Board of Selectmen Meeting.
Present: First Selectman
This meeting was
recorded and video taped and the tapes are available in the Selectman’s office
and the Building Department, respectively, for further reference.
Discussion/decision
regarding the reappointment of Traute Bushley to the Westport/Weston Health
District for a term to expire November 2006.
Mr. Major made a motion to reappoint Traute Bushley to the
Westport/Weston Health District for a term to expire
Discussion/decision
regarding the appointment of Susan Briggs to the Library Board fill the vacancy
(Diane Loftus) a term to expire
Mr. Major made a motion to amend the agenda to include Gayle
Weinstein as a candidate to be appointed to the Veteran’s Committee. Mr. Bliss
seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Discussion/decision
regarding the appointment of Dominic Butera, Mike Carley, Rev. David Feyrer,
Teri Gaberman, Betsy Peyreigne and Bert Rosendahl to the Veteran’s Committee
for a term to expire 12/31/2004. Mr. Major made a motion to appoint Dominic
Butera, Mike Carley, Rev. David Feyrer, Teri Gaberman, Betsy Peyreigne, Bert
Rosendahl and Gayle Weinstein to the Veteran’s Committee for a term to expire
Mr. Major made a motion to appoint Mike Carley as Chairman of the Veteran’s Committee. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Bliss said that the major function of the committee will
be to find ways in the Weston Community to recognize veterans.
Discussion/decision
regarding the resignation of Anita M. Field as a Justice of the Peace effective
immediately. Mr. Major made a motion to accept the resignation of Anita M.
Field as a Justice of the Peace effective immediately. Mr. Bliss seconded and the
motion passed unanimously. Since Anita Field was an unaffiliated voter her
vacancy does not get refilled until the next election of Justices of the Peace.
Discussion/decision
regarding extending the expiration date on the Select Committee on the Future
of the Heady House to
Recognition of the
award to the League of Women Voters. The First Selectman read a
proclamation which recognized the League of Women Voters of Weston for 40 years
of service to the Town and proclaimed
Discussion/decision
regarding transmittal of the Westport/Weston Health District budget. This item was not voted on at the
The salaries had been apportioned over various programs and the question was answered satisfactory. Mr. Bliss made a motion to approve the Westport/Weston Health District budget as presented. Mr. Major seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Discussion/decision
regarding Inter-Municipal Agreement. Paul Hannah, First Selectman in
Discussion/decision regarding caps on abatements and deferments. Mr. Bliss said in the budget presentation the charts showed that the abatements are increasing at a rapid rate. They are moving counter to what we have experienced the last 2 times that we have improved the program. He said what general happens is you improve the program, the level jumps up and then drops off over time as people move away or move out of the program and then you increase the benefit again and it drops. The last time we increased the benefit instead of dropping it increased and it has increased about 50% in the last 2 years.
Mr. Bliss said we have started some analysis of that but it is not apparent that there are any trends. He said the abatements are going up at a faster rate than taxes. The number of participants has not gone up. It has been level at about 108 participants. The average abatement for the 108 people is of the order of $5200 which is a fairly significant amount of money. He said that they have looked at the $400,000 which is what the state caps it at with regard to assessed value. There are very few people at that level that are on the program.
He said he had received several letters and suggestions from
folks in Town in two different directions. One is that we put caps on the total
abatement and deferment programs. The other is that we have more and smaller
steps in the program. We have 2 steps $37,000 and below 75% of your assessed
value up to a maximum of $400,000. At $49,000, it is 60%. If you make $49,001
you get nothing. The question is can we make it more gradual.
The cycle of the abatement program is difficult in terms of predicting what will happen. We finish the budget mid April but the abatements are not due until May 15, and then the deferments are not due until June 15th for the coming year that starts in July. At the time we set the budget and the mill rate we really do not know what the actual abatements and deferments will be. The last couple of years we have been surprised because abatements have been significantly larger than the year before.
Discussion/decision
regarding LaChat:
1: Endowment Fund
2. Project
a. Cash Flow
b. Schedule
This item was tabled until the next Board of Selectmen’s
meeting
Presentation employee
benefits strategies- Mike O’Brien and Kurt Meyer. Mike O’Brien and Kurt Meyer of the
Insurance Advisory Committee made a presentation on Employee Benefits Strategies.
Mr. O’Brien said they wanted to take a more long term approach to what was
happening in terms of where the Town was going and to make the plans and the
benefits areas lineup with the types of employees that we want to keep and
attract and to give a little more flexibility in how those plans are financed. A
copy of the plan is in the Selectman office.
Request for property
tax refunds:
Elizabeth Colodny $2,257.07
Honda Leasing Trust $859.75
Paul Amrik $129.56
Theodore K. Speck $169.25
Donald H. Chase $5,385.63
Total $8,801.26
Mr. Major made a motion to approve the property tax refunds
as listed on the agenda for a total of $8,801.26. Mr. Bliss seconded and the
motion passed unanimously.
Any other business to
properly come before the meeting. Mr. Major made a motion to add to the agenda, Discussion/decision
regarding the appointment of two additional members to the Board of Assessment
Appeals for a term to expire
Mr. Major made a motion to appoint Marina Coprio and Ed
Offenhartz to be appointed to the Board of Assessment Appeals for a term to
expire
Executive Session-
Contract Negotiations. At
Adjournment: At
Respectfully submitted
Judy M. DeVito
Administrative Assistant
Approved 3/04/04