1994/02/01APPROVED
Mayor Robert Peters called the meeting to order, at. 7:00: P~.- i~'~e~ent~ ~ ~ . J .~. ~ .~
were Deputy Mayor Arthur Powers, James D'Errlco-D~rector' of .Pers6r~ '
and Purchasing, Donald Ward, Charles Warner, Robert Weiss, Sandra 'James-
Hartford Courant Reporter, Susan Garro-Herald reporter, and Janice
Serafino-secretary. Deputy Mayor Veronesi absent, as he is on a school
trip.
Approval of Minutes
Mayor Peters noted that on page seven, under Commission Secretaries,
the salary increases for Executive Board and Planning C~m~'.~ssion should
be "$10.00 per meeting" not "$10.00 per hour".
Deputy Mayor Powers stated tb~t after the appointment of the civilian
Police Dispatcher he recalls that the name of Elaine Andrzejewski, a
library employee, w-as mentioned to be trained as a back-up dispatcher.
He said he believed Jim D'Errico was going to speak with her to see if
this would interfere with her library hours. The Personnel Director
said he has not spoken with any of the other candidates at yet. It was
decided to discuss this matter at the next meeting.
Mayor Peters moved to approve the minutes as corrected, seconded by
Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
Audience of citizens
No one present wished to speak.
Corporation Counsel
Letter frcm Frank Stavola Char~ingposs~le Conflict of Interest
'~g~nstBothDeputyMayors (Tabled-Executive Session)
To remain onthe Table, investigation scheduled February 8th meeting at
8:00 p.m. inExecutive Session.
Personnel/Purchasing Matters
%,k~_ate on Salary Necjotiations for Top Managers (Executive Session)
Nothing to report at this time; meeting scheduled for Monday, February
7th at 4:00 p.m. in Executive Session.
Civilian Police Dispatcher Position (Executive Session)
To be taken up later in the meeting.
A~_dition to Agenda
Mayor Peters moved to add the purchase of a back-hoe/loader to the
agenda, seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
Mr. D'Errico explained that both Bryan Griswold, Highway
Superintendent, and J~mes Simons, Chief Mechanic, have recc~nended
other than the lowest bid. He said the lower priced machines do not
meet the specifications the Town set forth in the bid package.
Additionally, Messrs. Griswold and Simons stated that the purchase of a
John Deere machine would move toward standardization of the Town's
fleet of machinery, making maintenance and repair work much easier and
less costly.
Mayor Peters asked why they did not just go to bid on a John Deere
product if that is what they wanted? Mr. D'Errico said that this will
be addressed for future bidding. In answer to a question posed by the
Mayor, Mr. D'Errico said more money w~uld be realized frc~ a trade
rather than an outright sale.
Mayor Peters moved to purchase a John Deere back-hoe/loader frc~ Lc~ac
Equipment of East Windsor, high bidder, at a net cost of $62,000 (bid
price of $69,700 less $7,700 trade), in the best interest of the Town
based on the state~ants of the Highway Superintendent and Chief
Mecb~unic, seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers. The Deputy Mayor asked if
the John Deere met all of the specs, to which Mr. D'Errico responded
affirmatively. The motion passed unanimously.
Attorney Stephen Anderson, Corporation Counsel, entered the meeting at
7:15 p.m..
Corporation Counsel Continued
Deputy Mayor Powers said the comments he would be making were not meant
to be adversarial, but were his opinions on what he read in tonight's
newspaper. He said he realizes that the Mayor is an ex-officio member
of the Police Ccmnission but felt it would have been appropriate to
include the members of the Executive Board when meeting on polics,. The
Deputy Mayor said he feels he should have been advised of the meeting
and would have liked to attend.
Mayor Peters said he had a proble~ with Deputy Mayor Powers' cc~ments.
