001This is NHTV2 North Haven Government Television, a service of North Haven Community Television. The following program is brought to you through the support of the town of North Haven. All right. Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Wednesday, February 18th, 2026 meeting of the uh North Haven Board of Finance. We will have our regular meeting this evening followed by uh budget workshops for three of our town departments registar, the assessor, the town clerk, tax collector, and the police department. And that will be uh roughly about 7:00 or so, depending on how quickly we get through our agenda here. Um we could we could start with the uh minutes of the last meeting which is on 21st. I'll take a motion to start please second. >> Any conversation, discussion, comments on the minutes. >> All in favor?
002>> I. >> Anyone opposed? Thank you. Uh just for the record, as far as correspondence, we did get uh three letters which are included in our packets. Two of them were supportive of the need for firefighters in the town of North Haven. The other one was a longer letter. It has to do with the uh board of eds plans to add schools. It's a long letter asking for a quite a bit of information. I'd just like to add uh to uh the person who wrote the the third letter uh I believe. Can we say who it is? >> Sorry, Nancy. What? >> Can we say who it is? >> Yeah, it's public. >> I think so. It's it's uh Anna Buano. So, I would just like to thank Miss Buano uh for this very detailed
003email. Of course, we appreciate all correspondence with the board of finance. Uh, I appreciated the first two letters as well about the the fire department, but um, Miss Brono really went into great detail asking uh, really uh, thoughtful questions about the presentation and proposed timeline for the the four elementary school projects. And so I would just like to commend her on all of the time and effort that went into generating this email. And I would really love for this board of finance to also have the answers to to many of these questions as well. So, thank you again. Appreciate it. >> All right. One second. Right. Okay. All right. Thank you, Nancy. >> Why don't we move on to our regular report starting with the revenue for the town, please? Uh, I guess I'll just
004say by um quick overview, uh, we did collect a million dollars of our 1.1 million actually almost of our ECS grant. Uh, collections came in nicely at 33.4 4 million and we've collected 94% of the uh the taxes bill for the town. Um we were once again strong in interest on short-term investments. Uh we're running strongly on payment in L of taxes. Uh we are down, I should say, um below budget, if you will, on town clerk fees, building fees, and fire fees. And I think that's consistent with what we've been talking about for many months now. Mhm. >> So, any comments, questions from the members? >> Uh, one question. Just looking at uh this exact same time last year. I noted that the supplemental auto tax current last year was at 86.3% and it's
005currently at only 65.5%. I just wondered if you had any insights about that. Uh I don't uh >> I think the million two which has been there for a long time as far as I can remember. I mean it's it's really hard to budget that number because you don't know what new what new car is going to be registered in town. Right. >> Yeah. But but last year at this time we had collected about 968,000 and so uh this year only about 786. >> I just paid mine. You'll see them in the next month. Maybe that'll help a little bit. >> Oh, I'm sure they'll push us right over the top. Yep. Other comments, questions on the revenue here. Okay, let's go to the uh expense side. Just open this one up to questions from
006any of the members or comments. Either one. Um just uh when I make a a comment to Mr. Monaco about uh bank fees. I didn't know we were going to get slapped in the face here, but on page five uh of the uh the $80,000 allocation for bank fees for the year. Um I guess we got got part of a bill. It got 78,000 in one month. >> You jinxed us. >> H >> you jinxed us. It's >> all your fault. >> I jinxed you. >> They've been here. >> They only bill once a year, >> right? That is the strangest bank building billing I've ever heard. Okay, thank you. >> But I think it was pointed out that >> you're under budget. Congratulations. You're under budget. >> I think it was also pointed out
007last time that >> this was a a change that the finance department made. We're getting an earnings credit allowance on the on the right. >> We're getting interest. We're getting interest instead of earnings credit to offset the fees. So, um there is an income component that's not shown against those fees. I'm sure Miss Monaco had some tough terms for finance people. That's how we do so well with the short-term uh investment rate. >> Very good. >> On that same page, page five, uh under contingent fund, I see uh that we have $200,000 under incumbrance. I assume this is for the ladder truck, >> but it hasn't we haven't received a bill. We haven't paid it. >> The payment is being uh due. So that's why we Yes. >> Wow. the terms we set when we
008did it. >> Okay. Because it's a a single payment. >> Single payment. >> Wow. June. All right. Thank you. >> I think that first payment was less, right? The next year >> next 216, was it to the whatever the budget? >> Correct. >> The capital. >> Okay. Obviously, everyone in the board's seen the page 12, the the effects of our tough winter so far. So far, but it is what it is. Uh, interesting, Mike. You we ask about individual lines, right? And and I was almost going to ask Ingred or Rich about the department because obviously we're way over, but I think that's probably the answer, right? >> It's all related to the storms. Yeah. >> The amount of salt they've been putting down and all that overtime has strictly been following. >> On page
009six, there's an encumbrance for maintenance and repairs. I know we've been doing that, but there What's that incumbrance specifically for? >> 20,000 town building,000 409. >> Yeah. That's uh I think that's just open things. We we had the water problem that was >> the boiler and annex went down. There was a water heater problem. We had a problem with an elevator. There's a bunch of items that all a lot of little bills catching up. >> Elevator inspections. >> I didn't know if it was one thing. >> No, a bunch of big things. Unfortunately, >> in general, I noticed our maintenance and repairs are are up quite a bit across various departments. >> That's one of the things I I noticed. >> The biggest boiler annex which supplies heat to EX and wreck >> it's there's
010one large boiler and there's two small boilers. We were keeping the building actually upper 50 lows and took them We replaced the boiler, the big boiler. That was that was probably a $70,000 item when it all got done between the electrical and the mechanical. >> On page three, um under building inspection overtime, >> I had that one >> again. Same before the on page four, the consultant. We don't have the consultant doing it. We have staff doing it. lost some overtime, but overall if you look at the two numbers, it kind of >> Yeah. Any other comments, questions from the members? Uh we'll see. The report shows we're about 64% expended, uh, which a little bit on the high side for this time of year. Um, about 1%'s encumbered. Um, we've spent, I think, almost
011all of our debt service already, probably another 5%. So, we're we're probably down around 59%, which is about where we should be uh, for the end of January. Nothing else. Uh we can go on to the board of ed reports. Um uh two things I will say. Uh the board of ed at their uh meeting recently um is going to move the 290,000 $291,000 that was in their non-lapsing fund over the medical and dental insurance reserve accounts. Uh and they put in a um a um spending freeze as of um 126. anything the members like to say or comment. Well, um I just could could they just send a memo to clarify the the medical? I mean, I know I I'm doing this every single month, but this is absolutely a little a little hard
012to follow here. It's uh >> You got the sheet I gave >> which Yeah. Shows the claims. Good. I'm talking about their budgeting and their how they how they expense and pay for it all. >> Could you just be more specific, Mike, if we're going to if I want to ask a question? I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to right now. >> Okay. The um they gave us two months worth of expenses here for uh for December and for January. and the let me see here the January first of all that shows what they spend on each line per month on in in that given month it just they just have >> changed they had been doing >> they had been doing they just have a year-to- date actual so we have to do
013the math >> which sometimes we can do Um, so year-to- date actual on the medical insurance for December. Oh, it's it's the 2606 report. Okay. 4.7 million in incumbrances 2.5 million. Okay. I guess um then the following month it is >> 690. You're right. It it went from 4.7 to 6.6. So that that's is that is that a difference of 2.9? >> Uh >> no, it's a difference of of 1.9. So 1.9 they took out of incumbrances and threw it into their budget and threw it into their expense line budget. Now my question first is on on page one of their report where on page top of page two where they say the medical reserve account is $2.5 million. Does that include the number that's in the incumbrances? Sorry, Mike, you lost me. So I
014see the 4,770 the 2,ion506, right? >> Mhm. >> I get that. Then you referring to right January the 66 and the 690, right? >> Mhm. >> Or were you not >> the 66? >> Yes. Yes. 6.6. >> Okay. So I'm sorry. So, and your comment on the numbers is what is if if that is their actual year-to- date actual and what they're does that represent the the year-to- date actual and what they sp they've spent so far for claims and other expenses plus okay they did they did load up the account with uh I think the first eight months of the year that was um I think it's in the overview mic And I think it was in I also have a note because I saw the board of ed meeting but um they so
015if you look at the 6672 in January compared to the 76 budget it looks like they've expended a lot of it right it shows 96% expended right but they moved some of their um money into their accounts I think to get they said additional interest income is what I saw >> they have been getting interest >> since last year. Yeah, >> this is Yes. >> I don't know if that answers your question, Mike. That's all the >> They moved 1.9 million from incumbrances into their expense side, the year-to- date expense side, >> right? with it. But the 2.5 million that is their reserves is that the leftover unexpended money in the expense account plus the amount in the incumbrances >> that the that report is cash basis. That's only what they have in the bank.
