Board of Finance - Minutes - 04/09/2020

Board of Finance _ Tuesday, April 9, 2020
Special Meeting Minutes
Budget Hearing
Present:
Absent:
Elected:
RTM:
Staff:
Robert J. Brule, First Selectman
Chairman Ronald R. Fedor, Mark Geer, John Sheehan, Kevin Petchark, Glenn
Patterson and Tali Maidelis :
None.
Sue Driscoll, Ted Olinciw
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Kim Allen, Finance Director, Gary Schneider, Public Works Director, Dave Campo
Town Clerk, Brian Flaherty, Director Public Works, Paige Walton, Assessor, Abby
Piersall, Planning Director, Thomas Girard, Superintendent Board of Education,
Tali Soto, Director Utility Commission Roslyn Rubinstein, Library Director, Chief
Brett Mahoney, Police Department, Abbas Danash, Treasurer, Alan Wilensky, Tax
Collector, Joyce Sauchuk, Director of Human Resources, Ed Crane, IT Director,
Bruce Miller, Director Fire Services, Steve Singara, Director Emergency
Management, and Maryellen McConnell, Secretary.
Establishment of a quorum and call to order:
A quorum was established and a call to order was established at 3:00 pm,
April 9, 2020.
Public comment: no public comment
Standing Motion: was made by Glenn Patterson and seconded by Kevin
Petchark to tentatively approve the below budget requests for FY20/21.
Vote: 6-0 | Motion: Passed
Statement Read by Robert Brule, First Selectman:
Please see attached statement
10130 Public Works Budget:
Motion by Glenn Patterson and seconded by Kevin Petchark to approve the
Public Works budget request for FY20/21 in the total amount of $4,689,207.
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed

Board of Finance Budget Minutes — April 9, 2020
Page 2
. 10138 Capital Improvement Budget:
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #55738 Fleet management Plan from
$1,000,000 to $900,000, a reduction of $100,000, seconded by Mark Geer.
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #55869 Town Hall Parking Lot Lights
from $28,500 to SO, a reduction of $28,500, seconded by Tali Maidelis
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #55852 Town Hall Bathrooms from
$112,500 to $25,000, a reduction of $87,500, seconded by Tali Maidelis
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #55853 Auditorium Seating Upgrade
from $97,240 to $0, a reduction of $97,240, seconded by Tali Maidelis
Vote: 6-0 . Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce the Capital Improvement Budget from
$2,529,920 to $2,216,680, a reduction of $313,240, seconded by Tali Maidelis.
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed
Motion by Glenn Patterson and seconded by Kevin Petchark to approve the
Capital Improvement budget request for FY20/21 in the total amount of
$2,216,680.
Vote: 6-0 ; Motion: Passed

Board of Finance Budget Minutes — April 9, 2020
Page 3
7. 10140-Transfers to Capital and Non-Recurring Budget:
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #57847 Town Wide Camera System
from $97,200 to $0 and move to next year, a reduction of $97,240, seconded by
Glenn Patterson
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #57848 Library HVAC Upgrade from
$250,000 to $200,000, a reduction of $50,000, seconded by Tali Maidelis.
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #57841 Board of Education Bus Lot
Office from $75,000 to $O, a reduction of $75,000, seconded by Tali Maidelis.
Vote: 5-1 Abstain: Mark Geer, Jr. _ Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #57842 Board of Education School
Security from $50,000 to $0, a reduction of $50,000, seconded by Glenn
Patterson.
Vote: 5-1 Abstain: Mark Geer, Jr. Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #57820 Board of Education WHS Turf
Field and Track from $75,000 to SO, a reduction of $75,000, seconded by Tali
Maidelis.
Vote: 5-1 Abstain: Mark Geer, Jr. Motion: Passed
Motion by Bill Sheehan to reduce Line Item #57822 Board of Education IT
Learning Boards — End of Life from $200,000 to $0, a reduction of $200,000,
seconded by Tali Maidelis.
. Vote: 5-1 Abstain: Mark Geer, Jr. Motion: Passed

