Town Council - Regular Meeting

No.

Alter order. If we could get all our councilmen up here on the platform. Yeah. Right. Welcome Bloomfield.

This is our fourth council deliberations meeting. Uh for those of you who are planning to speak after the deliberations, there is a signup sheet and you can uh put your name and address, things of that sort. Um as far as the requirements for your participation, we will expect that everyone will have three minutes. no more. Uh if you were at the first deliberation, uh that was wavered quite considerably. We are not allowing anyone to go any further than the 3 minutes. Um and we just hope you'll be respectful to that extent. Um we are going to have a roll call. Councilman Cooper. Councelor Debean Brown, Councelor Mahan

here. Council Oliver present. Council Merritt here. Council Waterhouse here. Council Goodwin here. Deputy Mayor Lloyd present. Mayor Anthony Harrington present. All right. Thank you very much. We're going to take a moment to uh introduce our uh superintendent of schools for the town of Bloomfield, Tracy Youngberg. And we will now give her the floor. You're welcome.

There we go. Thank you, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Town Council, Board of Education. I believe they're watching from home. I appreciate the opportunity to speak tonight on behalf of the Bloomfield Public Schools. Um, thank you very much for putting up the slides. You can just go Yeah, back the next one. Um, basically what I want to do is just quickly review uh the information that I shared in in my presentation a couple weeks back and speak to you about the impact of the budget that you're discussing and I I want to celebrate the stamina of the town council. I'm a morning person myself and the fact that you've done all these nights uh it's really impressive to me. Um and I know that you're doing very challenging work and you are advocating on behalf of the taxpayers and no one can fault you for that. I appreciate that happening in my own town. So, I'm not here to to try to um minimize the work that you're doing, but I do want you to understand what the implications of the budget are on the Bloomfield public schools, most especially on our students. And I feel like the more information I can share with you, the better you can make those decisions. So, if you remember when I presented the budget a few weeks back, I talked to you about the fact that we needed a 4.75% increase. I showed you how that increase compared to both the DIR the district reference group and the alliance uh districts. I talked to you about the fact that my intention was to reduce the staffing structure by $1.7 million. I am aware that we are overstaffed. That did not happen overnight. I inherited that issue and trying to fix that overnight is would be detrimental to the organization. So I'm using an attrition model to get us back to right size because I agree with you. we are spending more money than we need to and you're not getting the return on your investment. You're not going to get an argument from me. I'm going to show you how to make that happen, but we can't fix it overnight. And it didn't happen. The problem didn't happen overnight. So, I just want to make that clear. So, what

I've done is I've taken um the information we shared in our budget book and I've just put together a few slides to just sort of make sure that you can understand where we're coming from. So, we asked for 4.75, which translates to the 56 million you can see there on the screen. You could go to the next slide for me. What you've been talking about, and by the way, I'm very h uh thankful that you've been using councelor Mahan's scenario, which gives us a 2.91% increase, but it's about a million dollars less than what we need. Um, and I just actually if you can go I think it's the other slide that All right. I'm sorry. So the first thing I want to just point out is if you look on our budget book on the executive summary page, page 38, you will see just these three increases alone, these are three buckets from our big executive summary. That amount for those three buckets only is more than what the council is discussing giving to the board of given to the board of ed. So I just need you to understand that that the money you're talking about in your deliberations is less than just those three buckets from page 38 of my executive summary. So there's already a discrepancy in how we're going to pay our bills because that's only three increases I'm talking about there. Then I took the million dollars that you're discussing um in your deliberations and if you can go to the next slide please. I broke it out across our bargaining units and some of the bargaining unit members are actually here because if we have to have a million dollar cut in staffing, this is how I would make those cuts. I would share the pain across bargaining units and across our non-affiliated staff. and it's about 13 and a half positions or I could play it out to about 13 and a half positions. So, if you look at at that chart, that is how we would get to the million-doll deficit. It's a shortfall. Um, we'd be looking to reduce our staff in a very um I think uh detrimental way to the organization, not the attrition model. We'd literally be laying these

people off. So, I just need you to understand what that translates to. So up to one administrator, up to seven teachers, up to three clerical or support staff, those are our pair professionals, up to one custodial, maintenance or technology personnel, half of a school nurse, and then up to one non-affiliated staff member. That's a million dollars. That's both the salary and benefits estimate if I had to cut that those positions. Um, and what I did was I asked HR to run uh a seniority list of all my bargaining units. I did my Excel sort and I found my least senior people in each bargaining unit and figured out what their salaries would be. Then I estimated their benefits. I used 25%. That isn't always the case. I don't know that every person on that list is carrying insurance and all that, but I used 25%. So that's how I came up with the million66,000. So I just need the council to know that that million dollars that has been cut off the top, that's what it translates to staffing. And then if we didn't go the staffing route or use just a partial uh reduction in staff to get to the million. If you go to the next slide, please. These are the implications from a student uh services standpoint. All the things that we're not required to to provide to students would come off the table. What's really unfortunate is we've just started putting some of these things back onto the table. Um but for example, we started a steam exploration program K to 4. I'm not required to offer that. So I wouldn't be necessarily fund it. We currently have a sore program which is our gifted and talented program. No school systems are actually required to offer gifted and talented. There's another place I would be looking to save money to potentially save jobs. Uh we are currently offering industry recognized credentials at the high school. CNA certification, EKG certification, OSHA training. That's also not required. Somewhere else I'd be looking to see if we could save some money and save some jobs. Um, we have just started to reestablish our

partnerships and and improve upon our partnerships with universities and some of our businesses in the area that cost money to transport our kids to get them on those visits. I'm not required to do that. We all know athletics, um, afterchool programs, field trips, all these things that actually make the school experience the kind of experience I want our students in Bloomfield to have. But if I have to make a decision between saving someone's job and funding things we're not required to offer, I just want you to know that these things are on my list of things to consider for cuts. So the million dollars and I do appreciate that you're in a really tough position and we're not alone. Bloomfield is not alone in this position in that the taxpayers can only fund so much of public education, which is why we keep pushing the legislation to try to increase the educational cost share funds. It doesn't seem like that's going to happen. Um, but I I I feel your pain as a counsel, but I just wanted you to understand the million dollars that has been cut off the top um has an impact on the school system. And public schools are an investment over time. It takes us a long time to get going, but the reality is if you invest in your public schools, you're going to see an increase in your real estate um values. And I know when on a reeval year, that's not good news for a lot of people, but it will be. when you leave that house to your family um or you sell that house, it's going to matter what it's worth. Um public schools make sure that you have healthier citizenry, right? Um educated, uh an educated citizenship. Um it makes sure that you have skilled labor uh and an opportunity for kids to make their dreams come true. So, it's an investment worth making and I just appreciate anything you can do to consider what the million dollars means for us. Thank you. Thank you very much. So at this time and those of you who were here last evening, uh you may have

uh found a different approach. Uh we are going to continue with uh having discussion from our counselors starting from right to left. So, as a result of last night's conversations, we want to do one more round of add and drop. So, I'm going to turn the mic over to our deputy mayor, and she's going to lay out the format a bit.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, and you did quite well, so I appreciate it. Um, I want to thank you for allowing us to go back. Um, I know that overnight people probably didn't get a lot of sleep. Um, residents, town departments, superintendent, board members, and this council included. Um, and there are other things that came up as far as ideas on ads and drops. So, we want to give ourselves one more opportunity to listen to the voices that we've heard, people that have reached out in this short time frame, um, so that we can look at what those impacts will do with the budget as well. Director Hill, thank you so much for providing this um updated scenario based on the information that was provided last night. Um it does bear mentioning that the increase as opposed to um the lowest model which came in at a little over 4% and the highest model a little over 6.4%. Um the one distinction that makes a big difference is not only two and a quarter million being used from our unassigned fund balance or as some call it a rainy day fund but also the utilization of another 1.5 million from the economic development trust which as we would be reminded is a $4 million set aside that has been set up for the development of the town center. that for a million we have now found is just not a pie in the sky or slush fund but has been a notated requirement of many grant applications we are now pursuing some through the state some legislative um is several areas that are being pursued right now we will be going back to another round if I understand correctly for state grant funding and hopefully we will be successful so it's notable to mention that that 1.5 million in This updated

model is going to be challenging to achieve because we need that money just like you need if you get a conventional loan, right? Not HUD but conventional, you need to put down 10% for the purchase of your home. Same thing we have to show almost, if you will, a down payment for that town center. So, I just wanted to point out that huge distinction. Um as well the updated budget talks about many many many reductions um that were proposed in the most conservative model or scenario. And today we will go through and further discuss one more round of things we'd like to see. I thought of something that's a challenge in this town that I'll be speaking to in a couple of minutes when it is my turn. And then we will have to go through acknowledging everyone's thoughts, ideas based upon your input as concerned citizens as you should be. And then we will be voting on those items so that we can get down to hopefully a good number and and actually no increase is good particularly with what we're going through with increased home values and phasing. So we do recognize that and I think that bears mentioning as well. Um but that is going to be the cadence. So everybody gets one more bite at the apple and then we'll start going through the model and voting on whether we'll accept this adjustment that addition that reduction.

May I add just one and Mr. Mayor I turn it back to you.

Okay. Thank you. I just want to uh add to our superintendent's um presentation. I did reach out directly to uh Matt Ritter um on the legislative side and he said we are working through budget and uh and confident we will have an ECS increase. He did not identify what that level will be this year. this year within the next two weeks that I'm I'm told. Um it is an election year so I think the governor will be making some favorable decision. I'll leave the rest alone. Thank you. Um I'm going to start.

Okay. Uh director who? You're ready? A little bit of keyboard. He's ready. So, we're going to start with councelor de and brown. And if there are any uh items you'd like to add or delete, uh we'd like to hear those.

Thank you. Um can I ask a clarifying question to the finance director? So, I know that we're going through this process and I see the percentage of the um increase for the um 27 budget and I also see the um suggested mill rate. Um but what would as it is right now, we're going to go with Shamar 50. as it is right now. What would the um actual tax increase be if we went with Shamar 50?

Can we call it our collective budget at this point because it came from everyone? I know everybody hours long. I like the I like the Shamar budget. The Shamar budget works. I'll call it the collective. It's the collective. the councilman Mahan scenario council as a states budget scenario what would what would the actual um increase be

um I am I have that open from last night um pull it up I need to oh I have it let me share my Green. We're at 3531.

Yep. only one the actually the other handout there.

Oh, so you're you're saying I'm sorry the um annual increase and the monthly increase. What would the actual tax percentage be? Should be a better question. I believe the tax percentage. Percentage. Yeah. What will the residents increase be in their yearly taxes percentage wise? Yes. Um in the handout it's at the bottom right. So it's that 5.82%. Okay. Just want just I'm just trying to make sure that there's some budget increase. That's some clarity.

Tax increase. And if I could ask the question, we're reflecting the increase in the budget where if that is the percentage of tax increase average per resident, what is the number for the budget increase? Is it the 5 the 5.82? So you're calling the tax increase the same as the the scenario budget increase. Um because generally or as we've been working with scenarios, those were generally two different numbers.

So for example, on the town manager's original proposed budget, we had a budget increase of I'll just make up a number and try to get close. 7.25. That 7.25 was the increase in the town's budget. That was not the average increase in taxes for the average homeowner. So, she was asking, not she, my apologies, councelor Betham Brown was asking what is the average increase in taxes for the homeowner because uh town manager set forth a couple of scenarios based on a $210,000 house and a $400,000 house. If that was your question, what is the tax implication for the average homeowner? Right. Right. So, I'm just trying to make sure here's what I'm trying to do. When we're finished tonight, I pray that our residents will understand exactly the percentage of increase in their taxes along with the mill rate,

not the budget. That's all I'm That's all I want to make sure that is clear so that when we all walk out of the room, we can probably go home and do some calculations ourselves. All right. Can I have a I'm going to He's He's going to give us a percentage. I believe

while clarifications while director Hill is finding that uh councelor Cooper the um I believe that director Hill previously provided that information. So, if you have that where you did a comparison on homes, one was 240,000 or 20,000, another one was uh another I can't remember what the 400,000. So, maybe um if you can pull that up and then we would be able to see or he just did it. He's doing right there. 8.7% increase. He just did it, right? It was easy. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. It's exactly what I was looking for,

right? Thank you so much. So just for anyone who has this if it have I don't know if it's online yet. Okay. So as this presents on camera the 5.82 reflected as a starting point in this collective um scenario is the percent increase in the budget and thank you again director Hill and thank you councelor Dean Brown for your question. The average percent increase as you can see is a 8.7%. for the taxes. Okay. Deb and Brown continue. So, um I would like to um remove the um police cruiser for 76,322.

Thank you. You're welcome, Councelor Oliver.

Thank you, Mayor Harrington. Um, seeing that every time we ask a department to get rid of something, it they need that for their budget. I am not a manager of any departments in town. I don't I'm not part of human resources. I'm not in finance. I'm a construction worker. I cannot tell you where you need to spend. All I know is I would like to see a a few positions go on the town side somehow someway. If if we can't work out what we can take off, I I guess that's up to the town to figure out how how to how to work those dollars. Um so if we can save somewhere around half a million to a million somewhere on the town side, that's what I want to see. I I don't want to continue going back and forth and ripping apart line items that I have no clue about. Uh I just want to see some money saving on the town side and that's that's it for me.

