EAST LYME BOARD OF FINANCE
Wednesday, NOVEMBER 14th, 2007
EAST LYME BOARD OF FINANCE
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Members In Attendance: Sharon Hansen, Chairman
Robin Maillett, Secretary
Isidore Schwartz
Paul Formica
Bob Jones
Also In Attendance: Anna Johnson, Finance Director
Ron Pringle, Niantic Fire Chief
Absent: Rocco Tricarico
Chairman Hansen called this Regular Meeting of the East Lyme Board of Finance to order at 7:00 PM. She noted that Mr. Tricarico was out of Town on business and unable to attend this evening.
The Pledge was observed.
C. Delegations
Ms. Hansen called for delegations.
There were none.
D. Approval of Minutes
¨ Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Regular Meeting
Ms. Hansen called for approval or any changes to the Board of Finance October 10, 2007 Regular Meeting Minutes.
**MOTION (1)
Ms. Maillett moved to approve the October 10, 2007 Regular Meeting Minutes of the Board of Finance as presented.
Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 – 0 – 2. Motion passed.
Abstained: Mr. Formica, Mr. Schwartz
E. Reports
a. First Selectman’s Report
There was no report.
b. Financial Report
Ms. Johnson said that she would update them in sections.
à Audit Update
Ms. Johnson reported that the auditors are currently scheduled to finish their field work after Thanksgiving. She said that they may have to apply for a one month extension from December 31, 2007 to January 31, 2008 but they will wait to see what happens.
à Annual Report Update
Ms. Johnson reported that she did not have anything on this yet however they also have not asked anyone for anything on it. She said that she would take this up with the new board in December.
Mr. Jones asked if she is going to be responsible for it.
Ms. Johnson said yes.
à Proposed 2008/2009 Budget Process
Ms. Johnson said that they had a copy of this in their packets and asked for comments.
Mr. Jones said that he has read the outline and that it states that there are Exhibits but there are none attached.
Ms. Johnson said yes, she had forgotten to attach them and that she would provide them at their next meeting.
Mr. Jones asked Ms. Johnson if she would provide them to him before their next meeting so that he could review them and be prepared to discuss them at the meeting.
Ms. Johnson said that she would.
Mr. Formica and Mr. Jones said that they thought that the Proposed Budget Plan was a good starting point to work from.
à Review of October 2007 Revenue and Expenditure Reports
Ms. Johnson went over the Month End Report for October 2007 with comparisons to the previous year. She noted that she had provided them with an updated report. (Copy attached at end of Minutes).
a. Move to approve a Special Appropriation in the amount of $2,000 to CERT for Program Expenses – reimbursable by Statewide Citizen Corps Council.
Ms. Hansen called for a motion on this item.
**MOTION (2)
Ms. Maillett moved to approve a Special Appropriation in the amount of $2,000 to CERT for Program Expenses – reimbursable by Statewide Citizen Corps Council.
Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
b. Move to approve a budget transfer in the amount of $20,000 to Account 8-01-01-113-210-222 (Vehicle Maintenance – Police) from Account 8-01-01-113-200-290 (Insurance P, D & L).
Ms. Hansen called for a motion on this item.
**MOTION (3)
Ms. Maillett moved to approve a budget transfer in the amount of $20,000 to Account 8-01-01-113-210-222 (Vehicle Maintenance – Police) from Account 8-01-01-113-200-290 (Insurance P, D & L).
Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion.
Mr. Jones asked about the insurance and if they have that extra money in there.
Ms. Johnson said yes, they do and that it is from the personal property and liability account.
Ms. Hansen called for a vote.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
c. Move to appropriate and transfer up to $75,000 from General Fund Undesignated Fund Balance to an account to be established titled, “NFD Fire Pump” for the replacement of the fire pump on Apparatus #1 for the Niantic Fire Department.
Ms. Hansen called for a motion on this item.
**MOTION (4)
Mr. Schwartz moved to appropriate and transfer up to $75,000 from General Fund Undesignated Fund Balance to an account to be established titled, “NFD Fire Pump” for the replacement of the fire pump on Apparatus #1 for the Niantic Fire Department.
