MINUTES
WATERTOWN TOWN COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
POLK SCHOOL LIBRARY
MONDAY, JULY 21, 2003, 8:00 P.M.
PRESENT: Elaine Adams
Lee Archer, Chairman
Raymond Hebert, Jr., Vice Chairman
Robert Kane
Jean King
Raymond Primini
Paul Rinaldi
Paul Valenti
Richard Wick
ABSENT: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Frank Nardelli, Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director
Meredith Robson, Town Manager
1. Call Meeting To Order
Mr. Archer, Chairman, Called the Meeting to Order at 8:00 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Ms. LaForme, Board Clerk, executed the Roll Call.
3. Pledge of Allegiance
Mr. Archer, Chairman, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 2
4. Public Participation
Michael Corcoran, 274 Tarbell Avenue, Oakville, CT 06779
Richard DeFederico, 20 Capewell Avenue, Oakville, CT 06779
Mr. Corcoran: We're with the Veteran's Council; I am the Chairman, Mr. DeFederico is the Vice Chairman. We just want to bring to the attention of the Council that we're present and I believe you have a memo stating the intentions of the Veteran's Council to have a Memorial put up in Veteran's Park.
Mr. Archer: Yes, and it is on the Agenda as Item 9E.
Mr. Corcoran: We're here to answer questions if there are any.
Mr. Archer, Chairman, Closed Public Participation at 8:02 p.m.
5. Minutes
A. Regular Meeting Minutes - June 16, 2003
MOTION: (Mr. Kane, sec. Ms. Adams) to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes dated June 16, 2003 as amended.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
6. Sub-Committee Reports
A. Public Works Subcommittee
Ms. Adams: We met last Tuesday. We're kind of limited as to what we can discuss because we don't have a budget, however one item that the Council spoke about a few months ago regarding back charging developers for snow removal, ice removal, etc., we have approved a plan that would need to be either amended, one of our current ordinances amended, or possibly a new ordinance so that may be something to refer to the Ordinance Subcommittee and we can take the next step with that, but there's a fee schedule approved, and conditions approved, etc.
Mr. Archer: Has that already been edited by legal?
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 3
Ms. Adams: It's going between Roy Cavanaugh and Frank Nardelli and Meredith Robson. As far to legal, we didn't feel that was our realm, but the Ordinance Subcommittee would be the one to take it to that step.
Mr. Archer: So that's something you're ready to turn over to Ordinance?
Ms. Adams: Yes.
Mr. Archer: Let's consider that done, and Dick, you can take it from here.
Ms. Adams: Secondly we talked about taking all of our, especially our drainage problems, to a referendum. We did approve a list of projects that basically people have complained about. They've been either safety concerns, predominantly in the Winter with icing, freezing, car sliding, trucks having to go out and make sure that these areas have been taken care of, so we have approved a plan to move forward to the Council to decide what they'd like to do with it. We also have a few transfers tonight.
Mr. Archer: Do you know how much that it?
Ms. Robson: It's almost $954,000.
Ms. Adams: For the drainage and there are some road improvements, just North Street, that's another $400,000 in change so it's probably $1,700,000 or $1,800,000, and there are probably more projects we could add to that, but these are the ones that have been on the list quite a long time.
MOTION: (Ms. Adams, sec. Mr. Rinaldi) to add Agenda Item 6C, Finance Subcommittee Report.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
B. Ordinance Subcommittee
Mr. Wick: We completed our work on the first draft of the new ordinance regarding the code of ethics, and that's on the agenda last for discussion. And the ordinance that we were asked to work on pertaining to the makeup of the E.D.C probably will be coming back at the next meeting. I intend to attend the E.D.C. meeting to discuss it with them before we come up with a recommendation.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 4
C. Finance Subcommittee
Mr. Kane: We did meet at 6:30 and just finished just before 8:00 tonight but it was probably the most difficult meeting we've ever had as you know. We are in a difficult situation, whether it be the State or Locally, and because of the previous two referendums that have failed we needed to make further cuts from a budget that had difficulty to make cuts from. We will be talking about that later on the Agenda and we feel that the majority of voters have spoken on the first two referendums so we needed to make further cuts on our side, as well as you will see tonight as we talk about the possible date as well as the question.
7. Chairman's Report
A. Correspondence
1. Letter Regarding Donation of Computers from The Siemon Company.
Mr. Archer: With apologies to The Siemon Company, the Agenda states that I'm going to read a letter regarding the donation of some computers by them to the Senior Center, and we do not have that letter in hand so I can't read it, but I do want to make mention that they have donated 3 or 4 computers to the Senior Center and I'm sure we'll come up with that letter and we'll read that into the record next time.
B. Facts and Fallacies
None
C. Other
Mr. Archer: This was probably the most difficult Finance Subcommittee meeting that we've had. According to the Governor's recommended budget cuts we are receiving $1,200,000 less this year from the State than we did the previous fiscal year, so in order to make up just that shortfall from the State would require a 1 mill increase, so it has been a difficult process to figure out how to make up that difference. Even if we were to have a 0 mill rate increase, we're essentially going backwards in our Town finances so we will be getting to specific recommendations later on in the meeting, but it is a difficult situation that the Town is in.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 5
8. Action Items
A. Consider Appointments to Boards and Commissions
The terms of various Boards and Commissions have expired or are expiring. Appointments must be made to fill these vacancies.
None
B. Consider Fiscal Year 2003-2004 Fiscal Year Budget
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to Table the 2003/2004 fiscal year budget.
Discussion: None
In Favor: Ms. Adams, Mr. Archer, Mr. Hebert, Mr. Kane, Mr. Primini, Mr. Valenti, Mr. Wick
Opposed: Mr. Rinaldi
Abstained: None
MOTION CARRIED (7-1-0)
C. Consider Setting Date, Time and Place for Machine Vote on 2003-2004 Budget
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Ms. Adams) to Table setting the date, time, and place for Machine Vote on 2003/2004 budget.
Discussion: None
In Favor: Ms. Adams, Mr. Archer, Mr. Hebert, Mr. Kane, Mr. Primini, Mr. Wick
Opposed: Mr. Rinaldi, Mr. Valenti
Abstained: None
MOTION CARRIED (6-2-0)
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 6
D. Consider Setting Ballot for Machine Vote on 2003-2004 Budget
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Ms. Adams) to Table setting the ballot for machine vote on 2003/2004 budget.
