Town Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, citizens of Bloomfield. Before we begin our business of deliberating the FY2027 town budget, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge a tragedy that took place in Shreveport, Louisiana this weekend. Seven beautiful children were killed by their father, who also shot their cousin and their mother. Sadly, domestic violence remains a senseless crime that impacts the lives of the most vulnerable among us. We will always have challenges in our lives, but situations like these remind us that we should be thankful each and every day that we are able to spend time with our friends and family and relative peace. Please be sure to keep Shreveport in your prayers and join me now in a moment of silence to acknowledge this senseless loss. Thank you. I have a couple of more announcements during the town council meeting special meeting for the FY27 budget hearing public hearing and council del deliberations part one. I incorrectly stated that I did not authorize the town attorney contract increase and attributed that action to former mayor Danielle Siwong. I in fact did authorize the signing of the contract at the start of my administration in September. I regret

this era and any confusion it may have caused. I sincerely apologize to former mayor Wong for this misstatement. I also want to thank all of our residents who participated in Thursday's public hearing. Excuse me. Your input is valued and appreciated. We took many of your comments and suggestions to heart and they will help guide our decisions as we continue deliberations for the FY27 budget. I'd also like to address concerns many of you express regarding communication with council, particularly the timeliness of responses to emails and constituent inquiries. We understand that your questions and ideas deserve our attention and respect. Strengthening communication is a critical step in building trust and ensuring that our local government remains accessible and responsive. You have my commitment to strengthen and improve communication and I look forward to sharing our plan after the budget season. We now call the meeting to order and our roll call. Councilman Cooper.

So he will be here shortly. Councelor Dean Brown here. Council Mahan here and I'll be in shortly as well. Okay. Uh, councelor Oliver present. Councelor Merritt. Councelor Waterhouse here. Councelor Goodwin, present. Deputy Mayor Lloyd,

present. and Mayor Anthony Harrington present. Okay, thank you very much. Deputy Mayor Lloyd, would you like to make a statement? There's a hands. Council Mahan. Thank you, uh, Mayor Harrington. Uh, I'd like to motion to for us to suspend the rules and uh add public comment at the end of this meeting. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I. All those opposed?

Uh, excuse me. Excuse me. We will await the vote and continue with discussion. Can we do a roll call vote? Uh, mayor. Well, we're not going to do that until we have discussion. So, initially, Deputy Mayor Lloyd and then Councilman Merritt.

Thank you, Mayor Harrington. Um, just a point of order or clarification. My understanding is from the town clerk earlier today, she stated that per FOI rules and regulations, state of Connecticut stipulates that we cannot adjust an agenda. That is a special meeting. Um, she did convey that information via email today. Some in the room have probably seen it. Um, so I would like a point of clarification before we proceed.

Uh, Councilman Merritt and then Councilman Councilwoman Deb and Brown.

Thank you. Yeah, I tonight's meeting is really a continuation of Thursday night's meeting which had hours of so much public input that we didn't have time to finish the budget. We normally do all that in one night. It was the intention and we couldn't have time. So, we have extended that to tonight. Um, if we had input comparable to what we had on Thursday night, we wouldn't ever get to discuss the budget. There wouldn't be time. I mean, we don't do anything very well after say 10:00. And I I just think it would be a very poor decision to u let us do this. It would be plenty of time to have public input later on. We had everybody had opportunity. I I can't think of anything that wasn't said on Thursday night. So, we we've heard about every idea there can be. Um, so I I think I uh if if there are more ideas, send us an email.

Councelor Dean Brown.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. I think the motion was to add public comments at the end of the meeting. So, that we'd have already done deliberation for the night. So, it would be at the end of the meeting. So just that clarification. Um second clarification is when this meeting was uh when the agenda went out for this meeting initially it did say public hearing and deliberations and then that agenda changed less than 24 hours for this meeting. So if that's the case this meeting might not be a legal meeting. So I'm putting that on the record as well. The third thing is because I'm putting my hands in your pockets as taxpayers. I want to hear everything you all have to say. That's why I asked on Friday to add um citizen statements, but then that wasn't taken into consideration either because it would have been the 24-hour rule. And I think I asked within 24 hours. So, I just want to get all those things on the record so that everyone knows it's important to me to hear what you have to say. If it's at the end of the meeting, that means everyone would have to sit here and listen to our deliberation and then make their statement, their comments. So, I don't think I don't see how that's going to hamper the deliberation. And here we are. We're deliberating, but I have not had information before the meeting to fully digest

to truly deliberate. So, I don't even know if I can deliberate. So, I'm just putting all that on the table. Thank you. Thank you. I have further comment. May I have my hand? Let's first No, let's first hear from the counselors that have yet. Okay. Okay. Which would be me. I just I just made the motion. I didn't speak on the item. Well, yes.

I know that we said that, you know, we heard a lot from the community. Um, and I'm pretty sure we're going to hear it again tonight. Um, but with that being said, if we're going to go through everything and the comments will be at the end. Um, and maybe their their questions get answered. I really don't want to have community come out and not have the opportunity to speak. Um, hopefully that, you know, with with how everything goes tonight, maybe it'll slow the questions down. Um, but I just I have a hard time not not allowing I mean if if the rules Robert rules say that we need to move a certain direction I respect that but um I just I I feel it's fair to let them speak at the end if that's suitable. Thank you uh councelor Mahan then councelor Goodwin.

Thank you. Uh I agree with councelor Betham Brown and and councelor Oliver. You guys are spot on. Uh one the one of the statements that stand out to me is councelor Oliver said uh he doesn't want residents coming out and not having the opportunity and combining that with councelor Betham Brown's statement of if we're spending your money, you ought to have a say on every single penny allocated at every single moment. Now, of course, we will be deliberating today and uh hopefully by the end of our deliberations, we'll get to answer a lot of those questions through uh through our conversation. But our residents deserve the opportunity to chime in uh after after we put some um options on the table and give us more of an idea of where to go. The problem with our our last budget is that we didn't have enough uh resident input. That was a huge issue and we can't make the same mistake twice. I refuse to make that same mistake twice. We have the opportunity. We have an engaged citizenry. Let's utilize that to our advantage to make decisions that benefit Bloomfield.

I'm thank uh councelor Goodwin. In the essence of time, I was hoping to call the question if we're all on the same page and so we can move forward. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Cooper. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And so, uh, first of all, so f first of all, my hand was up. Point of order. Councelor Councelor Goodwin called the question. So, my hand was up before councelor Goodwin called. Call the question on me all the time with my hand up. Call the question. Mr. Mayor, point of order.

Mr. Mayor, point of order. I've been called. Is it okay if I proceed? Call the question. I'm willing to allow councelor Cooper to make a statement.

Thank you, Councelor Goodwin. I appreciate um the uh allowing me to speak. So um just to to give some precedence and and some history uh the the council currently right now uh is moving by the charter. The charter states that you are you must allow a public hearing session. And so a few days ago we had a public hearing session. One of the senior counselors here who has been here for quite some time, you know, has uh I conferred with to ask to be sure. And so what we haven't done is had multiple hearing sessions for citizens to speak. And so I would like to get to the deliberations. We have multiple ways for people to contact us. I have been contacted by uh civic email, town email, phone calls, and so you'll have an opportunity to have your questions memorialized so that you know what you've asked your representatives and they can get back to you. I think that for us to remain here again uh past normal hours and again so Mr. Mr. Mayor, M Miss Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, thank you. So, we do understand that that this is at the end, right? I do. But I think again that it's it is for us to begin

the deliberations to get through them. If you have questions, there is nothing that would prevent anyone from sending to their representatives questions that you may have. Because Mr. Mayor, I'm going to ask, sir, that if people still can't contain themselves like the other night that you ask that our um town officials either ask them to remove themselves or have our town officials remove them. I don't think it's fair to me or anyone else in this room to have continued outbursts like we're two-year-olds. And it's just it's it's nerve-wracking. It really is. I think that there's business of the town to be done and I think that we need to get to doing the town business. There are other folks who are in here and certainly I do want to hear their questions. I see a lot of different faces. I see some of the same faces um who unfortunately disrupted this meeting. I don't want to see it disrupted again. I do want to get to the business of the town. I do want to do what's best for the town. We've said that there's many cuts that would be restored. We said also that we would try to um ensure that uh the town administration would be looked at and cuts be made there. And so those are the things that we've already said we would do already said we would do, right? And so I I'm I'm I'm just finding it hard to understand why we would revisit or go back and begin again, right? To to do things that have already been done.

Thank Thank you, Council Cooper. Mr. Here you you recognize me actually before on before but will I may I speak? Council Goodwin has his Okay, fine. And we'll go right to you. All right, Council Goodwin, I I I was just reaffirming that I'm trying to call the question. Okay, I

I understand that. But before you call the question, I had already been recognized in the line of people and I'd like to speak now if I may. I'd like to say that if if there's a desire to have this at the end of the meeting, I'm fine with that. If somebody really wants to stick around here that long, that's fine. But there is a point to that. But I would also like to point out that there'll be another chance in a couple of weeks before this budget is approved for people to speak on it and and and change it. So that that will exist at the town meeting. So you don't need to say something now to change the budget.

