Common Council

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT October 4, 2010 Special Meeting A workshop for questions to directors of the Common Council of the City of Middletown was held in the Council Chamber of the Municipal Building, on Monday October 4, 2010 at 6 p.m. Present Deputy Mayor Joseph E. Bibisi, Council Members Ronald P. Klattenberg, Philip J. Pessina, Gerald E. Daley, Hope P. Kasper, James B. Streeto, Deborah A. Kleckowski, Sergeant-at-Arms Sergeant Richard Davis, and Council Clerk Marie O. Norwood. Absent Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano, Council Members Thomas J. Serra, Vincent J. Loffredo, Robert P. Santangelo, Grady L. Faulkner, Jr., David Bauer, and Corporation Counsel William Howard Also Present Finance Director Carl Erlacher, Personnel Director Debra Milardo, Public Works Director William Russo, Wayne Bartolotta, Central Communications Officer; Salvatore Nesci, Health Department; William Warner, Planning, Conservation, and Development Director; Thomas Hartley, Parking Department Director; Acting Police Chief Patrick McMahon; Acting City Attorney Timothy Lynch; Fire Chief Gary Ouellette, Guy Russo, Water and Sewer Director; Bruce Driska, Emergency Management, Arthur Meyers, Russell Library Director, and three members of the public. Meeting Called to Order Deputy Mayor Bibisi called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. and leads the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance. Call of Meeting Read The Call of Meeting was read and accepted. Deputy Mayor Bibisi declares the Call a Legal Call and the Meeting a Legal Meeting. Workshop Opens The Chair opens the workshop questions to directors on agenda items at 6:15 p.m. Councilwoman Kasper asks for Carl Erlacher, Director of Finance and asks about the ordinance on the South Fire and they are not going ahead with the energy conservation. Mr. Erlacher states it is being repealed. He states there are additions to others. He did not sit on the energy commission. Councilman Klattenberg states he can answer it. The South Fire District has already implemented energy measures and didnìt think the Honeywell was a good fit and this is taking it off the list of projects. Councilwoman Kleckowski asks Mr. Erlacher to address the issue of expending money as it relates to defending Middletown; what is the past practice and how the monies are expended. Mr. Erlacher asks if you are referring to 14-3. He states there are five different budgets that contribute to the budget fund and in the past we have used it against any claims and litigation for the City and why it is here is that the claim was brought forward and denied by CIRMA because in effect we are suing ourselves. Even though the claim was denied, those bills need to be paid. The resolution is taking those monies from the Property and Casualty fund to pay the bills. If you act positively, you are looking for another funding source to reimburse the property fund and it will be an appropriation and if you donìt act on it, that fund would expend the money and if it runs short, we appropriate from the five budgets and reimburse it. Either way we are paying the legal bills. Councilwoman Kleckowski states either way, we appropriate tonight or later down the road. Mr. Erlacher states what we do we transfer during the year and when it is entirely expended, we go for an appropriation request. He would rather see the expenditure there and if it runs low, we will charge each of the five budgets to make it whole if it runs out. Councilwoman Kasper states she has a follow up question on that subject. She states if we choose not to restore that money to Insurance and Claims would that send a red flag from the auditors for taking that money from there and not the general fund. Mr. Erlacher states he doesnìt think so; the only difference is that this is a claim amongst ourselves. If it was another lawsuit we would use that fund. It is against ourselves. Councilwoman Kasper states we had a recent activity like that; where did the funds come from. Mr. Erlacher states from the Legal Department budget; there is a line for outside services or attorneys. Some come from there and some from Property and Casualty. Councilwoman Kasper states if we use it for other things, then we will run short. Noted for the Record Councilman Daley takes his seat at 6:22 p.m. Mr. Erlacher states we have already dipped into the general fund; he would rather use the Property and Casualty Fund and keep the general fund whole. Councilwoman Kasper states that is a mistake since it was not anticipated at budget time. Mr. Erlacher states unless Legal or Personnel can find it in their budgets, it would be an appropriation request. October 4, 2010 Common Council Meeting Page 2 Councilman Bibisi asks if there are other questions for this director. Councilman Streeto states based on the foregoing discussion we are discussing which pot the expenses should come from. He asks if we can get legal fees back. Mr. Erlacher