TOWN OF GRANBY
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MINUTES
NOVEMBER 7, 2005
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order by First Selectman John Adams at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: John Adams, Ronald Desrosiers, Frank Judice, Sally King, Mark Neumann, William F. Smith, Jr., Town Manager, and Courtney McGuire, Student Representative
I. PUBLIC SESSION
John and Meg Mangold, 96 Silkey Road, were present this evening to address the Board of Selectmen concerning actions taken by the City of New London regarding eminent domain. Mr. Mangold reviewed recent rulings by the United States Supreme Court and also reviewed information he received from Senator Kissel at a recent meeting.
Milford passed an ordinance placing restrictions on the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes. Mr. and Mrs. Mangold urged the Selectmen to consider enacting such an ordinance.
First Selectman Adams stated this Board would use the power of eminent domain very sparingly if at all. At the very least, this type of action would require a public hearing and a referendum to enact. He further indicated the State and/or Federal government may take action and to consider a local ordinance might be premature.
No other public addressed the Board.
II. MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING
ON A MOTION by Selectman Desrosiers, seconded by Selectman King, the Board voted 4-0-1 (abstention Judice) to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of October 17, 2005 as distributed.
III. UNFINISHED OR TABLED BUSINESS
A. Information or Updates on Building Committees’ Activity
Town Manager Smith reported there is no additional news on the projects. Chairman Latella is preparing a statement in response to the most recent letter to the editor in the Drummer but would like to confer with his committee before he issues a rebuttal.
B. Continued Discussion of MEUI (Public Works and Public Safety Dispatchers) Contract (closed session)
ON A MOTION by Selectman Desrosiers, seconded by Selectman King, the Board voted unanimously (5-0-0) to reorder the agenda to take up this matter at the end of the regular meeting.
IV. BUSINESS
A. Resignations and Appointments to be Considered
No resignations or appointments were noted.
B. Consideration of “Agreement Between the Granby Association of School Administrators and Board of Education – July 1, 2006-June 30, 2009”
No representative of the Board of Education was able to attend tonight’s meeting to provide an explanation and review of the agreement.
ON A MOTION by Selectman Desrosiers, seconded by Selectman King, the Board voted unanimously (5-0-0) to table action on this request until the next meeting. The Board would like a representative of the Board of Education to attend the meeting and explain the agreement reached and the impact of the agreement on the budget.
C. Consideration of Conveying the Town’s Interest in the Right of Way at 27R Pheasant Run
Town Manager Smith provided the Board with information outlining the town’s previous action agreeing to sell a 7.5 acre parcel of land known as 27R Pheasant Run, which the town acquired through a tax foreclosure. The memo also provided information on acquiring a right of way from the town.
In the following discussion, the Board explored private roads versus public roads, the process for transferring a certain portion of the land to the Land Trust, disposal of excavated materials, and the ability of a private road to accommodate emergency vehicles.
ON A MOTION by Selectman King, seconded by Selectman Desrosiers, the Board voted unanimously (5-0-0) to convey the town’s interest in a right of way to TTDG, LLC for the proposed 8 lot subdivision as approved by the Granby Planning and Zoning Commission on October 11, 2005, and to authorize the Town Manager to sign any necessary instruments to convey the town’s interest in said right of way. The Board further voted that the developer should pay all costs associated with the conveyance and authorized the Town Attorney to extend the Purchase Agreement for the purposes of obtaining the access right of way.
D. Consideration of Bank Street Lighting Project
The town previously approved a project for lighting on Bank Street using funds from the economic development portion of the Capital Nonrecurring Expenditure Fund; however, the project has been on hold awaiting approval of a STEAP grant in the amount of $60,000. The grant was approved and authorization is needed to spend the funds.
ON A MOTION by Selectman Desrosiers, seconded by Selectman King, the Board voted unanimously (5-0-0) to authorize the Town Manager to complete this project using the STEAP grant funds of $60,000. The Board further MOVED to appropriate the amount of $60,000 for expenditures from the Sidewalk and Beautification Fund, where the funds were placed, for the Bank Street Lighting project.
