2614
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
March 21, 2017
SELECTMEN PRESENT: J. Christopher Kervick, Michelle L. Hill, and Denise T. Balboni
ALSO ATTENDING: Bill Hamel (Town Clerk), Joe Calsetta, Dennis Gragnolati, Residents,
and a Reporter from The Journal Inquirer
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CALL TO ORDER:
First Selectman Kervick called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
The Pledge of Allegiance was observed.
PUBLIC INPUT:
First Selectman Kervick stated that Public Input would be limited to three minutes per person.
Bill Hamel – proposed waiting to hold the Annual Town Budget Meeting until five weeks after the State has finalized their budget. He felt that a Town Meeting should be set to ask resident’s permission to delay the Budget approval. He suggested that the mil rate should not be set and that tax bills should not be sent out. He felt that the town could use its savings until they begin to run out and then anticipation notes could be issued.
Joe Calsetta – stated that the Annual Town Budget Meeting must be held on the date that the Charter calls for. Once the Meeting is called to order it can be immediately adjourned until a later date.
Different scenarios of postponing the Budget Meeting were discussed at length. The Selectmen agreed to focus on the common goal of postponing the meeting for now and to further review the process once the Board of Finance has given their input.
On another matter, Mr. Calsetta provided the Selectmen with a copy of the Town of Enfield Blight Ordinance that he thought might be helpful in revising the Town of Windsor Locks Ordinance.
APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 7, 2017 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES:
Selectman Hill moved to approve the March 7, 2017 Regular Minutes as presented. Selectman Balboni seconded the motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
CORRESPONDENCE: None.
OLD BUSINESS:
a. Traffic Signal at the Corner of Elm Street & Southwest Avenue
At the last meeting the Selectmen opted to purchase the traffic signal at the corner of Elm Street & Southwest Avenue for 10% of the cost ($15,000.00) rather than have the light removed. DOT has been notified of the intent to purchase the light and the process that will follow to approve the funds via a Town Meeting. DOT has not responded back.
b. Set Town Meeting Date – Transfer Requests from March 7, 2017 Meeting
The Board of Finance has clarified that the transfer requests to create a “Bus Purchase Grant Split” line item and a “Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus” line item requires Town Meeting approval even though the amounts of the individual line item transfers to create the two new accounts are each less than $10,000.00. Section 805 c. of the Town Charter states that a Town Meeting is necessary “if the funds are required for which no provision was made in the budget”.
Selectman Balboni moved to set a Town Meeting Date for Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Selectman Hill seconded the motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
Board of Selectmen
March 21, 2017
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c. FY 2017-2018 Budget Cuts
The Selectmen agreed they have satisfied their requirement under the Town Charter by submitting a responsible budget that will maintain services to the town even though the Board of Finance has requested that another 10% be cut. The Selectmen decided to wait for guidance from the Board of Finance before providing any suggestions of cuts that could be made. They also agreed to explain to the Board of Finance that the Selectmen considered the budget reduction request in detail but were unable to find any ways at this time that can be further cut without drastically affecting the current services that the town provides.
The Assessor has suggested implementing a personal property tax audit for local businesses. Tax Management Associates, Inc. has submitted a proposal to institute the program for Windsor Locks over an accelerated two-year period of time during which they estimate the revenue that would be collected to be approximately $1,338,951.00 (conservative estimate) for each year in the two-year period. Payment for the service can be paid on a flat fee basis, or on a contingency basis (35% based on the current mil rate) on the revenue that is recovered. Two hundred twenty-five (225) accounts have been identified for audit. After the two-year period of time is over a maintenance program will be in place to make the process easier. Other municipalities are participating in this program.
The Selectmen felt that the audit was a good idea that could bring in more revenue to the town, and they agreed to recommend the program to the Board of Finance with a start date of 07/01/17.
