Town Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, Bloomfield. We'll be calling to order the Tana Bloomfield Finance, Budget, Audit, and Bonding Subcommittee meeting on Monday, May 18th at 6:05 p.m. The roll call looking for anyone online. Doesn't appear to be anyone online so far. Councelor Merritt, Mayor Harrington, and myself, Cindy Lloyd. Starting with old business, discussion and status update regarding fiscal year 2025 audit. Director Hill, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madame Deputy Mayor. Um, Mr. Mayor, Council Merritt, uh, as always, it is a pleasure to be before you. Uh, good evening, Bloomfield. um the status of the 2025 audit. Uh I want to start by uh being so happy that the fiscal 2024 audit is complete. Um our work continues with regard to the fiscal year 2025 audit. Uh we continue to make good progress uh including the ongoing reconciliations with the board of education. Uh as you may recall, if you pay attention to the finance committee meetings as well as the manager updates, uh we had been working towards completing the fiscal year 2025 audit by the end of June. Uh one of the milestone dates for that to occur was the submission of our trial balances to our external auditor CLA by the end of April. And as I stand here on May 18th, uh we're still working towards preparing our trial balances. Um, as a point of detail, um, the reconciliation with the board of ed as the department of the city of the town, uh, is required before we're able in town finance to complete all of our fund review, which leads to the preparation of the trial balances for submission to CLA. Um, I say that because uh we do anticipate completing the reconciliations with the board of ed uh this week and then we'll likely need two weeks to complete our work uh to prepare the trial balances for submission to CLA. Um that puts us roughly at the end or just past uh or just into the beginning of next month. Um so while our work continues and we are uh making progress to returning the town to timely uh filing of its annual audits um unfortunately where we are at

this point is we are not going to make the end of June deadline and we have as the manager likes to say lifted and shifted uh to the right uh and are working towards um completing the fiscal 2025 audit by the end of July. As I say that, I can only imagine our partners at CLA are cringing just a little bit as they know just like I do and the general public may not know that uh as we approach the end of the fiscal year, there's pre-closed work, pre- audit work that um towns and cities are doing all across the state uh including some pre-work for the external auditors. I mentioned that because unlike the completion of the 2024 audit which was off cycle, um the relevant point there is that CLA had an abundance of resources available uh to help us push the fiscal year 2024 audit across the finish line. Um, as we are push have pushed into July, um, it is in that six-month window from the end of the fiscal year until the filing deadline of December 31st, um, that they will be, uh, working not only with us to complete 2025, but they'll also their be beginning their work with all of their clients across the state with regard to the 2026 audit, which they will be working on with us uh, in just a few months as soon as we clear the runway of fiscal year 2025's audit. So, while we have uh experienced some delays, um we are still on pace to return the town to timely financial uh report filings. Um, I say that because as we finish the fiscal year 2025 audit, we will, as we did when we finished 2024, pivot straight into

the fiscal year 2026 audit. Um, the good news in that is while we're not completely current in fiscal year 2026, we are in much better shape than 2024 and 2025 was, which would allow us to uh compress on our end the 2026 audit work um with the stated goal of completing by the statutory deadline of December 31st. So the fiscal year 2025 audit um is probably 3 months or so from being complete. Um and as we experienced with the fiscal year 2024 and I believe the prior three years that also crossed over the July 1 date. um we will I will file at the end of this month our last statutoily allowed uh extension to the end of June and then um using last year's experience somewhere around the end of that first week or the 10th of July we should receive a correspondence from OPM um that our fiscal 2025 audit is non-compliant right it's not a surprise we we know that happens when it crosses uh over into that seventh month of delinquency which converts from delinquent to non-compliant. Um but in fairly shorter order within a matter of weeks of uh receiving what I anticipate is that non-compliant correspondence from OPM uh we will be wrapping up the 2025 audit and moving on to fiscal year 2026. Um so with that uh I'm happy to answer any questions that the committee may have.

Awesome. Uh that is concerning and I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything we can do uh to change the time schedule or get you more help or whatever?

No, I mean for from my perspective it's similar to 2024. And while it was very helpful to have the temporary staff and consultant and they're still there and helpful, it's just the nature of the work, right? We expect to uh work our way through using today as an example uh work our way through a list of items um and then we're sidetracked right today's sidetrack was a uh munis issue where part of fiscal year 2024 was rolling forward into 25 and part of it wasn't when what you know would we thought would be a fairly simple fix uh turned into a three-hour call and so lost almost half a day. Um, you know, and I I make no excuses. Uh, but it is the reality that, you know, doing this work, this pre-work and developing our working papers, uh, to be audited by CLA, uh, is just very tedious, right? As we go through and look at all of the hundred plus million dollars of transactions townwide and identify issues, any issue identified has to be resolved before we can move forward, which is why it's challenging to beyond the the standard 6 months from the end of the fiscal year to December 31st uh to peg how long it's going to take.

Um can you tell us uh what's going to happen to our ratings? What the ratings agency say about if we miss that deadline is that going to cost us anything or um they what was the warning I I don't remember exactly what the warning was. So was standard and pores only and standard and pores uh remarks were with regard with regard to the fiscal year 2024 audit and I say it that way because the 2024 audit was so delinquent.

Right. So we have 6 months of allowable extensions I believe by statute or by OPM policy which gets us through the end of June and then when you cross over into July we become non-compliant. So as we filed the uh 2024 audit I'm trying to think of when that was. It was well beyond the non-compliant July 1st.