Discussion: None
In Favor: Ms. Adams, Mr. Archer, Mr. Hebert, Mr. Kane, Mr. Primini, Mr. Wick
Opposed: Mr. Rinaldi, Mr. Valenti
Abstained: None
MOTION CARRIED (6-2-0)
E. Consider Tax Refunds
The Town Council is being asked to approve the refunding of the overpayment of property taxes.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Taxpayers have made application for the property Tax Refunds in accordance with Section 12-129 Refund of Excess Payment; and
WHREAS, the Tax Collector recommends that the Refunds be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 12-129;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Council approves the following Tax Refunds:
1,153 Calca, Paul, N. Amount of Refund: $205.62
62 Ball Farm Road Type: M
Oakville, CT 06779-9171
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Deleted
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 7
1,154 Calca, Paul, N. Amount of Refund: $210.65
62 Ball Farm Road Type: M
Oakville, CT 06779-9171
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Veteran Exemption Applied
1,404 VT Inc. Trustee W O L T Amount of Refund: $155.20
3120 Rider Trail South Type: M
Earth City, MO 63045-1518
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Prorated
1,407 BMW Financial Services Amount of Refund: $176.81
5515 Parkcenter Circle Type: M
Dublin, OH 43017-3584
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Prorated
1,408 Vait, Ekrem Amount of Refund: $ 48.52
51 Pleasantview Avenue Type: M
Oakville, CT 06779-0000
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Deleted
1,409 Vait, Ekrem Amount of Refund: $ 34.00
51 Pleasantview Avenue Type: M
Oakville, CT 06779-0000
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Deleted
1,410 Vait, Ekrem Amount of Refund: $ 58.45
51 Pleasantview Avenue Type: M
Oakville, CT 06779-0000
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Deleted
1,411 Vait, Ekrem Amount of Refund: $ 37.40
51 Pleasantview Avenue Type: M
Oakville, CT 06779-0000
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Deleted
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 8
1,412 Vait, Ekrem Amount of Refund: $ 38.76
51 Pleasantview Avenue Type: M
Oakville, CT 06779-0000
Reason for Refund: Per Assessor, Account Deleted
TOTAL FOR ALL REFUNDS: $965.71
Dated at Watertown, Connecticut, this 16th day of July, 2003.
Lee Archer, Chairman
Watertown Town Council
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to approve the Resolution authorizing the Tax Refunds as presented.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
F. Consider Transfers – Fiscal Year 2002-2003
Town Council authorization is required for the transfer of departmental funding between line items.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, expenses in the 2002-03 Fiscal Year require the Transfer of Funds:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by vote of the Watertown Town Council, that the following actions are taken relative to the Transfer of Funds:
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 9
GENERAL FUND
WAGE AND SALARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR FY 2003-03
NO: 1
FROM:
010-50110-004-0012 Purchasing Agent $25,737
010-50120-004-2155 Data Processing assistant 15,600
010-50110-007-0042 Secretary I 2,638
010-50125-007-0000 Temporary Salaries 3,685
010-50125-009-0042 Secretary I 911
010-50120-010-0062 Registrars 1,090
010-50125-010-0066 Voting Machine Inspectors 2,573
010-50125-014-1902 Temporary Salaries 1,921
010-50120-019-0072 Crossing Guards 2,715
010-50110-020-0055 Patrol Sergeants 47,662
010-50110-020-0056 Detectives 43,846
010-50110-020-1822 Lieutenants 36,493
010-50149-020-0000 Other Compensation 5,131
010-50155-020-0000 Holiday pay 1,501
010-50110-025-0007 Communications FT 4,362
010-50120-025-0075 Communications PT 7,712
010-50130-025-0000 Communications TO 2,773
010-50155-025-0000 Holiday Pay 6,942
010-50110-030-0013 Town Engineer 2,271
010-50125-031-0000 Temporary Salaries 3,388
010-50110-036-0128 Park Maintainer 2,092
010-50125-036-0000 Temporary Salaries 10,162
010-50225-042-0000 Employee Severance 20,000
010-50160-043-0000 Police Special Duty 61,797
010-50110-045-0091 Wage & Benefit Adj. 49,747
010-50110-002-0001 Town Manager 2,194
010-50110-002-0041 Secretary II 3,198
010-50110-002-0047 Executive Secretary 1,222
010-50120-002-0043 Minute Secretary 1,935
010-50120-002-1764 Temporary Secretary 17,535
010-50110-004-0003 Finance Director 3,381
010-50110-004-0009 Data Processing Coordinator 11,671
010-50125-004-0000 Part Time Salaries 2,159
010-50110-007-0042 Assessor 6,349
010-50130-009-0000 Overtime 2,745
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 10
010-50120-010-0063 Deputy Registrar 2,375
010-50110-011-0019 Zoning Enforcement Officer 2,306
010-50110-011-0177 Assistant Zoning Officer 2,616
010-50120-011-0043 Minutes Secretary 1,219
010-50120-011-1654 Intern 9,273
010-50130-012-0000 Overtime 1,644
010-50120-013-0043 Minutes Secretary 4,239
010-50130-013-0000 Overtime 2,103
010-50120-014-0000 Part Time Salaries 1,281
010-50110-015-0005 Building Inspector 2,828
010-50110-016-1927 Fire Marshall 3,951
010-50110-016-1928 Fire Chief 4,909
010-50120-017-0069 Fire Volunteers 8,789
010-50110-019-0006 Police Chief 3,754
010-50110-019-0176 Deputy Chief 3,233
010-50110-020-0057 Patrol Officers 125,448
010-51030-020-0000 Overtime 85,836
010-50110-030-0011 Public Works Director 1,405
010-50110-030-0041 Secretary II 1,734
010-50130-030-0000 Overtime 2,621
010-50110-031-0024 Highway Superintendent 3,021
010-50130-031-0000 Overtime 1,536
010-50110-036-1766 Parks Director 1,929
010-50110-037-0020 Assistant Director 2,946
010-50110-037-1768 Recreation Director 3,759
010-50161-043-0000 Police Special duty 25,605
AMOUNT: $1,180 No: 2
FROM: $ 400, 010-50326-037-0000 – Recreation, Telephone
FROM: $ 780, 010-50310-037-2101 – Recreation, Background Checks
TO: 010-50319-037-0000 – Recreation, Vehicle Maintenance
REASON: Gas leak in Recreation Department Vehicle
Dated at Watertown, Connecticut this 21st day of July, 2003.
Lee Archer, Chairman
Watertown Town Council
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 11
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to approve the Resolution authorizing the transfer of departmental funding between line items for fiscal year 2002/2003.
Discussion: Ms. Adams: This is just to close out the year and to make sure that everything is . . . .
Mr. Nardelli: Yes, these are the wage and salary items that we're closing out.
Ms. Adams: This is going into the Genera Fund.
Mr. Nardelli: They're just transfers within the General Fund, from one line item to another line item.
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
G. Consider Transfers – Fiscal Year 2003-2004
Town Council authorization is required for the transfer of departmental funding between line items.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, expenses in the 2003-04 Fiscal Year require the Transfer of Funds:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by vote of the Watertown Town Council, that the following actions are taken relative to the Transfer of Funds:
GENRAL FUND
AMOUNT: $2,916 No.: 1
FROM: 010-50690-046-0000 – Contingencies
TO: 010-50120-002-1764 – Town Manager, Temporary Secretary
REASON: Funding for Secretary
Dated at Watertown, Connecticut this 21st day of July, 2003.
