Board of Selectmen - 67 (02/03/2022)

BUDGET FUNCTION

The Waterford Planning and Zoning Commission budget includes the cost of Commission services, such as land use application reviews, long-range planning, and maintaining and enforcing Waterford’s zoning and subdivision regulations.  The Commission provides staff for all land use and economic development services in Waterford. The Planning staff provide expertise and assistance to the Board of Selectmen, RTM, and other agencies in Waterford and beyond concerning land use and economic development opportunities in Town.  
This budget also includes funds for professional services and technical support that address town-wide needs. Maintenance of parcel data and Waterford’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS), grant writing, and project management services are all funded in this budget. 


MEMBERS

Gregory Massad, Chair
Timothy Bleasdale 
John Bashaw
Karen Barnett
Ken Petrini
ALTERNATES
Joseph DiBuono


BUDGET SUMMARY



Advertising Line 10110-52010 
$4,000 Requested
Legal advertisements are required for announcing public hearings and decisions. The Department maintains a New London Day subscription to verify the accuracy of all required legal ads.  The Department pays for all advertising associated with applications. Applicants reimburse the Town for the cost of public hearing notices. Reimbursements generally offset 25% of total advertising expenditures each year. 
The Commission also places and pays for required advertisements for projects it sponsors. The Commission publishes legal notices for commission-sponsored public hearings and provides notice for public meetings. In FY23, the Commission will continue working on adoption of updated sections of the Zoning Regulations. Updates will require paying for legal advertisements.  Advertisements average $200.00 each.   
Postage Line 10110-52020
$450 Requested
Postage is used for normal communications with applicants and the public, and for required certified/return receipt postage for decision letters and abatement orders. Postage funding is also required to support neighborhood mailings to alert people about specific planning initiatives that may affect them.  
Professional Fees Line 10110-52030
$20,000 Requested
Professional services are sought for projects that require specific expertise and technical capacity that exceed the typical job duties of the planning staff. The department provides the vast majority of planning services in-house. Certain projects require professional support. Examples include conducting property surveys, traffic impact analysis, market analysis, reviews of engineering design by professional engineers, software development and advanced GIS services. This line would also be used to hire professionals as needed to conduct reviews of development applications and matters before the Commission that are not paid for by applicants. The Department would also consider these funds to support interns to work on specific projects as approved by the Commission.  






Service Contracts and Repairs Line 10110-52040
$16,741 Requested
Printer and Copier Contracts- $4,917
The Department uses a large format plotter on a daily basis. This machine can scan, copy, and print large plans and is also used by the Assessor and Town Clerk.  The plotter is subject to a $3,500 annual lease. The Department also leases a black and white copier which is used for the majority of printing.  The Ricoh yearly lease is $1,060, plus $.00714 per copy.  The Department budgets for 50,000 copies per year, which equates to $357 in copies. The total cost of this service is $1,417.
Annual GIS Parcel Mapping and Web Hosting Services - $8,500

Waterford undertook a competitive bid process in 2017 to select a GIS service provider. Tighe&Bond was awarded a contract in 2018 to serve as an on-call provider and to complete annual parcel updates and web hosting for a public GIS interface. Parcel updates form the basis for the Assessor’s data and for all permitting activity in the Town. The public GIS site is a significant upgrade from the Town’s previous platform. The site provides users with information ranging from zoning to floodplain data and is an important tool for people reviewing properties for potential development.  
Cellular Phone Plans - $1,980  
Cellular phones were purchased for the Director and field staff in FY17.   Each phone requires a wireless plan to cover phone, text and data fees.  The plans are $55 per month. Each phone will cost $660 per year to operate. The total cost of cellular plans is $1,980.  
Software Licenses   - $1,344
The Department maintains a Survey Monkey membership. This service provides the ability to develop simple or complex surveys to support a variety of functions. Projects in FY23 that will benefit from having access to Survey Monkey include the Plan of Preservation, Conservation, and Development, the Economic Development Commission work, small business outreach, and department performance surveys. The cost is $384 per year and provides flexibility in survey design. 
The Department began using Adobe Pro software in 2020, in response to the need to generate more complex PDF documents and share information during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The software has proven to be a critical element in efficient production of digital material. The cost per business license is $192 per year. 5 licenses total $960 per year. 
 



Dues, Conferences and Education Line 10110-52050 
$3,371 Requested
Department staff are committed to maintaining professional certifications and keeping current with information and issues in the field of planning.  Involvement with regional and national organizations, attending conferences and seeking opportunities to improve the technical skills of all department members supports high quality work product that benefits Waterford residents and business owners. Whenever possible, staff seeks out free educational opportunities.  There are some instances where valuable educational opportunities are not free.   Enabling staff to participate in these events generates positive returns for the town by exposing staff to new technical information, legal updates in the field and information about grants that may benefit Waterford. 
 
The Department maintains membership in the American Planning Association for two staff members. APA membership is tiered based on salary.  Currently the Planning Director and Planner maintain APA membership.  American Planning Association staff members are also required to maintain membership in their State Chapters. The CT Chapter of the American Planning Association charges 35% of the national dues for membership.  The total cost for membership dues is $1,021.
 
