TOWN OF WINDSOR TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING JUNE 8, 2015 COUNCIL CHAMBERS APPROVED MINUTES

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1 TOWN OF WINDSOR TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING JUNE 8, 2015 COUNCIL CHAMBERS APPROVED MINUTES 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Trinks called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present: Mayor Donald Trinks, Deputy Mayor Jody Terranova, Councilors Randy McKenney, William Herzfeld, Alan Simon, Donald Jepsen, James Govoni, Kenneth Wilkos and John Gamache. 2. BUDGET DELIBERATIONS AND ADOPTION OF REVISED FY 2016 BUDGET Preliminary motions MOVED by Councilor Herzfeld, seconded by Councilor Simon to reduce the Board of Education s budget by $100,000 from $66,575,950 to $66,475,950. Mayor Trinks read aloud a memo from the Superintendent of Schools to the Board of Education on the subject of preschool at Roger Wolcott School. Dr. Craig Cooke, Superintendent of Schools, recommended that the Board of Education remove its request to receive control of the Roger Wolcott building for education purposes because the administration does not believe it has the time necessary to prepare the school building and hire staff to begin preschool at Roger Wolcott in September. Councilor Jepsen inquired about the total budget proposal to be offered tonight. Councilor Herzfeld withdrew his motion. Councilor Wilkos raised the possibility of removing a total of $294,000 from the proposed Board of Education budget in consideration of not having a preschool program at Roger Wolcott School in Fiscal Year Deputy Mayor Terranova discussed the previous reductions to the Board of Education s proposed budget, explaining that previous reductions can be considered to have already eliminated funding to have preschool at Roger Wolcott School. MOVED by Deputy Mayor Terranova to amend the proposed budget for Safety Services by $100,000, reducing it from $9,976,810 to $9,876,810. Deputy Mayor Terranova said that the motion is an attempt to equalize cuts.

2 Windsor Town Council Meeting Minutes 2 Councilor Jepsen asked if there are specific cuts in Safety Services. Deputy Mayor Terranova answered no. MOVED by Councilor McKenney that the budget for Public Works be amended from $5,277,280 by $100,000, making it $5,177,280. Councilor Jepsen asked what part of the Public Works budget is being targeted. Councilor McKenney said there is no particular target in Public Works. Councilor Simon recommended a reduction in General Services of $100,000 from $10,835,020 to $10,735,020. He said the reduction would specifically remove the $100,000 to the Open Space Fund. Councilor Jepsen said he wants a more proportional cut in the budget between the General Government and Board of Education. Councilor Simon said that he also is in favor of a proportional cut. He explained how he and Councilor Jepsen differ over how to calculate the proportionality of the cuts. Councilor Wilkos expressed his displeasure with proposing to cut all of the new Open Space funding. He said that going after the Town side of the budget is a bad idea. Councilor Simon asked if a $194,000 cut from the Board of Education will result in a passed budget. Councilor Wilkos said no, but it is a start. Councilor McKenney said that he finds it interesting to hear an impassioned plea about Open Space and not hear an impassioned plea about preschool. He said that no one discussed proportionality when the Town Council cut the school budget. Councilor McKenney explained that he does not know what every person that voted wants the Town Council to do. He went on to discuss the logic of people complaining about school scores and simultaneously not wanting to fund a preschool program that will help close the achievement gap. Councilor Jepsen said education is more important that Open Space. He went on to discuss a lack of parent voting on the budget and that the Town Council has to listen to the people that are voting. Councilor Simon said that he does not have a problem having budget meetings so that the Town Council can try to hang on to the services provided in Town and try to prevent people from losing their jobs. He said that the process is ruining the community and driving down property values. Councilor Gamache said that property values circle around increasing taxes and performance of the schools. He said that no one said that they do not want pre-k. Councilor Gamache said that there is a lack of budget transparency. He went on to discuss the Superintendent s proposed budget for pre-k. He also said that the voters do not want an increase.

3 Windsor Town Council Meeting Minutes 3 Councilor Herzfeld discussed the difference between opinions and facts with respect to the FY 16 budget. He said that people are putting out pejorative opinions as facts. He talked about the impacts that cuts will have on services and the town overall. Councilor Herzfeld asked for an explanation as to how schools do better with less money. Mayor Trinks noted that people critical of the proposed budget did not offer suggestions aside from cuts to the Board of Education budget. He expressed his frustration with people not wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to have expanded preschool at very little cost to the town. He praised the school staff and said that the success the school system has is due to the excellent staff. Mayor Trinks cited the school district s multiple successes. He said that the Town Council has to do something about the budget and that it must make a commitment to the Public School system which is truly the Town s gem. Councilor Jepsen requested a five minute recess. Seconded by Councilor Herzfeld. The motion passed with Councilor Wilkos opposed. Recess began at 8:18 p.m. and ended at 8:30 p.m. Councilor Jepsen asked the Town Manager what the impacts of the proposed cut would have on the Town side of the budget. Town Manager Souza provided a general overview of the consequence of the proposed cuts. He stated that with the $100,000 reduction it will most likely result in the elimination of the proposed new emergency dispatcher position and $25,000 within the Fire Department s proposed budget for length of service may be reduced by $15,000. Town Manager Souza explained that he would examine the area of staff vacancy savings. Town Manager Souza stated that in the Public Works Department the following may occur: part-time maintenance staff levels would likely be reduced; a layoff or reduction may come from a retirement; and a $30,000 reduction in contracts and supplies may be realized from the Public Works budget, specifically in the area of catch basin cleaning. However, the funding may be made up from state town aid for road funding. Councilor Jepsen said that he does not think the next referendum will result in a passed budget and that people will want more cuts on the Board of Education side. Deputy Mayor Terranova asked what it would take for the budget to pass referendum. Councilor Jepsen said that he hopes the budget will pass and that it will take a more energized electorate to get the budget to pass. He said the no voters want to see the Board of Education budget have less than a one percent increase.

