Video index

1. Call Meeting to Order

7

2. Roll Call

Roll call (10 Present, 0 Absent, 0 Excused)

3. Public Participation [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Town Council.]

none

4. Communications

none

5. Town Manager's Report [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Council.]

6. Items for Discussion

A. Capital Projects Budget Presentation

Snyder and Pendleton presented the Capital Projects budget to the Town Council Snyder - we do have our guests here and they will be able to answer any questions. Wagner - Wapping School renovation - just design or make changes Ray Favreau - have building assessed - make sure we know what we are going to be betting into. Wagner - the Energy Committee has been studying town building - Wapping is . Are we doubling the usage of the buildng? Ray - certainly may be. We will be utilitizing the building 7 days Wagner - look to see what the State has for energy rebates. The new school has very moder HVAC equipment coming in. Ray - welcome the assistance Wagner - may be possible to put some of the money from the LED into using it for this building. I don't think there is enough money out there to do the police station. Is that the actual work Clay - yes the actual work to replace the heat pumps, etc. Wagner - so maybe that is another area to find some rebates. Clay - you can go online and try to find. maybe we can get some money for reconditioning. Anwar - while this presentation was about 15 minutes there was about 25 hours of meeting time to get the presentation together with the list of priorities. Some times it is easy to remove items from the list. The Capital Projects put a lot of time and energy into the creation of this list. We will hav eto look at eh long term strategy. we need to make sure we Snyder - on the back of the presentation, individual project proposals, there are cost savings. Fiber Optics - annual savings 53,000 savings per year if that project is complete. Wagner - the Manager's budget - if we go with 1.78M Anwar - will go 6.8% Galligan - The Energy Committe has been looking a performance contracts. When they have gone to LED lights and there is a savings. They don't take those funds out of the budget and they would be allowed to use those funds in the next year budget. This way the Counci lwoudl be able to see something get done. Would just have to be for energy saving projects. you have to have a project that will save you money in order to take those funds to do another energy savings project. Riley - fiber comunications network #6 - 53,000 savings. Is that in your budget now? Galligan - yes Riley - this would be the estimated savings Galligan - we are paying for that ability right now. if you do that project will save that amount of money and the bandwith Riley - 4 year payback on a 20 year - is 53,000 in your budget now Galligan - yes