NEW BUSINESS:
a. Set Town Meeting Date – New Transfer Requests
Two additional transfer requests have been identified for Town Meeting approval:
1. A transfer total of $265,000.00 (10% match from the Route 75 Interchange Grant that has been
set aside in a designated Capital Account) from three individual accounts to create an account
to purchase a dump truck for the Public Works Department;
2. A corrected transfer amount of $10,703.10 for Prior Year’s Tax Returns. The incorrect amount
of $10,314.15 was approved at the February 16, 2017 Town Meeting.
Selectman Hill moved to add these two transfer requests to the previously set Town Meeting date of April 4, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Selectman Balboni seconded the motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
b. Consider the Repeal and Replacement of the Blight Ordinance
The Blight Officer has submitted his comments regarding updating the Blight Ordinance. The Selectmen agreed to review them along with the Blight Ordinance from the Town of Enfield for continued discussion at the next meeting.
c. 2017 Small Cities Grant Agreement – Joint Community Application with the Town of
Ellington
The Town has participated in this same Grant application with the Town of Ellington for the last
two years. The Town of Ellington will perform all of the administrative tasks associated with the
grant. The grant funds can be used for lower income homeowners to apply for loans to make
improvements to their property. Several residents have applied for funding.
Selectman Balboni moved to enter into the “Joint Community Application Cooperation Agreement for the Connecticut Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program” with the Town of Ellington, and to authorize First Selectman Kervick the ability to execute all documents relating to this grant on behalf of the Town of Windsor Locks. Selectman Hill seconded the motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
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March 21, 2017
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d. Consider Transfer Request for Public Safety Upgrade Report
Selectman Hill moved to discuss item e. before item d. Selectman Balboni seconded the
motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
e. 2017 STEAP Grant Application
The $500,000.00 STEAP Grant will be used to continue the repairs to the exterior of the
Historic Train Station. It is the same Grant that was awarded to the town last year but the funding
never came through. DECD has encouraged the Town to apply again this year. The application
has been somewhat modified because of the recent renovations that have been completed.
Selectman Balboni moved to adopt the following Resolution:
RESOLVED, that First Selectman J. Christopher Kervick is hereby authorized to accept on behalf of the Town of Windsor Locks, a Connecticut STEAP Grant-2017 in the amount of $500,000.00 for restoration the historic train station on Main Street.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that First Selectman J. Christopher Kervick is hereby authorized to enter into and execute any and all agreements, contracts and documents necessary to obtain said STEAP 2017 Grant with the State of Connecticut.
Selectman Hill seconded the motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
d. Consider Transfer Request for Public Safety Upgrade Report
The Police Station is in need of extensive upgrades to become a more modern and professional
facility. The Fire and Ambulance Facilities also require major upgrades to be “up to code” with
current standards. The possibility of constructing a new Police Station, renovating the existing
Fire Department, and shifting the Ambulance Service to where the Police Department is now is
being considered.
A local family has offered to donate a site on Elm Street to the Town for the
location of a new Police Station with the request that the property be named to honor
the patriarch of their family.
The Police Commission is seeking $50,000.00 to do a preliminary feasibility study to review the
donated site, and to review all three departments to come up with an overall plan of how the shift
of the public safety services could work. The $50,000.00 would not include the final architectural
drawings.
The Selectmen felt that requesting the amount of $50,000.00 could be a hard sell at this time due
to the current budget crisis, especially when a feasibility study of the Public Safety Complex was
done only a few years ago.
The scope of the study will be defined and brought to the next Selectmen’s meeting for more
review and consideration.
APPOINTMENTS, RE-APPOINTMENTS, RESIGNATIONS:
a. Re-appointment of Suzanne Cannon to CONA for a term expiring on 05/22/18
Selectman Balboni moved to reappoint Suzanne Cannon to the Committee on the Needs of
the Aging (CONA) for a term expiring on May 22, 2018. Selectman Hill seconded the
motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
TAX REFUNDS:
Selectman Balboni moved to approve the March 21, 2017 Tax Refunds in the amount of $5,316.55 with Selectman Hill seconding the motion. All were in favor. Motion carried.
A copy of the March 21, 2017 Tax Refunds is attached to these Minutes.
Board of Selectmen
March 21, 2017
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PUBLIC INPUT: None.
SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS: None.
COMMENTS – FIRST SELECTMAN:
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further discussion or information to come before the Board of Selectmen;
A motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:28 p.m. was made by Selectman Hill and seconded by Selectman Balboni. All were in favor. Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan R. Barsanti
Susan R. Barsanti
Recording Secretary
Schedule A
Refund Request for March 21, 2017
Name / Bill Number / Reason for Refund / Refund AmountPrior Year Refunds
Automated Logic Contracting Serv.
4001 Leaden Hall Road
Mt. Laurel, N.J. 08054 / 2014-3-50527 / Vehicle Sold / $ 95.19
Don Cox
102 Green Briar Lane / Registered In
Johnson City, TN. 57615 / 2014-3-52568 / Tennessee / $ 33.89
Donald Gilbert
8 Northwood Drive
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2014-3-56128 / Vehicle Sold / $ 28.41
Green Energy Solutions
2 Northgate Drive
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2014-3-56387 / Vehicle Sold / $ 104.25
Hyundai Lease Titling Trust
3161 Michelson Drive / 2014-3-58891
Suite 1900 Attn: Property Refunds / 2014-3-58895
Irvine, CA 92612 / 2014-3-58904 / Over Payment / $ 536.51
Phuc Nguyen / 2013-3-63624
42 Marshall Road / 2013-3-63625
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2013-3-63626 / Over Payment / $ 239.29
WPCA
Re: Michael Lane
50 Stanton Road
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2014-1-2581 / Bankruptcy Re-Pay / $ 157.13
Current Year Refunds
James Bechdel 2nd
9 Druid Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-50849 / Vehicle Sold / $ 12.45
Cheryl Brown
10 Suffield Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-51484 / Vehicle Sold / $ 24.05
Ryan Tax Company / CSC Service
P.O. Box 460049 Ryan LLC
Houston, Texas 77056 / 2015-2-40166 / Computer Error / $ 11.98
Sheila & Denis Carrigan
238 Elm Street / Assessment
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-4-80372 / Reduced / $ 131.46
Wendy Christian
369 Ella Grasso Turnpike
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-52169 / Vehicle Totaled / $ 68.98
Stanley Cieslak & Susan Dalgleish
308 Old County Road
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-1-0881 / Vet’s Exemption / $ 79.98
Nancy Cooper
15 Quail Court
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-52478 / Vehicle Sold / $ 160.95
Laurie DiCioccio
46 Webb Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-53087 / Vehicle Sold / $ 28.98
Barbara Ege
132 Spring Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-55157 / Vehicle Sold / $ 7.36
Chad Giannuzzi
13 Second Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-1-2837 / Over Payment / $ 128.70
Green Energy Solutions
2 Northgate Drive
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-56296 / Vehicle Sold / $ 243.14
Hyundai Lease Titling Trust
3161 Michelson Drive
Suite 1900 Attn: Property Refunds
Irvine, CA 92612 / 2015-3-59197 / Over Payment / $ 173.29
Nicholas LaRusso
12 Fairview Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-60169 / Vehicle Sold / $ 57.98
Anna Marinone
29 Marion Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-60900 / Vehicle Sold / $ 6.96
David Montemerlo
25 Gantley Road
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-61534 / Vehicle Sold / $ 53.98
Nissan Infiniti LT.
P.O. Box 254648 / See / Assessment
Sacramento, Calif 95865 / Attached / Reduced / $ 2250.68
Blaise & Sally Pascale
46 Elm Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-62542 / Vehicle Sold / $ 443.89
Daniel Senofonte
18 Autumn Drive
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-4-87495 / Vehicle Sold / $ 153.91
Allan Smith
90 Stevens Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-68179 / Vehicle Sold / $ 11.09
Judith VanValkenburg
52 Andover Road
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-4-87721 / Vehicle Totaled / $ 22.18
Kristan Walters
326 South Center Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 / 2015-3-70006 / Vehicle Sold / $ 49.89
Prior Year Refunds / $ 1194.67
Current Year Refunds / $ 4121.88
Total Refunds / $ 5,316.55