TOWN OF GRANBY
BOARD OF FINANCE
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 24, 2007
PRESENT: Michael Guarco, Chairman; Al Wilke, Francis Brady, and Frederick Moffa, O.D.
OTHER ATTENDEES: William F. Smith, Jr., Town Manager; Gwen Van Dorp, Superintendent of Schools; Harry Traver, BOE Business Manager; David White, Chairman Salmon Brook Park Facility Committee; Ben Perron, Chairman Granby Athletic Field Long Range Advisory Committee
The meeting of the Board of Finance was called to order by Chairman Michael Guarco at 7:30 p.m.
MINUTES
The Board reviewed the minutes of May 14, 2007 and June 11, 2007.
Dr. Moffa indicated a correction on page one under the title “Statement of Accounts”, the amount should read $250,000 for the minutes of May 14, 2007.
On a MOTION by Al Wilke, seconded by Francis Brady, the Board voted (3-0-1) to approve the minutes of May 14, 2007 as amended. Mr. Brady abstained.
On a MOTION by Al Wilke, seconded by Francis Brady, the Board voted unanimously (4-0-0) to approve the minutes of June 11, 2007.
STATE GRANT REVENUE PROJECTIONS UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008
Town Manager Smith gave a brief background history relative to the state budget and the established mill rate for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-08. Board of Finance gave consideration on lowering the mill rate if the state budget was adopted by June 6, 2007. The state budget was not adopted until after the June 6th date. Town Manager Smith indicated Granby will receive additional revenue of $849,683 from the state.
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
Harry Traver, BOE Business Manager, distributed the Board of Education Financial Statement Account Draft for July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007 (before transfers). He indicated the Board of Education would be returning approximately $249,255. Mr. Traver mentioned the Statement of Accounts was balanced out and a small amount of money is being held aside for pending legal issues. Other highlights were: Regular Tuition from other Towns was less than anticipated, but the SPED Tuition from other Towns was more than anticipated. He commented the Board of Education Financial Statements for July and August have no real surprises, although no reports were available to be distributed.
Town Manager Smith indicated that June (unaudited), July, and August Town Budget Operations Report were provided to them for their review. He indicated the General Fund Balance may be a little higher than 8.5% and it reflects the BOS and BOE return to the General Fund. Local revenues and expenditures are doing well for the beginning of the fiscal year. Mr. Smith commented that the appropriation money is in place for the Broad Hill Bridge construction and for the Silver Street Bridge design. An appropriation for the construction work on Silver Street Bridge would be a separate appropriation process in the near future.
Questions were asked about revenues in accounts #312, #367, and #375 from the June (unaudited) report. Town Manager Smith will check into these accounts and respond back to the Board.
Town Manager Smith reported on the July Town Budget Operations Report. He indicated that account #2017 was in error and corrected in the August report. The August Town Budget Operations Report is on track for revenues and expenditures. There was a discussion about the Pay for Participation account reporting by BOE and BOS. It was determined that the BOS reported on the amount received this year, including $1,000 that should have been received in 2006 and the BOE reported the amount only for the current year.
There was a short discussion about the Employee Health Benefits Advisory Committee’s recent meeting. It was commented the fund is in healthy shape and the committee is reviewing the option of being fully or partially insured. It was also commented that both the town and school have taken steps to increase employees’ contributions toward medical and dental coverages.
NOTICE OF APPROPRIATION REQUEST FOR FEDERAL SHARE OF COPS IN SCHOOLS CAMERA GRANT
Town Manager Smith reported the appropriation request was for information only, whereas the Board of Finance officially appropriated the local amount last year. The project is moving along, but a little more slowly than expected.
APPROPRIATION REQUEST FOR SENIOR CENTER TRANSPORTATION GRANT
Town Manager Smith reported that the Granby Senior Van Services has expanded to include three days of medical transportation and provides additional transportation for senior center programs, community activities, and personal care appointments through this grant. The grant requires a 50% match that will be met by the current 2007-08 budget for senior van services.