He said that this was a Police Oa-,~¥,~ssion meeting, not an Executive
Board meeting. He said that while he established the agenda, the
Chairman of the Police C~,~ssion called the meeting. The Mayor said
the meeting was not to set policy, but rather to pass on some ideas to
the Cc~nission and bring them information he learned at a meeting on
crime he had attended that morning at the State Attorney's Office. He
said that while Mayor he has attended a number of board and c~,,,,~ssion
meetings as an ex-official member. The Mayor asked for a Corporation
Counsel ruling on whether, as Mayor, he has the right to request a
meeting with any Town board or cu,,~.~ssion, including the Police
Ccmnission and also if he could vote as an ex-officio member.
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Deputy Mayor Powers then brought up the m~ao the Mayor had sent to
department managers directing them to refer any requests of the Deputy
Mayors to his office, asking that it be rescinded. He said he had
called the Finance Director requesting data on health insurance and
asked Mr. Clinton to inform the Mayor. Mayor Peters said his
understanding of what was discussed at a previous meeting was that the
Deputy Mayors, not the managers, would place a courtesy call to his
office when they were planning to meet with a manager. He said he would
agree to amend the m~no in question if the Deputies will call to advise
him of such meetings. As Deputy Mayor Powers was in agreement, Mayor
Peters said he send a correction to the original memo to depa~ h~'~nt
heads.
The Corporation Counsel verified that the rulings requested of him
were: Could the Mayor vote on a board/cc~mission as an ex-officio
member; should the Executive Board members be aware of meetings the
Mayor schedules with boards/cc~missions involving policy; and did the
Mayor have the right to do what he did with the Police Cc~ssion on
Monday night.
civilian Police Dispatcher Position (Executive Session)
Mayor Peters moved to enter Executive Session at 7:32 p.m. to discuss
the civilian Police Dispatcher position with the appointee, Matt
Odishoo, seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously. In
addition to Mr. Odishoo, the Personnel Director and Corporation Counsel
were asked to remain.
Mr. Odishoo left the meeting at 7:45 p.m., with the Board exiting
Executive Session at 7:49 p.m.. No action taken.
Attorney Anderson and Mr. D'Errico left the meeting at 7:49 p.m., with
the following entering: Charles Warner, James Simons, Susan Garro,
Sandra James, Bob weiss, Donald Ward, Richard Feegel-Assessor, and the
secretary.
Old Business
The following items under Old Business are to remain on the Table:
-Discussion of Federal and State Grants
-Progressive Cc~cation Supply Inc.
-Morande Autcmotive Group, Inc.
-Smoking Policy: Greenside Restaurant
New Business
Schedule S~ecial Town meets. 9 and Set Agenda
Mayor Peters moved to schedule a Special Town Meeting for Tuesday,
February 8th at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Roc~ and to place
the following items on the agenda, seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers,
passed unanimously:
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1. Transfer a sum not to exceed $97,500 from account 101-1393-930-944
(Fund Balance) to account 318-2232-131-411 (Police Cruisers) to
purchase five police cruisers.
2. Transfer a sum not to exceed $4000 from account 101-2129-121-299
(Contingency) to account 101-2338-121-245 (Maintenance & Repair-Park
and Traffic Lights) to replenish this account.
3. Transfer a sum not to exceed $18,000 frc~ account 101-2129-121-299
(Contingency) to account 101-2335-121-233 (Garage-Auto Parts) to
replenish this account.
~iti.on to A~enda
Mayor Peters moved to add acceptance of a parcel of land to the agenda,
seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
The Mayor explained that this parcel is frcm the Bessie K. Roby estate
on Orchard Road. He said a condition of the development of the
property was that the Town be granted an open-space easenent to be used
for passive recreation. Mayor Peters said trustees of the estate are
now offering formal conveyance of the property and the Planning
Ccnmzission is reccxmnending the Town accept it at a Town Meeting.
After reviewing the accc~i'%mnying map, Mayor Peters moved to approve the
Planning C~,/',.~ssion's r~dation and place this item on the agenda
of the the February 8th Town Meeting, if possible, seconded by Deputy
Ma~vor Powers, passed unanimously.
Addition to Aqenda
Mayor Peters moved to add Chalmmn Equitmnent C~,~ny to the agenda,
seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
At 8:00 p.m. representatives of Cha~nan ~ui~nent Company, Kevin
Currier, Jeffrey Cook, Marty Garrison, and Chris Travalli, came into
the meeting to discuss their assessment on personal property with the
Executive Board. Also in attendance were Richard Feegel-Assessor, Bob
Weiss-Chairman of the Board of Assessors and Board member John Gerdis.
