Friday, July 16, 2010

BOARD OF FINANCE
JULY 13, 2010
Page 1 of 2

Attendance: Chairman Janet Brunwin, Chip Spear, Robert Brinton Jr., John Grabowski, First Selectwoman Derrylyn Gorski
Visitors: Alan Green

Chairman Brunwin called the meeting of the Board of Finance to order at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was held in the Conference Room of the Bethany Town Hall.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chairman Brunwin moved a motion to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. The motion was seconded by Chip Spear. There were no changes to the minutes. The minutes were then accepted on a unanimous vote as written.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REPORT – JOHN GRABOWSKI
John Grabowski attended the most recent Elementary Board of Education meeting. John reported that the Board of Education has decided to change the titles of Head Masters to Principal and Assistant Principal and are accepting applications to fill the Assistant Principal position due to the resignation of Head Master Mary Frederico. There was a discussion among Board of Education members as to number of administrators at various schools with the same school enrollment as Bethany, however it was the consensus of the Board of Education to fill the position at this time. The job of Assistant Principal is advertised as a one year position.

FIRST SELECTWOMAN GORSKI
SCHEDULE OF MAJOR ROAD REPAIR AND TOTAL COST FOR BOND PROPOSAL
First Selectwoman Gorski and Alan Green presented to the Board of Finance the Major Road Improvement list for major repair to Bethany roads, as prepared by Chip Spear and Alan Green. An open discussion then took place regarding this list. The list contained the roads that need major repair, the square footage of each road, the square yardage estimate, reclaim cost, asphalt contractor estimate, number of catch basins to repair with cost to repair, asphalt cost estimate and the total cost to do this work. The total estimated cost of repair would be $1,631,486. The Board then discussed possibilities of bonding to complete this work as soon as possible and spread the expenditure over a seven year period. Bond Counsel will need to provide the Town with information on cost of bonding. The Board of Finance would have to hold a special meeting to approve the information provided by Bond Counsel for the bonding. First Selectwoman Gorski would then have to call a special Selectmen’s meeting to set a date for a special Town Meeting. The Board also suggested that First Selectwoman Gorski ask Bond counsel if the Town could borrow from the General Fund to get started before bonding paper work was complete.

CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE
First Selectwoman Gorski reports that she has spoken to the Attorney General’s Office regarding the problem Bethany and all similar small towns are having with the rate, charged by the State of Connecticut for overtime troopers when used for extra duty or special events.



SALARY INCREASE FOR TOWN HALL EMPLOYEES
First Selectwoman Gorski reports that Town Hall employees received a 4.9% salary increase for fiscal year 2010-11 since they received no increase last fiscal year.

UNION CONTRACT
The union contract with AFSCME Union Local #1303 Council #4 for the Highway Department has been accepted by the Town and Highway Department employees. The contract will have to be officially accepted by the Board of Selectmen and authorization by the Board of Selectmen for First Selectwoman Gorski to sign the contract.

ADJOURNMENT
Adjournment was called at 8:30 p.m. after a motion was moved by John Grabowski and seconded by Robert Brinton Jr. The vote taken was unanimous.


Respectfully submitted,


June G. Riley
Clerk, Board of Finance