Okay. So question is called two3 votes. Can we do a roll call vote?

One moment before we take that vote. So under FOYA, a special meeting requires at least 24 hours notice and posted agenda. Only items listed on the notice can be discussed. Notices must be filled with the town clerk, filed with the town clerk, and posted on the agency's website specifying the time, location, and agenda. Key special meeting requirements in Connecticut. The notice of agenda, 24-hour notice, no additional business. You cannot add items to the agenda of a special meeting once posted. Remote hybrid meetings can be remote or hybrid but must be accessible to the public in real time and that is a foyer statement that we've received.

So Mr. Chair, just just a quick question. I know the town attorney is here, but just for my um for my edification, when this meeting was first posted, it was posted as a public hearing and deliberation. When it was first posted, then the meeting agenda changed to just a deliberation, and that was under 24 hours. So, if we're having this meeting today and it was not posted properly under FOYA, I believe that this is an illegal meeting. I'm just I'm just saying I want that to be clear and on the record if we're talking about FOYA, I just need for that to be clear. Thank you. town attorney

and there's pictures and if the town attorney microphone

so we're we're looking for the town attorney's opinion. I believe he's drawing up something now. Excuse me, please.

This is help. The first question is it's not on. The first question is when was the revision made to the agenda? Does anyone know that? When was the revision made to the agenda? It was made this a this early this morning, I believe. So look here.

Correct. So that was it. Correct. That was the notice though, right? But it wasn't here. So this was a fair error because it was a title but it wasn't within this part. So the amendment was made here. Your email came at 243 plus it last Friday which was 12:30. So we could not do that. But when was this when was this? We took the we took the when did we take it off? That was this morning when we adjusted up here. But it was not in the body. It was never in the body. Title of the matter. It's what's on the agenda. That's it was never in the agenda. I'm sorry. be before we get any outcry could that even be addressed from the podium and from the dis if you don't mind just for the public

sequence of events and I'll please thank you thank you so much

hello everyone my name is India Rogers I'm a director of operations and communications so to give clarification to the agenda the title of the agenda did say public hearing but the body of the agenda did not say public hearing and deliber deliberations. So the title definitely was wrong and we admitted that clerical error. So we adjusted that today, but the body of the agenda did not have public hearing or public comment initially on Friday. Council that Death and Brown sent an email requesting at 2:43. We were closed at 12:30 to make that adjustment at that time and it was left in a 24 hours notice. So that's why it was issued the way it was issued and that's the clarification of events that happened. But why couldn't the why couldn't the body be the clerical error and not the title? because it's listed as a public hearing. The type

Oh, it's my Well, it couldn't be a public hearing anyway because we need 5 days notice to issue a public hearing. So, when she asked for the comment to have citizen statements and petitions on that, if we had received that by 12:30, we could have added that on Friday, which would have been the 24 hours. That's true. There's no point in not doing it. So if the agenda was issued with the requisite 24 hours notice given that this is a special meeting, you cannot adjust the agenda at this meeting. You need that 24 hours to do that. So you can't take a vote on that motion.

Thank you. Okay. Question has been called but we can't vote on it. So we move forward. So we move to discussion regarding the FY27 budget presentation or budget deliberation. And this is the second day. So if we could move to page 25.

Excuse me. Do we have anything any scenarios to look at because there was some suggestion made last Thursday. Do we have scenarios to look at tonight? Defer me. Councelor Lloyd.

Um I do have the same question as well. Thank you for that. Councelor Beacon Brown. Last Thursday there were several uh recommendations for scenarios that were not done real time, but notation of those was taken down and I would defer to director Hill to see if you had worked out those initial requests. And although there were many other items that are in the budget book that are of concern and I'll two seconds thank the public for coming out and sharing your voices, your opinions, and certainly your input on this budget. Um there's many more things as I've watched um that I know going through the budget book need to be spoken to whether they are modifications or whether they are part of the recommended reductions. Um, but Director Hill, would you be able to speak to those that were already requested on last Thursday?

Uh, yes. Good evening, council. Uh, good evening, Bloomfield. As always, it's a pleasure to be before you. um did uh spend some time uh not only cleaning up a variety of things uh in the proposed town manager's proposed budget, but also looking at the uh what I refer to as scenario one um with um adjustments uh that I received from the town manager. Um the way that I'm approaching this is uh very simply with the calculation of the mill rate page uh that's included in the budget book. Uh that is a nice one pager that shows uh the expenditures at the top uh the revenue sources um are assessed values and then at the bottom right arrives at what the uh increase to the equalized mill rate is uh based on the scenario. Um, I understand that the town in the past has uh I've heard real time gone through dozens and dozens and dozens of scenarios. Um, which in my opinion is very inefficient. Um, and I I have no idea how they actually did it. I don't believe that they were actually inputting numbers into Munis. I know what that's like and it takes hours. Um, so the perspective that I'd provide council is for every million dollars that is added up or subtracted to the town manager's proposed budget, it's approximately a 1% change. So if the council were to add a million dollars to the town manager's proposed budget, the percent increase would go up by 1%. Um it is fairly linear. We do know that the motor vehicle grant from the state

for our portion of the mill rate above the state's cap of 32.46 is an iterative process which is why I refer to it as approximate. It's not exactly 1%. It's actually a little bit less than 1%. Um but that 1% is fairly linear in that a million dollars arrives at a 1% change. $100,000 change is.1%. Um, so depending on the scenarios that council would like to see, uh, what I would be looking for is a listing of what the adjustments are so that I can review them to see if to see if there are any adjustments that are needed to the line items, particularly with regard to personnel, right? Salary isn't the only thing uh that goes into the expense line item. It's also the fringe benefits. So my review isn't uh questioning or doing anything other than making sure that the values that are um the council has assumed for any scenario um are consistent and complete. So with the council providing any scenario, I would be looking at adding and subtracting to arrive at what the net is. And with that, I can provide you with perspective on what it would result in as far as an increase or decrease from the town manager's proposed budget.

Thank you, uh, Councelor Dean Brown.

Thank you. Oh my goodness. Um, so back in the stone ages when I was on the council and we were doing budgets, we would say take $10 out and if you took $10 out, they'd let us know this is your balance. This is how much it's going to um increase our taxes. This is how much it's going to affect our meal rate. So, forgive me. I'm gonna just say that right now because I'm trying to gather my thoughts and myself. It is an absolute waste of time for us to sit here tonight. Thank you, Councelor Lloyd, for um endorsing the fact that we thought that we were going to get scenarios tonight. Um actually, I thought that I would have had them over the weekend. So if the council says because the town manager has presented his budget, the town departments have presented their budget. So once the presentation is done, it's now up to the council to say what we would like added back and what we would like dropped. The expectation is once we say that we would get what the numbers would represent. And then we play that game until we get to a budget that we believe our residents can live with. So on Thursday, and I remember it vividly because I left church to come outside and give my thoughts about what needed to be added and what needed to be cut. So if we're going to sit here tonight and we have nothing to

deliberate with, I think it's a waste of time. Once again, this process is now in the hands of the council. manager,

not the town manager. So, if we're making requests and on Thursday night after church, my husband and I sat up till after 1 to watch the meeting. There was a lot of things said by the residents, but there was a lot of things said by council. So, I had expectations and my expectations are not being met. And for us to sit here and have nothing to look at is a waste of time. With all due respect, I agree with you. Thank you.

I'm done. I'm not done. I'm not done. I'm not done. So, what I would respectfully request if we need to rewatch the meeting and see what the council suggested and go back and bring back because here's the thing. I'm not voting on this budget until we as the council come to some kind of agreement. And if they 765 agree and I don't agree, I'm going to vote against it. But I do believe it is our responsibility as elected officials to serve the residents of the town of Bloomfield. And wait a minute, hold up. I'm not Y'all don't get rowdy. Don't get in trouble. Right now, we are falling down on the job. And it is not fair. It's not fair to me. It's not fair to the rest of the counselors. And it's not fair to them. So what are we going to do differently? Do not give me a prepared statement. I need some action because we don't have much time. And they did it. I was on this council for six years. Four years as its mayor. We ran scenarios. And I believe the last time I think we ran about 24 or something. We sat here until we got the numbers and got the numbers right. So, if we have to call the people who ran the numbers, let's call them. But this isn't fair. It's just really not fair.

Thank you, uh, Councelor Bahan and Councelor Merritt.