016>> Yeah, they show the IBNR on that page as well. So okay, so it doesn't include anything in the incumbent section. >> They did fund 1.8 million the fund >> they funded >> from their budget to the medical fund. They did put a 1.8 million there, >> right? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Which brought their cash up to the 2.5 cash up to the 2.5, >> right? >> So that's again realize they're strictly talking cash in their reports. >> We don't deal that way. >> Their their reserves are tight right now. I it appears that they're shifting money from other lines to shore up medical. >> I think Mike's question I understand we've got 2.5 million in the I guess that's the December 2026 as an incumbrance. Right. >> Right. >> And so he's asking
017is that reflected in either the the cash in the reserve for the balance after the IBNR. I'm assuming it's not figured in there at all. Yeah. >> Right. It just means that we know that we have a liability coming. Right. All right. From this from this right here, can from from from this sheet right here. >> Yep. >> We can tell how much through December they have spent on their medical and dental expenses, right? Okay. But not >> That's why I I find these reports easier to read than their report. >> Yeah. >> But shouldn't they match? Well, it's hard to match when this is one's December and the other one's Well, they gave us a December report, too. They gave us some information as well. Um Okay. All right. It's just It's very cloudy
018between the fact that we don't they don't show us what what the line item is for what they spend per month for any of the line items. Um >> why don't we have that as a takeaway? Did we ask why they change a form of reports, please, Inger? And why they didn't show us the monthly expenditure, please? >> Okay. >> And there's nothing in their expense report that shows what they're actually spending on on medical. It's just what they put in the medical account that gives them the $2.5 million reserve balance. >> Well, that's no different than the town side. Yeah. >> Right. >> That's the same thing we do on the town side. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. That's my only comments. Thank you, Mike. Other members? >> Yeah, the certified professional tech, the
019budget was 92 and then the incumbrance, it's it's like 122 cent more. >> Are you on this January or December report? >> Um >> 06 is the >> 06 or 07. >> 07. >> Yeah. >> Which one? >> Toss left. This is the 26 >> 26 07 or 06 >> 06 or 07. >> Yeah, 06. >> It's December. >> So sorry. >> No, I just noted that number has grown. >> Yeah. Could you just say again please what you're looking at? >> So I'm looking at the certif Frank. So the original was 92,000 and then if you go over and look at the incumbrances and the available budget, it's 122.5% used. So there's I don't know what I don't know if >> that's half transfer of 40,000 by the way. >> Yeah. So, what's going
020on with the line item that just stood out to me? >> Also, to Mr. Helahan's point about the medical and dental insurance. I just want to point out if anyone is looking back at previous months that line item 2011B as in boy is now called medical/ dental insurance. It used to be called hospital insurance. And it might be a little bit confusing because two lines down from that we also have a line item that's called dental insurance. So that line item medical and dental should refer to this reserve analysis that uh that we get. But I just wanted to point that out. Um and that change I think started in November. Um I I also noted the the change in there was no uh monthto date which makes it difficult. Um and also looking at
021this uh reserve analysis for both medical and dental and workers comp. Uh it still is not clear to me that all of the reserve money should go to medical and dental and none to workers comp because even with IBM analysis I still am seeing a $1.5 million deficit here. >> So when you say all the money I'm not sure what you mean. Meaning back in December, the board of finance voted to split the um uh the surplus funds or the unex unexpended funds from the previous year. 191 for medical and dental and $100,000 to workers comp. >> Well, we didn't we didn't vote on that. >> No, no, I'm not saying we did. They did. They voted. Um, and that was based on uh their their board of ed meeting and then the money just
022sat in their um uh in their uh fund that that they ultimately exerted it from. So, uh so the the question is why why did they make that change? which I don't really see in any of their language the the reasoning for that change in their original vote to now they're they want to put all of the money into uh into the medicine and dental um also I think Diane has pointed this out before the very first line item salary contingency this is the very first year meaning the current fiscal year in which they the board of ed has had this line item and it just seemed who had disappear uh in terms of its uh the total amount in that in that budget line uh back in I want to say November and it
023wasn't that it was spent, it was just simply transferred and I don't really have a sense for how that money has actually been utilized. At one point they were talking about using about $50,000 of it to pay for the paraprofessionals who received additional um additional training. uh but then they became registered behavior technicians and we have brand new line item 112s to specifically pay for them. So uh so I'd love to be able to uh un better understand where this $275,000 went under salary contingency. >> And then if you look at certified differentials they had a appropriation of 10,000 and it's way beyond 115A. >> Mhm. available but but you know they get they weigh way over. What is that? >> That's a question >> I think we have to remember. Look >> writing those
024questions down. >> Yeah. >> I I think we have to remember look I think we have oversight here, right? But we all all know from the board that the board of ed has the right to transfer money amongst accounts, right? And we need to understand the what they do because it impacts our ability to frankly set the next year's budget and that's been somewhat of a challenge this year, right? Um, so I think it's it's possible, for instance, on the uh the account Diane just mentioned, which was a certified uh differential, they're just over budget. Um, I think some of the more unusual things like the salary contingency that shows a zero budget. I maybe that's a question we need to ask. >> Yeah, I mean, my reason for bringing it up is we're seeing
025it now and it's beginning of the year. That That's kind of why I questioned it. >> No, no, it's not. There's 7 months in. >> Yeah. Well, I'm Yeah, but all of a sudden it jumped, >> right? >> Yeah. >> A lot, >> right? >> Could I could I just ask one quick question on medical? Uh if uh this sheet here uh this is this is total costs um including employee contribution employee uh contributions that so it's the total cost of the program. >> Yes. that's inclusive of uh of of of both u employer and employee related uh expenses or or contributions. >> Well, these are expenses. There's no income on this piece of paper. >> No, but but it shows >> Yeah. >> I mean, it is very involved where these numbers come from
026and I I can't give you I'll write you up a synopsis that tells you what each one of these columns means. Will that help? No, I I I just like to know. Um I I add it up here and the total cost so far in the first 6 months seems to be 4.9 million approximately. All right. Where it says budget, you have cost and they have rates. I don't know. Anyway, the the total right. Yeah, the fifth column. There's there's >> from the right >> the fifth comp from the right cost medical and pharmacy plan cost >> that's fixed cost plus rebate plus net claim or minus net claims. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's the cost right there. Right. That is the cost of the board of eds medical self insurance. Right. >> Yes. >> That's
027it. So I added that that up those those uh 6 months below it comes to approximately 4.9 million from July 25 to December 25. >> Okay. >> All right. So 4.9 million. Now I I I tried to calculate in out of their their expense report what they've spent so far. They've spent about they they're indicating they spent around 4.2 million. I just want to know if the employee contribution is the other 700,000. So just how much did the did the employees contribute in the first 6 months of 25? >> That's that's my question. >> He has it in his sheet. If you look it says >> employee contributions a million8 is it? >> Sorry Rich. What p What are you looking at for this office? Yes. B Okay. Thank you. I'll check that out. Thank
028you very much. All right. Thank you. Thank you very much. That's all, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Michael. Anyone else? I'll take a motion on the reports, please. >> Second, please. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All right. All in favor? I. >> Anyone opposed? Thank you. All right. Um, we've got three resolutions here, uh, which we're going to cover. Um, why don't we actually take them in reverse order? I'm guessing that, uh, either Rich or Mike is going to speak on these. So, >> Rich, why don't you take the 300,000 for the masonry repairs and abatement for the town, >> right? the 300 which we've now changed to 400. But there's basically um three things that were discovered during the renovation town hall. One is we did have a problem with asbestous which probably makes
029up about $200,000 of that cost. When we were looking exterior building, which was never in our scope of work, we realized the chimney is in dire need to be rebuilt, completely taken down and brought back up. You could actually see through the joints. And during the process of renovation, we found code problems with the electrical that needs to be addressed. Um, we're looking for 400. Hopefully, it'll cost us less than that, but it's in that area. As far as concerned, uh we made a decision to restore the chimney because the building was built in 1886. So it's an historic again historic building. So we wanted to make sure that the chimp was restored and that's part of this. And I'm going to be talking a little bit in a few minutes after we go through
030these resolutions. Each resolution here represents a very symbolic matter that I'm going to share with everybody as we get through this. Uh, so Rich, is it the thought here that we would we take a ban for these and then bond? >> We'll take a band and then bond at the end. All three of these would be bonded. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, >> and and is it that each one of these will go to a town meeting? >> It all goes to all >> I assume. Okay. I I have to ask. >> All right. Uh, why don't we do this? Uh, I should have read the resolution first. Let me read the resolution. We'll get it in a second. See if there's any questions or comments on it at least. So resolve that the
031board of finance recommends that the town of North Haven appropriate the sum of $400,000 for the interior renovations to Memorial Town Hall. The funds appropriated shall be expended for engineering and other consulting services, asbesus abatement, exterior masonry, restoration, electric modifications, construction costs, legal costs, net temporary interest, and other financing costs and other expense related to the project. that the town issue bonds or notes and temp notes an amount not to exceed $400,000 to finance the appropriations. If I could have a motion, please >> make a motion. >> Second, please. >> Second. Okay. So, apologize. Uh comments, questions for Rich on this one, please. >> So, this is $400,000 in addition to what was appropriated previously in a >> Yeah. What was appropriated previously was the ceilings, the floors, some HVAs and such in the building.
