Councilors debate whether to bolster school funding

Here are some emails that flew around today among city councilors and others: 

From city Councilor Kevin Fuller to City Council and others:

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 11:20 AM

subject Budget Alternative

11:20 AM

As we move forward to adopt a budget I am troubled with one item I want to address to see if we can come to a resolve. The tension between the finance board and the Board of Ed is having a huge impact not only with its employee's but also with the students that we are educating to become successful adults. The rift is only going to hurt those students who's programs will be cut, it will not address any of the problems you may have with the Board of Ed. We need to look at the children and put our differences aside and not let them fall through the cracks of the economy. I suggest that we take  2.5 million from the rainy day fund to save Westwood academy and the other programs being cut because that money is their just for this type of situation, by doing this we can still keep a ZERO increase in the mill rate and it will be a win all around. But most of all it will be a win for the children that we are all responsible to give the best education possible and I for one do not want to let the children down. Thank you,

 Kevin Fuller

From city Councilor Ken Cockayne

 Wed, May 25, 2011 at 11:44 AM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

11:44 AM

Kevin,

I’m completely against this!  If we deplete our "rainy day" fund to much it will have a direct impact on our city rating as well as future bonding we go out for.  It is also Fund Balance policy not to be used for operating expense but for emergency or a one time use.  Using this money will be go directly against that policy and will be used for operating expense.

In the past the BOE has received the following increases.  2007 - 5.06%, 2008 - 3.40%, 2009 - 6.09%, 2010 - 1.40%, 2011 - .29%.  For 2012, the BOE has approx 2.5 million from Fed money that will also be used.

Also, as you know the City, nor the Council have any say as to what the BOE money is spent on or what they do with it.  It is the BOE decision to cut the programs not the City of Bristol.  At some point, the city leaders must say enough is enough!!!

Respectfully,

Ken Cockayne

From Fuller

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 12:01 PM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

12:01 PM (2 hours ago)

Ken, I do respect you position on this issue and agree we must be very tight with the budget, I also feel it is my responsibility to try to close this gap. I understand we cannot dictate how the money is spent but I feel the Boe Administration feels the same about their students. I am not sure that this would affect our rating and I feel this is a one time use and a emergency situation. I feel I need to stand up for our students and try to fund these programs. Thanks for you response Kevin

From city Councilor Cliff Block

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 12:46 PM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

12:46 PM

Ken,

 When the City side of the budget takes a hit some roads don't get paved or maybe the streets are not plowed in a timely matter or we don't fill positons that open, but when you cut the BOE budget 2.5 million from the base of last year you hurt our childrens education which can not be made up at a later date, it's lost!!

So as a city leader Ken I would hope you would reconsider your stand on this issue and realize the cost to our childrens education and future.

Thanks,

Cliff Block

From city Comptroller Glenn Klocko

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 12:51 PM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

12:51 PM

Councilmen/Commissioners: I feel I must respond. It may be a long response, but necessary. The city has a formally adopted fund balance policy. It is in our budget document under "policy initiatives".

 Now then, allow me to get to the point(s):

 First and foremost, this suggestion by Mr. Fuller would be a use of fund balance for operational expenses at the BOE. Our various city  opinion's that it is an appropriate use or it is not does not matter. What matters is the opinion of the three rating agencies, and they would say it is a use of fund balance for operational purposes...a no no. They would also say we are going against our own policy and nationally recommended practice, resulting in not so favorable comments to the market in two weeks. That has the likely affect to cost the city a lot of $$$ in terms of interest over the life of the 19 year $40 million bond issue coming up. Perhaps several hundred thousand dollars. This is our largest issuance ever, and not a time to change policy. The two new schools are in the issuance.

 Here are several direct quotes from our 3 previous rating reports in 2009 (last time we went to market) and given to the market place about Bristol and its reserves:

 Standard & Poor's: "S & P consider Bristol's financial management practices as "strong". The city's financial practices are strong, well embedded, and likely sustainable. Highlights include: Formal reserve policy that sets a floor for reserve balances and how fund balance can be used in budgeting" "In our opinion, Bristol's financial position is stable due, in part, to its demonstrated fiscal management. We believe the city's conservative budgeting, expenditure controls, and adherence to debt and fund balance policies have allowed management to maintain a stable financial position and strong reserves".

 Standard and Poor's upgraded us in 2009.

 Moody's Investors Services: "sound financial operations"..."conservative budgeting practices and adherence to prudent financial policies". Citing the following: "city's formal fund balance policy which calls for the maintenance of the Undesignated general fund balance at no less than 10% of budget." "Future rating reviews will incorporate the city's ability to maintain financial flexibility with reserves growing consistently with budgetary expansion through structurally-balanced operations."

