Committee of the Whole

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE City Municipal Building | Council Chambers 295 Meridian Street, Groton, CT 06340 Monday, April 28, 2025 | 6:00 PM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - Minutes Mayor Keith Hedrick, Deputy Mayor Gweneviere Depot, Councilor Erin Artale, Councilor Paul Norris, Councilor Tony Patterson, Councilor Christine Piazza and Councilor Stephen Sheffield and City Clerk Dani Baycura The following minutes meet all requirements under CT FOIA for public meetings and is not a transcript of the meeting. Please visit Groton Municipal Television on YouTube to view the meeting in further detail. Mayor Hedrick called the meeting to order at 6:02pm. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Hedrick, Deputy Mayor Depot, Councilor Artale, Councilor Sheffield and Councilor Piazza (via Zoom). Councilor Norris arrived at 6:30pm. Excused: Councilor Patterson. I. NEW BUSINESS OR REFERRAL A. Board Member Application -Youth Advisory – D. Sanchez Denisse Diaz-Sanchez has applied to become a regular member of the Youth Advisory Committee. Deputy Mayor Depot expressed excitement about the increased engagement and stated Ms. Diaz-Sanchez serving would be a real asset to the City. Motion to move to the Mayor and Council of May 5, 2025: Deputy Mayor Depot. Second: Councilor Sheffield. Motion carried, 4-0-0. B. Finance Department - FY26 Tax Suspense List Director Yuhas presented a tax list from the tax collector, explaining it contained uncollectable motor vehicle and personal property taxes. The list is used to clean up accounts receivable and is received annually. Motion to move to the Mayor and Council of May 5, 2025: Deputy Mayor Depot. Second: Councilor Sheffield. Motion carried, 4-0-0. C. Groton Utilities 1. Bucket Truck Purchase 2. Excavator Purchase General Manager Robarge requested approval for a bucket truck and excavator purchase. The bucket truck would replace the current 15-year-old International Bucket Truck that has exceeded its service life. It will be replaced with a 2025 Freightliner chassis from Waltec Industries, costing $300,000. The new excavator, purchased from Ho Penn, will be usd for vegetation management and supporting 1  COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE City Municipal Building | Council Chambers 295 Meridian Street, Groton, CT 06340 medium voltage work, with a total cost of $196,200. Manager Robarge also discussed the need for timely equipment to address emergencies and the importance of being on top of vehicle replacements. Both purchases were approved by the Groton Utilities Commission on April 16, 2025. Motion to move both to the Mayor and Council meeting of May 5, 2025: Deputy Mayor Depot. Second: Councilor Sheffield. Motion carried, 4-0-0. D. Economic Development - Minor Façade Grant – Bill Memorial Library The Economic Development Committee recommends approving the minor façade grant application for Bill Memorial Library. The library supplied invoices and receipts for the restoration or replacement of 44 windows, 9 of which are street facing. The Committee feels the project aligns with the program goals and recommends approval. Motion to move to Mayor and Council meeting of May 5, 2025: Councilor Sheffield. Second: Deputy Mayor Depot. Motion carried, 4-0-0. E. Parks and Recreation 1. Electric Boat Donation 2. Farmer’s Market Grant Director Hill presented an electric boat donation and the farm viability grant for the Farmer’s Market. Funds will be used to further support the City’s commitment to match SNAP/EBT dollars spent at the Farmer’s Market. Motion to move both to the Mayor and Council meeting of May 5, 2025: Deputy Mayor Depot. Second: Councilor Sheffield. Motion carried, 4-0-0. F. Budget Presentations 1. Parks and Recreation The budget was presented for recreation and maintenance, which increased by 2.3% respectively. The recreation side increase was mainly due to contractual services and the inclusion of field trips in the summer playground program. The maintenance side increase was due to capital improvement projects and the ADA study cost. Director Hill also discussed potential projects such as replacing the tractor at the beach, installing security cameras at the park, and repairing the guardrail fence at the sub-vet memorial. Discussion ensued to the possibility of bonding these projects with other projects, but it would take additional time and approval processes. 2. Fire Department 2  COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE City Municipal Building | Council Chambers 295 Meridian Street, Groton, CT 06340 Chief Tompkins highlighted a slight increase in full-time employees and a planned retirement of the deputy chief. The budget also includes funds for heart hypertension claims, contractual services, and insurance adjustments. Chief and Director Yuhas clarified that if the budget for heart hypertension claims, exceeds the allocated amount, contingency funds could be used to cover the difference. The fire department's budget for facilities, materials, and supplies increased from $21,000 to $44,000, with $21,000 still requested. 3. Sanitation & Building Maintenance Public Works Director Sedlmeier discussed the sanitation budget, which is primarily contractual and labor-based. The tipping fees are expected to increase, but the exact amount was uncertain. The building budget reflects a 2.9% increase primarily for contractual services. General materials and supplies is projected at $40,000, but only $15,190 was spent this fiscal year, leading to questions about the necessity of the full budget. Director Sedlmeier explained that the budget was necessary for unforeseen issues and to account for cost increases on materials and equipment. Council discussed the contingency plan and its usage, emphasizing the need for transparency and monitoring of expenditures. Concerns were raised about the 5-year revenue forecast and the potential impact on the cash reserve. The need to adjust budgets based on actual usage rather than maintaining fixed allocations, was also touched on. It was agreed Council may discuss further at the next Committee of the Whole meeting. II. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn: Deputy Mayor Depot. Second: Councilor Sheffield. Motion carried, 4-0-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:22pm. ATTEST: Dani Baycura City Clerk 3