RTM Passes FY2009 Budget with $80,399 Reduction From BOF Recommendation
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | May 8, 2008
As reported in the New London DAY today, May 8, 2008, the Waterford Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved a final budget of $70,364,031.
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=f6f7e66c-f4e7-489e-a9ef-ce7f360c35bf
There are a few errors in the DAY article. The reduction to the Police Budget was $5,591 from the vehicle equipment line to give that line a total of $15,777 and a new Police Department Budget Total of $4,447,872. Accompanied with the reduction to the Transfer to the Capital Non Recurring Expenditure fund that occurred on Tuesday of $74,808 due to the advancement of the Old Mill Bridge Project to the current year, the RTM reduced the recommended $70,444,430 budget by $80,399 to $70,364,031. This is a total Waterford budget increase of $1,682,887 or 2.45% from the current FY2008 budget of $68,68,144.
The break down between General Government Operations, Board of Education Operations, and Capital and Debt service is as follows:
General Goverment Operations - $24,928,175 - a $473,426 or 1.94% increase from the FY2008 budget of $24,454,749.
Board of Education Operations - $39,731,279 - a $1,557,194 or 4.08% increase from the FY2008 budget of $38,174,085.
Capital and Debt Service - $5,704,577 - a $347,733 or 5.75% decrease from the FY2008 budget of $6,052,310.
When Capital and Debt Service and General Government Operations are combined, the FY2009 budget is $30,632,752, an increase of $126,693 or 0.41% over the FY2008 budget of $30,507,059.
In most Connecticut Towns, the split between the Board of Education and the General Government (Including Capital and Debt Service) is 60% BOE and 40% General Government. In Waterford, for FY2009, the split is 56.5% Board of Education and 43.5% for General Government.
During the three days of budget hearings, although the RTM asked many questions of the Department Heads and Chairs of the various boards and commissions, the only budget reductions were for easily identified items that would not be FY2009 expenses.
There are rumors that there will be an attempt to have a referendum on the budget action by the RTM but the details of the referendum request are not known. The referendum petition must be filed with the Town Clerk within fifteen days or before May 21, 2008. The petition must have at least five percent of the total number of voters in the town as of the date of the last certification by the registrars of voters. According to reliable sources that number is 715 voters.
At the conclusion of the budget session, the RTM also established the schedule of tax payments for FY2009 as recommended by the Tax Collector, Mark Burnham.
1. Retain the two payment system, providing for collectgions in July and January.
2. Real Estate bills over $100.00 would be collected in two equal installments, due July 1, 2008 and January 1, 2009.
3. Real Estate bills of $100.00 or less would be due in full July 1, 2008.
4. Personal Property and Motor Vehicle tax bills would be due in full July 1, 2008.
5. Motor vehicle Supplemental tax bills would be due in full January 1, 2009.
Tax bills are not considered delinquent as long as they are paid prior to July 31 and January 31 of the appropriate year.
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RTM Cuts Old Mill Road Bridge Funding from FY2009 Budget
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | May 7, 2008
Upon hearing from the First Selectmen, Dan Steward, after some prompting from the Chairman of the Waterford Board of Finance (BOF), that funds to conduct repairs to the Old Mill Bridge were being requested from current FY Funds (see previous posting), the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) voted the only reduction to the FY2009 budget. The FY2009 Transfers to Capital Non Recurring Expenditure Fund had $74,808 set aside for Old Mill Bridge repairs. Since plans had changed due to the Connecticut DOT Bridge Inspection Report, the RTM reduced the Transfer to Capital Non Recurring Expenditure Fund by the $74,808 noted above.
Although long with many questions by RTM members for the various department heads, there have been no other reductions from the budget proposed by the Waterford BOF. The RTM requested additional information from Police Chief Murray ‘Bud’ Pendleton regarding Police outfitting kit for police vehicles to determine if cuts could be made to that line in the Police Budget since the BOF deferred the purchase of four police cars in its review of the Fleet Management Plan.
The RTM review of the FY2009 budget concludes this evening at 7:30 PM in the Waterford Town Hall Auditorium. The BOF will set the FY2009 Mill Rate at its Special Meeting on May 21, 2008. The Regular meeting scheduled for May 14, 2008 was cancelled. The delay in the meeting will permit Waterford Staff to obtain more reliable revenue estimates.
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Old Mill Bridge Funding Requested Early due to recent Inspection Report
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | May 7, 2008
Responding to a March 18, 2008 Bridge Inspection Report from the Connecticut Department of Transportation reporting that the bridge superstructure is in poor condition with a scouring problem under the bridge, the Waterford Director of Public Works requested $633,584 from the Old Mill Bridge Repairs line of the Capital Non Recurring Expenditure Fund and an additional $99,772 from the Undesignated Projects line of the Capital Non Recurring Fund. Director Ron Cusano had some striking pictures showing the damage to the bridge in the past year and gave good reason for advancing repairs to this spring and summer vice the originally planned spring and summer of 2009. The additional funding for the bridge repair is in the FY2009 budget request.