 Fitch Ratings: "Rating rationale - a history of healthy reserve levels and strong management practices underpin the city of Bristol's sound financial flexibility." "Best Financial Management practices - Maintaining a Rainy Day Fund is perhaps the most effective practice an issuer can use to enhance its credit rating"

 Mr. Fuller, you were probably not aware of the above considering you're new(er) to the council. I would be happy to review the rating reports and recommended financial practices we have in place that maintains our strong credit rating at AA+. Triple A is the highest. The mayor, myself, my staff, and Jonathan, will be giving 3  credit rating presentations June 8th. Reserves will be a discussion by the agencies. Please understand we can not and should not ruin our solid financial reputation and rating with the analysts by giving the BOE our fund balance to satisfy their operational needs. That would not be defendable. 10 years ago we were using $3.6 million dollars to balance our budget. Today, the number is $750,000 with a goal of Zero. We told the rating agencies of our goal and they liked it very much. Going into a credit rating is like a gun fight...You got to consistently shoot straight to hit the target with them. Please continue to give me the ammunition to do so and not reverse 10 years of prior city accomplishments. Glenn

 Kind regards, Glenn Klocko, Comptroller

From Fuller

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 1:16 PM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

1:16 PM

Glenn, Thank you for the information and the last thing I would want to happen is our credit rating to be blemished, With that said we need to put our heads together to solve this problem of not funding the Board of Ed, I was at westwoods acadamey and the students at that school have grown by leaps and bounds. If it is closed those students will not rejoin the high school they will drop out and I hope at least get a GED. Look at the graduation rate at that school and how many went on to college, It is our duty to not let these students down. When these students look back I don't want them to remember us as the Council that let them down. So I urge all members to look at all options to find a way to fund the Boe.

Once again Glenn that's for you information on the fund balance. Kevin

From Mayor Art Ward

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 1:22 PM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

1:22 PM

I will reiterate, at the initial presentation of the BOE budget request, it was stated by Dr. Streifer and Mr. O'Brien that the BOE could withstand one year of 0% increase but could not take 2 years of 0% - this is the year that the Board of Finance decided that the option would  be exercised.

While I understand the significance of education, are you ready to incur the potential ravages of the impact of the lay-off of some of the parents of these same children?

The city has eliminated 40 positions through attrition and cannot absorb any more without the burden being sharedd, at least somewhat, by the BOE.

The options which they are employing are very disrespectful when they are suggesting to the parents that the city is to blame - the city/Board of Finance is being responsible with regard to the allocation of funds for ALL city services and the BOE needs to accept some of that responsibility.

Additionally, it would have been a lot easier to have addressed these issues during the budget process rather than after the Comptroller's office, all of the city departments and the Finance Board have rolled up their sleeves and sweated through hours and hours of meetings, only to be confronted with second-guessing of the outcome.

The Finance Board meetings were void of city council presence except on very rare and personal agenda motivated occasions.

Mayor Ward

From Klocko

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 1:27 PM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

1:27 PM

You are most welcome. I'm sure you didn't have my information available on fund balance useage to you in your decision process.  I'm sure we can work together to resolve the Westwoods situation. However, in my professional opinion (again), the BOE has to assist us in creating savings and saving programs. The BOF chairman and others have recently identified many area's in the BOE budget that give the impression of 'desired but not needed'...for instance...they budget over $200k for conferences, I believe there is a line item for BOE members to attend a national conference out of state and possibly on the west coast. The BOF chairman's observations have a possibility of saving or transferring the savings to the tune of $1.2 million dollars. Of course, the lowest levels of employee are being threatened but not some of the higher levels...they remain in tact. Just some observations..hope it helps. GK

From Cockayne

Wed, May 25, 2011 at 1:34 PM

subject Re: Budget Alternative

1:34 PM

Cliff,

 The BOE needs to be fiscally responsible.  This year they passed a new contract for supervisors and administrators giving a 3yr contract, 1.9, 2.5 and 2.5.  In this tough times, it does not sound to me as that is being fiscally responsible.  A couple years ago the teachers understood the times and voted on what I believed to be an appropriate contract, so yes, they did what was best for the children.

Again, it is not the City who cuts programs, its the BOE!  The City does not have an open checkbook that can be balanced on the taxpayers.  It's the BOE who will cut the programs as some continue to take raises.  I also understand the new contract has a provision for revoking the raises if necessary.....seems to me this is the time to do that.  Was it done?  If not, then why not?

 Ken

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Street lights stay illuminated, for now at least

A bid to save money by shutting off a third of the city’s street lights this year is stalled.
“Government just moves so slow,” said city Councilor Cliff Block, who proposed the move this winter as a way to slash electricity costs by more than $250,000 annually.
The immediate problem, city officials said, is that they cannot get updated maps of the lights from Connecticut Light & Power quickly enough. CLICK HERE FOR STORY
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

City Council debate, part 2 (District 1 continued)

Question re rail...

