These meeting notes are based upon the official meeting minutes, which are posted on the town website granby-ct.gov/board-selectmen
SPECIAL MEETING Feb. 25
Capital Projects Update: Selectman Neumann reported that the Capital Program Priority Advisory Committee (CPPAC) has endorsed the following projects:
Board of Selectmen: five bridge repair projects (including the closed Griffin Road Bridge)
Board of Education: infrastructure and systems school projects, and a solar project
CPPAC Economic Model: Town Manager Ward presented and reviewed a chart of income and expenditure growth rates for the next six fiscal years. It contained growth rates, spending rates, cost of debt and timing so as to minimize the impact on taxes and the mil rate.
CPPAC Memorandum of Understanding and Statement of Intent: First Selectman Kuhnly was concerned that two Selectmen were not there, so nothing was signed but it was agreed to forward it to the Boards of Education and Finance. The Selectmen also agreed to schedule a Three Board Meeting for Monday, March 4, at 7 p.m. to discuss the Statement of Intent.
Budget Guideline: Town Manager Ward reported the Board of Finance has set a maximum four percent (4 percent) expenditure increase for the 2019-2020 FY operating budgets of both BOS and BOE.
Town Manager report: Tax collections are at 98 percent. Granby residents had approximately $20M in damage (based on permit information) from the May 2018 hail storm. Revenue is consistent and operations are on target.
MEETING March 4
Appointments: The board voted to appoint Audrey Meyer Lampert to the Library Board to fill a vacancy through Jan. 13, 2020.
Budget Presentation: The Town Manager presented the proposed BOS expenditures budget including:
Town Operations: $11,299,932 increase of 4.7 percent meeting Board of Finance guideline
Debt Service: $2,777,355 decrease of 19.2 percent without any new projects
Capital Budget: $1,450,000 increase of 5.5 percent to maintain infrastructure
Teachers Retirement: $85,867 reflecting proposed Governors budget
Overall the BOS General Fund Expenditures budget is $11,299,932, which is an increase of 0.1 percent, without BOE expenditures. Increases in town operations are driven by increases in health insurance, pensions, wages, and trash tipping fees. Items of concern that were cut to meet the guideline include one half-time position in Public Safety records keeping, DPW supplies and DPW storm-related overtime.
Democracy Cup Award Ceremony: Secretary of State Denise Merrill presented the Democracy Cup to the Granby Registrars of Voters for the 3rd time in 10 years. This recognizes Granby as having the highest voter turnout (over 79 percent) in the 2018 mid-term elections, out of all midsize towns in the state. Merrill thanked Granby residents for coming out to vote and presented the Democracy Cup to Registrar Laura Wolf and Moderator Sarah Thrall on behalf of former Registrar Paul Willis and the many volunteer poll workers.
Retiring: Town Manager John Ward announced the upcoming August retirement of Barbarajean Scibelli, Administration Finance Officer, and thanked her for over 30 years of exemplary service.
On March 4, the Board of Selectman convened a meeting with the Board of Finance and the Board of Education to review information developed by the Capital Program Priority Advisory Committee (CPPAC).
Already circulated to the boards were CPPAC project recommendations included in a Memorandum of Understanding and a Statement of Intent supporting controlled annual expenditures.
Board of Finance Chairman Mike Guarco spoke about the economic model CPPAC used, which projects financial impacts going out six years at reasonable growth rates. The projects include five necessary bridge repairs (from decking down to the underwater level) with 50-80 percent of the costs reimbursed by state or federal grants. A solar project is expected to pay for itself with grants and reimbursements. There are also high school projects for needs not met years ago.
No action was taken, and three information hearings for the public were scheduled for March 14, 16 and 19.