Thank you, Councelor Cooper.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um just a couple of points. First of all, yes. Uh thank you uh deputy mayor for clarifying that this is a collective scenario um that people have really put in a lot of time and effort and thought into working on. Um I'm also going to piggyback off of something that councel Oliver has said. We we seem to get budgets from departments that have now come back and said that this is a contractual amount, right, that we can't touch. And so those things should have been identified at the outset and because they weren't um they are now on the chopping block, right? and you will have to find monies um from other places in order to u make up for those um make up for those shortages, right? Because we don't know what we don't know. And if we're not informed, then we have no other choice but to do cuts and whether those cuts affect what are contractual costs to your your unit than they are cuts to your unit. So, um, that's what our job is is to make the cuts right now. Um, and and so I want to I want people to know that it's not that, you know, people are just saying, ah, just cut this and cut that. No, if we don't know, things are going to be cut. We need to get to a certain number. Um, you know, people are talking about, you know, the economy, what they can't pay for and things of that nature. And so, that's where we are. Um, I right now uh don't have any cuts, but I do believe that there was consensus on the amount uh of monies that would be uh removed from certain departments, and I'm going to stick with that. Um, I will probably

not be changing my mind on additions. So, thank you.

Thank you, uh, Council Cooper. Okay. So, um my primary uh move right now is to uh take out the 1.5 million that was planned to be used through the economic development trust because we need the 4 million to stay in one place while we attempt to secure funding through congressional and senatorial uh efforts through our consultant Goldman York.

Mr. Mayor, just point of clarity, you're saying not using the 1.5 million. Yes. Right. Okay. All right. Thank you. Additionally, IWWC, which is Yes, Mr. Coleman.

Any Mr. can you please um tell us IWWC that so last evening we brought back a few of those uh ZBA and other uh commissions but um we failed to bring back. I don't think it's on.

Good evening, Mr. Mayor, madame deputy mayor, members of the council, members of the public. Um, fellow directors. Uh, the IWWC funds are purely for advertising and notices. They're statutory requirements uh to properly operate the organization. Um I believe that's the same number that was in this year. Uh it's not an increase. They us they do use the entire amount throughout the year but that's um so they can properly notice their monthly meetings and file their minutes as they have to uh publish them in newspaper circulation. Those costs have gone up. Uh but we are sticking with that number but that number uh if that number is if they are unable to publish they are unable to hold their meetings. Okay, thank you. So that would be a total of 2100. And now I move to Madame Deputy Mayor.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I I have several things, but I'll wait till we go to the collective council vote um to further elaborate on my position on some of these items. However, um I will advocate for um the public arts commission. I want the extra $2,000 in there. is my understanding that although it's more than what they've typically asked for, we have a new library and someone can correct me if I'm wrong. There was a historical tree that was taken down. We have a beautiful, beautiful new edifice over there. This tree was historic and a section of it had been uh retained. The arts commission has found an artist to commission a sculpture out of that. um a bear. Okay. So, West Harford has bear reading. So, right, there's cows, there's horses around, but this is more significant than that. This is a piece of history just as much as um the edifice, which has retained a historical name um and many other places in Bloomfield that carry significance. I told councelor Beth and Brown, I am a tree hugger. So, it it kind of has a place in my heart and I do understand the significance of it and the attachment to Bloomfield. So, I do want to see that $2,000 one-time expense put back in um to be able to further that initiative. Additionally, it was not in the budget per se, but I do think it bears mentioning as we are challenged. Right now, the town staff is trying to find a place to hold our annual town meeting. This has been a struggle for the last several years as we endeavor to make sure that

we have electronic access not only Zoom which could be provided not Zoom but um YouTube um and other streaming platforms by BATV for example but to be able to have the Zoom capabilities so our residents can fully participate remotely and we have not addressed that. We have continued to kick the can down the road and once again we struggle where are we going to go and how are we going to jimmy rig this space so it may get deferred again but I think it bears mentioning I believe the number for last year was 130,000 we need to identify in this town a space that can accommodate a larger meeting because we do have issues that come about that require that space and those technological capabilities. So, I'm going to ask if we put 130,000 in, and I do understand it is going to boost up the percentage of the budget increase, but I am going to respectfully ask for that to be given to consideration as we endeavor yet another annual town meeting being a little deficient and hopefully uh praying that our technology works. Um, at this point,

Madam Deputy Mayor, yes. What's the purpose for that 1:30? that is to uh provide streaming and zoom technology for well normally we have the meetings the last few years at 3:30 park okay I'm just looking for what you want me to call it on I would say under it um remote access for meetings thank you thank you um I think at this point that is my only further additions or cuts thank you Mr. Mr. Mayor, you're welcome. Councelor uh Waterhouse.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um I would like to see if we could add what it would look like. All non-union, non-management, and management who participate in the retiree insurance coverage fund contributions move from 1.5% to 3% gross per earnings to align them with the PD. I don't have a dollar number. I'm sorry.

Also, um there's a 4-day management furlow and a three-day furlow for all full-time employees. I don't think management should get hit twice. I would like to remove the the management one if we're going to do everybody. Why are we doing

uh councelor Goodwin?

We'll be we'll be able to respond to you in a moment. We're going to do the same thing that we did the last uh meeting. So, we're you're just uh three counselors off. We'll we'll uh extend an invitation to you shortly. Please give us a moment. So I would like to pose the question um to everyone here. So we're recommending that we're going to furlow take away the 1% merit and GWI

in this scenario. Is that what everybody had? I just want clarification for myself because that's what I was advocating for. I I'll speak very plainly on it. Yes. Yeah. I just wanted it out there. Are we all set? Good. Thank you. Uh, councelor Merritt. Yes. Thank you.

On that last point, I I hope we will conform to our normal goal that we will not discriminate against non-union people. Uh, I'm not talking about managers. I'm talking about non-union um people who are not managers. um in in all in any of these things whether it's furlows or we do the same to them as we do to union people or we're grinding up with everybody in the union which is not should not be necessary. We need to treat people fairly. Um so I I don't know that that goes for a number of these things we're talking about. some um I've also been asked by a number of people uh to uh decrease the amount we're giving the board of ed um for to 700,000. We're going to need to actually cut most everything below last year. Other words, we're going to have a lower budget than we had last year. So, I am I'm asking uh and I believe the votes are there to change that amount for the board of ed to a increase of 700,000 over last year. Um, I don't believe I don't know if it's already been done, but u I've also in talking to a number of council believe that the that they do want to take out that epic cruiser once again that we can't afford to buy a new cruiser this year. We we gone back and forth on this, but the it's 76 322 and we just can't afford to do that. Um also and and this is an adback um I believe the votes

consensus is there that we should not be touching the u $4 million uh economic development trust. That's an investment in the future and giving that up would it getting spending part of that money on something else would bring the whole center of town project to a complete halt and nobody wants to do that. We need that whole $4 million as a matching fund for example for a the smallest grant we're going after is a $4 million one which requires a $4 million matching amount. So if you don't have it, you don't get it. So, uh, there's been a a consensus that I've to not reduce that. Um,

you reduce the education budget. Are you adding? No, I was I was reducing it down to a $700,000 increase. Okay. I just wish J uh council may to confirm your what is currently in this scenario is the board of ed at a 2.9% increase of just under 1.6 million. You want to reduce that 1.6 to 700,000 total increase? Yes. Did you want to add 700,000 on top of that 1.5 or did you just want to do No, he just wanted to add 700,000 to increase of 700,000.

You heard it here. And uh I think that's all I have for now.

No, he he doesn't want to add on top of the 1.5. He just wants to give the board of education 700,000 as their increase. Right. Yeah. Okay.

Council Meritt, are you done? No, I said you all set. Uh, Council Mahan. Okay. Thanks. You know, I've been waiting patiently uh for you guys to make it to this side of the dice while you played uh budgetary hokeyp pokei where you put some in, you take some out, and this is the part where you put some make it all about. Please allow me to continue speaking. No one else was interrupted. No one else was interrupted. Thank you. So, excuse me. Point of order. I'm saying no long speeches. just please get to the numbers.

Okay, everyone else is allowed to speak except for me as usual. This is something that's consistent through this administration and the previous Please, please, please just continue.

I will without interruption. Um, like I said, this is the part where they put it back in and shake it all about. As you can see, this has become a Frankenstein of sort where only 700,000 is being given to the board of education. That's I mean 1.5 I felt like which was what I wanted I felt like was pretty harsh in in its own but I felt like you know it's something that we had to do almost like uh you don't this budget is a very tough one but like medicine you know it's it's it's very it may taste bad but um it's something that that's necessary that we have to do to reel things back in. 700,000 is just ridiculous in my eyes. I I can't imagine what type of havoc that would reach that'll wreak through our board of education, our our schools. But um if that's what you guys want to do, um you can take my name off of that scenario. I don't that that's not the council man scenario by any stretch of the imagination. Um it's it's very far from it. Now, um I would like to stay at where I was initially. Um which had actually what's the what's the current mill rate with this? Is that it? 35.07. Okay. Which I wouldn't agree to at 35.07.

Actually, let me confirm the motor vehicle grant. Okay. I just see what it looks like once you 35.09.

Okay. Thank you, uh, Director Hill for delivering that number so quickly. Um, I mean, I was originally at a 34.8 mill rate. Um what we're seeing now is a complete obliteration um with more of a tax increase than what I was advocating for. I just don't understand this at all. It's making no sense. So I mean you guys continue with this madness, but our residents aren't going to appreciate it. I certainly don't like it. And I can't even imagine where you folks are planning on going with this. Certainly not out to Bloomfield. So,

no. No. You guys screwed it all up. That's okay. We will move to councelor Goodwin.

Um, before I make my comments, mayor, I need clarity about what we're doing. I thought we were either adding or wanting to take something away, but the rebuke, the commentary, the on and on and on, the I I I I'm asking really as a point of clarity, are each of us making a speech about what other people are doing and what we don't like, or are you asking for us to do something specific? And because I'm not there in person, I don't know if there's been a different agreement. So, can you restate what you're inviting us to do in this round so that I can cooperate appropriately? Thank you. We are This is one additional round. We're adding or dropping certain items. So, each counselor has had the opportunity up until you to make those additions or deletions. Uh and then we will vote in a particular way uh following this this round. Um I certainly agree with your uh

position and synopsis of what has occurred but uh we await your um response.

Thank you. Um I just needed a clarifying question. Um and I don't I'm not sure if in the room HR is still there or what have you. Yesterday I had pro proposed um having the furlow apply to all staff, all employees. And I'm just uh wanting to get some clarity about the efficacy of that. Is that possible with the union contracts? Are there concerns that may not be readily available in relation to our union employees? I just wanted some clarity about um if this is actually doable or is there some other contractual concerns that we may not be aware of for the three-day furlow of all employees. our town manager is going to respond.

Thank you.

Good evening, councelor Goodwin, and thank you for your question, sir. Um, I would like you to know that, um, as we discussed yesterday, uh, as it pertains to our union employees, uh, that's going to have to be a bargaining matter with them. I did contact each of the union presidents um today to give them an awareness that there may be a request from council to consider furls. Uh they know that um that means that uh there'll be a negotiation for such and we can see what their ask is and see if that fits the needs of of this council. Uh, in regards to our non-union um management employees, um, I'm actually responding to an email right now to um to set up a meeting hopefully as early as before close of business on Friday to see if there's any prohibitions about um compelling salaried uh, i.e. management employees to um to endure a a furlow. Uh so uh there's still yet to be determined but we are doing the the work behind the scenes to provide this council with another avenue to approach this budget. Subject to your question sir.

Okay. Thank you. my because my only concern is I would hate to move forward, make votes, propose something, and then later um there's a functional reason why this can't occur and then it means that we've suggested something that can't actually move forward and we're back in the same place because that's a significant dollar amount. Um so I'll leave it now, but as we continue to go through rounds, if other concerns are raised or more information even is gleaned tonight, um I would welcome that information. Thank you so much. Thank you, councelor Goodwin.

Okay. Yeah.

So, being no further additions or cuts, um, except one that wasn't on the original list, um, at this point, we are proposing to go through each of the items listed last night based on input of ads or drops by counselors on the DAS. One moment, let me can I finish with the instructions? Thank you. So each item will be uh motioned, discussed if necessary, and voted upon in order. So hopefully the counselors have an opportunity to deeply think about each of these recommendations whether they are in favor or not and be prepared to vote on it after discussion if there be any. uh we will go in order and then at that point we will be able to determine a percent increase on the budget at that point by majority vote based upon these items that have been recommended. At that point there may be a need for further cuts because we still have to get to a number that's palatable and what we have before us based upon what we vote on may not be that number yet. So, I am not saying that we will whip through these 32 items and we're out of here. It still may need further adjustment just for um level setting the process. So, there was a there's a comment from or question from councelor Mahan please.

Uh so, uh councelor waterhouse mentioned an increase of oped to 1.5% to 3%. Um can we work out between HR and finance what that figure is? I saw um Director Hill try to motion to uh to get that figure. I'm not sure if that was produced, but we do need that number. So, if we can work on that, that would be greatly appreciated.

There was Mr. Mayor. Um I I can't be in two places at one time. Director Hill, you going to respond to councelor Muan? Uh yes. I think to ask is that I work on valuing the OPEB increase from 1.5 to 3%. Or could you get it at being that it's at the bottom of the list? Last year you were very good about when we were talking about um pay freezes or not to certain strata of employees and I believe in that meeting our HR director was able to get that information and crunch down those numbers. So I think the question is are you able to get that information on tonight at all?