Fuller said the city needs to study to find out if commuters will even use it. He said parking is crucial.
The city also needs to look at "a tough subject" and make efforts to clean up Summer Street, where the station may be. People need "a veryu nice place to get off."
"The train is the future of our state," Block said.
Road improvements and buses "just seem to put more traffic on our streets," Block said, and rail is a way to get the cars off the roads.
Block said the cost of up to $100 million is worth it.
Rimcoski said he "would love to see a railroad" connecting Central Connecticut towns.
"But we have to face the facts" and recognize most cars have one driver "and you're not going to see these people flock to the railroads," he said.
He said that convincing people to use it won't be easy.

Q -- What can you do to attract new biz?
Rimcoski said, "We have to make them want to come here" with tax incentives, "a safe area," "a green area" and more.
He said Bristol won't attract a big industrial concern, but it can take in a number of smaller firms if we offer tax incentives.
Fuller said he agrees.
"Green technology is how we get the people here," Fuller said, with wind towers on the mountains so we can get lower rates.
Block said he agrees with both, but the city also needs to market the city more. He said the Bristol Developmen Authority should promote the city.
He said the city's zoning rules should also be business-friendly.

Closing statements --
Block said it has been "a trying year for all of us" because of the downturn in the economy.
"We do have bright spots in spite of the economy," he said, including Route 72, interest in the former mall site and more. "The groundwork is being laid for the revitalization of Bristol," Block said.
He said he has the experience to make the crucial decisions that are coming up.
Block urged everyone to vote.
Rimcoski said there is daily gridlock on Route 6.
"There may to be radical things done" to address the problem, he said.
He urged the mayor and City Council "to take more control" from department heads who are becoming "small little capitals in themselves."
Rimcoski said nearly half the city's employees live out of town. He said the city should try to hire Bristol residents.
"This year's going to be a very difficult year," he said, with service cuts likely. "This is going to hurt," Rimcoski said.
Fuller said he's qualified to serve because "the pulse of the community I think I feel" from talking to students, teachers and administrators.
"Times are ugly right now," Fuller said, and the city has to look at options and regional solutions.
He said "it's time to be a doer" and not a dreamer.
"It's time to make a difference,'" Fuller said.


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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

City Council debate, part 1

Eldianne Bishop has the flu. That is awful for her.
Now the three remaining candidates are going at it, without fireworks.
First, they talked about Route 72.
Then downtown...
"I'd like to see a traditional downtown," Rimcoski said, with buildings people can walk between.
He said the city has "to get buildings back on the tax rolls," "but don't look for an anchor store because it's not going to happen."
Rimcoski said we have to go back to the 1940s and 1950s motif.
Block said it will wind up a mix of retail and residential, part of a pedestrian-friendly downtown.
"It will have the look of buildings on upper Main Street," Block said. It will include barber shops, restaurants and small stores.
"It will not be another Route 6, but a place we can take pride in," Block said.
Fuller said we have to find stores that can make it over the long run.
He said ESPN should put up "a small-scale ESPN Zone. ... It doesn't have to be a big one."
Fuller said officials also have to push for educational facilities there to help fill the gap for manufacturers.
"Let's sit down and see what's going to make this work," Fuller said.

Question about higher education.....
Fuller said he would like to see satellite schools at Depot Square or perhaps reuse of old industrial buildings.
He said we "should train the people in this town."
Students say they want to get out of town, but we can't let them get away. "Maybe we can keep some of these kids," with better training, Fuller said.
Block said Tunxis may need more space in Bristol and perhaps Briarwood College might be interested, too.
Rimcoski said Bristol has lots of skilled labor that isn't used to its fullest.
The sole Republican here said there ought to be more satellite classes in town -- whether in Depot Square or somewhere else -- where people can earn college credits toward a degree.

Question re marketing Bristol..
Block said the city's website needs an overhaul to help attract newcomers. "Ours leaves a lot to be desired," he said, and the city should invest more in it.
Fuller said the city needs to showcase its best face. It needs to "think out of the box" to promote itself.
"We want to be a leader, not a follower in this technology," he said, including pushing green power such as wind energy.
"We can lure in the people who are building these technologies," Fuller said.
Rimcoski said the city needs to market the city more on a state and national level, letting people know of the skilled help available here.
"We have to offer tax incentives" to companies to bring jobs," Rimcoski said. They're needed to get them in the door.
He said the city could pay firms that hire more people.
Rimcoski said the city has retailers, but it needs more manufacturers.

Veits, Block seeking reelection

City Treasurer Bill Veits is seeking a second term in the part-time post.

“I enjoy it,” Veits said. “I’m a numbers guy.”

Veits and city Councilor Cliff Block -- both Democrats -- recently declared their intention to run for reelection, resolving the last questions about the plans of incumbent politicians at City Hall for this year’s municipal races.

Veits said he loves working with the various departments in city government, serving on the Pension Board and overseeing “the girls in the treasurer’s office” who “basically do all the work.”

Block said he believes he’s making a difference on the council.

He said he hopes to stick around long enough “to spend some money one of these days” instead of simply figuring out where cuts should be made.