032Exterior building was never part of the renovation package. Um >> well, the asbesus is new. >> We knew there was asbesus and we didn't expect to have to bait as much as we had to. >> Um and the last one is we're finding some code issues with electrical that should have been dealt with probably 10 years ago. >> Mhm. Um, but I'm not going to let it just go. So, I need to fix them. >> So, how much of the original bond was appropriate for this particular project? >> For these three items? >> No, no, for this first first item >> because I seem to recall this was part of >> that was that was renovation. Yes, there was an $800,000 bonding issue >> for town hall. >> Yes. >> But it did not include
033these three items. >> I see. So all of these would include exterior masonry and it didn't include um electrical modifications for code compliance. >> Okay. >> These are over and above that,00. >> So it's going from 800,000 to now 1 1.2, right? >> Yes. >> Any other questions for Rich on this, please? >> I'll call for a vote then, please. All those in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> Thank you. Uh Bob, would you mind reading the second resolution, please? >> Sure. Resolved that the board of finance recommends that the town of North Haven appropriate the Son of 900,000 for the Kings Highway Bridge project, thus increasing the total appropriation for the project to $2,100,000. The appropriation may be spent for engineering fees or consultant fees, construction costs, net temporary interest, and other financing
034costs, legal fees, and other expenses related to the project. And that the town issue bonds or notes and temporary notes in an amount not to exceed 900,000 to finance the appropriation. The total amount of bonds issued shall be reduced by the amount of grants or funds received and not separately appropriated for the project. Such grants and other funds are anticipated be to be approximately 450,000 of the LOT CIP funds. >> I'll move the resolution. Is that a typo though? Is it low or >> No, it's a T still two different things. Okay. >> Yeah, it sound they sound close but they're different. >> Uh let me just second. Rich >> second. >> All right. So, why don't we go to discussion? >> All right. Um basically a year ago, so we appropriated roughly 1.2 2
035million for Kings Highway. The town engineers gotten some numbers in. There's been the design work done and now the projected cost is 2.1 million which we have a 50/50 split with the state. >> What is this? Is it storm water? What is it? >> It's a bridge. It's a little bridge on highway. >> Yeah. So, let me jump in here. Okay. So, Rich is right. So, this is a bridge that has collapsed twice and this is another example. item number one and item number two, how the costs in this government continue to go up and up and I'm not happy about it. Everything we do, it costs more money. A road to two used to be 200,000, now it's 300,000. Resolution number one, another example of increased cost and things that we find out when
036we start doing the first part of the renovation. This here, this has gone up again and this has to be done because we can't have this bridge collapse. This bridge collapsed at uh at one of the tornadoes a few years ago. We repaired it. It collapsed again. So, this is a real problem right now. This is on the corner of Mount Carmel and Kings Highway, a major thoroughway. If you drive there now, you will go and you will hit you will hit an indentation, meaning a a suppression in the in the pavement itself. So, this has to get done and that's why we're putting this resolution up. >> Thank you, Mike. comments or questions on this resolution, please. >> So, is this an expanded scope or the exact same scope, but are more expensive? >>
037Same scope. Same scope. >> So, we >> the costs are coming in higher than the engineers first thought. >> We have consultants that project the numbers for us. >> So, we didn't lock into a certain total cost. >> No, not until you go out to bid. You don't lock. Nothing's locked in. >> I see. So, so this hasn't it hasn't gone up. >> The next one's a little bit different. Give us give us one second then. >> Sure. >> Any other anything else for Rich on this? Once again, the 900,000 is the total town. >> It's an additional cost. >> The additional cost uh and that additional cost uh will be half >> Yes. >> reimbured by the state. >> Yes. uh to get technical on this. What we do is through our my affiliation
038with the regional council of governments, uh we apply for these grants and this is this $450,000. So I push it up working with my colleagues and the engineering department here and the transportation department at the council of governments. We ended up getting this authorized. That's 450 coming back against this. So anyone else on this mo on this item? If not, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor? >> I I. >> Anyone opposed? Motion passes. Mike, would you mind reading the last one, please? Mike Callahan, please. >> Resolve as of the board of finance recommends the town of North Haven appropriate $23 million for water pollution control facility improvements and repairs. The project shall consist of improvements and repairs to the primary clarifier, electrical distribution system, and related work at the water pollution control
039facility on Universal Drive. The appropriation may be spent for engineering fees, other consultants fees, construction fees, legal fees, net temporary interest, and other financing costs and other expenses related to the project. and that the appropriation be funded from the WPCA sewer user service fee account. >> All right. Thank you, Mike. I'll move the resolution. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All right. Uh Mike or Rich, would you mind helping us and understanding this one? >> Yeah. So, as uh as the resolution read, this is a bonding mechanism that is reimbured through the enterprise fund at the sewer with the sewer fees. So the money that goes in for those that are on uh that have sewers goes into the enterprise fund and that money pays for this. But we through the protocols of
040the government have to do a bond resolution to lock that in place and it gets paid out by the revenue that comes in for everybody who pays sewer fees. Now this is another example. Item one, item two and item three. No matter what we've done here, I'm going to summarize it. built a new police station, built four firehouses, paved 100 miles worth of roadways, all kinds of infrastructure improvements. We still have lingering issues that are a byproduct of the age of some of these products or products meaning the resol is this water pollution control authority. This is very important. Without this type of upgrade, we run the risk of electrical failures or purifiers not working and and sewer pipes breaking underneath the ground throughout the town of North A. That's why this is on the
041resolution. So, or that's why this is a resolution to get this in place, vote on it. We bring it to the board of selectmen where Bill Piper, Dave Cohen, and I will be on and then it goes to a town meeting for the people to vote on. That's the way it works. >> All right, Richard, you just want to comment further. You and I talked a little bit about the calculation of the dollars here. Yeah. Well, two things just just to let you know the the two major aspect of this which are the clarifiers and the electrical systems. Um probably in the last year and a half we've gone down twice and been offline and running on generators at WPCA because we've had electrical problems. Uh the clarifiers, we have a set of clarifiers that's
042been offline for several years which Deep is not very happy about and we need to bring them back online. Basically the 23 million which North Brford will pay a portion of. Uh the 23 million we just figured our debt service we folded into the rate. Um we're pretty close right now or where the rate is. We may need to do a small increase again. Uh nowhere near what last time was. And um that will cover the debt. The it's just a pass through for the town basically. So the rate that the >> the rate property owners pay >> is comprised of um normal normal operating costs normal operating cost >> and this and this >> normal maintenance and the debt service the debt service for the $23 million package. They probably do anywhere from $650
043to a million dollars a year in equipment repair every year >> at at the plant. >> I'm sure you meant thousands, by the way. >> I'm sure you meant thousands. >> Thousands. I'm sorry. >> Um, the plant needs the biggest part of this and the first thing they're attacking is the electrical. As I said, we've been on there's been days we've run on generators because we've had problems with power. >> We have no choice. Yeah, there's no choice. >> Yeah. If it doesn't, then it just starts backing up. The pumps need to run. >> so I have a question. both our agenda and I recall from the conversations at the WPCA this last fall when they were deliberating about setting the the sewer usage fee rates um that the number that was quoted for this
044was 21 million and now this resolution >> it's the last number from Viola who was our consultant initially if you looked at your agenda >> the agenda said because we were looking at a $21 million project the town engineer got the last thing from Viola actually yesterday to make sure we had a GMP that would work and it went to 23. Again, doesn't mean we're going to we need to borrow 23. If we can get it done for 21 or 22, that's all we borrow. >> Mhm. >> But right now, the projection is 23 is what is needed. >> So, the town will take out this >> town will do a town will do a ban. The ban is done, projects overseen, projects completed, then the town turns the ban into a bond, whatever it
045happens to be at that time, >> right? But that will be paid off by >> the enterprise fund, which the rateayers pay, >> right? Which is a combination of North Haven taxpayers that own sewer lines and also private uh businesses that also pay. who everyone that pays sewer is paying that that service >> different amount >> and including North Brford which will pay you know decent portion of that >> right but North Brford is not taking out any loans or bands or bonds for this >> however they pay is >> they pay just send me >> do we have a sense for how much they're contributing to this >> about 9% I think 10% >> um the inflow >> the flow has gone up in the last few years they they may be paying six
046million of this >> but they pay. They don't pay. They pay monthly based on use, right? They don't pay. >> They pay based on flow, >> right? They don't pay part of this, >> right? They they'll just pay into the enterprise. >> They pay based on flow. So, when the rate goes up, >> yes, they're paying. We're not going to get a lump sum. >> No, not a lump payment. It just comes out of their out of their flow. >> Okay. >> Nor are we going to take 23 million up front. It's not the way. >> Yeah. No, it doesn't work like that. >> It's a it's a it's a a bond that's a draw against thinking and what we draw is reimbursed by the user fees. Exactly. >> Most of which are embedded in