Right. So S&P's issue as using their nomenclature is uh insufficient information and that insufficient information is the delay in the audit. Um we were fortunate enough that we were able to complete the 2024 audit in a timely fashion with regard to S&P's pending potential action. Uh I believe I saw the report. I think there were somewhere between four and six Connecticut towns that had that lost their rating because they were not able to provide the information to S&P. So using that experience and example, the 2025 audit um will convert from uh delinquent to non-compliant after July 1st. But unlike the 2024 audit, it won't be non-compliant for seven or eight months, right?

So, we probably won't even hear from them on this. Well, we may not hear from them, but um knowing this work, we will reach out I will reach out to Standard Empors and provide them with an update so that they know in advance and don't have to uh hear about it in the media or even call us asking about the status of it. will provide proactively provide them with an update on where we are and when we anticipate providing them with the information. Thank you. You're welcome, Mayor Harrington. No, I'm not.

I'm just hopeful our last meeting um will allow us to bring numbers together with with the board and um and any support that is needed. I I think you already know we're ready to to assist. Um, but we know for for several years that whole transaction between uh the board and Munis has been uh a challenge and uh but we've been working through it. It's been getting better. Um so I'm I'm hopeful that we'll be able to move that along swiftly.

Sure. the the the board's migration into Munice I think will be helpful on both sides although the growing pains will be difficult um as the board uh is already in process and will continue to be in process for getting up to speed in how Munice does things uh compared to their legacy system. Um, so I I say that because I in my mind we're probably a year or a year and a half away from it just kind of working smoothly, right? Not only is the board of ed learning a new system, uh, but on the town side, we're learning a new system, not a new system, but a new structure where we have multiple entities and we have a learning curve to get up on how those two entities within Munis relate to each other,

right? So, uh, we're going to grow and go down the road hand in hand and, uh, look forward to all of the positive benefits that it will provide. uh the town not only from an accounting perspective but from a reporting perspective uh having both entities on one system. Thank you. Thank you, Director Hill. And I'd like to recognize Dr. Tracy Youngberg in the room. Thank you for coming out. Did you want the floor at all? Okay. Thank you for coming. Thank you, Director Hill, for that update.

Okay. So, uh having received the FY2025 audit update, we're moving on to new business number four. A discussion of March and April 2026 monthly financial report.

Thank you, Madam Deputy Mayor. I'll start with March. Um printed report uh was posted earlier today. Apologize for the delay. There are hard copies in the room. Um follows the the standard format uh from prior meetings. Um our revenue continues to be strong um at 98.6% 6% overall with our uh current year's levy collection at just above 98%. Um our investment uh interest earnings uh performance continues to be strong although significantly lower uh than in prior uh years. Uh that of course is anticipated with the declining interest rate environment. Um building permits are very strong uh just under 1.5 million or 112% of the budget. Uh and similarly real estate conveyance is strong at just under $960,000 or just under 160% of budget. Um this report as of March uh has expenditures uh excluding incumbrances at 62.1%. And with incumbrances included uh as you may recall from my prior remarks um it it makes me feel good to see that encumbrances uh are much more broadly used townwide allowing for us to represent that 88.8% 8% um of actuals and incumbrances through 9 months of fiscal year 2026. I'll turn your attention to the second page um as there are some updates that are not only from the last meeting in March but also relative to setting the foundation for the next step into the April monthly financial report. So on the back of the cover letter of the

second page are the revenues and expenditures. At the top half of the page you'll see the revenues uh which have been adjusted uh for actuals and the projection. Um it's really just the top two lines following on to the February report. Um, we are now showing that the taxes and assessments as well as all other lines except for state education grants are showing the actual or potential variance positive or negative uh as of the end of the third quarter. What I mean by that is as you look at the very top line, taxes and assessments, the budget for the year is 98,654,000. Uh year to date we have 97,631,000. So that would be a variance of just over a million. What's included in the second column from the right, the projection through 630, uh, is the potential looking back over the prior three years, which has had some some variability. Um, but we've included a $200,000 uh projection from where we stand today. So to point to the specific numbers for that comment under revenues the very first line third column from the right the year to date that 97,631,000 the next column to the right the projection through June 30 is $200,000 higher that would leaves us with a variance of $822,000 below budget. Now, as we look at April next, then May, and then after the end of the fiscal year, I think it's 60 days uh to produce the June report. Uh we of course will reflect what the tax collector uh and

other taxes and assessments come in uh between now and June 30th. And my hope is that we'll see that $200,000 assumption embedded in um this month's report and next month's report uh be overshot reducing that $822,000 negative variance. Um the second line state education grants is shown in March as um the projection meeting the budget. We know that in April we received the third and final education cost share transfer from the state which is why we're continuing to show that we anticipate uh meeting that budget of 5.46 million for state education grants. The balance of the revenues reflect uh the actuals collected to date. we may see them go up uh a little bit including the miscellaneous revenue which is currently showing a negative variance of $771. But at the bottom right of the total revenue section you'll see that we are sitting at just under $1.4 million of positive variance with the assumptions uh or projections through June 30 for revenues. So the connection there is you may recall I think the past three or four meetings we've been talking about the projection for fund balance and whether or not we're going to need all of some of or none of the 3.75 million of fund balance appropriated in the current fiscal year. So, what that $1.386 million number at the bottom right of the revenue section reflects is fund balance appropriated that we will not need to use.

