Cheshire Town Council Approves $40,700 AV Grant, Digs Into Five-Year Capital Plan

Town Council · Meeting of May 29, 2024

CT CHESHIRE — Cheshire Town Council approves $40,700 AV grant and begins capital budget review under mounting school debt pressure. The council unanimously passed resolution 052924-2 at its May 29 special meeting, accepting PECPESHA grant funds to replace the council chambers projection system with four large-screen televisions and add a direct broadcast feed — Town Manager Sean Kimble called it "still the highest amount awarded this PECPESHA round." Vice Chair and budget committee chair Jim Jinks set a firm tone for the FY2024-25 capital plan review: "This is not business as usual. This is a year for must-haves, it's not a year for nice-to-haves," as town debt service is projected to climb from roughly 6 percent to as high as 16 percent of the operating budget, largely because of two new school buildings.

Water Pollution Control Superintendent Dave Milano and Town Engineer Merrick Comello presented seven year-one projects including a revised $2 million Elmwood Pump Station rebuild — down from $3.5 million after new pumps were installed this week — plus $400,000 for long-deferred inflow-and-infiltration remediation. The Public Works capital presentation was not reached; the council will continue deliberations at a date to be set.

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• The complete report — 1,072 words

Source: the Town Council meeting of May 29, 2024, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

CHESHIRE — May 29, 2024 — The Cheshire Town Council unanimously approved a $40,700 state grant to upgrade audiovisual and broadcasting equipment in Town Hall chambers and spent more than two hours reviewing the proposed fiscal year 2024-25 capital expenditure plan, pressing department heads on aging infrastructure, long-stalled projects, and the looming debt burden of two new school buildings.

The special meeting and budget committee session opened with Chair Peter Talbot handling two quick resolutions before turning proceedings over to Vice Chair Jim Jinks, who serves as budget committee chair. The council approved both items without dissent before launching into what Jinks described as a five-year capital improvement plan containing roughly 57 proposed first-year projects.

The Full Story

The audiovisual grant, designated resolution 052924-2, comes from the PECPESHA program. Town Manager Sean Kimble, who was authorized by the resolution to execute associated documents, told the council the town had originally sought $143,810 for a full suite of upgrades but was awarded $40,700 — which he said was still the highest single award in this round of PECPESHA funding. The approved scope includes replacing the existing drop-down projection screen with two large televisions visible to the audience, two additional screens at the council dais, and — critically — a direct feed integration that would allow home viewers to see on-screen presentations without a camera pointed at a projector. Kimble noted the town is roughly $1,000 short of the preferred TV size and said that gap could be covered outside the grant. He also told the council the town recently identified a part-time minutes clerk with audiovisual experience who could staff meetings.

"We were approved at $40,700, just still the highest amount awarded this PECPESHA round," [0:06:20] — Sean Kimble, Town Manager

Before the council authorized the AV grant, it also unanimously approved resolution 052924-1, setting a public hearing on proposed amendments to the building fees ordinance, Section 3-3, for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2024, in council chambers.

The bulk of the session centered on the capital budget. Jinks walked newer council members through the structure: most projects are debt-financed over 20 years, with a smaller portion funded through the town's capital-and-renewal fund, which received $1.8 million in the last operating budget. He distributed a spreadsheet showing the status of previously approved capital projects, some dating to fiscal year 2014, with widely varying levels of expenditure. Council member Patricia Cramer, who identified herself as new to the process, asked pointed questions about whether projects already voted on could be deauthorized, how the charter's $500,000 referendum threshold and four-year lookback provision work, and whether the town's debt load — now projected to climb to 14, 15, and 16 percent of the operating budget in coming years, primarily because of the two new schools — should force harder choices.

"This is not business as usual. This is a year for must-haves, it's not a year for nice-to-haves." [1:12:45] — Jim Jinks, Vice Chair and Budget Committee Chair

The Water Pollution Control division presented first among the departments. Superintendent Dave Milano and Town Engineer Merrick Comello walked through seven proposed year-one projects. Key items included $200,000 for engineering and design of the Elmwood Pump Station — the full rebuild estimate was revised down from $3.5 million to $2 million after three new pumps were installed and made operational this week — a $300,000 annual line for in-kind treatment plant and pump station equipment replacement, $400,000 for inflow-and-infiltration investigation and remediation, and a SCADA server and software replacement. The council signaled it would prefer the recurring $300,000 maintenance line move into the operating budget in future years rather than sit in capital accounts. Council member Don Walsh and others questioned the $500,000 design estimate for a denitrification building replacement, roughly 25 percent of the total project cost, and Milano agreed to seek a clearer breakdown from consultant Wright-Pierce before the next workshop. The council also noted a $230,000 dump-truck replacement line was being eliminated from the WPCD request because a third-party hauling contract was approved in the operating budget.

Parks and Recreation Director John Cottell presented four year-one projects totaling roughly $182,000, including a $25,000 disc golf course at Cheshire Park, a $21,000 conversion of one tennis court to two pickleball courts, $38,600 in bleachers and player benches for Bartlett Park South, and a placeholder for the Cheshire Community Pool boiler replacement. Two Cheshire residents who designed the 18-hole disc golf course layout attended the meeting and explained the course's siting, noting it stays clear of American chestnut trees identified by the Environmental Commission and avoids ground-nesting bird habitat flagged by Connecticut Audubon. Cottell said the pool boiler evaluation kicks off the following day with consultant Silver and Paciselli.

"I'll give you my two cents, and that is, this is not business as usual." [1:12:45] — Jim Jinks, Vice Chair and Budget Committee Chair

The council did not reach the Public Works capital presentation. Members agreed to continue deliberations at a future date to be determined at agenda preparation, with some discussion of whether the June 11 regular council meeting could absorb part of the remaining capital budget review.

Why It Matters

Cheshire's debt service as a share of its operating budget is projected to rise from roughly 6 percent a few years ago to as high as 16 percent in coming years, driven primarily by bonding for two new school buildings. The council's scrutiny of capital spending — including a push to deauthorize stalled older projects and shift recurring maintenance costs to the operating budget — reflects that pressure directly. The five-year capital plan before the council contains approximately 57 first-year projects; only those approved in this round will be formally authorized and appropriated. The next budget workshop has not yet been scheduled, but the Public Works presentation, Board of Education capital projects, and a public hearing on the capital budget are all still pending before any final vote.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Resolution 052924-1 — Schedule public hearing on amendments to building fees ordinance, Section 3-3, for June 13, 2024 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Resolution 052924-2 — Accept and appropriate $40,700 PECPESHA grant for audiovisual equipment upgrades; authorize Town Manager Sean Kimble to execute associated documents Tally: Approved unanimously

• Action: FY2024-25 capital expenditure plan review (WPCD and Parks and Recreation presentations) — Continued to a date to be determined

Source Cheshire's community access TV: Town Council meeting, May 29, 2024