On a MOTION by Al Wilke, seconded by Francis Brady, the Board voted unanimously (4-0-0) to approve the appropriation based on the September 24, 2007 memo in the amount of $10,828 from General Fund to the Senior Activities Fund – Van Services.
APPROPRIATION REQUEST FOR CONSULTING FUNDING FOR GRANBY ATHLETIC FIELD LONG RANGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (GAFLAC)
Ben Perron, Chairman of GAFLAC, further explained the appropriation request and the work this committee has been doing. The appropriation request is to engage a consultant and for related expenses to help develop an athletic field master plan for the town. Some of the work done includes developing a RFP, reviewing town properties and other properties with the Community Development Director, discussions with the Director of Recreation and Leisure Services, and discussion of creating a town-wide survey. He indicated 14 firms were sent the RFP and the proposals are to be returned to the committee for review by September 28th. The athletic field master plan should encompass a 20-year look.
Chairman Guarco’s comment was to ask that the committees involved with special projects work together. Town Manager Smith indicated the work done by these committees would be reviewed by the Capital Program Priority Advisory Committee (CPPAC). Coordination will be the focus for these three committees, Granby Athletic Field Long Range Advisory Committee, Salmon Brook Park Facility Committee, and Storage and Wash Bay Committee.
On a MOTION by Al Wilke, seconded by Francis Brady, the Board voted unanimously (4-0-0) to approve the appropriation based on the September 24, 2007 memo from Town Manager Smith in the amount of $25,000 from General Fund to Administration-Boards, Regional Programs, and Staff Development for the consultant engagement and related expenses by GAFLAC.
APPROPRIATION REQUEST FOR CONSULTING FUNDING FOR SALMON BROOK PARK FACILITY COMMITTEE
Salmon Brook Park Facility Committee Chairman, David White, and Dale Cutler, a local architect, discussed the committee’s appropriation request. The committee is looking at combining the bathhouse facility and snack shack and move it closer to the knoll at Salmon Brook Park. The committee has been meeting bi-weekly since June and conducted a survey about the bathhouse with residents. Some highlights from the survey were: private dressing rooms, lavatories available 24/7, hot water, and an outside shower to rinse off. Approximately 62 families responded to this survey. The committee has requested a written opinion about the condition of these buildings from the Building Official. It was noted that Little League was instrumental in building the Snack Shack and has use of the building during the season.
The committee requested an appropriation amount of $75,000, which is part of the estimated total budget for the design portion of the project. This money would be for preliminary and final design of the proposed new bathhouse facility, including a snack shack. There was some discussion about the appropriation request of $75,000 versus $25,000 for preliminary design only. Town Manager Smith indicated the Board of Selectmen questioned the amount too, but did not want to slow down the appropriation request process and thought the committee requested this amount because they felt they needed flexibility to move along with this project in an expeditious manner. Mr. White was unavailable to speak to the Board of Selectmen directly about this appropriation request. This project will still need to go before CPPAC for
review. If the full amount were appropriated, it would be managed for this year only and if not used, would be returned to General Fund. Dr. Moffa commented a larger square footage of the bathhouse would most likely accommodate the residents more and, of course, more money would be involved then. The Board of Finance indicated they would act promptly on any appropriation requests by this committee and would like to see the preliminary proposal of the building prior to making more commitments.
On a MOTION by Francis Brady, seconded by Frederick Moffa, OD, the Board voted unanimously (4-0-0) to approve an appropriation in the amount of $25,000 from General Fund to Administration-Boards, Regional Programs, and Staff Development for the preliminary design of the Salmon Brook Park facility bathhouse.
CONFIRM DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Board of Finance falls on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, because of the legal holiday on Monday, October 8th. However, since it would be just two weeks since board members met, Chairman Guarco will call for a special meeting for October 15, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Police Department Community Room.
ADJOURNMENT
On a MOTION by Al Wilke, seconded by Frederick Moffa, OD, the Board voted unanimously (4-0-0) to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia I. Chieski
Recording Secretary
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