Let that marinate for just a second. So, in fiscal year 2026, council appropriated 3.75 million of fund balance. with that 3.7 million75 million of fund balance included and these projections through June 30, most of which are actuals with the exception of the 822,000 and the little $771. But if you were to assume that that 822 is an accurate number, we end up at just under 1.4 million falling through and back to fund balance. Right? So available uh as anticipated for fiscal year 2027's budget. If you recall my prior remarks about the bookends uh of fiscal year 2026 performance with regard to fund balance, the left side shows needing all of the 3.75 million uh as one bookend and the right bookend reflects not needing any of it. Of course, this falls a little bit towards the middle. Um, and at the bottom right of the page where the revenues and expenditures net is applied, you'll see that that $18 million number, $18.3 million number um, falls roughly midlin in the book ends that were previously presented. Now, these numbers are unudedited. They're going to change, right? As we look at the April report, we'll see some changes in just the 30 days. Um, but with two months remaining in the fiscal year, we'll likely see additional revenues come in. And as I pivot down to the bottom half of the page, expenditures, uh, we'll see um, our year-to-ate actuals increase, but uh, the projection through June 30 will likely fall as we complete the month of

May. uh begin preparing fourth quarter transfers, the first presentation, then the second and final presentation for council's consideration uh and action next month. Um what's shown here for expenditures are of course the the total budget, the adopted budget and revised budget which are the same thing. Um the revised budget takes into account interdep department movement uh which of course is very helpful for budgeting uh so that we get the lines correct. Um and then the year to date in that third column from the right. So with a total budget of 113.6 6 million. Our actual expenditures to date are just above 100,800,000. Um, which is a little under a $13 million delta um from the total budget. In the second column from the right are the projections through June 30. most of which are tied to the actual budget amount. um as that budget is authorized and departments are um one have entered uh their purchase orders uh with a couple of bright line areas but also recognizing that uh there are components of every department's budget uh particularly our largest departments um outside of the board of education police and public works um that are not encumbered. Uh best example is probably overtime, right? So the overtime budget in police and public works and all their various subdivisions uh will show that there are available monies, but both police and public works, we know as warm weather has hit us this week, um are going to be much more active for the remainder of the fiscal year. Um so between now and the developing of the fourth quarter transfers first look uh we'll continue to work with departments

not only police and public works but all departments um to get the best information from those departments and offices about what their anticipated expenditures are through June 30. We will incorporate those in the projection and it will dovetail with the presentation of again the first look and the second look for council consideration and action on the fourth quarter transfers. But again, as I think I've done for the three prior finance committee meetings, in the far right hand column of the expenditures, we know that we have several areas that are over budget, uh, which will require fourth quarter transfers. But I've again demonstrated our ability to remain within balance with transfers from areas, departments, lines that have available budget to those lines, uh, departments and offices that are over budget. Um that's demonstrated by the bottom right number, the total town budget variance as a zero. Um and the detail supporting that is shown on the next three pages uh which are focused exclusively on the expenditures by activity. So looking through that first section of the third page, um it's a similar roll up for town administration and then the remainder of the budget as it's presented. Um and then down below that there's the breakout for town administration um and boards and agencies and then followed by the various departments uh fixed charges, miscellaneous debt service, board of education. Um in the expenditures detail under town administrations the third page middle of the page um you'll see finance is over budget. We we know why um the temporary staffing consultants helping with uh completing the 24 audit 25 audit now. Um and also the town attorney um we're

aware of those overages because of the increased legal activity during the fiscal year. And similarly in the bottom section uh the register of voters um for their related elections activities and then through the balance of the expenditures uh everyone is within budget save the health district um that $3,722 was a result of their budget being passed by the board after uh we had included the number but we do have the ability to to balance against that as well. Um, so with that, I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have about the March 2026 financial report.

And if not, I'm happy to move on to Oh, go ahead. I was just going to say based on these numbers, um I don't really want to say how do you feel moving forward, but in a sense I'd like to get a an idea of um because we've been waiting for these numbers and I would just like to understand better your interpretation of how we're doing. I mean, the the town's doing well, right? the the town has historically had strong finances. Um, you know, not talking about the audit, right? The financial performance of the town.

Um, the budget development, the appropriation of unassigned fund balance, um, to keep the mill rate low. Um, and then the financial performance that supports, you know, some or not all of that fund balance being needed. Uh, I think will continue as demonstrated by by where we are. But with a month and a half left in the fiscal year, um I expect that we are going to probably be a little bit better than presented. Um but as you uh know, I consider myself a fiscal conservative and don't want to count every dollar and have it be I I I prefer good news, not bad news. Right? So, uh, projecting that we would have, um, a net surplus of, call it $1.3 million. Um, I think at the last finance committee meeting, I suggested that I thought we would be somewhere between two and 2.5 million. Um, we get through the end of this month. I I I still stand by that. That two to two and a half is probably a good guess. Now, as we have tightened up on departments expenditures as we approach to the end of the fiscal year, which is normal, right? Pre-close activities, reviewing purchase orders, uh closing those that aren't needed, liquidating any balances that are available that will fall through um fall out not as actuals, not as incumbrances, will shift to available and fall to the bottom line. Um I think that we'll we'll have good news on the expenditure side as well to contribute to the the good news on the revenue side.

Thank you. So I know we've lost some of the um pizzazz I guess of the kinds of gains that we had uh through the market last year. Um, do you anticipate that that will be compensated by more I don't want to say economic development but uh buildings fees and things of that sort because I see there's a sizable increase in that area and I know we're going to talk about POCD you know during this period but I'm wondering is there an anticipation of more this year uh we already have out measured last year relative to this point in time but I'm just wondering if there uh seems to appear based on the projects that are forthcoming uh if there will be some measurable difference.