Thank you, Mayor Harrington. I am uh proud to once again have the opportunity to serve alongside council to beat them brown and it's for reasons like this. Um we put out all of those scenario options. I we even had uh my colleagues send emails over the weekend. Um I thought I sent my email a little late uh this morning uh working through scenarios and making sure I really combed through everything before I presented my information. And um you're right, councelor Beth and Brown, it's a complete waste of time. Not only our time, but our residents. I'm sorry to our residents for having to come out here for having to waste your time and not have alternative scenarios presented. We heard you loud and clear. We heard what you wanted and we we I think we got a good feel of what this town needs going forward. now to come here and see that we don't have any of I thought I thought as well that we're going to be talking about scenarios this evening and we're going to be that much closer to getting a conclusion but now we're another day behind another day behind and our residents are no closer to an answer on where we're going to be that is unacceptable so what I want to know uh and I I want to hear this from the director of finance because emails were sent communication was given from the council direction and because we keep being told our job is to give direction. Direction was given from the council to the town manager. Now, my understanding is that you as a director of finance, it's your job to plug and play and to make those numbers make sense and present that back to us. Did you receive that information that we presented? Because we certainly provided it. Did you receive that information? And if not, I I do want to hear why. And if you

did, I want to hear why we don't have the information tonight because this is a bit ridiculous. And I can't imagine I can't imagine I can't imagine that we're expecting we're expecting folks to really come out here and not get an answer. Councelor Betham Brown, it was her anniversary last weekend. She took time out took time out to tune into that meeting just for us to not have anything today. That's a bit ridiculous. So, we need some answers here. And I would I would like before any of my colleagues speak, I would like to get an answer from the town manager. I would like to get an answer from the director of finance because this isn't the budget process that I'm used to seeing here.

Town manager.

Hey, good evening, Mr. Mayor, Madame Deputy Mayor, Council, and citizens of Bloomfield. Uh Hal Schwab, town manager, thank you for the opportunity to speak. Uh the fact of the matter is we do have budget scenarios. I was just trying to get an opportunity to to provide that information. We do have it. Uh the um director of finance did get some direction from council last week as we had stated last week, but we just got off track in the meeting as to what that direction actually was. We never had an opportunity to actually speak to that direction given but based on that direction we are prepared to share the um the uh scenarios that we have already and prepared for you this evening. Uh but the one thing that I think is most imperative and I can understand the concerns of uh of uh director Hill when when he talks about uh running multiple um scenarios just for the sake of running multiple scenarios. In my mind, before we begin anything, this council needs to give us direction as to what is the acceptable increase in the taxes you're willing to have for the town of Bloomfield. And once we do that, then the next question is, what are you willing to give up as a result of that decrease? Because when we talked about a status quo roll forward budget, that was over 11% increase. That was over 11% increase. So my question is, and I'm hoping that it's it seems like a logical question to all is where do we want to end up? Are we okay with 10? Would you rather at nine, six, seven, five? Where are we? I want to end up with some scenarios to present to the public.

Instead of just throwing things on the wall and hopeful that we'll hit the target, tell us what the target is and then we can understanding that every line in the budget has a dollar value. Then we can determine what we want to remove from the budget to meet that dollar value as opposed to running iterations for the sake of iterations. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Um, councelor Merritt. Yeah.

One of the things that would not be in your scenarios is the board of ed budget which was put in your budget as asked. You you did not change it because you legally can't change it. So, I would I would like to start out uh with moving that we reduce the bored increase by $2 million. Thank you. Um, do I have a second? You're making a motion? I don't think we make a motion. No, we can't. We can't. What? The whole budget. We We need to run scenarios so we know what we're talking about.

Can we start running scenarios? Good. Okay. Council Goodwin and then Deputy Mayor Lloyd.

Thank you. Uh thank you, Mayor. The concern that I have is each of us, including Susette, who got up from the meeting, offered very specific things in our last meeting that we desired to see so that we can have a conversation tonight. What I'm hearing tonight is I heard you and but it should have been done this way. you should have offered us these things and then we would have responded. And if that was the case, I'm just naming on record. I would have preferred to have heard that either back via email when the other requests were made or at some point before we're now publicly here in the meeting. The comment that has been continuously made is I work on behalf of the council. I will do what the council has said. This is an example that shows no that isn't the case. So it's deeply concerning to me if directives are stated plainly and then the response is but it wasn't done in this particular way. I think it's fine for push back but the push back has to come with a timely communication and the ability for us to respond respectfully. To me that's respectful engagement. that is a value of folks time and I don't feel comfortable essentially being told well it wasn't presented in this way so therefore nothing was done because that means that everything we offered in our last conversation was summarily dismissed and I need to say it like that it was sumearily dismissed and if there's a different framing that can be respectfully given that is not in a lecture or an admonishment I'd be happy to hear it otherwise that is where it stands summarily dismissed Thank you.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Lloyd.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, Mr. Manager, uh, in response to what you just posed as far as providing a number, um, and I haven't been around long. I haven't been here since the stone ages, as councelor Debeam Brown likes to say. However, um the understanding of the process is that real-time scenarios are um undertaken during the deliberation meeting having left Thursday's meeting with uh without having the capacity to do that real time but taking back those notes starting with I'll just name high level a few putting back in trash putting back in the social and youth services meaning the summer camp and the after school program, putting back in the senior um programs that were on the table. Those are just a few of the things that were specifically mentioned on last week, and those are the things as well as the few others that were mentioned that I think everybody here was expecting to at least have those put back in as a starting point because we know those are off the table as far as the general consensus of the public and the council. And then from there we have the opportunity to address the modifications that are being requested which are already baked into the budget to your proposed budget.

And then on the other side which is page 26 for everybody that may have their budget book. Um then to discuss the budget reduction summary which as well affects the budget and to call those out on camera and to have them plugged in or removed as would be dictated by the the title modification or budget reduction. So I think that was the expectation that would be going on after we received the input regarding putting back in those kind of uh few things that we were like you know there's no flexibility with them like the trash. So I think that's the expectation and then I'm just asking does director Hill have those things that he at least addressed and could he respond to those? And then my last question and not I'm not going to I'm disappointed as well but I'm not going to go into um bashing. It's it's a learning process for some. And so I'm asking at this point for problem solving where can we go from here? Can the equipment be brought down like it was last year so we can plug in place some numbers after we get the information or the numbers that were crunched based on the input given last Thursday. Can I just add, counselor Lloyd, there were some things that were taken out.

Excuse me. Excuse me, counselor. I was just trying to add just give some more color to what councelor Lloyd just said. There were things taken out. There were t There were things taken out as um no increases for nonun employees there. So, there were some things taken out as well. I just didn't mention them all. Absolutely. I know. I just want

And if he has them has taken note of them and director Hill has taken those notes of what was articulated, all of them It's probably about 10 or 11 of them. I just mentioned the top three, you know, that are the significant concerns, right? Everybody was very concerned about the senior services, the youth services, as well as that trash. And I concur with that. So, yes, there's many more. And if those numbers have been run, Mr. Town Manager, could we first see where that puts us? Because we can't give you a number. It's the ad and the drop that then lets us know where we are. And then we say, "Okay, now we're at 575. we got to shave more. So that's typically the eb and the floor, the give and take of how we do the deliberation. And if we could resume that process this time, um then I think that's how we'll be able to be more fruitful. I would love to say you got to get us to a 5.25. But I don't think we have the capacity to do that because we have to say, for example, I'm not saying this is what it is, y'all. I'm just giving an example. I say uh social and youth services and they put in to reduce 54,000 and we say no we don't want that to happen then director Hill has to put that in and not withstanding his statement that I understand it takes a little more uh than just clicking and pointing in two seconds to do that but whatever the mechanism or the the database or the the whatever you use last year and that has been used in years past if we can do that then we got to do that real time and if we are not able to do that tonight then I'm you know I'm saying we have no option but to regroup until we can do that real time we we have to do it public facing so if we could at least start with the recommendations from last Thursday I think the public would really appreciate that if they're prepared and then I don't know the capacity to go live on tonight

Uh good evening again. Um so so yes uh the manager and I uh did speak uh after last Thursday's meeting uh what whichever day it was. Um and Friday and through the weekend uh we did uh update numbers uh based on um the direction from the manager. Um I I will say that it is uh a challenging process trying to receive direction from nine, right? Some of the direction may be competing against each other. One says add, one says remove. So what do we do? Um I believe that we we

I believe that we should receive direction from the council and any scenario that the council wants to look at I'm happy to do in real time. Um it now it will not be entering and adjusting in munice uh to get to the exact numbers. Um, with the direction I received from the manager last week, uh, I think it took about 7 hours, right? That that's not realistic in real time. So, as I said previously, with a listing of what it is that council wants to add and cut, uh, I can go through that and then tell you what that uh, means to the mill rate and the increase uh, to taxes. Governor Hill, can you please let them know the budget, the um the status quo roll forward budget with everything um back into the budget as we know it because uh that's the starting point uh to be able to uh keep things in place and and that would be where we would start to do our additions and and um and subtractions. And and just so it's clear to everyone, the budget modifications other than those that are listed for IT are not baked into these numbers, only those for it because we knew that uh those are critical and it impacted our ability to protect ourselves. So we we felt strongly that um the council would agree to those, but nothing else is is baked into numbers already.

Can I get a copy so I can follow along? Do we have copies? Uh yes there have more copies being made. Um excuse me excuse me just for a moment just so we could maintain order here. Please recognize the chair and then we will move to have you continue the conversation. Uh, councelor Cooper was next in line and then we'll go with councelor Merritt and then councelor uh, Deb and Brown. Thank I'll get to you.