Uh my my only point for interrupting your meeting is I I can't do this and that. Well, I don't know if our HR director is here to produce those salary line items to maybe get you a head start on that. I I'm not sure what your process would be for that, but that is the question.

We do need that number. So, between two minds, I'm sure we could come together and work it out. Excuse me. Point of order. In order for us to handle this in the most efficient manner, please do not speak unless you address the chair. We have uh councelor Death and Brown next and then councelor Merritt.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I'm asking a procedural question. Okay, let me dial that back. I'm gonna give an opinion. If there if there are numbers here that we're not sure about how we can effectively vote to come up with a draft of budget, right? There's certain things that um the town manager will have to go and uh find out. You have to talk to the unions to see if the furlows is is a is a go.

You have to talk to the staff to see if the furlow is a go. And those are those are sizable numbers. Number one. Number two, um I agree with uh councelor Oliver here that we need 500,000, a million, 2 million, and we need to tell the town manager that's what we need. And then the town manager should be able to come back and say, "Okay, you have $500,000. here's here's where we can pull that $500,000 from. So, I I I want to sit here and intentionally look at this budget for the residents of the town of Bloomfield and for our town resources, but I don't believe that we can do that right now intentionally unless we have some more information. And I could be wrong, but I really do feel I said it last night that we're do two steps forward, two steps back, there's no progress. So I think we need to find out if we can furlow non-union and union. If we can, that would be x amount of savings. Town manager, we're asking you to um rightsize town hall and give us x amount of dollars. Please let us know where that would be coming from. If you don't have an idea, we do have some ideas for you. Once we get that information, I believe then we can make a really good decision. So, those are the things that's running around in my head that I felt like I just needed to get out kind of like before, you know, before my head exploded.

Thank you. Thank you. We will have uh councelor and then the town manager will respond.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um I did I missed in my presentation a minute ago um that uh last night the last thing that was done is we remove we removed the senior accountant um and I would like to reinstate that I have heard enough counselors say they agreed that we we don't need to u sabotage our returning to an ontime accounting department u by cutting that. We we really need that if we're going to catch up and stay up with our finance department u numbers audits and such. Thank you. So, please put the 173,000 and $333 back in.

Thank you, manager. Yeah. Thank you, uh Mr. Mayor and and good evening all. Um as a town manager of this town, I propose the budget to this council and as such uh this council then takes upon the responsibility of developing a budget for this town based on the guidance or or the feedback from the public um that what you value in services. There's a cost to every service. Where you want to save cost is the guidance I need to know where we're going to impact services. I can't make that decision in a vacuum and and represent all the constituents of the town of Bloomfield whom you all represent. I'm available 365. My staff makes themselves available as well. any questions about staff, about town operations and departments, uh we make oursel fully available to for those questions to be asked, whether it be by a line by line or uh just a conversation to better understand what it is we do and and the resources that we use to make it happen on a daily basis. I'm seeking guidance because if I go without that guidance, then it stands to us being at square one again as to what the town wants and and does not want. So, give me the guidance. Make it be known very intentionally what it is you're willing to do without. All services cost money and we will make it happen for

this council and this community. But that's the guidance I need if we're going to be efficient in the budget development for fiscal year 2027. And and I'm hoping that's received with the the clarity and respect that I'm trying to deliver. Um because that's all I need is guidance and we will execute in terms of trying to have uh Mr. Hill uh do two things at once. Right now, as as was just suggested, that's not going to work. And and he's politely said, it's not going to work. So, uh I ask that we please think in in terms of capabilities and capacities. If I had three accountants sitting back there, then we can make it happen. I have one director of finance who's who's doing what he's doing, and we just have to be cognizant of our limitations based on capacity. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you. We will now return with the um I'm sorry, Council Cooper. Uh so I understand that there was a call for some votes.

Um one thing I we will not be able to vote on any of this until we have all the information. That's number one. Number two, I don't fault Director Hill for not being able to do it. I'm going to fault the council because if we have those questions, we need to have those questions, give him time to do what he needs to do. And if it takes a day of us stepping away and getting all of our questions together and then giving them over to the town manager to Mr. Hill, you know, we'll be prepared when we return. I'm not going to fault anybody. I'm going to fault the council because we need to ensure that the questions that we have to make those votes have already been posed, right? Uh I'm not going to blame it on councelor uh Mahan for posing those questions. I'm going to blame it on the whole council, but truthfully really I want I want everybody to have what they need in order to perform what we um are here to do. Thank you. Thank you, Deputy Mayor Lloyd.

Thank you. And so, while I concur with my council colleagues that we do need all of this information to come to a bottom line budget percentage increase, which relates as well to your tax increase. We do also have had robust conversation about many of these items that we do have the capacity based on our opinion or position on them to vote on them. Tonight I've noted notated one two three four five items. remove management non-union uh GWI remove management 1% four days management only furlow three days furlow for all employees as well as the new request of the OPED analysis uh the 1 and a half up to 3% increase on what we call the retirees healthc care contribution. So we can wait and do everything all at once or we can

excuse me get a baseline. I'm okay.

We can at least get a baseline on those things that we already know we have a strong position on which will then expedite as we return on another day cuz we're here today. We're going to have to return on another day um to to get that additional information. So, I think it is at this council's discretion if you just rather wait and go through everything at once or we have the capacity to say vote on number 15, reduce ZBA $1,700 and we have the capacity to vote on that because we know where some of us stand. So, Mr. Mayor, I turn it back over to you to make a request of the council their desire to proceed. Thank you. I do believe we have the capacity to address some of these items. Um and uh because not just the fact that time is of the essence, we are here tonight and we can do some of this work. We also have quite a few counselors that have more to say. Um I will try to adhere to their request. So, we're going to go with uh Councelor Merritt and then councelor Mahan.

Mr. Mayor, thank you. Um I would suggest as a way of dealing with there are some issues here that are a little controversial and we may have councilors with different opinions about them and the only way to resolve that is to have a simple vote. Normally, my experience over the years that's the way we've done ads and deletes. So if instead of taking things out and putting them back in, taking them out again, let's vote on it each one. I I give you an example of buying a new cruiser or not. Um that's come in and out several times and rather than do that, let's see what the numbers are. I think we all have been disgusted enough. So um we we would know that. And can we do that? Can we vote on these things and get them any controversies uh out of the way? Um

yes, Council Mahan, we're going to do that very shortly, but Council Mahan. Yeah, that Well, that's exactly what I was going to say. We vote on the big ticket items and then give the uh town manager the directive of how much we want to see cut from the budget and he figure out where the rest is going to come from with our priorities in mind. Right. Yeah, that's So, I'm going to turn back to uh Deputy Mayor Lloyd as we continue.

Oh, I'm sorry. One more one more. Uh just just I'm sorry. Um we also have to keep in mind uh of course these the votes that we're making that we're going to make tonight aren't uh they're not the binding vote. It's going to help us get the uh budget of course that we're going to move forward. Uh but it's it's not binding. This is something that can be changed again. Um because the we also have to get the resident's input on what we're forming here tonight. Right. So, okay. I missed councelor Cooper's uh what he stated. He he mentioned me, but I didn't I didn't hear. He said he may have said something similar to what I was saying. Councelor Death and Brown.

So, just for the record, I want it out here on the record. I'm gonna go with the majority of the council, but once again, I feel like we're voting with inaccurate information because if we do find some of these answers and some of these answers are what we're looking for, some of the things that we're taking out, we may not have to, right? So once again, I honestly feel that we're doing this with not enough information. However, if you all want to go through the exercise, I'll exercise with you all, but I'm putting my concerns on the table. Thank you.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Lloyd. Make a motion to proceed. So at this moment Joe I have a motion to make uh for us to proceed. I would like to make a motion that we proceed with a vote on the items that we can vote on. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I I. Those opposed.

Any abstensions? Can we finish this? Sure. Discussion. Sure.

Yes. I'm I'm I'm just saying that uh in in in com response to uh ma'am dean Brown councelor Death Brown um that this nothing is final. I mean if we vote on something and and get a better picture of the situation later on we can vote undo it. So I mean, well, nothing here is final, but we have to come up with at least some kind of decision of what should be included in what we're doing during this phase. So I I would uh I would move I go ahead then I guess will you bring So let's take the vote again. Hold on. All those in favor?

I I I those opposed. One. Any uh abstensions? Abstain. One. Okay. Motion passes. There's one. Okay. Council Cooper. Director Hill. Hi. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh I'll share my screen. I've got a uh quick update on the OPED increase from 1 and a half to 3%. Uh you'll see that uh I've entered a value of 35,000. That is a actually not a ad. That would be a reduction. um and the information for council on how I arrived at that. Currently, we have 106 employees that are uh contributing to OPED. Uh that's based on prior town action uh that ended the contribution for new hires u uh back in 2020 and 2021. But of the 106 that are currently contributing to OPED, 76 of them are uh collective bargaining members. Um I mentioned that as of course uh that would require negotiation. So the $35,000 that I've entered is uh for the 30 management and non-UN employees that are currently contributing. Of those 30 management and non-union employees that are currently contributing to OPED, uh 19 of them are below 3%. Um there are 11 that are above 3% at 3 and a half%. For the 19 that are below 3 and 1.5%, 18 are at 1.25 and there's one at 2.5%. I've taken the management and non-union employees townwide and arrived at an average salary an average salary for those for all management and non-union employees. Using that average salary um to calculate the 1.25 and the 2.5% for the 19 non-UN members that are currently contributing that are below

3%. and then increasing the percent from 1.25 and 2.5 to 3% as is uh included in the council deliberations cut. Um I arrive at uh $35,000 just under 35,000 349 something I believe it was. So the value that uh I have in which we can refine um with more time to identify the specific employees and the actual salaries um of those non-UN employees that are contributing. Um I think 35,000 is a a good quick number for council to consider. Thank you.

Thank you, Director Hill. So we had a motion that passed. gonna turn back over to um Deputy Mayor Lloyd. Roll call. Oh. Oh. Oh jeez. Uh councelor Cooper. Hi. Councelor Debean Brown. Nay. Council Mahan. Nay. Council Oliver. Abstain. Council Merritt. Yes. Council Waterhouse. Councelor Goodwin, yes. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd, yes.

Uh, Mayor Anthony Harrington, yes. So, that's six in favor, one nay and excuse me, two nays and one abstension. Motion passes. So, I now turn it back over to Deputy Mayor Lloyd.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So at this point, notwithstanding uh some of the counselor's desire to move forward, but also notwithstanding the fact that when we have further information, it will adjust these five or six items that we have some question marks on. And to council beam brown um position, we may end up changing our mind. It's already been stated on the dis that is not the final call. This is not the last straw. We will still have an opportunity being that we do need to reconvene to receive further information to make some further adjustments. But I think if we can at least level set on some things that we all feel strongly about, we'll be able to move forward and get that much closer to crafting our budget for fiscal year 2027. I will start at the top. I will not be doing number one and number two and I will not be uh calling 28 and 31 which are the uh duplication of the furlows and one and two refer to one is remove management non union GWI remove management 1% merit these are all factors that are overlapping with a potential um salary impact when it comes to furls so I will skip those and I will start with the third one which had already been discussed and zeroed out.

So we will not take a vote on that. There is some opposing opinions. So I will start with number four. I will make a motion for each item at which point we will be able to receive a second if possible and have discussion and take that vote. So moving into that process, add one police cruiser. I make a motion that we vote on adding one police cruiser. Second. Are you moving to add it or take it away? We have to add it. Are we going to add one police cruiser? Any discussion? Councelor uh Mahan.

Thank you. Uh Mr. Mayor, I I spoke pretty extensively about the uh the need for police new police cruisers um here in our town. And I got some information, like I said, from uh the police chief and DPW regarding this uh the condition of our police cruisers uh the state that they're in. Uh quite a few many of them are out of warranty and the cost of repairs for them it's increasing uh dramatically. In addition to that, um we have uh they they have them broken down into three categories. Uh the first are those that are newer um uh newer and pretty good standing regular maintenance required. There's a middle C category with uh moderate wear and tear does cost a bit more to uh maintain given that these vehicles are constantly running, constantly on the go. And the last one uh severe the severe category which there are a lot of vehicles in that category. This uh affects our officers abilities to respond to uh to respond to calls. Uh it affects their ability to to do their job uh effectively in our community to to police our community effectively or I should say actually serve our community effectively. Um I I wasn't looking for two cruisers. I thought a compromise would have been one, but you know, we've gone without these new cruisers for quite some time and I think it's a bit overdue. So, that's why I supported that item from actually like seeing the condition of the police cruisers with my own eyes. I took a trip to DPW and I saw the condition of these cruisers with my own eyes. I got the information and that's how I came to that conclusion. Thank you. Uh, councelor

and I sell cars, so I kind Thank you. I drive cars. Um, I'm sorry. Um, I cannot support this um item. And here's the thing. I do believe that we need to set a CIP budget. We need to open a CIP line item. a dollar, 10, whatever it is. And when we find savings, we need to put that in the CIP budget. We need to look beyond today and look into the future. It's not just the police cars that need um replacing.

