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Pursuant to the foregoing notice, a regular Representative Town Meeting of the Town of Greenwich was held in the Moderator’s Hall at Central Middle School on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 8:00 P.M.(E.D.T.)
The meeting was called to order by Moderator Thomas J. Byrne.
The Moderator announced that as all members had received a copy of the call for the meeting, the reading of the call would be omitted.
Dan Kelly, a student at Greenwich High School and delegate to the 2008 Boys’ and Girls’ State program, led the members in the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
Town Clerk Carmella C. Budkins swore in three new members: Ronald Lenihan in District 5, Charlene Ginste and Jacqueline Hammock in District 6.
Attendance cards were presented showing 186 present, 42 absent and 2 vacancies.
The members who were absent in District 1- Julie Ray; District 2- J. Suzanne Geiss-Robbins, Mark Schroeder; District 3 – Mercedes Blackson; District 4 – Alexander J. Popp, Jr.; District 5 – Laura B. Erickson; District 6- Joseph Stroll; District 7- Eleanor S. Bloom, Donald E. Hamilton, Timothy P. Harkness; District 8 – John E. Beckwith, James G. Boutelle, Vincent J. DeVito, Jay T. Hahn, Anthony Tod Laudonia, Peter E. Pellerzi; District 9 – Jane W. Arnone, Robert L. Beerman, J. Michael Dunne, Gregory H. Skidmore, Juan Sosa; District 10-John H. Blankley, Carol M. Caroll, David W. Detjen, Lawrence E Larson, Dora Williamson; District 11- Michael R Chait, James M. Hesburgh, Corinne A. Hughes, Harry A. LeBien, Neal E. Neilinger, Charles B. Seelig, Michael G. Wacek, Mary
S. Waldron; District 12- Bill Bambrick, Harris William Davidson, David L. DeMilhau, Dolores A. McCollem, Hope Polidoro, Sandra A. Romaniello, Mary Romeo, Jane S. Sulich.
The Moderator announced that as all members had received a copy of the minutes of the June 9, 2008 meeting, the reading of the minutes would be omitted. He noted that on page 8, Item 17 was a substitute resolution.
Genny Krob of District 8 questioned the vote recorded on Item 2 on page 8.
The Moderator said that the voting cards were checked and the vote was correct.
The Moderator recognized Erford Porter, II, who introduced the delegates to the Boys and Girls State program, a week long “learn by doing program” in civics and government held in Hartford. The delegates were selected by the American Legion and the co-chairmen for Greenwich were Mr. Porter and Livvy Floren, State Representative for the 149th District. The delegates for 2008 were Susanna Barron, Courtney Brand, Eliana Carmona, Marcia Foti, Jacquelyn Hay, Katherine Lund, Padmini Parthasarathy, Michael Drittel, Daniel Kelly, David Goldstein, Scott Marschall, Leighton Moskowitz, Collin Peck-Gray, Thomas Sassos.
The Moderator suggested a motion, which was moved and seconded, to suspend the rules and combine items 3,5,6,7,9,11,13,& 14 and consider separately items 1,2,4,8,10 & 12.
Motion Carried
The Moderator announced that the combined items were now before the meeting .
Christopher vonKeyserling, chairman of the Appointments Committee, offered the following resolution regarding Item No. 3.
RESOLVED, that the following named persons be appointed as alternate members of the Labor Contracts Committee for a term ending 12/31/09:
JILL OBERLANDER
M. MICHAEL WARNER
Joseph Siciliano, Director of Parks & Recreation, offered the following resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 5:
RESOLVED, that the Town of Greenwich accept a gift totaling $600,000 from the Junior League of Greenwich, Connecticut, Inc. for the renovation of the Bruce Park playground.
Town Administrator John Crary offered the following resolutions, which were duly moved and seconded, regarding Items 6 and 7:
6. Substitute Resolution
Reconstruction of Riversville Road Bridge and possible road realignment, from Sherwood Avenue to 700 ft. south of bridge.
