2004-03-27Bz dget Meetmg Ma~ ch 27 200-I
BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING
Saturday March 27 2004
BOE Conference Room - 11 00 a m
Minutes
1) Call to Order
Vice Chairman Anthony Legnanl called the Budget Committee Meeting to order at
11 18 am
2) Roll Call
3)
4)
Those in attendance were
Chairman Joseph Aresimowicz (12 10 p m )
Councilor Llnda Clmadon
Councilor Anthony Legnanl
Councilor Ida Ragazzl
Mayor Adam Sahna
Councilor Scott Veley
Pledge of Allegiance
DISCUSSIOn and possible action concerning the Budget
Town Manager Haberman stated that he received a request to delete hne item
#1 7 402 2 Small Dump Truck from the Highway Department and reinstate #1 45
402 1 Large Dump Truck for Pubhc Grounds
Councilor Clmadon moved to eliminate #1 7 402 2 Small Dump Truck Highway
Department and reinstate #1 45 402 1 Large Dump Truck Pubhc Grounds
Seconded by Councilor Ragazzl
Those voting in favor were
Councilor Clmadon Councilor Legnanl
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Councilor Veley
Vote being 5 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Town Manager Haberman stated that he 1S suggesting that the Town go out to bond
$500 000 for the roads for a 10 year period
Councilor Clmadon inquired if bonding for road improvements is usually done on a
municipal level
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Town Manager Haberman replied that the State and some municipalities do bond for
road improvements
Anna Johnson stated that the Town does not currently have any long range planning
in place for a vehicle replacement program She stated that there is currently
$250 000 funded in the Road Improvement account If we subtract approximately
$70 000 to pay for the first year principal and interest for the road improvement
bonding and put the remaining portion into the Transfer to Capital Fund Vehicle
Replacement Account it would accomplish two goals 1) it would get the work road
done and 2) establish a multi year planning program for vehicle replacement
Councilor Ragazzl stated that she is not in favor ofbon&ng for road improvements
Town Manager Haberman stated that bonding for the road improvements would not
increase our indebtedness He stated that the Town has $100 000 in principal and
interest dropping off this year and there have been no plans to replace it He feels that
this is a way for the Town to leverage its cash to accomplish a lot more in a very
tough year He does not feel that the cost of interest would not be more than what we
would gain in the long haul
Councilor Clmadon asked if this would have an impact on future bonding
Town Manager Haberman stated that there would clearly be competing interest but he
feels that he would be negligent as a business manager not to present some options
Anna Johnson explained that the over the past few years the Town did not appropriate
any funds for road improvements through the General Fund Operating budget She
stated that come June 2004 the State Highway Fund which was subsidized by the
State Town Aid Road Grant will be depleted and the Town will have to make
appropriations through the General Fund Operating budget to continue to do
roadwork
Councilor Veley stated that bond rates are very low right now and if this does not
affect the mill rate as it now stands and it would help the Town get ahead for future
years he may be in favor of it
Councilor Clmadon asked if this would have to go to a Public Hearing
Anna Johnson stated that this would be part of the budget but it would have to go to a
Public Hearing
Recessed at 12 00 p m
Reconvened at 12 27 p m
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Mayor Sahna moved to increase Account gl 6 170 20 Principal Town by $50 000
and increase Account gl 65 170 20 Interest Town by $18 750 £or the road
improvement bonding
Seconded by Councilor Clmadon
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Mayor Sahna moved to add an additional $ 0 000 to Account gl 67 160 7 Capital
Vehicle Improvement Fund
Seconded by Councilor Legnam
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Chairman Areslmowlcz moved to increase the Tax Collection Rate from 98 / to
98 5/
Seconded by Councilor Clmadon
Anna Johnson stated that she was comfortable with the increase which equates to an
additional $200 000
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Chairman Areslmowlcz moved to reduce Account #1 6 268 Road and Bridge
Improvements to $0
Seconded by Councilor Legnam
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Councilor Ragazzl moved to reduce the Capital for the Board of Education from
$100 000to $50 000
Seconded by Councilor Legnam
John Richards stated that the Board of Education will have to try and make do with
whatever funding they receive for Capital projects
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Councilor Ragazzl moved to increase Account #1 61 44 Site & Building from