Thank you for recognizing me. Uh, Mr. Mayor, so I am don't believe I'm going to go out on a limb. Um, what I would like to see and ask is that we cancel this meeting and you take what you have,

put it into your scenario so we have somewhere to start, bring the equipment the next time, and then we can begin to do our ads drops from there. We will already be ahead of the process. we will have the equipment that's necessary and in place and I think that would probably be the best place to start. I since I've come on council we all we've always done the ad drops with with things that way. It's not that difficult. It's not that difficult. It's a it's a matter of getting started, right? How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. But eventually we will get done. We will be through. And I think that if we are able to do this over the next couple of days, we will meet our deadline for May. Um, but right now, I don't think it's productive. I don't think it's fruitful, and I don't think that what we're doing here is going to benefit or add benefit to this process. So, again, I'm going to ask uh, Mr. Mayor, that uh, I'm going to put a motion forth to uh, cancel this meeting.

Second until we have that in place. Second. What? There there's a motion on the There's a motion on the table that was seconded. Excuse me. Just one moment. I know there's a motion on on on the floor. It's understood that there are scenarios. So, I just want to make sure that we're aware of that as well. I mean, is there a propensity for us to want to move forward with the cancellation or are we going to see the scenarios? We can get something done now. Okay. Why don't we do what we can do tonight? Can I speak?

I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry. Uh, councelor Merritt. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I've been doing this. Speak a little closer to doing budgets

and uh this is called ads and deletes, right? And the way we've always done it historically is we've started and I think we can start tonight. We won't be perfect. Everything will be tentative, but at least it gives us an outline of what council wants to do. And then whatever we come up with tonight, you go back and look at that, come back. I I want tried to start the ball rolling by by saying a cut, which I thought would be acceptable. I'd also like to uh I think we know that things that we already said we wanted to put back in the budget add up to about $4 million. So, we we can move on that. And

so, I move that we take a 10-minute recess. And I I don't see why we can't do that tonight and at least give some kind of shape to what one moment. One moment. One moment. I would even suggest that we if the town manager is needs a number to plan from let me finish it. Okay. That we suggest that start out with we just let him finish please more than 3%. If you can start with that if that changes it might but at least it gives you something to work from. I don't think he even heard me so I I So there's a motion on the floor. Is there a second? Yeah, I I seconded the motion.

You second it from councelor Cooper. Okay. Was there any further discussion? But we're going to do what we can do tonight. I agree. Okay. Any others on the motion? It's it's time for a vote. Okay. There was a So what what I what what I would like to see is I know that you know I actually made the motion. So what what I would like to see is do we have the equipment where we can actually see this in real time. Um I know that there were Excel sheets that come with the um that come with the department's budgets right when in the presentations is I'm sorry I'm speaking.

So if we can have that sort of thing and we can if those are already input right into that the Excel that you have we can start from there. I would be willing to do that if that's available. If it's not available, um you're still going to have to have time to put all of that into um something that will reflect not munis of course, but something that will reflect the numbers that we want to get to. Again, I think it would be more fruitful to begin with the actual, you know, Excel spreadsheets, right? where you are adding and dropping and putting in and take you know whatever it is that we need to do not whatever because I know what I'm talking about but it in order to to do that if you take and put what you have now into that right and we see what those numbers actually are because I'm a I'm not only I'm a visual but also a tactile person you know with paper but more visual also that gives me the uh you know the the opportunity to to engage better I my colleagues may have a different But then we'll see where the numbers change. If I see something and you know it's like Jeopardy and it pops up, you know, 1.75 million, something like that, then, you know, I see exactly what it is. Or if we subtract and, you know, and the number goes down, I see what it is. And so just for me, that's that's also um the process like it's been done in the past. I don't know that we'll we'll do 29 or 40 different scenarios because I think that um what we already have in place will get us very close uh including the fund balance to where we need to be and that is my hope right now because I'll be truthfully um people don't believe it but I don't want to waste the public's time and certainly I think that our time would be better spent. So councel Cooper, if he is able to state that that

information is here, are you rescending your motion or is that is that in is it here? Can we get the Excel? Bring it down, plug it in. Uh my laptop is in the room and I'm prepared. And those numbers, these numbers from the are already in there. This motion for a 10-minute recess. Um I'm not sure what numbers you're referring to from the scenarios are already in plugged in. I have one scenario that what we what you're passing out now. Uh yes, there's one scenario and as the town manager indicated, it starts with the status quo roll forward um which results in the 11.6% increase.

Okay. I mean, but does it have what um Deputy Mayor Lloyd has put forward? Does are those in there? Yes. Are the Okay. Are the subtractions in there? Sorry. Okay. You know, yeah, I don't subtractions. Are those in there? Additions and subtractions. They are in there. Okay. And so so I am willing to I am willing to um uh rescend that if that is the case. If not, I'm going to make a motion again. Thank you. council to be in the Brown.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I think the way that we're looking I'm not going to uh uh be so presumptuous to speak for everyone. The way that I'm looking at this budget is I'm going through literally and cutting money out of each department, right? So, it's not like a percentage, you know? It's very for me it's very specific because when I say right size that's what I mean right size. So it's not a percentage. It's not a number that you need to get. It's okay we're going to cut $50 million out of here. We're going to cut a $und00 million. That's how I'm looking at this budget. So, it's going to be important that we have those numbers because it's going to be taken from each department.

Thank you. That's how I'm looking at it, which is is is how I'm looking at it and what I would need from the council to do that by item. We have So, hold on. So when we say right and I think there was a consensus in saying that all non union employees were taking out their increases is that in your scenario no but the value of that is provided and I'm councelor Mahan and then we will move to director Hill.

Thank you. Um so we do need that information that you have there. so we can at least start taking a look at it because we haven't seen that yet. And secondly, so that we can get that live information like you said with the XL. You said your laptop is upstairs. Do you need some? No, I didn't. Do you have your laptop here? Yes, I do. Down here. Can you plug it in? Um, I would need it. I've never plugged in down here.

Okay. I It can we can we get the ball? Should we recess so that we can get everything up and then I would I would motion for a 10-minute recess so that they can get everything sorted, they can have everything up and then we can move forward from there meaningfully because right now we're we're talking in circles. Let's get a 10-minute recess. Second. All those in favor? I I motion carries. Let's, you know, we'll be back in 10 minutes.

For your patience, we are about to restart a meeting. We start with Director Hill.

Thank you, Mayor. Um so the packet of information uh that has been distributed uh includes uh several scenarios in the back but on the the top is a summary of the adjustments uh that have been made to the town manager's proposed budget. Um some of it is cleanup as I mentioned earlier. Um but in the personnel load section um the uh it is a mix of cleanup like with the very first item for operations and communications where only the halftime or a part-time senior administrative assistant was added when the full-time senior administrative uh assistant should have been added. Uh the next two lines uh for public works are the restorations uh that were provided last Thursday uh from the town manager's proposed budget. Um number four is the correction uh of a vacancy that was to be held whole held vacant in the town manager's proposed budget. Uh but that position was actually filled as as of today. Um so that was removed. Um numbers five and six were restorations uh from the town manager's proposed as was number seven with regard to minibus uh reductions and service. The town manager spoke to number eight for information technology um which is are the only budget mods included in the status quo roll forward budget in all of the scenarios uh or the scenarios that uh we received direction on last Thursday. Number eight is the GIS specialist that was relocated from IT to building and land use. Uh it was inadvertently left in IT so it's been removed from IT. it

was already in building and land. And for social and youth services, the part-time employees uh did not receive the 2.75% general wage increase that was included in the uh town manager's proposed budget. In addition, in the middle of the page under revenue, uh we confirmed as we heard last week that there was information from the office, the state office of policy and management that the town's uh education cost share ECS had increased to $8 million. Um uh there was not an increase. Um it is level essentially to the current fiscal year. Uh the difference being the alliance district grants. There are two that are shown in the board of education's detailed budget book that are uh provided not to the town's general fund but to a grant fund for special revenue. Hence the reduction from the $8 million level to the $5.4 million that's included uh in revenue to the general fund. In addition, we received uh updated pilot information based on general assembly's action with the budget uh that increased our pilot, the tiered pilot uh from the 572,000 included in the town manager proposed to what is currently identified as the just under 642,000. And that third line under revenue is the largest increase. It has to do with the telecom tax that the town receives. um the utility paying that has a choice to make and they in recent years particularly SNET um has decided to pay it to the town directly. Um we previously had kept the budget at the revenue budget at 95,000 as it is in the current year uh which is based on the actuals received in 2025.