Lee Archer, chairman
Watertown Town Council
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 12
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to approve the Resolution authorizing the transfer of departmental funding between line items for fiscal year 2003/2004.
Discussion: Ms. Adams: Can we do this? We don't have a budget.
Mr. Nardelli: There's $35,000 in the contingency line item and based on last year's, you know we're 1/12 of the prior year's budget, that's what that $2,916 represents. The Town Manager is looking to maintain the Temporary Secretary for at least another month.
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
H. Consider Bid Waiver for Green Hills Subdivision Water Main
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Town Council approval is required for awarding service contracts in excess of $4,000.
WHEREAS, Town Council Authorization is required for any purchase exceeding $4,000 that has not been independently bid by the Town's Purchasing Agent; and
WHEREAS, per a Developer's Agreement the Water and Sewer Authority agreed to reimburse the Developer of Green Hills Subdivision for additional material or other costs associated with requiring larger than the standard mains:
WHEREAS, while the developer already had the contractor, Matty's scheduled to do the standard water main service, the Water and Sewer Authority authorized the contractor to install a larger main as permitted by the Developer's Agreement, they're incurring additional costs.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Watertown Town Council hereby approves the bid waiver for additional material or other costs associated with the larger mains required by the Water and Sewer Authority in connection with the Green Hills Subdivision Development.
Dated at Watertown, Connecticut this 21st day of July, 2003.
Lee Archer, Chairman
Watertown Town Council
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 13
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to approve the Resolution authorizing the bid waiver for a water main construction in connection with the Developer's Agreement for the Green Hills Subdivision.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
9. Discussion Items
A. Discussion and Possible Action on AT&T Water Tank Lease Agreement
Ms. Robson: We brought this up at the last meeting and there was some concern about the exhibits, and I think that's all been cleaned up, unless anyone has any additional questions.
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to approve the lease agreement with AT&T for cellular towers on the water tank on Buckingham Street
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
B. Discussion and Possible Action on Request from Board of Education to Change Town Council Meeting Regular Meeting Location for October 20, 2003 Meeting
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to move the October 20, 2003 Town Council meeting to Watertown High School Library or Swift Middle School Library.
Discussion: Ms. Robson: Do you want to just pick one?
Mr. Valenti: Yea, it's a little ambiguous, that's my only concern.
Ms. Adams: Swift's Library is very difficult to find, to navigate, to get to it. I think we're better off at the High School Library. It's pretty much at the front of the building, near the entrance and exits.
Mr. Kane: I agree. I think we've had a number of meetings at the High School Library, it's familiar, so I would choose the High School Library.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 14
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Ms. Adams) to amend the Motion to delete "or Swift Middle School Library".
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
C. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Acceptance of State Land – ConnDOT Garage on Route 6 and Possible Referral to Planning and Zoning for 8-24 Approval
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Ms. Adams) to refer the acceptance of property from the State of Connecticut, currently known as the ConnDOT Garage on Route 6, to Planning and Zoning for 8-24 Approval.
Discussion: Ms. Adams: We had discussed this briefly at our Public Works Subcommittee meeting and basically the garage isn't in the best of shape, but it would help us to get some of our larger equipment currently out in the open air, exposed to all the elements, get it under cover. It does need some work, I mean physically it's not much to look at but I think structurally it's not a problem. I think it's very positive and we should proceed with this.
Mr. Wick: A question about environmental issues, whether there is any potential, down the road, liability there and if so, how can that be addressed? Perhaps with a Hold Harmless or something like that?
Mr. Archer: Liability in what sense?
Mr. Wick: Pollution, the possibility of some kind of pollution.
Mr. Archer: Do we have any information from them that the land is clean?
Ms. Robson: I'm not aware of any environmental issues. Roy Cavanaugh is here. Do you have any information on that Roy?
Mr. Cavanaugh: To date the State has provided no environmental (inaudible) investigations for the property in question.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 15
Ms. Robson: We can certainly speak with Atty. McHugh to make sure there is some protection there.
Mr. Wick: I think that's prudent.
Mr. Archer: It says as the property will be conveyed for municipal purposes there will be no monetary consideration required. If at some future date the Town decides to sell this, what exactly happens? Do we then owe the State something? Is there an outstanding liability there?
Ms. Robson: They haven't indicated to us that there would b an "strings attached" but I can certainly check on that.
Mr. Archer: Yea, that's probably worth checking as well.
MOTION: (Mr. Wick, sec. Mr. Hebert) to Table.
Discussion: None
MOTIONPASSED UNANIMOUSLY
MOTION WAS NEVER VOTED ON (TABLED)
D. Introduction and Setting of Public Hearing Date, Time, and Place for the Proposed "Town of Watertown Elected and Appointed Officials Code of Ethics Ordinance".
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Ms. Adams) to set a public hearing on August 4, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. at the Polk School Library to hear comments on the proposed Town of Watertown Elected and Appointed Officials Code of Ethics Ordinance.
Discussion: Mr. Kane: Our Finance Subcommittee was planning our next meeting on that same evening. I know two of us, Dick and myself, are on both committees and we know that it's impossible to be in two places at once, so I'm wondering about the logistics of how we planned this.
Mr. Wick: Well we suggested this date before we knew what their decision was going to be tonight about the budget, so I would suggest that we amend the Motion to schedule it prior to the September 2, 2003 Board meeting.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 16
MOTION: (Mr. Wick, sec. Ms. Adams) to Amend the Motion that the Public Hearing be September 2, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. at the John Trumbull Primary School Library.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
E. Consider Supporting the Concept of the Veteran's Council Proposal to Place a Monument at Veteran's Memorial Park
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Mr. Kane) to support the Concept of a Memorial to be placed at Veteran's Memorial Park with the suggestion that the Park and Recreation Commission work with the Veteran's Council on appropriate language, size, design, and location for the Memorial.
Discussion: Ms. Adams: I'd just like to say I think it's totally appropriate that a Veteran's Memorial be at Veteran's Memorial Park and would endorse the concept wholeheartedly.
Mr. Archer: As do I. Michael and Richard, since you're here, would you like to speak?
Mr. Corcoran: Actually this is the brainchild of Art Shrier who is the only Pearl Harbor survivor I know in Town, and he belongs to Post 5 of the American Legion, one of the four posts that make up the Veteran's Council. The Veteran's Council is in agreement with his ideas. Now how far this planning has gone, he's gone to different places in the State and has taken pictures of different monuments and it's in total cooperation with Park and Rec so there is no plan as of yet. We're waiting for approval and then we and Park and Rec will go from there.
