BOARD OF ALDERMEN OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2017 7:00 P.M. JOAN WILLIAMSON ALDERMANIC CHAMBERS MINUTES Chair Arthur Gerckens called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All rose and pledged allegiance to the flag. Roll Call Present: Arthur Gerckens, Peter M. Olenoski, Jr. Absent: Stephen Iacuone Also Present: The Honorable Mayor Anita Dugatto Alderman Carmen DiCenso Alderman Ron Sill Alderman Thomas Donofrio Alderman Tony Staffieri Marc J. Garofalo, Town & City Clerk Dennis P. O Connell, Parks & Recreation Director Andrew Cota, Blight Officer Thomas Welch, Corporation Counsel PUBLIC PORTION Mr. Gerckens asked if anyone wished to address the committee during public portion. Ron Sill, 73 Grove Avenue, Derby, CT I would like for a future agenda if you can start working on a four payment system for the taxes for residents 65 and older. I don t think it will hurt the City financially at all because you re still getting the money. It won t affect commercial or anyone lower and Tom I think if familiar with this not because he s 65 or older, because they do it in Shelton. So if there s anything we need to learn from that I think it would be a very good thing for our senior citizens to help them spread it out to four payments. It s too late for this year we can look for next year so we ve got plenty of time to work on it and I just thought that I would bring it up to hope that you would work on that. Thank you. Mr. Gerckens asked three times if anyone else wished to speak. Hearing no requests A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Iacuone to close the Public Portion. Motion carried. Mr. Gerckens noted that the additions, deletions, corrections and adoption of agenda had not been listed on the agenda and asked for a motion to add it to the agenda. Page 1 of 5
A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to add Additions, Deletions, Corrections and Adoption of Agenda to the agenda. Motion carried. ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, CORRECTIONS AND ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to add as new items #14 Adoption of the Revised Firms and FIS Quinnipiac River Watershed Restudy and make Adjournment as item #15. Motion carried. APPROVE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 14, 2017 OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES SPECIAL MEETING Mr. Gerckens said the minutes would need to be TABLED as Mr. Olenoski was not present at the February 14, 2017 meeting. APPROVE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 21, 2017 OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES SPECIAL MEETING A MOTION was made by Mr. Olenoski with a second by Mr. Gerckens to approve the Minutes of the March 21, 2017 meeting. Motion carried. REVISED MONTHLY REPORT LIST FOR BOARD OF MEETINGS. DISCUSSION/ POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF ALDERMEN/BOARD OF ALDERWOMEN Mr. Gerckens noted that this has been discussed for the past several months and we seem to be getting closer to having it done. Mr. Olenoski asked if the Police Department was informed as to what the aldermen would like to see on their monthly report. Mr. Gerckens they have and their report along with Corporation Counsel s report would be sent via email due to privacy concerns. Mr. Olenoski said he would like to see how proactive they are being as far as tickets being issued. He would also like to see the stats on cell phone usage. Mr. Gerckens said all department heads have been informed as to when reports are due and if the board receives them in a timely fashion there would be no need for the department head to appear at the meeting. Mr. DiCenso asked how we would get our questions asked if we don t get a report. Mr. Geckens said he would then contact that person privately. Mr. Olenoski said he would like to receive information pertaining to complaints received via the City s website. This item will be placed on the agenda for discussion purposes only. RISK ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDATIONS. CITY OF DERBY VEHICLE USAGE (DRAFT POLICY) DISCUSSION/ POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF Mr. Gerckens said we haven t received clear direction from Travelers. First they wanted a vehicle usage policy from the City now we re hearing that they will accept a cell phone usage policy. He said he isn t aware of any policy and asked former Chief Cota if the police or firemen have a policy and noted that talking on a cell phone is against the law in the State of Connecticut. Mr. Cota said there are some exemptions. Atty. Welch said he would speak with Henry Domurad regarding this matter and noted that we can always draft a policy even if it s a one liner. Atty. Welch will prepare something for the committee to review. The committee took no action on this item. Page 2 of 5
NAMING CITY PROPERTY (DRAFT ORDINANCE) DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF ALDERMEN/BOARD OF ALDERWOMEN Mr. Gerckens stated that he has put a lot of time and effort into this and noted that he has not received any feedback from anyone. He checked the existing code and said he would like to get serious about this topic and has drawn up recommendations for the board to review. Parks & Recreation Commission would be involved with the naming of parks; the Library Board would be involved in naming any part of the library. Mr. Gerckens said he would like to see a City Naming Committee and also a Street Naming Committee. A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to recommend that the Naming City Property (Draft Ordinance) be sent to the full Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen for their consideration. Motion carried. HARDSHIP REQUEST FOR TWO PARKING PASSES AT THE GILBERT STREET PARKING LOT. DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF This item was not discussed as the person who made the request has never shown up to any of the meetings. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MAILBOX REIMBURSEMENT POLICY. DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF Mr. Gerckens said Street Commissioner Anthony DeFala phoned him to say he would be unable to attend the meeting this evening. Mr. Geckens read Mr. DeFala s recommendation dated March 6, 2017 into the record: Hello All. We need to address this issue with replacing mail boxes. I totally understand that this department does cause damage to mail boxes during storm events, but these pictures do illustrate most that we replace. It is unreasonable that the City should replace a post and box when it is in this condition. After doing some research with other town policy s it is clear that Derby policy s is on the high side. Most town have a flat $25.00 reimbursement policy, some towns do not replace at all. Some only replace when the plow physically hits the box, they do not if the damage is caused by flying snow from the blade. I would recommend a flat rate for reimbursement. On average the cost to replace with man hours and material is $165.00. I would like to put this on Operations & Procedures agenda for discussion. Please chime in with your thoughts. Thanks Ant. Mr. Olenoski noted that some people pay a lot of money for their mailbox and there was a discussion as to how to determine the replacement value for the mailbox. It was decided since we re done with snow to wait to discuss this with Mr. DeFala. A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to TABLE this item until Mr. DeFala is available. Motion carried. Page 3 of 5
PARKS AND RECREATION SALARY INCREASES DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF Mr. O Connell informed the committee that the entire wage increase that he is requesting is about $2,456 across the board. He said his budget is $53.00 less than last year. Mr. Gerckens asked Mr. O Connell how he accomplished that. Mr. O Connell said the massive project going on at Ryan Field is going to save his department money. He said the last raise received by Parks and Recreation was July 1, 2014. Mr. Gerckens asked how many employees? Mr. O Connell said it s listed on his wage report. A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to forward the Parks and Recreation salary increases request to the full Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen. DISCUSSION ON MOTION Mr. Cota said he sent a letter off to the Mayor regarding this subject. He said years ago the part-time employees received the same percentage of what City Hall employees were getting so they didn t have to keep coming back. He feels that is the best way to go and that is what he requested in his letter to the Mayor. Mayor Dugatto said we need to come up with a base rate and she is working on an organizational chart with base rates. Mr. O Connell said that is the way the Shelton Parks and Recreation Department handles pay rates. Mr. Olenoski said as far as base rates we have to take into consideration tiers based on experience. Mr. Donofrio asked Mr. O Connell what how much money his department brings into the City. Mr. O Connell said between $50,000 - $60,000 per year. MOTION CARRIED. 2017 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE ACT PROGRAM DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF Atty. Welch explained to the committee members that this is an annual program run by the State Department of Revenue Services. There is no cost to the City. He said the request is for the board to adopt the timetable. A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to forward the 2017 Neighborhood Assistance Act Program to the full /Alderwomen. Motion carried. MOVE TO RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BOARD OF TO APPROVE A RELEASE OF MORTGAGE IN FAVOR OF THE CITY OF DERBY RECORDED ON AUGUST 17, 1983 IN VOLUME 186, PAGE 26 OF THE DERBY LAND RECORDS AND FURTHER AUTHORIZE MAYOR ANITA DUGATTO TO EXECUTE SAME Atty. Welch informed the committee that the City recently received this request from Atty. Richard Korolyshun. He explained that back in 1983 the City held a mortgage deed for a $40,000 performance bond for work that this person needed to do. Atty. Welch said everyone at City Hall have been investigating this and cannot find any evidence of what is secured. He recommends that the City just sign the release and be done with the matter due to lack of information. A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to recommend to the full /Alderwomen to approve the release of mortgage in favor of Page 4 of 5
the City of Derby recorded on August 17, 1983 in volume 186, page 26 of the Derby Land Records and authorize Mayor Anita Dugatto to execute same. Motion carried. ADOPTION OF THE REVISED FIRMS AND FIS QUINNIPIAC RIVER WATERSHED RESTUDY Atty. Welch said this was sent to the Public Works Department and then forwarded to the Mayor s Office. He said every town has to do this. FEMA and DEEP have changed the flood zone maps and the City s ordinance reflects the July 16, 1991 maps and the new maps are dated May 16, 2017 and December 17, 2010. Atty. Welch said in order to continue to have flood insurance for anyone who needs flood insurance in the City of Derby FEMA requires us to change the ordinance. He explained to the committee that he is not the author of this amendment it was done by FEMA. A MOTION was made by Atty. Thomas Welch with a second by Mr. Gerckens to move to approve the proposed amendment to 92-3 Applicability of the Derby City Ordinances and forward to the full /Alderwomen. Motion carried. ADJOURNMENT A MOTION was made by Mr. Gerckens with a second by Mr. Olenoski to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Patty Finn Recording Secretary THESE MINUTES ARE SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES SUBCOMMITTEE AT THEIR NEXT MEETING. Page 5 of 5