Veits defeated Republican Mark Anderson to capture the treasurer’s position in 2007 after the retirement of longtime Treasurer Patti Ewen.

Block took the seat vacated when longtime Councilor Art Ward opted to run, successfully, for mayor.

Also running in the 1^st District is Republican incumbent Mike Rimcoski and Democratic newcomer Kevin Fuller.

Veits is a a self-employed enrolled agent and income tax specialist with a business in Southington.

The treasurer serves a two-year term for a salary of about $5,000. Councilors, who also serve two years, earn about $10,000.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Block is running again

No surprise, of course, but city Councilor Cliff Block is running for reelection. He's a 1st District Democrat.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

A Korean War soldier, missing for almost 60 years, is coming home

When the Chinese army surged into Korea shortly before the winter of 1950 in a bid to salvage the communist regime, the first American military unit to feel the brunt of its attack hunkered down in the mountains and fought back with legendary fierceness.
Caught in the hail of bullets and bombs, a Plainville soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Lincoln Clifford May, lay among the mounds of the dead.
Declared missing in action after the Nov. 2, 1950 battle that wiped out most of his unit, May’s remains lay somewhere in Unsan, North Korea for the next 43 years.
But in 1993, the North Koreans handed over 208 boxes of bones from U.S. soldiers who perished in that bleak landscape.
Using DNA provided by May’s two nephews, Glenn and Cliff Block of Bristol, some of the bones have been identified after all these years by military experts as belonging to the long-dead soldier.
On June 26, May will be buried in a Plainville cemetery where many of the people the 22-year-old once knew are also interred.
“My uncle’s finally coming home,” said Cliff Block, a Bristol city councilor who was named for his uncle several months before the Plainville soldier vanished.
Glenn Block said that when he got a phone call months ago informing him that his uncle’s body had been found, “I cried like a baby in my office.”
Though Glenn Block has only the dimmest recollection of his uncle, he remembered his grandmother, Clara May, kept a framed photograph of her youngest son in his uniform on a table beside her rocking chair until her own death in 1990.
Cliff Block recalled that as a youngster, he would point to the picture and tell his grandmother, “That’s me before I died.”
Cliff Block said the long saga of his uncle’s return makes for “a great story,” but also a sad one because aside “everyone else is dead” for whom it would bring some peace except for he and his brother.
Glenn Block, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, said he wants a full military funeral for his uncle.
Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Class Peter Coppola, who is assisting the family for the Connecticut National Guard, said that funerals for soldiers whose remains are recovered decades after their deaths are “a rare event” and will be done right.
“This is kind of a chance to make it right,” said Glenn Block.
May arrived in Korea in August 1950 with U.S. forces who made a desperate stand to prevent the entire peninsula from being overrun by communist forces.
He was wounded near Pusan by a grenade the following month, Cliff Block said, but recovered enough to join his unit pushing north toward the Chinese border.
According to an old newspaper clipping, May carried shrapnel in his back as he headed out, sending a letter to his mother insisting he was no longer in danger.
The day before his death, the clipping said, May wrote to his fiancée in New Britain, whom he had planned to marry in October 1950, to say he was going out on “a big push.”
That was the last time anyone at home heard from him.
May, called “Cliff” by friends and family, enlisted in the Army in 1948. He became a military police officer and served in Georgia, New Jersey and Massachusetts before getting shipped out to Korea.
After his death, the Army sent the family his possessions -- a cap, an MP armband and tiny jackknife. They also sent two medals, a fraction of what he earned. Coppola said he’s working on getting the rest.
Glenn Block said he hopes is uncle’s story will make people think about the sacrifices that the military can require.”We’re talking people here who gave all. It’s that simple,” he said.
The remains of more than 8,000 Korea War soldiers have not yet been recovered, according to the Department of Defense’s office for prisoners of war and missing personnel
The O’Brien Funeral Home in Bristol is handling the arrangements. A wake is planned but hasn’t been finalized. The funeral is scheduled for Friday, June 26 at Plainville’s West Cemetery.
For details of the battle at Unsan, where May perished, please see this PDF of a military report on it.

And to find out how the military identified May's remains, see this PDF report.

Here is a news clipping from the Plainville News sometime after the Department of Defense proclaimed May as killed in action.

Timeline
1928 - Lincoln Clifford May born in Plainville
1948 - May joined the Army
1950 - May died in Korea
1993 - Unidentified remains returned by North Korea
2003 - May’s remaining relatives provided DNA samples
2008 - Military identified May’s remains
2009 - Burial planned in Plainville

Korean War Remembrance Day
The city’s Korean War veterans are marking the 59th anniversary of the start of the war with a ceremony on Memorial Boulevard at 11 a.m., Thursday, June 25.
The ceremony will feature Bristol veteran Frank Parker talking about his experiences in combat during the Korean War in 1950 and 1951,
A luncheon follows at the American Legion hall on Hooker Court. Korean War veterans are invited to attend.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Councilors refuse to cut own pay

Faced with the chance to freeze or cut the salaries of the city’s elected officials this week, city councilors did nothing.