Um well as I see Director Coleman in the office he'd probably be better to speak to it than I would. Um, you know, from my experience, um, the town's development permit fees is is strong and I wouldn't have thought last year that it would continue to grow this year. Um, but it's a again a good news story uh that the activity is so high in Bloomfield that these revenues are being generated. Um, you know, with all of my experiences up and down the East Coast, I I think that at some point it it stops and not stops altogether, but stops growing. Maybe a plateau, maybe no plateau. It just peaks and and falls off. There can be reasons for that. Um, a wide variety of reasons. And I'm hopeful that the the good things that are going on in Bloomfield um will allow that level of activity to continue um not only into 27 but for for several years to come. I think there's a a lot of opportunity here. Um we've just got to capture it.

Thank you. Thank you. Uh I I I'm I'm sure you said it, but I I guess I missed it. U I'm looking at the fixed charges. Fixed charges underage of $445,000. Um what that's the only red read red in that expenditures. That's what was that. So that that is um my remarks about demonstrating our ability to remain in balance. As you look at that expenditure section, I think you're looking at the the second page um where it has the revenues at the top and the expenditures following.

Um those transfers are that 445,000 from fixed charges is to cover the overages in town administration and boards and education. Oh, okay. Right. So, but if you focus on just that fixed charges line, you'll see that the um the budget is 15.3 million, but the year-to- date actuals, including incumbrances, is 8.6 million, right? So, that $7 million delta, it's a transfer. Okay.

Well, it's not a transfer. It's that $7 million are expenses that we expect to incur between now and June 30th. Um, but no purchase orders have been issued. Um, and there's ongoing conversation about why that is, but I do expect that a significant likely not all of that $7 million delta, roughly $7 million delta, uh, will become actual expenditures before June 30. um with some of the ongoing research um I do have comfort that that you know roughly half million dollar level um would be available to help balance um without looking in detail at the other departments that are under budget. So as we progress towards the end of the month in preparation of the fourth quarter transfers first look second look um we likely will have some come some transfers to cover departments and offices that are over budget from fixed charges, but we will likely have some from other departments as well, particularly the larger ones, police and public safety, depending on their uh additional information for projected expenditures through June 30th.

Okay. I see that unlike every other year I've expected we have come in under in expenditures for the year and you're not projecting that. Not yet. Next month. Okay. Next month you may get gutsy and do it. Huh? Well, next month will be in the the 12th and final month of the fiscal year. Oh,

okay. Um and while I don't expect that um you know again like fixed expenses uh fixed charges um they'll have expenditures in June right that no purchase order is entered for but working with the risk manager will identify what those invoices are get a number that we can use for fourth quarter transfer planning that will ultimately shake out to provide how much of that $15.3 million budget for fixed charges isn't going going to be used. So you expect about $13 million to be spent in the last two months. Um maybe hopefully less, but

so that's a great question. And if you turn to the very last page, yeah,

so one, two, three, four, the fourth column from the right, incumbrances as of March 31st. So, there's $30 million that hasn't been spent yet that is planned to be spent between now and June 30th. Uh, as evidenced by the existence of a purchase order of that $30.3 million, the board of education is 20.8 of it. So, the town is that other 8 million or so, right? That is what we plan to spend between now and June 30th that we have an open purchase order for. So, the conversation previously about the roughly $13 million, we'll call it, um, is beyond that things that there aren't purchase orders for now. So, of that roughly $13 million, I anticipate that we'll probably spend somewhere between 10 and 11 million of it. But again, over the next two weeks and as we focus on preparing for fourth quarter transfers, uh I'll have more uh information and greater confidence.

I have to find out what how much money Tracy's going to give us at the end of the year. Could you say that on that? Um and you know it's it's a great point but as reflected uh we are showing that we anticipate the board of education to spend their full budget. Don't we have an agreement now that they don't have to spend it all at the end of the year that they can keep it even if they don't spend it?

Sure. State statute allows we call the 1% set aside. I believe it's been increased to 2%. Um but the board of education is allowed to maintain a fund balance. um that is referred to as the set aside uh because technically they can't maintain a fund balance. They have a 1% set aside that's maintained by the town but for the board of eds use. So so they don't have any of the June 30th parties. They used to have that 15 20 years ago. June 30 is still the end of the fiscal year.

Yeah, I know. But back then the bad old days when they had big had the leftover money they felt they had to spend it. So So, we never got it back anyway. So, yeah. Excuse me. I I'm just throw humor myself. Fiscal year uh April 26. April. Yes. Yes, sir. Yeah. No, don't.

So, turning our focus to the April uh 2026 financial report. Uh the structure is the same for the report. I won't bore you by going through the percentages included in the uh cover memo. Um but our performance on the revenue side continues to be strong uh and expenditures with one additional month increased from that 88.8% including incumbrances to 90.3% including incumbrances. Um, and turning your attention to the second page, the revenues and expenditure summary, you'll see the numbers are slightly different, but still fairly close, right? With an additional month of activity both on the revenue side and the expenditure side, the projected revenue positive variance has increased from 1.38 million to 1.57 million. Uh you'll notice that on the second line, state education grants, we did receive that third uh ECS payment from the state or transfer from the state. Uh bringing us up to $5,47 which is about $57,000 below budget. Um we still have a month and a half left in the fiscal year. And the state education grants is not only uh ECS. I think I actually did see um another correspondence come in from the state today with a couple of hundred thousand of additional revenues. So, uh as I mentioned in the March report, you know, as we get through the end of this month and into July, I'm sorry, into June, uh we'll have all of that information to support where we stand, not only from a revenue perspective and the use of the unassigned fund balance appropriated, uh but also the expenditures. uh we'll have increased actuals. Uh we'll go be going through our pre-normal pre-close activities and liquidating incumbrances. So we'll see those come down. Uh and we'll embed uh

