The meeting was called to order by Chairman Joseph Mooney at 8:21 a.m. Also present were Lorraine Young, Charles Shelton, Jr., Victor Cassella, Jeffrey Vailette and Kenneth Kaminsky.
Also in attendance were Assistant Principal Lee Panagoulias and Youth in Government Coordinators Peter Bouley and John Albinger.
This meeting was held at Branford High School prior to the Youth In Government (YIG) breakfast. Youth In Government Day is held annually at Branford High School. Three parties run for the offices and key positions in the Town. The winners of this election are paired with the Town employee. The YIG breakfast brings them together and ends with students shadowing their ‘office’ for ½ day. At the suggestion of 1st Selectman Unk DaRos, the annual meeting of the Board of Finance to set the mill rate was scheduled prior to the YIG Breakfast to give the ‘elected students’ the opportunity to see their town government in action.
Chairman Mooney welcomed the students, teachers and administrators and gave an overview of the function of the Board of Finance and the budget process which would be complete for FY 2008-09 after today’s meeting, when the mill rate was set.
1. Mr. Shelton made the motion, seconded by Mr. Cassella, to approve the minutes of the April 28, 2008 meeting. The vote was unanimous.
2. The mill rate for fiscal year 2008-09 was set. Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Mr. Vailette.
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance does hereby establish the mill rate for the Town of Branford for fiscal year July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009 at 23.21. The vote was unanimous.
3. The Board of Finance heard a request from Joanne Cleary, Tax Collector, for the following transfer (FY 08):
From: 101-4904-494.59-13 Contingency ( 70,000)
To: 101-4107-407.59-01 Tax Refunds 70,000
Tax Collector Cleary explained that this transfer would take care of appeals through the end of this FY and that there are currently 30 appeals which remain unpaid
Mr. Vailette made the motion, seconded by Mr. Cassella.
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $70,000 as requested by the Tax Collector. The vote was unanimous.
4. The Board of Finance heard a presentation from Charles Andriole of Merrill Lynch and Michael LePore of Wachovia Securities with regard to the performance of the town’s pension fund and, if necessary, rebalance the pension portfolio for the quarter ending March 31, 2008.
Discussion followed. Chairman Mooney recommended revisiting rebalancing in July. No action was taken.
5. The Board of Finance heard a request from the Registrar of Voters for the following transfer (FY 08):
From: 101-4904-494-59-13 Contingency ( 3,000)
To: 101-4112-412-12-08 Registrars 3,000
Finance Director, Jim Finch, presented this item.
Mr. Kaminsky made the motion, seconded by Mr. Cassella
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $3,000 as requested by the Registrars of Voters. The vote was unanimous.
6. The Board of Finance heard a request from Dagmar Ridgway, Director of Canoe Brook Senior Center, for the following transfer (FY 08):
From: 101-4402-442.41-03 Equipment R&M ( 2,500)
To: 101-5000-500.95-10 Capital Procurement 2,500
(Vehicle Replacement)
Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Mr. Vailette.
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $2,500 as requested by the Canoe Brook Senior Center Director. The vote was unanimous.
From: 101-4904-494.59-13 Contingency ( 3,000)
To: 101-5000-500.95-10 Capital Procurement 3,000
(Vehicle Replacement)
Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Mr. Vailette.
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $3,000 as requested by the Canoe Brook Senior Center Director. The vote was unanimous.
From: 101-4402-442.11-06 Elderly Salaries (PT) ( 8,000)
To: 101-4402-442.11-08 Instructors 8,000
Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Mr. Vailette.
RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $8,000 as requested by the Canoe Brook Senior Center Director. The vote was unanimous.
7. The Board of Finance heard a request to approve a resolution authorizing additional funds for the Tabor Drive appropriation. Mr. Mooney read the following the resolution as prepared by the Town’s bond counsel:
A RESOLUTION AMENDING A RESOLUTION APPROPRIATING
$4,000,000 FOR THE COSTS RELATED TO THE ACQUISITION
THROUGH NEGOTIATED PURCHASE, OR THROUGH THE EXERCISE
OF EMINENT DOMAIN, OF THE 48-86 TABOR DRIVE PROPERTY AND
AUTHORIZING THE ISSUE OF BONDS AND NOTES TO FINANCE SAID
APPROPRIATION BY INCREASING THE APPROPRIATION AND
FINANCING AUTHORIZATION TO $4,950,000.
To recommend the resolution for adoption by the Representative Town Meeting.
Discussion followed. Finance Director, Jim Finch, gave an overview of the Tabor Drive expenditures (attachment).
Pursuant to a motion from Mr. Shelton and seconded by Mr. Cassella, the resolution passed unanimously.
8. The Board of Finance heard a request from the Finance Director that would allow the Town to establish a separate agency fund for the purpose of recording revenues and expenditures for developer bonds and/or fees held by the Town.
Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Ms. Young.
RESOLVED: The Board of Finance authorizes the establishment of the Developer Bond Fund. This fund will be used to record the revenue and expenditure activity related to the various types of bonds and fees charged by the Town. The vote was unanimous.
Chairman Mooney commended Assistant Principal Panagoulias and the Branford High School staff members for their commitment to the Youth In Government program, and thanked the students for their interest in government, encouraging them to consider careers in public service.
Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Mr. Kaminsky to adjourn the meeting at 9:34 a.m.
The vote was unanimous.
Dated this 27th day of May, 2008
Respectfully submitted,
Marianne Kelly, Clerk
Branford High School
Youth In Government ‘08
BREAKFAST/SHADOWING
MONDAY, May 15 @ 8:15 – Room B11
TITLE TOWN OFFICIAL STUDENT
FIRST SELECTMAN Anthony DaRos Brendan Adinolfi
BOARD OF SELECTMAN John Ahern
Kyle Geltman
Chen Ding
TOWN CLERK Marianne Kelly Nathan Graham
AX COLLECTOR Joanne Cleary Molly Zampano
TOWN TREASURER (pair w/finance director) Matt Casey
Owen Rood
BOARD of ASSESSMENT APPEALS Barbara Neal
TOWN PLANNER Shirley Rasmussen
BUILDING OFFICIAL nthony Cinicola Dan Aupi
FINANCE DIRECTOR James Finch Kelly Ricciardi
POLICE CHIEF Chief DeCarlo Brittany Swirsky
RECREATION DIRECTOR Alex Palluzzi Tucker Esborn
TOWN ENGINEER Janice Plaziak Eric Sokolosky
ECONOMIC DEVELOPER Terry Elton Margot Elton
ZONING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER Laura Magaraci Kyle Hodgkins
FIRE CHIEF Chief Ahern Ben Robbins
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Kathleen Halligan Hanna Carloni
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Peter Hugret Taryn Mockus
HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTO R Joyce Forte Matt Rosen
COUNSELING CENTER DIRECTOR Patricia Andriole CJ Wood
Dir. of SENIOR CENTER Dagmar Ridgway
SOLID WASTE MANAGER Peg Hall Warren Bianchi
SUPERINTENDENT, WPCF Manny Furtado Tim Plagenhoef
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Ed Masotta
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS Marion Burkard Eric Warner
Dan Hally
Phyllis Stackpole
Branford High School
203 315-7835
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