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 17
F. Update on Griffin School RFQ/P Process and 8-24 Approval
Ms. Robson: The R.F.P. requests have gone out. We had a pre-proposal meeting on July 14th and that was attended by about 6 or 7 individuals representing different corporations. We are looking at a date of August 8th to receive the proposals back in Town. I'll review them with staff by August 26th. If needed we'll have a meeting with the developer a couple of days later and then I expect to get all of your recommendation by September 8th so that you have about a week to take a look at them, prior to the September 15th meeting, and then if you're able at that point, well I would make a recommendation to you and if you're able at that point, based on the information that you have, I would suggest that you would consider making some decisions at that point regarding the building and what you'd like to do with them based on those proposals. We have had a fair amount of interest in the facility, based on the phone calls that we've had, so I'm anxious to see what happens in August.
G. Discussion and Possible Action on Resolution authorizing the Issuance of Not Exceeding $8,615,000 Refunding Bonds for Payment in Whole or in Part of the Outstanding Principal of and Interest and Any Call Premium on the Town's $3,118,000 General Obligation Bonds, Issue of 1995 and $7,000,000 General Obligation Bonds, Issue for 1999, and Related Costs.
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Ms. Adams) to approve the Resolution authorizing the issuance of not exceeding $8,615,000 refunding bonds for payment in whole or in part of the outstanding principal of and interest and any call premium on the Town's $3,188,000 General Obligation Bonds, issue of 1995, and $7,000,000 General Obligation Bonds, Issue of 1999, and related costs.
Discussion: Mr. Nardelli: Again at the Finance Subcommittee meeting last month when we had Barry Bernabe from Webster Bank do his presentation on the refinancing, at that time the rates were low. The Long Term Treasury Rate was very low. Unfortunately sine then it's spiked, it's gone up a little bit, so on July 31, 2003 is when we do our negotiated bond sale so we have to see what the rate is at that time, whether we move forward or not, but this is just the authorization from you people so we can do that.
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 18
H. Discussion Regarding Capital Budgets
Ms. Robson: As you know I've been working on a 10 Year Capital Plan and I have that in draft form. I've spoken to Frank and he's spoke to our Financial Advisor about the plan. There is some further work that needs to be done in terms of now taking information from a Financial Advisor on what he suggests should or should not be put in a bond ordinance, so I want to work through what we have right now and come back to you with a clear capital plan that has, actually in two parts. One will show you all the capital items that we need to take care of, which as you all know are very significant. The other piece of that will be how we intend to fund them. Now some of them will end up being in the operations budget as they have typically been, others perhaps we might look at leasing when that makes sense, and the ones that are more significant, building and road improvements projects, those types of things, those we will look to work with our financial advisor in terms of spreading out that cost over that 10 year period, or actually further past the 10 year period so that the cost for those items are spread out as evenly as possible so that we don't take big hits in any one given year, knowing that all or a large majority of the building capital projects we really should have done yesterday, so we'll do our best to try and spread that cost over time. I do have that in the works.
I have given that to the Superintendent of Schools to take a look at so that the schools can also add their information, which I know the Superintendent is anxious to do. Unfortunately, or fortunately I guess depending on your perspective, most of his staff is off and on vacation during the Summer so that they can get back for the school year, so he has not been able to put a great deal of time into that as yet, but he intends to do that, so what I'm hoping is that we can have a draft for you from both sides, at least to consider and where we're headed with it, but we are working very hard on that so the community has a complete picture of all of the major projects and capital items that we need to do in this community.
But having said all that there are a couple of things that I would recommend to you that you take a look at right away. One is the list of D.P.W. projects that the Public Works Subcommittee has worked out in order to get something done. You may recall before the last budget referendum we took out a number of items from the budget with the idea that we would then put them into a bond ordinance to try and get those projects done in that manner and so they have worked through that and added some other major road projects and they have a list that totals, as I said earlier, about $954,000, and again that's culvert work, drainage work, road improvement work, so I'd like to be able to move forward on that.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 19
In addition to that you have some months back been given the Fire Department's request for renovations to Company 1, for about $543,000. I would suggest you consider placing those two items and they would be separate questions, they would not be totaled for the community to vote on, but they would be separate questions to be put on one referendum so that the community can vote on those projects. Those are two groups of things that really should move ahead as quickly as possible, so I'd like to be able to work with Bond Counsel and with our Financial Advisor and come up with some scenarios in terms of funding for those, so all I really need from you tonight is to go ahead to go ahead and do that, and then we'll put some hard numbers down for those. Again those two categories, the Fire Department renovations and the Public Works projects.
Keep in mind also that we have a number of items as we mentioned earlier in the Finance Subcommittee meeting that will be put before the voters at some point over the next several months. There's the potential question of the Swift School renovations, the High School track, and there is additional funding that's needed there, about $225,000 in order to complete the work that was originally contemplated. We have the bids out now (Tape #1, Side A ended – may have missed some) work will cost us and you may choose then to go out to referendum on that project as well. There is potentially some open space acquisitions that I'd like to discuss with you as well in Executive Session so there are a number of things that we have on our plate to take a look at, but again the two I'd like you to consider at least this evening in order for us to start moving ahead and working with Bond Counsel and our Financial Advisor is the list of D.P.W. projects and the Fire Department renovations.
Ms. Adams: I just wanted to add something, it's along those lines, it's one that you've crossed off your list. One that has been on the Board of Education's for an improvement is what is affectionately known as the pit at the High School. Roy got a call from the State when they were milling up Main Street in Oakville, would you like millings, and Roy said sure. He got his crew, took the millings, and put them down, recycled them and put them down at the pit at the High School, so it's a good use of recycle and it's one less project that has to be done. I wanted to report that during my report.
Ms. Robson: Yea, that's great, they've actually been able to do that in a few different areas.
Ms. Adams: He's creative, he's an environmentalist too, I guess, by recycling.
Mr. Archer: Do you actually need a Motion on our part to go ahead with those things?
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 20
Ms. Robson: It doesn't really matter to me, you're not really taking formal action on the bond ordinance tonight, so a Motion would probably be the easiest and the clearest so we can go ahead and put those numbers together.
Mr. Kane: I don't know the amount.
Ms. Adams: We don't need a dollar amount, I think it's a conceptual thing right now.
Ms. Robson: It's roughly the $954,000 . . . .
Ms. Adams: Yea, that was the drainage and stuff, then there were some road improvement projects, such as North Street intersection, I mean real safety items another $700,000, and $5,300,000 for the Fire Department renovations.
Mr. Archer: Why don't we hold on this and we can do this after we come out of Executive Session and then just do a Motion so it's more official.
