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TOWN OF GRANBY
BOARD OF FINANCE
REGULAR MEETING
JUNE 13, 2005
PRESENT: Michael Guarco, Chairman; Gordon Bischoff, Christopher Comer, Francis Brady, Frederick Moffa, OD, and Al Wilke
OTHER ATTENDEES: William F. Smith, Jr., Town Manager, Gwen Van Dorp, Superintendent of Schools, and Harry Traver, BOE Business Manager
Board of Finance Chairman Guarco called the meeting to order at 7:34 p.m.
MINUTES
The Board reviewed the Public Hearing Minutes of April 11, 2005. ON A MOTION by Francis Brady, seconded by Al Wilke, the Board voted (6-0-0) to approve the minutes as presented. Francis Brady made the comment that the recording secretary, Pat Chieski, had done an excellent job in recording the minutes. The Board reviewed the Special Meeting Minutes of April 11, 2005. ON A MOTION by Francis Brady, seconded by Al Wilke, the Board voted (6-0-0) to approve the minutes as presented. The Board reviewed the Special Meeting Minutes of April 25, 2005. ON A MOTION by Gordon Bischoff, seconded by Frederick Moffa, the Board voted (6-0-0) to approve the minutes as presented.
CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR
The appointment of Auditors is guided by the Town Charter and by law. Scully and Wolf have been the town’s Auditor for about seven years now and the appointment for this year, is a formality. The fee for the upcoming year is approximately $32,114, which is a 3% increase over the 2004 year. Gordon Bischoff feels it is healthy to make an occasional change of companies. This year may not be the year to make a change. Late in this calendar year or early in the next, we should go out to bid for a new auditor. Town Manager Smith will diary this issue for December of 2005. Request for Proposals can be developed and once received, interviews can be set up with 2-3 members of the BOF, Town Manager Smith, and the Town Treasurer.
ON A MOTION by Al Wilke, seconded by Gordon Bischoff, the Board voted unanimously (6-0-0) to appoint Scully and Wolf as Auditor for the upcoming audit of FY 2004-05, and to look into the possibility of a new firm for the following year.
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
Education – Gwen Van Dorp spoke, stating the report was not ready but would be within the next couple of days and would then be given to BOF members. Francis Brady asked what funding is available from the state budget for Granby schools. Ms. Van Dorp responded that we would receive approximately an additional $140,000 of revenue for the adopted budget. In the second year the state budget increases even more. There have been big swings this year in Special Education, but the Special Education Excess grant can be credited towards this. If an appropriation of funds is necessary, it would need to go through the Board of Selectmen. Currently about $15,000 will be returned to the town from the BOE 2005 Operating Budget.
Municipal Operations – Town Manager Smith reported that we are holding steady in the areas of Town Clerk Operations, and Building and Grounds Maintenance and will not need transfers. The state has approved the local Town Clerk conveyance fee for an additional two years.
CONSIDERATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2005 TRANSFER OF ACCOUNTS
Town Manager Smith provided the Board with a request for fiscal year transfer of accounts. It was noted that the Fringe Benefit account includes funds for contributions made to the Health Benefit Fund, pension, fica and medicare, etc. What is not needed for health benefits will be returned to the General Fund. Ms. Van Dorp feels contributions from the town and school should be parallel. She questioned if the school was putting in more than the town and was told that the school has a one line item budget and that all funds necessary are directed for health benefits and are contributed to the fund per the auditor. The town feeds the Health Benefit Fund based on keeping the Health Fund balance at a targeted amount per Robert Lindberg, our health benefit consultant. Approximately $325,000 to $350,000 will fall
back to the General Fund from the town budget, most of it from the Fringe Benefit account.
Chairman Guarco asked about money from FEMA. Town Manager Smith said that in June or July approximately $26,000 would be received.
ON A MOTION by Gordon Bischoff, seconded by Francis Brady, the Board voted unanimously (6-0-0) to approve the transfer’s listed below:
Transfer From |
Transfer To |
Comment |
Fringe Benefits |
$17,000 |
Legal Services |
$17,000 |
Additional Litigation |
Police Operations & Services |
$13,000 |
Communications & Dispatch |
$13,000 |
Part-time/over-time needs |
Police Operations & Services |
$6,000 |
General Maintenance |
$6,000 |
Part-time/over-time needs – snow removal |
Police Operations & Services |
$17,000 |
Equipment Maintenance |
$17,000 |
Gasoline and Fuel costs |
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Consideration of Funding for Bissell Brook Bridge
town Manager Smith explained that the Bissell Brook Bridge has the most pressing need for repairs. The net cost to the town will be approximately $94,000. Thirty percent will be state funded, and 70% will be funded locally. Going through state funding grant versus the federal program will cost the town less. The new bridge installation will probably be in July, closing an area of Simsbury Road for about one month’s time. Funds through TAR and LOCIP are not a good way to obtain money for the project at this time because these funds have small amounts available. All reimbursement will go to General Fund balance.
ON A MOTION by Gordon Bischoff, seconded by Al Wilke, the Board voted unanimously (6-0-0) to approve $80,000 from General Fund balance for the Bissell Brook Bridge project.
CONFIRM DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next regular meeting will be on July 11, 2005 at 7:30 p.m., at the Police Department Community Room. There will be no meeting in August. The September meeting will be held on the 12th of the month.
ADJOURNEMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:39 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Christian
Acting Recording Secretary
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