impression that the budget hearing was indeed orchestrated to an extent by you and your (Mayor Powers) close ally, Patrick English" . He ends his letter by saying: "Let me also suggest that we put our latest wrangles aside and life ourselves so that we may be con- cerned with the needs of the Town's 5,100 school children. If you (Mayor Powers) allow your present rancor to continue to govern your course of con- duct, there will be a massive deterioration of quality education in Berlin". Mayor'Powers said this was the second letter he had received from Mr. Mar- shall that is fUll of'innuendoes.~ Mayor Powers said he called Mr. Marshall this evening and Mr. Marshall indicated that he "had noticed the way some of the Town employees voted at the last Town Meeting for the $100,000 appro- priation for the Board of Education. He also said he noticed that the Mayor wife voted against it. Executive Board Meeting -2- Mayor Powers said he takes exception to the statement regarding his wife. She had the courage of her convic%ion to vote her conscience. "I have no control over the way my wife chooses to vote. I want her to vote her con- science, I'm proud she does". Mayor Powers said as for this business of a true "litmus test" being a vote by secret ballot, is unbelievable. He accused Gary Laskowski. of having beer put up to asking the Board of Finance to make cuts across the board in the budget because people cannot afford a 6.3 mill increase this year. He also accused Pat English.of telling Ray Wiezalis about the new staff position. Frankly, said Mayor Powers, I am a bit surprised that Marshall would not answer the questions put to him about new staff. He just didn't want'to discuss it anymore than he wanted to discuss the Superintendent's salary. Mayor Powers said he told Mr. Marshall that his letters are having a divi- sive effect. I told him I have always given strong support to education, but I agree that the taxpayers cannot take a 6.3 mill increase. It's just too much. The Executive Board agreed that there was a strong expression by the people at the hearing to reduce the budget. Mayor Powers said he was especially upset that letters of this type,divisivE letters, are sent to the press. (It was noted at the bottom of the letter that copies had been sent to The New.Britain Herald and the Hartford Couran~ In his phone conversation with Mr. Marshall, Mayor Powers said that Mr. Mar- shall complained that the Superintendent was booed and that many people laughed when Mr. Anderson was.booed. Mayor Powers said he found that repre- hensible. I do not like to hear anyone booed. But, he did point out that members of PROBE did a great deal of heckling when various citizens got up to speak. I regard it as boorish if anyone booes or heckles a speaker. Mayor Powers said he told Mr. Marshall that it was not he (Mayor Powers) who had any rancor. In fact I asked him to explain that, said the Mayor. Mr. Marshall said that the Mayor was picking on the Board of Education. How, asked the Mayor. Well, said Mr.-Marshall, you're taking me to court. Mayor Powers said he went to court because he was not being recognized as as an ex-officio member of the Board. Mr. Marshall also accused the Mayor or attacking the Superintendent. Mayor Powers said all I did was ask a polite question about the number of radios and in return I got a four page blast from Mr. Anderson. The town will suffer from this kind of divisive- ness. Mayor Powers said the place to discuss these budgetary matters is the Town Meeting. Mr. Marshall said he felt his group had been intimidated at the Hearing. ~ Mayor Powers told the Board that when Mr. Marshall points out to me the way my wife votes that "I think Tom (Mr. Marshall) owes an apology to me and all of the people who got up and spoke. Remarks like this coming from a lawyer and a'man with a degree in political science are in poor taste.~ Mayor Powers said.he feels letters of this nature are detrimental to good relationships in the community, and to send copies of the letters to the press will cause serious damage to all the townspeople in Berlin. Executive Board Minutes sl3176 -5- On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded'by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted by the Board to go on record as agreeing with the above comments by Mayor Powers, particularly with respect to the latest letter from Thomas C. Marshall, Chairman of the Board of Education, copies of which were sent to the news- papers. MOTION CARRIED. Mayor Powers announced that Congressman William Cotter had sent to Berlin a United States Flag which has been flown over the Capitol. On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by MS. Dickinson, it was voted to award the contract for Serial Notes in the amount of $200,000 for the School Media Center to New Britain National Bank, the low bidder, at 4.80%. These notes will run for five years. Other bidders, were: Connecticut Bank ~ Trust $200,000 Hartford National Bank $200,000 Colonial Bank $200,000 MOTION CARRIED. @ 5.375%, no premium @ 5.00% , $.59;.22 pnemium @ 5.75% , no premium On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to sign the above mentioned serial notes and No-Litigation Certificates. MOTION CARRIED. It should be noted that the above $200,000 will go into a seperate account over which the Board of Education will have no control. The Town Treasurer will make out all checks. Mr. Scerra said we could make $3,000 to $4,000 in interest through investments on this. That interest will go into the General Fund. At this'point, the Executive Board was joined by the following: Thomas W. Ward, Jr., Robert Dacey. Blanche Delaney, members of the Board of Finance; Albert Dudzik, Town Auditor and Dominick Scerra, Town Treasurer. The put- was to interview the top three candidates for the position of Finance Di- rector. Mayor Powers explained that a panel made up of Mr. Harold Samuels, who is a banker dealing in municipal financing, Mr. Robert Weiss, Town Manager of Westport and Mr. Donald Miklus, Controller for the Town of Manchester had spent one morning weeding through the over twenty-five applications. They selected nine who were most qualified. They returned a week later to inter- view the nine who were selected. The all agreed on the top three as follows: Mr. Gary Clinton of East Hartford Mr. Richard Harvey of Durham Mr. Theodore Yampanis of Portland. The top three candidates after scoring in the one-two-three positions after the Technical-Oral examination were then asked to appear before the Exec- utive Board. Mr. Clinton was the first candidate. Mr. Dudzik asked many questions with regard to his background in municipal work as well as accounting. Mr. Dacey brought out the need for a "hands on" Finance Director. Mr. Dudzik pointed out that the individual selected would not just supervise but have to have a working knowledge of the job. -4- Executive Board Minutes These questions were asked of each of the following candidates, along with queries regarding their knowledge of federal and state grants. After all candidates had been interviewed, Mr. Dudzik said he felt the most qualified man was Gary Clinton. Mrs. Delaney said he was young (29) and wondered if he would be easily pushed around by some of the Department Heads. However, she felt he was the better qualified of the three. Mr. Harvey, the number two candidate seemed to know little about municipal work, but said he was eager to learn and would attend school in the evenings if necessary. Mr. Yampanis was also qualified but not nearly as much as the other two. Mr. Dudzik said he felt Mr. Clinton was a little bit shy and would really like to sit down and talk with him. Also, Mayor Powers said he would check out references. It was decided, therefore, that Mr.'Clinton would be hired as Finance Di- rector (after his talk with Mr. Dudzik and a physical examination). Mr. Harvey planced second and Mr. Yampanis third. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Patricia A. Casella Secretary