B. Parks & Recreation Department Budget Presentation

Anwar - letter into the recrod - thanks to John Caldwell and staff for taking evasive vines - Joanne - Strawbridge Community Ray Favreau - presented the Park & Recreation budget. Anwar - quality of life perspective the Park & Recreation Department is a large contributor. Pendleton - great presentation - video - Wagner - spend a lot of time with SWW&WW - Havens - why is the attendance going down at VMP. Ray - the facility is now 12 years old. We added two mechanical features to the facility. we need to add more items to the facility. There is not enough variety at the VMP. We have competition that is less expensive and they have all of the fun stuff. We are going to have ot find ways to attract new participants. Last year we instituted time frame for residents only. We lost someone customers. Havens - is the cost of hte pass to expensive? Ray - I don't think so. We now track who is coming into our facility. Rates for individual is $45.00 for the summer. We are on the higher end for attendance. Havens - are other towns having the same problem Ray - our attendance is down but it is not to the point where it is going to be damaging. Even the little things like the lower parking lot is in horrible condition. Those kinds of things have to be part of the planning. Havens I bet you it is the cost of the entrance. If you lower the cost I bet you will see an increase. Snyder - great presentation - you have a great crew. Appreciate the Park & Recreation Department. The Junior Adventure Camp, is that new? Ray yes Snyder - tell me about it? Lauren Fenn - Recreation Supervisor - it is designed 10-12 - 40 kids - going on larger trips - 3 trips a week - Snyder - Discover age 5-10, Adventure Camp 12-15 Snyder - aleady signed up campers? Lauren - full fo rthe session. Snyder - do you offer any senior citizen programs? Rya - most through Human Services Snyder - Pickle Ball We provide space, scheduling for them. 30 to 50 people - 4 tennis courts at TE - Snyder - there is a lot of share services going on with Park & Recreation and BOE and Human Services. I want to commend you on that. Ray - there is more that you don't see - Patriotic Commission (Armed Forces Day) (Veterans' Day) Juniors Women Club - share facilities - Snyder - turf specialist last year? Ray - did not turn out the way we planned - we originally wanted a full time person - we took existing staff member and elevated them to Turf Specialist - That got cut out of the budget and found things we were not aware of. We have a number of employees who wanted to be turf specialists. Rather then mak one person responsible, we are using funidn got train 3-4 guys. Riley - great presentation - you and your team put great programs out for the community. There is aline item with figure (special revenue recreation fund) +37,000 - what is that for ? Ray - TE Ski Club - Riley - is that to fund the program or a subsidized? Both expenses - they ar epaying user fees - our expense accoutn spiked up. Riley - it is a wash yes Riley - Nevers - there was irrigation added to that? Ray - we installed irrigation last year. John - that was done about 1 1/2 years ago - there is an irrigation there and we installed that along with Kevin Foley. Riley - Parks & Recreation and local contractor worked together. JOhn - yes Liberty Landscaping, We look to partner with companies in town. Riley - we can really take advantage of that - it is a benefit and savings to our community. Riley - on VMP I think the facility is one of the premier outdoor facilities in state. Ray - it is one of hte premier facilities. the focus is on swimming and that is not always enough. Riley - surprised membership down. Ray - over a season 25%-30% nonresidents of attendance. Revenue of non-resident is by law can not close the gates to non residents. non resident rate is $55.00 Resident pass rat eis $45.00 WE need non residents to come also Las tyear for passes 66,000 resident 48,000 for non residents daily resident - 12,000 non residents 18,000 Riley - 10-12 access restricted to residents on Saturday? yes Riley - special revenue fund what is the amount that is there today? Ray - current fund blaance is 108,000 Riley - it is a season fund fo ryou? Ray - yes we generate 40% of our revenue - last quartr of every fiscal year Riliey - fund balance Ray - right now - used to be June Galligan - auditors come in and we collect revenue for June - Fund balance in June could have a lot of money but the balance is moved. Riley - what is the excess tha tresides in that account Galligna - 100,000 to 110,000. $260,000 last time - Delnicki - VMP - you stated 45.00 for resident and 55.00 for nonresident. max fo non resident is 90.00. have you looked at higher the non-resident fee Ray - we did do that. - we doubled it and we did 70% less nonresidents so we lost revenue. it is a balancing act. without the onresident revenue stream we can't make the mark. WE also raised it incrementally but it scared people awy. Tom - on a holiday weekend could we have a premium rate for nonresidents. if we are having problems on holiday weekends could have premium rate. Ray - certainly that is doable. Tom - I think we have the abilikty to increment up a little bit. Ray - it is a balancing act. when visitors come, a lot of time they are relatives of town residents. creates good revenue to offset resident rates. Tom - think you need to look at that. Likewise on page 194 looking at positions and titles - 11 full time - 1 part time - 2 part time summer staff. Last year 10 full, 1 part, 2 summer