$100 000to $125 000
Seconded by Chairman Areslmowlcz
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PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Len Zlehnskl Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission stated that due to
an error in a previous reduction an adjustment needs to be made to the Summer
Program Band manpower account
Chairman Areslmowlcz moved the following proposed changes as presented by the
Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman
gl 42 110 Summer Programs reinstate $480
gl 42 1 Worker s Comp reinstate $16
gl 42 15 Social Security reinstate $ 6
Seconded by Mayor Sahna
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
(Councilor Clmadon exited the meeting at 12 42 p m )
Town Manager Haberman recommended that the Committee could reduce Account
gl 0 254 Programming DP Service to $0
Chairman Areslmowlcz moved to reduce Account gl 0 254 Programming DP
Service from $11 200 to $0 as recommended by the Town Manager
Seconded by Councilor Ragazzl
Those voting in favor were
Vote being 4 1
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Opposed Councilor Veley
(MOTION CARRIED)
Recessed at 12 45 p m
Reconvened at 1 00 p m
Discussion on Identified Grants & Imbedded Grants
Councilor Ragazzl stated that all departments were asked to cut their budgets and she
feels that in all fairness the Private Grants should also be cut
Chairman Areslmowmz moved to reduce the Amended Budget of Identified Grants
by 5 / with the exception of the St Paul s School grant
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Seconded by Councilor Ragazzl
Councilor Legnam stated that some of these grants have already been cut and he is
not in favor of any more cuts to the grants He feels that the money will have to come
out of pocket for the parents and some kids may not be able to play because of this
cut
Councilor Veley stated that he would not be in favor of this motion because he feels
the Board of Education is the one that it is benefiting from this cut He feels that
rather than cutting the grants by 5 / that the Board of Education should be reduced to
a 7 / increase rather than the 7 5 / increase
Chairman Areslmowlcz withdrew his motion and Councilor Ragazzl withdrew her
second
Councilor Ragazzl moved to cut the Identified Grants by 5 / except St Paul s School
grant
No second
Councilor Legnam moved to approve the Amended Budget for the Identified Grants
as follows
1 42 287 1 Babe Ruth/Little League $ 4 500
1 42 287 10 Women s Softball $ 600
1 42 287 11 Travel Basketball $ 2 000
1 42 287 2 Soccer $ 2 000
1 42 287 Midget Football $ 4 000
1 44 287 4 E Berlin Library $ 5 500
1 44 287 5 Berlin Library $ 5 500
1 59 287 8 St Paul s School $50 000
Seconded by Councilor Veley
Those voting in favor were
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Mayor Sahna Councilor Veley
Opposed Councilor Ragazzl
Vote being 4 1 (MOTION CARRIED)
Councilor Legnam moved to reduce Account #1 6 250 Trash Removal for private
schools by $7 700
Seconded by Mayor Sahna
Those voting in favor were
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
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Mayor Sahna
Opposed Councilor Ragazzl Councilor Veley
Vote being 2 (MOTION CARRIED)
Committee Members Comments on the Proposed Budget and the Budget Process
Councilor Veley stated that the Departments on the Town s side of budget have
cooperated immensely He was against the 5 / reduction that was made across the
board for the departments because he felt it should have come out of the Board of
Education budget He would like to see the 5 / reinstated to the Berlin VNA budget
because they are a revenue producing department and they should have the resources
to continue to bring in more revenues In addition he stated that he was in favor of
reinstating the St Paul s School grant but was not in favor of removing the $7 700 for
their trash removal
Councilor Ragazzl stated that she would like to see the Supervisor position requested
by the Berlin VNA reinstated She feels that the Nursing Department does need
another position and it will help bring in additional revenue
Councilor Legnam stated that we did hit the Town side very hard but feels the Board
of Education has been hit very hard over the past few years and they are trying to
straighten out the wrong that occurred during the last budget They tried to make the
Board of Education a little more solid than it was and to restore programs that were
cut last year He feels that the $7 700 that was deleted from St Paul s School trash
removal would not affect their school grant He stated that he feels the 2 1 mill rate
increase is a livable increase
Mayor Sahna stated that he looks at the school systems as being our greatest asset in