states he doesnìt know where the case stands and it should not be discussed between the parties. Councilman Streeto states which way looks better from a bookkeeping perspective. Mr. Erlacher states he would like to keep the general fund whole and address the Property and Casualty fund with an appropriation at a later time. Councilman Klattenberg asks for Parking Director Hartley. He states the resolution under old business for the $120,000 for the new parking garage and moving it to the Melilli site and when I saw you there is some confusion for the engineering design and it was site specific; do you have anything from the State that this is tied to the Arcade. Mr. Hartley states it is not; it is for the downtown business district area. It is not site specific. The $120,000 that the Council made is site specific that it is for the Arcade and that is something the City Council specified and that is why it is tied to the Arcade facility. Councilman Klattenberg states this is like a domino; Mr. Hartley states it is from the federal government to the State and the State is my first contact point and then generally the State is inclusive in the conversation. They manage the project for the Feds. Mr. Hartley states they were selected and his first meeting was working out the cost budget proposal with URS. The dealings prior to that, happened before my tenure with the City. Councilman Klattenberg asks if URS was selected. Mr. Hartley responds yes they are the selected team. Councilman Klattenberg states they are waiting in the wings. Mr. Hartley responds yes; because of his proposal to look at Melilli. Councilman Klattenberg asks if money has been expended. Mr. Hartley replies not to his knowledge. They submitted along with the other candidates, but past that, not to his knowledge. Councilman Klattenberg states the LoCIP funding, would URS be the company brought in to spend it. Mr. Hartley replies yes; this is our 20% match. There would be $600,000 for the design work and $120,000 is the match. Councilman Klattenberg asks on the parking lot and meters and the changes recommended; these are to increase the parking meter rates from 25 cents for æ hour, etc., depending on meter or lot; when would that take effect. Mr. Hartley replies there would be a timeframe. It is equipment specific until we can make that change. Our equipment is antiquated and we would have to replace to send them off to be changed. Part of the total package associated with the package is to update the collection technology in order to change the prices. Councilman Klattenberg states the newer meters can be changed. Mr. Hartley responds they would have to wait until the new equipment comes in to change the prices. Councilman Klattenberg states what about educating the public. Mr. Hartley states that is part of the plan; they have had some meetings on this. We would certainly need time to do that. One of the challenges is that Melilli and the Arcade will have controls and will be coming on line. Councilman Klattenberg asks if the parking group approved the changes. Mr. Hartley states there is a Parking Advisory Committee. Councilman Klattenberg asks if they voted on this. Mr. Hartley responds yes. Councilman Bibisi states when was the last increase. Mr. Hartley responds 1984. Councilman Bibisi states in comparison with other towns, we are way behind. Mr. Hartley states yes; the parking pricing is not correct. It is cheaper to park on the street than the lot. Councilman Bibisi states with your experience, do you feel that this will have a negative impact on people coming to Middletown. Mr. Hartley replies it would be positive. We have had dialogue on this. Your price parking adjacent to businesses should be higher than the economy lots. By lowering parking rates at the Arcade and Melilli, it will have a positive effect and implementing a workforce parking plan, that will move cars to off-street parking rather than on Main Street. Councilman Pessina asks Mr. Hartley about the employees. No one talks about the customer. You feel in good economic times, this would be right on task. These are difficult times. He sees triple rate at the Grand Street lot and Main and side streets a 50% raise and there is a 60% raise to the lots, from $55 to $150 for a permit. I donìt understand why the Parking Advisory Committee would do such a rapid increase. He believes it should be phased in. This is not an airport or Disney; this is downtown Middletown. My problem is, I worry about the new meters coming in and when the rates go into effect, what is going to be and I know your expectations, I worry about people coming from downtown and all of a sudden, wham, they are hit with a big increase. Mr. Hartley responds if you focus on the big increase, it is a concern, but it is a decrease in off-street parking. Right now, you double on-street parking versus off-street. Your 50 cents on-street and a dollar off-street, it should be the opposite. He gives examples of why this should be the