staff. So you ae adding staff this year that was a mid year change. (discussed in August). Tom in the budget we adopted last year there was not an additional position? Ray - yes there was. Anwar - one maintainer became a turf specialist and added a maintainer. Ray - we could make the corection. Anwar - received text from Councilor Paterna - he said he appreciates both prsentaitons from tonight. earlier received question what happened to the funds that wer suppposed to be at the Boundless Playground? Ray - tht fund is still tehre. we are holdig it - we may need to realign the softball field. If they don't need all of the funds, those fund Anwar - when it was presented to Council it was preceived as an emergency issue. Anwar - progress report - charging at the Avery Garden Ray - we started charging last year $20.00 - We have people on our waiting list. We are trying to get some new gardens. Anwar - use of credit cards, the town is uising some of the transactions, we have less but bigger amounts. Galligan - we have been trying ot use in the tax office. some people 2.95% fee t the town - when residents charge their $6,000 fee, that can add up. Anwar - at one point we wanted to create a mechansim - do the transactions in house Galligna - it is a large liability issue. for teh protection the cost is very high. If the Town paid the fees, there would be anothr item of 150,000 in the budget. People pay by credit card - have South Windsor sponsored credit card. In New Jersey they get about 12,000. Anwar - if CCM was doing this - larger entity - certain percentage comes to the town. there could be a benefit to the town. Galligan - tryied to do credit care with CRCOG. Anwar - the online transactions are going to increase. Ray - 87% of our transaction are credit cards. We are looking at another online credit card provider. Should save some money. Anwar - we have discussed the quality of different fields. WE wanted to move the fields up - Ray - we still have A, B, and C fields - there are fields tatha renot built as fields. A lot of our fields ar enot true fields - A- prime locations Rye STreet, Nevers Road, T=Rotary, Basedball field. Our average cost if 17,25,000 per year. Anwar - so we have not had much of a change at this time? Ray - no Galligan - we need to take areas and create practice fields. trying to figure wya to do that ata ceaper cost. Anwar - overtime 70,000 - 112,000 now? how do you keep in check? Ray - we are over budget by 32,000we take estiamtes on overtime Galligan - everyone looks at overtime as a bad thing, it is not, if you want ot reduce the Police staff you would then have to pay a much over time can bring down your costs. Anwar - ther are predictable patterns - there are Galligna - crews wer called to flooding - they cleaned up the area. the crew only needed equipment for about 30-40 minutes but had to bring i tback - then the project would hav eot get done the foloiwng day. Anwar - is it fair to say 55% of budget is from special rec fund? yes Anwar - those funds associated by fees? yes Anar - ther percentag eo the entire budget - if ther was a way to change - 55-588% in time. the services that we are providing are still significantly - if ther was a way to slowly increat. Want you to think about increasing the fee structure. Galligna - will bring back - we tried to make all rec reation deparmtent self sustainign. It is a double edge sword. - woul like to bring back 7 yea rplan - Anwar - I am suggesting a balance. Wagner - oneof the slides mentions a 53rd week. Is the entire staff paid weekly? Wagner - harder to manage your life if getting paid Galligan - we have talked about going to two weeks, but has to be negotiated. Wagner - we are getting a 2% hit on salaries this year Galligna - it is somethign that all ct towns have to do. Wagner - if can't sell t thoe unions then that is that Is there overcrowding at the pool Ray - overcrowding is defined by each individaul we have only reached the max 3 times since i have been here. Wagner - Ray - still need to make adjustments to make more cost effective. Wagner - ski areas have holiday pricing - Ray - we have good enough crowds. Wagner - do feel we should look at our fees and compare to other towns. need to find ways to give you the revenues for items that you need to do. Ray we are probably the most expensive. Galligan - Pendleton - Parks Department - thr eis a spot to look up tails in Town JOhn - my town trails - they mapped our trails out for $25.00 per trail Pendleton - Parks Employees say thankyou to them. 45.00 per person - is there a discount for more members Ray - now we are not losing 3-17 - Pendleton - how many families did you help last yar 90,000 LIz - pool created by federal grant - fist pool LIz - used to fish - thank you - for the help that is tgiven for PIcnic in the Park. Liz - pave the parking lot. Pendleton - 10-12 for residents on Sturday, why not Sundays Ray - we were trying ot see how effective the hours were - if a winner we can expand. would like to see how Saturdays go. Pendleton - there are residents who would like to see parks open later. Ray - previoius we shifted for when people are there. Delnicki - federal money - unless we pay federal government back we have to allow nonresidents to go ther, how much did we receive? Ray - would have to find out Galligan - have to look how long ago previous town attorney looked into it - Havens - public pool - would not object to a lower fee - and more people using the pool Anwar - our town is blessed ot have dedicate employees - thanked the Parks & Recreation Department. t