047the for the residents residential side. Most of which are already embedded in the bill. Right. >> That's right. >> Yeah. Yes. Right. >> Other questions or comments on this item. And does the Viola company incur any costs or risks associated with this particular >> Viola operates the plant for us and they'll administer the contract because they're the plant operator. >> Mhm. >> But they don't pay anything towards >> No, >> this >> No, we pay them right. >> No, I understand. >> All right. Thank you. Um I'll call for a vote, please. All those in favor? I >> anyone oppose? Thank you all. The motion passes. >> All right. Um we are at the point of public comment in our meeting. Uh I guess I would just ask any residents who are going to speak
048to just um try and keep it relatively brief. We are running a little bit behind and we have some department heads waiting to go move to the workshop portion. So if um we could put comments on the brief side, that'd be appreciated. Uh anyone like to speak? Mr. Chris. >> Good evening, Mr. Chair. Michael Bour Richard Peter Kriscol of 54 Fieldstone Court. I'm here tonight as a taxpayer and a fire commissioner. Uh I'm going to ask you a little of your indulgence and give me some time. I want to talk about the fire department, how critically we need money. We need to put more personnel more dangerously understaffed and equipment. I know you heard it before. I was up here last month and I'm going to be up here every month. I don't or want
049to knock any other department whether it be police, uh, board of ed, public works. I'm not saying take money from them, get rid of personnel, replace nothing. I'm worried about the fire department. That's all I'm concerned about. firefighters first, the town that they have to protect. If we don't have the best fire equipment and enough personnel, we cannot protect the town no matter what happens. Okay? We can talk about it, kick the can down the road, but we found money for bridges. We found money for buildings. We're going to have to find money for the fire department. I have a little chart. Don't take it long. Trust me, it's very simple. actual map of not behavior. Okay. So, things on here that are important. It's all important. We have 10 firefighters on a 24-hour shift,
050seven days a week. It's just 10. Four pieces of apparatus only. That's it. We have to cover I91, Mirror Parkway, Route 40. If you take the total mileage, lane mileage from all of this, we can go back and forth to New York. We have four pieces of apparatus to cover this. Four P on a shift, 10 firefighters. We have 15 miles of railroad track that we covered. That's ours. Also, we have a railroad yard. People say, "Well, what's that? How important is that?" All those beautiful silver tankers you see in there, they're filling with liquid propane and other chemicals. And those red socks that you see flying are not the land helicopters. They're to let us know, god forbid, a disaster, which way the chemicals going to blow. We just had an incident, I guess,
051in middlefield up there, a derailment. Everybody had a shelter in place. Okay, just for the record, could happen last 10 years, 160 derailments, just under 9 billion in problems. 9 billion. Okay, we cover approximately 20 square miles, 24,000 residents. We have 10,000 units that we cover 8,100 single house dwellings and the balance of apartment houses. Okay. NFPA regulations 1017 has a meaning. It's not just a number. 10 minutes 17 firefighters. Okay. We don't have 17 firefighters on a shift. We don't have 15. We have 10. So automatically out. Also has a second part to that. 4m minute respond time, four firefighters, one piece of apparatus. We don't have that either. We're supposed to have four firefighters minimum on an engine. We go out with three. We go out understaffed to start with. If you know
052anything about the fire department, when they pull up, the driver gets out. He's the pump operator. Your first jump seat is your commanding officer. He's making a search the back seat. He's trying to hook up a line. So, obviously, we can't have a hydrant because we don't have enough time. So, we're going to pump out of the engine. That's how that works. If we go up on any of these highways, minimally, we go up with two pieces of apparatus. We only have four total on shift. That leaves two sitting behind. Sometimes we go up with three on the highway. People say, "Why? That's, you know, you need that. We need a blocking tool." Two years ago, they say nothing could happen. Two years ago, a driver ran into back of one of our engines, demolished
053it. Okay. 40 ft long, 200 lights, broad daylight, couldn't see it, hit it. So, it could happen. Our firefighters are a risk. We have the Kunipak River. It runs all the way down here. We cover all of that. It's just not safe. In the last, well, in three years, in a 36-month period, we lost three firefighters to heart problems, passed away, under 55 years old. We're sitting right now with 10 firefighters. We have seven at headquarters and we have three down at Monoise. We cover 18 gas stations in town. 18 gas stations. Potential hazard, explosion, fires, whatever, whatever they have. That's not counting the tens of thousands of vehicles that run up and down the highway in and out of our town. It's not counting all the corporate locations we cover. It's not counting just
054Amazon alone that we have to cover. The other day we had a disaster on Duff Park when someone committed suicide. They jumped in front of a train. Our guys were there. We had two pieces of apparatus that left two more in town. You get someone that calls because the smoke detector goes off. It happens to be someone left a piece of toast. We lose a third piece of apparatus. There's one piece left. It's impossible. Just can't be done. Not to mention, we talked about this last time. We have 27 more pieces of apparatus. I know some are 12 and some are 15. They're out of time. We need to get new apparatus, but we need new firefighters. You have one fire here and you have one down here. This is a fourminute. See this here?
055Here's our firehouse. Here's where four minutes brings us. We're just halfway up Washington Avenue. That's where 10 minutes brings us to here. A little Wharton Brookke. We don't even make the end of the town in 10 minutes. Not to mention Not to mention we're seven firefighters short no matter what happens. So, it's not a lengthy presentation. I practically all done. These are all the corporates. You see them gas stations. They're all done in color. You want to see it? If you like me to bring it up there, I'll be happy to bring it to you. But it's it's dangerous now. It's no more a slippery slope. Now it's dangerous. We all want new developments. We all want them. They're putting another 150 houses up here. They're not even on the map yet. Who's going to
056cover all this? Again, we wish for rain. Deal with the mud now. You can't cover this. There's not enough bodies to cover this. It's ridiculous. These are the firefighters that are in other towns. Okay, you have West Haven with 22 to 24 on his shift. You have Hampton with 17 to 20. You have Wallyford with 17, East Haven with 12 to 14. >> Hammond has 17 to 20. >> Yeah. Yeah, they have 17 to 20. They said >> twice the population H of North Haven. >> What's the population? Yeah, >> it's about 60,000 >> in hand. >> Yeah, >> probably. >> Okay. >> They have volunteers also, >> right? >> We have 12 uh 12. We're down to like seven acting volunteers. Our firehouses are closed now. Our volunteer houses are closed Monday to Friday
057all day. They open up at 6 o'clock at night. So, are you telling me we shouldn't have any incidents between the hours of midnight and 600 p.m. the following night? 1800 hour? Come on. You can't cover this ground. It's physically impossible. It can't be done. I told you there's enough highway lines, lane mileage to go back and forth to New York. It's absurd. We're the only town that's understaffed by that much. Now, I know you're telling me New Haven, they're huge. They're one of the biggest cities in the state, and they're going to be the biggest in the state in two years. I know that. They go to a scene with 20 firefighters minimum. 20. I mean, even a small car fire, they go with 15. We just cannot handle this. You're burning the men
058out. You're burning the firefighters out. It's a closed fraternity. I know it sounds like that I'm preaching all the time about the fire department. I call them my firefighters. This Yes. It's not just a commissioned firefighter. Okay. It's like a family. I've been there 25 years. It's not like, you know, well, that's bad so and so, bad so- and so. No, they're family. And I see these guys and I talk to them and they're beat up. They're beat up. Some of these firefighters are going in out of job and they're changing their Scott Pack twice. They're changing their tank twice. Not good. Not good. You need a relief. Again, I hate to keep bringing it up. We lost three firefighters under 55 years old. I'm concerned about that. I really am concerned about that. And
059I think the town should be And again, we can't protect town. My firefighters are first. They got to be protected first. Otherwise, they can't protect the town. It's like a stewardist tells you on a a plane. Okay, we're going down. Put your mask on first so you can breathe and help the guy next to you. If your mask is no good, you both die. Well, that's what happens with my firefighters. They need to have more bodies with them. They need that. They can't do it. And they can't rely on a 27y old backup piece because 20 years it's out of service. 25 years it's out of service as a backup piece. We're 27. And I know Rich, we have 16y old units and they're breaking down. Check. Check how much it's costing us. We have
060a lot of trucks sitting on Washington Avenue. I don't know what we paid for it used. And then we had it fixed another 60 70,000. Now it's laid up with no motor. The motor is gone. It's 100,000 to repair a motor on an old ladder truck that we're going to wind up scrapping. We're taking parts off it. And now I understand that all departments need money. I understand that our community is building. We have a wonderful first selectman. He's able to do two jobs. God bless him. save us money, bring economic development into this town, but we got to protect what we have first. We need to protect our firefighters first and then the people of the town and then the property. I know you say we don't have these major fires. Listen, one fire
061in a garage could kill somebody. Doesn't have to be a major five-story building fire. Now, we're building all these new apartment buildings, the new ones on Washington Avenue. What are they called? bridge. It looks like the Bronx. It's all built up over there. Across the street, there's three more highrises. Vigliotti's building all new ones on Clintonville Road. They're building new ones on the end of Warner Road, Benedict. Who's going to cover all this? It's absurd. It's absurd. Universal Drive is building hotels. They're putting in those little pod stores and pod uh restaurants. Who's going to cover all that stuff? We just had a call tonight. Two apparatus went out for carbon monoxide. Two apparatus went out. We lost five firefighters out of a shift of seven. How does that work? Not too good. Not too
062good. I don't want to be the third call because it's not going to happen. And mutual aid, we can't keep dependent on mutual aid. The surrounding towns get tired of that, too. They get tired covering us. We have to cover ourselves. And I know it's a big stretch, but we need the funds. We need the funds. And I hope you guys women could get into this and you could find a way to budget capital. Look for grants. And I know you're going to tell me about grants after they run out. We have to start paying. It's like everything else. It's like everything else in life. You just said that what happened with that bridge two years later, we went up from 1.2 2 million to 2.2 million. That's just hesitation. We waited. It's a million