We have a lot of equipment that needs replacing. So, I cannot support this if I'm not going to support every other department that needs equipment. Number one. Number two, our budget is tight. And unless the the the the chief comes and tell me that the officers are going to be walking or bicycling or fled Fred Flintstoning, I cannot support this. Thank you. Thank you, uh, Councelor Cooper.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, there was a discussion, I think, when the chief came up and he did speak, um, favorably, uh, and I won't hold him to it, but again, he did speak favorably about the fact that there is a uh, those administrative command vehicles do know that they cost less than patrol vehicles,

but also that they are changed out every 2 years. patrol is changed out every three years. It I I want to make sure that what I'm saying is correct and council mahan is correct that there are three categories of police vehicles. Those that are newer and under warranty and so those costs are not um as much as they are in the second grade uh vehicle which is newer but not under warranty but they will have less of a breakdown in those mechanical issues. And then you have the third uh category which are not under warranty, high mileage, and require um lots more maintenance. So um for me, it's a public safety issue. Um don't want to have our police officers um as uh uh councelor Dean Brown has said, you know, running to a scene or um a a town resident not getting the help that they need in the time that they need it. So for me, it's a public safety issue. Um I I am in favor of it. I am in favor of it certainly. Um and and uh I'll go with consensus um because long-term uh again someone else has suggested this is not original but having a a CIP budget um where these things are we can do that where we can purchase vehicles uh I'm all for that. Uh if we can get to that space, certainly we'll forego that for um for now and you know whatever the um is decided in the future in future councils to make those purchases and that's what I'll go for. But thank you so much.

Thank you uh Deputy Mayor Lloyd.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And as we discussed the cruisers, um there was also um conversations early on and information that was requested regarding take-home vehicles. um take-home vehicles that extend across the organization and some are more critically assigned than others. And so I think that the wherewithal that we have among our command staff is that if one of our vehicles get to the point where it's so desperately in disrepair, we have eight take-home vehicles at the police department and I know that they would be able to make the adjustment if something like that happened critically mid-budget um because they are team players and they would be able to make that adjustment. And while they don't just ask for things just to ask for them, these are tough fiscal times. And so for me, not the best case scenario, but a little comfort is that because of the need to respond at all hours, some more critically than others, depending on who's on call, right? Um we do have several take-home vehicles. So hopefully those severe condition vehicles um council man are limited, but I do know that we have some um other options for vehicles in town that exist. So I do feel a little bit better about saying that at this point I cannot support this um either.

Council Merritt,

I agree. I I believe it was me who brought up the idea that they end up costing you more and more in maintenance and and I wanted to see a a regular program, but this is a very unusual year and uh we're doing some things that I never thought we'd do. Uh and just to be consistent saving this what $80,000 this year's budget is pretty important. So I I I believe I heard the chief say that yeah, okay, you can do it this year, but don't go another year without starting some relations. And that that becomes we have to do it next year. So I I I I support taking this out of this year's budget.

Thank you, uh, Councelor Oliver.

Thank you, Mayor Harrington. Um, though I do think that safety is a very very important part um of our town. I am supporting removing it. I do not think that one police cruiser is going to save Bloomfield. Um, depending on what part of town you on, when the officers on that side of the town, maybe it might help, but I just can't see one cruiser saving the town. And I think right now we maybe can save that for next year's budget. Hopefully. Um, that's where I stand. Thank you. Thank you. Um, ready to call a vote. Uh, we're going to do one bite at the apple on these. So, um, all those in favor,

uh, we're going to we're going to name Want me to repeat it? Repeat it. Yes. Okay. Number four, I make a motion that we do not approve a police cruiser. We're not approved. Second. What was the We will not approve. Second the motion.

Point of order. My apologies. Point of order. Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Um, so we we already made a motion to uh approve the addition of the police cruiser. If you do not want to see the police cruiser, you simply just vote no on the motion. So, I will correct myself and revert back to how it was originally stated. Thank you for that clarification. Thank you.

We are going to vote and I'm looking for a second. I'm making a motion that you will include a police cruiser. We will approve one police cruiser for this year's budget FY2027. Second. So, we will do an individual vote. Uh, Councelor Cooper, uh, I'm going to say yes. Uh, councelor Deathan Brown, no. Council Mahan, yes. Council Oliver, no. Uh, Council Merritt, no. Council Waterhouse,

no. Councelor Goodwin, no. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd, no. And Mayor Anthony Harrington, no. So that's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven nos and two yays. The motion does not pass. Motion passed. The motion was reverted to the original ask. We are voting to add a cruiser. We are voting to add. So motion did not. So motion carries. We are We are not adding a cruiser. Will you revisit? Okay. Okay. Motion

failed. Failed. Failed. We are not adding a cruiser. So, because we're adding and taking away, it it will be a little confusing and we will do our best to get on a cadence where we flow and we roll with it. So, moving into number five, I make a motion to reduce ops and comms $300,000. Second. Any discussion?

Council uh Cooper and then Deputy Mayor Lloyd and then Council Mahan. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. really just a point of clarity just the do we know what the $300 thou I wanted to have explained again what that $300,000 has not been defined

so based on last night this was recommended if I remember by councelor to beam brown she was looking at a historical perspective from previous years so on some of her recommendations what she did was she reduced the actual budget increase so if someone increased their budget by a thousand then she said reduce that department or that line item by 1,000. So the ask on last night was to reduce ops and comms by $300,000. And we've already had on last night as well as in the budget presentations by um where is she? She by director Rogers um the necessity for the increases and what it is attributed to. There was council hunt.

Uh thank you mayor Harrington. Um I um the reason why I supported this item to uh reduce ops and coms by 300,000 was to um rein us back into the fiscal year 2025 figure. Um, I completely understand and what I've heard is that more responsibility has been given to this department and uh I was here at the inception of this department. I'm sure you guys have heard me say that a cajillion times at this point. But the original scope of this department has um exploded beyond what the initial intention was. And as a result, the budget has followed this department from um where even just from fiscal year 2025 actuals um or even if we go to fiscal year 2026, the revised budget, we're at 632,000. were $200,000 above that $88,000 is what was proposed. Um $88,730 was proposed for uh fiscal year 2027. That's a lot. And uh you know I I completely understand that there were a lot of other items that this uh department was looking to take on, but perhaps we need to re reign it back in. Get back to the original intention of this department and put some of those responsibilities that were given to this department back to the departments they're supposed to be allocated under. Uh now we've had some conversations uh regarding that and I do hope to see that. So, I'm fully in support of getting back to what we see for the fiscal year 2025 actual somewhere in that ballpark.

Thank you. 300,000 is a number. Thank you, Council Go. My concern is that when Miss India Rogers did get up to explain this, she talked about other expenditures that from my understanding weren't negotiable expenditures.

Um, including some of them in relation to the support of town council. So, I don't know if we can if she's in the room or if we could get greater clarity about the impact of the $300,000 because I didn't think all of it was just increasing her that budget unilaterally. I thought it was an explanation that there were other things attached to the budget that we needed to be cautious of if we just made a unilateral cut like $300,000. And I I'm willing to stand corrected, but my me my remembrance of the presentation was that this had a greater impact than I think we're intending. Thank you. Um, Mr. Rogers,

good evening everyone. Um, so yes, you're right, Council Cooper. A part of that $300,000 would affect the $88,947,000 $88,947 that is contractual services that includes BATV at 25,000, Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce at 5,000 as well as subscriptions that we pay regarding our CCM and CRO memberships. In addition to that, it's 55,000 allocated in my budget for the clerk of the council. Thank you. I I just want to make sure we're taking that into consideration. Just a correction. This one's Goodwin, not Cooper though. I don't mind being counselor Goodwin. I'm sorry.

I think we can't just agree to that without taking those particular things in consideration. $88,947 which includes uh $25,000 for BATV, $5,000 for the Boomville Chamber of Commerce, as well as the difference of that um it's like $58,000 which is a dues and subscriptions that we pay for the town. $947. Yes, dues and subscriptions and other contractual services. Don't go too far. Okay. All right. Uh thank you for the opportunity to speak on this. Um I I just want the council to just have an appreciation of the fact that uh when this uh department was first established, it was called um strategic communications and government affairs, right? Strategic communications and government affairs. And when I got here, um understand the strategic communications portion of it. It's always good to have messaging as part of an operation. Um, but I didn't really understand nor see uh any application of government affairs. Uh, other than the fact that the clerk of council was seated there, I didn't see any engagement with our legislators uh at any level. Um, I I didn't see any battle rhythm events uh with our counselors.

counselors were not all counselors were not in on a regular basis discussing initiatives and and and planned events and um and desires and wants and and impact on communities that was not occurring. So when I looked at this and I thought uh in terms of how could this department be better situated uh to make best use of taxpayers dollars um what I thought was in terms of operations I can tell you through my varied experience when you talk about uh the center of gravity and all military organizations uh the the operations is that touch point and we needed something to track operations. So I turned that department uh away from its original intent uh to get us a a focal point to be that nucleus of where we can track task uh where we can track calendars where we can hold accountability for a myriad of operations. about 90% of the initiatives uh that have occurred since I've been here uh is probably closer to 95% right um but I I try to uh uh I'm trying to be humble but I'm just really struggling right now uh because the value of operations is is a known entity in most organized uh uh organizations and uh when we talk about that um I drive it and I need someone to execute it. And in my office, uh, if you ever been there, you ever ever spent a day with me, you'll know that I get very little time to drive operations. But at the end of the day, when I say I need this happen, here's the suspense when I need it to happen by, what's the status

of that, who's um, who's not pulling their their load and achieving goal. All of that is what goes through her office. Now, if we had the the real uh powerful software that I'm accustomed to, we can't afford right now. Right now, I get it. But in replacing of that software is personnel, that's how I track what's happening in the town on a daily basis through the operations center of the town, which is our operations and communications headed by uh Miss Miss Rogers and her team. So, I I need there to be an appreciation and and I ask you before you determine to uh make any significant cuts that you understand the effects of this. What she's doing now is not something that was captured from another department. We were not doing it. So when I walked in here and there are regular occurring events in terms of dueouts to higher authorities, whether it be at the state or federal level, I have to wait for an email to let me know that that's something that's due by the by the third, second, fourth uh quarter of a year because there's nothing in place that tells me that that's going to happen. and and that's what alarms me and keeps me up at night. Did I miss an email? Because some of the consequences of these are literally millions of dollars. So now that I'm putting in place an operations department that can manage this and the next woman or man that comes behind me, they won't be coming in waiting for an email. They'll see on a tracker every 1 of May every year this is occurring. Get ready. and we have a 30 we have a 90 6030 countdown to that event so people can get ready for it. That wasn't the mindset that occurred here before. That doesn't exist. And I'm

trying to build that right now because I still stay awake wondering what is it I'm missing. So we can get rid of 300,000 to our own detriment not understanding the problem or we can keep this in place. let it function so that we don't get in a situation where we are going to lose out on literally millions of dollars because it doesn't exist here folks. And I'm not trying to air dirty language. I'm giving you the reality of our operations center. It it does not exist here. She's trying to build it from scratch with direction I've given her so that it will mean something more than a bunch of fancy words. So, I'm hoping you're listening. We cannot just make decisions on the fly and say, you know what, that went up by this. Cut it. Ask me the question. I'll show you the value. I'll give you the intent behind the vision. And then you can come to a a a logical, critical thinking decision that's in the best interest of our public. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Uh, Councelor Deathan Brown and then councelor Oliver.

Thank you. So, I'm struggling with $800 and some odd,000 plus for operations and comms and we're considering cutting the board of ed. I'm struggling with that. Um, sometimes I have to really fight myself so that certain things won't come out my mouth. But I'm struggling with that. Here's the thing. I know that the town manager I'm going to say he's fairly new because I've been here for a minute. I've seen India. I see everything that India does. I see the passion with which she does it. I'm not saying anything negative about India. I think India is one of our bright shining stars. On a dark night, you see her in the sky shining. So, I'm not saying anything about her or her work, her work ethic, or the way in which she provides service to this town. I'm saying that I cannot consciously say that we're going to give $800 and some thousand dollar to this department when we're thinking about cutting the board of ed. What I will say and I'll go back. We've got to make some decisions. I believe the town manager needs he's gonna say he needs everybody he got and then some. What I am going to say is that's not possible. So, if the council wants to stop this

meeting, have a conversation with whomever we need to to tell the town manager exactly how much we need for him to cut out of this budget, then we need to do that, right? Because I don't want it to get down to, oh, we don't value or we don't see the vision. We don't have a strategic plan to see where we're going. But that's a whole different story. But we are in a place right now where decisions aren't just about jobs. It's about lives, not only of our residents, but of our students. And sometimes nice to have doesn't necessarily mean need to have in a crisis. So, I cannot once again vote to give operations and comms $87,000.

Thank you. Uh, councelor Oliver.

I do see the value in in in India as well. Sorry. his director. Um, I don't know how much to say that we need to cut from that 800,000, but I I mean, I'm not sure if we're voting on 800,000 or we're voting on 300,000 on three. Um, I see how much you do and I I feel like you pick up the slack in a lot of areas. So, I I I don't know if she's the right department to cut, but I do know that there needs to be cuts. And this is why I abstained earlier because I don't feel right voting on on until we have everything in front of us and see what what what can we cut what does the town manager think each department I I really feel like the department should come back and be like hey we can cut a little bit more in these areas and give them the opportunity to say how much they're willing to cut. And I know I'm running around here on this But I I do think we need cuts in every department and that's where I stand.