5. Town Manager's Report [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Council.]

Board and Commission Recognition on May 15th. 6 to 9

6. Items for Discussion

7. Executive Session

none

8. Adjournment

9:34 p.m. Delnicki, Havens

Apr 08, 2015 Town Council Special Budget Work Session

Full agenda
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1. Call Meeting to Order

7

2. Roll Call

Roll call (10 Present, 0 Absent, 0 Excused)

3. Public Participation [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Town Council.]

none

4. Communications

none

5. Town Manager's Report [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Council.]

6. Items for Discussion

A. Capital Projects Budget Presentation

Snyder and Pendleton presented the Capital Projects budget to the Town Council Snyder - we do have our guests here and they will be able to answer any questions. Wagner - Wapping School renovation - just design or make changes Ray Favreau - have building assessed - make sure we know what we are going to be betting into. Wagner - the Energy Committee has been studying town building - Wapping is . Are we doubling the usage of the buildng? Ray - certainly may be. We will be utilitizing the building 7 days Wagner - look to see what the State has for energy rebates. The new school has very moder HVAC equipment coming in. Ray - welcome the assistance Wagner - may be possible to put some of the money from the LED into using it for this building. I don't think there is enough money out there to do the police station. Is that the actual work Clay - yes the actual work to replace the heat pumps, etc. Wagner - so maybe that is another area to find some rebates. Clay - you can go online and try to find. maybe we can get some money for reconditioning. Anwar - while this presentation was about 15 minutes there was about 25 hours of meeting time to get the presentation together with the list of priorities. Some times it is easy to remove items from the list. The Capital Projects put a lot of time and energy into the creation of this list. We will hav eto look at eh long term strategy. we need to make sure we Snyder - on the back of the presentation, individual project proposals, there are cost savings. Fiber Optics - annual savings 53,000 savings per year if that project is complete. Wagner - the Manager's budget - if we go with 1.78M Anwar - will go 6.8% Galligan - The Energy Committe has been looking a performance contracts. When they have gone to LED lights and there is a savings. They don't take those funds out of the budget and they would be allowed to use those funds in the next year budget. This way the Counci lwoudl be able to see something get done. Would just have to be for energy saving projects. you have to have a project that will save you money in order to take those funds to do another energy savings project. Riley - fiber comunications network #6 - 53,000 savings. Is that in your budget now? Galligan - yes Riley - this would be the estimated savings Galligan - we are paying for that ability right now. if you do that project will save that amount of money and the bandwith Riley - 4 year payback on a 20 year - is 53,000 in your budget now Galligan - yes

