BOARD
OF FINANCE APPROVED
MINUTES – 4-14-2020
MARCH
10, 2020
Page
1 of 3
The
following Board members were present:
John Grabowski-Chairman, John Ford, Sharon Huxley, Catherine Erickson, Sally
Huyser and Lars Demander.
Also
in attendance were: First Selectman Paula
Cofrancesco, Finance Director Sheila Lane, Facilities Director Rod White
Visitors: Lina Frazer
1. Chairman
John Grabowski called the meeting of the Board of Finance to order at 7:05 p.m. The meeting was held in the Selectman’s
Conference Room of the Bethany Town Hall.
2. APPROVAL
OF MINUTES
Chairman
Grabowski called for a motion of approval for the minutes of the Regular Meeting
of February 11, 2020. The motion of approval was moved by Member Ford
and seconded by Member Huyser. There
were no changes to the minutes. Members
Huxley and Erickson abstained. Voting
for: Grabowski, Ford, Huyser, Demander. Unanimous approval.
Chairman
Grabowski called for a motion of approval for the minutes of the Special Meeting
of February 28, 2020. The motion of approval was moved by Member Huxley
and seconded by Member Erickson. There
were no changes to the minutes. Voting
for: Grabowski, Ford, Huxley, Huyser, Erickson,
Demander. Unanimous approval.
3.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Chairman
Grabowski reported on the following:
·
Attended Amity Finance Committee meeting
on March 9th and will try to attend Amity Board Budget Workshop
meeting on March 11, 2020.
·
The Amity Board of Education reviewing the
3 tiers to see what they can change due to increase in their budget.
·
Debt service will be deferred to next
year.
·
Schools removing Student Resource Officers
and replacing with armed Security Guards.
·
$779,396 is the current surplus.
·
Bethany Board of Finance needs to schedule
a special meeting before April Budget Hearing.
4. FIRST
SELECTMAN’S REPORT
First Selectman Cofrancesco reported on the
following:
·
Had a
preliminary meeting with BETA, and they did a powerpoint presentation. They charted Bethany with a 66.2 rating for
the roads, but after we did Phase 1 the rating jumped to 75.01. We will have a maintenance plan for the roads
so that they won’t deteriorate.
Information on new road work completed will be given to a BETA staff
representative assigned to Bethany who will enter the information on the site,
which keeps information updated. The
Highway Department is starting catch basin work on the roads that will be
paved.
BOARD
OF FINANCE
MARCH
10, 2020
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2 of 3
·
First Selectman
Cofrancesco noted that in early December 2019 she asked Janice Howard, Director
of Parks and Recreation, to take on the responsibility of managing the
reservations for the Lodge and Pavilion at the Veterans Memorial Park. First
Selectman Cofrancesco is requesting the creation of a stipend of $1,500.00
starting the 2020-2021 fiscal year to pay Janice for this added responsibility
she took on. Also requesting a payment of $100.00 per month for December 2019
to June 2020 to cover her work when she took on the responsibility initially.
Discussed with Finance Director Lane, and there is money in the contingency
fund.
The Board discussed and proceeded to deliberate. It was moved by Member Erickson and seconded
by Member Huxley to make a motion to create a stipend for the responsibility to
manage the reservations for the Lodge and Pavilion at the Veterans Memorial
Park and to pay the monthly rate for December 2019-June 2020. If the responsibility moves to another person
then the stipend would move to that person.
Voting
for: Grabowski, Ford, Huxley, Huyser,
Erickson, Demander. Unanimous
approval.
·
Bethany
Volunteer Firehouse flooring discussion with Rod White. Chairman Grabowski stated Mr. White needs to
obtain bids so that numbers can be on Town Meeting call for Town to approve;
and money would be used out of general fund.
First Selectman Cofrancesco to check with Town Attorney if this item can
be added to Budget Hearing call. Also,
discussed electrical issue at Town Hall and need to get numbers for the Town Meeting. This electrical work needs to be done before
generator connected.
·
Town Attorney
Vin Marino and a few other attorneys have parted ways with Cohen and Wolf and
started their own business. We will
reengage Town Attorney Vin Marino and his new group, and they will have a new
business name as our Town Counsel.
5.
FINANCE DIRECTOR’S REPORTS
Finance Director Lane stated
audit should be completed by next week.
A. MONTHLY
ENDING REPORT FOR FY 2019-20
Finance
Director Lane distributed to the Board copies of the following reports:
·
2020 Detail Expenditure Year Analysis
·
2020 Expenditure Summary by Month
·
Five-Year Capital Plan – 2020-21.
Some
items discussed were:
·
Solar panels on
Town Hall and Firehouse. Concern
regarding the 20-year contract lease to own the solar panels, which the Town is
paying for. Need to have Town Counsel
review lease. First Selectman
Cofrancesco will investigate.
·
Planning and
Zoning Budget missing from Town Budget, i.e., Town Plan of Conservation and
Development, which is required to redo every ten years.
·
There is an
issue with the Bethany Volunteer Fire Department well.
BOARD
OF FINANCE
MARCH
10, 2020
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3 of 3
6. ADDRESS
CONTROL ISSUES
No
updates to report.
7. DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON FOLLOW UP TO BUDGET PRESENTATIONS ON FEBRUARY 28, 2020
Some items of discussion were:
·
Financial
Director Lane stated she made all changes that were discussed at the Budget
Workshop on February 28, 2020.
·
Town Hall
repairs bumped up due to electrical upgrade of $70,000.
·
Solid Waste
higher due to higher cost to dispose of recycling.
·
Highway
Department – discussed Sweeper rebuild and Fuel System upgrade monies be
expended from snow and ice surplus. The
Board proceeded to deliberate.
It
was moved by Member Erickson and seconded by Member Huxley to authorize that
the cost for the Sweeper rebuild of $14,375 and the cost for the Fuel System
upgrade of $14,000 for the Highway Department be expended from current year
surplus for snow and ice. Voting
for: Grabowski, Ford, Huxley, Huyser,
Erickson, Demander. Unanimous
approval.
·
Fire Department
– discussed request for Command vehicle and utility vehicle. Fire Department will need to justify need for
both vehicles at the Budget Hearing on April 20, 2020.
·
Chairman
Grabowski requested that all department heads attend Budget Hearing so they can
answer questions from the public. First
Selectman Cofrancesco will send message out.
·
Member Huxley
mentioned that there is a State Statute that every department has to report
their actual expenditures.
The Board will schedule a Special Meeting for
Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Conference Room to
continue discussion on Budget and have Audit presentation and vote.
8. ANY
OTHER MATTER PROPER TO COME BEFORE THE MEETING
No
discussion.
9. ADJOURNMENT
At
9:10 p.m. there being no further business, it was moved by Member Huyser and
seconded by Member Erickson to adjourn the regular meeting. Unanimous approval.
Respectfully
submitted,
Antonia
R. Marek
Meeting
Clerk
