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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 25, 2023 -Town of Enfield Special Town Board Meeting 1 Town of Enfield Special Town Board Meetfng October 25, 2023 6:30 PM In-person at the Enfield Town Courthouse and via the Zoom meetfng platiorm Present: Supervisor Stephanie Redmond, Councilpersons; Jude Lemke, Robert Lynch, and Cassandra Hinkle; Town Clerk Mary Cornell; Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins Absent: Councilperson James Ricks Call to Order: Supervisor Redmond called the meetfng to order at 6:30 PM Privilege of the Floor: N/A Additfons and Changes to the Agenda: ECC Driveway, Deb Teeter/Enfield Town Newsletter. Correspondence: N/A Old Business: Budget Discussion. Blixy shared that she had seen the email from Highway Superintendent Rollins and she has made the changes requested. Blixy explained that she had gone over the changes that were made at the last town board meetfng. She changed the contractual spending for the road repairs and she lowered the snow removal by $30,000. She will reclassify some of the debt payments when she has that informatfon. Total categories will not change. Other revenues State Aid, and mortgage tax, last year the mortgage tax was $50,000 and it has been reduced to $45,000, as this is a more accurate figure. Councilperson Lynch inquired why the reductfon. Blixy responded that there was a reductfon in mortgage revenue this year. She made the change as she believes that it is a fair number. Councilperson Lynch did his homework as he was asked. He has two-line items one in the general fund and one in the Highway fund to discuss. He offers a change and a reductfon in the auditor ’s line. Blixy shared that an audit in not required, but she does think that it would be best practfce to contfnue with an audit, she would need $3,000 available in that line. Councilperson Lynch moved and Supervisor Redmond seconded to reduce the budget line to $3,000. Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried. Councilperson Lynch moved and Supervisor Redmond seconded. Discussion: The second line for discussion is the DA5130.2 machinery equipment line. It is currently at $170,000 and he proposes a reductfon to $140,000, as the $30,000 projected decrease would have been funds used to replace the pickup truck for the Highway Superintendent. Councilperson Lynch gave an example as to why he would like this decrease. He can already hear what will happen when he walks up a Town resident's driveway next year. “Bob look at that bucket of bolts that I drive” You know why I drive that vehicle? It is because we had a double-digit tax increase this year. Superintendent Rollins shared that most Towns switch out trucks every 3-4 years and the last tfme the truck was traded in it only cost $10,000. The current truck broke down one day after the last meetfng and it could be down for one to two months. The reason why they are switched out is because we try to avoid having the vehicles in the shop and want current warrantfes in effect. The pickup is used for a lot of purposes in the town. Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Nay; Councilperson Lemke, Nay; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Supervisor Redmond, Nay; Did not pass. 2 Supervisor Redmond asked Town Board Members and the Highway Superintendent if they could find anywhere to reduce expenses. Blixy shared that the tax rate is at 7.12%. Councilperson Lemke moved and Supervisor Redmond seconded to reduce the contfngency line to $2 7,500. Which would reduce the tax rate to 6.97% Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried. Councilperson Lynch moved and Supervisor Redmond seconded to make the current tentatfve budget the preliminary budget and to hold a public hearing at the November 8, 2023, Town Board meetfng. Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried. Supervisor Redmond would like to add $1,500 to the ECC for a contributfon to the Community Newsletter. Discussion: Councilperson Lynch would like to hear from Deb Teeter on what would be offered to the town for this contributfon. Supervisor Redmond will add this to the November 8 meetfng agenda. New Business: Discussion: Highway Equipment Superintendent Rollins shared that some items are purchased outside of the capital plan. He is asking to use reserve money to purchase two pieces of equipment. The backhoe would be available in November. The loader would not be in untfl April or so next year. He would need $66,000 to use out of next year ’s equipment reserves. They have rotated the loader out 2 or 3 tfmes before. They would be getting a $240,000 loader for $60,000. The backhoe is 14 years old and is startfng to show its age. The trade for the backhoe is $81,686, and he would need to use $29,000 more to purchase the new one. There was a discussion as to the startfng balance in the equipment reserve account, per Bookkeeper Blixy this was due to data error and has been corrected. Councilperson Lynch shared that this past April he went with the majority of the board and approved the purchase of the mini excavator, but believes that the capital plan should be updated yearly. Superintendent Rollins shared that the 2023 equipment inventory he submitted should be adequate in reference to an annual capital plan adjustment. Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Lemke seconded to authorize the Highway Superintendent to use funds from the highway equipment reserve to purchase the two pieces of equipment. Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Nay; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried. Discussion: Zoom licensed account for the Fire District. The Town Clerk asked to set up a Zoom license account for the Fire District with the use of Town Funds. Discussion: Clerk Cornell shared that there is an immediate need for the Fire District to have a licensed Zoom account. The monthly cost is ~$13 or an annual license would be $150.00. Bookkeeper Blixy would prefer a one-tfme payment for the annual license. Councilperson Lemke moved and Supervisor Redmond seconded to purchase a 1-year Zoom license for the Fire District. 3 Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried. Enfield Community Center driveway issues. The Hetherington’s had sent an email to Supervisor Redmond regarding maintenance of the Community Center driveway. Councilperson Lynch moved that the Highway Superintendent repair the Enfield Community Center’s Driveway and Supervisor Redmond seconded. Discussion: Superintendent Rollins stated that they have assisted with driveway maintenance in the last year and this may not be something that we should contfnue to do moving forward. He is willing and has the materials to make the repairs this year and can start the project within the next week if the Town Bo ard approves it. Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried. Announcements: N/A Adjournment: Councilperson Hinkle motfoned to adjourn, and adjourned at 8:07 PM. Respectiully submitted, Mary Cornell Mary Cornell Town Clerk