B. Parks & Recreation Department Budget Presentation

Anwar - letter into the recrod - thanks to John Caldwell and staff for taking evasive vines - Joanne - Strawbridge Community Ray Favreau - presented the Park & Recreation budget. Anwar - quality of life perspective the Park & Recreation Department is a large contributor. Pendleton - great presentation - video - Wagner - spend a lot of time with SWW&WW - Havens - why is the attendance going down at VMP. Ray - the facility is now 12 years old. We added two mechanical features to the facility. we need to add more items to the facility. There is not enough variety at the VMP. We have competition that is less expensive and they have all of the fun stuff. We are going to have ot find ways to attract new participants. Last year we instituted time frame for residents only. We lost someone customers. Havens - is the cost of hte pass to expensive? Ray - I don't think so. We now track who is coming into our facility. Rates for individual is $45.00 for the summer. We are on the higher end for attendance. Havens - are other towns having the same problem Ray - our attendance is down but it is not to the point where it is going to be damaging. Even the little things like the lower parking lot is in horrible condition. Those kinds of things have to be part of the planning. Havens I bet you it is the cost of the entrance. If you lower the cost I bet you will see an increase. Snyder - great presentation - you have a great crew. Appreciate the Park & Recreation Department. The Junior Adventure Camp, is that new? Ray yes Snyder - tell me about it? Lauren Fenn - Recreation Supervisor - it is designed 10-12 - 40 kids - going on larger trips - 3 trips a week - Snyder - Discover age 5-10, Adventure Camp 12-15 Snyder - aleady signed up campers? Lauren - full fo rthe session. Snyder - do you offer any senior citizen programs? Rya - most through Human Services Snyder - Pickle Ball We provide space, scheduling for them. 30 to 50 people - 4 tennis courts at TE - Snyder - there is a lot of share services going on with Park & Recreation and BOE and Human Services. I want to commend you on that. Ray - there is more that you don't see - Patriotic Commission (Armed Forces Day) (Veterans' Day) Juniors Women Club - share facilities - Snyder - turf specialist last year? Ray - did not turn out the way we planned - we originally wanted a full time person - we took existing staff member and elevated them to Turf Specialist - That got cut out of the budget and found things we were not aware of. We have a number of employees who wanted to be turf specialists. Rather then mak one person responsible, we are using funidn got train 3-4 guys. Riley - great presentation - you and your team put great programs out for the community. There is aline item with figure (special revenue recreation fund) +37,000 - what is that for ? Ray - TE Ski Club - Riley - is that to fund the program or a subsidized? Both expenses - they ar epaying user fees - our expense accoutn spiked up. Riley - it is a wash yes Riley - Nevers - there was irrigation added to that? Ray - we installed irrigation last year. John - that was done about 1 1/2 years ago - there is an irrigation there and we installed that along with Kevin Foley. Riley - Parks & Recreation and local contractor worked together. JOhn - yes Liberty Landscaping, We look to partner with companies in town. Riley - we can really take advantage of that - it is a benefit and savings to our community. Riley - on VMP I think the facility is one of the premier outdoor facilities in state. Ray - it is one of hte premier facilities. the focus is on swimming and that is not always enough. Riley - surprised membership down. Ray - over a season 25%-30% nonresidents of attendance. Revenue of non-resident is by law can not close the gates to non residents. non resident rate is $55.00 Resident pass rat eis $45.00 WE need non residents to come also Las tyear for passes 66,000 resident 48,000 for non residents daily resident - 12,000 non residents 18,000 Riley - 10-12 access restricted to residents on Saturday? yes Riley - special revenue fund what is the amount that is there today? Ray - current fund blaance is 108,000 Riley - it is a season fund fo ryou? Ray - yes we generate 40% of our revenue - last quartr of every fiscal year Riliey - fund balance Ray - right now - used to be June Galligan - auditors come in and we collect revenue for June - Fund balance in June could have a lot of money but the balance is moved. Riley - what is the excess tha tresides in that account Galligna - 100,000 to 110,000. $260,000 last time - Delnicki - VMP - you stated 45.00 for resident and 55.00 for nonresident. max fo non resident is 90.00. have you looked at higher the non-resident fee Ray - we did do that. - we doubled it and we did 70% less nonresidents so we lost revenue. it is a balancing act. without the onresident revenue stream we can't make the mark. WE also raised it incrementally but it scared people awy. Tom - on a holiday weekend could we have a premium rate for nonresidents. if we are having problems on holiday weekends could have premium rate. Ray - certainly that is doable. Tom - I think we have the abilikty to increment up a little bit. Ray - it is a balancing act. when visitors come, a lot of time they are relatives of town residents. creates good revenue to offset resident rates. Tom - think you need to look at that. Likewise on page 194 looking at positions and titles - 11 full time - 1 part time - 2 part time summer staff. Last year 10 full, 1 part, 2 summer staff. So you ae adding staff this year that was a mid year change. (discussed in August). Tom in the budget we adopted last year there was not an additional