in the monthly report and the fourth quarter transfers uh the best available information with regard to the projection through and including June 30th, the end of the fiscal year. Um so the state grant came in. Um the other revenues as I mentioned that miscellaneous income which was at the end of March showing a negative variance of $770 $71 uh is now showing a $31,845 positive variance. Again, good news to be above on the revenue budget. Um turning the page to focus on the stat status of expenditures by activity. Uh similar to March demonstrated the ability to remain within balance. Um you'll notice that um the overages by department as well as the u balancing those numbers are slightly different, right? Um the expenditures in finance, the town attorney uh and to a lesser extent the registar of voters but also including the registar voters um have changed increased the expenditures which require a higher level of transfer to remain in balance. Um but again we've demonstrated our ability to meet that in a very simple way using fixed charges. Uh for March it was at a $445,000 negative. It's increased to a $552,000 negative. Um uh but again we still have the ability uh within just a few areas to remain in balance. Um but I know that looking behind the other departments that aren't reflected in the March or April report as available to contribute to remaining in balance that there are other

departments and offices. um that could be utilized is if necessary. And I think it's important to know that as we are transferring funds from a department to help cover a department or office that's over um we do that very intentionally and deliberately to not count every dollar. Right? So if department A uh communicates that they have uh a certain level of anticipated expenditures that aren't reflected in a purchase order. um we're not looking to get to the dollar, right? Because we know that with 42 or so days left in the year, um that there are going to be things that happen that are unanticipated, right? So, we're we're not looking to have any department or office uh after fourth quarter transfers be in a position where every available dollar has been taken. every department and office needs some financial flexibility even after fourth quarter transfers just for all of the accounting adjustments that happen. So, um I look forward to presenting uh to the committee and in turn the council um the fourth quarter uh transfers first look which um my thinking is once developed and in advance of the June finance committee meeting, we'll present those. We'll have a healthy discussion about them at the June finance committee meeting um and then have them queued up uh for action. I believe it would be the following week. I think it's the 22nd for some reason. Um for council action just a few days before the end of the fiscal year. Um and with that, I'm happy to answer any questions that the council may have or that the committee may have.

Yeah, I uh I I like to speak on a very bad practice of past years where when we had the fourth quarter transfers. Um it was looked upon as an opportunity to spend some money on things that had not been included in the budget and I thought that was very inappropriate if not against our charter. Um, and I hope we don't do that this year. Um, so I I think that was a very So I'm happy that you're talking about fourth quarter transfers very near the end of the fourth quarter so that we we don't get all hemped up on finding new ways of spending money. So

thank you for that councelor Merritt. I I agree and I I think that with the challenges and the developing the fiscal year 2027 budget and the significant level of cuts and reductions that will impact service and service levels um that any uh funds from fiscal 2026 that are unobligated uh would be falling to the fund balance. Um, as we know with the $3 million, $3.665 million that the council appropriated in the FY2027 adopted budget, right? That we want to remain compliant um with our unassigned fund balance policy and not just compliant, right? because it's a snapshot in time when that amount is valued happens with the audit as of June 30th. Um, but you know, we are a going concern. The town of Bloomfield isn't going anywhere. So, not only the year after 2028 and the year after 2029, it just keeps going. So the the planning and the intent intentionality of uh having a longer term view of the fiscal strength of the town uh is important and uh it's not it's not just the uh desire or want ability to have some form of happiness now

at the expense expense of the future.

Thank you, Director Hill. Councelor Deita Brown.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, thank you, uh, councelor Merritt. I was going to say something along the same lines that whatever savings we do have, I'm hoping that it will go to the fund balance for uh, future years. Um, and this is probably a moot point because I'm sure that you will provide, uh, Director Hill, I'm sure that you'll provide a very detailed, um, uh, reporting as to why budgets might have gone a little bit over or a lot over as to why the fourth quarter transfers will be necessary. So, I'm sure that will be provided to us to the council to um uh do some deliberations on and hopefully before the meeting um we will have all that information and then be able to ask questions as necessary. So, thank you councelor Merritt for bringing that up and thank you Director Hill for your uh report and I look forward to understanding why some of the budgets are um over or out of whack or however you want to classify them. Thank you so much,

Madam Chair, if I may. I'm uh I'm hopeful that not only Council Deba and Brown, but the the entire council is aware of why the line items are over. Um this isn't new information. Um the finance department, the town attorney, the registar voters, we know why they're over the detail. Absolutely. We'll provide the detail by line item uh for each of the areas that are over. Um but I do not believe that there is a question uh about why they're over. Uh we know why they're over. It's been discussed publicly on multiple occasions. Thank you.

Thank you. And outside of finance committee meetings, we have put you on the spot, put you on the agenda and everything else regarding these matters. But as we um head into next month's council meetings as well as finance committee meetings, I'm sure you'll have all the numbers button up with the um detailed information as to what we we've definitely talked about a lot of it. So I'm sure within that time as more purchase orders come in, however, some of those nuances may change. will have some more um additional items that will have changed the bottom line. So, we do look forward to that information, especially seeing what fourth quarter will look like. Um there may be some things, however, that as much as we can put towards uh the fund balance, putting funds back. There may be some things that we know historically um need to be covered. And so, that's also part of the process. Well, thank you for that.

