Board of Finance - Minutes - 03/21/2022

Board of Finance Monday, March 21, 2022
Budget Hearing Waterford Town Hall
Present:
Absent:
Elected:
Staff:
Chairman Glenn Patterson, Ronald R. Fedor, John Sheehan, Robert Tuneskig
Joe Filippetti; Baird Welch-Collins (7:55 pm) vge SS
Kevin Petchark
Robert J. Brule, First Selectman; Jody Narzarchyk, Selectwoman; Paul Goldst&n, : =
RTM Moderator, Thomas Dembek, RTM; Susan Driscoll, RTM; Cheryl tatderrgTMM o
Chief Marc Balestracci, Police Department, Abby Piersall, Planning Director; Gary
Schneider, Director of Public Works; Sandy Kenniston, Public Works; Christine
Johnson, Library Director; Neftali Soto, Chief Engineer/Director Utility
Commission; Michael Howley, Director Fire Services; Brian Flaherty, Director
Recreation & Parks; Mark Geer, IT Board of Education; Joseph Mancini, Board of
Education Director of Operations/Finance; Thomas Giard, Superintendent of
Schools; Kimberly Allen, Finance Director; Maryellen McConnell, Secretary
Establishment of a quorum and call to order:
A quorum was established and a call to order was established at 7:00 pm,
March 21, 2022.
Public comment: Made by Thomas Dembek, see attached statement.
Standing Motion: was made by John Sheehan and seconded by Ronald Fedor to
_ tentatively approve the budget requests for FY22/23 for the remainder of the
budget meet.
Building Maintenance Budget:
Motion by John Sheehan and seconded by Ronald Fedor to approve the Building
Maintenance budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of $842,389.
Vote: 5-0-0 Motion: Passed
Public Works Budget:
Motion by John Sheehan and seconded by Ronald Fedor to approve the Public
Works budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of $4,709,563.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed

Board of Finance Budget Minutes — March 16, 2022
Page 2
6. Capital Improvements Budget:
Opening statement by Robert Brule, First Selectman, see attached statement.
Motion by John Sheehan and seconded by Ronald Fedor to approve the Capital
Improvements budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of $3,126,803.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
7. Debt Service:
Motion by John Sheehan and seconded by Ronald Fedor to approve the
Debt Service budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of $7,197,640.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
8. Transfers to Capital and Non-Recurring Expenditure fund:
Motion by John Sheehan and seconded by Ronald Fedor to approve the Board of
Selectmen budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of $1,588,824.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
9. Adjournment:
Motion by John Sheehan and seconded by Baird Welch-Collins to adjourn the
Budget Meeting of the Board of Finance at 9:52 p.m.
Vote: 6-0-0 Motion: Passed
Respectfully submitted,
WLLL
john Sheehan, Clerk
Maryellen McCon ell, Secretary

To: Chairman Glen Patterson —~ March 29,2020
Chairman Board of Finance
Dear Glen:
As | talk to residents around the town, the one concern everyone ask is “when is the town going to fix
the Roads.” My response: they are working on it.
lam writing to you to express my concern over the Board of Finance action on November 10, 2021, to
transfer $ 1.8 million dollars from the general operating fund balance into the Capital Non-Recurring
Undesignated Fund Balance in anticipation of future paving projects and forward this to the RTM for
approval. This was approved by the RTM on December 6, 2021. in the backup for this request, there
were five roads listed: Butlertown Road, Niantic River Road, Oil Mill Road, Daniels Avenue, Lakes Pond
Road. The intent | believe, was to accomplish these projects within 2022. The concern | have is by
putting these funds in the Capital Non- Recurring account the Board of Selectman, Board of Finance and
R.T. M. will have to vote on these funds again to appropriate the funds to allow a purchase order to be
issued.
A lot of action must take place to make that happen. The specifications for the project must be drafted,
the project must be advertised, bids received and reviewed, the Public Works Director than will have to
come back to the three above boards for the release of the funds to be appropriated to go to the Board
of Selectman to award the bids. Attempting to have all this work done before winter of 2622.
if you are a paving contractor with the proper milling equipment and trucks to complete this work, you
are in big demand from municipalities all over the state. We, as a town need to give the Public Works
Director the tools, he needs to get to do his job.
The Cross Road reclaiming project was in the 2019-2020 budget and the project just started March 1,
2022.
The other issue the town must face is the large increase in oil and fuel prices within the last month. This
could affect the total cost of the paving. The Town normally has a requirement in the biding process for
contractors to hold their price for 90 days. What contractor can afford to hold a good price for 90 days?
| believe the Town must change the way we do business. Many of you have worked in the private sector.
Did you ever take a capital request to your management six times for approval?
Please consider moving this request forward if received by the Board of Selectman. ASAP.
Thank You for your time.
Thomas Dembek
RTM 4 th District
CC: John Sheehan —~
OVER

FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
PHONE: 860-442-0553
www.waterfordct.org
First Selectman’s Statement to the Board of Finance — Board of Selectmen Budget
March 18, 2022
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
| am excited to present the Board of Finance the Board of Selectmen’s unanimously
approved Capital Improvement Plan tonight.
As you all know, there has been a consistent amount of capital and debt service
funding submitted over the past 10 years. Approximately $4 million dollars for
capital and while approximately $7 million dollars has been routinely committed to
Debt Service, due to new school construction projects over the past 15 years.
On February 9, 2022, the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor of the
2023 Current Year Capital Improvement request of $2,714,792, 3-0.
The Transfers to Capital and Non-Recurring request in the amount of $1,338,824
was approved unanimously in a bi-partisan manner, 3-0.
Finally, the Debt Service budget of $7,197,640 was also approved, unanimously.
In a separate motion on February 9, 2022, the Board of Selectmen approved the
Ratification of the Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal year 2023-2027, again,
unanimous and with bipartisan support.
| have participated in Long Range Fiscal Planning Committee Meetings over the past
year and have offered suggestions to the committee, all in hopes of creating a 10-
year Strategic Plan for the Town. A long range strategic plan that focuses on Debt
Service, Infrastructure, Information Technology, Personnel, Building Maintenance,
Impacts of Revaluation and Fleet Management.
Over the past year, based on communications | have had with members of this
board, the RTM and the Board of Selectmen, | hired a new Facilities Manager to

assess the town’s buildings, as well as review all maintenance contracts and
scheduled repairs.
| immediately asked the Facilities Manager for an assessment of “needed”
maintenance, repairs and funding requests for projects in town that needed
immediate attention. He is currently working on a full assessment.
Over the past year, | have made a commitment to building maintenance and capital
planning. | understand that “additional” appropriation requests will come up.
Through no fault of anyone’s, things will break and need to be repaired, whether
it’s planned or not.
To assure you all, my priority is to plan for the worst and hope for the best. | do my
best listening to our professional staff and following their guidance. | will assure
you all, | will continue to take care of issues in a transparent manner while getting
necessary issues resolved for the citizens of our town.
Finally, | will continue to develop a 10-year strategic plan based on the needs of the
town and consistent with the Long Range Fiscal Planning Committee.
Thank you for your time and support of the Board of Selectmen’s Capital
Improvement Plan tonight.
Respectfully submitted,
Rob Brule
Rob Brule
First Selectman