MOTION: (Ms. Adams, sec. Mr. Kane) to Move Agenda Item #13, Adjournment to #14 and then Add Item #13, Discussion of Capital Budgets.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
10. Public Participation
Michael Jarjura, Mayor, City of Waterbury
Mayor Jarjura: Thank you Mr. Chairman. Honorable Council Members, for the record my name is Michael Jarjura and I'm the Honorable Mayor of the City of Waterbury, and with me is John Lawler, our Director of Public Works. I wanted to come before all of your tonight and seek your reconsideration of a matter that involves our two towns on Overlook Avenue. I visited the site twice now, and as many of you know this was part of our sewer, to correct some of the sewer problems between the two towns, and they installed a new sewer collection system so that the effluent that will flow form Watertown into the Waterbury treatment center is properly monitored and there won't be any more questions about billings, and things like that. As a matter of fact, we're working on a lot of corrections in the City of Waterbury, cleaning up a lot of things. It's been a tall order to say the least, and so part of this, the City of Waterbury proceeded after receiving all the necessary approvals here and on the City Board of Alderman and our Public Works Department and the projects I guess are about 90% completed.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 21
The final portion of course is now this roadway and we have a paper street and Watertown has a paper street and it's really not a big street. From wall to wall that's about the size of the street. The sewer manhole covers are there and the processed stone is all in place, and the reason I came is because I think really the simplest way for us to proceed is to go ahead and pave the road because really we need to assure access should something rupture in the sewer line and be able to get to it, so if we don't pave it, and I hope we do pave it because I think that that really would add to the security up there, really maintenance issue. If we don't pave it there will be maintenance issues on both sides about how do we maintain, or do we take the processed stone back off, put some grassy areas up there, I just don't know what we would do, but at a minimum we would need at least a 25 foot easement. Please don't ever give up your side of the paper road because then we would have no ability from the Sewer Department in Waterbury to get onto that piece of property so that's why we thought the best course of action would be to pave it and it would really provide unencumbered access if anything happened with that section of the line over there. So that's why I wanted to come before you today. I'm going to turn it over to John Lawler for a couple of comments regarding this and he's our Director of Public Works.
John Lawler, Director of Public Works, City for Waterbury
Mr. Lawler: Good evening Mr. Chairman, Council Members. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to speak this evening. I could imagine that there are a lot of questions that were had in this Council chamber with respect to Overlook Avenue. I just want to touch on a few, and then certainly answer any questions that you might have. I was not present when opposition spoke, whether it be to this Commission or to your Planning and Zoning, which I understand took a negative action. There were a couple of things the Mayor didn't actually initiate, but both he and I had met with the folks who were generally in opposition on several occasions and we spoke to them on several occasions about some of the issues. We tried to explain to them the reasons why it was necessary to do what it is we're asking you to reconsider today. Some of the issues that came out, and I don't want to dwell on all of them, but I wanted to answer the questions that may not have been asked here tonight, the matter of the road being paved and the area becoming a raceway. As all of you know that have driven up there, the road right now is a T'd intersection. If the area that we're asking for were paved, it would still remain a T'd intersection. The only people that would use that portion of the road that we're asking to continue with would be the folks that lived up there. One of the concerns I have, and I'm sure your Pubic Works Director in Watertown has similar issues, as do your public safety personnel - response times and accessibility to only to the sewer which is primary and paramount to our reason for even asking for it, but our ability, your ability to stay within your Town for the purposes of, be it refuse collection, street paving, street plowing, or whatever your Public Works functions are, or whatever your public safety functions are, or for that matter residents of Watertown or Oakville being able to stay within Watertown or Oakville to be able to access their neighborhoods without having to drive a considerable distance around the block, so we're asking for a reconsideration of what we thought was a reasonable request and was originally part of the initial application for construction.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 22
Some of the other items I can understand the concerns and the passions of the folks in the neighborhoods. They stressed crime. I can sympathize with their concern, however I don't think paving a road would in fact increase crime. The issue of children hanging out I know is a concern everywhere, but again I don't think what we're asking for is much different than what's out there now. As the Mayor described the road is already in processed aggregate. The only thing missing from the final equation is the bituminous concrete asphalt that would be the finished wearing surface. I don't think that by simply putting that application on at this point in the process is going to cause an increase in crime, although I could certainly understand and sympathize with the neighbors out there on that concern.
There may have been some other issues which were raised and I'd be happy to field any of those questions if they're still going unanswered, but again I've worked alongside with Mr. Roy Cavanaugh and his predecessor as well as Meredith Robson to discuss the issues. As the Mayor had indicated we dealt in good faith from the very beginning. The sewer separation was something that we know Watertown was pushing for and the State D.E.P. was in favor of and we were glad to come to the table and do this joint venture with Watertown, but we'd certainly be a lot happier in the long run if we were able to have this paved access, because ultimately the Agreement requires the City of Waterbury to be responsible for maintaining those lines, and if those lines were not maintained in the manner of which we're asking for, it would make it difficult for us, in looking down the road as a Public Works Director, and I'm sure if I asked other Public Works Directors in the room to testify they'd probably say much the same thing, that if you had full accessibility your ability to respond to an emergency in that area, should one arise, is a lot easier than if it were a non-paved area, and you have issues of moving vehicles, or moving fences, or moving other items that may have over time cropped into that area. Again I thank you for your time, I would be happy to answer any of your questions, and ultimately I'd like to ask the Council to please reconsider its earlier decision. Thank you.
Ms. Adams: John, you are planning on paving your part of the paper street, if we don't reconsider?
Mr. Lawler: Yes.
Ms. Adams: And you're familiar with what happened at our last meeting with the vote?
Mr. Lawler: Not really. My understanding is that Planning and Zoning had taken an action requiring another course of action and my understanding was unless the issue was overridden by the Town Council in a super majority that action would stand.
Ms. Adams: Exactly.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 23
Mr. Wick: You say the area now is covered with subsurface gravel and the only difference between the condition now and the ultimate condition that you're seeking is the actual asphalt application?
Mr. Lawler: Yes, that's correct.
Mr. Wick: So in essence there is a road there now?
Mr. Lawler: That's correct. In fact I should back up just a second. I mentioned that I had conversations with both Meredith and Roy on this matter. One of the things that Waterbury considered, because our two town standards, from a road construction standpoint, are significantly different, our roads in Waterbury being much wider, we had already conceded an issue to Watertown Town standards. We were asking for, in Waterbury we normally pave our roads 38 feet wide and then you have 5 to 6 feet of curb and shoulder on either side, which fills your full 55 foot right of way. We were only asking for a minimum 24, 25 feet travel lanes, one in each direction, with the necessary shoulders, so you can see that's considerably smaller than we would normally do, and the purpose was to move the project along and because it joins the two towns, try to keep it with keeping with Watertown's standards.
Mr. Wick: I have one question, though, about the condition of the road now. I don't think anybody would disagree with the need for access for maintenance and emergency repairs in the future. Are you saying that the roadwork that's been done so far is inadequate to give you the kind of access that you need in the future?