Uh we received information yesterday, no not today is Monday, Thursday from the office of policy and management identifying the revenues that we should anticipate receiving this year. Um which actually came in at the very end of March. Um which is roughly a million dollars. So, just to provide a little bit of insight into that, for last year, 2025, it was the 95,000. Uh, I'm sorry, 2024 was a 95,000. 2025 was in the neighborhood of 500,000 and this year it's growing to million dollars. not only from SNET, but I believe there are four different providers, but SNET is by far the largest um paying a tax of just under $1 million. We had a call on Friday with OPM to understand why that increase was occurring. um building out and the uh taxes related to their infrastructure uh which is where the manager and I gain comfort that we could increase the budget for fiscal 2027 as it is not an anomaly. It's not one time and then going to go back to last year or the prior year's level at the 95,000. Um we did uh so as they're building out their infrastructure, the taxes apply and when they're done building out, it'll start to depreciate over time. So the taxes paid will fall. But with the million dollars that's anticipated this year, uh we included $950,000 of new uh $950,000 of revenue from the telecom tax, which is 855,000 of new revenue. And on the expenditures uh shown at the very bottom of the page and it's a line that bumped on to the next page um was a reduction to the board of education of 1.5 million. We

did pull down our medical uh which was assumed to be increasing by 8.5% to increasing by 7%. and the registar of voters um their early voting expense had been rolled up into one line that has been broken out into two and then the budget modifications that were communicated last Thursday to be included are shown under number four uh including for operations and communications uh boards and commissions which I think was about $9 or $10,000 the BVA incentives the emergency medical overtime, the senior accountant with a cap on the salary and adding the maintainer two. So that is uh what is shown in what we're calling scenario one. The page immediately behind it provides um the metrics on several of the asks from council uh including the value of the 1% merit. Uh that 1% merit is applied as of June 1st and it is only for the month of July. I'm sorry, month of June, which is why the value is so small. Um, that's in the fiscal 2027 budget. The the next box looks at the value of the general wage increase. Uh, that 2.75% is what's been assumed uh for nonp police unions and non-union and management. And with council's uh asked to see management and non-unions zeroed out uh in aggregate you for the full year uh with the salary and related taxes is just over $200,000 and if it's delayed one quarter so the general wage increase taking effect on October 1st 2026 it is again fairly

linear so about $150,000 um would be uh the cost. The two bottom boxes look at the estimated furlow, right? So on the second column from the left, uh that's all employees one day. Um the next box calls out our three unions, uh police, upsheue, and teamsters. And then in the far right three columns management non-union management only non-union only and then management non-union combined provides the council with the perspective of the value for management and non-union uh furlow days 1 through 5 days. They are linear as well. So the one day you can multiply by um any number you so choose. the difference between the first furlow box and the second furlow box uh only removes the GWI. So if there is no GWI for management and non-union then it's the bottom table would be the value of a furlow day with the GWI included at the 2.75% assumption. It would be the first furlow box. So the numbers I just went through uh for the value of merit, the 1% merit, the GWI and the furlows are not included in the scenarios I'm about to present. And actually the first one isn't uh a scenario. It's as the town manager indicated it is our status quo roll forward budget. that status quo roll forward budget is doing everything next year that we're doing this year with all of the contractual increases. Uh and as the manager indicated at the

very bottom right that 11.6% 6% increase uh is what would be required to fund a status quo roll forward with the only budget modifications indicated included uh as the manager indicated for it as they are critical and essential. So you will see that the and again the top middle status quo roll forward is uh bold and red underlined. Um it has the town the board our debt service increase our MDC increed charges increase re arriving at a total budget of $121.8 8 million or a 7.9% increase. 7.19% increase. Um, and as has been presented before, how does 7.19% increase on expenditures get to an 11.6% increase overall? It is that red number in the less which removes the 3.75 million of fund balance used in the current fiscal year's budget. with no fund balance use and the status quo, we arrive at that 11.6% increase and then adjust from there as the manager did with his proposed budget. For scenarios, I'm actually going to ask you to turn two pages. So, you'll see a yellow shaded box around the middle of the page with $1.5 million.

Director Hill, can you just Excuse me one second, please? Sorry to interrupt. Um I just want to make sure because I know um the publics are at different levels of understanding, but I just want to make sure that as you speak to this budget, you're also speaking to uh the the value of the reval itself uh things that we can't control as uh as we look at these numbers. So, uh, not only did we have not the benefit of the 3.75 million, we also had the phase in that was agreed upon with last year's council that we're now adding to this as well as will be added for the next two fiscal years. Yes. Thank you, manager. Um,

sorry, Mr. Hill. One second. Uh, point of order. Mr. Mayor, um it's to my attention that we need to direct the town manager to um to go into presenting the uh budget scenario. So, we need to have a consensus vote. And the only reason I'm stopping you, I would not, but I don't want any of this to be um out of order. I don't want to come back to this and revisit it. So if you could uh we can do a consensus that you direct the town manager um that we go move into um budget scenarios.

So if it's a if it's a motion uh it's a motion. I I do make a motion that um we direct the town manager to uh move into presenting budget scenarios. Second. discussion. Any discussion?

So this this is not but this is to go in but into budget discussion budget deliberations we right because we he is now doing scenarios not this is not for the budget. Do you want us to accept this as is? No, no, Joe. No, Joe. I I I made a motion to direct the town manager to move into presenting budget scenario. Okay, fine. Thank you, sir. Any other discussion? All those in favor? I I I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Stain

uh one abstension. Yeah. Okay. All right. Um into our budget deliberations. Uh please uh present the scenarios that we have thus far and which we'll modify at the direction of the council. uh do we have uh the ability to um to show what you're doing uh with a connection or would you prefer to do that remotely from your office and and you can speak to us um um from there? No, I can um it is uh formed. I just need to log into the zoom and share my screen.

Okay. Thank you. Um and and thank you town manager. I'll go back to the status quo and focus on the um the grand list uh as you indicated. So again I'm back at the third fourth page of the handout the top middle status quo roll forward just below halfway down the page after the amount to be raised by current taxes which is 98.5% of the number immediately below it. the adjusted levy for a collection rate. Um we get into the grand list and on the far left hand side are the 2026 adopted budget values um for for everything on the page. But with regard to the grand list, you'll see that in the second column from the right, the second year of phase in coming online has added just under 221 million of assessed value or just shy of 7.9% increase. Motor vehicle on the next line is increased by 9.7 million or 4.55%. Um so the grant lists less motor vehicle and we subtract out motor vehicle because our uh our mill rate is above the state cap. So we have to calculate the grant that's shown roughly in the middle of the page. So we arrive at the grand list less motor vehicle of $2 bill82 million uh which is an increase um for real estate and personal property excluding motor vehicle of 8.14%. The very next line is less estimated adjustments for appeals, corrections, exemptions. We're using 2% this year is as it is the second year after our 2024 reval. Um and the very next line is one

of the most important lines on the page as that net adjusted collectible grand list. Real estate and personal property is what is used to generate revenue. the value of 1 mil. You'll see uh the third line from the bottom 2,741566 which is uh the fraction of the net adjustable adjusted collectible grand list of 2 bill741565. We then go back through and add in motor vehicle to get to the net adjusted collectible grand list of 2.964 million. But that $2.7 billion is the uh collectible grand list because motor vehicle is capped at the state 32.46 mills that revenue is derived above. Um so we arrive at the value of 1 mil at 2.74 million and we equalize uh as is presented in the budget book. We take the new assessed values, the net, that 2 bill741, and determine the mill rate necessary to generate the exact same revenue as the current fiscal year, fiscal year 2026. The mill rate with the new assessed values for next year that generate the exact same revenues as fiscal 2026 is the 33.37 mills shown as the equalized mill rate. From that 33.37 mills is what we calculate increases in the mill rate and the percentage. So as you look at the very bottom of this page, the status quo which requires a 37.23 23 mil rate or a 3.86 mil increase

and the 11.6% increase overall. Again, remembering that the 11.6% increase is not only on the expenditure side, it's also on the revenue side. Uh that'll uh be relevant as we look at some of the scenarios uh on the next three pages. So from there, I'll ask you to skip back two pages. That yellow highlighted cell in the middle of the page with $1.5 million in it uh includes the scenario that was communicated last Thursday with all of the additions and reductions that are outlined on the very first page. You'll see that the town government now sits at 6.58% for this scenario one. Board of Education their 4.75% increase has been reduced to 1.99%. The bonded debt service is unchanged. MDC is unchanged and fixed charges is increased primarily due to residential recycling recycling being uh restored. That increases the budget from the 117 million of the town managers proposed to the 119.5 million uh with the restorations and reductions uh communicated last Thursday. non- tax revenue is all non- tax revenue. Um that is by virtue of the revenue generated down below and the motor vehicle uh which we know but also that yellow highlighted cell which assumes a $1.5 million use of unassigned fund balance for general government operations. I say it that way because the $665,000 that was included in the town manager's proposed budget also comes from the unassigned fund balance. But uh as was

planned last year is intentional to shave the peak off of our debt service. The peak in our existing debt service does occur in fiscal year 2027. The state pilot for tax cap on motor vehicles uh is the iterative or the have to go through a couple of calculations after all adjustments are made to make sure that that is being calculated based on the mill rate at the very bottom of the page. So you'll see slight variations in that number depending on the scenario. Uh the motor vehicle revenue is based on the state cap of 32.46. So that will not change in any scenario. Um and then the amount to be raised by taxes um which is the sum sufficient to fund the expenditures uh shown above. Of course net of any uh use of fund balance. The assessed values shown at the bottom of the page including the less estimated adjustments are the same as the status quo uh as is the value of a penny in the equalized mill rate. So as I uh mentioned earlier roughly a million dollars results in a million dollar I'm sorry a 1% change in the bottom right corner. Um, you will see that as we turn back a page, the preceding page where that yellow highlighted cell is a zero. That 1.5 million increases the percentage increase to fund this scenario by about 1.5%. Hence, every million dollars is about 1%. Every $100,000 is approximately 0.1%. So, as the council provides,

uh its direction for scenarios to look at uh adds and deletes um to provide council with what it means to the mill rate and the percentage increase. I will be looking at the net of the ads and decreases. um not asking council for a percentage, asking council for what it is that they want to add or cut and the value that they associate with that. So for scenario one, the base case scenario one utilizes $1.5 million of unassigned fund balance for general operations. The other two scenarios, the one before it and the one after it were to provide council with perspective. one, what would the increase be without any unassigned fund balance used for operations? That's the 8.3%. And then on the last page, the 2.75 million of unassigned fund balance for operations brings the increase down to just below 5.5%. I know that's a lot, but I'm happy to answer any questions that the council may have.