this Town Aside from the fact that they account for a large portion of the budget he
truly believes that the children are the future of the town If they have a great
experience in this town they will be encouraged to come back and live in this town
and perhaps work and open up their own businesses in town He feels that if we
continue to cut education there are people who will go elsewhere to get their children
the proper resources Rather than pushing people to go out of town to find these
services for their children in the school system he would like to encourage them to
stay The Board of Education did take a substantial hit last year and if you minus the
one time Anthem fee the Board of Education is only receiving a 9/ increase to
cover some of their Operational side of the budget and the balance to be used to
restore programs He feels this budget is a step in the right direction He stated that
fiscal responsibility is not only sometimes foolish over spending but sometimes
foolish under funding We have to set a budget that is going to take us into the future
for this Town Though he cannot say that he is extremely pleased with the 2 1 mill
rate increase he does not feel it is an easy decision for anyone After having no
increase for the past two years we are looking at an increase based on a $200 000
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assessment of a little over a dollar per day He feels that paying that increase is
worth paying for the Board of Education needs and other services in town
Chairman Areslmowlcz stated that his goal was to have a Budget Committee that we
have not had in the past He wanted it to be more interactive with the Department
Heads allow more input from the staff and to take all things stated by the
Department Heads and members of the public into consideration He feels that they
have successfully accomplished this at this time He has long been a proponent of a
moderate mill increase every year which this town cannot seem to do We are
always trying to catch up and we cannot go on like that forever Everybody knew
there would be a tax increase this year we can all disagree on how much we think it
should be but we knew it would happen He is somewhat satisfied with the outcome
but he is totally pleased with the budget process He thanked Town Manager
Haberman Asst Town Manager Herman Mlddlebrooks Jr Anna Johnson Finance
Director Len Zlehnskl Budget Analyst all Department Heads and Board of
Education members for all their interaction and participation
Town Manager Haberman stated that this is his eleventh budget and stated how
difficult it is to do a budget like this one He would like to reiterate that from a
process standpoint it has been one of the most pleasant budget processes that he has
ever been through and probably for one of the most difficult budgets He thanked the
Committee members for giving staff the opportunity to do the job that they have done
on the budget
Water & Sewer Budget
Councilor Ragazzl moved to accept the Water & Sewer Budget for Fiscal Year
2004/2005 as presented (See attached)
Seconded by Councilor Legnam
Those voting in favor were
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Councilor Veley
Vote being 5 0 (MOTION CARRIED)
Mayor Sahna moved an increase of 2 1 for the mill rate for the 2004/2005 Fiscal
Year
Seconded by Councilor Legnam
Mayor Sahna withdrew his motion Councilor Legnam withdrew his second
Mayor Sahna moved to increase the mill rate by 2 1 bringing the total mill rate to
27 4 for the 2004/2005 Fiscal Year
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$)
6)
Seconded by Councilor Legnam
Those voting in favor were
Vote being 4 1
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Opposed Councilor Veley
(MOTION CARRIED)
Acceptance of Minutes
Chairman Areslmowlcz moved to approve the minutes of March 15 2004
Seconded by Mayor Sahna
Those voting in favor were
Vote being 4 1
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Abstained Councilor Veley
(MOTION CARRIED)
Chairman Areslmowlcz moved to approve the minutes of March 18 2004
Seconded by Mayor Sahna
Those voting in favor were
Vote being 5 0
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Councilor Veley
(MOTION CARRIED)
Chairman Areslmowlcz moved to approve the minutes of March 15 2004
Seconded by Mayor Sahna
Those voting in favor were
Vote being 4 1
Adjournment
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Abstained Councilor Veley
(MOTION CARRIED)
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Mayor Sahna moved to adjourn the meeting at 1 42 p m
Seconded by Councilor Legnam
Those voting in favor were
Vote being 5 0
Chairman Areslmowlcz Councilor Legnam
Councilor Ragazzl Mayor Sahna
Councilor Veley
(MOTION CARRIED)
Submitted
Marsha Busnarda
Acting Clerk of the Meeting
Joseph Areslmowlcz Chairman
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