opposite. Your Main Street is jammed in the evening. It is not a good problem to have and the way to solve the parking problem is to reverse the pricing. They are not charging airport parking prices. You need to fix the pricing strategy so value seekers can park off-street cheaper than today, but people looking for convenience of Main Street parking are willing to pay those prices. To have the lighting, security cameras and call boxes are necessary; you can place the burden on taxpayers or pass the cost to the users. Councilman Pessina states he hopes your expectations are right that they come off Main Street. Mr. Hartley states you handle that to make off-street parking more attractive. Councilman Pessina states on another matter on the $120,000 do you have a vision in your mind or the Parking Advisory where the garage should go in the Plaza. He has been inundated by citizens. He believes it should be away from Washington October 4, 2010 Common Council Meeting Page 3 Street. Mr. Hartley responds they need to pick the right location and the right amount of spaces. Nothing will hurt Middletown worse than not have parking where you need it. To design it, that is what the $600,000 is for. As parking director it is simply to get the optimal location. Councilman Streeto asks about agenda item 14-10 on the repair of Riverview Center, is that an emergency item. Mr. Russo, Director of Public Works, states the LoCIP for $25,000 is an emergency. There is a water problem there and that is what they will address with this money. We are on schedule do this by the 16-17 of October. Councilman Streeto compliments Mr. Hartley on his presentation and based on some of the things that Council Members Klattenberg and Bauer have discussed, he is nervous about going forward without an engineer study on the structure. Mr. Hartley states that is a savvy direction and Purcell has offered their services for $6,500. They are the engineering firm that did a study in 1992 and 2008 and getting a service life assessment of that facility, even if everything is a go, there is three years before a garage is operational in Middletown. Knowing your options to maintain the Arcade is necessary to maintain the 366 parking spaces. Councilman Streeto states it wonìt throw off your schedule if we do that. Mr. Hartley responds the service life assessment is necessary. Councilman Streeto states Mr. Russo has a laudable habit of keeping the commission knowledgeable about conditions over there. Councilman Daley asks Mr. Hartley to clarify some of the discussion about the process for selecting URS and whether we are tied to the Arcade site. He believes the funding is for downtown, but it is his understanding and I asked what happened between the time of adoption and now and the application process and getting it through DOT to get URS, with all the panels from DOT and HFWA and approval on the scope of work required FHWA and DOT was site specific for the Arcade Center. The funding can be shifted, that two-year process would have to start over. Mr. Hartley states he is not sure he would agree with the two-year process. Councilman Daley states that is what happened. There is a design proposal of $1 million and the $120,000 is not the full 20% match and that is for the Arcade. He is not sure it can be shifted. Mr. Hartley states not knowing how far they got in the process, the funds have not been spent. Councilman Daley states DOT and the Federal Highway Association have to agree to the scope of work. Mr. Hartley states it is to move the funding to one federal agency rather than two to streamline the process. Councilman Daley states he wanted to clarify that and that the federal money in the larger sense is not site specific, the $120,000 is site specific. Mr. Hartley states the two years seems to be an expensive use of time. Mr. Daley states they were on the Route 9 Corridor Advisory Committee which started in 1995 and we have not met in four years and it is still in force because they have not completed their work. Councilwoman Kasper asks to address questions to Bill Russo, Public Works Director. Acting Chair Bibisi asks if there are any additional questions to Mr. Hartley. He asks Director Bill Russo to come forward. Councilwoman Kasper asks about their agenda tonight for the repairs at the garage; the LoCIP states is $25,000 and the bid waiver for $35,000. Mr. Russo responds the bid waiver is for the metal plate on the upper level and Xenelis has their concrete trucks here. Councilwoman Kasper states it is two repairs. Mr. Russo responds yes, we want to coordinate them Workshop Closes Chair Bibisi closes questions to directors at 6:52 p.m. and asks for a motion to adjourn. Motion to Adjourn Councilman Pessina moves to adjourn the meeting and is seconded by Councilwoman Kasper. The vote is called and it is unanimous to adjourn with twelve aye votes. The Chair declares the meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m. ATTEST: MARIE O. NORWOOD Common Council Clerk