Three councilors sought to impose a two-year freeze on pay for those elected this November, but three others voted against it.

The trio who opposed it said they want to see a pay cut instead, an idea that couldn’t muster support from the three who backed a freeze.

One city councilor, Democrat Craig Minor, missed the meeting.

But it’s not clear which way he would have gone.

“I need to know more before I make a decision,” Minor said Wednesday.

The city’s Salary Committee recommended freezing the pay of elected officials for the next term, a move that hasn’t been done in years.

But city Councilors Cliff Block and Ken Cockayne said they want to see salaries cut back by 3 percent for the mayor, city councilors, treasurer and Board of Assessment Appeals members.

Block said that officials had no idea “the sky was going to fall” on the economy last year when they agreed to hike elected officials’ pay by 3 percent in 2008. Reeling it back down, he said, would set the right example for the rest of city government.

Cockayne said that Bristol’s leaders should show “they are willing to take a cut” and not just hold the line on increases.

Three officials – Mayor Art Ward and city Councilors Frank Nicastro and Mike Rimcoski – said that freezing pay was the right move for the times.

Nicastro told Ward that as the city’s leader, he earns his money.

“You’re far from the highest paid” municipal worker, Nicastro told the mayor, pointing out that the Top 50 earners all raked in substantially more than the mayor.

City Councilor Kevin McCauley said he didn’t think the council could take up the idea of reducing pay because the salary panel had been told to consider a freeze. He said the committee should have a chance to reexamine options.

The issue is likely going to be taken up again at the May council meeting. If nothing is done, though, the pay would remain the same for the next term.

The city is obligated to set the salary for elected officials before the municipal elections so that voters will know how much the people they choose will earn. The pay rates can’t be changed mid-term.

Rimcoski told Block that he had a chance to freeze pay, but refused.

“I hope you enjoy your 300 extra bucks, Mike,” Block responded.\

Current pay for city leaders

Mayor - $102,025

City councilors - $10,156

City treasurer - $5,079

Board of Assessment Appeals chair -- $1,343

Board of Assessment Appeals - $1,140

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

City's politicians freeze own pay, but reject effort to cut their salaries

City councilors plan to freeze the pay of Bristol’s elected leaders for the next two years, but a committee turned back an attempt to reduce salaries instead.

The three-person Salary Committee recently backed a pay freeze that would lock in this year’s salary levels through 2011.

City Councilor Frank Nicastro, who chairs the salary panel, said the freeze would send a message to taxpayers and municipal workers that Bristol’s elected leaders are ready to set an example for the sacrifices needed to get through the economic crisis.

But city Councilor Cliff Block said he would prefer to slice the pay levels by 3 percent so that election officials would make what they did in 2008.

Block argued that when the 3 percent raise for this year was set back in 2007, “we didn’t know the world was coming to an end in ’08.”

He said that nobody would have supported that increase had they known so much turmoil and heartache lay ahead.

Block said a pay cut would send an even stronger message than a freeze.

But Nicastro and the panel’s other member, city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, said that a pay freeze was enough.

Nicastro said that he’s not running for reelection so the money doesn’t matter to him at all. He said this simply a matter of conscience and fairness.

“We had a chance to make a statement,” Block said, “but I got outmaneuvered by the two older gents.”

Block said that Ward, the only elected leader to earn full-time pay, would lose about $3,000 a year the council backed a 3 percent cut.

“Art doesn’t need that other 3 grand,” Block said.

Rimcoski said he would go along with letting officials have the option of taking less money, if that’s possible.

Block said that taking less money themselves would perhaps help with efforts to push for the city’s unions to accept cuts.

But Nicastro and Rimcoski said there is no way that municipal unions would ever agree to a pay cut. A freeze, they said, is possible. But a pay cut goes too far, they said.

“I want a pay cut,” Block said.

In committee, Block was the only one to vote for the 3 percent cut. He did not join Nicastro and Rimcoski in voting for the freeze instead.

Rimcoski, the salary panel’s only Republican, said he favored a freeze because that’s what Mayor Art Ward asked the panel to do.

Nicastro said that he wouldn’t necessarily object to cutting the pay for councilors and the mayor, but it would be wrong to slice the pay of the treasurer or Board of Assessment Appeals members who earn so little now.

But the difference is minimal.

A Board of Assessment Appeals member would make $1,140 for the next two years if pay is frozen. It it’s cut 3 percent, he would get $33 a year less.

The treasurer would earn $296 less over the two years if his pay were cut 3 percent.

The Salary Committee’s pay freeze proposal heads to the council in March, where it’s possible another effort to cut the pay of elected officials may be made.