The Planning Director is required to maintain AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) status as a condition of employment.  Maintaining the AICP designation requires APA membership (listed above), State chapter membership (listed above), and AICP Dues.   AICP Dues are $175.00. 

Conference attendance and continuing education are a critical aspect of professional development.  Participating in conferences allows staff to meet continuing education requirements for professional certifications and to stay current on legal issues, emerging trends and technical skills related to their jobs. The following conference fees are included in this budget. 

Southern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association (SNEAPA) Annual Conference -$275	
The SNEAPA annual conference provides planning staff with educational and networking opportunities in the immediate region.  Attending conferences with peers from Connecticut and Southern New England towns helps staff learn about local projects and funding opportunities that benefit Waterford. Legislative updates and legal developments of the past year are presented at this conference, which helps staff stay current on important planning and zoning issues. 




American Planning Association Annual Conference -$400	
The 2022 APA National Conference will be held in San Diego and online.  The conference draws professionals from planning and associated fields from around the country and the world and presents staff with the opportunity to learn firsthand about innovative planning, economic development and capital projects that could be applied in Waterford. The location of the conference changes annually, however during COVID virtual attendance is enabled. 
Connecticut Association of Zoning Enforcement Officials (CAZEO) - $510
CAZEO is the professional organization for the Zoning Official.  CT Zoning Enforcement Official Certification is required in Waterford’s job description for the Zoning Official.  CAZEO membership costs $50 per year. Maintenance of CTZEO status requires attendance at 7 annual meetings which cost $30.00 each. The Department hired a new Zoning Official in 2020 who will be required to apply for CAZEO certification. The application cost is $250.
Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM)/Connecticut Association of Floodplain Managers (CAFM) - $240   
The Zoning Official acts as Waterford’s Floodplain Administrator.  The Floodplain Administrator is responsible for ensuring the Town’s compliance with the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  Compliance with the NFIP enables Waterford property owners to purchase flood insurance. Annual membership in the 	ASFPM is $140.  Annual membership in the CAFM is $50.00.  Annual CAFM conference registration is $50.
Northeastern Arc Users Group (NEARC) Conference - $250   
NEARC is an organization formed in 1986 to support GIS users.  Waterford’s Planner is responsible for managing, maintaining and upgrading GIS data for internal and public users. GIS technology is consistently evolving and it is important that Waterford’s planner maintain current knowledge of the field. Since 2020, NEARC has offered virtual options for attending conferences. Based on past registration fees, it is anticipated that the cost to register for virtual attendees will be $250.
One-day training seminars - $500
Throughout the course of the year, various training seminars are conducted by State, Federal and educational institutions. These training opportunities afford staff the opportunity to improve technical skills, learn about upcoming policies and laws and learn about grant opportunities and best practices from other communities and organizations that can benefit Waterford.  Trainings may be conducted as webinars or on-site. The trainings are typically one-time events, therefore it is difficult to anticipate exact costs.  Typically, these events range from $30.00 to $150.00 per attendee. 



Printing Line 10110-52060  
$450 Requested
Funds are expended for printing oversized documents, reprinting of plans and studies, aerial photographs, posters and zoning maps.  Color copies produced by the Town’s printing service cost the Department $.07/per copy.   The Planning Department will continue to expand its efforts to engage the community in various planning projects. Part of the cost of public engagement includes printing flyers, maps, letters and postcards to send to residents and business owners.  
Reimbursable Expenses Line 10110-52070  
$200 Requested
This line covers reimbursements to commissioners and staff members for out-of-pocket expenses.       Examples of expenses include parking fees at job-related meeting, mileage for travel to work-related events when a town vehicle is not available and materials for public outreach programs. 
Office Supplies Line 10110-53010  
$2,750 Requested
The Department routinely purchases office supplies that are not included in the supply purchasing     program managed in the Finance Department.  Items the Department purchases from this line include recordable DVDs, thumb drives, display boards, and commissioner name plaques. The Department estimates that $350 will be needed for the supplies listed above in FY23.
 
The Department maintains a desktop color printer for daily work. Color printing is required to produce documentation for violations, evidence for court proceedings and to print project-related maps and images for customers.  The Department uses the Town printing services for bulk printing of flyers, postcards or other large jobs, but daily color printing is still necessary. Whenever possible, staff prints in black and white to avoid unnecessary use of the color printer. The estimated cost for color ink          cartridges is $1,200. Plotter paper and toner for the large format copier is anticipated to cost $1,200 in FY23. 
Fuels and Lubricants Line 10110-53090  
$810 Requested
The Planning and Zoning Commission pays the fuel for two vehicles shared by staff including the Planning Director, Environmental Planner, Planner and Zoning Official.  This budget also pays for fuel for a vehicle assigned to the Tax Assessor which is operated on a daily basis for field work.  Vehicles from this department are also shared with other departments as requested. The Department estimates using approximately 340 Gallons at $2.38 per gallon. $810 is requested. 


Office Equipment Line 10110-54060 
$1,440 Requested
The Planning Department is transitioning to digital applications to reduce the amount of paper used in the development process and to respond to the need to access digital material and virtual meetings more frequently. A laptop is requested to enable the department to better host virtual meetings, review projects with applicants, collaborate on department projects, and make presentations at public meetings. A laptop in anticipated to cost $1,440.