Thank you, Madam Deputy Mayor. Okay. So, continuing on new business um B discussion and status update regarding plan of conservation and development PCD and related expenses. I see director Coleman in the room and I see uh Miss Robbo from Goldman and York on the line.

Do you have the floor? Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Madam Deputy Mayor. Mr. Mayor Council Merritt turned it off. Thank you, Deputy May, Deputy Mayor, Mr. Mayor, Councilman Merritt. Uh dear old POC, uh this Thursday evening, uh the planning commission is going to be holding what we call a planning session, uh when it will be going through, um the latest revisions to the various chapters of the POC as well as reviewing the latest version of the proposed land use plan. uh if they find that acceptable and they've been reviewing them, all nine of them have been reviewing them now for about six months. Um it's it's it's a fairly laborious task. um they will probably schedule a special meeting for early June to formally approve uh the proposed POC and assign it um to a hearing uh that they'll hold and also refer to the town council uh and um refer it back again to the cap region council of governments. Normally that's a 35day review period. Unfortunately, in our instance, u state legislation has been revised. It's now a 65day review period. Uh so that takes us to early August when the commission could act it act upon it. The comments from both you and Crag are advisory um and the commission is the sole authority to adopt the plan. So, it's my fervent hope uh that we will have it completely done uh and formally adopted uh in early August. Uh it's also my fervent hope that um the commission

will find and be comfortable with moving on after this Thursday uh where we will actually produce a few copies of the actual book. Uh so, it's available to be reviewed. uh we won't do the entire production of the book until we're completed. Uh so because it's not an inexpensive proposition. Um I know there have been a lot of delays on this project and I'd just like to make clear that um the consultant services on the project have been excellent and they are not responsible for any of the delays. The delays rest primarily with the staff and its ability uh to find the time uh to spend the time necessary to do the revisions. We uh inherited a document um a year and a half ago that was basically unusable and so we've had to rewrite basically the entire POC. Um we've had excellent service uh uh to the extent that we paid for it from Gman and York. Uh but a great deal of the work has been done by staff um and and by the commission itself and um but we're nearing the end finally. Um that would be my report on the POC. Um happy to answer questions. Also,

I've been through a lot of POCDs. Uh, and I believe every one of them, uh, I I spent a lot of time on one of them, but basically every one of them, we finished the PC and put it on the shelf and ignored it for the next 10 years. At least that was my impression. And I I really would like to see some compulsory action. In other words, that every part of the POCD be put on some agenda mandatory that be put up to for consideration on some different committees whether some of the council committees and some not. that that we have some I mean to go to all that trouble and come up with it and then ignore it is to me outrageous and I hate to see that done again and I I hope that we come up with some kind of feed into agendas so that every single item on that is goes on somebody some committee's agenda to consider and take action or take action

I can tell you that the um draft POCD that's prepared and that we hope will be approved has um strategies and action items related to every recommendation and the best responsible parties that we believe should be implementing them. Okay, that connection is in there. Uh obviously be uh it'll be incumbent upon all of us to ensure that that happens but the recommendations will be there. Mayor Harrington.

So my question is once this is fully adopted, what would you say the time frame would be for a project that is sort of like waiting in the wings, so to speak, to actually come forth and begin?

Well, it depends. I mean, in terms of physical project projects, that's that's going to be um that's going to be dependent on the market. In terms of action items, um the um the planning and development staff and the planning commission will immediately commence uh reviewing portions of the zoning regulations to make sure that they're up to date and are properly implementing the plan. Um the environmental planner is already working on the environmental update for the to get us further qualified um on environmental status with the state. Um and then you know there are there will be a number of capital projects recommended on the municipal level that obviously is going to depend on uh the availability of capital funds. Um although obviously it should generate um a number of grant opportunities um that collectively across the staff we can begin to develop. So I think the in terms of non-physical there are a lot of activities um that can flow out of this and as Councilman Merritt uh happily indicated um let's hope that happens because the direction and guidance will be there. Um and um obviously it'll entail a conversation with you all conversation with the town manager in terms of allocation of staff resources. Um but the potential is there

and would start immediately. Some of it's already started. One additional question. Um so I know we did not fund the economic development person for this upcoming year. Um, but I do know that CRA has mentioned that they would provide some of the smaller towns access to an economic development person. Have have we uh sought those services or is it within the realm of probability that we could?

We have not had a conversation directly to Crock about it. I've had informal conversations but not have not made a formal request. It's certainly within the realm of probability. Um I think I was not particularly optimistic that you were going to be able to fund that position. So um we are adjusting on staff. I've made a an internal commitment and have had conversations with my assistant that we want to particularly with the ending of the POC to really focus on economic development activities in terms of outreach and actively seeking opportunities. I've started that conversation with GMAN and York who have one more year on their contract and um going to be trying to get them as well to focus on that. So I think that um you'll see a higher level uh and a and a different um somewhat different focus uh in the coming year to respond to the issues you've raised and the desires of council for us to be more active in the in the development marketplace.

Okay. Thank you. We'll make do and I think we'll make well do. Thank you.

Thank you. And one of the other um well thank you first of all there's some new information that probably many of us was not aware like the uh review the review period from 35 days to more than 60 and things of that nature. So I think this update was important. Additionally I know that we had a previous vendor that did not do such a great job. Um, and then the last I heard about this was that um, Gman and York did some work initially was paid and then discovered there was a lot more work to do. So that was going to require additional funds. So since we're in finance, I want to know what what's the status of that additional um, expense and has gone in and York been paid or to what extent?