Board of Finance Budget Minutes — April 9, 2020
Page 4
Motion by Glenn Patterson and seconded by Kevin Petchark to approve the
Transfers to Capital and Non-Recurring Budget request for FY20/21 in the total
amount of $1,401,280.
Vote: 6-0 Motion: Passed
Review of Projected Revenue, Grand List and Tax Collection Rate:
Discussion ensued.
Adjournment:
Motion by Bill Sheehan and seconded by Tali Maidelis to adjourn the Budget
Meeting of the Board of Finance at 4:41 p.m.
Vote: 6-0 . Motion: Passed
Respectfully submitted,
ante Ser tp “a
Mark Geer, Jr., Clerk J cConnell, S

First Selectman Statement to Board of Finance 4.9.20
Recommendations to reduce budget due to impact of COVID-19
Good Afternoon Mr. Chairman and members of the Board of Finance.
Back in December, | presénted a town budget with a respectable 2.1% increase or about a $900,000 increase from
the previous year.
/ was able to accomplish this with the hard work of my department heads who came together as a team and
collectively reduced their original budgets submitted to me by $550,000.
6 of the 7 largest town budgets, came in at 0% increases
The largest increase in the Town budgets under my review was the retirement commission budget due to increases
in MERS retirement and OPEB funding which amount to just over $800,000
Although, proud of the budget | submitted in December, those days three months ago seem so long ago.
Since that time, life changed for our community, our employees and our taxpayers.
Friends have lost jobs, neighbors have lost much of their retirement and owners of small businesses in Waterford
are praying they can stay afloat, hoping they can provide for their children and send them to college, and for some,
just be able to make the next mortgage payment.
This pandemic has changed the way we look at “priorities” within municipal government and spending.
My goal of presenting you today, a level-funded capital plan and modest 2.1% increase, is no longer my goal. It is
no longer a feather in the cap, nor is it good enough now.
COVID-19 has forced me to re-assess, re-evaluate and change course.
Today, my goal is to provide you with a 0% town operating budget.
In order to accomplish this new goal, | am recommending tonight, the reduction of $860,440 in Capital and Capital
Non-Recurring and a reduction of $100,000 in Fleet Management from my originally proposed capital budget.
This historic $960,440 recommended cut today, was a difficult decision, but not nearly as difficult, as the path to
recovery for our residents and taxpayers.
if these recommended cuts in the amount of $960,000 are approved today to the Capita! Budget, it will amount to
a -.7% reduction in the Town operating from last year.
| will also be recommending additional cuts, for your consideration, on the 21% during final action.
fam proud to say, that with the support of amazing Department Heads, who willingly deferred capital projects to
keep the town operating budget at 0%, | appreciate you and thank you for working with me.
{also want to thank Tom Giard, the Superintendent of Schools, for acknowledging the need to sacrifice some today,
for the Waterford taxpayer tomorrow.
| appreciate your support.
By everyone working together and cutting these capital projects, all departmental operating budgets will not be
negatively impacted.

Valuable employees will continue to come to work each day.
‘Senior Services will receive the funding for additional Meals. on Wheels Drivers and the Respite Program,
Police, Dispatchers and Firefighters will remain trained and safe,
Our Library will continue to be the very best,
Recreation & Parks will continue to produce the best youth sports programs in the state,
Public Works will be able to pave and plow the roads, pick up trash weekly and Recyclables bi-weekly,
Youth & Family Services will continue to impact the lives of thousands,
Our Utility Commission will continue to fix multi-million dollar pumping stations and keep 140 miles of piping
underground in good order,
_While our Building Maintenance and IT needs will continue to be met.
Since March 19, 2020, the day | signed the State of Emergency, life in our town, and towns across Connecticut, has
changed forever. 
.
Sacrifice is the new normal.
lronically, by sacrificing $960,440 in capital spending today, Waterford taxpayers will continue to have a great
place to live, work and raise a family.
Thank you for taking the time to listen and thank you for your support.
My staff and | are available to answer your questions.
Respectfully,
Rob Brule, First Selectman
Town of Waterford