DRAFT       

 

MINUTES OF THE BETHANY BOARD OF FINANCE SPECIAL MEETING OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015                                                               Page 1 of 4

The Special Meeting of the Board of Finance on Tuesday, September 15, 2015, was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chair Grabowski in the Selectmen’s Conference Room at the Bethany Town Hall. 

 

The following Board members were present:

            John Grabowski, Chairman

            John Ford IV

            Robert Brinton Jr.

            Sharon Huxley

            Chip Spear

            Sally Huyser, arrived at 7:50 p.m.

 

Visitors:   Derrylyn Gorski, First Selectman

                 Tom Broesler, Finance Manager

     Fran Doba

     Carol Goldberg

     Bruce Loomis

     Eric Frieden

                 Bart Piccirillo

                 Don Shea

                 Clark Hurlburt

 

 

Approval of Minutes – Tabled.

 

 

It was moved by Brinton and seconded by Ford to move the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee Presentation before the Finance Manager’s Report.  Unanimous approval.

 

 

Presentation by Solid Waste and Recycling Committee (SWARC)

 

Present from the SWARC were:  Bruce Loomis, Chairman, Eric Frieden, Carol Goldberg, Don Shea, and Bart Piccirillo.

 

Eric Frieden led the presentation and noted the following:

·         The Committee has assessed other towns and Bethany as to current services for Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste.

·         Goal is to improve recycling rate and reduce the cost of Municipal Solid Waste disposal which will improve compliance with State of Connecticut Recycling Regulations.

·         Received quotes from Trash Master, John’s Refuse & Recycling and Residential Waste Systems.

·         On the State of Connecticut website, the Statewide Municipal Solid Waste and Recycling Statistics are only current to 2011.

·         SWARC is preparing the final Request for Proposal and will send out for bid.

·         Will include a clause in RFP that states the Town of Bethany has the right to refuse all bids.

 

 

 

In discussion, some members of the Board noted:

·         Concerned with State of Connecticut not having up-to-date reports on Municipal Solid Waste and Recycling.

·         Showing an increase in cost to the Town to do curbside recycling not a savings at this time.

·         When RFP’s go out and new numbers are received by the SWARC, the BOF will review and proceed accordingly.

 

 

Finance Manager’s Report

 

Tom Broesler, Finance Manager, presented a brief overview of his credentials and some items that he noted are as follows:

·         Not impressed with report on Town’s internal controls; serious internal control issues.

·         Will make recommendations.

·         Reviewed audit from 2014 to get an idea of accounts.

·         Current accounting system called iFIPS.  Meet with Dennis Cardiff who wrote current program and will work to make program more effective.

·         Will rework chart of accounts and design an improved system.

·         Anticipating going live with new system by July 1, 2017.

·         Reviewed and edited Financial Policy Manual.  Will email draft to members.

·         Budget prep sheets – all sheets can be populated out of iFIPS.

·         Making progress with budget sheets.

·         Need more info to do cash analysis.

·         Will speak to auditors.

·         Making progress and will take recommendations from the Board to make the budgeting process smoother.

 

 

Chairman’s Report

Some items Chairman Grabowski noted are as follows:

·         In August Amity Meeting there was a lot of discussion on Amity surplus which is over a million dollars.

·         This was due to the large amount of dollars put in the budget the previous year for insurance.

·         End result was the finance people from Bethany, Woodbridge and Orange meet and determined the money should go back to Towns.

·         Will support the gas conversion to the Orange Middle School.

·         Will get more information at next meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Selectwoman’s Report

Some items First Selectman Gorski noted are as follows:

·         Board of Education has not contacted Bond Counsel or Financial Advisor Barry Bernardi.

·         Bethany’s Financial Advisor ran some figures for the roof project cost for a six year bank loan.

·         Proposed price quote for roof project is $1.25 million, based on estimates from several architects.

·         Board of Education hiring new superintendent this week.

·         Will forward to new superintendent what the Bond Counsel is looking for and will work together.

·         Have Chris Pittenger, Board of Education Chairman, or another member from the BOE attend to next Board of Finance meeting and update Board.

·         Answered question on combining school roof with Fire Department radio.  Fire Department did not like the RFP that was prepared.  Fire Department would like to use their person to draw up the RFP.

·         Will meet again with the Fire Department to discuss.

 

 

Action Items:

·         A member of the Board of Education to attend next Board of Finance meeting.

·         Financial Manager will give update at next meeting possibly with some reports.

·         Chairman Grabowski will email draft Financial Policy Manual to all BOF members.

·         RFP’s will go out for the SWARC and when they obtain information needed, they can come back to BOF and present.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Board, it was moved by Husyer and seconded by Spear to adjourn the special meeting at 9:09 p.m.

Unanimous approval.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Antonia R. Marek

Pro tempore