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FEBRUARY 9, 2006

ATTENDANCE: Calvin Hilliard, Chair; Douglas Sutton; Matthew Miklave; Gwen Briggs.

STAFF: Frederic Gilden, Comptroller

OTHERS: Lisa Biagiarelli, Tax Collector; Thomas Hamilton, Director of Finance; Karen DelVecchio, Director, IT Department; Alan Lo, Building & Facilities Manager; Simon Sumberg, Corporation Counsel.

CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Hilliard called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m.

This item was taken out of agenda order.

3. AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASING AGENT TO ISSUE PURCHASE ORDERS FOR 7 DELL OPTIPLEX GX520 DESKTOP COMPUTERS AND 1 HP 1022N LASER PRINTER FOR THE NORWALK PUBLIC LIBRARY TEEN ROOM PROJECT (LIBRARY INITIATIVE APPROVED IN THE 2005/2006 IT CAPITAL BUDGET) FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,700.00, ACCOUNT 09060600-5777-C0375, AND FORWARD TO THE COMMON COUNCIL FOR FURTHER ACTION.

Ms. DelVecchio explained that the Norwalk Public Library is creating a Teen Room after working with the Library’s Youth Services Committee and the City over a period of months beginning in October 2002. It has been determined that the Library has a strong need for a designated area for teens to work on projects, homework, and have the ability to access electronic resources, word processors and the Internet where they wouldn’t be competing with adult patrons for physical space, computer time and help from the library staff.

Ms. DelVecchio said that there were three possible spaces where this Teen Room could be located. Working with the Teen Advisory Board, they picked an area on the lower level that has its own entrance door to and from the public floor. She stated that the Library has received a grant to renovate the area, and identified desktop computers and a printer for the Teen Room as a priority in its capital budget request for 2005/2006. Ms. DelVechhio explained that this request was approved in the City IT capital budget request and now this portion of the project is ready to move forward.

** MS. BRIGGS MOTIONED TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASING AGENT TO ISSUE PURCHASE ORDERS FOR 7 DELL OPTIPLEX GX520 DESKTOP COMPUTERS AND 1 HP 1022N LASER PRINTER FOR THE NORWALK PUBLIC LIBRARY TEEN ROOM PROJECT (LIBRARY INITIATIVE APPROVED IN THE 2005/2006 IT CAPITAL BUDGET) FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,700.00, ACCOUNT 09060600-5777-C0375, AND FORWARD TO THE COMMON COUNCIL FOR FURTHER ACTION.
** MR. SUTTON SECONDED.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Ms. DelVecchio left the meeting at 8:09 p.m.

1. CLAIMS COMMITTEE: RECEIVE THE MONTHLY CLAIMS REPORT; REVIEW AND APPROVE CLAIMS AS REQUIRED FOR CLAIMS REPORT DATED: FEBRUARY 9, 2006

Ms. Biagiarelli reviewed the monthly Claims Reports.

2. NARRATIVE ON TAX COLLECTION DATED FEBRUARY 9, 2006 – RECEIVE REPORT AND DISCUSS.

Ms. Biagiarelli distributed and reviewed her report to the Committee. Mr. Hamilton commended Ms. Biagiarelli for the job she and her staff have been doing. He asked Ms. Biagiarelli what was the outstanding receivable balance. Ms. Biagiarelli stated that she believed it was approximately $3.4 million, and noted that the outstanding receivable balance was approximately $15 million when she began working for the City. She said the tax sales that the City has been holding is what has been bringing the balance down. Ms. Biagiarelli mentioned that the City would not be holding a tax sale in 2006, but will hold one in 2007.

** MR. MIKLAVE MOTIONED TO APPROVE AND ACCEPT THE TAX COLLECTOR’S REPORT OF FEBRUARY 9, 2006.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Ms. Biagiarelli left the meeting at 8:15 p.m.

4. AUTHORIZE THE RESOLUTION APPROPRIATING $1,922,813 FOR THE NORWLAK HIGH SCHOOL COGENERATION PROJECT AND AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF $1,922,813 IN BONDS OF THE CITY TO MEET SAID APPROPRIATION AND PENDING THE ISSUANCE THEREOF THE MAKING OF TEMPORARY BORROWINGS FOR SUCH PURPOSE.

