Board of Finance - Minutes - 03/02/2022

Board of Finance Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Budget Hearing Waterford Town Hall
Present:
Elected:
Staff:
Chairman Glenn Patterson, Ronald R. Fedor, John Sheehan, Kevin Petchark,
Robert Tuneski, Baird Welch-Collins, Joe Filipppetti
RTM Minority Leader: Chery] Larder, RTM
Christine Johnston, Library Director; Marc Balestracci, Chief of Police; Lt. Tigh
Silva; Lt. Nicole Van Overloop; Sgt. David Ferland; Steven Sinagra;. irec
Emergency Management; Jeff Robillard, IT Manager; Kimberly Allen; Finange
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 2, 2022.
Public comment: A letter from Helen Kwasniewski was read into the minutes by
Maryellen McConnell. Please see attached.
An opening statement regarding the budget process was made by Glenn
Patterson, Chairman.
John Sheehan made a statement regarding the budget and capital projects,
Glenn Patterson read a letter forwarded to the First Selectman on the same
topic. Copies of these statements are attached.
Standing Motion: was made by Ronald Fedor and seconded by John Sheehan to
tentatively approve the budget requests for FY22/23.
Vote: 7-0-0 Motion: Passed
Library Budget:
Motion by Ronald Fedor and seconded by John Sheehan to tentatively
approve the budget requests for FY22/23 in the total amount of
$999,475.
Vote: 7-0-0 Motion: Passed

Board of Finance Budget Minutes — March 2, 2022
Page 2
Police Department Budget:
Motion by Ronald Fedor and seconded by John Sheehan to approve the
Police Department budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of
$6,488,214.
Vote: 6-0-1 Abstain: Ronald Fedor Motion: Passed
Emergency Management Budget:
Motion by Ronald Fedor and seconded by John Sheehan to approve the
Emergency Management budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of
$1,068,486.
Vote: 7-0-0 Motion: Passed
Information Technology Budget:
Motion by Ronald Fedor and seconded by John Sheehan to approve the
Information Technology budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of
$1,160,391.
Vote: 7-0-0 Motion: Passed
. Board of Finance Budget:
Motion by Ronald Fedor and seconded by John Sheehan to approve the Board of
Finance budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of $66,673.
Vote: 7-0-0 Motion: Passed

Board of Finance Budget Minutes — March 2, 2022
Page 3
hb
;
9. Contingency Budget:
Motion by Ronald Fedor and seconded by John Sheehan to approve the
Contingency budget request for FY22/23 in the total amount of $265,000.
Vote: 7-0-0 Motion: Passed
10. Arequest from David Campo, Town Clerk was made to move his budget hearing
due to a surgical procedure. The Board of Finance has moved his hearing from
Wednesday, March 16" to Monday, March 14",
11. Adjournment:
Motion by John Sheehan and seconded by Robert Tuneski to adjourn the Budget
Meeting of the Board of Finance at 8:38 p.m.
Vote: 7-0-0 Motion: Passed
Respectfully submitted,
Joh Sheehan, Clerk

February 28, 2022
Rob Brule
First Selectman, Town of Waterford
I've had time to consider concerns raised at the recent BOS budget meetings. There are
capital spending items planned for FY 2023 that do not appear in the 2023-2027 CIP or
in the FY 2023 Capital Budget request.
To increase transparency of capital spending in FY '23 and to enhance overall fiscal
planning | am requesting a supplemental list of Capital Projects not appearing on the
FY’23-'27 CIP or the FY ‘23 Capital budget documents/back-up be forwarded to the
Board of Finance. This “Capital Projects List” will support evaluating the total Capital
budget request to be reviewed on March 21°.
| am asking the list be organized by funding source as follows:
1) All capital projects funded by LOCIP and LOTCIP funds forecast to start in FY '23
a) To include disclosure of grant funds the town expects for FY '23 and current
balances of any accounts holding previous grant funds
2) All capital projects funded by American Rescue Plan Funds forecast to start in FY
'23 or FY ’24
3) All incomplete capital projects funded by an appropriation from the Undesignated
CNR fund forecast to start in FY 23 or FY 24. Examples of these items include:
a) itemization of the forecast road work funded by the $1.8M appropriation from
CNR in December 2021
b) the work planned on the Emergency Services Building HVAC and Roof
c) the work proposed on the YSB elevators
| recognize that while the projects on the supplemental list are funded, they may lack
project details at this time. Based on that consideration it is understood that any dollar
estimates for the projects on the supplemental list are viewed as “best estimates” and
subject to change.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Glenn Patterson
Waterford BOF Chair
860-235-6645(M)

