There was a meeting of the RTM Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, September 24, at Canoe Brook Senior Center, 11 Cherry Hill Road, Branford, CT.
This was a joint meeting with the Public Services Committee.
The meeting came to order at 7:02 PM. Present for Ways and Means were Representative Avitable, Representative Nardella, and Representative Thayer. Representative Cinque and Representative Keefe were absent.
Present for Public Services were Representative Baker, , Representative Flanigan, Representative Hanlon, Representative Leonard, and Representative Twohill. Also present were Human Resources Director Joyce Forte, Fire Chief Jack Ahern, Assistant Chief Shaun Heffernan, and Finance Director Jim Finch.
1. To consider and, if appropriate, approve a request from the Board of Fire Commissioners for the following transfer (FY09):
From: 101-4904-494.59-13 Contingency ( 55,872)
To: 101-4244-424.10-44 Medic Part Time 11,257
101-4204-424.33-03 Ambulance Billing 10,972
101-4204-424.10-94 Education 33,643
TOTAL 55,872
Chief Ahern presented. The transfer is needed largely because ambulance billings by the department exceeded projections, with corresponding increases in Medic Part Time and Ambulance Billing expenses. Revenues from Ambulance billings go to the General Fund. The Education line is for paramedic training and overtime to cover time devoted to training.
Representative Twohill moved to approve, seconded by Representative Avitable. Approved unanimously in a joint vote by both committees.
2. To consider, and, if appropriate, approve a request from the Finance Director for the Following transfer (FY09):
From: 101-4904-494.59-13 Contingency ( 35,000)
To: 101-4903-493.35-05 Hypertension Disability 35,000
Finance Director Finch presented. The Heart and Hypertension Fund, which covers approximately 33 firefighters and police officers who were hired prior to July 1996, currently has a negative fund balance. As of the most recent claims review, there were 14 open cases at an average of $89,000 per claim, 7 of whom are active employees. The transfer request will improve the cash position in the fund and maintain a minimum cash balance of $150,000.
Representative Nardella moved to approve, seconded by Representative Twohill. Approved unanimously in a joint vote by both committees.
3. To consider and, if appropriate, approve a request from the Finance Director for the following transfer (FY09):
From: 101-4904-494.59-13 Contingency ( 321,432)
101.4901.49120.14 Retirement Municipal Employees( 18,677)
101-4901-491.20-16 Social Security ( 16,766)
TOTAL ( 356,875)
To: 101-4201-421.95-01 Operating-Transfer Out/ 122,219
Police
101-4204-424.95-01 Operating-Transfer Out/Fire 234,656
TOTAL 356,875
Finance Director Finch presented. The FY 2008-2009 Contingency budget included funds to cover anticipated retroactive settlement costs for municipal union contracts expected to be settled in FY 2009. This transfer covers those costs for the Fire contract approved in FY'09 and the anticipated costs for the Police contract that would most likely have been settled in FY'09 if not for an accident that temporarily incapacitated the union's chief negotiator.
Representative Baker moved to approve, seconded by Representative Avitable. Approved unanimously in a joint vote by both committees.
4. To consider and, if appropriate, approve a request from the Finance Director for the following transfer (FY09):
From: 101-4702-472.91-12 Bonding Costs (15,810)
o: 101-4901-491.20-19 Vol. Fire Stipend 15,810
Finance Director Finch presented. The Volunteer Firefighter stipend program was more successful than budgeted.
Representative Twohill moved to approve, seconded by Representative Avitable. Approved unanimously in a joint vote by both committees.
The Ways and Means Committees portion of the meeting adjourned at 7:46 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Scott Thayer
Ways and Means Committee Chair
September 27
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