The um, you are correct. There's been two two things on the on the first one. Um the changes were the additional work was a result of the views reviews done by the members of the planning commission uh and the CEC. Um they have um they have completed basically all the work that we funded in the second round and the last remaining item is the actual publication of the document um putting it together and aligning the the pros with the tables and the charts and the maps. Um and that hopefully will commence immediately after this Thursday's TPZ meeting. and um will be completed in early June. Uh so they are um from our perspective with their contract, they're on budget, on time. Uh and the issue, as I indicated, has not been their inability to perform as requested.

And I'm kind of concerned about the funding. So these are just off the top of my head from recollection. I believe the initial um contract from the original um recommendations like you're saying from CEC was somewhere around 10,000 and then the additional work I may be way off but I kind of remember hearing the number 20,000. I think you have it backwards. Oh, okay. Still talking about maybe it was initially 20 and then we did 10 extra.

Okay. And so I know that there was a recommendation because it was unfunded, it was unbudgeted, um that that come from council contingency. So has the contractor been squared up with that yet? Yes. As far as I know, I would when you say has it been squared up, we we the recommendation was made that they be paid from council contingency. So I'm asking has our vendor been paid? I don't recall that coming before us, but certainly if we have bills, I want them to be paid. Right. As far as I know, they're

they're um their invoices have been processed. Um what fund they came out of, I cannot tell you, but uh Director Hill may be able to. Okay. And so I'm not that information on the spot, but as we go into fourth quarter, right, and there's council contingency, all of which I know has not been expended and things like that. I just want to make sure we're on pace to cover what we need to cover. And if there's any additional expenses from the last conversation that you had brought forth, what was that looking like? So I don't know that there's been any additional, but you said they are pretty much operating under the the contract. So

correct. then I do not anticipate any additional requests or funding for the consultant on this on this on the POC. Okay. And I I will speak with Director Hill about um just ensuring that everybody's where we need to be with regard to the invoices and what that looks like so we can make sure that's covered. So, um, we didn't know probably many months ago when it was mentioned, um, possibly coming from council contingency because it was much earlier in the year, but at this point, I do believe there are some existing funds. So, that's what fourth quarter transfer is utilized for at times. So, I want to ensure we were on on point with that. So, I appreciate that update.

My pleasure. Okay. And then any other questions? Yes. I don't see any online. Mayor Harrington.

Yes. Uh my question relates to the upcoming um CIF proposal and from what I understand through uh Governor Lamont, he wanted to make sure that in our current pursuit for this next um uh June kickoff that we spoke to both our senators and our representative to make sure that they were all in one accord with what the town wanted most. Um, and I'm not sure I don't want to say that we weren't in accord. Not sure um why we weren't selected, but um we are preparing to apply again. And there seem to be a couple other projects that are looking for CIF funding as well. They happen to be in our community. They're not townsponsored events. I mean, town sponsored proposals, but uh I believe RahobitH and First Cathedral uh are in that mix. Uh they're they're working with other um state components, but I'm just wondering um how do we approach that in the best possible fashion? I think uh Denise was prepared to

Yeah, I can I can speak to that. Uh Madame Chair, Mr. Mayor, um and council. Um we are going forward um with it. In fact, I started my day today with 8:00 meetings on CIF. We have had meetings with the town manager on where we are moving forward. Um the focus of the CIF grants for this round which is round nine is to fund previous projects that they have given planning grants to. During their last meeting where they approved funding they specifically mentioned projects like Bloomfield and Plymouth. They called them out. So, all this weekend I was working on our budget for our ask and we plan on calling on a lot more of not only we're going to call on community people in addition to the mayor, deputy mayor, I would love for you to um pen a letter for us in support, but I think we need to be cheerleaders for this. John, you know that what we've gone through with it and I think we're looking um to put in a a great ask that is going to say we need this funding for town center. So, and it doesn't to be honest with you, they have funded other projects by nonprofits in town, but this round I just want to reiterate it is to not fund additional projects. It's to fund projects that have already come through their wings or that they've partially funded.

Thank you. I would agree. I think we need to um focus on our project. I mean, I'm not um I don't want to disparage any other project. Um but um it would be very rare that they would give multiple projects to a to a community in the same round. And um we've been working hard as you all know to get this this going and and speaking to your earlier question to uh director Hill about the growth of um the continued growth of the permit side of revenue.

Um clearly they um we and that's really a timing thing in many respects and what fiscal year the permit throws in. If if what we already know is on is basically going to be on the books going forward. Um 27 should continue to be a strong year and if and if u the town center comes act becomes to fruition 28 and 29 should also be strong years. Great. Great. One last. So, we have a housing fund, trust fund, uh, $500,000. It's more than that now,

right? With with the 10% coming from the building fees, I think it's like 650 or somewhere around there. We're still in the process of developing the guidelines for it. Are we do we see uh a time and sight where we'd be able to possibly administer uh funds in the community for which the fund was developed?

Tough to commit to that quite frankly and sooner than later hopefully. You know, I would say right now we probably looking at early fall as the earliest could be done. Again, it's a has to be a staff effort. Um I would um turn to to our esteemed director sitting over there who is coordinating that effort and uh with the with a number of departments um with some of the organizational changes that are going to be happening in the next few months. um that could um make it a little more challenging,

but I think um we are as anxious as you are to make that happen and um but I would think that early fall is would be a realistic time to be able to start the program up and running. Thank you. Seeing no hands online. Thank you, Miss Robbo. And we're moving into C. New business for C. discussion and status update regarding tax abatement agreement with Arbella at Blue Hills compliance agent.

