Council appropriates free cash for town needs
Date: 6/21/2013
By Carley Dangona
carley@thereminder.comWEST SPRINGFIELD — At the June 17 meeting of the Town Council, 11 appropriations from the Free Cash account were approved and a public hearing was conducted regarding a Stabilization Fund Transfer of $400,000. The discussion and vote regarding the purchase of the Elks Property remained pending.
Appropriations totaling $880,000 of Free Cash were approved for purchases such as follows: equipment for the Animal Control Department, $14,000; the cost of a Department of Public Works (DPW) street study, $32,000; the purchase of tasers for the Police Department, $31,500; the purchase of two vehicles, one for the Health Department and the other for the Parks and Recreation Department, $53,600; the hiring of outside contractors for tree removal, $200,000; and the purchase of two DPW trucks, $115,880.
During the hearing regarding the transfer of funds from the General Purpose Stabilization Fund to the Special Purpose Debt Service Stabilization Fund, Mayor Gregory Neffinger explained the reason for the transaction.
"We know that in 2016 we're going to have a spike in debt payments. We want to put money aside in a Debt Service Stabilization Fund so that in 2016, we don't need to raise taxes [to compensate for the payments]," he said. The mayor explained that the bond payments for the construction of the new high school will start in 2016.
Council President Kathy Bourque noted that the town did not have a Debt Service Stabilization Fund.
"Eventually that money that you'll be taking from free cash and putting into the stabilization fund will be transferred over into the Debt Service Stabilization Fund," Neffinger said.
"Only if the council votes for that — the money has to be transferred by the council," Bourque said.
"Of course, that will be a request made in the future to you," Neffinger added.
After closing the hearing and discussing the matter, the councilors voted to move $100,000 from Free Cash into the stabilization fund, pending the creation of the Debt Service Stabilization Fund.
The councilors voted in to sustain the operating costs of the Ambulance, Water and Sewer Enterprise Funds for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1. The costs of $1.37 million, $3.85 million and $2.70 million were approved respectively.
The council voted to adopt the updated Federal Management Agency (FEMA) flood plain maps that take effect July 16 and the subsequent flood zone ordinance
When FEMA released its preliminary flood zone designations, a large portion of the area surrounding Block Brook was incorporated into the flood district. After Mark Noonan, conservation officer and assistant planner for the town, reviewed the changes, he discovered that FEMA had referenced outdated maps, causing a larger flood zone than needed.
The council also approved Susan Pettazzoni, Town Council clerk, was reappointed for a two-year term beginning July 1.
The vote and discussing regarding the purchase of the Elks Property using $500,000 from the Free Cash account did not take place per an objection to the vote. It was decided that at-large Councilor George Kelly would meet with Neffinger regarding the issue and report to the council afterwards.