Mr. Lawler: Ultimately in order to have full access abutting what is currently a street in the City of Waterbury would be a street that continued through and connected the two crossroads, Pullen and Capewell. Could you drive a vehicle across the processed aggregate that's there now? Of course, as in any road that's the portion of the roadway which carries all the weight, however it's the wearing surface that over time is going to allow that processed aggregate to remain in place. One Winter one series of plows having had access through that area, that process is quickly going to push aside and it's not going to look a year from now the way it does right now. If nothing else weeds will grow up through it and it will be difficult to maintain.
Mr. Wick: And do I understand you to say that a portion of Overlook is in Waterbury and another portion is in Watertown?
Mr. Lawler: That's correct. Of the portion under discussion here today, that's correct.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 24
Mayor Jarjura: Aesthetically you couldn't leave it like it is now. I'm sure you're going to get calls from the residents and I'm getting calls too, aesthetically you couldn't just leave it with the processed stone. I think you would have to figure out something else, and as I see it, and I drove around it, I wanted to go with a very open mind to see exactly what the brouhaha was about, and I said to myself, it was just like a natural, you put a little pavement down and it really enhances the two houses on both sides of this road, just my opinion. I want to thank you for allowing us to come and speak to you today.
Mr. Primini: I just want to make a, clear a point because the original concern was if you went with the wider road the asphalt was going to be about 5 feet from one gentleman's house, and about how far would it be now with the small road?
Mr. Lawler: I don't have the plans in front of me, but as I mentioned the right of way of the paper road that's out there already goes within 6 feet of one of the homes. We are not looking to pave the full extent of the right of way. We've already conceded the point, as I mentioned, that we're only going to pave what we thought was the minimum amount that we would need to pass traffic safely and allow us to get in there and do our work, so although the right of way will always be the same distance from the house as it has been, the road pavement which we would like installed at this point would be further away. The exact dimension I don't know, but it wouldn't be 6 feet I can tell you that.
Mr. Primini: It would be a substantial more distance away than the 5 feet that was originally talked about before?
Mr. Lawler: It would be more than that. Roy, do you have that number off hand?
Mr. Cavanaugh: The bituminous concrete would be about 18 feet (inaudible) driveway.
Mr. Primini: Cause I know that was one of the original concerns about the neighbors down there, about the closeness of the road to the house originally.
Mr. Cavanaugh: Right. I don't think you're going to see the difference between the right of way and the actual edge of paving.
Mr. Lawler: I know the concerns of the neighbors in that area, particularly those that are immediately adjacent to the project, like many other residents that abut properties that our municipalities own but don't use, they enjoyed the pleasure of the properties for several yeas, but unfortunately not only the property, you know as the property owners we always reserve the right to go in and do what we need to do, and installing roads and utilities are the reasons that these rights of way were laid out initially. It's unfortunate that the neighbors' enjoyment of these pieces of property are in jeopardy, but we've got to keep in mind that that's the reason that those were laid out initially was for this very reason.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 25
Mr. Archer: Thank you both for coming in and making yourselves available for questions. Appreciate it.
Mayor Jarjura: Thank you for having us.
Al Mickel. 173 DiNunzio Road, Oakville, CT 06779
Mr. Mickel: The proposed ethics ordinance, how do I get a copy of it?
Ms. Robson: We can give you a copy.
John Bongiorno, 1254 Litchfield Road, Watertown, CT 06795
Mr. Bongiorno: I have a couple of questions and hopefully some thoughts. One of the things that I've noticed is that the commissions are dwindling rapidly. We're barely having enough people for our commission meetings and there don't seem to be any appointments, and it's not just because it's the Summer months. People have moved around to different commissions. I would like for your consideration eventually to open the Town Charter back up and allow Independents to interview through the Town Council to get onto some of these committees to fill them back up with hopefully some people who may have some background in these areas. We're not even drawing from half of what the Town has to offer in lieu of the way it's set up today, and it certainly would make for better for different people to have the ability to get appointed to a Commission.
Mr. Rinaldi: Either party can appoint independents if they so wish.
Mr. Bongiorno: I didn't know that.
Mr. Rinaldi: They just don't do it, obviously.
Mr. Bongiorno: If we could go back to our respective individual parties and try to convince them to do that, it would probably behoove us. We do need some more people and we need people who can add a little energy to things; sometimes we get stuck in the mud and I'd really like to see that happen.
Another thing I've noticed is I would like you to write in your little notes that to speak to all commission members on all commissions to show respect for other commissions. I have come across some instances and some comments that certainly don't reflect the intentions of all the people on these particular commissions, but I think it's inappropriate and unprofessional for individuals to mock or otherwise speak badly of another commission when they like them, don't like them, care for them, or don't. You represent your Town, and as such you stand up there in a strong manner, and whether you like what someone else is doing or not, you surely shouldn't be voicing your opinion in the open forum of the record.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 26
Another instance I've come across in all my note taking I would like to see some day that we have obviously enough Commission members and that we don't allow an individual to sit on P & Z, Z.B.A., C.C.I.W.A. or Water & Sewer. No one person should sit on more than one of these commissions. You would have the ability to, you would have too much empowerment from places that you would be placed in regards to particular developers and subdivisions and development (inaudible) anything even a strong individual, this should put a lot of pressure on some individuals to be on two of these particular committees, that's why I believe that if you're on P & Z or on Inland/Wetlands you shouldn't be on Water & Sewer, nor should you be on Z.B.A. I believe there are huge conflicts of interest and I don't believe there's anything in our records regarding you can or can't do that. We've had some instances where some issues could arise if you vote on something in a particular commission and you sit on another commission and the individual comes before you again, it would pretty much so be pre-determined what your vote would be, no matter whether it were a totally different issue or not, so for the protection of the Town and just a good ethical procedure I would like to see that that start coming into play.
I wish the Mayor didn't leave. I was very impressed that he took the time out to come down here and speak to you because I watched the whole thing take place with the individuals on Overlook, and whereas I also happen to be sitting in on P & Z when they discussed the entire thing, and Rico did a heck of a job and it's great to see people take their time out and certainly have that kind of vigor to do something, but with respect to the particular contract that we signed I still have a problem that we don't honor it. Should they concede the 24 foot road, I mean they had their gardens down there, the big argument in Town is Pubic Works, Fire Department. They don't like emergency access ways, they don't get maintained, so to their defense I understand the one thing that could be a problem, the middle of Winter, both towns plow their snow up against the border and something happens in the middle; they're not going to be able to get there and there isn't going to be access. And we constantly go back and forth about this emergency access that P & Z thinks is so wonderful, yet no one maintains, snow piles up, nothing gets mowed, I could see where they would have the gripe for access to these areas. I'm happy to see that we conceded to the 24 foot. I mean it makes it a little better and I know that they were used to it being grass, but in the long run I mean for a consistency perspective if that's the way that it was meant to be, and we said we would do it that way, we probably should get our commissions and our contracts in the same order so that we don't have to have the Mayor come down to talk to people again. Thank you.