Ms. Maillett seconded the motion.
Mr. Formica said that he thought that this would come in around the mid $50,000 range and asked if they are going up to $75,000 in the event that there are other issues and so that they can extend the service life on this item.
Ron Pringle, Niantic Fire Chief said yes, they do expect that it will be in the mid $50,000 range and that it will extend the life of this item for some 10 to 15 years.
Ms. Hansen asked if this is what it is typically budgeted for.
Mr. Pringle said that there was $10,000 in the capital side but at that time they did not know the serious nature of the work that would have to be done.
Ms. Hansen called for a vote.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
d. Move to ratify an inter-departmental transfer of $3,778.94 from Account 7-01-30-317-224 (Road Reconstruction & Repairs) to Account 7-01-01-105-100-314 (Engineering Overtime).
Ms. Hansen called for a motion on this item.
**MOTION (5)
Mr. Schwartz moved to ratify an inter-departmental transfer of $3,778.94 from Account 7-01-30-317-224 (Road Reconstruction & Repairs) to Account 7-01-01-105-100-314 (Engineering Overtime).
Mr. Jones seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
G. Public Discussion
Ms. Hansen called for Public Discussion.
There were none.
H. Board Comments
Ms. Hansen said that there were a couple of things that she wanted to touch base on – she congratulated Mr. Formica and wished him well and thanked the public for the four (4) years that she has had serving on this Board as it was a great experience.
Mr. Formica echoed Ms. Hansen’s sentiments and wished Ms. Hansen, Ms. Maillett and Mr. Tricarico good wishes and luck with whatever they chose to do.
I. Adjournment
**MOTION (6)
Ms. Maillett moved to adjourn this November 13, 2007 Regular Meeting of the East Lyme Board of Finance at 7:25 PM.
Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Zmitruk,
Recording Secretary
Wednesday, NOVEMBER 29th, 2007
EAST LYME BOARD OF FINANCE
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
Members In Attendance: Sharon Hansen, Chairman
Robin Maillett, Secretary
Isidore Schwartz
Bob Jones
Rocco Tricarico
Also In Attendance: Members of the public
Absent: No One
Chairman Hansen called this Special Meeting of the East Lyme Board of Finance to order at 6:00 PM.
The Pledge was observed.
Mr. Jones asked that they add Delegations to the agenda.
Ms. Hansen asked where he wanted it added into the agenda?
Mr. Jones said that he would make a motion to add it before New Business –
**MOTION (1)
Mr. Jones moved that Delegations be added to agenda before New Business.
Mr. Tricarico seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
C. Delegations
Ms. Hansen called for delegations.
Allan Taylor, 10 Lakeview Circle said that for the last 25 to 30 years that it has been the practice of the Board of Finance that when anyone moves, dies, resigns etc. that whichever party that person was from is also the party of the person filling the position. Ms. Hansen and Mr. Schwartz were placed on the Board of Finance in this way. He said that he called the Chair and requested that it be done this way and mentioned the names of two (2) republicans that they decided that they did not like so he mentioned a third person and they said that they would not honor the principles that had been followed in the past. He said that he did not know anything else until he received an email from Ms. Hansen regarding the meeting of this evening.
He then learned that a person who had changed her party in July, who is also a close friend of Ms. Hogan, had, as of two (2) days ago changed her party back to the republican party and was now the person that they wanted to fill the vacancy. This would be a sham to the people of this Town as this person is not a republican. He said that he has the letter of resignation that she wrote to the RTC and the letter that she wrote to the Day to prove this. This is nothing more than a way to circumvent the methods that have been in place for years – the same methods that in fact, put Ms. Hansen and Mr. Schwartz on the Board of Finance.
He said that he would however like to recommend Scott Fraser as a replacement to fill the vacancy as he is non-political and has served the Town on this Board before. He said that he hopes that they would entertain this recommendation.
Ed Morris, 16 Terrace Avenue said that yes, they did get together and have a meeting and they did come to a tentative agreement regarding what they might do – however, he said that he did not feel that it was something that was for everyone to be involved in – and then on November 21, 2007 at 5:30 PM he said that he received a phone call from Mr. Formica saying that the deal is off and that they will have to come up with some new names. So, as far as he is concerned, it is for the Board to decide what they are going to do.
