Cheshire Town Council Approves Auditor, Advances Police and Wastewater Positions at March 20 Meeting

Town Council · Meeting of March 20, 2018

CT CHESHIRE — Cheshire Town Council approves auditor, unfreezes two key personnel vacancies, and tables three other positions at its March 20 meeting. Outgoing Town Manager Michael Milone opened the night with a proposed fiscal year 2018-19 budget of $111.8 million — a 2.92 percent increase — that would raise the mill rate by 1.25 mills to 33.19, adding roughly $291 to the average homeowner's annual tax bill, though Milone noted last year's proposed 1.53-mill increase was ultimately cut to 0.78 mills by the council. The council voted unanimously to reappoint RSM US LLP as town auditor and to accept the fiscal year 2016-17 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which Finance Director Jim Jaskot said carried a clean opinion and left the general fund balance at 9.47 percent of expenditures against a required 8 percent floor.

On a 7-0-1 vote, with one abstention citing a conflict of interest, the council approved unfreezing a police lieutenant position that will trigger a chain of promotions — but Milone noted the department will still be three officers short of its 49-position target even after the slot is filled. A wastewater treatment plant superintendent vacancy caused by sudden retirement was also unfrozen unanimously, while funding for a library clerk, recreation coordinator, and assistant town clerk was tabled pending the full budget process, which must conclude by April 30 under the town's new charter.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 1,138 words

Source: the Town Council meeting of March 20, 2018, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

CHESHIRE — March 20, 2018 — The Cheshire Town Council voted unanimously on a series of housekeeping and personnel actions Tuesday night, following a lengthy public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2018-19 municipal budget that opens at $111.8 million — a 2.92 percent increase over the current year.

Town Manager Michael Milone presented a spending plan that would raise the mill rate by 1.25 mills, to 33.19 mills, translating to roughly a $291 increase in annual taxes for the average homeowner with a house and two cars. Milone emphasized repeatedly that the figure is a starting point. Last year, he said, he opened with a proposed increase of about 1.53 mills and the council ultimately reduced it to 0.78 mills. Budget committee meetings are scheduled to continue through late April before a final vote.

The Full Story

The bulk of the budget presentation, delivered jointly by Milone and Superintendent of Schools Jeff Solon, centered on the compounding effects of state aid cuts. Milone said the town lost $1.8 million in state aid during the 2017-18 budget cycle and is projected to lose another $1.4 million in the coming year. Taken together, state aid has fallen from 16.5 percent of Cheshire's budgeted revenue in fiscal year 2015 to a projected 12.4 percent in fiscal year 2019 — a drop of roughly $3.4 million.

"I've been doing this for 41 years, and this is the worst two years I've ever seen in terms of the relationship with the state," Milone told the assembled residents at the public hearing. [No timestamp index supplied]

On the school side, Solon presented a Board of Education budget request of $72,108,781, a 2.83 percent increase. He said the district absorbed a $484,000 midyear cut in the current school year and had to reduce teaching staff for the first time in recent memory. Key additions proposed for 2018-19 include expanding the Bridges Behavioral Support Program to the middle school, hiring a middle school math coach, and restoring positions cut in the current year. Overall district enrollment stands at 4,212 students, down 35 from the prior year.

The council took up several formal actions after the hearing closed. It approved the reappointment of RSM US LLP as the town's auditor for fiscal year 2017-18, on the recommendation of the Audit Committee. Finance Director Jim Jaskot told the council that the firm has served under a three-year contract with two option years, was the original low bidder, and has built a strong record in governmental auditing. The council also accepted the fiscal year 2016-17 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which Jaskot said carried a clean opinion on both town and Board of Education financial statements, no internal control findings, and no findings on more than $20 million in combined federal and state grants.

"We ended the year with a 9.47 general fund balance as a percentage of our expenditures. Our fund balance policy requires 8 percent, so we were $1.57 million to the good." [No timestamp index supplied] — Jim Jaskot, Finance Director

On personnel, the council split one omnibus resolution into three separate votes. It tabled — pending the ongoing budget process — the unfreezing of funds for a library clerk, a recreation department program coordinator, and an assistant town clerk position. It then unanimously approved unfreezing the superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant position, which had become vacant through a sudden retirement. Finally, it approved unfreezing a police lieutenant position vacated by retirement, with one abstention from a council member who cited a conflict of interest. Milone explained that filling the lieutenant slot will trigger a chain of promotions within the department; even after the position is filled, the department will still be three officers short of its 49-position target.

"The position that you're unfreezing tonight is the position that Mike Strolo occupied, who is a lieutenant. So what will happen is this will be underfilled by a patrol officer, and then there will be the domino effect." [No timestamp index supplied] — Town Manager Michael Milone

The council also authorized the Public Building Commission to go to bid for renovations to the Doolittle Elementary School cafeteria. The original budget for the project was $275,000, but the architect's current estimate — including fees, construction, and contingency — runs about $70,000 over that figure. Council members discussed whether add-alternates such as a walk-in cooler should be included and whether the project would be subject to Connecticut's $100,000 prevailing wage threshold for renovations.

During the town manager's report, Milone announced that the Cheshire Police Department and Fire Department's officers of the year — Officer Sam DiCapua and Firefighter Richard Schiavi — were recognized by the Cheshire Chamber of Commerce. Council member Peter Talbot noted that outgoing Town Manager Milone was also honored that evening, with an award subsequently named after Cheshire Chamber executive director Sheldon Dill.

Why It Matters

The proposed $111.8 million budget is only the opening bid. Budget committee meetings open to the public will run through the end of April, with a second public information session planned before final adoption. For the average Cheshire homeowner with a house and two vehicles, the current proposal means $291 more per year in property taxes — but if last year's pattern holds, that figure is likely to fall before adoption. The personnel decisions matter immediately: the wastewater treatment plant is operating without a superintendent following a sudden retirement, and the police department is still three officers short of full staffing even after Tuesday's vote to unfreeze the lieutenant position.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of February 13, 2018, and public hearings of February 13, 2018 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Approval of consent calendar for March 13, 2018 (Resolution 031318-1) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Acceptance of design and authorization to go to bid for Doolittle Elementary School cafeteria renovation project (Resolution 032018-2) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appointment of RSM US LLP as auditor for fiscal year 2017-18 (Resolution 032018-3) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Acceptance of fiscal year 2016-17 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (Resolution 032018-4) Tally: Approved unanimously

• Action: Unfreezing of line-item funds for library clerk, recreation program coordinator, and assistant town clerk positions (Resolution 032018-5) — Tabled to budget process (expected by April 30, 2018)

- Vote: Unfreezing of line-item funds for superintendent of wastewater treatment plant position (Resolution 032018-6) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Unfreezing of line-item funds for police lieutenant position (Resolution 032018-7) Tally: For: 7, Against: 0, Abstain: 1, Total: 8

- Vote: Appointments and correction of appointment to boards and commissions (Historic District Commission, Environment Commission, Cable TV Franchise Advisory Council, Energy Commission; correction of address for Park and Recreation Commission member) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Adjournment Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Cheshire's community access TV: Town Council meeting, March 20, 2018