Mr. Archer, Chairman, Closed Public Participation at 8:56 p.m.
11. Old Business
None
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 27
12. Executive Session
A. Legal Matters
B. Pending Litigation
C. Personnel
D. Property Acquisition/Negotiation
MOTION: (Mr. Hebert, sec. Ms. Adams) to enter into Executive Session at 8:57 to discuss legal matters, pending litigation, personnel, and property acquisition/negotiation with the 8 Town Council Members, Ms. Robson, and Mr. Nardelli.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
The following people were present during Executive Session:
Elaine Adams
Lee Archer
Raymond Hebert
Robert Kane
Raymond Primini
Paul Rinaldi
Paul Valenti
Richard Wick
Frank Nardelli
Meredith Robson
Mr. Archer, Chairman, Reconvened the Regular Meeting at 9:45.
No Motions Were Made; No Votes Were Taken.
MOTION: (Mr. Wick, sec. Mr. Kane) to Add Agenda Item 13A, Reconsider the Motion from the previous meeting Denying 8-24 approval where we voted Not To Override the P & Z decision on 8-24 Approval for Overlook.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANINOUSLY
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 28
13. Discussion Regarding Capital Budgets
MOTION: (Mr. Kane, sec. Ms. Adams) to allow the Town Manager to prepare a capital budget plan with anticipation of said plan to go out to the populous in Town.
Discussion: Ms. Robson: Do you want to focus on the D.P.W. and the Fire?
Mr. Archer: Okay.
Ms. Robson: With the protection to do a bond ordinance.
Ms. Adams: I'm confused. I thought this was capital budgets and for you to proceed with that and to bring something back to us?
Ms. Robson You mean the plan? That I'm doing anyway. Just for D.P.W. projects and for fire renovations.
Mr. Hebert: I have a question regarding those once he makes his Motion and we go to discussion.
MOTION: (Mr. Kane, sec. Ms. Adams) to amend the Motion to read that the Town Manager be allowed to pursue a capital budget plan more specifically for particular Department of Public Works projects as well as the Fire Department to be bonded or pursue a bond ordinance for said projects with anticipation to go to referendum.
Discussion: Mr. Hebert: We have at least 3 or 4 more that are going to come up behind this. To save resources and money and if some of them are close to going out also can we basically stack a referendum of, (inaudible) questions and saying that no one rides on the other.
Mr. Archer: Each one is an up and . . . .
Mr. Hebert: Each one is an up and down on their own and that way we won't have to have . . . .
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 29
Ms. Robson: Each one would be separate and you would certainly save probably a significant amount in Bond Counsel fees and Financial Advisor fees. One issue is if you have them all together is there more chance of success if they're all lumped together or they're somewhat separate questions? The other issue is timing. Some of the projects are more quickly done than others.
Mr. Rinaldi: I remember years ago we used to put out a lot of multiple question referendums for projects and whatever, and most of them we voted on separately. One in the early 90's, when they did the whole upper French Street project, there were like 8 questions on that referendum.
Ms. Adams: That was the 80's Paul.
Ms. Robson: (Inaudible ) for 4 questions I think which were the police, road improvement project . . . .
Mr. Rinaldi: Most of them passed, a couple didn't, but most of them did. If you throw them out there you should make them individual because you run the danger of putting them all together and losing the whole show in one shot. You're always better off putting them down separately. You might get (inaudible).
Mr. Hebert: Whatever is ready to go . . . .
Ms. Robson: Let's talk a little bit about the timing of it, at least this is what Frank and I have come up with tentatively as best we can figure it out. The Swift renovations, the architects are looking at an October timeframe for a referendum. The High School track could go out tomorrow. We know the grant money we received is $500,000 and the additional funds we need are about $225,000. Now this is without adding in the Bond Counsel costs or any of the fees related to the referendum. Turkey Brook could be $1,500,000, we'll know . . . .
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 30
Ms. Adams: As of Friday Turkey Brook had two companies that took out the bid packages. One was Manfort who's doing French Street, and I forget who the other one was. If they didn't get more people coming in to get these packages, they were going to make some calls to see if anyone was interested.
Ms. Robson: Do we get them back in the end of August? And the open space acquisition, probably take a couple of months on that.
Mr. Archer: And then we have D.P.W. and the Fire Department.
Mr. Rinaldi: You're giving those priority, right?
Ms. Robson: D.P.W. and Fire, yes. (Tape #1, Side B ended – may have missed some).
Mr. Kane: You said that the track could go out at any time as well.
Mr. Hebert: You want to throw the track on there too?
Ms. Robson: Well the track is based on an estimate from the firms that submitted responses. There is a meeting next Monday with the Facilities Committee to talk a little more about that, so I will have a better handle on that after that meeting, but generally speaking they have an estimate for the additional funds they need.
Mr. Primini: I'm in favor if we go with the 2 or 3 right now, cause the last time this was done 11 years ago there was 5 items, and (inaudible). I think the problem you're going to have, if you do all these big ticket items in one shot you're going to overwhelm people and they're just going to check no off on everything.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 31
Mr. Rinaldi: I don't know. This is Watertown. 90% of it is perception. If they think the project is good, they have a tendency to support it. A lot of road projects, D.P.W. projects, the Fire Department, if they think it's good they'll probably support them even though they're big ticket items. There are other items that they perceive as not getting as big a bang for their buck. For example open space. I think open space is tremendous. Some people don't. It depends, it doesn't matter what you put on there for a price tag, you're going to get your no votes and your yes votes, but I think capital projects that help the Town, safety projects, I don't think you're really going to have a problem. Even Turkey Brook, the first time, it passed, much to my surprise, but it passed.
Mr. Primini: We have to be doing our homework at the same time. With the capital improvement items, that's not going to be done in one year, that will be done over a 5, 10 year period.
Mr. Rinaldi: Well you have to see it.
Ms. Robson: And by the time . . . .
Many people talking at once (inaudible).
Ms. Robson: By the time the referendum is held, I will have gotten to you and you will have at least had initial discussions on that 10 year draft plan at that point, but still so the community will know, we're not just looking at this peace meal, we are looking at it over time and we're simply choosing those that are the most . . . . .
Mr. Hebert: But right now stacking 4 questions together let's say for discussion, also saves on, you know, we've got enough on our plate now, we've got to try and get as much done in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of money. If 4 or 5 things are ready to go now, that's what we should do.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 32
Ms. Robson: Well the things we could probably put on the soonest, and again after the High School track or after the Facilities Committee meeting next Monday I'll have a better feel, but you probably could add D.P.W., Fire Department, High School Track and go out pretty quickly. Again Swift is not until October because the architect won't be done yet.
Mr. Archer: October is the earliest you could do Swift?
Ms. Robson: Yes, well I may really need to do it then because of the construction schedule, so it really does need to be in that timeframe. A week or two probably won't make a difference, but a month would.