Tom McHugh, 88 Smith Street said that he is afraid that this is not going to do any good as this is all a sham and it is what caused the rupture of the Democratic Party in the first place. And, this sham started with the Public Safety building earlier this year. If they keep up this sham all they are doing is giving the Republican Party more ammunition to use against them and it will haunt all of them. He said that he is a registered Democrat and that the sham needs to stop so they can move on.
a. Accept the resignation of Paul Formica from the Board of Finance
Ms. Hansen asked Mr. Tricarico to read the letter of resignation from Paul Formica into the record.
Mr. Tricarico read the letter dated 11/16/07 to Esther Williams from Mr. Formica stating that he has enjoyed his time on the Board of Finance and is resigning effective with the letter. It was noted that Ms. Williams, Town Clerk had recorded it at 10:25 AM on 11/16/07.
**MOTION (2)
Mr. Schwartz moved to accept the letter of resignation of Paul Formica from the Board of Finance effective as of 11/16/07.
Ms. Maillett seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
b. Motion to nominate and appoint board member replacement
Ms. Hansen called for nominations for a replacement Board of Finance member.
**MOTION (3)
Mr. Jones moved to nominate Scott Fraser to fill the vacancy on the Board of Finance from the resignation of Paul Formica.
No second. Motion dies.
**MOTION (4)
Mr. Schwartz moved to nominate Jill Carini to fill the vacancy on the Board of Finance from the resignation of Paul Formica.
Ms. Maillett seconded the motion.
Mr. Tricarico asked that the candidate address the Board.
Jill Carini said that she resides at 10 Corey Lane in Niantic.
Mr. Tricarico asked her to go over her political experience in Town.
Ms. Carini said that she has resided here for 25 years now, has a daughter and has been active with the PTA and the school in various capacities. She said that she was on the Assessment Board of Appeals for 14 years and has been on the RTC for 16 years and has worked on as many things as possible to help the Town. Two (2) years ago she ran for a position on the Board of Selectmen, as a Republican.
Mr. Tricarico asked if she has been a Republican.
Ms. Carini said yes, she has and that she is looking forward to this position to be able to serve her Town.
Mr. Schwartz asked Ms. Carini to speak about her background and professional experience.
Ms. Carini said that she is a LCSW but is not practicing and that she has been working in a banking capacity for the last 10 years. She said that she has also been involved in business development and residential mortgages prior to her position currently with a local bank.
Mr. Jones said to Ms. Carini that she had written a letter of resignation to the Chairman of the RTC stating that she felt cheated – he read part of the letter into the record regarding the resignation and asked her why she would write that when she had sat at the RTC meeting and when the paper came around asking people to sign up for positions that they would be interested in running for, that she had not signed up for anything – so how was she cheated?
Ms. Maillett and Mr. Tricarico called for the Chair to move the vote on this and not take any further discussion.
Ms. Hansen called for a vote on the motion.
Vote: 4 – 1 – 0. Motion passed.
Against: Mr. Jones
E. Board Comments
Ms. Hansen called for comments from the Board members.
Mr. Jones said that he is very disappointed in this Board in that they would not even have the decency to second the motion for Scott Fraser and give him the opportunity to tell them his experience and to talk with him. He has served on this Board previously for some six years and they would not even talk to him.
Mr. Tricarico said that he takes offense to the accusations of the RTC Chair and is troubled that things are based on political assumptions as he thinks that Ms. Carini shows the diversity of talent of the people on this Board and will also represent women as no one put up a woman to run to replace the two that are leaving.
Ms. Hansen said that she thinks that the term ‘ammunition for the Republicans to use in the future’ speaks very poorly for the Town.
F. Adjournment
**MOTION (5)
Mr. Schwartz moved to adjourn this November 29, 2007 Special Meeting of the East Lyme Board of Finance at 6:25 PM.
Ms. Maillett seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 – 0 – 0. Motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Zmitruk,
Recording Secretary