RTM Admin Services Scrutinizes Department Budgets; Wayne Cooke Gets Booted from the Meeting

Last night’s RTM Administrative Services Committee meeting, which usually meets at the Police Department, gathered at the ; the police however, did show up.

Resident Wayne Cooke was called “out of order” during department budget presentations by Committee Chairwoman Gail Chapman Carbone. In discussing the Town Assessor Barbara Neal’s budget and what the town pays for in-court and out-of-court fees to attorneys for tax appeals– it’s $200 an hour for both services– Cooke wanted to know what town attorney William H. Clendenen is paid for litigation fees on other court maters not related to tax appeals. Cooke is currently involved in several legal suits with the town. Carbone expressed that this question was “not on topic” and a yelling match between the two ensued. After Cooke refused to leave the meeting on Carbone’s request, she called a recess and several minutes later, two officers showed up. After being approached by the officers, Cooke gathered his stacks of paperwork and left.

The overall goal of this RTM Administrative Services meeting and one held the night before, was to meet with department heads to see if they had all done their best to present their respective budgets. Carbone said repeatedly that every department was “lean” this year.

The total Board of Finance recommended budget for 2011-12 totals $94,040,109 which represents a 3.3 percent increase over last year. If the budget were to be passed as is, the mill rate would rise by more than 3 percent to 24.44. In a recent letter to the RTM by Board of Finance Chair Joseph Mooney, the budget was broken down into several parts for explanation. Mooney explained that the BOF had recommended a general government decrease of $43, 665, a decrease of $39,536 and a decrease of $324,235. An increase to contingency of $102,000 for the town side of the budget was recommended– the capital projects making up the $102,000 are a sewer system at and funds for the planning efforts to expand the facility.

Even with the recommended budget less than the initial proposed budget, Mooney explains in his letter, “…the Board would need to trim $2.975 million for the budget to maintain the tax requirements at the current level. Reductions of this magnitude could potentially force the elimination of entire departments and adversely affect public services.”

A large part of last night’s meeting was focused on scrutinizing department budgets, line by line, to see where funds could be saved.

After working for more than three hours last night and hours the evening before, the RTM Administrative Services Committee approved a total reduction to the departments it oversees at $68,500. The full RTM will meet in mid-May to vote on the budget.

In other meeting news, the between the town and Queach Corporation for 1111 Main St., the current home of the Board of Education offices, and 175 N. Main St., the building was re-referred. Before getting ousted from the meeting, Cooke had inquired why the Office Network Building is now up for lease if the town is interested and having it through the proposed swap. Carbone replied that she didn’t know anything about the building being up for lease and deferred to First Selectman Anthony “Unk” DaRos. He stated, “The owners clearly said that if we don’t make any move it on they would put it up for lease.

The RTM Administrative Services Recommended Cuts:

 Executive: $7,000

Asessor: $1,000

Tax Office: $25,000

Town Clerk: $500

Law: $30,000

General Government Buildings: $5,000

Total: $68,500