WHEREAS, the Town of Greenwich has published a legal notice display ad, mailed a news release to a number of officials and agencies, and mailed a formal letter to abutting property owners, announcing a public information meeting on the proposed STP Rural Minor Transportation project known as Riversville Road Bridge Reconstruction, Town Project No. 05-13; and
WHEREAS, a public informational meeting was held on June 14, 2007, at Greenwich Town Hall from 7:00 PM to 8:30 P.M., at which meeting residents had an opportunity to voice their concerns; and
WHEREAS, the Southwestern Regional Planning Agency has selected this project as a regional priority and to utilize federal funds for right-of-way, preliminary engineering and construction activities; and
WHEREAS, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) has considered the concerns of the residents from the public informational meeting and finds that the proposed Riversville Road Bridge Reconstruction is in the best interest of the Town of Greenwich, and will promote the health, safety and general welfare of its residents and provide for convenience and safety of the motoring public.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Town of Greenwich, based on the above information, and by virtue of this resolution, hereby fully supports the proposed project.
7. RESOLVED, that the sum of $200,000 be and the same is hereby appropriated to be added to Capital Account Number Z345-59560-28023, known as “Art Barn (GEMS Station)”.
First Selectman Peter Tesei offered the following resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 9:
RESOLVED, that the following named person, nominated by the Board of Selectmen, be appointed a member of the Alarm Appeals Board for a term expiring 3/31/12.
BRIAN M. KELLY
Town Administrator John Crary offered the following resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 11:
RESOLVED, that the Greenwich Police Department accept a monetary donation from Greenwich Emergency Medical Services in the amount of $8,000. This donation will be used towards the purchase and installation of a boat crane to be used for rescues.
Assistant Town Attorney Aamina Ahmad offered the following substitute resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 13:
PROPOSED RTM RESOLUTION ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE TAX ABATEMENTS FOR PROPERTY CONVEYED TO A NONPROFIT LAND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION
RESOLVED, TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE PURSUANT TO PUBLIC ACT 07-170 APPROVED ON JUNE 29, 2007.
WHEREAS, Public Act 07-170 was approved on June 29, 2007; and
WHEREAS, Public Act 07-170 permits any municipality to abate real or personal property taxes due with respect to any tax paid or payable by a nonprofit land conservation organization; and
WHEREAS, such an ordinance must be approved by the legislative body of the municipality; and
WHEREAS, the Town desires to adopt such ordinance pursuant to Public Act 07-170 and to make it applicable to property transfers that occur on or after July 1, 2008.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED, that the Representative Town Meeting of the Town of Greenwich hereby approves the ordinance attached hereto and made a part hereof to abate certain real and personal property taxes due by a nonprofit land conservation organization.
TAX ABATEMENT ORDINANCE FOR NONPROFIT LAND
CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS
For transfers on or after July 1, 2008, of property exempt or that became exempt by reason of its acquisition by a nonprofit land conservation organization, under § 12-81(7) of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 12-1 of the Municipal Code of the Town of Greenwich, the real and personal property taxes due for any portion of a tax year paid or payable by a nonprofit land conservation organization shall be abated, even if the real and personal property taxes were due for a period before the date of acquisition but were paid or became payable subsequent to the date of acquisition, but in no case shall delinquent taxes or interest thereon be abated.
Conservation Director Denise Savageau offered the following resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 14:
RESOLVED, that the Conservation Commission may accept and use a grant award of $5,000 from Audubon Connecticut and;
FURTHER RESOLVED, to amend the Conservation Commissions budget resolution as follows (changes underlined):
That the Conservation Commission is authorized to accept grants and donation of monies and to collect monies from the sales of its publications that all monies received may be added to the appropriate account upon appropriation by the Board of Estimate and Taxation and the Representative Town Meeting, if necessary under Section 30 of the Charter, to be used by the Commission to publish natural resource books, maps, reports, and pamphlets, to erect bird nest-boxes, to manage nesting habitats of endangered and threatened species, and to undertake other appropriate habitat management pursuant to C.G.S. §7-131 a(b); and
The vote was now on the combined items.
In Favor - 180
Against - 2
Abstentions - 0
Items Carried
The Moderator announced that Item No. 1 on the call, postponed from the June meeting, was now before the meeting.
RESOLVED, that the following named person, nominated by the Board of Selectmen, be appointed a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission for a term expiring 3/31/11:
PAUL S. MARCHESE
The vote was now on Item No. 1.