Mr. Nardelli: It takes at least 6 weeks before you can go to referendum. There has to be a bond ordinance introduced, there has to be a public hearing on the ordinance, then there is a 30 day waiting period after that so this doesn't happen overnight.
Ms. Adams: We have some highly esteemed members of our Fire Department here. They had solid number, dollars, things like that, I was wondering how long those bids or quotes were good for?
Chief Black: They were good for then. Every year they go up, so we're going to need to, so once we get an okay to proceed with this we're going to need to update the figures. We're still waiting for an answer from the parties next door to the firehouse for the small amount of property we need. They do appear to be willing to give us the property but we don't know how much yet. We might be able to make a deal there because they're looking for some better access to their property and we might be able to provide that for them and make a swap, but we need to talk with the architects and get some updated figures. I don't think it will be a huge increase cause I don't think construction costs have gone up that much in the last 4 or 5 months, but it may be a little bit more.
Ms. Adams: How long would you need to get these items done?
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 33
Chief Black: I would hope within a month, but by the time we get everything ready we might be into September.
Ms. Robson: I was thinking late September, early October, but you might want to wait a few extra weeks and add in Swift.
Mr. Rinaldi: We could always approve the concept. As far as what projects you plug into it, that could always be determined as time goes along, depending on what's ready, what's bidded out . . . .
Mr. Hebert: We might get lucky.
Ms. Adams: I'm all in favor of putting the Fire Department and the Pubic Works projects to referendum. The rest of it I don't know. Those are pretty much ready to; let the chips fall where they may with the rest of them. Let's just concentrate on these for now and see what happens.
Mr. Kane: I agree.
Ms. Robson: What about the track, cause the track may be as well?
Mr. Adams: We'll have an update in a couple of weeks too; at our next meeting we'll know more then.
Mr. Rinaldi: You could talk and come back with a proposal in a couple of weeks.
Mr. Hebert: When is the earliest? Right now we have the middle of August we have the special election for the 68th, September 16th we have, can we squeak one in between there and election day?
Ms. Robson: Yes.
Many people talking at once (inaudible).
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 34
Mr. Hebert: Start proceeding with the items that are ready, the 3 items, and if something else comes up then we can add that in too.
Ms. Robson: Well how are we going to give direction to Bond Counsel cause they'll only start working on a few projects and then (inaudible).
Mr. Kane: The Motion was regarding the D.P.W. Projects and the Fire Department.
Ms. Adams: Can we hold this until our next meeting? Is it really going to make a difference? It's still giving you 2.5 months.
Ms. Robson: Yea, you can revisit it on the 4th.
Ms. Adams: Cause then you'll know about the track, you'll have more answers there, we may have more answers regarding the Fire Department and what they need.
Mr. Kane Withdrew his Amendment to the Motion.
Ms. Adams Withdrew her Seconding of the Amendment to the Motion.
Mr. Kane Withdrew his Original Motion.
Ms. Adams Withdrew her Seconding of the Original Motion.
Mr. Wick: When I mentioned the property that will be needed for the Firehouse expansion project, that caused me to think that it might be prudent to try and get an option on it as soon as possible so that there's no uncertainty about the availability of that part of the project. Even if we lose the option money, if it's not a large amount, I don't know how much we're talking about, I think it's good insurance to have an option so there's no question about the availability of it, and it could be that the property could be sold to somebody else tomorrow for all we know, and the new owners might not have the same cooperative nature that Larry expressed with respect to the present owners, so I just think it's prudent to get an option.
Ms. Robson: We can certainly talk about that. I'm not sure that that's really the kind of property that would be up for grabs.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 35
Mr. Black: I don't thinks op.
Ms. Robson: It's not likely.
Mr. Black: They're not expanding their business (inaudible).
Mr. Wick: It just removes one element of uncertainty from the whole equation.
Mr. Black: We'll proceed as quickly as we can.
13A. Reconsider the Motion from the previous meeting Denying 8-24 Approval where we Voted Not to Override the P & Z Decision on 8-24 Approval for Overlook.
MOTION: (Mr. Wick, sec. Mr. Kane) to reconsider the previous action where we decided not to reverse the 8-24 Denial on the Overlook Avenue Project.
Discussion: Ms. Adams: As far as I know, we're reconsidering now. Dick was opposed the last time, and since he's asking for reconsideration, I'm pretty sure that's in the ball park.
Mr. Rinaldi: That's what we have to do.
Mr. Hebert: So an affirmative vote is what?
Ms. Adams: We override.
Mr. Hebert: If we vote yes, it's an override.
Mr. Wick: Let me tell you why. I learned something new tonight when we listened to Mayor Jarjura and Mr. Lawler, and one thing is that the area we're talking about has already been made into a roadbed and that the only thing lacking is the asphalt topping, so in essence the road is there already. I think a more significant fact, however, that I didn't understand up until this evening, is that more than half, perhaps even two thirds of the length of Overlook that is proposed to be paved is in Waterbury. A minor portion of the length of the road is in Watertown, and we've been told that the Waterbury portion is going to be paved anyway, we have no control over that, and that was a fact that eluded me or was never mentioned at all in previous conversations, and I think would have affected my opinion prior to this evening. So given this new information I think it makes sense to accept reality for what it is and remove any impediments that we may have provided to having the project completed as planned.
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 36
Ms. Adams: The fact is this is a contract negotiated several years ago and I did not have a comfort level overturning something that was done several years ago. We're picking up pieces of somebody else's work.
Ms. Robson: You do have an open petition for abandonment from Mr. Ceniccola, so obviously whatever decision you make tonight, I have to bring that to you again anyway, so you'll make a decision tonight, and then you'll see that particular petition because that has to be formerly (inaudible).
Mr. Kane: I think the Mayor brought up another good point about that and said if that were to happen, then they would never have access to anything that they might need as far as repairs to the sewer line, so that would be extremely detrimental to our relationship and our ability to maintain that project.
Ms. Adams: We had in the room this evening somebody who was very much grateful to the City of Waterbury, a Town resident, because he was the one who was getting the sewage backed up into his basement, so there are two sides to everything.
MOTION: (Mr. Primini, sec. Ms. Adams) to Move the Question.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNAIMOUSLY
In Favor: Ms. Adams, Mr. Archer Mr. Hebert, Mr. Kane, Mr. Primini, Mr. Wick
Opposed: Mr. Rinaldi, Mr. Valenti
Abstained: None
MOTION CARRIED (6-2-0)
14. Adjournment
MOTION: (Ms. Adams, sec. Mr. Kane) to Adjourn the Regular Meeting at 10:08 p.m.
Discussion: None
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
Watertown Town Council
Regular Meeting
July 21, 2003
Page 37
Regular Meeting Adjourned at 10:08 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lee Archer, Chairman
Watertown Town Council
Approved: _______________________________
Lynn M. LaForme, Clerk |