I am very frustrated on this one as I know you are. I have been um weekly contacting uh Jeff Simea at Arbella and I'm not getting much back quite frankly. Um, as far as I know, uh, they have, um, interviewed two potential, um, compliance organizations or compliance officers and, uh, those conversations did not come to fruition. Um, I've asked whether or not they've been keeping the numbers themselves and have not received a response.

Uh, so I'm I do not have good news on that at this point. Uh but I continue to um to try and get information and to make it very clear to um to the Arbella folks that uh it's absolutely critical and essential that they respond to this part of the agreement that they signed.

I go through this every day on my day job. I can't tell you how many people I call for me to be able to conduct my daily work who do not call me back because some of them do not want to be contacted. That's their whole point. But I mean these folks, this is a big outfit, a big organization building over 160 um units um senior housing units, right? So I mean they're right there. I'm sorry that they have not been reaching back, which is unfortunate. Um but I do remember in finance committee meeting as well as some of the final discussions that a big part of um ensuring very very close to the beginning of the project right was this compliance agent to uh make sure that the amount of dollars they committed would go to Bloomfield and local greater Harford area contractors to the best of their ability. Um, so we don't really have the capacity to ensure that's happening and then how do we go back after the fact and I hate to say it but retired police officer take their word on it. Um, so we were hoping to get an update because this is where a lot of the discussion started regarding the um tax abatement agreement and so I thought it right to bring it back here. So, I appreciate all your efforts to communicate with them, but one very robust part of the conversation was that they would work with the town in securing um that person because we do have um plenty of people that have capacity locally to be able to do that. We had um the library construction project. We have uh 330 that had compliance folks. We had heirloom when they were constructed over 10 years ago that had compliance agents for lack of a better term. So, we know that there's people around here that have the capacity, the professionalism, and the proper credentials to be able to help them in that and to be an objective person um completing that that role. So, hopefully they will be responding back.

One would hope and we have made them aware of all three of those projects and that they were in fact uh had compliance officers on all three of them. Right. Um I think they spoke to the one on the library and that did not come to fruition. I'm not sure who the other one was. Okay. But I will um continue to make it um crystal clear to them that um this has to happen and it has to happen quickly. So we have email communication. Do we have any written communication? We have some email communication like regular US. I have not done any snail mail.

That might be helpful just to kind of formalize it. Um, we have elevator shafts that are up it I mean they're they're moving very quickly. So for our community to be able to benefit from the early stages of this and then not coming at the end just throwing up you know some wood trim and not being able to have their um proper representation on this project I think is super important. So, if we could maybe look into sending them snail mail communication relative to, you know, your multiple efforts and that we would love to sit down and help them achieve that, that would be so greatly appreciated. We will follow through.

I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you so much for the update. I see no questions or hands online, Mr. Mayor. Anything to add? No. Council Meritt? No. Okay. Thank you so much. I appreciate you. Thank you. Moving on, I believe we're going to go to public comments. Public comments. Do we have anyone signed up? Okay. As you approach the podium, if you don't mind announcing your name and your address, you'll have three minutes to make your comments. And we thank you in advance for your time. Thank you. Thank you. Um, and good evening.

Am I on?

Yes. All righty. Good evening, Mayor Harrington, Deputy Mayor Lloyd, Councilman Merritt. My name is Aaron Behringer. I live at 20 Kenmore Road. Uh first off, I want to say uh I want to thank you for uh last uh Monday's regular town council meeting and also to uh director of finance uh Mr. Hill for presenting a brief description of open gov in finance during that meeting. Um, director Hill uh went through um online with us all to follow that we have the uh approximate 2.26 million of undefined spend meaning undefined in a category. um and shared that it's going to take 6 to 12 months to fix. So my first question tonight is looking at um and I appreciate um you know Director Hill bringing forward as he does each month the different revenues and uh expenditures. But my first question is, is that 2.26 million identified in that document? I'm not sure. I don't know. Um because I look at the town attorney estimated expenditure on what was presented to tonight, which is $614,18. But does that include, and I'm using round numbers, the 83,000

that uh is in the undefined. So would it be accurate to say again round numbers that really were more at a 696 922? I don't know. I'd love to know that at one of our future meetings. Then moving on, I was curious about the excuse me, the POC. Um, and I appreciate I left a message for um, Mr. Coleman and uh, he returned my phone call today because I will be attending Thursday's meeting and I'm very interested in obviously our town and our economic uh, growth. than I did then because I do know how to use open finance. Um took a look back from this year. So um if it is accurate and Munis is talking to open finance. I know you had a question, Deputy Mayor, about what the cost was, and I think Denise is still on if those invoices, but I pulled by description POC and actually there were two invoices paid this year for round numbers 13,000 in November and December for that rewrite. May I continue?

All the money is what you're saying. No, we paid it. We paid it. It's a total of 30 though. So there may be some

it actually over three years uh we've paid 85,000 and so it was really kind of quite depressing to hear that the other document wasn't usable. Um because that was 45,000 that we paid a different firm in fiscal 23 and then in fiscal 24 we paid 265. Again I only did a descriptor of POC. This does not include everything else. We paid zero in fiscal 25 and 13 and some change for this year just for the rewrite that Mr. Coleman already said we needed. So I think I I'm I'm hopeful that we can uh have TPZ commission review this document and get some economic development going in this town.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Anyone online? Okay. Anyone else in the room? No. Thank you so much. That closes public comments. Number seven, approval of minutes March 16th, 2026. So move. Second. Moved by council merit, seconded by the mayor. All in favor? I. I. Any opposed? And no abstensions? Motion carries. I move we can uh rejourn. Second. Okay. All in favor? I. Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you, Bloomfield.