Current pay for city leaders

Mayor - $102,025

City councilors - $10,156

City treasurer - $5,079

Board of Assessment Appeals chair -- $1,343

Board of Assessment Appeals - $1,140

*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

The funny case of Henry Raymond's car repair tab

This story has been updated with comments from Henry Raymond and the members of the city's Claims Committee. Please see the end for city Councilor Craig Minor's comments, too.

Back in December, Henry Raymond III drove a 2000 Audi Quattro across the new highway construction on Lincoln Avenue, hitting a bump that managed "to puncture a hole in my oil pan" that caused the oil to drain all over his driveway.

The damage necessitated the towing of the vehicle to a repair shop, according to a December 16 claim that Raymond submitted to City Hall.

Raymond asked for reimbursement for the $470.60 repair tab because poor conditions on a city road caused it.

What typically happens in these sorts of cases is that they are investigated by the appropriate agency and then the tab is, if justified, paid.

First stop for the claim was a three-person Claims Committee that consists currently of city Councilors Mike Rimcoski, Ken Cockayne and Cliff Block.

Raymond said that Rimcoski told him to come in and bring pictures.

The panel took a look at the claim and rather than sending it on to the state Department of Transportation, which would probably bear responsibility since it's building the highway there, it opted to pay Raymond his money.

“He gave a very strong case,” said Rimcoski, who chairs the panel.
Raymond said he told the chairman, “I don’t want any special favors.”

The committee decided to pay the claim on a 2-1 vote, with Block in opposition.

“It was not a city claim,” Block said. “It’s obvious.”

“In these times, I do not feel like giving our money away,” Block added.

Raymond said he felt betrayed by Block, who told him to his face that he deserved the money but voted against giving it to him after Raymond left the session.

The claim payment was included among the items listed on the consent agenda for January's City Council meeting, which is generally reserved for things that nobody has a problem with. They are routinely passed unanimously.

Had that happened, Raymond would have received the money he asked for.

But at the council meeting, Rimcoski said he wanted the claims removed from that part of the agenda, opening the door to discussion of it in more detail and the potential of an up or down vote on the money for Raymond.

He didn't say why, but once the item got yanked off the consent agenda, it was promptly sent back to the Claims Committee on a unanimous vote.

“Questions were raised,” Rimcoski said, so he agreed to reconsider the issue. “Rather than have any questions raised, we moved it back to committee.”

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, councilors unanimously agreed to forward Raymond's bill to the state, which may pay it.

Cockayne explained his changed vote as a way to correct a mistake.

“I didn’t have my facts correct” the first time around, Cockayne said. “We corrected the erred decision” when the claims panel got another chance to look into it, he said.

Rimcoski said that if Raymond was the first person to complain about the bump, he might get shut out. It seems that the state – and city, too -- will probably pay if it already had reason to know about the problematic spot.

Adding to the speculation surrounding this issue is that Raymond, who's considered a genuinely decent guy, is a Republican stalwart.

So, too, are Rimcoski and Cockayne.

Block is a Democrat, as is the rest of the City Council.

But was there an attempt to do a political favor? That’s not clear.

Raymond’s claim appears typical and there’s no indication he did anything wrong.

But the committee’s handling of the case was, at least, unusual.

Yet in the end, Raymond didn’t get any money from the city and, so far, hasn’t gotten any from the state either.

He said he doesn’t see a problem of any sort – except for partisan politics getting in the way of serving the people.

“They’re just trying to hit the Republicans,” Raymond said. “This is what’s wrong with politics.”

“Let’s stick to the real issues. Let’s work like we should for city taxpayers,” Raymond said.

Update on Thursday:
Just to make sure the whole picture is available, I called city Councilor Craig Minor, who wound up calling back and talking to reporter Jackie Majerus.
Minor said that city Councilor Cliff Block called him after the Claims Committee met last month.
"He was troubled by something that had occurred and wanted to talk to me about it," said Minor.
Minor said claims panel had a longstanding practice of not paying out on the first claim about a pothole or other road problem. Using that logic, if it happened a second time, a claim might be paid, because the city would have been on notice of a problem.
But the first person to encounter it is simply out of luck.
"Our position is, we didn't know about it," said Minor.
Henry Raymond was the first to report that particular problem on Lincoln Avenue, said Minor. Had the committee followed its normal process, it would have told Raymond, sorry, but the city isn't paying.
"In this case, they approved it anyway," said Minor. "For some reason, they didn't follow the procedure in this case."
After speaking with Block, Minor said he phoned Councilor Ken Cockayne, leaving him a message.
He got a call back from Councilor Mike Rimcoski, said Minor, who defended paying Raymond's claim. [Cockayne said that he called Rimcoski, the chairman, to tell him about Minor’s interest.]
Minor said he told Rimcoski that if Raymond's claim went on the claims report for automatic payment, he would object.
As a result, "Mike took the Henry Raymond claim off the report," said Minor.
Rimcoski invited Minor to the next Claims Committee meeting, Minor said. At the meeting, the committee revisited Raymond's claim, Minor said, and reversed its initial decision.
The fact that the incident with Raymond's car happened on a state project, said Minor, complicates things. He said the claim belonged with the state or its contractor, where the committee ultimately advised Raymond to take it.
"It wasn't our fault in the first place," said Minor.
As for whether Cockayne and Rimcoski were doing a favor for a friend by initially approving Raymond's claim, Minor said he couldn't know what they were thinking at the time.
"That's not for me to say," said Minor.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Rimcoski, Block likely to see relection; McCauley's plans unknown