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Municipal Complex Building Committee Trys again
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | May 7, 2008
With a new, reduced scope mandate from the First Selectman, the comments from the Board of Finance (BOF) on the first attempt for funds, and a new Request for Proposal (RFP), the Waterford Municipal Complex Improvement Building Committee requested $62,000 from the Municipal Complex Renovations line of the Capital Non Recurring Expenditure Fund for the Schematic Design Phase of Phase II of Municipal Complex Renovations. The new proposal keeps the current building foot print and keeping some equipment stored outside a building. The request was approved by the BOS for forwarding to the BOF for approval.
The BOS also approved a bid award to the W. I. Clark Company for $16,985 for a diesel powered air compressor for the Public Works Department.
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Dog Park Accepted by BOS
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | May 7, 2008
AT its meeting last night, May 6, 2008, the Waterford Board of Selectmen (BOS) accepted the concept of a Dog Park. See the details in this report by the New London DAY-
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=30e10a86-b9ae-43b4-ab9e-dbb75414c339
The Dog Park does not require the approval of the Board of Finance or the RTM because no town funds are being used in the construction of the park. As noted in the article, BOF Chairman J. W. “Bill” Sheehan and BOF member Cheryl Larder expressed concerns about potential requirement for town funds in the future. Proponents of the Dog Park are confident that they can keep raising funds to support the park.
In other actions, the BOS approved the disposal of surplus Computer Equipment and furniture in accordance with the Disposition of Town Property Ordinance. The BOS also authorized the First Selectman, Dan Steward, to act on behalf of the Town of Waterford in executing a Memorandum of Agreement between the State of Connecticut, Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and the Town of Waterford regarding the Statewide Tactical On-Scene Communications System (STOCS) Box.
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Skateboard Park Funds approved by BOS
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | May 7, 2008
Last night, the Waterford Board of Selectmen (BOS) approved a bid in the total amount of $61,634 for the construction of a skateboard park behind the Youth Services Bureau on Boston Post Road. The bid is a stipulated award for completion of phases one and two with further phases contingent upon fundraising to complete the project. $29,665 remain in the Skateboard Park line item, so the completion of the park rides on the successful fund raising by skate boarders.
The BOS also approved some within series transfers for budget adjustments for the Youth Services Bureau and the Waterford Public Library.
Library
$3,000 from Clerical Technical to Custidial Maintenance
$1,000 from Electricity to Service Contracts and Repairs
$1,000 from Electricity to Fuel Oil
$ 500 from Electricity to Sewer
$ 400 from Electricty to Telephone
$ 120 from Electricity to Water
$ 100 from Advertising to Postage
Youth Services Bureau
$3,100 from Service Contracts to Electricity
$ 164 from Postage to Sewer
$ 41 from Postage to Water
$ 75 from Postage to Reimbursable
$ 15 from Dues and Conferences to Reimbursable
The Finance Department also had some within series transfers approved
$5,897 from Administration to Clerical Technical
$ 314 from Administration to Elected Officials
An additional appropriation request from the Retirement Commission of $46,000 was also approved for forwarding to the Board of Finance. The additional appropriation will cover an unbudgeted increase in Police and Fire Personnel approved by the State Retirement Commission subsequent to the approval of the current year’s budget. The Commission has made a habit of sending out the increased requirements after the Town budget has been formulated. Towns and Cities have no representation on the State Retirement Commission.
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RTM to Commence Budget Review Monday May 5 2008
By | April 24, 2008
It is that time of year again, the Waterford Representative Town Meeting (RTM) will commence the final review of the FY2009 $70,444,430 Town Budget on Monday May 5, 2008. This is an increase of $1,763,286 or 2.57% over the current FY2008 budget of $68,681,144. On Wednesday May 7, 2008 the budget will be finally approved by the RTM after three evenings of lengthy hearings. All meetings will start at 7:30 PM in the Waterford Town Hall Auditorium. The RTM may want to go back to the old five day review period after they are finished with the upcoming sessions which are predicted to be lengthy due to the impact of revaluation on residential taxes.
If the voters of the Town are not satisfied with the actions of the RTM, they may submit a petition to the Town Clerk signed by five percent of the total electors in town as of the last certification by the Registrars of Voters within fifteen days of the RTM approval of the budget. The Board of Selectmen (BOS) then must call a referendum to occur not earlier than thirty days nor more than sixty days from the date of the petition filing. For the referendum to succeed, twenty percent or more voters as certified by the Registrars of Voters must approve the measure submitted by the petition.
