Board of Finance - Minutes - 03/02/2026

FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
PHONE: 860-442-0553
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Board of Finance Monday een Brea
Budget Hearing Minutes Town Hail.at iditSunT FDO
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Present: Chairman Glenn Patterson, Bill Sheehan, Michael Rocchetti, Robert Tuneskt, Joseph Filippetti, Ann
Peabody
Absent: Jerry Fischer
Elected: Rob Brule, First Selectman; Sue Driscoll, RTM Moderator
Staff: Kimberly Allen, Finance Director; Christine Johnson, Library Director; Marc Balestracci, Chief of Police, Lt.
Nicole VanOverloop, Lt. David Ferland, Lt. Patrick Flanagan, Admin. Sgt. Michael Fedor, Diane Driscoll,
Office Coordinator Police Department; Chris Haley, Director of Fire Services; Rebecca Hall, Admin
Assistant Finance Office/BOF Recording Secretary
Other: Eileen Boyce, Co-secretary, Library Board of Trustees
4. Establishment of a quorum and call to order:
2
‘A quorum was established and a call to order was established at 7:00pm, March 2, 2026
Public comment:
a. Helen Kwasniewski of 227 Bloomingdale Rd, Quaker Hill spoke to the Board of Finance regarding her opinion
on the budget. :
(1) Taxes on Senior Citizens in Waterford are higher than the Social Security increase.
(2) The Board of Finance and other two boards have the responsibility to spend down the budget. There
has been too much wasteful spending such as disposable assets. She hopes and prays that the Board
votes in the best interest of the residents and not just by party lines. She reminded the Board that they
are spending the taxpayers’ dollars. She would like this to be the year that there is zero increase in the
budget. Ms. Kwasniewski states that a good Department Head does more with less and a lazy
Department Head keeps asking for more money.
(3) Quaker Hill Fire Department is understaffed and is not commu
a shame.
(4) The Library has a budget of just over $1 million. The library employs 14 full time employees and 9
part time employees and they should not have any overtime. The library needs to schedule employees
more efficiently.
(5) Police Department budget was 1.87 last year and is budgeting 1.47 this year. The department
‘employs 52 full time staff, 17 CSO’s, S support staff, one (1) custodian and two (2) animal control
officers shared with East Lyme. This is a 24/7, 365 days a year service department. Kudos to the Chief.
Mss, Kwasniewski wonders if the Chief is willing to give a class on how to keep your budget under 1.5.
y friendly as it once was and that is

Goard of Finance Budget Minutes ~ March 2, 2026
Page 2
An opening statement regar:
ig the budget process was made by Glenn Patterson, Chairman.
Standing Motion: was made by Bill Sheehan and seconded by Joseph Filippetti to waive motions to consider the
budget by series and tentatively act on the bottom line budget requests for FY26/27. Michael Rocchetti will
make the motion on all budgets and Joseph Filippetti will second the motion.
Note: Inadvertently, no vote wos taken on this motion, and the meeting ended before the mistake was realized. Per Robert's rules, if
4 procedural mistake happens, an objection must be made at the time the breach occurs, If the meeting moves on, the committee
members have generally "waived" the right to object, and the action stands—even if it was technically incorrect under the rules. (Al
assisted in researching this question)
Vote: Waived Motion: Passed
3. Library Budget:
Motion by Michael Rocchetti and seconded by Joseph Filippetti to approve the Library budget request for
FY26/27 in the total amount of $1,045,991 designated by the Series Subtotals above.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
Police Department Budget:
Motion by Michael Rocchetti and seconded by Joseph Filippetti to approve the Police Department budget
request for FY26/27 in the total amount of $7,307,124 designated by the Series Subtotals above.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
5. Fire Services Budget:
Motion by Michael Rocchetti and seconded by Joseph Filippetti to approve the Fire Services budget request for
FY26/27 in the total amount of $4,345,218 designated by the Series Subtotals above.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
6. Board of Finance Budgé
Motion by Bill Sheehan and seconded by Joseph Filippetti to approve the Board of Finance budget request for
FY26/27 in the total amount of $86,406 designated by the Series Subtotals above.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
7. Contingency Budget:
‘Motion by Bill Sheehan and seconded by Robert Tuneski to approve the Board of Finance budget request for
FY26/27 in the total amount of $285,000 designated by the Series Subtotals above.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed

Board of Finance Budget Minutes ~ March 2, 2026
Page 3
8
Adjournment:
Motion by Bill Sheehan and seconded by Robert Tuneski to adjourn the Budget Meeting of the Board of Finance
at 9:17pm.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Sheghan, C&A rebecca L. Hall, Secretary