Two veteran Democrats plan to step down as city councilors this year.
Both Frank Nicastro and Craig Minor, who hold the 3rd District’s two seats on the council, said they’re not going to seek reelection to the part-time position this fall.
Nicastro, who also serves as the 79th District’s state representative, said he is “too busy in Hartford” to continue dividing his time between municipal and state issues.
Minor, a three-term incumbent, said, “Six years is long enough. It’s time for new ideas and new blood.”
Among the rest of the six-member council, three said they are at least leaning toward another political race this year.
Both Republican Mike Rimcoski and Democrat Cliff Block – the 1st District’s councilors – said they are inclined to run for reelection.
Freshman Republican Ken Cockayne in the 2nd District said he’s going to file papers soon to run for office this year – but he wouldn’t say which one. There’s been some speculation that Cockayne might run for mayor, but most expect him to seek another council term.
The only other member of the council, Kevin McCauley, declined to comment on his plans.
Rimcoski, who served on the council in the early 1990s, said he’s leaning toward a run for a third consecutive term. But he’s not sure it will be as much fun.
“I’m going to miss Craig because I won’t have anyone to pick on,” Rimcoski joked.
Block said he’s “considering running again” for a second term from the northeastern Bristol district where Mayor Art Ward also lives.
Minor said in December that he notified the Democratic Town Committee recently about his decision to give up his 3rd District seat so it would have plenty of time to recruit and vet a good candidate to take his place.Minor said that letting people know early on “removes the drama” that so often surrounds political decisions.“I don’t like drama and I think a lot of politicians do,” Minor said.Minor, who works as the town planner in Cromwell, said he wants to devote his attention to a few issues he cares deeply about instead of taking on whatever his council duties require.“This way I can expend my free time on the specific issues that I care about,” Minor said.The councilor said he’s not ruling out a future political run “but certainly not in the near future.”Minor said he doesn’t think that telling people of his decision will weaken him politically in the months ahead.“I’ve always worked well with the other people on the council” on both sides of the aisle, he said, and he’s sure that will continue.Nicastro is in his second consecutive term as a 3rd District councilor, a position he sought after taking a two-year break following a decade in the mayor's office. He served for three terms as one of the district's council members before winning the city's top job in 1993.Nicastro has served in the state House since knocking out longtime incumbent Democratic state Rep. Kosta Diamantis in a hard-fought 2006 primary. He won reelection to the state post last year.With the decision by Nicastro and Minor to depart from the council, the Democrats will have two open seats in the 3rd District.
Among the likely contenders for Democratic backing are Terry Parker and Charles Cyr, though there are surely others with an interest as well.
Councilors earn about $10,000 annually and serve two-year terms. The positions often serve as a jumping off point for mayoral contenders, since most mayors have served on the council before seeking higher office.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

No fees for city job seekers

A proposal to begin charging job seekers at City Hall a fee fell flat this week.
“There’s other ways we can save money,” said city Councilor Frank Nicastro, who heads the Salary Committee.
The salary panel killed the request because its members feared that imposing a fee for those seeking to take the police and fire tests – the first step toward getting a public safety position in Bristol – could potentially keep good people from coming forward.
Personnel Director Diane Ferguson said that charging about $12 an applicant would bring the city about $2,000 annually, an idea she said was spurred by Mayor Art Ward’s request that department chiefs look for ways to bring in new revenue to cover costs.
Many municipalities in the state charge fees for entry level police and fire tests, Ferguson said, including West Hartford, which imposes a $20 charge; New Britain, which asks for $35; and Waterbury, which socks residents for $75 and out-of-towners for $100.
City Councilor Mike Rimcoski suggested that if Bristol opted to begin imposing fees, it should ask for $10 from residents and $15 from those hailing from other towns. He said it would probably average out to about $12 per applicant that way.
Ferguson said there are about 100 applicants annually for firefighter jobs and usually a bit less for police positions.
Hitting them up for the expenses involved would be “a way to cover some of the costs for the testing,” Ferguson said.
City Councilor Cliff Block said that he worries that if the city begins requiring a fee, some qualified people won’t bother to apply.
“I don’t want to deter anyone,” Block said. “I’d like as many people tested as possible so we get the best and the brightest.”
Block said that the $2,000 or so the city might get from test-takers is “not going to make much of a difference in the budget.”
“Not the way you vote,” Rimcoski responded.
But Rimcoski agreed that the $2,000 the city might gain is “peanuts” in the big picture.
Nicastro said he had “mixed feelings” about the issue, but that Block had made a good argument for leaving the system the way it is.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Hiring locals not as easy as it sounds