In Favor - 148
Against - 15
Abstentions - 15
Item Carried
The Moderator announced that Item No. 2 on the call, postponed from the June meeting, was now before the meeting.
RESOLVED, that the following named person, nominated by the Board of Selectmen, be appointed a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission for a term expiring 3/31/11:
FRANK FARRICKER
The vote was now on Item No. 2.
In Favor - 146
Against - 19
Abstentions - 9
Item Carried
The Moderator announced that Item No. 4 on the call was now before the meeting.
Frank Mazza, Chairman of the Hamilton Avenue School Building Committee, offered the following resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 4:
RESOLVED, that the sum of $700,000 be and the same is hereby appropriated to be added to Capital Account Number Z6801792 59550 25110, known as Hamilton Avenue School Reconstruction. Said appropriation to come from the Capital and Non-Recurring Fund.
The vote was now on Item No. 4.
In Favor - 137
Against - 20
Abstentions - 15
Item Carried
The Moderator announced that Item No. 8 on the call was now before the meeting.
Ellen Flanagan, Director of Human Resources for the Board of Education, offered the substitute resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 8.
RESOLVED THAT, in accordance with Section 7-474 of the General Statutes, which requires the approval of any contract provision which modifies a municipal charter provision, the Representative Town Meeting approves the provision of the collective bargaining agreement between the Greenwich Board of Education and LIUNA Local 136 for Instructional Aides which changes the years of service for vesting in the Greenwich Retirement System from 10 years to 5 years.
Sense of the Meeting Resolution
WHEREAS, Connecticut statutes confer upon the Board of Education the exclusive authority to approve a collective bargaining agreement with Public Service Employees Local, 136, of Laborers International Union of North America AFL-CIO (“LIUNA BOE”), and
WHEREAS, in order to provide the RTM the opportunity to both comment upon the tentative agreement for the period covering July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2010, and to express its approval or disapproval prior to the Board’s acting on the agreement, the Board proposes the following RTM sense of the meeting resolution:
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that it is the sense of the Representative Town Meeting of the Town of Greenwich that it supports the Board’s tentative collective bargaining agreement with LIUNA BOE.
The vote was now on Item No. 8.
In Favor - 133
Against - 19
Abstentions - 10
Item Carried
The Moderator announced that Item No. 10 on the call was now before the meeting.
Joseph Siciliano, Director of Parks & Recreation, offered the following resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 10:
Be it Ordained and Enacted by the Representative Town Meeting that:
RESOLVED, that the Greenwich Ordinance entitled Chapter 13, “Trees and Vegetation” of the Greenwich Municipal Code is hereby amended in the following sections as submitted herewith.
SEE SEPARATE FILE FOR CHAPTER 13 REVISIONS
Douglas Wells, Chairman of the Legislative & Rules Committee, made a motion, on behalf of the committee, to refer this item back to the Legislative & Rules Committee.
Motion Carried
The Moderator announced that Item No. 12 on the call was now before the meeting.
Mary Ferry, one of the petitioners, offered the following resolution, which was duly moved and seconded, regarding Item No. 12.
WHEREAS the town faces a challenge in holding the mill rate increase to the 3.5% range while addressing a large and growing want for infrastructure replacement and enhancements, and doing these within a five year pay-as-you-go debt constraint, and
WHEREAS, RTM members are concerned about fiscal restraint, and
WHEREAS the RTM desires to inform the BET regarding its thinking insofar as operating and capital expenditures and their effect on the mill rate and borrowing,
NOW THEREFORE, the RTM recommends that the BET:
· maintain the annual mill rate increases in the 3-4% range over the next several years;
· limit borrowing for capital expenditures payable from taxes (including revenue bonds) to maturities not greater than 5 years in total, including bond anticipation
notes issued to fund the project during construction; and
· not capitalize BAN interest for general obligation bonds.
This resolution does not apply to borrowing which is outside the General Fund, such as Nathaniel Witherell and Sewers.
Douglas Wells, Chairman of the Legislative & Rules Committee, made a motion, on behalf of the committee, to postpone this item until the October RTM meeting.
Motion Carried
There being no further business, the Moderator adjourned the meeting, upon unanimous consent, at 10:55 P.M.
ATTEST:
CARMELLA C. BUDKINS
TOWN CLERK
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