Thank you. Uh Deputy Mayor Lloyd.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, the fact that we vote no or possibly yes, but let's let's assume a no, right? Doesn't mean that things are not going to be adjusted. We we've already made that statement clear because of some missing information. The motion is to reduce ops and comms by 300,000. So if we globally by majority say no um for sorry Miss Rogers, but if we come back tomorrow and that number means something else, we've already decided then it can be adjusted. We're we're not at the end of the road. I I need to keep reiterating that and I'm going to just high level invite anybody from this meeting to look at page 35. I've seen on different pages where there is opportunity uh could be perceived as a little bit of fluff and I need help finding it. I'm looking at medical insurance 60,000. The salaries, two full-time, three part-time, understanding that two of those part- timerrs are newer in this current fiscal year, understanding that Miss Rogers absorbed operations and so then she was relieved of the clerk of council duty because then technically she would have been doing like five jobs. And I think there's a lot of people in here that can attest to that because they've seen it. And so she picks up the slack everywhere there is any even things look somebody that gets paid this amount of money that she makes should not be shleing food. Let me just go there cuz I'm a little mad about a few things too. But there's a lot of employees in this organization that go over and above and do things

that even we wouldn't do. And then I will transparently say there are opportunities to streamline even in this fiscal year and it could be difficult to make those decisions and I do believe at the end of this this exercise tonight we without the OPED distinct information but thank you director Hill for getting what you did get so quickly um having to understand the furlows more and then consider based on that information if we'll even consider uh GWIS or not. I'm looking for fluff in this budget. Travel $1,000. Okay, cut it out.

Contractual services. She just explained it. I can give y'all $9250 right now. 9250. $9,250. $9,250. How much? $9,250.

Okay. Well, put it in the parking lot. Let me finish. All right. So, you tell me where that fat is and I I will accept a friendly amendment to this, but it would have to come from a counselor. But if you look at this, professional services, telephone, you think we need a phone to do business. I'm not going to believe her. I could go on and on. Foods and meals was taken out, technical equipment. I think we need that. We need it at 3:30 so we can have um a an annual town meeting that we've been struggling to have. So there has been an increase of staff because there's been an increase of duties. So if someone is suggesting to take those away, well then I'm thinking we may have a labor board complaint. I don't want to put us in a latigious position based on staffing decisions that have been now already made and implemented. Uh layoffs is an option. I'll say the nasty word. Okay? I'm gonna be the first to say it because nobody else has said it. It's not it's not in the scenario. Okay. There are more staff than what she started with. She started with one one person, right? Herself. She was G. It was her and a part-timer. Maybe.

Just me. And she There you go. Just her. And she boosted up this department where every single person I don't know. I want to do a little straw poll. Staff, raise your hand if you rely on her. If you interface with her. All right. I'm done. I'm done. Thank you. No, we all have just one one bite on this. I just want to call the question. No, I have something to say though. Oh, okay. Well, can I say what you got to say? Thank you. Call it.

So, I just want to say I can't go forward with the reduction of that amount of money for this department. Much of it has already been explained. But one thing that needs to also be understood is that the figure that you were working with was for 2025, not 2026, right? Which the figure was very different. So if there are any cuts, I mean, we can we can talk about it at a later point, but I cannot say yay to the reduction of 300,000 at this particular moment. Right. um reduce the responsibilities and and I call Oh, I Oh, yes. Yes.

I wasn't making another point to reduce responsibilities to bring the budget down, but I called the question. That's what I meant to do. Okay. All right. So, uh Council Cooper, yay, nay, or abstain. Calling the question. We're calling question. Yeah. Yes, we're voting on calling the question. You have to vote by right 2/3. Yep. I I vote that we call the question. Can can the the motion be reiterated again? So, everyone after we vote on calling the question. It has Oh, there was no second. I second. You got a second. You got a second. All right. So, we all said I.

So, now we need to vote on calling that question and then vote on my motion which I will be happy to repeat. Okay. Council Cooper. Hi. This is calling the question. Okay. Uh, councelor Debean Brown. Hi. You said I uh council Mahan. Hi. Councelor Oliver. Hi. Councelor Merritt. Following your question. Councelor Waterhouse. This is how it goes. Council Waterhouse. I council Goodwin I Council Goodwin I

uh Deputy Mayor Lloyd I and Mayor Harrington I Okay. So repeating the motion reduce ops and comms by $300,000. Roll call. Roll call vote. Councelor Cooper stayain. Uh, councelor Debean Brown. Yes. Uh, council Mahan. I. Councelor Oliver. I'm abstaining because I'm standing on the number of the 300,000.

Council Merritt. Councelor Waterhouse. Councelor Goodwin. I'm voting no, but I'm open to a different number. Yep. Councelor uh excuse me, Deputy Mayor Lloyd. No.

Mayor Harrington, no. So, we have two, three, four. Four yays, three nos, two abstensions. Motion fails. Motion failed. Moving on to the next.

Moving on to number six. It is reduced town attorney. And I will preface it by saying that please understand that we are in a contractual agreement. So, I make a motion based on this representation that we reduce the town attorney by $43,640.

Is there a second? Second to reduce it. Yeah. Discussion. Council. So, I'm I'm so glad uh you guys want to talk about this this evening. So, how did we get here? Um,

I think a part of it we can attribute to the as the deputy mayor stated, we're in a contractual agreement contract that was signed uh when our current uh when our current mayor um took over and according to our current mayor the um well, let's I'll start here. There were increases made not only to the hourly rate but the retainer of the town attorney and there was an agreement made to increase this to sign off that sign off on that agreement which the mayor said he did not know about that agreement or those figures at the time that he agreed to the number and I think that has greatly attributed to the expenditures from this department. we um have seen uh the town attorney's uh expenditures go through the roof here and I think a part of it we can attribute to this increase in the retainer and increase in the hourly rate. Um the only thing I do not remember is this discussion bless you uh this discussion coming before the council for an increase to the hourly rate an increase to the retainer. don't recall that conversation being had. Yet, we're being bound to these figures to the town attorney. Um, I still want to see a reduction and I want to see us revisit that that contract. Apparently, we're we're locked into it now. But I think that with this not coming to the council, we may have an opportunity to revisit

this uh this decision because having this uh increase unilaterally made is wrong. Some would use another word. Um I won't go there just yet. We'll have that conversation uh offline. But um we need to have clarity with this clarity with the numbers and we need to stop having these decisions made with taxpayer dollars behind closed doors. It's not right. Um I won't go into the the hot potato responsibility that went back and forth. Um but um I think we need to revisit this number and I would like to start with the reduction in the town attorney's budget. Thank you. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, I will reiterate that yes, there is a contract. On last night's meeting, I mentioned that uh Mayor Harrington clarified an error on his part when he had previously spoken to the question of this increase in the town attorney's um line item and that he actually approved it back in September, if I'm not mistaken, on the time frame. So, he took responsibility for that. And what I will say is I partly agree with what you have to say. Are we bound? We may be, but we may not be because it did not, to your point, come before councel. So I will publicly advise that I was going to ask for this to be on Monday night's council meeting so that if there's an opportunity to go back and do this the right way, we need to do that. And whether it results in the increase or not, if we have that opportunity, I think we should take that opportunity to do so. Um, so I just wanted to put that out there for everyone's knowledge. Um, and then as we go forward, we'll see how the vote comes out this evening.

Thank you. Point of information. Point of information. I believe I also requested for that to be added to the agenda. I haven't heard a response back yet. Hoping that it will be. I don't know if the mayor wants to state whether since this is up to the mayor whether it ends up on the agenda. I don't know if he wants to speak to that at this time. that has been uh I don't know if you received it or not. I know I received several emails that were together and it was indicated that it would be handled at the next council meeting. Thank you, sir. We're going to move with Councilman Goodwin and then Councilman Merritt.

Yeah, I just want to say I don't as I don't feel comfortable being able to vote on this without the answer that would be provided on Monday. And since we're adding extra commentary, I guess I'm delighted that councelor Mayhem and our deputy mayor are so in alignment with their suggestions, not only for the budget, but also agenda items to be added. So thankfully the council is of the same mind and multiple people and not just one person is coming up with these decisions. So thank you. Thank you. Uh was councelor Merritt and then Thank you, Mr. Council

Cooper. Um I I don't know that really matters too much what we set for a budget because if my understanding is correct the expenditures have been far exceeding any budget we've set in the past. Uh I think that's the problem and I I think I think it should be remembered that the uh town uh attorney works directly is appointed by the town council and the town council should be in charge of of all payments to him and uh so I think that's the problem we've got to straighten out. So I think this this budget is a little tight. I mean, it's I think it's too tight, but it doesn't really matter because unless we get control of the expenditures, what's the budget mean? Thank I'm I'm going to support the budget anyway.

Thank you, Councelor Cooper.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, you know, just, um, for clarification for myself, um, I, you know, knowing the work that the, uh, town attorney's office has had to do, um, because of a number of, you know, uh, of filings, right, that that have come to the town of Bloomfield. And, you know, I I want to be clear. I want to be extremely clear to everyone who is listening, everyone um who is in this room. Um I'm going to say it and I will say it every time I'm here. We have people who are sending in things that they don't even want the answer to. It is meant to clog up the system and then it is meant to go to litigation where they don't show up. Neither do they pick up their questions from the town when they are ready and they are wasting my money.

My money, right? I'm only going to talk about myself. If you feel that the people can waste your money, then that's fine. And they can spin it how they want to spend it. But that's what the facts are and that's the factual truth. Now, getting to the town attorney's uh contract that has been signed, I would ask that we go to an outside and get outside counsel to see if we can even go back and revisit that for the council. Are we able to go back, vote on it, and ratify it, or are we not? It may be a case where we're not even able to do that, but I would like outside counsel, Mr. mayor um and ask you to the town manager through you, Mr. Mayor, that we get outside counsel to come back and tell us whether we are able to do that or not. I do want this to be fair, open, and transparent and keep the barbarians away from the gate because I know it's coming. Thank you.

Thank you. I believe uh Councelor Waterhouse, you are next. I have nothing to say right now. I would like to get through all of these as opposed to So, can I make a motion to table the town attorney portion till the end? I accept that motion. Any discussion? To the end of the deliberation because at the meeting on Monday at the at the rate we're going, we're going to be here till 2 a.m. Okay, that's my problem. I'm not going to be here till 2 a.m.

till Monday. Till Monday when we have him present. I accept that motion. All those in favor? I I Okay. Any nays? Abstensions. Abstensions. I think we're it's all favorable. Can I ask just um just just a point of order somehow can we either time ourselves on the discussion so that we can get these are supposed to be high priority items that were already had some sort of consensus on and we are retesting this thing. So, if we could just get to it, vote yay, up or down,

and move on. I think that would that would if everyone is agreeable, everyone is agreeable. These are already motions that we had already hashed out. I I agree because we still have public comments. So, let's move forward. So as represented in the scenario presented on yesterday number seven make a motion BOE reduced by 1 million second. Any discussion? I'll

this a 1.57. All in favor? Oh, I I clarifying question. We'll we'll we'll need to do it individually. Clarifying question, Mr. Mayor. So, there was a talk of the reducing it to 700,000. Is that off the table? Are we keeping strictly to the script here of reducing it by 1 million? I I'd like to know. We are going by those scenarios and ads and drops that were presented by the counselors here. Do that on yesterday. Okay. That's what is comprised. The list that is available here for the public as well can be brought up on the screen. Yes, ma'am.

These can be adjusted at any point. They are not our final numbers. Uh there's been previously mentioned some discussion on some other numbers that have been tossed out but what was presented yesterday that has gone into baking this scenario was reducing operation or was reducing BOE by 1 million. Okay. Thank you. Any discussion? Yes. Yes. Uh discussion but a quick comment. I will mention that if we reduce BOE budget by 1 million that shall leave them

1.7 right 1.578520 is that correct director Hill there you go so I'll reiterate so we can just be more efficient with it making a motion to reduce the board of ed by $1 million Second. Any further discussions? Oh, we're just voting. We're just voting now. Okay. So, I'll start from right to left. Actually, by councelor Councelor Cooper, I uh councelor Debeon Brown.

Councelor Mahan. I can on microphone. Please turn your microphones on so folks at home can hear us. Susette I I was just choking. Councelor Oliver. Hi. Councelor Waterhouse. No, I'd like to discuss later. It is on. We're going to We're coming back to it. We're coming back to it. Yeah. Uh Council Goodwin, hi. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd. No.

Uh, Anthony Harrington, Mayor I. One, two, three, four, five, six. And so the motion passes. Moving on. Yeah. I vote. Oh, did you vote? You said okay. I did. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I said no. You can do it again. Okay. I'm going to give him the courtesy. I will read it again. Have to read it again. Yep. For the record,

we have a counselor that needs to change his vote for the public and transparency and unfairness to that counselor. Um because these questions are worded kind of backwards at times. I will repeat again this reduction is asking to reduce the board by 1.7 million which will allocate 1.5878520. There were other numbers that were lower than that tossed out. So if we say reduce by 1 million then we are saying we want to give them 1.578520. If you don't want to give them 1,578520 and you want to give them a million then your answer would be no. If you want to give them the 1.578520 then your answer would be yes. It is very weird. I get it. So, I make a motion we reduce the BOE by $1 million.

Second. Second. Okay. Now, the understanding that we will be voting on providing them with $1.5 plus million dollars. Yes. Calling me a question. Um, Council Cooper. Yay. Now you have to vote on call in a question. We called it. Oh. Oh yes. So is there a second? Second. Councelor Cooper. Yay. Nay. Or abstension.

I'm going to ask you to explain that to me one more. I kid you not. I kid you not. The mayor called the question instead of it and letting it just roll into the vote on the motion. He called the question. So Oh, I'm Yes. So on the record, yes on calling the question, right? Yes. I I vote yes. Okay. Uh councelor Dean Brown. Yes. Yes. Councelor question. I'm sorry. Yes. Yes. On calling the question. Okay. Point of order. We we don't a vote. We don't need to vote on calling the question. You do Robert's rules. It is actually more than majority. It's twothirds vote.

