GOSHEN BOARD OF FINANCE
MINUTES REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
OCTOBER 28, 2009
CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Allan D. Walker called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.
PRESENT: Allan D. Walker, James Korner, Scott Tillmann and Ned Bixler. Alternates Wilrose Duguette and Dexter Kinsella. Excused absence, Donald Pardon and John D. Garvey. Also present, First Selectman Robert Valentine.
SEATING OF ALTERNATES: A MOTION WAS MADE BY Ned Bixler, seconded by James Korner to seat Alternates Wilrose Duquette and Dexter Kinsella as regular members. There was no discussion, SO VOTED.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF September 23, 2009 Meeting – A MOTION WAS MADE BY James Korner seconded by Ned Bixler to approve said minutes. Noted for correction, Page 1, last Para. change the
Year to read July 2009. Page 2, First Para., third sentence, change the spelling of the word (favorable) to read favorably. Page 2, 2nd Para. second sentence add the word Member after Board. Page 2, 4th Para. First sentence add the word Truck after Fire Company. Page 2, Para. 4, second sentence add the letter (s) to the word specifications. There were no other corrections noted under the minutes. SAID MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS AMENDED.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING 10/14/2009: A MOTION WAS MADE BY Ned Bixler seconded by James Korner to approve the minutes of the October 14, 2009 Special Board of Finance Meeting. Noted for correction - Page 1, Para. 7, correct the date to read (7/1/2008) Page 2, Para. one, last sentence, correct the number to read “$2.369.672”. Page 3, last Para. second sentence correct the number to read “$220,172.” and change the word down in the third sentence to read Town. Page 5, Para . one, fifth sentence the correct number should be “$112,038.”. There no other corrections noted. THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS AMENDED. Dexter Kinsella abstained from voting.
BUDGET/FINANCIAL REPORTS: Report from the Tax Collector for period ending 9/30/2009. It was again noted that said tax collections remain in good standing. The collection rate – collected vs. budgeted to date is 59.31%.
There was no further discussion on the Tax Collectors Report. A MOTION WAS MADE BY James Korner seconded by Wilrose Duquette to accept the Tax Collectors report as presented. SO VOTED.
Budget Report for period ending 9/30/09 – Noted under Statement of Comparative Revenue was the miscellaneous line item. Budget was $500.00, received was $1,386.10 CRRA rebate for recyclables and $869.95 from Ken Merz for chip sealing damage. Revenue from Building Official Fees remains under budget. Under the expense side, Outside Services is running high based on the fact that Public Works is
changing how they do repairs and maintenance on the trucks getting them read for winter storm use.
One of the changes is the use of the services of Justin Whatley for some of the truck maintenance work that had been previously done by Clark’s Mobile. There was an unanticipated overage of the new fuel accountability system that was booked to outside services. It was reported that the Fuel Accountability system is up and running. The use of the fuel system has been offered to the Refuse hauler for the Town of Goshen but is not being used by them at this time. Remaining to be worked out is the discount pricing available within the system.
GOSHEN BOARD OF FINANCE
MINUTES OF 10/23/09 MTG.
PAGE 2 OF 4
Noted was the expense line item under emergency Road Repair coming in at 70.27%. The major portion of the $3,513.70 expense was for guardrail repairs that were damaged by cars and the Town will be receiving reimbursement from Insurance Co. and individual. It is expected that there will be an overage under the line item for Animal Control Mileage Reimbursement. The Town has a new Asst. Animal Control Officer who is doing a great job. Based on the difficulty in coming up with a number for mileage expense, it is projected that the line item for Animal Control mileage reimbursement will come in over budget for the current fiscal year. There were no other budget items reported under the Financial Reports.
Board acceptance of audit report for Fiscal Year ending 6/30/2009: Copies of the Audited Financial Statements of the Town of Goshen for Fiscal Year ending June 20, 2009 along with copies of the State Single Audit Report completed by Michael A. Zemaits CPA along with a cover letter were received and made available to all Board members present. A MOTION WAS MADE BY Ned Bixler and seconded by James Korner to accept the June 30, 2009 Fiscal Audit Report as prepared by Michael A. Zemaitis CPA. There was no discussion on the motion, SO VOTED.
When looking ahead to future audits of the Town Financials, Chairman Allan D. Walker asked to Board to give some consideration to getting quotes from other Auditing Firms for the Audit of the Town Financials.