** MR. MIKLAVE MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

Mr. Hamilton gave a brief overview of the cogeneration project at Norwalk High School and said the Council has already authorized going forward with the resolution. He stated that the project involves the installation of an engine operating on natural gas, which produces electricity that will be used by the Norwalk High School to power the building. Mr. Hamilton said it would produce approximately 275 kilowatts. He said this was not just a generator but also a system that uses waste heat generated from the system in the building to heat areas such as the pool, and various other uses, and this is where the savings would come in. Mr. Hamilton said this system will produce a financial return for the City, with an estimated savings of over $3.3 million dollars over a fifteen-year period, and is financially advantageous for the City.

Ms. Briggs asked if the system was powered by gas or oil. Mr. Lo said it was powered by gas.

** MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

5. FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY: CITY OF NORWALK WEB SITES PRIVACY POLICY

Ms. Karen DelVecchio explained the privacy policy adapted by the IT Committee. Mr. Hempstead asked if the City really needed another layer of protection. Mr. Miklave said it was a statement of policy, not a statement of law. Mr. Hamilton stated that the policy has been seen by the City’s Corporation Counsel and approved.

No action was taken on this item.

6. AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR, RICHARD A. MOCCIA, TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT TO EXTEND THE ENDING DATE OF THE TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT WITH MISS LAURA M. RAYMOND HOMES, INC. FROM AUGUST 27, 2026 TO AUGUST 27, 2041. THE PURPOSE OF THE EXTENSION IS TO ALLOW REFINANCING TO A LOWER INTEREST RATE FOR THE HOME AND TO GENERATE MONIES TO MAKE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOME.

** MS. BRIGGS MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT.

Attorney Sumberg said that he found the original agreement and that the Miss Laura M. Raymond Homes Inc. was a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization. The mortgage is being refinanced with HUD, and they need fifteen more years in order to refinance. HUD won’t give them the fifteen years unless the Miss Laura M. Raymond Homes Inc. gets an abatement from the City. He said they need to extend the date from August 27, 2026 to August 27, 2041, and that there will be no monies coming out of the City to do this.

Mr. Hamilton asked if this abatement was 100% or less than 100%. Mr. Sumberg said it was 100%.

** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Mr. Sumberg left the meeting at 8:22 p.m.

6. AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASING AGENT TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER TO WAGNER FORD INC. FOR TWENTY-SEVEN (27) 2006 FORD TAURUS AUTOMOBILES FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $341,307.00. ACCT. TO BE DETERMINED. THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTLY REVIEWING THIS REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND WILL FORWARD TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WHEN READY.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

Mr. Hamilton said the reason it was coming before the Committee now is that the Ford 2006 Taurus is being discontinued. The item has been withdrawn because the Finance Dept. hasn’t had the opportunity to review the purchase of the automobiles due to the ongoing budget process.

No action was taken on this item.

7. APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING: JANUARY 12, 2006.

Corrections to the minutes of the January 12, 2006 meeting are as follows:

Page 1, Item 1, 3rd paragraph, change to read: “Mr. Miklave remarked that the Committee didn’t need to approve each Claims Report separately and recused himself from the discussion and vote because one of his clients is on the list, and to avoid the appearance of impropriety.”

** MR. SUTTON MOTIONED TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 12, 2006 MEETING AS AMENDED.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

8. NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Gilden reminded the Committee that a Special Finance Committee meeting will be held on February 21, 2006 to discuss the budget cap. He said they will be presenting the budget to the Council on Monday evening and would like to give the presentation to the Committee and also to the Superintendent.

A brief discussion followed regarding changing the date of the Special Meeting to accommodate all members’ schedules, as it will be held during a school vacation week. Mr. Miklave stated that he would not be at this meeting because he will be out of town.

ADJOURNMENT

** MR. MIKLAVE MOTIONED TO ADJOURN.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda J. Hayes
Telesco Secretarial Services