Mr. Currier, Chief Financial Officer of the ccmpany, explained that
they requested this meeting for clarification of their position and
their hope that the Executive Board would agree with their approach to
the assessment of tangible personal property. He said that the Town's
request for proof of paymmnt of taxes to other municipalities and
states would place an unreasonable burden on the company. Mr. Currier
added that the has spoken with the Assessor of Newington and he said
Newington would accept Chalm~an's approach to personal property.
Mr. Weiss asked why the cc~pany was not able to track tax pasT~_nts on
their spread sheet. Mr. Currier's response was they do not have that
capability and it would have to be done manually. Mr. Weiss then said
that the fact that they have not filed their 1993 personal property
declaration is an awkward situation, as by law there is a 25% penalty
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and questioned how that would impact the 1993 assessment. He told the
Corporation Counsel that the Board of Assessors needed guidance in how
to proceed. Mr. Weiss asked if the liability of pzoving or disproving
tax payment was the Town's or the cc~y's?
Mr. Cook told the Executive Board that if the Town did not want his
ccmpany as part of the cc~ty they would consider other options. He
added that he did not think that is what the taxpayers wanted to hear.
Mr. Weiss said if the message they were hearing was that Berlin did not
want to do business, he did not know of anyone in Town government today
with that outlook. Mayor Peters said he took exception with Mr. Cook's
remarks, that his office bends over back--s to work with businesses,
but w-ill not do anything unethical or illegal. The Mayor asked that
Cha~xaan representatives meet w~th the Board of Assessors and asked Mr.
Feegel to con~act the Newington Assessor to see if he could meet also.
All who had ccme in on this issue, and James D'Errico, J~s Simons,
Charles Warner and the reporters left the meeting at 8:45 p.m..
Bz]dition to Agenda
Deputy Ma.vor Arthur Powers moved to add a request for a permit fee
waiver by the Berlin Free Library to the agenda, seconded by Mayor
Peters, passed unanimously.
Mayor Peters moved to waive a permit fee in the anount of $50.00 for
the Berlin Free Library for the installat/on of a furnace, with the
understanding that the contractor not charge the Library this fee,
seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
Board and Cc,-~-,~Jssion Matters
Deputy Mayor Powers moved to Table an appointment to the Library Board,
seconded by Mayor Peters, passed unanimously.
Finance
Budget Transfers and/or Appropriations
Mayor Peters moved to approve a budget transfer request of Rmnald
THndgren, Fire Board Chairman, in the amount of $485,000 for the
purchase of the fire truck frcm the 1993/94 budget, rather than the
1994/95 budget, seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
The Board of Finance is to decide frc~ where to take the funds.
Mayor Peters moved to approve a $500 allocation to the Police
Department Supply Account, rather than the $1000 requested, stating
that this amount should be sufficient for the remainder of the fiscal
year, seconded by Deputy Mayor P~w~rs, passed una~ly.
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Tax Refunds
Mayor Peters moved to approve a tax refund in the amount of $86.91 to
Clara I. Salsbury, Veterans Exemption, seconded by Deputy Mayor Powers,
passed unanimously.
Annual Budget Reviews
Board of Education Maintenance Budget (2861):
Changes:
Line Item 219-Materials: Approved $67,800, requested $74,500
Line It~ 270-Contracted Services:
-Regular - approved $45,200, requested $54,200
-Maintenance - approved $27,000, requested $39,000
-Projects - approved $97,200, requested $197,100
Total budget approved $244,200, amount requested $371,800.
Mayor Peters moved to approve this budget as amended, seconded by
Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
Board of Education Six Year Plan:
Mayor Peters moved to approve this Six Year Plan as amended, seconded
by Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unanimously.
adjour~t
Mayor Peters moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 p.m., seconded by
Deputy Mayor Powers, passed unardmously.
~ice Serafino,/ Executlv~ecretary