Council Mahan, thank you. Um before, uh going into much as I I do have a question regarding the uh allocation for MDC. We had uh questions from uh a resident regarding the increase that is displayed here versus the information that's readily available through the uh through MDC. And so I I I do want to hear what the justification is for the 500,000 uh increase versus the three and change that the that the resident found. I believe there was an email that was sent as well. Perhaps you're aware of this, Director Hill.

Oh, yes I am.

Okay. So, if you can speak and and first I I do want to say thank you very much for going through this information. Uh earlier uh my my statements in the way that I spoke was very passionate. I do want you to know that that's not towards you. It's towards the situation and the the frustration of the overall situation. So, I I don't I I I want to apologize for how I may have came off to you because uh that that's not deserved of you. You're doing a job here and I appreciate the job that you're doing. So, my apologies for my tone. Um but I if you can provide an explanation for um that that difference in the MDC number, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Sure. Um so, the Metropolitan District Commission, like the town of Bloomfield, is a political subdivision of the state of Connecticut. and they lay a tax on its members, an ad valorum tax. Um, the MDC's fiscal year is not the same as the towns. They're on a calendar year. So it runs from January 1 to December 31st which is critical to to this uh conversation because while they have provided us the quarterly payment in their ad valorum for calendar 2026 what it does not provide us is the ad valorum for the back half of our fiscal 2027 meaning the first and second quarter of calendar year 2027. uh that is MDC's subsequent next fiscal year but in the advorum that they provided and I was going to try and pull it up u I believe council has actually received uh the image of the advorum which reflects the first and second quarter of calendar year 2026 at just under the $900,000 level each quarter uh which I believe is the same as the third and fourth quarter for MDC's 2025 ad valorum The difference is for MDC's third and fourth quarter that just under 900,000 increases to one just under 1.1 million maybe 1,70ish. Um that increase in the third and fourth quarter of MDC's fiscal year or the first and second quarter of our fiscal year. So the assumption is that it's not going to go up again for the first and second quarter of MDC's fiscal 2027, but it's going to be held constant uh as it

was for the third and fourth quarter of 2025's MDC fiscal year and the first and second quarter of MDC's 2026 fiscal year. So the increase in MDC is a result of the increase in their ad valorum for the third and fourth quarter of their fiscal year the first and second quarter of our fiscal year and then that assumption I'm sorry that not assumption that ad valorum is carried forward into our third and fourth quarter of fiscal 2027 which results in the 550 $58,000 increase.

So I I believe you stated it just so I I can have it here. Um the overall figure that they have for their annual figures 1.07 around there for what it would cost us that I had that's a quarterly number for the third and fourth quarter of MDC's fiscal year, the first and second quarter of our fiscal year. Thank you, councelor Beth Brown.

Thank you. So, um I'm not quite sure about the other counselors, but none of these scenarios work for me personally. Um number one, so I'm not quite sure, uh Mr. Chair, where we go from here. One second. So would you like to identify any of those scenarios that you had thought about? We haven't met together to kind of uh determine

where the council wanted to lead in that particular area. But did you want to identify some of the differences that talking about right uh 11.56% or 8.29 8.3% or 6 six

8% or 5%. Um, and I don't it's really hard, right? We're looking at town government. Let's let's town government operations. Let's just take that number. And if we're looking at scenario or we're looking at the status quo roll forward, right? Um we have what the town manager have um 38 mil and we're still in that um we're still in that range throughout all three scenarios. Right? So it's it's roughly the same. Right? So, when I'm talking about um scenarios, I'm talking about being able to look at what is in the town manager's office and being able to take out whether we're taking out departments, whether we're taking out employees. That's what I'm looking that that's how maybe as granular as I'm looking at it with intentionality. So that's what I'm saying that I'm not really seeing um the detail of the changes and how that affects the overall number. Um I think it's important, right? Because the budget is broken out into detail. So I'm trying to get I'm trying to compare apples to apples and not apples to pears. And maybe because I'm used to it a certain way. Um, why this for me feels a little um, yeah, maybe because I'm used to it a certain way. This I need I need to see some details on this to see exactly what we're shaving off

um, and how exactly that's going to impact the hole. Right. because I can con I can say um I'm good with a mill rate 34 mills, right? I'm just saying what's that going to get me? What is that going to what is how is how how tight do we have to pull the the purse strings? And I'm just using that as an example cuz I see some people looking at me like she crazy. Just an example. How tight of the purse strings do we have to pull to get to there? And what's the backup? Right? because the backup will tell us what the impacts will be because we could say 32 ms 30 ms which is unrealistic but then it's it's giving me some more information when I see the backup. So that's that's a little bit of of where I'm struggling tonight.

Okay. Thank you. Um I would also like to make a request I'm sorry. um if it's possible to get some actual numbers as far as from July 1 of 2025 to uh to where are we? What's today? 14. So March 31st. If we can if we can get it to current, that would be helpful as well. Get get what? Financials. actuals. Yes, actuals. Sure. That would be that would be great.

Thank you. Uh, Councelor Oliver and then Councelor Goodwin. Thank you, Mayor Harrington. Um, um, when we're comparing these, I see that the mill rates change from sheet to sheet. Are those just to adjust your numbers or are those mill rates affected as we add and drop sections? So the the first is the status quo roll forward with zero fund balance. The next three are essentially all the same scenario with the only change being the uh general fund balance applied.

So with no fund balance use based on the direction uh the manager received last Thursday, we'd be at 8.3%. Using 1.5 million of fund balance, we'd be at 6.8%. And using 2.75 million of fund balance, we'd be at 5.5%. So the only change in these three scenarios are the level of general fund balance applied. Okay?

It restores trash, restores services at 3:30, uh, and the other items indicated on the the first page. Thank you. Uh, councelor Goodwin,

I also wanted to echo an appreciation for the detailed going through um, and getting the varying scenarios in terms of I I have a question about it and I just want to make a comment about the fund balance. Um, I am I am actually in favor of using some of the fund balance, not to the point of the 2.75, but I do think um, a modest usage of the fund balance. I think the only push back I would have is I believe in using the fund balance when it's a one-time expenditure. We're trying to offset a one-time expenditure scenario, not something that we like an operational reality where we realize we'll be back in the same scenario in the future. So, I do think I would like to toggle a little bit with how can we use the fund balance in a way that's a one-time hit and not something that we're anticipating will happen in every budget cycle. That's the only way that I would actually support the fund balance being used. The question I had is about the the IT expenditures when we were doing the presentation. Um there were categories important critical um and so when you made the statement about like the IT pieces were left because those were seen as critical. I just wanted to make sure that I had an understanding. Is that word critical based on that chart we were using um like that critical was you know we cannot function without doing these things it has to happen or are you saying in discernment of the IT pieces that were there it was discern that those would be critical and I know it's a semantic issue but because those categories were used and I found them helpful I just want to understand what's left in the budget for the IT scenario is it that critical based on the chart that we were given So in uh it's presentation last week week before last week uh to council uh I believe director uh plumber provided uh

commentary with regard to each of the budget mods that are shown on the budget modification page but are embedded in the town manager's proposed budget. The rationale and reason for them being included in embedded in the town manager's proposed budget is because they are mission critical. I won't attempt to uh remember or paraphrase the director's comments. Um but several of the things that come to mind are uh as of January, we would be unsupported. Um, we would not be able to maintain our recently acquired cyber security insurance policy uh without the items that were listed uh as budget modifications and embedded in the town manager's proposed budget and embedded in these um are connectivity um our storage uh platforms you know that that IT world language um the the budget mods modifications that were included and embedded are essential to maintaining our connectivity from IT's perspective. Um, of course happy to have uh director Redfern or uh Deputy LJ Joy provide more accurate insights into why those items are critical. Uh, but again it was presented uh last week when information technology presented to the council.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, I I did see councelor Mahan's hands and raised, but I want to go through the council first to have one opportunity and then we'll return back to those who have already spoken. So, we will move to councelor Cooper.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, you know, I'm going to uh say that I I I wouldn't want to see um the maximum amount of the fund ballots used. uh number one um I think that there's a fair figure that you know we can probably uh come to but the the fact of the matter is I you know if we run into and I remember you distinctly saying we run into some issues right where money has to be used right for some type of emergency whatever that may be um if we use up those monies and certainly in the uh reserve that we will then be taxed um probably uh out of our homes and so um you know not because of anything that the town has done but it could be a natural disaster could be something else right um and so you know I I would like to see something reserved out of the fund balance don't want to see that happen um the second thing I do want to see is um detail detail um I think it's very important for us to to look at what we might be able to do, right? Because there uh for for myriad reasons, you know, you want to see the detail. You want to know exactly what you're affecting. Um because it's, you know, I think it's just best for us to know where that money where we may be removing something from. Um and again, for myriad reasons, right, it's best to see in the detail what you're removing, why you're removing it. I I'll leave it at that. People can think how they want, but I think reasons are are why we the best way for us to make decisions.

