1977/02/07 MINUTES
EXECUTIVE BOARD
February 7, 1977
The meeting was opened at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Arthur B. Powers. Deputy
Mayors Lanzoni and Dickinson were present.
Also present for part o£ the meeting were: Richard Howard, Assistant Town
Engineer and Richard R.~Russell, Superintendent of Public Buildings.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to rescind
the action taken at the 1/$1/77 meeting in which the Board voted to call a
Town Meeting on 2/7/77 at the Town Hall. There was not enough time to get
the legal ad in the newspaper. MOTION CARRIED.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to call a
Town Meeting for 2/14/77 at 8:00 p.m. at the McGee School for the following
purposes:
1. To authorize an expenditure o£ $5,000 £rom Federal Revenue
Sharing Funds £or Snow and Ice Removal.
2. To authorize the expenditure o£ $5,000 for Snow and Ice Re-
moval, Overtime (this item must be approved by the Board of Fi-
nance at its meeting of 2/8/771. (The Executive Board is also re-
questing that the Finance Board transfer $2000 into this account).
MOTION CARRIED.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to accept
the minutes of 1/31/77. MOTION CARRIED.
Mayor Powers read a memo from Finance Director Gary S. Clinton in which he
advises that an additional $11,958 is needed in Account #120, Insurance.
Mayor Powers said that he feels we must look seriously into other companies
to see if we can get better prices. We should also consider cutting back
on some of our coverage.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to write
to the Board of Finance regarding the need for $11,958 in Account #120,
Insurance and if the Board o£ Finance approves the request, to bring the
matter to Town Meeting. MOTION CARRIED.
Richard Howard, Assistant Town Engineer, was present to request the Ex-
ecutive Board to award the contract for repairing the Berlin Street Bridge
to Berlin Steel Construction Company. Mr. Howard said that Mr. Michael
Marino, of the Cromwell Department of Public Works, has reviewed Berlin
Steel's proposal and has also examined the report from the State Department
of Transportation's recommending repairs be made immediately. (The bridge
has been closed for several months). Cromwell would pay on a proportionate
The total cost o£ the contract would be
basis (based on population).
Berlin would pay $2,27S and Cromwell would pay $1,225.
On motion by Mr. Lanzo~i, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to award
the contract for repair_:of~the Berlin Street Bridge to Berlin Steel Con-
struction Company at their quoted price of $$S00. Berlin is to pay $2275
and Cromwell will pay the balance of $1225. 'It was further voted to waive
~.xecutive Board Minutes
2/7/77
-2-
normal bidding procedures in that it was felt that it was not in the best
interests of the Town to put this contract out to open bid in that working
drawings would have to be prepared; a bidding contract and specifications
and proper advertising would cause a long delay in getting the repair work
done; the bridge was originally built by Berlin Steel Company and they are
familiar with it; they are a local firm and Mr. Seelye has stated that the
price is a fair one. MOTION CARRIED.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to sign
the Deed finalizing the sale of the old Police Station to John D. Frink, et
al, on the recommendation of Corporation Counsel Harry N. Jackaway. MOTION
CARRIED.
O
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to sign
a Supplemental Agreement from the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment releasing an additional portion of Lot 63 which is added to the old
police station lot in order that the lot conform to zoning regulations, on
recommendation of Corporation Counsel Harry N. Jackaway. 'MOTION CARRIED.
Mayor Powers informed the Board that our Corporation Counsel, Harry N. Jack-
away, had successfully defended the Town's position against the State Deparl
ment of Transportation when they challeneged our appeal and filed for a
Motion to Erase. The Judge denied the Stati's request for a Motion to Era~
Now Mr. Jackaway is recommending that we hire our engineers immediately in
order to substantiate our claim, that the traffic projections made by the
State are low. Ne have negotiated a price with Luchs and Beckerman of
Glastonbury, of $5900, to do the survey and gaiher the necessary data io
that we can be prepared to go into court.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Dickinson, it was voted to reques
the Board of Finance to make $5900 available in order that we may hire Luch
and Beckerman of Glastonbury to do a traffic survey to substantiate our
claim that estimates of traffic flow from the Saw Mill Brook Race Course(on
Route 72) are low. MOTION CARRIED.
Mr. Jackaway has already written to the Commission on Special Revenue to
put them on notice of our intent to file an appeal.in-the above matter.
Mayor Powers announced that he would be meeting with Mr. Russell Brenneman,
President of the Central Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority, on Mon-
day, 2/14/77, in order to discuss CRRA's plans for the future, particularly
in light of the Metropolitan District's interest in providing solid waste
services in the Greater Hartford area.
At this point, the Executive Board met with Mr. Richard R. Russell, Super-
intendent of Public Buildings, to discuss his budget. Mr. Russell is askin
that he be allowed to hire one additional man, this man to be a ~mMxxxm~x
journeyman electrician licensed to work in Connecticut. He feels that in
hiring an electrician he can cut four or five thousand dollars from his
contracted services budget. Mayor Powers said he was not sure that this
was the year to ask for additional help, but to work with Mr. Clinton to
get figures for the kind of salary needed.for aucertified electrician.
In account #3811, Utilities, Mr. Russell said he feels that what he is aski
for is a very close figure to what.the costs will be this year. Kensington
Grammer School, which is now the Community Center, is getting more use than
it did when it was a school and the utility costs are running high.
Executive Bpard Minutes
2/7/77
At this point, Mayor Powers said he had looked through the capital expenses
requested by Mr. Russell and was alarmed to see that such things as chalk-
boards and drapes were being requested from the General Government budget.
Mayor Powers said he felt that these items should be in the Board of Edu-
cation budget. At one time, the Board of Finance felt it was best to have
Mr. Russell take over all public buildings. Mayor Powers said this was a
good idea, however, just because Mr. Russell is in charge of maintaining
the buildings doesn't mean that the General Government budget should be
charged with paying for capital improvements within the school. It was
never our intention that the Town would pick up the tab for these items.
The Executive Board concurred with this thinking. ~
The Executive Board felt it had no objection to the budget for the Community
Center (KGS).
The Executive Board agreed that the whole budget be analyzed by the Board
of Finance and to advise the Board of Finance that this Board rejects all
those items involving capital improvements in the. schools as it feels these
are Board of Education expenses.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:tS p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia A. Casella
Secretary