063dollars more. You don't want to take the engine that's coming in. It's 1.3. It's coming in next year in 27. Don't take it. Don't take it. Wait two more years. It'll be 2 million. And you'll have another 36 months to 40 months to get it. And then we'll have all this other equipment that's 17 years old. That'll all be 21 years old in four years. And then we're right back where we started from. We're behind the eightball. Fire department, I'm sorry to say, is very unique. It's not a department that we can go out right down the road to uh Bob Thomas and pick up a car immediately or go to a McDermott, now it's Crabtree, and get a car right away. We need it right away. No, it's a 36 to 48 month wait
064for a piece of equipment. Same thing with firefighters. And why we don't get the pool that every other town gets because we're the lowest paid in the circle. We're the lowest paid. Everybody gets gets paid more than we do. So we don't get that influx of firefighters or candidates that want to come on. They rather go next door. One step over the line. They make $10,000 a year more. Doesn't seem like much to a young person out in life with a family. It's a lot of money. Trust me. I thank you for your time. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them. If not, again, thank you for your time. I appreciate >> the call. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Any of the members of the public wish to speak this
065evening. >> All right. So, I'll ask for a motion to adjurnn, please. >> Make a motion. >> Second, please. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. We'll take a minute and u move right to the workshop. Why don't we take Gary first, the registar, Stacy, and then uh the police department. >> I'm just going to get a drink of water. All right. Why don't we move to the uh the workshop portion? >> Uh Gary wants, go ahead. Uh do me a favor, please. Gary, and the board a favor. Just reference your page numbers when you're speaking, please. >> Mhm. Uh, okay. We'll start with page 22. >> Go right ahead, G. And uh we really uh other than some shifting in the first n lines operating expenses are pretty much are
066exactly the same as what they've been in previous years except for a slight increase in the um the solder packages that we use. Any questions on any of those items? Do you want to just talk about the per person here? >> I can't really. I don't do personnel. >> All right. >> Is there anyone else in the audience that can talk to personnel? >> Well, the the idea is we're we're trying to replace Gary with a full-time assessor, >> right? >> Um we left some dollars in our timeline with the transition. Unfortunately, we keep looking and we're not finding. We thought we had somebody that was interested in the position and then last minute they decided to stay where they were. >> Is there a mandatory retirement age? Because Gary looks fine. I mean, >>
067there there's the problem is there's a lot of certifications and they're not easy thing to obtain. >> So, dollars are here to fix it. If >> maybe Mike wants to go for certification. >> Yeah, I'm sorry. Hamilton. I'm I'm qualified. >> But as you said, other than that, his budget's pretty flatlined. >> So, you're looking to hire from the outside as opposed to promote with >> We Well, I'll take someone inside if they have the certifications. >> Okay. It's a general shortage throughout the state of certified assessors and we've had it on the market for many many months and we had one certified assessor that applied for it which didn't pan out. It's difficult for all the towns around. Um, East Haven, who I work with, has been with without somebody for four years, almost
0685 years. Um, certainly I hope it doesn't take us that long. >> It's getting up. >> Um, >> so it's it's very difficult. It's a really it's a it's a real problem that I think this the state needs to address at some point. It's too late now really, but uh on the whole process of certification and uh uh training for the positions. So, but right now as it sits right now, it's um there's a shortage and it's difficult to find anybody that's willing to uh move from their present situations. So, we're that's the way we're sitt right now. And have you had a change in the senior clerk? I'm just seeing the number change from this year to next year consult >> change in personnel. We brought in, you know, person that No, we did
069that that was last year >> and uh she she does general assessor work, but she's her one of her primary duties is the sewer collections that we uh we have taken on. >> That's the senior clerk. >> Okay. >> All right. Uh anything else here? >> The other page 23 is a board of assessment appeals which is uh again pretty flatfunded. Um we had a number of appeals last year because of the reval and we're having they're coming in now. February 20th is the deadline for appeals this year. Um so that's this Friday. Um so we have a few coming in. uh it's not not going to be uh extensive I don't believe unless the last few days they really start to come in. So these should be more than adequate for the amount should
070be more than adequate for their uh uh salary payments uh in the board of assessment appeals is mandated by state statute that they get paid the only board or commission in the municipal government that has that requirement. So, um, but they, you know, it's a minimum wage kind of payment, but it's still, it's something that we have to do. >> So, who currently is the assessor? >> I am here. >> Okay. So, even though you're part-time, you are the assessor. Yeah. >> Okay. >> And when will this board be receiving the the grand list long printout that we get every year? >> Yeah. Well, that's a standard >> when we do revenue. >> That's a standard request we we make for the March meeting. >> There's a request. >> Well, time to get it earlier
071because it's available. The >> final in March, though, isn't it? >> Yeah, we uh the final that goes to um the state reportings in actually in in May, but we generally get it out sooner than that. um because that after the board of assessment assessment appeals meets which is the first week in March that's when it's really gets uh nailed down to the final amount. So right now you January 31st is is the first uh uh amount certified those people get notified of any increases or changes in their assessments. Then they have the right to come in to the board to the board of assessment appeals to challenge those amounts. And then after the board makes their decisions, then that's the final total. >> So in your March meeting, you'll you'll see something. >> Thank
072you. >> Anything else for Gary? >> No, even though these percentages uh are are beyond our tolerance. Uh the the dollar amount is, you know, the additional dollars are only about 45,000. >> Yeah. >> So pretty good. Garrett, you're running a tight ship. >> Thank you. All right. Thanks, G. >> Thanks, Jen. Jim, you want to go next? >> Good evening everybody. >> Hello. What do you think? So, as you can see, uh from from our numbers, the the big thing is uh early voting that we uh decreased a lot. We uh we were able to run early voting with a lot less people than uh we had originally budgeted for. we uh we submitted and this and the state allowed us to do it. So, we ran with uh with what they let us
073do and that's what we have um lined up for next year. Excuse me. And hopefully they uh they just keep letting us use the amount of people that we want to use. That's why that number is so low. So, we had budgeted for 32 and we used 14. So, >> so this is a good thing. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And I just want to cover the um Oh, it's so $4,000 and ballots in and primary supplies this year, right? >> Yes. >> Yep. Sorry, I thought it was >> Yeah, that that also includes the u that's uh includes maintenance on the new tabulators. >> Okay. >> As part of that, >> questions from the members. >> It's by far the easiest budget. Always has been. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >>
074Very nice. >> Best presentation we've had, by the way. >> Better than finance, right? >> Good evening everyone. Stacy Yarra, town clerk, tax collector. Uh, chem clerk is page 20. Tax collector page 23. You have all my um numbers in front of you. I don't really have much to add because I really didn't make many changes. The only changes were um for tax an increase for the postage slashtaxim line and um for town clerk an increase for the um indices/land records line item and that's that one's due to uh increase in our land record auditor phase. Everything else remained the same. Question And you thought the assessors was easy. >> No, it's impressive. >> No, thank you for the online access that continues to be very efficient using. >> Well, it may not be there
075much. The law has changed and um there going to be some changes coming down the pike that are going to really upset the public, but we'll have to see. I will just Any other questions on either of my budgets? I just wanted to throw out um back in 2024 there was a constitutional question about uh changing from regular absentee balloting to um no excuse absentee balloting. >> And to date, and maybe it'll happen in this short um session up at the state legislature, but they still haven't codified that constitutional question which passed which would allow for no excuse voting. So, I fully expect you guys to ask me questions about my absentee ballot line. Um, I know I'm sure you will, but the point being is that um that unfunded mandate from the state, they
076just haven't gotten around to uh codifying it, but it's coming and it's coming soon. I'm hoping it's going to be this session. So, just FYI on that. >> So, Stacy, I I'm not familiar with what you're talking about, but you're saying it's going to have an impact on your budget? not this year. >> Okay. >> I'm talking about going forward. >> Heads up. Um the other thing I was going to mention is that um and it's really not my area to mention, but I would just express my deep concern about the position of the assessor's office and the fact that it is very hard to find assessors in Connecticut right now. And as you know, as both town clerk and tax collector working with for these last 16 plus years, uh his job is incredibly
077important to this town. And um to go like East Haven or other towns for plus without an assessor will have a impact on the town. It'll have a huge impact on my two offices. I mean, you can't not have an assessor. So I think it's kind of scary right now but um he is sort of irreplaceable but I am biased because I have a great working relationship with Gary but that p position it is so important to any municipality but um you know Gary Gary is irreplaceable and he has retired technically but he worked partner for the town which is wonderful for us but what if you know he didn't who would we be So I am worried about that position for the town. Um >> I think we share that but I I from