Sure. And I uh thank you for the comment, counselor. I um the level of detail that I have in Munice, right? Um which is cumbersome to to go through an update um and unwind uh if the desire to see a add or cut then gets reversed. Right? That's a large part of why it's not happening in Munis. Um, you know, the council does have that same granular detail that I have in Munice. Um, that was previously provided um by department, by office, by line item, by detail under line item. So, as the council has asked questions about other contractual services and other lines, um I believe in the same information that was provided that shows the granular detail townwide, uh there was also specific other contractual services reports provided with the detail for fiscal year 2026 and uh the proposed 2027. So that level of detail council has I'm happy to uh adjust to working a model that shows that level of detail and making adjustments in those areas, right? Um you know some of the challenge I see with that is um you know I as finance director I I see a lot right everything comes through finance. Um, but I won't stand here and suggest that I know all of the inner workings of every department and office townwide. So, as the council might suggest adding or cutting something, uh, I would need my peers or their representatives here to ensure that we have a full understanding of what

cutting X means as it may ripple through in other areas. um you know the desire to impact positions uh we need to have a full understanding of what those positions do because if the council were to so choose to eliminate a position uh then there's no one to do that work um so the work would have to be eliminated as well which is why I'm suggesting that what what I we need from council is the direction on what it is that you want to cut right

or add just a quick followup Right. So I you know I do remember just no I don't want to belabor the point but I do remember last um couple of budget sessions we it wasn't detailed to the point of minutia but it was detailed to the point where we you know could make just a very quick decision right and that would be nice to see. It's a nice It's a nice to have, you know, instead of, you know, buying a, you know, 1972 Vega, talking about buying a, you know, 2026 Tesla, you know, instead. Um, only because, right, there is there is a difference in the decision that you're able to make, right? And I don't mean really, and I don't mean minutia, I really don't. Um but also if um you know folks here in Bloomfield, our employees are professionals. They know what they're doing, right? And so you know if we pull them in and uh you know and they assist you, I guarantee you we would get through this faster than um we believe we will and and actually then we are I think that you know that might be needed. I'm I'm not here. I I don't give direction in that sense, but I do, you know, I do this some of this type of work, you know, my day job. So,

thank you. Uh before I move to council and then councelor Mahan, just wanted to ask, do we know where we currently stand with our fund balance? Um so as I've presented in finance committee and I believe I spoke to uh briefly when I presented last week with our fiscal 2024 financials complete the audit is done. We know where we are as of June 30 2024. We are still in process with our audit work for fiscal year 2025 which would be the most current audit which would tell us where we are uh as of June 30th 2025 just over 9 months ago. Um, with that work still pending, uh, what I've presented is the best available information out of Munis, uh, which is continuing to reflect, uh, just under a $3 million ad to our unassigned fund balance. Um, that's unudited. And I'll say again, unodudited means it will change, right? not until we have audited financials will we know definitively to the dollar penny um what our fund balance is. So we we know 24, we have a working number for 25. Um and what we don't know is 26. And in 26, fiscal year 26, 2026, the current year, we have 3.75 million of fund balance appropriated. And what I've presented to the finance committee for the past 3 months are the bookends is what I refer to them. If we need all of that 3.75 million or none of that 3.75 million, what does it mean to our fund balance policy?

Um you know 26 is uh not only re the fund balance unassigned fund balance is not only reduced by the 3.75 million appropriated in this year's budget. It's also the transfer of the unassigned fund balance from of $4 million from the unassigned fund balance to the economic development trust. So that $4 million comes out of unassigned fund balance in fiscal year 2026. And as we look at the bookends, if we need to use all of the 3.75 million with the town manager's proposed budget as the expenditure budget for next fiscal year, then we will be I think it's just below 14.4%. Uh and for those who are not aware, our fund balance policy targets a range between 15 and 20%.

What is that? Sorry,

that 15 and 20%, right? We'd be below, but that is again assuming that we need all 3.75 million appropriated for operations this year. Um the last two or three meetings the finance committee have also provided that when we look back over the prior three to five years at what's been collected from March 1 to June 30 and now April 1 to June 30 um I fairly confident that we will not need all of the 3.75 million. How much of it is still a question um as we progress through the remaining 70 days of the fiscal year um that will become clearer um and particularly the end of each month. So, you know, we're in budget now with just a couple of weeks uh before the annual town meeting on the budget. Uh the best information is that you know depending on how this fiscal year ends we could be slightly below our target range or we could be within our target range. think we are looked at this number. I believe it's 7 or $800,000 not needed from the 3.75 million appropriated would keep us at 15%. But that is utilizing the town manager's proposed budget for next year. The reason I keep referring to the town manager's proposed budget for next year is our fund balance policy. The calculation is the current fund balance by the subsequent year's expenditures. We don't have a budget yet. So I'm I'm guesstimating,

right? What we do have is the town manager's proposed $17.5 million. Okay? And those numbers come up to that little under 14.5%. If the budget goes higher, that percent will go lower. The budget comes down, I'm talking about 27 budget. If that budget comes down from 117.5 million then the percentage will go up. Thank you. We have a couple of more questions and then we're moving to ad drop. Uh councelor Merritt and then councelor Mahan. Thank you. Um, councelor I uh look at your

your presentation here and you you have taken it a million and a half reduce the broad ed by by a million and a half um and uh I suggested could you start over please

reduce it by two million in other words that I find half a million dollars which we could really use it still gives an increase but I believe that's within the legal limits of what we can do. We are not allowed to reduce the bor bill what it was last year. So um I I would suggest I would like to know what another half a million years. I do like your option here that calls for the 2750 U general fund balance applied. I I am not all worried about dipping a few percent below below the lower limit. I that's something we set for ourselves and I don't think it'll affect our credit rating or anything else. I also think there should be more more decreases in some uh in in the budget for town hall staff. I I think that's

bring it back. But I would put a a caveat on that that every year we we talk about not giving any increase to non-union people. Well, that's a good way to have all union people. I mean, you've got to be fair with everybody. So, every year we back off of that kind of talk and say it's uh I'm not talking about managers. I'm talking about employees say like the library people who are not union. Um I think they should be treated fairly and so that they should get merit increases uh that are given to the uni people. So it doesn't make sense to not do that. And

thank you councelor Mahan. Could I'm sorry. I was going to say also that I think we should be adding back the part-time people for the library because that will get them the potential of of better utilizing the library and for for example during the weekend. So I would suggest we add that back. Thank you uh councelor Mahan.

All right. Thank you councelor. Um thank you mayor Harrington and um council mayor. I mean, some some of those things we're we're not in the ad drop uh portion just yet, but um councelor mayor, you're you're ahead of the curve there. So, I hope that some of those things were noted. Um I did have a question on Oh, jeez. Can you give Okay, you had you gave percentages. Can you give and I understand we do not have the subsequent year's budget yet, but can you give an idea of a dollar amount? What did that translate out to a dollar amount? because you you're able to uh calculate a percentage. What dollar are we talking about? Uh percentage for the fund balance. You're able to say, you know, we're going to dip

just below 15%. What does that I mean, estimate? Obviously, we're not going to hold your feet to the fire too much. Um but but you know, and just a dollar amount would help us to u envision this a bit better.

Sure. Um, so at the end of fiscal year 2024 audited, we have 21.66 million of unassigned fund balance. 21.66 66 million currently reflected in Munis for fiscal year 2025 nets to 2.991 million being added to the fiscal 2024 end which again on audited on audited means it will change it's going to change so it's not going to be 2.99 million it'll be something different could be higher could be lower but when you add that 2.99 million to the audited fiscal 2024 end, that brings us up to 24.66 million, right? And then from there, we subtract out 3.75 million appropriated in fiscal 2026's budget, as well as the $4 million transferred to the Economic Development Trust, which results in $16.9 million of unassigned fund balance, which based on the town manager's proposed 2027 budget at 117136 seven results in a 14.4% unassigned fund balance.