The RTM Budget Review Schedule is as follows:
Monday, May 5, 2008
Budget FY2008 FY2009 Dollar Change % Change
Social Service Grants $ 124,672 $ 122,753 $ -1,919 -1.54%
Registrar of Voters 51,336 48,577 -2,759 -5.37%
Public Health Nursing 92,734 91,633 -1,101 -1.19%
Conservation of Health 140,762 142,477 1,715 1.22%
Youth Services 193,979 197,561 3,582 1.85%
Flood & Erosion Control 11,127 1,627 -9,500 -85.38%
Harbor Management 4,945 1,392 -3,553 -71.85%
Ethics Commission 1,612 1,323 - 289 -17.93%
Board of Assessment Appeals 3,568 1,569 -1,999 -56.03%
Assessor 246,745 255,787 9,042 3.66%
Tax Collector 196,676 202,503 5,827 2.96%
Public Works 4,743,987 4,853,492 109,505 2.31%
Utility Commission 48,023 50,196 2,173 4.52%
Police 4.348,913 4,453,463 104,550 2.40%
Emergency Management 781,793 760,495 - 21,298 - 2.72%
Fire Commission 1,710,569 1,761,371 50,802 4.52%
Wtfd Engine Co #1(Jordon) 136,831 137,330 499 0.36%
Quaker Hill Fire Co. 122,140 123,800 1,660 1.36%
Goshen Fire Co. 99,001 102,635 3,634 3.67%
Oswegatchie Fire Co. 142,962 145,262 2,300 1.61%
Cohanzie Fire Co. 139,039 138,100 - 939 -0.68%
Town Clerk 227,787 240,475 12,688 5.57%
Board of Selectmen 215,115 219,829 4,714 2.19%
Total 05/05/2008 $13,784,316 $14,053,650 $ 269,334 1.95%
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Senior Citizens $ 491,295 $ 506,196 $ 14,901 3.03%
Public Library 1,006,902 1,020,229 13,327 1.32%
Zoning Board of Appeals 7,000 6,856 - 144 -2.06%
Economic Development 15,315 11,668 - 3,647 -23.81%
Conservation Commission 18,475 36,900 18,425 99.73%
Planning & Zoning 581,846 495,869 -85,977 -14.78%
Building Department 245,548 249,511 3,963 1.61%
Building Maintenance 167,574 112,598 -54,976 -32.81%
Recreation & Parks 1,693,813 1,739,308 45,495 2.69%
Representative Town Mtg 18,094 19,102 1,008 5.57%
Finance Department 959,387 973,800 14,413 1.50%
Current Year Capital 1,489,417 851,556 -637,861 -42.83%
Transfer to Cap NonRecurr 4,562,892 3,123,360 -1,439,532 -31.55%
Total 05/06/2008 $11,257,558 $ 9,146,953 $ - 2,110,605 -18.75%
Wednesday May 7, 2008
Board of Finance $ 63,831 $ 63,664 $ - 167 - 0.26%
Contingency 350,000 350,000 0 0.00%
Debt Service 1 1,804,469 1,804,468 100.00%
Insurance 2,334,806 2,648,919 314,112 13.45%
Legal 552,000 355,100 - 196,900 -35.67%
Retirement Commission 2,164,547 2,290,397 125,850 5.81%
Board of Education 38,174,085 39,731,279 1,557,194 4.08%
Total 05/07/2008 $43,639,270 $47,243,827 $ 3,604,557 8.26%
Total Gen Gov Ops $24,454,749 $24,933,766 $ 479,017 1.96%
Total BOE Ops $38,174,085 $39,731,279 $ 1,557,194 4.08%
Total Capital & Debt $ 6,052,310 $ 5,779,385 $ - 272,925 -4.51%
Total Gen Gov,Cap,Dbt $30,507,059 $30,713,151 $ 206,092 0.68%
Total General Fund $68,681,144 $70,444,430 $ 1,763,286 2.57%
Budget FY2008 FY2009 Dollar Change % Change
After the budget is passed, the Board of Finance will meet on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 to set the tax rate for FY2009.
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BOS Approves Communication Tower Lease Agreement
By | April 15, 2008
The Waterford Board of Selectmen (BOS) authorized the First Selectman to sign the Option and Land Lease between the Town of Waterford and SBA Towers II LLC regarding the cell tower/antenna located on property at the Southwest School on Daniels Avenue, contingent on approval of the Town Attorney as to form, today, April 15, 2008. In a brief presentation prior to the vote, First Selectman Daniel Steward explained the cost benefit analysis he had done to show that it was more cost effective for the Town to lease the property to SBA Towers and permit them to build the Communications Tower required for the new Town Wide Communications System, than for the Town to build the Tower and then lease to other users. According to First Selectman Steward, if the Town built the tower it would require a capital investment of $340,000 that would not pay back for over seven years. However, with the lease agreement, the Town would make $190,000 in lease payments from the Company and other users without any maintenance or personnel costs. The agreement is the same as the one for the Rogars Hill Tower except the lease payment is $500 vice $1500.