We can we need six out of nine to agree to call the question because it closes debate. Can we call the question by voice? Just Yeah. Just all we don't have to do a Can we not do a roll call? I'm not I'm not opposed. Yeah, let's do that. And then we just do a roll call for the actual vote on the on the motion. Can we do that, please? So, all those in favor? I I those opposed. Any abstensions? Okay. So, that passed. All in the question passed. Now you got to call the motion. So, now we'll vote on the motion. All those in favor?

No, this is what we're doing. Excuse me. This will be roll call. Uh, Council Cooper. Um, yes. Yes. Okay. Council Mahan. Yes. Council Oliver. Yes. Council Merritt. No. Council Waterhouse. No. Council Goodwin. Yes. Councelor I'm sorry. Deputy Mayor Lloyd. No, just lost a man.

And yes, for Mayor Harrington, that's one, two, three, four, five, six. Six in favor, three nays, three. We have the the pass. So the motion passes 6 to3. There's a request for five minute recess. Let can we keep it to the five minutes please? Yes. Okay.

Please. We apologize for all the time that it is taking but it is necessary. So uh relax and uh we'll be right back. This

Thank you and welcome back. Yeah, definitely. You got it.

Thank you. I promise. I promise. I'm coming with you. And the next item. Ready? Yep. Let's go. Okay. As we continue, number eight, one time economic development trust usage of $1.5 million. Second. Any discussion? No discussion. Okay. Discussion. Let's go. Let's get Are we at that? That works. That works. Uh, Council Cooper. Yes, sir. Just say yes. Yes, sir. Motion

to to use. Economic Development Trust. 1.5 million. No. Abstain. Abstain. Okay. Uh, council. Yay. Uh, councelor Oliver, this is use the 1.5 to take it out or to put it to take it out of the model. No, not use 1.5 million of the 4 million. I don't want to take out the 1.5. Council Meritt. Oh, I'm sorry. Wait, I need I need to clarify. So is this and if we can just speak very clearly on this is this to use the 1.5 in this budget

or to not use the 1.5 in this budget. So I'll repeat it as it is written the motion is based on the scenario. Mhm. If we check counselors page one of the scenario distributed today halfway down look where it says okay it right it is but as it is written we are looking for an approval to use one time $1.5 million from the economic development trust. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. my vote. So, those that have voted, are you clear?

Okay. Uh, Council Merritt, no. Council Waterhouse, no. Councelor Goodwin, no. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd, no. Mayor Harrington, no. Next.

Seven. Yes. Uh seven nos and uh one abstension and one yes. One yay. So the motion does not pass. Does not. Moving on. Number nine. reduce council contingency by $25,000. Second. Roll call. Mhm. Uh, council Cooper. Yes. Uh, councelor Debe and Brown. Yes. Council Mahan. Yes. Council Holliver. Yes. Council Merritt. Yes. Councelor Waterhouse.

Yes. Councelor Goodwin. Yes. Deputy Mayor Lloyd. Yes. Mayor Harrington. Yes. Unanimous. Okay. Point one of order. Uh Mr. Mayor. Mayor Harrington. There was one person first. Uh Council Goodwin. Council Goodwin. No, I don't I I don't have anything to say. Okay. Okay. Uh so what I would recommend is we do a a uh vote by voice. If we do hear any dissenting votes, then we can go into roll call. Can we try that? Because there's going to be some we just are unanimous on. Uh, Director Hill has a

question. I'll defeat me. Mayor, thank you. Just one second. I would say if we could clear that with legal, I think we might need a roll call. We might These aren't binding. This is not a binding vote. It's not I want to I don't want to come back and have to do this all over. Oh god, no. No, no, it's not binding. Okay, Mr. Mayor. Yes. My question is, uh, where the council ended last evening, the item that I believe you just voted on, number nine, which shows two zeros, was removed last night because it was a duplicate with the Yes.

prior line uh with regard to operate number line five. One was reduced 300,000 and one was reduced 500,000. Line nine was zeroed out last night. I just want to make sure that I'm accurately recording and reflecting what council's doing. Yes. So, moving to manager, there was BOE was reduced by 1 million and that was zeroed out as well. That's because the board of education is reflected on the first page and highlighted.

Yep. And do we not have to vote on it? We still have to accept or reject that. My question isn't about the board of education. It's about line nine reduce operations budget which I believe was just a yes vote. So that's why I bypassed it because it was zeroed out. We are not voting on that. Okay. Right. So because it was zeroed out then that we don't vote on it. So the next one that would make number nine that we are taking a vote on would be reduce council contingency. Correct. Thank you. Just voted on. Is that right? We just voted on it. So now we're doing manager,

right? Which now is number 10 which is not zeroed out. So I will include it. I need a motion or I make a motion to reduce town manager contingency by 50,000. Second. All in favor? I. Yes. I I Any nays? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Number 11, reduce bulky waste pickup to quarterly. Second. Line out. I'll call out the amount just for the public. The number reflected here is $40,000. Reduce bulky waste pickup to quarterly $40,000. Is there? Okay.

Okay. All those in favor? I. Any nays? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Number 12, reduce human resources by 127,353.

Is there a second? Second. Second. All those in favor? I. No. So there are Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. What is that, Mr. Mayor? Yes. I believe there was conversation last night that indicated that that 100 the the majority of that 127 is regard with regard to the tuition reimbursement which is by contract. No, that was a separate I believe that was a separate item. It's that cap tuition reimbursement is up further and we took that out if you number three.

Are we voting on a light item or are we voting on the department? One moment item or is this the increase from 26 to 27th? The contractual that's the obligation we have for our for our reimbursement tuition reimbursement and these people have already expressed a desire to go to school. So I because of the express desire, but this 123 did not include the tuition reimbursement. We already discussed that's contractual and we cannot change that. That was taken off. That's option number three that you're that we're talking about. We're what we're voting on right now is the 127353.

I believe that's the overall number for the human resources budget that we are voting to which will be wherever needs to be wherever you guys deem needs to be cut. It's not our decision to It's not up to us. This is just a guiding idea. It's not up to us to decide what exactly needs to be cut. That's going to be up to the town manager and the and the departments. We're giving you guys guides that we would like to see. All this is is advisory. It's an advisory vote. This is not finalized. Mr. Mayor, if I may.

Yes. I believe that line item number 13 was added at 1275 353 because it is the increase from 2026's budget to 2027's proposed in the budget book page starting on page 51. The majority of that increase is for tuition reimbursement as shown on page 52. Thank you. 100,000 of it is for tuition reimbursement.

So then, director Hill, are you saying that this is kind of erroneously listed and we should move on? I do recognize we have contractual agreement. So I do want to make that plain for the public here. Yesterday there was an initial uh recommendation to reduce their increase by 100,000 and leave like 60s something thousand. And it was notated that we cannot because that 168 in the training and education is except for $1,000, correct me if I'm wrong, is earmarked for tuition reimbursement that is guaranteed by union contract agreements. So there has been a number of people, many many more than in years past that have opted to go back to school that we are obligated now because of those endeavors to pay. So for me it appears erroneous if we're talking about the same thing on the education and reim and tuition reimbursement. So I defer to council man. Your pleasure. How do you want to interpret this so we could have a proper understanding for

I want to interpret this as we're directing uh a general cut of 123,000 wherever they deem fit. We cannot, as councelor Oliver wisely stated, uh we cannot and should not get in the weeds. And and thinking back, I don't it's hard to not to get into that practice, but what has been advised in previous budget years is not to get in the weeds. Give a general overview. Cut 123,000 wherever it needs to be cut. We're voting on whether it needs to be cut or not, not how you cut it. Reduce a pen. Get rid of a paper. Um, that's not up to us.

We're voting on the overall general number of 123,000. I mean, Director Hill, laugh if you want. That's what our job is. Our job isn't to tell you what exactly to cut from the budget. The smile you see on the amount because it is your job. You're providing the town manager with direction on the budget. The amount. The amount. And to cut 123,000 that is going to require a layoff and say it's not us. No, it it's up to you to determine where that money comes from. Just like how we cut the BOE budget and we're not telling them exactly where where to make those reductions. That is because statutoily you can't tell the board of and we're not going to tell you either. I'm going to make a motion that we table this item. You determine where that money come from.

Ridiculous. I accept that motion. All in favor? All in favor? I I nay. You tableing one nay. Can we move on to the next item? Moving on. These will be hopefully quick. I make a motion to reduce PNZ by $1,000. Planning and zoning reduced by $1,000. Second. All those in favor? No. I So, we're going to probably have I'll go with the nay. Listen, I'll go with the nay. Okay. Yeah. Nay. Let's get it done. Yep. Number 14. I make a motion to reduce ZBA zoning board of appeals second by700. Second. All those in favor?

No. Nay. No. Okay. The nose went uh next. I make a motion that we reduce BTR by $283. Second. What does those in favor? What? What is BTR? Apologies. The board of tax review. Oh, what are they? What do you want me to repeat it? It's the increase. Can we A motion was made. A second was made. Can we vote? All those in favor? Nay. No. No.

I make a motion that we reduce IWWC by 2100. Second. All those in favor? No. What does IWC what is sorry what is IWC again? I apologize. Uh John Coleman that helps with advertisements meeting statutory needs for it's the wetlands commission. Next wetlands commission. Next but next line please. Thank you. Next line. Reduce economic development commission by $200. Second. All those in favor,

please. Let's All those in favor, let's get same as same. Yeah, let's go. No. No. Nope. Okay. Go ahead. Next one. Call eyes. Commission on aging. So, one one moment on the last one. All those in favor? No, no, no. All those against. Well, no. That's always that's and any abstensions. So, so just a point of clarification, it would help if we say all in favor I. All opposed,

no. I and then abstensions. Okay. Just for um ease of recordkeeping. Yep. Next item, reduce commission on aging $2,000. Second. Second. All those in favor? I. Those against? Nay. Nay. No. Any abstensions? No abstensions. The motion passes. Reduce the health district. The next line item says reduce handicap. Oh, motion fail. Excuse me. Last motion failed. Yeah.

I make a motion to reduce handicap $250. Second. All those in favor? No. No. Need eyes first. All those in favor? I. All those opposed. All those opposed? Nay. Nay. Nay. Any absentions? Okay. Reduce. I make a motion we reduce conservation by $750. All those in favor? Those opposed? Nay. Nay. Any abstensions? Motion fails. Motion fails.

Reduce. I make a motion we reduce beautifification by $1,600. Second. All those in favor? No. Those opposed? Nay. Any abstensions? Motion fails. I make a motion that we reduce public art commission by $2,000. Second. All those in favor? Any opposed? No. Nay. Uh any abstensions? Motion fails. I make a motion we reduce the health district by $14,641. Second. All those in favor? Those opposed?

No. No. Any abstensions? Motion fails. I make a motion we restore library part-time hours. Second amount of $50,000. Second. All those in favor? I I I. Any Yeah. Yeah. We got it. It's passed. Mhm. I make a motion we remove one FTE full-time employee from TMO, town manager's office. Second. All those in favor? I I I'm saying one naysay. All those in favor?

I. Those uh voting nay opposed. Any obstensions? One obstension. Two abstensions. Okay. Harrington and Cooper passed. Pass. I make a motion reduce ops and comms PT part-time hours $20,000. Second. All those in favor? I. Those opposed? No. No.

No. Any abstensions? He knows. Motion fails. Excuse me. Reduce ops and coms. Uh, the motion failed. Yeah, I failed. How many three? How many yays do you have for reduced ops and coms part-time hours? This is just Can we repeat those in favor for the reduction of ops and comms part-time hours? Are we going to do a roll call on this one or? Yes. Okay, if I have to. Um, council Cooper. Uh, no. Council, uh, Death and Brown. Yes. Council Mahan.

Hi. Councelor Oliver. No. Council Merritt. Uh, councelor Waterhouse. Councelor Goodwin. Hi. Uh, councelor uh deputy mayor um Lloyd. No. Um Mayor Harrington. No. That's We're jumping over first. We have that

45. Okay, that means there five nos to the reduction. Yes, motion fails to reduce. Okay, we're jumping over the furlow. No, I didn't get there yet. Jesus, he was getting clarification. So to your point, um I would like to make a motion to table 4 days management only furlow pending further investigation. Second. All those in favor? I I Next I make a motion. Those opposed. Oh, did you say? Those opposed? Nay.

Any abstensions? Okay. Okay. I still I still want to see it. We don't have it. Council Mah, I think we're just voting. We're waiting to keep we get the information. We're out numbered anyway. So, let's No. U Madame Deputy Mayor. Yes. I do have the uh management value. Actually, that's GWI. Never mind. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Anyway, um, Director Hill, I make a motion we restore boards and commissions advertising for $2500. Second. All those in favor?

I. Those opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. FTE. Come on. 2250. Did I say 2200? $2,250. Okay. So, I I will correct myself. Make a motion to restore boards and commissions advertising 2250. Second. I thought we just voted on that. We voted on that one, didn't we? Just said I called out the number incorrectly. Okay. Second. Second. Those all those in favor? I. Those against.

Any abstensions? Motion passes. And I make a motion to restore PW public works striping machine $17,000. Second. All those in favor? I I. Those opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. On the last item, madam uh deputy, help me y'all. I'm tired as everybody else. On the last item, I make a motion to table three days furlow for all employees. All those in favor? I I 19 opposed. Any abstensions? Sound like everyone said it. Last one. Jesus.