Okay. Okay. And that the the $4 million, you know, we I know we're not in the ad drop yet, but the $4 million we can uh draw from instead of unassigned fund balance. And I think we might want to look into doing that. Um, you know, it's we all believe in a in a uh the town center uh development. We all believe in a in a in a better town center. Our residents do want to see that, but um when our conditions here are a bit more conducive to that, uh I think that's when our residents will want to see that. uh putting aside that $4 million is not going to do us any good right now when we're um slashing and cutting and trying to find every bit of way to to tighten the purse strings as councelor Beth Brown said as tightly as possible when we have this $4 million set aside that we can and should should use in this budget to and it it may not be the whole four million but I think that we should definitely look at that as a source to potentially not draw down on our uh unassigned fund balance anymore and not um and to fund some of these things that um one-time expenditures, I would hope. Um uh that that we're looking to have in this budget.

Thank you. Uh councelor Beth Brown, you are next. And uh councelor Goodwin, were we in ad drops? Could I not? Not yet. No, not yet. Okay.

Um thank you. So, a couple of things. I just wanted to put a point of clarity on what councelor Merritt said for the board of ed. Um, last year's uh appropriations to the board of ed is this year's floor, meaning we cannot go below that and whatever we do for this year, it'll be next year's floor. And I think that's by statute, I believe. Okay. Um, with that being said, just a question. Is it possible to get the budget into like an Excel sheet? Because if we get the budget into an Excel spreadsheet, right, when we change one number, it will then automatically recalculate. And I do believe that that's how it's been done in the past. I don't believe that anyone went into Munis to actually um play with the numbers. I believe it was an Excel sheet and and and we could look at it and and and and see if we can duplicate it. And I know, you know, there's new ways of doing things, but I think that would be helpful. So, that's just a small request. Um once again, maybe because that's what I'm used to. I think that would be a little bit helpful. I'm not trying to put more work on your plate. Honestly, I'm not. I'm just trying to get us to a place of understanding both as a council and as residents. And it worked. It worked well. And it worked well for years. I think Carrie did it. Um I think um Jim Ren did it. I think when we were doing co- finance directors, I think they did it. So, I think it'll just be a little bit helpful for us just putting it out there. Once

again, making a request, not trying to add more um to your plate. As far as the fund balance goes, I'm really against using the fund balance. And I might be in the minority here, but we're not replenishing that, right? And if we keep on using it, using it, using it, and not replenishing it, one day we're going to go to that well, and that well is going to be dry, bone dry. And I'm a It may not happen in my lifetime. But I believe if we keep on using, using, using, and not putting it back, we're setting somebody up for failure. It may not be this council. It may be council in the future. So, I'm really against using unassigned fund balance. I also want to say if there are savings, which we all hope, well, I'm hoping that we all hope that we will have some savings at the end of the fiscal year. I do believe that we need to start putting money in the budget for CIP projects. Right now, we have no budget for CIP projects. And God forbid something happens once again, we're going to be out in the cold. um we're going to be in dire straits, right? So, I need for us to be mindful of what we're doing here and how we're setting ourselves up for future success. Thank you.

Thank you, Councelor Goodwin. Mr. Mayor, if I may respond, excuse me, just briefly. Um so, the this the Excel spreadsheet. Yes, absolutely. I'm happy to go through and activate it tonight. It is a a data dump from MUN. It's the same spreadsheet that the council has. Um when I say activate, it's a data dump. So all the numbers are hard numbers, right? There's no formulas. Um that will take a little bit of time, but I can have that ready for tomorrow so that we can go and add and delete in specific departments and offices, right? But it is still required to have what the direction is, right? put dump it in there.

Thank you. Sorry. If we do the data dump, can we put formulas in there? That that that's what I I So, the the data dump is there already. Council has a copy of it. Going to add the town manager's proposed budget, right? Which is the same thing I have. And I'm happy to go through and take all the total columns and activate them with formulas.

Okay. Thank you. So that and build off to the right where we would do add and deletes to see what the net is, right? Um that that is uh ready to go. Um so the spreadsheet yes I do share council's concern with regard to fund balance. Uh as all are aware standard and pores um after the success successful completion of our fiscal 2024 audit removed us from the negative watch list and reaffirmed our double A rating. right? Strong investment grade rating. But one of the things they did mention in there is uh if the town continued to use um unassigned fund balance to balance the budget that that is a credit negative. Um that that's not new or abnormal. Um any use of fund balance should specifically be identified for one-time expenditures so that you're not creating a hole in the subsequent budgets as is obvious from the town manager's proposed budget. That 3.75 million appropriated this year that's not in the town manager's proposed budget is what creates that hole. It's to get us off of that so that we are generating the revenues that we need to support operations for the year and any unassigned fund balance that's used would be used for one-time expenditures. There are very few one-time expenditures in the operating budget, but of course there are in the the capital budget. Um, and the capital projects that uh are proposed are proposed to be grant funded. Um, $3 million or so. Um, so while we do have some capital in there, it is all grant funded, not funded from revenues generated or uh unassigned fund balance appropriated.

Thank you. Uh, Council Goodwin.

Yeah. Um, thank you so much, Mayor. I'm I don't want to keep doubling down on the fund balance, but I want to just say this this statement. When you we use the other moniker sometimes rainy day fund when you're dealing with this issue that we have over the next few years in taxes based on valuations of property. I don't know how else you would define a rainy day. This is going to continue to be an issue that we have to address. And that's when you use a fund balance to address these specific things. And I appreciate the guard rails, you know, to sort of just not expend the whole fund because it can have problems in the future. But we're thinking about this as a delimited issue while we're in this valuation concern. And I just want us to hold that perspective. This isn't forever and always. We just need to get through the next couple of years. The other comment I wanted to make is about the $4 million. To me, I want us to be very, very careful not to be shortsighted. The reality is we just a few weeks ago helped to move forward and move the town of Bloomfield even in joining other organizations so that we can continue to think about how to best position ourselves to redevelop the center of town. I am not in support of anything that is going to distract or detract from us moving forward because at the end of the day, if we make decisions that are shortsighted in relation to that and then an opportunity presents itself, then everyone has egg on their face. And then I do not believe that we've actually listened to residents who have repeatedly talked about wanting to do something to amplify the center of town so that we can attract other businesses, attract more people to move here, but also just improve the overall quality of life. So those are the two things. Let's be thoughtful about these next few years because that's how we need to get through the valuation. And then let's think long term in terms of setting ourselves up so that if we get an opportunity to move forward in the center of town, we can act on it efficiently and effectively. Thank you.

Thank you. Uh there is one additional point to that. Currently, we have a proposal, a congressional proposal for $4 million. We have a senatorial proposal that's been completed for $11.4 million. Now, we just lost out on CIF, which was originally at $18.9 million. Uh we are reapplying to CIF in June, but the point to be made is we cannot be afforded the opportunity to get the 4 million or to get the 11.4 or to get anything from CIF if we do not show that we have made an investment in ourselves. That is what they're looking for. that is how the the presentation has been made to them for the funding. So any uh change modification to that takes us out of that opportunity. So I just want to make that clear as well. Uh so we've been discussing uh the budget. Are we now ready for uh ads and drops?

Mr. Chair, can I just make a suggestion? if we're going to have the spreadsheet tomorrow where we can actually see the um implications of such ads or drops. Can I make a motion that we adjourn tonight and wait till tomorrow to start doing the ad drops? I'd like to make a motion that we second that. Any discussion? You have a friendly amendment. that

I have a friendly amendment to add. Uh the friendly amendment is uh that we include all scenarios that were posed via email and if we have to run nine scenarios, I think that's more than fair. I don't think that's too cumbersome. We we've done 20 plus in the past uh right on the spot. Um so, you know, we we sent in different scenarios. I would like to see uh those nine different scenarios and hopefully we can put it up uh on spreadsheets. We can have a print out of it, see what our colleagues are thinking right in front of us and that would help us to then morph the uh to get closer to a consensus once we have everything down and presented. That's my friendly amendment.

So, and I don't know if this is legal, but can I make a friendly amendment to your friendly amendment? I'm just saying that there might be multiple emails really. So I think it might be best if we get our email and just run the scenarios that way. I'm just saying because is it going to be scenario 9 10 11 12. I don't I honestly don't want any confusion with this and I want us to try to be as um as intentional as we can be to make the process as smooth as the process can be. So if you want to keep that, I can make I can accept the friendly amendment. But that's just my two cents.

So is there is there a second? Hold on. Are you going to withdraw your friendly amendment? I Well, you don't have to accept it. You could just say I don't accept the friendly amendment. But I don't want to do that. No, we're still friends. I want us to I want to We're still friendly. Still friendly. Deny the amendment. Really? Really? Because Yeah. You're friendly. That's a good one. For the betterment of the body, I'm going to deny the friend. For all the reasons I just said, for all the reasons I just said, I'm going to deny the friendly amendment. So, are we ready for a vote? Okay. All those in favor? I I I. Those opposed? Any abstensions? Mayor votes yes.

I'd like to make a motion that we adjourn. Thank you very much.