4 Windsor Town Council Meeting Minutes 4 Councilor Simon expressed his concern that people opposed to the proposed budgets have no concern about the consequences caused by budget failures, particularly on the school side. He spoke about the need for compromise in order for the budget to pass. Councilor Simon expressed appreciation for Councilor Jepsen s comments and his support tonight. MOVED by Councilor Herzfeld, seconded by Councilor Simon that the Town Council reduce the Board of Education s proposed budget from $66,575,950 to $66,475,950. Councilor McKenney said he thinks the Board of Education has been cut enough and that he cannot support any more cuts. MOVED by Councilor Gamache, seconded by Councilor Jepsen to amend Councilor Herzfeld s motion so that the Board of Education s budget be reduced by $1,355,277, from $66,575,950 to $65,220,673. Councilor Gamache said that the voters have given a mandate. Deputy Mayor Terranova asked Councilor Gamache to speculate where the proposed cuts to the Board of Education would come from and where they would impact. Councilor Gamache spoke of misinformation in the proposed Board of Education budget. Councilor McKenney questioned the figures that Councilor Gamache was using. Councilor McKenney said that the proposed amendment to significantly cut the Board of Education would hurt every child in the school system not just the pre-k group. Councilor Simon spoke about the lack of consideration given to the impact that such a significant cut would have. He explained that he does not expect ignorance from elected officials that have access to information about the budget. Councilor Herzfeld said the proposed amendment would result in a massive layoff of teachers across the board. He explained that the ramifications of such a cut would not result in the school getting better and that the kids would suffer. Motion Failed (Councilor Gamache in favor and all other Councilors opposed) MOVED by Councilor Wilkos, seconded by Councilor Jepsen to amend Councilor Herzfeld s motion so that the Board of Education s proposed budget would be reduced by a total of $294,000. Councilor Wilkos expressed his belief that what the Town Council is cutting is a proposed budget, not the budget that was established the previous year. He explained that the Superintendent s budget contained $194,000 for preschool at Roger Wolcott School and that eliminating that funding plus $100,000 would increase the chances of the budget

5 Windsor Town Council Meeting Minutes 5 passing. Mayor Trinks called for a vote on the amendment to the motion. Motion Failed (Councilors Wilkos and Govoni in favor and all other Councilors opposed) Mayor Trinks called for a vote on the original motion made by Councilor Herzfeld and seconded by Councilor Simon. Motion Passed (Mayor Trinks, Deputy Mayor Terranova, Councilor Simon, Councilor Herzfeld and Councilor Jepsen in favor, Councilors McKenney, Govoni, Wilkos and Gamache against) Final Motions MOVED by Deputy Mayor Terranova, seconded by Councilor Simon to reduce the proposed budget for Safety Services of $9,976,810 by $100,000 to $9,876,810. MOVED by Councilor McKenney, seconded by Deputy Mayor Terranova to amend the Public Works budget by $100,000 from $5,277,280 to $5,177,280. MOVED by Councilor Simon, seconded by Councilor Herzfeld to amend the General Services portion of the budget by reducing it $100,000 from the amount of $10,835,020 to $10,735,020. MOVED by Councilor Jepsen, seconded by Deputy Mayor Terranova that sections E, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P of the expenditure budget be approved as submitted. MOVED by Councilor Simon, seconded by Councilor McKenney to accept the General Fund expenditure total as $106,558,490.

6 Windsor Town Council Meeting Minutes 6 MOVED by Deputy Mayor Terranova, seconded by Councilor Simon to accept the proposed budget revenues of $106,558,490. Motion Passed (Councilor Gamache opposed) MOVED by Councilor Jepsen, seconded by Councilor Wilkos to accept the tax collection rate and Senior Tax Relief amounts as previously submitted. 3. SET DATE OF BUDGET REFERENDUM: MOVED by Councilor Simon, seconded by Councilor Jepsen that the repeated vote on the budget be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at all seven polling places. Mayor Trinks called for the vote. 4. DISCUSS AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE REGARDING TAX BILLING SCHEDULE: Town Manager Souza provided an historical overview of tax billing and discussed options for the Town Council to consider. Councilor Herzfeld asked which option is the least expensive in the overall picture. Town Manager Souza said that mailing after a budget is in place would be the least expensive, depending on interest rates in the near future. Councilor Herzfeld asked if it would reduce the town s bond rating. Town Manager Souza said it would likely not. Councilor Simon spoke in favor of a two-billing option, citing his opposition to using the General Fund to supporting operating budget expenses. Councilor Govoni agreed. Councilor Herzfeld also spoke in favor of the two-billing option. Councilor Jepsen said that the second billing may be so little an amount that people will not pay it or will not even be billed. MOVED by Councilor Simon, seconded by Deputy Mayor Terranova to direct the town administration to utilize the two tax billing option as described in the Agenda Item Summary of on this topic.

7 Windsor Town Council Meeting Minutes 7 Councilor Jepsen offered a friendly amendment to the motion. The friendly amendment is that motor vehicle billing be excluded from the two billing option and that one motor vehicle bill be sent out once the budget is passed. Motion passed ADJOURMENT MOVED by Deputy Mayor Terranova, seconded by Councilor Jepsen to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Jonathan Luiz, Assistant Town Manager