Statement of J. W. “Bill” Sheehan at the First Waterford Budget Hearing March 2, 2022
Today the Board of Finance starts its month long review of the proposed Waterford budget for
Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23).
The Department Heads should be commended for their efforts to keep the budget increases to a
minimum. However, some of the cuts required by the First Selectman were, in my opinion,
poorly chosen. For Example, the Library has eliminated its Sunday Hours to make sure the
budget did not increase at all. There was a $960 cut from P&Z Service Contracts and Repairs
that is impossible to determine what exactly was cut when reading the backup. I am sure we will
find out during the P&Z hearings. The Building Maintenance Budget had $10,000 reduced
under Service Contracts and Repairs. Again, we will find out why when the BOF reviews that
budget.
It may be the plan of the First Selectman to have the Department Heads or Commission Chairs to
request additional appropriations throughout the fiscal year. The BOF will then have to make the
decision about where the funding should originate — Contingency, the Unassigned Fund Balance,
or the Undesignated Fund Balance of the CNR Fund. Since the Unassigned Fund Balance is
almost $10 million over the recommended value in the BOF Fund Balance Policy, this may be a
good strategy.
However, my greatest concern is the presentation of the Capital Plan. Or, In my opinion, more
correctly, the lack of a complete Capital Plan.
Article 3.2.2.(c) states that the first selectman “shall direct the establishment, administration, and
coordination of a municipal capital improvement plan which shall address projects to be started
within five years; shall be integrated with the town plan of development; and shall contain
recommended funding methods for each project, such plan to be ratified by the board of
selectman.”
Unfortunately, the “Capital Plan” has become a budget document rather than a planning
document. Therefore, I request the First Selectman revisit the Capital Plan and make it a plan,
not a budget document. The projects in the Current Year Capital Improvement Budget
Document and the Transfers to the Capital Non Recurring Expenditure Fund should be a product
of the plan with appropriate expenditures. It is my expectation that the First Selectman will do
the following:
a. Make the plan an actual plan by including everything planned and the. source
of funding. For example, the items just approved by the BOF and RTM could be
included as in progress. They will not appear in the budget document until next report
out in March. The projects that are being done under the ARP should be listed. All
LOCIP and LOTCIP projects should be listed. All projects planned for the Sewer
Maintenance and Development Fund should be listed. Any projects being
accomplished or planned for any other grants should be listed. If the project is expected
to be bonded, that funding source should be listed.

b. The presentation of the Current Year Capital Fund should just be projects
expected to be completed within the fiscal year. All multi year projects should be in the
CNR Fund.
c. Keep the funding, i. e. budget, documents separate from the Planning
Document.
d Although the Charter requires the First Selectman to submit a Capital Plan
once a year, there is no reason that the Capital Plan cannot be a living document that is
changed throughout the year as necessary and then, when the projects is funded, it is
either in the CNR fund or the Capital Improvement Fund.
if the First Selectman does not complete redoing the Capital Plan by the time the BOF
is considering the Capital Plan budgets, | may be forced to vote against that budget, not
because the projects are not needed but rather, they are not presented in an actual
Capital Plan. ,
It is a separate issue that the Current Year Capital Budget has become a listing of
projects that are transferred to the Capital Improvement Fund. However, there is no
direction concerning the Capital Improvement Fund in the Charter or Ordinances or
BOF Policy except for the requirement of the annual review. After the budget cycle is
completed, | hope the BOF will take up the issue of the CIP and whether the long term
projects should be transferred to the CNR Fund and only projects that can be completed
within the budget year remain in the Capital Improvement Fund. The CIF should then
reset to zero just like other department budgets unless the funds are encumbered.
Thank you for your attention. If no one else has any comments, lets get to work on
reviewing budgets.

Board of Finance Budget Meeting
March 2, 2022
' Helen Kwasniewski
Being a lifetime resident of Quaker Hill as well as having family ties of about 231
years. These are my concerns and/or issues that I have and every taxpayer should
have as well. .
Salaries are EXTREMELY high as well out of proportion which in due time is
going to bankrupt the town.
All taxes should be frozen that means that taxes don’t go up for their lifetime in
their homes. There is approximately 60-65% senior citizens in the town. These are
choices that we have to make: 1. Paying rent/mortgage, 2. Paying for
medication(s), 3. Paying for food, 4. Paying for heat, 5. Paying for utilities, 6.
Paying our taxes so that these town employees can live life-style that they are
accustom to on our dime. News flash senior citizens also have a life-style that we
are accustom to.
Now is the time to consolidate department as well as re-organize departments. We
do not need heavy load of personnel in some departments.
Since the taxpayers are footing the salaries it is about time for them to be
RESIDENT of the TOWN!
We have to get out of this mode that Waterford is rich and they can pay. News
flash Waterford is NOT rich. We do not have Millstone and the Crystal Mall
footing the bill.
If we don’t start taking these “Budgets” serious the town will be bankrupt cause by
greedy department as well as the UNIONS period.
Please do not all vote unanimously. Please do not be afraid to send back
department budget. The goal is for a ZERO INCREASE!
Please keep in mind that a member of this board said “we are spending the
taxpayers’ money”.

Police Department Budget
After going through the propose budget for the police department here are my
issue/concerns:
Animal Control Officer: It is said that we share with East Lyme. ACO is with 3
towns (Waterford, East Lyme and New London). Nowhere is it stated or shown on
the spreadsheet WHY
Why are taxpayers paying for “Water Cooler”? The water is good for the resident
and for this department WHY
Gym Equipment: Why are taxpayers footing this line item? As far as I see it, it is
Not WORKING! The employees get paid VERY well. They can pay for gym fees
at the locate gyms which will help our business in the town.
Hypertension: Why are the taxpayers paying for this?
Once again I stress to the members on this board to keep in mind the taxpayers.
Thank you!