078the board of finance perspective, it is a funded position, right? So it's not that we don't have the dollars for the assessor, right? And Gary's there. We I know having talked to Rich what he already did which is that we go finding an assessor, right? So >> well there might be a reason behind that. I mean multiple reasons. So um but that's not for me to say. I'm just throwing out there how important it is that we really um >> need an assessor for the town. We don't want to be in a position where we don't have one. >> Right. >> Any other questions related to my two budgets? >> Members, >> uh I did have a question actually about your your absentee ballot because again we have to go back several years to to
079get a sense for a year in which we had um a major um election. So, in the current year, uh, we've spent about $65 on this, but we'll probably make a lot more in in the fall. Do you have a sense based upon the last gubanatorial election what that absentee ballot expenditure was? >> I can't say because I don't know what they're going to do with regard to the change in the law. >> Mhm. >> And so, it could be it could exceed what my budget is currently, but if they don't act, I I have no idea what's going to happen. It's up to them. I mean, it's one thing, you know, when when people voted in 2024, yes, they wanted no excuse voting. That only allowed the constitutional question to then go to the
080state legislature for them to codify that, but they've just not done it. >> And um well, sort of in limbo waiting to see what happens. But that cost of absentee ballots for your department is different from the early voting cost of two elections. >> Two departments I handle absentee balloting, >> right? >> They handle uh early voting and you know election day at the actual polls. >> Right. So the cost of absentee ballot is primarily the cost of the of the ballot itself or the processing or >> it's anything everything involved with having people come in and vote. Um, we just don't know what's going to happen at this point, >> right? >> I mean, listen, I'm we're not the only town. Every single >> not everyone's in the same boat. I just wondered if
081four years ago is us any as to what >> Well, I mean, see, it's been kind of hard since CO things have changed since CO. If you went back before CO, I could give you a better idea. But since CO, it just really been unpredictable because um there's just been so many changes in election laws since that time. There really have been a flux of a huge amount of changes. >> Thank you, Stacey. >> Thank you very Okay, I threw an extra threw an extra A in there. Happens every day. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thanks. I apologize. Guys, this is probably going to take like another minute or two. >> No worries. So, I'll I'll start um and I'll go without the PowerPoint if it doesn't load. Um I'd like to start out and just
082um welcome and thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the board. For those of you who I haven't had the opportunity to formally address in this capacity, my name is Andrew Stevites. I'm the chief of police. Alongside with me is Joseph Wnik, Deputy Chief of Police. Uh I'd like to begin by thanking the board for the opportunity tonight to prevent the police department's fiscal year budget for 2627. We appreciate your time and continued commitment to the fiscal health and public safety of North Haven. As you know, this year marks a transition in leadership for the police department. And I'd like to take a moment to recognize former Chief Kevin Glenn for his many years of dedicated service to the town. We're grateful for him and the previous chiefs who built upon the foundation of the
083department. I'd also like to acknowledge the members of the board of police commissioners who are here this evening. Their continued guidance and support has been invaluable as we move forward. And most importantly, I'd like to recognize the men and women of the North Haven Police Department for their professionalism and hard work. They are the people that do the work, often in challenging and unpredictable circumstances, and they keep our community safe. And I'm truly proud to lead that group. So, with that, I will get into our presentation. Uh, and I would ask uh if you'd like, you can turn to page 26. I believe this is about 12 launch. Yeah. So, as far as tonight goes, what I'd like to start out with is a brief overview of the department today. Then we'll get into our
084operating budget request, our total capital requests, and our key budget drivers. And after that, we can get into animal control after uh we do some questions about the police side of things first. So the department today we are 59 sworn police officer positions. We have 11 supernumemerry officers, 12 dispatch positions, eight full-time, four part-time, two animal control officers, three crossing guards, and five nonsworn and clerical staff. That brings us to a total of 92 employees at the police department. We're the largest department on the town side. We have the largest. >> May I have your attention please? >> So, as I was saying, we have the largest budget on the town side as well. We deal with three unions, full and part-time employees. We oversee animal control, school resource officers, dispatching police, fire, and EMS,
085crossing guards for our schools, as well as the clerical staff at the police department. We also like many departments um think that the universe revolves around us and that we're most important. Um I do believe that what we do is very significant and it puts the town at a lot of risk and liability. You know, we enter people's homes when they don't want us to. We use force against people. We pursue cars and we take freedom away from people temporarily. So, it's a big deal and it's important that we're well funded so we can be well equipped and well trained in what our tasks are. So tonight, as far as our operating budget goes, um for our line items, there are a lot of lines in our budget, it's roughly a $10 million budget. So
086I didn't want to waste time talking about $1,500 and and small numbers. So my plan is to discuss lines that are material, $10,000 or more movement, or 5 to 10,000, but a 20% raise in that line. And obviously, if there's any other lines you'd like to discuss, feel free. So, starting with personnel, which is probably the line that will draw most attention, we have an increase from 6.8 million to roughly 7.2 million. It's an increase of 43,000, just under 6% on that line. And a big portion of that is due to contractual pay increases. Factored in there also is one new police officer position that I'm requesting as well as some additional funding that may appear as recruitment replacement. Uh what that is is we'll have people who are set to retire and they will
087use uh contractual benefits that they have to advance their retirement. So they stop working for us but they're still on the books. So now when I want to replace them, I'm paying the replacement, but I'm still paying them. So it kind of becomes problematic because we're paying two people for one position at that point. So there's some extra funding in there. Deal with instances where there's some of that overlap. It's not really effective for me if somebody is not coming to work, but they're on the books for 6 months and I have to wait 6 months to replace them. It's just delaying the whole process, especially if we're going to be going after a recruit who takes over a year for us to see the benefit of hiring them. >> And chief, why aren't they
088working? >> They have a contractual benefit where they can advance their retirement using acred sick time. >> Advance meaning they can retire earlier. >> There's there's enough departments when you retire, you get paid out your acred vacation, sick time. Police have the option of actually utilizing sick time to advance their end date which then affects their end date for pension. >> And when you say advance it, you mean they bring it forward and make it earlier? >> No. No. So if if they had 26 years exactly and they decide they want to do this and they have six months worth of vacation, their pension would reflect 26 and a half years of service. >> So they're using their their their acred vacation. You're saying >> earned sick time and Yeah. >> So they're getting paid
089for it. It's going towards a pension but they're not working. >> Correct. Okay. >> So this 50,000 would be to to replace them with someone earlier who could be actually out in the streets. >> Correct. Yeah. Okay. >> Our super numerate SRO program is increase of $15,000 from 380 to 395. It's roughly 4%. The SRO program is based off of patrol grade D pay. So even though they're not union employees, they get what a grade D patrolman gets. So they are getting a slight increase as all police union members are getting an increase. And also we're utilizing the SRO a little more for after school events. The schools and the kids like to see the officers that they're used to seeing day at these events, whether they're a dance or a parent teacher conference rather
090than having a patrol officer work it. It's nice for the staff and students to see the SRO that they work with daily. In some instances, it's also cost effective for us to have the SRO there because they work slightly under 40 hours a week. So for a few of those hours and have to pay them overtime where a police officer would be on overtime but because of the grade D increase and the afterchool events multiplied by seven arrows there is an increase on that line of about 4%. So, our overtime line, I'm requesting to advance it to $940,000. That is an increase of 70,000, roughly 8%. Our overtime is driven by many factors. Those are staffing minimums, contractual raises, significant calls for service, critical incidents, weather, and public events. We historically have been going over
091our overtime. We do our best to manage it, but I think we've gotten to the point where it's just not enough and we're kind of putting out officially low numbers. I think it makes more sense to try find a number that's realistic. Uh I'll give you an example. This past snowstorm we had, you know, public works is out there and they're cutting down snow banks because they're sighteline issues. So when there's a payloader on Route 5 at Blakesley cutting down a snowbank, we have to be out there with them and they're on for about a week and a half. That comes out of our bud and that's over time. So does leaves, so does milling and paving, concerts on the green, uh Christmas tree lighting, the Dora on the green, you know, there crime and
092then fear of crime and people like to see us at a lot of events and we like to be there, but that comes with a cost. So overtime has gone up. But we want people to feel safe and we want people to get the service that they should should feel comfortable with when they go to an event. We don't want them to have to have worry. >> Excuse me, Chief. Um, >> yes, I think I recall Chief Glenn actually secured a grant >> to cover some overtime overages. >> Um, is that something that is a possibility you for sure? Okay. >> It is. Yep. We uh we seek out grants. Uh there's uh rural road grants, there's DUI grants, there's uh JAG grants that we get. So we do the best we can to get