Not yet. Okay. So, there was an add-on today in our round robin of any other changes that we would like to see. I made a motion to add consideration of $130,000 for streaming technology for 330 great room. Second. Second. All those in favor? Yes. I uh those opposed? Nay. Nay. Any abstensions? Six and three. Motion fail. Oh, praise the Lord. We're good. Oh, no. Roll call. Okay. Mike Oliver. No.

Susette. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Uh, councelor Cooper. No. Uh, councelor Debe and Brown. No. Council Mahan. Uh, no. Council Oliver, no. Councelor Merritt. Councelor Waterhouse. No. Council Goodwin, no. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd, yes. Uh, Mayor Harrington, no.

Okay. So, the next one was a question about the OPED uh contribution to current employees contribution to their retirees medical. And we do need more information on that. So, I'm going to make a motion to table. Point of point of clarification. I thought that director Hill gave us that and that 35,000 was all we would get out of that. It was based on an average salary. He's going to get more detailed information. There were 19 below the 3%, 11 at 3 12%. So, he did an aggregate based on an average salary. Is that correct, sir?

Okay. So, he said he was going to get more definitive information like down to as close as we could get to the dollar. Is that correct, sir? And I don't mean for tonight, but if I heard you correctly. Okay. Can I ask a clarifying question again to Director Hill? Director Hill, is this going to be is this going to change this figure to 50 or $100,000? I doubt it. Um, and that's I because it's low hanging fruit. I'd rather do this now. and rather than you know us wait for we got to come back and these votes aren't binding either folks I just want to remind yeah we have to go back to this anyways right right there's no

so can we just go ahead and we're just gauging the consensus so we're tableabling it I'm requesting to table the item on the OPE all those in favor I those opposed any abstensions because employees need spouses. Yeah, it's gonna take a minute to get that. Um, as we wind down with this list that took a lot of hours to get to. Um, a lot of hours of forethought as well as afterthought. Um, I have one question for you, Director Hail, on this scenario. No, I'm not going to ask you to crunch anything.

Oh, what's that? Which one? Oh, okay. I didn't see that on my page. What page are you on? It was added tonight. 34. Oh, you added it. Okay. That's why I don't have it here. Um, okay. So, I will do and I do have another 34, but you can call it 34. And we may have a 35. So, I make a motion for a further BO BOE reduction of 878520. You just vote on one. Yes, we did. Dropping it. That's correct.

Um, Madame Deputy Mayor, if I may. Yes, sir. I believe uh the when this was added, it was to take the board of ed from the milliondoll reduction and reduce them to $700,000 increase, which is the $878,000 reduction. So that would leave the board, for clarity, that would leave the board of eds increase. It would go from the 1.578 shown here down to $700,000 increase.

That's what was proposed. Time to So, as we continue to further consider and shall continue because we need further information which will require another meeting. I'll reiterate a motion number 34. We have a motion to table.

Uh second. I'm I'm confused. Why are you guys tableabling this? Why are you guys tableabling this item that was posed by councelor Merritt? You vote on whether you have the appetite to see it in the budget or not. This doesn't require any further information. The figure is already there. This doesn't need any calculations. We have the number. Vote whether you have the appetite. I don't have the appetite. If you don't have the appetite, vote no on the motion. So, Mr. Mayor, see just um I I think that there is other information that will be forthcoming as as um within the next few as uh the mayor has pointed.

Excuse me, please. So, I was speaking, but if you want to have conversation, that's fine. Continue.

Um thank you. So, I think that the mayor has pointed out that there is further information coming. Whether that leads to a cut or not, you know, I I don't know. That's that's not what the point about it being. I just look for further clarification. Other people get clarification. I don't see why we can't get clarification because I also don't see us finishing this tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Now, whether that um you know, whether that's what you want to hear or not, it is what it is. uh and I for one would like all the information just like my colleagues come up here and ask questions and ask more questions. I have want to see more and um and I'm sorry that that you know doesn't you know make you feel better make anyone feel better but Mr. Mayor, thank you so much. And we do look forward to hearing more of the information that you said would be for May. May I ask

Can I just add Can I add some color to this whole thing? Why did we vote on the first Excuse me. Let me let me just add color information.

I don't really want to come off as being flippant or uncaring or unconcerned or any of that. The exercise that we went through tonight was just that an exercise. We're going to come back We're going to vote on these same things again. Right? For some, it was important that we go through the exercise. And because we're a team, we're going to be team players. So, I'm just going to ask you all I don't want to say that I don't want to say that it didn't matter, but I'm going to say don't get too upset about it because afterwards when we do take an intentional vote, things might change. So whether it was a yay or a nay or a table, it's going to change.

It's going to change. M so I'm just going to ask for that. Right. So if we want to table it, table it. If we can just now move on because we have people in the audience that have sat down and waited. So if we as the council can just stand down, let the residents speak. I do believe that there needs to be some um direction to the town manager as to our thoughts and opinions about what needs to be cut from the town hall. that I do believe that we need to get to him either tonight or first thing in the morning so that they can do their work so that when we do come back we can make some very intentional decisions. Thank you.

So I repeat my motion to table number 34 further B reduction. Second. All those in favor? I I Any opposed? Nay. Any abstensions? motion. Thank you. So, just winding down with one question for you, Director Hill. Um, under page two on this scenario distributed today. Yes, there are other votes required.

Right. So, we discussed the senior accountant. And then it says remove, but I believe that was one of the modifications yesterday that was accepted at a limit of 110,000. So just trying to get clarification on why it's reflected as a reduction on this side.

Uh the way that it's shown um reflects council's uh desire from last night. Uh, I believe there was one counselor that said remove it and one counselor that said to add it. Um, as is shown up above, the senior accountant for finance in this scenario um was capped added um included with a cap of 110,000. And then during last night's meeting, one counselor said to remove it and another counselor said to add it, which is why it's shown in both ads and cuts. So, can we table that as well? Because I believe that there's some switching that needs to happen.

Yeah. But it wasn't reflected on this list and based on how you described it, I think maybe it would have been good to see it here when you said that list is reductions as opposed to budget modifications. The list shown here are the four budget modifications that uh councils spoke to last night. Why can't we vote on that? There needs to be some switching around. Switching around. We going have to come with Joe. Let's just give the people a chance to talk. Okay. So then in aggregate I make a motion that we defer the budget mods for vote until we reconvene. Second.

All those in favor? I I

those opposed any abstensions. Great. Great. So, as we conclude this part, before we have the comments, we'd like to call up our director of finance, uh, Daryl Hill, to explain the, uh, there was an issue with MDC and that we'd like for him to provide that clarification. It's okay.

I think that's what we got yesterday. Yeah, you have it for school. We got this yesterday. I know. Bless you. Bless you. God bless you. I emailed it to India yesterday. Um I can forward it to you if anyone in the Can we just uh read it? We can hand it out in the in the audience if people need it. It um must Yeah, there are cutings. Is it different than yesterday? No. Not. So for the folks at home, it should be presented up there as well. guys are wearing me. I could just put it on the screen. It'll be fine.

MGC. Oh, what day is it? Um, maybe Easter. Gotcha. Sorry.

Should be in your inbox. It is the attachment uh titled MDC adalorum. It's the third attachment. take it off.

Um, so as was discussed, uh, good evening again, council. Um, as was discussed, uh, last night, uh, the Metropolitan District annually lays a tax on its member uh, member localities. Uh, there are eight of us. Bloomfield's one of them. Um, I'm happy to go into the detail that I went into last night, but the update uh, from my remarks last night is that I spoke with CFO at MDC. uh they are aware that their budget book uh contains conflicting information. I believe uh what he stated was that at the top of the page uh in the budget book it was the proposed budget and the information at the bottom would be the final budget. They're working through that uh with MDC's administration. But as I stated last night, I refer to this as the ad balorum. Uh the MDC calls it their tax warrant. And the tax warrant is what governs payments by member uh jurisdictions. So, the information presented last night shown again coming up on the screen with regard to the Metropolitan District Commission's tax warrant uh relative to Bloomfield for calendar year 2026, which is MDC's fiscal year uh is accurate with an increase from the first two quarters, which is shown as the $898,000 um increasing for the third and fourth quarter to $1,57,000. So, the amount included in the town manager's proposed budget is correct.

Thank you so very much. Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hill. All right. Thank you. Let's go.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, at this time, we will open public comment uh here in the room and virtually. There is a list of names that have been provided. We ask you, we implore you to keep to the threeinut timetable. If three minute alarm comes up and you're still speaking, we ask you to stop immediately and uh allow the next person to come up and have their three uninterrupted minutes. Thank you. What's her name again?

You don't have to.

Is it on? Yes. Okay. Um, good evening and thank you for your time and your volunteering, your service to the town. My name is Essie Lau and I live at 12 Chateau Margo. I've been watching these budget meetings and have a few suggestions. In developing a budget, as in any family, separating the needs from the wants can be the start. In a household, you need housing, food, etc. You may want a vacation, you may want a new car. In government, we need to provide safety, education, staff to provide services, etc. We also need to follow federal, state, and local laws that require the town to fund. Every expenditure should be looked at in this way. I heard last night the town manager speaking about tick- tock and drone programs. Um is really is this a need? Um providing information to our residents is extremely important. However, having a strong website, newsletters, etc. other vehicles to do that. Um I wouldn't even call Tik Tok reliable information, but it's good for entertainment purposes. Um that department, by the way, had an increase in the budget in 2025 of 11.4%. in 2026 15.5% and the currently proposed is 13.8%. Please ask for each department what the drivers are to spending increases. Is it a need or a want? What are the measurable improvements or outcomes? What is the performance of a department yeartoyear? Show us. Are the new computer programs purchased to provide efficiencies really efficient? Show us. Our population hasn't changed much over the years. What operating indicators are there to show a need for any add to staff or possibly even a staff reduction? Show us. This is a process that needs to start in January. It will make it so much easier. Watching the budgets go up each year without this key information is really frustrating residents. Please ask these important questions during the budget process.

Thank you.

Thank you. Rickford Kurtman, 7 Hickory Lane. I'm going to start with the MDC. This document that director provided to you. I guarantee you to go to each member town and look at their budget, including West Hartford that passed their budget yesterday, and you'll see it matches these numbers. It's not hard. Just go look. I spent the time to do it. You should do as well. Now, let's just look at what just took place here tonight. You guys are proposing to reduce the board of education while having almost a million dollars for communication. I did some research on that as well. I also called around. I'm taking the time. I'm not on counsel. I guarantee none of you did it. No one is spending that much in communications. How could you justify almost a million dollars in communic Excuse me. Could you tell the counselor to stop mocking me up here? I don't want to regain my time. He's making motions to me, please. Councelor Cooper,

communications and operations. I'm sorry. So, why why are he taking away from my time? It's okay. You got your time back. Okay. So, I get my three minutes back. Thank you.

So, a million dollars, almost a million. I'm going to round it. I'm going to count. I'll round it. million dollars communication while the superintendent of schools came here on many occasion including last night or tonight sorry and explain to you wonder why I took my child out of the school in center private school fortunately I have the means to do that but a lot of our families don't so that's shame on each and every one of you on the das that supported the communication This budget is a disaster and the way you conduct yourself is a disaster and how you deliberate and go through this. I can tell you in this budget 70% of the budget is fix charges. I don't believe that number. Why? Because once again instead of the director of finance admitting that it's wrong, he's going to double down and go through with this. What I'm going to do for you, I'm going to take half a day from work on Friday and I'm going to go down to MDC because I'm a citizen of this state and request that information and bring it back to you. I'll do it because no one else is interested in it. There's no way to justify 15% in one year. Does that make sense to you guys, man? 15%. It doesn't. It's wrong. and he wouldn't admit it. So, I'm asking one question. Do you believe this is going to pass the public? Two years ago, you all noticed that we did a referendum. Could I complete 30 seconds, please?

30 seconds. Yeah. We passed No, let's just shut down. I'm sorry. You said 30 seconds, so I'll finish up. this budget, in my opinion, the way you're doing, adding everything back, and it's probably now at 9% increase in our taxes. It's not going to pass the public. It's an embarrassment, guys. Thank you. Thank you.

Hey, Bloomfield. Good evening.

Uh my name is Matthew McCarthy. I've been living in Bloomfield since 2004. I moved here after being in the education. Uh I've been working at JP Vincent Laurel Elementary School in Metac. Absolutely love our town. I wanted to raise my family here. Moved as close to my school as I could. I currently walk to school when the weather is good. We have two bikes that we tandem and ride in often. Uh both my children attend the schools. Proud of that. I'm embarrassed to see the cuts and then horrified to see the further cuts. Very disappointed, very disgusted by that. Embarrassed. We deserve better. The children deserve better. There are many stakeholders and people involved in our community. But our children are the future. They are the future of it. And we should be giving our all to them. So I fully fully support our superintendent Dr. Youngberg has a wonderful vision fiscally responsible is trying very hard to do the right thing. I think we should also try very hard to do the right thing by her and the children. So thank you for all that you're doing counselors. Thank you for all of this work. I know it's got to be difficult certainly sitting with a bunch of faces staring at you at home and here but please don't cut the board to bed.

Thank you. Please support the children. Appreciate it, Davis.

