Board of Selectmen Meeting. February 24, 2004 Present: First Selectman Woody Bliss, Selectman Glenn Major, Town Administrator, Tom Landry, Administrative Assistant Judy DeVito, Susan Briggs, Michael Carley, Kathy Failla, Lucy Bowden, Anne Malin, Margaret Wirtenberg, Jane Zarem, Mike O'Brien, Kurt Meyer and Brian Gioiele. 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 November 30, 2006. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Discussion/decision regarding the appointment of Susan Briggs to the Library Board fill the vacancy (Diane Loftus) a term to expire 12/07/05. Susan said she has been a Weston resident for the pass ten years and has 3 girls ages 13, 11 and 9. She is a Yale graduate and has a law degree. She is currently working at the library at Temple Israel. Mr. Major made a motion to appoint Susan Briggs to the Library Board to fill the vacancy created by Diane Loftus for a term to expire 12/07/05, to take effect upon receipt of Diane Loftus's letter of resignation. 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 December 31, 2004. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. 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 June 30, 2004. Mr. Major made a motion to extend the term on the Select Committee on the future of the Heady House to June 30, 2004. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. 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 February 24^th 2004 as The League of Women Voters of Weston Recognition and Appreciation day. Discussion/decision regarding transmittal of the Westport/Weston Health District budget. This item was not voted on at the February 5, 2004 meeting since there were questions regarding salaries and salary increases. There was also a lack of the review with the Finance Director, Town Administrator and First Selectman. 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 Wilton contacted Mr. Bliss about a year ago and expressed an interest in putting some public service type antenna on Weston's tower, which will give them access to a section of Wilton which is poorly covered. Wilton worked together with our Weston Tower Committee and they said that was possible. In the course of that discussion Weston asked for a reciprocal deal which is not finalized yet, to put antenna on Wilton's tower at their land fill. They have agreed in principal to do that, but the details have not been worked out yet so we do not have an agreement yet. The agreement here is just for them to come on to our tower. Mr. Bliss said the use of our tower for them is more critical than the use of their tower to us. Mr. Major made a motion to authorize Woody Bliss as First Selectman to enter into the Inter-Municipal Agreement for the communication facility located at 56 Norfield Road, Weston, CT between the Towns of Weston and Wilton in the form as presented. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. 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 15^th 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 May 31, 2004. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. 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 May 31, 2004. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Executive Session- Contract Negotiations. At 7:50pm Mr. Major made a motion to end the Board of Selectman meeting and go into executive session after the Board of Finance meeting. At 9:55pm The Board of Selectmen entered into executive session. At 10:08 Mr. Major made a motion to end the executive session and enter into regular session. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Adjournment: At 10:10pm Mr. Major made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Bliss seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted Judy M. DeVito Administrative Assistant Approved 3/04/04