093grants and I'm very confident we will get grant funding next fiscal year as well. Um but it just doesn't cover enough. Um we we have a better chance when we get grants that they go to the state and then the state then trickles them out to local municipalities. any grant where we're trying to get funding from the DOJ direct from Washington is very difficult partly because we're not a distressed community and that's what is a lot of the criteria. Mhm. >> Um so we lose out when go after grants um on like a a federal level a lot of times >> it's unfortunate but at the same time I I don't want to become a distressed community just to get a grant so it's kind of uh you know delighted good >> yeah exactly right
094>> uh but we we just have seen that overtime costs um which also include dispatch where we have some shortages >> it's been a problem key dispatch >> going be my next question is if you had to break down the overage into patrol officers, detectives, and dispatch officers. What would you say? >> It varies. The last year, um I'd have to look at We've had a significant amount of overtime from dispatch. >> Instead of eight full-time, we only had five. >> It makes a big difference. We just I think was it today their first day? Tomorrow. Today. Today we started our eighth dispatcher. So, we're hoping that carrying us forward that overtime may go down. But they're they're all so new, we we just don't know if they're gonna last. We've seen a lot of
095people that will get through part of training or get to the end of training. >> Sure. >> And then not make it. >> So, it's been a problem for us, but we're working on it. >> I see. >> Uh our holiday line, it's an increase of $15,000. Again, this is driven by contractual raises. It's roughly 5% of that line. And you know, again, a contractual benefit in addition to their pay raises. Um, some personnel have holiday work option, which makes it difficult sometimes to predict how much we'll pay for a holiday. Some of the administrative staff like detectives or people in a specialized unit, um, they have an option. So, let's say on President's Day, if it was their normal day at work, they could stay home or they can come in and work and
096they'll receive some added benefit. So on Christmas, for example, most people don't work unless they have to. On President's Day, a lot of people work because the world is kind of still functioning and they'd rather come in and get the money. So it varies. Um, so I can't really predict exactly how much holidays will cost me because of that. and then the factoring in of the wage increase holiday pay. Our electricity um depending on where you live, a lot of you can probably relate to this. Uh the cost of electricity has gone up a lot and we're not immune to that. So I'm asking for a $15,000 increase, roughly 33% to cover our electrical costs. we were over on our electricity in fiscal year uh 25 26 and this year I believe we're near 80%
097on electricity. So it's it's a problem. I'm sure other departments are probably facing that as well. Um so that's why I'm I'm looking for that increase on our electricity line as well. Uh nearing toward the end for the operating lines here, our body worn camera line. So this is a significant jump 74,000 to 92,000 increase of $18,000 almost 25% on that line. So we're at the end of a 5-year contract with Axon. They supply us with our tasers and our body cameras. So we have to renew that. They offered us a number of different plans. Uh they started out talking about $180,000 per year. We were going back and forth with them for a while. We got them down to 92,000 a year. Overall, uh, you know, they cite rising inflation and technology costs. This
098is now the current price when they renegotiate with people. I will also tell you we carry a taser that's two models below their latest uh version. And we're doing that to keep these costs down. If we went with what they call the Taser 10, we couldn't get it below 150,000. Um, I'm comfortable with the model we have, but they've also been talking that in a few years they may not even support it. So, what I can tell you is moving forward, we can commit to this 92,000 for the next 5 years, but I imagine that after that there's going to be significant increases because they're going to stop supporting what we carry. >> Uh, just so I know, I I understand the body camera part, but what why does the taser have a subscription? The
099So, it's a package deal. Axon provides the body cameras and tasers. >> Okay. But the software is mostly for the body cameras. >> The data is like storage. Yeah. But the tasers themselves are very expensive as well. >> But you're you're not changing your tasers. You're keeping the old ones. >> I'm keeping the tasers we have and we're purchasing six additional tasers because of some that need to be replaced and for if we have any new personnel or spares. Yeah. So, that covers the taser and the body cam with data. >> That is all I was going to touch upon as far as our operating lines go. Um, are there any questions before I kind of get into some of the budget, the drivers of these lines? Let's just pause for a second, see if
100the board members have any questions on the operating expense side of this budget. How many have how many K9 dogs do we do you have? >> We have four. >> You have four. >> I put a picture in here for you for one of them. It's coming up. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I'll wait. >> Yeah. So, we have four dogs. >> All right. Sounds like there's no timeline. >> Well, just regarding personnel, um uh sworn officers is it uh >> 59. >> Yes. Now, um, when Chief Glenn left, I think he he said that, uh, he was satisfied at the moment with, uh, the amount of personnel he had. >> Um, you're adding one. >> So, he requested to add one. And now, so what? So, is this part of a pro what's your
101future request going to look like? >> So, um, >> the five-year plan, >> I'm glad you said, you know, Chief Glenn said that, not me. As much as me and Chief Glenn are are close friends, >> um, Chief Glenn also asked for two people last year and we got one half year. >> So, I look at this uh partly as unfinished business from last year to carry out what Chief Glenn had asked for. Um, you know, he had a number in mind for the police department. I think I'm close to that number, but the world of policing and the dynamics of society change. So, you know, looking forward, do I think that we're going to need uh 75 police officers? No. Is 60 going to be the last time I ever asked you for a
102police officer? I I wouldn't say that either. So, >> calls for service time on >> Yeah. I mean, our this last year, our calls for service were the highest they've ever been. We had 31,000 calls for service. It's up I think 74% from what year? 18. >> 17 going into 18. So from 2017 to today, our calls for service were up 75%. So you know, e crime like when you look at crime rates and things, even if crime is up or down, it's not the sole factor for needing police. The the demand on the police department seems to be increasing. People call more, people want to see us more, and we're just trying to provide what we think that the people want to feel safe. >> Your your minimum staffing per shift, is that regulated
103by unions? the state or what what's the >> So, I set the minimum staff. >> You set it. >> All right. Thank you, Chief. Uh, anyone else before we go to animal control? >> I actually I have a a few more things and I was going to do the PD capital. >> Yep. Before that, >> so some of this will be a little redundant, so I'll go through it quickly, but the vast majority of the requests touch upon wage increases and stipens, all of which are contractual. So I don't personally believe there's a lot of leeway in these requests other than with the addition of personnel. But these lines here overtime, supernumery, shift differential, professional development, advanced degrees, EMT incentive, longevity, they're all contractual. So I really can't not provide those things to our our
104people. We also have unfunded mandates, mental health evaluations that we have to do for the entire department, pre-employment polyraph, ancological exams for our recruits, drug screenings and training requirements dictated by the police accountability bill or from post. So there's obviously a cost in getting our personnel hired and then maintaining their certifications. So that is a big driver as well to uh some of these issues. As far as the utilities go, just unstable pricing. Like I mentioned before, these adjustments are trying to reflect what we think is more realistic rather than just creating arbitrarily low numbers. So we look like we're trying to do the right thing, what we think is realistic. Looking at the last full fiscal year, which was um 2425, we were close to 60,000. This year we're at almost 80% of our
105line which is at 45. So we feel 60,000 is more realistic for 2627. And this is probably something that you can't see because it's so small, but essentially what this shows all those lines in the beginning that are highlighted in blue. Roughly 90% of our total budget is contractual or a stipen in their contract. And then approximately 1% are things like unfunded mandates like the body program. I can't stop the body cam program. I can't stop giving people drug tests or polygraphs or psychological exams. So when you add those two up really it's about 8% of the department is what's um discretionary in my in my opinion. Um at this point I would get into our capital if there's no more questions on that. >> Couple questions. the uh electricity bill of course that is
106something that we're seeing in a lot of the different departments but for your relatively brand new building which you would hope would be fairly high efficiency are you seeing that the increase in cost of electricity is due to increased utilization of electricity or the rate >> I really think it's more a rate issue I don't think that we're using more electricity per se I mean we're obviously you know the building never closes so it's constant But we don't really see that we're using more lexity. It's more just spikes in in rates. >> Okay. And as far as the personnel goes, uh you you quote some of the statistics for for service uh growth um since 2018. And it looks like, you know, the number of chiefs and uh captains, lieutenants, and sergeants has remained the
107same. Two chiefs, two captains, lieutenants, nine sergeants. But the number of patrolmen since 2018 has gone from 34 to 43. Is that is that >> Yeah. And that's why I I would have comfortable telling you today that I'll I'll never want another uh police personnel because there may be a day where when we look at um you know the the scope of revision where we've added police officers, but we also then may need to start adding um supervisor position. And I'm not looking for that now and I don't know if I'll even need it next year, but at a certain point we may have to consider a supervisor position as well >> at one of those levels or an additional level. >> Oh, I at a sergeant level. >> Sergeant level. Okay. >> Okay. Thank
108you. Thanks. >> So for our capital request cruisers, our request is for four police vehicles at the cost of $200,000. and four vehicles need upfit to get them patrol ready and that's 160,000 in upfit for those four vehicles. >> Chief, why is it four? I mean, for years I've been on this board, done three. Why is it four this year? >> We typically rotate between three and four per year. Um, and you'll see it on one of the next slides, but >> I have eight cars that are over a decade old. >> In the world of policing, having a car that's 11 years old is um almost unheard of. So, um, I think it's appropriate that we try and replace I I can't get much more life out of a police car at year 11.