In other action at today’s meeting, the BOS also authorized the First Selectman to sign Shellfish Lease agreements with Aeros Cultured Oyster Company, LLC and Out of Our Shell Enterprises, LLC for the period May 1, 2008 through May 1, 2013. The Chief of Police Murray “Bud” Pendleton, who is also the Harbor Master, requested that the leases also be approved by the Harbor Management Commission to insure that they were not inside the Coast Guard Security Zones for the Submarine Base or Millstone Power Station. The motions were modified to make sure that was the case.
The BOS also approved Transfers out of Series for the Public Works Department:
$12,778 from Snow Removal to Fuels and Lubricants
$34,190 from Service Contracts and Repairs to Fuels and Lubricants
Public Works Director Ron Cusano stated the reason for the transfer of funds was the increase in fuel costs above the Board of Finance Guidelines cost.
Public Works Director Cusano also requested approval to dispose of a 1987 Mack 5 Ton Dump Truck with a cracked frame. He asked that the truck only be sold for parts because it is not safe on the Road. The Purchasing Agent was authorized to make the disposal with that restriction.
Since Selectman Paul Konstantakis had to resign from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) when elected to the BOS, the Board approved the appointment of Barbara Panciera from alternate to Regular Member to replace Selectman Konstantakis, and the appointment of Denise Ansell as an Alternate member of the ZBA. Both terms would expire November 17, 2009.
All votes at today’s meeting were unanamous.
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BOF Discusses Using Fund Balance to offset Part of Tax Increase
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | April 10, 2008
After reviewing the FY2007 Audit Report and looking at the potential revenues for FY2009, last night, April 9, 2008, the Waterford Board of Finance (BOF) considered whether to use any Fund Balance to offset the expected increase in taxes. BOF Chairman J. W. “Bill” Sheehan started the discussion by noting that after the current year’s mill rate had been established, the State increased the amount of Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funds by $583,330. He had asked Finance Director Rudie Beers to provide the BOF with the impact of using that amount of Fund Balance on the expected mill rate. Finance Director Beers provided information on all State aid and it turned out that, when all State aid to Towns was considered, the difference between budgeted and actual state approved was approximately $205,000. The impact of using that much Fund Balance to offset the pending FY2009 taxes would not have a negative impact on bond rating nor would it significently effect the amount of System Benefit Charge (SBC) funds that the Town would receive. Since the SBC percentage is at 30% of the difference between unregulated and regulated value of the Millstone Power Station, SBC impact on taxes is not as great as it was in past years. By consensus, the Board requested that recommended mill rate be calculated using fund from the Fund Balance.
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BOF approves $40 thousand in Professional Fees for Labor Issues
By Wtfd Nuc Sailor | April 10, 2008
Contract negotiations with two new unions, some unforeseen legal claims, and the apparent need for Sexual and Other Harassment Prevention Training in the Fire Departments led the Waterford Board of Finance (BOF) to approve a transfer from Contingency Funds to the Professional Fees line in the Board of Selectmen (BOS) budget. BOF member Cheryl Larder questioned Human Resources Director Barbara Aube on the reasons for the Harassment Prevention Training before the transfer was approved.
The BOF also approved the transfer from Contingency to the Conservation of Health Budget Vaccine Supplies line of $700 to pay for an expected increase in demand for the Hepatitis B vaccine by town employees.
Other transfers from Contingency approved last night were $440 to the Building and Contents Insurance line of the Insurance budget and $6,000 to the Unemployment Compensation line of the Insurance budget. This was a reduction from the originally requested $17,835 because Finance Director Rudie Beers provided updated information that prompted the reduction.
The Waterford Tax Collector was granted some transfers between series and from Contingency to make up for shortfalls in the Salary section of his budget due to contract and wage increases that were approved after the budget was approved last year and to replace an automatic letter opener before the July rush of tax payments. The amounts approved by the BOF were:
$1,000 from Professional Fees to Elected Officials
$ 500 from Postage to Elected Officials
$ 355 from Office Supplies to Office Equipment (the Letter opener)
$ 140 from Reimbursable Expenses to Elected Officials
$1,800 from Contingency to Clerical Technical
$ 710 from Contingency to Elected Officials
# 350 from Contingency to FICA.
In non monetary actions, the BOF removed from the table the draft of a letter to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) regarding clarification of mutual aid agreements between the Town of Waterford and the Coast Guard, discussed it briefly and then returned the issue to the table to await further information.
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