position? Ray - yes there was. Anwar - one maintainer became a turf specialist and added a maintainer. Ray - we could make the corection. Anwar - received text from Councilor Paterna - he said he appreciates both prsentaitons from tonight. earlier received question what happened to the funds that wer suppposed to be at the Boundless Playground? Ray - tht fund is still tehre. we are holdig it - we may need to realign the softball field. If they don't need all of the funds, those fund Anwar - when it was presented to Council it was preceived as an emergency issue. Anwar - progress report - charging at the Avery Garden Ray - we started charging last year $20.00 - We have people on our waiting list. We are trying to get some new gardens. Anwar - use of credit cards, the town is uising some of the transactions, we have less but bigger amounts. Galligan - we have been trying ot use in the tax office. some people 2.95% fee t the town - when residents charge their $6,000 fee, that can add up. Anwar - at one point we wanted to create a mechansim - do the transactions in house Galligna - it is a large liability issue. for teh protection the cost is very high. If the Town paid the fees, there would be anothr item of 150,000 in the budget. People pay by credit card - have South Windsor sponsored credit card. In New Jersey they get about 12,000. Anwar - if CCM was doing this - larger entity - certain percentage comes to the town. there could be a benefit to the town. Galligan - tryied to do credit care with CRCOG. Anwar - the online transactions are going to increase. Ray - 87% of our transaction are credit cards. We are looking at another online credit card provider. Should save some money. Anwar - we have discussed the quality of different fields. WE wanted to move the fields up - Ray - we still have A, B, and C fields - there are fields tatha renot built as fields. A lot of our fields ar enot true fields - A- prime locations Rye STreet, Nevers Road, T=Rotary, Basedball field. Our average cost if 17,25,000 per year. Anwar - so we have not had much of a change at this time? Ray - no Galligan - we need to take areas and create practice fields. trying to figure wya to do that ata ceaper cost. Anwar - overtime 70,000 - 112,000 now? how do you keep in check? Ray - we are over budget by 32,000we take estiamtes on overtime Galligan - everyone looks at overtime as a bad thing, it is not, if you want ot reduce the Police staff you would then have to pay a much over time can bring down your costs. Anwar - ther are predictable patterns - there are Galligna - crews wer called to flooding - they cleaned up the area. the crew only needed equipment for about 30-40 minutes but had to bring i tback - then the project would hav eot get done the foloiwng day. Anwar - is it fair to say 55% of budget is from special rec fund? yes Anwar - those funds associated by fees? yes Anar - ther percentag eo the entire budget - if ther was a way to change - 55-588% in time. the services that we are providing are still significantly - if ther was a way to slowly increat. Want you to think about increasing the fee structure. Galligna - will bring back - we tried to make all rec reation deparmtent self sustainign. It is a double edge sword. - woul like to bring back 7 yea rplan - Anwar - I am suggesting a balance. Wagner - oneof the slides mentions a 53rd week. Is the entire staff paid weekly? Wagner - harder to manage your life if getting paid Galligan - we have talked about going to two weeks, but has to be negotiated. Wagner - we are getting a 2% hit on salaries this year Galligna - it is somethign that all ct towns have to do. Wagner - if can't sell t thoe unions then that is that Is there overcrowding at the pool Ray - overcrowding is defined by each individaul we have only reached the max 3 times since i have been here. Wagner - Ray - still need to make adjustments to make more cost effective. Wagner - ski areas have holiday pricing - Ray - we have good enough crowds. Wagner - do feel we should look at our fees and compare to other towns. need to find ways to give you the revenues for items that you need to do. Ray we are probably the most expensive. Galligan - Pendleton - Parks Department - thr eis a spot to look up tails in Town JOhn - my town trails - they mapped our trails out for $25.00 per trail Pendleton - Parks Employees say thankyou to them. 45.00 per person - is there a discount for more members Ray - now we are not losing 3-17 - Pendleton - how many families did you help last yar 90,000 LIz - pool created by federal grant - fist pool LIz - used to fish - thank you - for the help that is tgiven for PIcnic in the Park. Liz - pave the parking lot. Pendleton - 10-12 for residents on Sturday, why not Sundays Ray - we were trying ot see how effective the hours were - if a winner we can expand. would like to see how Saturdays go. Pendleton - there are residents who would like to see parks open later. Ray - previoius we shifted for when people are there. Delnicki - federal money - unless we pay federal government back we have to allow nonresidents to go ther, how much did we receive? Ray - would have to find out Galligan - have to look how long ago previous town attorney looked into it - Havens - public pool - would not object to a lower fee - and more people using the pool Anwar - our town is blessed ot have dedicate employees - thanked the Parks & Recreation Department. t

5. Town Manager's Report [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of the majority of the Council.]

Board and Commission Recognition on May 15th. 6 to 9

6. Items for Discussion

7. Executive Session

none

8. Adjournment

9:34 p.m. Delnicki, Havens

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