Report from the First Selectman: Robert Valentine informed the Board of the Selectmen’s communication with Town Counsel, Town Assessor and Tax Collector relative to a parcel of 22.2 acres of land known as Peat Swamp . Said parcel is located on the north side of Route 4 almost opposite Goshen Oil Co. With the owner of the parcel unknown, the tax records of the Town of Goshen continue to show taxes in arrears on this property and it has been voted on by the Selectmen that as a means of getting it off the delinquent tax list that the transfer of this parcel to the Goshen Land Trust be brought to the November 16th Annual Town for approval. With the owner being unknown, Legal Counsel is advising that a transfer of title going forward with a quit claim from the Town to the Land Trust. The Goshen Land Trust has
voted to accept said parcel of land were the Town to approve the transfer. Prior to the Town meeting, as required under State Statue 7-163, a Public Hearing regarding the issue will be held on November 10, 2009. The Board of Finance was in agreement with the proposed transfer of said property to the Goshen Land Trust.
Work continues on the completion of the paper work required by the Federal Government for the receipt of the Energy Efficiency Grant. There is approximately $34,000 available to the Town. Being looked at for the use of said Grant dollars is the replacing of lighting at Public Works and the Fire House with sensor lighting. It is projected that the Town could see a savings of approximately $2,500.00 a year with the use of the sensor lights. Projected cost of the sensor lighting will not be fully covered under the Grant dollars and it is being suggested that under the2010/2011 Budget process the difference in cost be appropriated under Capital Non-Recurring for the sensor lighting. Robert Valentine further addressed the savings that would be available to the Town by replacing the current lighting.
GOSHEN BOARD OF FINANCE
MINUTES - OCTOBER 28, 2009 MTG.
PAGE 3 OF 4
Discussed was the recent lease purchase of a John Deere Tractor with side arm mower by the Woodridge Lake Sewer District. The Town has an identical tractor but the shaft that holds the side arm flail cutters is broken and there would be a cost of $3,500.00 to the Town to replace it. Being considered by the Town and the WLSD Board is the utilization by the Town of the side arm mower. As a means of savings for both the Town and the WLSD it was noted that further consideration would be given to cooperative purchasing.
West Hyerdale Drive Road Problem – The area continues to be monitored by Town Engineer. Results of the test show that there is a shifting of the road bed which will need to be addressed. No decisions have been made relative to the resolution of the problem which could be a major expense to the Town with money being appropriated under CNR for major road projects.
State Grants Revenue Update – Reported to the Board were the following State Grants dollars to be received by the Town: Pilot Grant – Budgeted $30,034.00 Actual Approved $34,085. / Pequot-Mohegan-Budgeted $9,156.00, Actual Approved, $9,156.00 / LOCIP BUDGETED $43,912.00 Actual Approved $43,912.00 / Education Cost Sharing Grant, Budgeted $218,188.00 Actual Approved $218,188.00 / Town Aide Road, Budgeted $99,639.00 Actual Approved, $134,766.00. It was noted that these were numbers that were confirmed through CCM and COST.
Tyler Lake Dam Project – Robert Valentine reported that due to many delays in the permit process the Town has not received the required permit from the DEP. The Dam project has now been put off until August of 2010. Once the permit is received from both the Army Corp and the DEP it is the plan to go out to bid during the March/April time frame which will allow time to look at the cost of the project before the budget goes to the Town.
Discussed was the use of the Griswold Road off of Route 4 for access to the Dam. Due to legal complications, the Town would not be using the Sandy Beach Road for access to the Dam and the cost to the Town to upgrade portions of the Sandy Beach Road would be used for Traffic Control on Route 4.
Correspondence – Received from the Town Clerk was notification of the need to submit a 2010 meeting schedule for the Board of Finance. Said meeting schedule would be approved at the November meeting.
Allan Walker reported that he had attended two meetings of Region 6 on the Administrative Contract.
Allan Walker noted they did settle on what he thought was a reasonable document. Under the agreement the administration would be getting a 3% raise for the next three years. It was noted however that they gave back a 3% annuity for the current year. The administration would also be moving into the HAS Health Insurance program which the Teachers are now under. It was noted that Wilrose Duquette had also attended the first meeting and both Allan Walker and Wilrose Duquette were thanked for attending the administrative meetings.
It was noted that the Region 6 Supt. Craig Drezek is now scheduled to attend the December Board of Finance Meeting. Robert Valentine noted that in a conversation with Mr. Drezek that Region 6 hoped to have a budget ready for review by early January.
GOSHEN BOARD OF FINANCE
MINUTES – OCTOBER 28, 2009 MTG.
PAGE 4 OF 4
There was no further business to come before said meeting. A MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY James Kroner, seconded by Dexter Kinsella. The Meeting adjourned at 8:23 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
GOSHEN BOARD OF FINANCE
Joan M. Lang, Board Clerk
| 