109>> But you've given a couple of the SUVs to the fire department, correct? Recently, >> they took uh at least one vehicle that they I think their um their uh >> administrative >> their admin guys were using. Correct. Yep. So for the cars, you know, we we believe that getting new cars reduces breakdowns and out of service hours on our vehicles rather than always being out and repaired. Um it also provides a more consistent platform for prisoner transport and we have more cars available during peak staffing hours. Also with our new cars, um we're transitioning over to a new uh dash cam system. All our body cam and dash cam is evidence. So, kind of provides a more um streamline evidence capture approach when we do these new cars. So, these photos may be hard
110to see on the uh video here, but on that first photo, there's some red there in the black. That's tape holding wiring uh along the center console of the cruiser. That's like the floor mat and the brake there. The second photo is a seat. Now I know if you can tell the plastic that's broken off on the seat. That's also a seat. You can see the seat cushions there that are ripped up. This is a mileage on one of our cruisers. I believe it says 145,000. I can't see uh the other three numbers. >> So that I that's where I threw your dog in there. So that's K9 Taro's car. >> Um 145,000 miles is a lot in a police car. And in policing, mileage is just one factor. uh running hours is a big
111deal. If he's putting 145,000 miles on his car, >> the running hours are going to be through the roof, especially when and cool in the summer and, you know, heated in the winter, >> right? >> Um this car is not it's just not going to make it. So, >> Chief, what's the size of your fleet >> total? Like everything, slot vehicles, everything. >> Uh 42. >> But that's animal control, two vehicle. It's just every car that >> patrol cars >> patrol uh I would say about 21 in patrol and then we have a handful that we use for outside duty. We hold on to them. Um we do see a little bit there's revenue that comes back because there's cruiser fees to the contractors. So if we can provide a car, the town gets a
112little bit back on that. So our older cars sometimes will transition to a road job car. But in patrol on the road about 21. And do you typically utilize the exact same patrol car in >> We've had some shifts. There's some changes. Um I'm sorry. Did you say that again? >> In successive shifts, meaning shift one, two, three. >> Most cars most cars run constant. The K9 car is different. It stays with the handler. So that's just his car permanently. Our traffic car stays with the traffic personnel because they're outfitted with um different types of radar and other features. But for the patrol officers, yeah, those cars are constant. They work eight hours, they come in for 10 minutes, they go back out for eight hours. So, they're running all the time. >> And again,
113eight vehicles that are a decade old or older. We have a few cars that are 2014s, so they're pushing 12 years old >> and they're utilized. >> Not all of them are in patrol. Some of those may be a road job car, but they're they're still carrying our people. And when you're on a road job, you know, we're we're okay with a vehicle being old, but at the same time, if you're on a road job and you hear a call for a shooting, you're expected to get there, and you need to get there in a car that's reliable and can get you there safely. >> Sure. >> So, our our UPS battery replacement, so this is uninterrupted power supply. So these are batteries that basically bridge the gap between a power outage and our generator
114kicking on. Um it's our main concern is that communications never go down. So these batteries pretty much run in the background constantly. So if we lose power, the battery covers us for the minute nanocond that the generator takes to come on. But those batteries are very expensive. They have minimal lives. They don't really work often. They do a few periodic self tests, but these things just sit for months on end. So, they they get drained and their life cycle is nearing the end. We've already replaced some and there's numerous that are in alarm presently that we need to replace. This is just a photograph of what some of them look like. They're stored in these large cabinets. Uh these ones are at the police station, but there's other cabinets like this at other locations within
115town where we have repeaters. So again, if these batteries go down and there's a power outage, we could have an issue with communications. Not only does it affect the police, but that affects fire, public works, talking with ambulances. So it is essentially a backup to the backup, but it's something that needs to be addressed. Yeah. Uh, I put in there $7,500 just so I can slowly begin to repair maybe two at a time, but we recently did an audit of these batteries and there's um a lot more than two that need repair. But I think rather than waiting for them to completely die, we should at least start some type of maintenance program and get a get ahead of this before it gets out of hand. Uh, body armor. Um, I'm sure there probably won't
116be that many questions about that. We're looking for $8,800 for expiring uh body armor. It's recommended by the manufacturers that you replace body armor after 5 years. So, that's what we've historically always done. Doesn't mean it doesn't work at 5 years in a day, but we feel that it's the right thing to do. And, you know, if the manufacturer is saying you should replace it in 5 years, I'm not going to tell one of our people you're okay, keep wearing it. Um, so we're looking for a modest amount to replace uh units of body armor that are expiring. So, our patrol rifle program, um, one rifle in a car with optics and lights to help increase our capability and response. It allows us to have a faster, more accurate response to modern threats, replace antiquated
117and unreliable equipment we currently have. Our current rifles are near end or at the end of their life and it's standardized controls. So it's kind of one singular form that everyone can be trained on. So I'll show you a couple of brief photos. That is a rifle that we own present day. Um it's large, it's heavy. That front post can't be moved. That on top that object there kind of looks like a big bulky handle. and before the barrel on the rails. This is a like a very old cone. So, this would be a more modern rifle. This is what is going to be in somebody's house if they were to buy an AR-15 present day. It's lighter, it's shorter, it's more ergonomical. On the side of the barrel, you'll see there's like those kind
118of um like oval shapes. It's typically you people will call that an M-Lock system. It's for adding attachments quickly. On the top there's a rail for adding attachments. They're customizable. So this next slide I'm going to show you. It's just for illustration. I'm not saying that this is what we would have in every police car, but it just kind of shows you. And I picked multicolor so they would kind of stand out. On the top of the firearm on the left, there's an optic. There's a laser. On the bottom there's a a front foregrip. They're customizable. that first photo I showed you. It's hard to to find something like that present day. Um, lots of people own items like this. I mean, if this was racing, you know, you wouldn't race a stock car. >>
119We shouldn't show up with a stock rifle. If we have to put a rifle, it's a bad day and we have to be able to outgun what people have in their home. with the exception of a few outliers that are fanatics. Um, you know, we need to update our RIE program. >> And you want 19 of these. >> What's that? >> You want 19? >> Uh, there'd be more than 19 of those. >> 19. >> In your summary, it says patrol rifle update 19 rifles with accessories. And that's different from the SWAT rifles. >> Correct. That's why because then there' be swap rifles, too. Seven more of those. >> Yes. >> And these are all in the AR AK >> like a AR-15 platform. >> 1415. >> Yeah. >> Yep. And those those guns reflect
120more of what the tactical officers would have that wouldn't necessarily be in every cruiser. So we have a street sign making machine. Um obviously as you know our department makes street signs. For some reason, uh, we still see theft of street signs. We had have a dozen street signs that we need to create because we've noticed that they're being they're being removed. This allows us for same replacement after storms or crashes when people take out these signs. Um, and it limits the amount of time it takes for the sign to be made. I'm told right now it takes about 45 minutes to make the sign. Um, this is the setup that they use. They have these these placards. They have to cut this blue adhesive, put it on the placard, and by hand they space
121each letter, smooth it out, get rid of any air bubbles and whatnot. What people use present day, it's a it's a printing machine, so it prints out the entire street sign. You can town logo on it as well. It does all the spacing for you and the the size formatting depending on the length of the street name. And then you just adhere it to the placards that we currently have. So it just cuts down on production time. Um almost like a 3D printer. It it prints out the acrylic and then it goes over the um >> So So Chief, is this a replacement or outsourcing this right now? >> We don't have this right now. Right now by hand he takes this placard and then that blue he pulls it out, he cuts it, >>
122takes a knife, trim it, he does it by hand and we're looking to turn it into a machine. >> I know. >> How come that's not in public works? We've been doing street signs since I been on. So if if they'd like to take street signs on, >> I'd let it go. >> One of your old cars might help them. >> Yeah. >> Any questions on capital for the chief? >> Okay, I'll roll into the animal control. So animal control budget compared to the police department is pretty modest. It's $219,000 in total. The total increase I'm looking for is 20,418. Rough threequarters of that is for personnel and overtime. The the rest is utilities, vehicle maintenance, and building repair at $5,300, which I think is pretty um pretty modest considering the age of the building.
123Their personnel line from 127,000 to 137,000. It's an increase of roughly 7.8% of that line. And that's um contractual pay increases for Dave and Crystal as well as a um a step up for Dave Carney. I think that's yet to be determined, but I factored it into my budget proposal if he was to receive that that step up. That's the uh the figure I'm looking for as far as personnel goes. and their overtime line, it's an increase of $5,100. Um, just looking at some previous overtime costs, they seem to also run high. And with the wage increase of both of them, even if Dave doesn't get his step up, there's still a contractual increase on them. So, a slight increase, even though it's 25%, that's a $5,100 total on the overtime line. And that pretty
124much sums up animal control. All the other lines are um relatively small or little to no change. And I have no capital requests for animal control. >> Thank you, Chief. Uh any questions either on the uh animal control budget or the police budget or capital for that matter? >> Just a quick question about uh the part-time dispatchers. >> Yeah. Every year I see this $80,000 line item and in most years it's not touched at all. This year I believe you're running at about 11% >> uh utilization. >> Yeah. >> Given the fact that you've now ramped up to eight total dispatchers, which is what you're budgeted for. >> Do you think that you need that >> part-time in in the budget? >> Uh I do. Um, so a lot of times what was happening was
125those those dispatchers were they were working um full they they were working union member positions. It was coming to where someone was going to be held over their union. They came to an agreement where they let the part-timers work it because essentially they were getting burnt out. They were getting mandated so often because of our shortages. they were allowing the part-timers to work the full-time personnel's shifts so we can kind of prevent um burnout. Um but a lot of times they were being paid from our overtime line at that point, >> right? Um, once we get full staff, I think we'll see uh a decrease in the amount of shifts that part- timerrs will work, but we'll still need them because we use them to supplement when we get storms or if we have a
126significant event and we think that we're going to need more than two dispatchers because of call volume, we'll provide them shifts. So, >> so you think both overtime and this uh part-time line will go down? >> Both. >> That's the hope. Yeah. >> Okay. That is the hope. >> Anything else from the members for the uh chief or assistant chief? >> Okay. Sorry. >> Were you going to do what about the police cars? Where >> what's the next step for getting new vehicles? >> For getting them? >> Yeah. Like how old is your fleet >> average? >> Uh I mean it varies. I mean, we have cars that are, you know, we have cars that we're taking delivery of them in 2 weeks and then I have cars that are 12 years old. So, it
127it does vary. Um, for example, that K9 car, I I have to find money to replace that because I'm not going to get rid of the dog just cuz I don't have a car. So, I'll need to find a way to replace that car. Um, you know, our our our typical car, we we try and get anywhere from 3 to 5 years out of a car, which is pushing it. A lot of departments do less. We try to get 3 to 5 years. Um, you know, if I had to guess, our our average car on the road is probably at least four years old at least. >> Are you looking to get another K9 or? >> Yeah, not an additional K9. It'll be a replacement. So, Taro is getting old. >> Um, his handler is
128going to be getting promoted next week. So Taro is going to be phased out and that's his car that has the 145,000 m on it. So it's kind of a good time to segue into a new dog and obviously we're not going to give a new handler a car with 145,000 miles on it. So but there'll be a new dog. Yes. Just not additional. >> Yeah. Wasn't there two a while ago? >> Two >> dogs like dogs. >> So we have Taro, we have Cyrus, and we have Deetsz. They're all German shepherds. And then we have Quella who's a black lad. Thanks. >> Very good presentation. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. My sister-in-law was a black and great dog. We didn't cut it that way. The preceding program is brought to you in part through
129a grant from the town of North Haven. Watch town meetings or other videos on demand at nhtv.com.