Uh, good evening everyone. I'm Pat Davis. I live at Fort Lisa Lane. Um, when I started tonight, it was early, right? We all were here. So, I know you all are exhausted, but guess who else is exhausted? Us as residents. We have gotten ourselves in a predicament right now that I don't know how we're going to get out of it and it's very difficult and it's very disheartening. And my initial response was directed more towards the council, but now my response to the council is directed toward the board of education. Um, and and I have such a divine spirit of integrity and love for the Bloomfield school system where I raised my kids. And to see Dr. Youngberg back here trying her hardest to do what she knows we deserve in this town. Mr. McCarthy was my son's music teacher. Miss Jordan, all of these people I have a personal relationship. So now it's become really personal for me, you know, and I I'm I'm concerned and I'm going to direct it to the town manager because I have always had a problem with the fact that you don't live here. when they opened up that charter and they said that the residency and it was not necessary that you live here. I think that if you lived here, if you have a different um stake in the game, I really do believe that wholeheartedly that if you knew that your tax dollars were being affected like mine are directly and you're not just taking your salary to Simsbury and your money being spent over there, you may have a different approach about it. But that's my personal opinion which I'm entitled to as a taxpayer. And I do want to know I know you guys are working really hard. I do see some real growth in the um some of the camaraderie that's starting to develop because now you know you all see that you're in this together. You know when you started out it was like a row a row b I'm the mayor, you're the mayor, he's a deputy somebody and nobody was voting. And at the end of

the day, where we are now, we are all in this together. And we got to figure this out. Excuse my language. I I I'm so sorry. I am very sorry. But I really want to go back to Dr. Youngberg because she presented to you all exactly what needs to be presented. She told you directly that things she understands that things will need to be cut. She made that very clear that she's open to those decisions. But if we don't invest in our children now, none of this matters. Thank you. Thank you.

Good evening. Thank you for being here. Uh my name is Gail Jordan. I am a teacher here in Bloomfield. Now Metac Comet used to say Carmen a race. Um, I am the president of Bloomfield Education Association. So, those 200 plus teachers that were on that slide earlier are the people that I represent. But any of you that know me know that I represent our students first and foremost every time. I am literally still shaking from the comment of giving just 700,000 to the board of ed. Like I have a physical visceral reaction to this right now. The impact that this is going to have on our children is astronomical. Astronomical. You want clarification? I I don't know how much more clear she could have been. I really don't. Um I will let you know that in our uh constitution and bylaws, our purpose is set. And our purpose is as a member of the teaching profession to work for the welfare of school children, the professional interest of teachers in the improvement of instructional opportunities for all. That's our statement. That's our purpose as a teachers union. This is not in the best interest of children whatsoever. The 1,744 students of Bloomfield deserve so much better. Parents may not be in this building this evening, but I can tell you what they want and what they need because we sit in every parent teacher conference. We sit in every IEP 504, every single meeting and listen to what they need for their students. They may not fully understand how the decisions you make here impact those things, but that's the reality. We need the teachers in front.

And I don't know if you noticed that we would be the largest portion cut. At the 1 million cut, we were at seven. Those are the people facing your children, teaching your children. With 700,000, I can't I can't even wrap my mind around it about what that equates to. Never mind our paras. So all of the people facing your children and providing the supports for their children are going to be the most ones cut. It's impossible. With 700,000, she can't even meet our contract, which by the way, we settled a great contract, which is why you have teachers wanting to stay. They can afford to buy a home here. Rickford thought I lived here for years cuz I go to so many things here. I couldn't afi afford to buy a home here with my initial salary. We need to do better by our students. There's no way that we can do what we need to do with $700,000. Thank you.

Thank you. Hey, can we

So, can we just have the clerk of counsel with the buzzer, please? Just the clerk of counsel. We don't need a secondary one. Robert permanate Hyram Lane. I don't envy your task is a tough one. However, you've got two major problems that you haven't even begun to address and I'm going to bring the elephant in the room up. Number one, 90% of the numbers in the budget book are inaccurate, and some of you know that. Number two, the revenue numbers that are in the budget book do not reflect the what the latest report from the finance director, even though it's un audited, reflect for year end, projected year end 62026. They show what he says are actually the same numbers as theoretically February 28th, 2026. But there's a problem with those numbers, too, which I pointed out last time I spoke. I want you to revisit the revenue that's showing in the budget versus what's showing on the handout that's available tonight from the director of finance because I think you will find that there is significant significant revenue differences based on what he shows tonight we're going to have excess revenue from budget of $1.7 million. That's a lot of money. That goes a long way to solving part of your problem of finding how you can cover the expenses. The other problem you have is one of charter

violations of the charter. This budget book does not meet the requirements of section 9003 of the charter as I pointed out last time and I handed out to everybody some of the discrepancies I found in it. I think you need to deal with that issue too. Those are the things that I think this council needs to deal with when we're moving forward with the budget. And I hope you do. I don't know how when you're going to find the time to do it, but I don't envy you the job you have because you're working from behind the eightball. You aren't even close to it yet. Thank you.

Thank you. Gail Riley 8 Maple Avenue. I wasn't planning on speaking tonight, but I have sat here every night this week through these deliberations and I hate to tell you it's a joke. Like I don't feel anybody was prepared. Nobody. You put almost everything back in the budget that you supposedly took out. Seriously, I I'm so frustrated. I can't even find the words. Poor Elizabeth. You only gave her $50,000 for part-time librarians, but you're willing to give India, who does a marvelous job, almost $800,000? Come on. It's not right. We spend all this money on this beautiful library in the center of town. all this money to renovate the library on the other side of town and they can't even open the hours that they need to open. But yet again, you're willing to give India's department $800,000. Learn have her distribute the work to other people. I don't really know what your assistant does in your office and I no disrespect to you and no disrespect to Sharon, but I don't know what they do. Can't they take on some of India's responsibility? Can you delegate some of that work to those people? It's just so frustrating to live in this town my whole life and really say to my husband last night, I think we need to move cuz I don't think we can afford to live here anymore. It's pretty pathetic when I've lived here 67 years and you guys can't get a budget right. Giving money to departments that don't need it. You

know, we all have to cut back on things. Same with the town government here. You need to cut back. Really think about what you're spending your money on and not on pet projects. I'm tired of it. Thank you.

Hi, good evening. Aaron Behringer, 20 Kenmore Road. Um the town manager tonight stated that services cost money and asked all of us um what are we willing to do without and that's a very important question but it requires complete and transparent information so that residents and decision makers can answer responsibly for this fiscal 27 budget. I obviously support maintaining essential services. Um adopting a realistic budget for the board of education, more hours for the library, promoting economic development to attract businesses to name a few. What I can't support is making these fiscally significant decisions with limited and unclear information. On March 16th, I spoke at the financial subcommittee meeting and requested that the director of finance accurately categorize the $2.08 $08 million currently listed as undefined or in addition a vendor listed as one-time pay. As of today, that number is now 2.19 million. So, we are not moving in the right direction. I have followed up with town council, the town manager, the finance department. However, weeks later in even

during these budget deliberations um continue tonight, these expenditures remain uncatategorized. So without clear accounting of where our fiscal 26 spending is, it really undermines the confidence in this in this whole process. And I would imagine it makes it difficult to exercise proper fiscal oversight. So tonight, I respectfully urge the town council to request to the finance department to provide and ensure all budget information is fully detailed, accurate, and verified. Because as residents, we deserve transparency and sound decisions depend on it. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening. Wendy Williams, 48 Gab Road. I am really upset about the board of ed cuts. I have lived here 28 years. My children had multiple people in this room. Some of them their very first years working here. And what I really really impress upon us is what other people have said before. We have to go back with what we need. It is nice to want things. It is nice to have grand initiatives. It is nice to do all of that. But while we sat earlier and said that it was extremely important to help our seniors and to help our children, we are not doing that if we slaughter this budget. And for a person who stayed and kept my children here and my decision with my ex-husband was to move if we could not go to school and have the proper education, we stayed. And I totally support Dr. Youngberg. I support the BOE. And if you asked me three years ago, I might have said absolutely not. But for the past 10 years at least, and this is my soapbox, we sat here and said that we were too topheavy for administration for the board of ed. And we spent hours and hours deliberating that. And I feel like what we've done is shifted now. And we just have to be careful. I know that everybody deserves to be paid large dollars. We all want to make a lot of money, but sometimes we have to either share the wealth, share the cuts, and think about where can we get things done elsewhere. Some of you, this is my parrot, creative solutioning. We don't do that well here. We talk about whether we can have it or we can't. We just did an exercise in that. Put it all in, take it out. Bring it in, take it out. Why do we not look internally in this town and find people to help us with some of those huge things that town manager I know you want to do? I know India wants to do and she

is probably the hardest working individual in this town and I will say that because she does things 24 hours a day but we have to support in other ways and it can't just be on the backs of the taxpayers and it can't be at the sacrifice of the kids and our seniors. So, we have to figure it out. I am very thankful. I'm going to say this transparently that I am not one of you up there because this is tough and I appreciate all the time and the effort and this is probably the first time I've enjoyed coming to meetings and listening to conversation without a complete argument on every single thing. So, that's has to be at least three minutes. But, I am done. Thank you. And I look forward to seeing us find a budget that the town 22,000 people are not going to agree on, but at least can take in and absorb. And next year we pre-plan earlier like the previous person said. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. Yes. Uh if we have any online residents who would like to uh provide comment at this evening special meeting, please identify yourselves.

Okay. Okay. Hello. Yes.

Uh my name is Dr. Campbell. I live at 491 Stbury Road and uh my wife and I are seniors. I'm retired and you might think that uh the board of education budget wouldn't be of concern to us since all of our children are out and on their own, but it is very important. Um the town has a plan to do development of town center to try to increase businesses and try to increase people coming into town and people are not going to move into town if the educational system is not good for their children. So, I think it's extremely important that the board of education be sufficiently supported and not have the cuts that that you have suggested. In looking over the budget, I saw a a table looking at projects that are in town and there were two projects that are listed twice. I don't know if that's an error or if it's uh um uh work that's to be done in two separate parks, but there might be some other errors in this budget. Uh I don't see the need this year uh for giving close to uh a half a million dollars for the Whitten Bur Hill Scout course. That's something that could be cut and delayed for another year and used to support the board of education. So I urge you to seriously consider what you've decided about the board of education budget and uh provide sufficient support for it.

Thank you. Yes, James Biffer, 17 Terry Plains Road. In watching your deliberations for the last couple of nights, I want to suggest another model to you. You are the board of directors of $ 110 million corporation. You need to see your role as that. You set policy and direction. getting into the weeds on light items is none of you has the expertise or the experience to do that. No board of directors in the world gets together and decides are they going to change the soap into the bathrooms quarterly or monthly. When are we going to replace the toilet paper rolls? No. They decide equipment has to go down 10% and they order the CEO to make that happen. You guys need to approach it the same way. You spent hours talking about 1,000 2,000 3,000 $10,000 items. The town uh CFO has told you it takes a million dollars to change the budget 1%. Therefore, the mill rate 1%. It takes a h 100,000 to change it a tenth of a percent. You're sitting and arguing over five and $10,000 items. Those are six decimal places out beyond the calculation of the mill rate. Yes, it's important to save everything you can, but doing it that way is not the way to go. You all know town hall is too big and too expensive. You could just say, as some of you tried to do, cut such and such a department 300,000. Don't let the department then tell you, well, gee, that means all of our contractual services are gone. No, it could easily be a person. The same thing with a lot of the monies that have been brought up. It doesn't have to be what people say it is. It is up to the department and the town manager to get together and decide what to cut based on your direction. Contrary to what the

town manager and CFO have said, you are precisely to tell them bottom lines and they make it work. You aren't knowledgeable enough or experienced enough to say cut this line because you don't know the impact of it. But you can certainly tell them cut 300,000, cut 500,000, cut 200,000 and work on meaningful numbers, not pitily numbers like five and $10,000 that are five decimal places beyond the mill rate calculation. Thank you.

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen online, you have still another opportunity to comment. Going once. Going twice. I Okay.

Hello. Yes. Miss Davis, you have the floor.

Hi. How are you? Tiaka Davis. I live at 5 Cedar Lane in Bloomfield, Connecticut. I'm also a kindergarten teacher at Laurel Elementary School and I attended Bloomfield schools from fifth grade. And I completely disagree with the board of education cuts. I as a professional in the classroom, we are having a hard time with the staffing that we have and we are doing the best that we can with getting more staff, but cutting that would not be in the best service of the students in the classroom. We are not putting them first if we're deciding that we have to get rid of some of the educational cuts. I also send my students to Bloomfield. As I live here, I believe in the Bloomfield public school system, being a product of Bloomfield, but I do not feel comfortable having my child go in the classroom in Laurel Elementary School where there's going to be cuts in the staffing um that she would not be getting the best service or education. I believe in Dr. Young Bird's vision with the board of education and all of the budgets that were proposed and I don't think that we are in the best interest of the students if we are cutting the board of education having being in the classroom coming from that perspective we do the best that we can we don't always have the supports and we just do what we need to do to make sure all the students are being successful in school. But having the supports will benefit the students more and not being there. It would be hard to see that if I know going forward that we would

not have staffing or a parer which was given to the kindergarten teachers which we really appreciate and one-to-one services that students might need. we are not going to be able to service all of the students in the classroom successfully. I believe that we should reconsider the board of education budget that was proposed and I agree that it would be for my children's sake and for the future of the Bloomfield children and all the Bloomfield residents in the best interest for us to not cut the board of education. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Once again, uh going online to see if there are any residents who would like to speak. Going once, going twice, going three times. The public comment section has now uh closed. I'm going to call on Councelor Merritt to do us the honors. Thank you all so much.