E. Consideration of Plus-One Budget
Town Manager Smith provided the Board of Selectmen with a Plus 1 Budget for 2006-07. The Plus 1 budget does not represent all final needs of the town that may be incorporated into the 2006-07 Budget. Salaries and contract adjustments are only estimates and adjustments of less than $5,000 are optional.
Some new accounting practices will have to be addressed in the near future. These have to do with the way medical retirement funds are accounted for. This prompted a suggestion by the Town Manager to have the actuary come to a Board meeting to discuss options. The Board agreed and would like to have the actuary come to a meeting in January 2006.
ON A MOTION by Selectman Desrosiers, seconded by Selectman King, the Board voted unanimously (5-0-0) to approve the Plus 1 Budget 2006-07 as submitted tonight and transmit it to the Board of Finance for action.
V. TOWN MANAGER REPORTS
A. Information Concerning Bonding of $10,000,000 in February 2006
Two years ago the Board agreed to enter into a Forward Swap Agreement for a $10,000,000 bond issue. The agreement locked in a rate as an assurance against rising interest rate costs and contained a termination clause in the event interest rates did not rise to expected levels. Town Manager Smith indicated he is now giving serious consideration to terminating the forward swap for a negotiated bond sale.
He will track the market for another couple of weeks and then make a decision although he thought it unlikely the market would respond much different than anticipated at this time. He would then terminate the swap and a sale would be set up for a pricing date in early December. Town Manager Smith will have more information by the next Board of Selectmen meeting.
B. Town Buildings Maintenance
The Board was provided with a summary of information as to the condition of many of the town owned buildings. Included was the Old Town Hall Kindergarten, the VNA building, 11 North Granby Road, Cossitt Library, the Old Firehouse on North Granby Road, the Holcomb Farm buildings, and the Pond House at Salmon Brook Park.
The Selectmen indicated they would like to hold a workshop meeting in January 2006 to discuss options, check availability of grants, and explore the possibility of selling some of the buildings.
C. Budget Operations – October 2005
The Board members were provided with copies of Budget Operations for October 2005. Town Manager Smith stated there was very little new to report. Collections remain steady, more dollars were received for account #331 (State Owned Property) than budgeted and the Town Clerk’s office continues to meet revenue expectations partly due to conveyance taxes received and also because of the level of activity.
VI. FIRST SELECTMAN REPORTS (John Adams)
First Selectman Adams reviewed a request from CRCOG for municipalities to provide firefighters, public works employees, and police officers to the City of Long Beach, Mississippi in a sister-region partnership. The municipalities would be responsible for the cost incurred to provide the personnel to assist with the clean up effort following the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
While the Board members recognized this great concept as a wonderful thing to be able to do, they were not willing to share Granby personnel when the departments are not fully staffed to begin with.
First Selectman Adams reported on a recent “Boston Globe” article about the 1940’s diner that was purchased and moved to Granby this past summer.
VII. SELECTMAN REPORTS (Sally King, Vice Chairman, Ronald Desrosiers, Frank Judice, & Mark Neumann)
No reports.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting recessed to closed session at 8:33 p.m.
CLOSED SESSION
First Selectman Adams called the executive session of the Board of Selectmen to order at 8:35 p.m.
PRESENT: John Adams, Ronald Desrosiers, Frank Judice, Sally King, Mark Neumann, and William F. Smith, Jr., Town Manager
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss personnel matters.
First Selectman Adams closed the executive session at 9:05 p.m.
The Board reconvened its regular meeting at 9:05 p.m.
ON A MOTION by Selectman Desrosiers, seconded by Selectman King, the Board voted to approve the contract between the Town of Granby and the Municipal Employees Union Independent Local 506, SEIU, AFL-CIO for Public Works Employees and Dispatchers, for the period of July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2009.
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
William F. Smith, Jr.
Town Manager
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