Changing hiring rules at City Hall to make it easier for Bristol residents to get entry-level jobs may be harder than supporters realized.
The top problem may be that it’s not easy to determine where somebody lives.
“It’s difficult to police,” said Personnel Director Diane Ferguson. “I don’t know how you’re going to know.”
It would be relatively easy, officials said Wednesday, for somebody to use a Bristol address on a job application for a municipal position.
Beyond that, Ferguson said, it isn’t clear just how the city could give its residents a leg up in the process.
Towns that offer their residents a boost in seeking jobs usually give them extra points on a Civil Service scale, she said. But Bristol doesn’t use that system in its hiring.
So it isn’t obvious how officials could provide a built-in advantage for residents without revising the entire hiring system.
The city uses a 100-point scale in grading applicants for police and fire jobs, officials said, and because of that it has been able to offer veterans an extra 5 points on top of their test scores, perhaps propelling some job seekers into contention for a position.
But other city positions, including the custodial and public works spots that city Councilor Mike Rimcoski is aiming to hand to Bristol residents, are not filled using a point system.
Ferguson said that her office and the relevant departmental supervisors weed through applications to determine which ones are most qualified for the positions that are open.
The best of the bunch, officials said, are interviewed in person before hiring decisions are made.
Rimcoski said hiring locally would mean more money would be kept in the city’s economy.
But Councilor Cliff Block said that he would rather the city hire based on merit so that it gets the best employees possible.
“Cliff Block doesn’t want to give local people the job,” Rimcoski said.
Block fired back that if the city builds two new schools and funds its education system properly, “the best and brightest” applicants will come from Bristol.
Ferguson said about 58 percent of city positions are filled by Bristol residents currently.
“That’s lousy,” Rimcoski said.
“Because our schools are lousy,” city Councilor Craig Minor responded.
“You must have gone to them,” Rimcoski fired back.
The Salary Committee agreed to consider the issue further next month.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Council plans to fight CL&P

The city plans to fight for more than $380,000 it says Connecticut Light & Power owes it for past billing mistakes.
City Councilor Cliff Block said he anticipates a long, hard battle to collect the cash for mistakes in old streetlighting bills, but “the payoff at the end is going to be significant.”
"We feel we've got hard case evidence" to prove it, city Councilor Mike Rimcoski said, and officials intend to fight for every penny.
Councilors unanimously agreed to give officials and Municipal Energy, the consultant helping find the billing errors, another 45 days to search for more mistakes and then to launch a legal fight to get the money.
The utility company has admitted that it made mistakes. It offered the city $86,000 in compensation.
But Municipal Energy tapped into a wealth of public works records to argue that Bristol is actually owed at least $380,000.
The consultant stands to make about $55,000 if the city’s claim holds up, which would leave taxpayers with about an extra $240,000 if the city can win the case that Municipal Energy helped it make.
The city hired the firm a year and a half ago for $10,000 plus 15 percent of whatever the city earns above $86,000 from taking on the utility giant.
Bristol is one of about 50 towns and cities challenging the payouts that CL&P offered and the state Department of Utility Control approved.
Block said that Bristol, which may have the most records to prove its case, is setting the pace in taking on the power company.
He warned, though, that nobody should expect to see any money soon. He said there is “going to be a heck of a fight” with CL&P because the utility stands to lose millions if Bristol can thwart its initial offer, since it would likely open the door for other cities to collect bigger checks, too.
Rimcoski said the city is going to try to enlist Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s support for its quest for cash that officials say Bristol deserves.
"We're holding our ground," Rimcoski said.

Here are a number of reports from Municipal Energy that lay out in detail what's at the root of the controversy. The company's president, Ken Johnson, kindly provided the documents today at my request.

Municipal Energy Report to the Streetlight Committee (April 3, 2008)

Energy's Bristol's Refund Calculation Summary

Municipal Energy New Found Report on March 2, 2008

Municipal Energy New Found Lights (March 7, 2008)

Municipal Energy's New Found spreadsheet

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Pooper scooper proposal goes to public hearing

A public hearing on the proposed pooper scooper law has been slated for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25 at City Hall.
Normally, the council waives the reading of proposed ordinances, but tonight, rookie Councilor Cliff Block refused after hearing from his colleague Craig Minor that "the word feces appears in here liberally."
Since Block voted against waiving the reading, he volunteered to read it.
The proposal would generally bar dog owners from allowing excrement on anybody else’s property. The proposed fine would be $25.
Hopefully, I can post the language on here soon.

Update - Thanks to Councilor Craig Minor, here's the text:

CITY COUNCIL MEETING June 10, 2008

ORDINANCE COMMITTEE


MOTION TO INTRODUCE AMENDMENT REGARDING PICK-UP AND DISPOSAL OF DOG WASTE. FINE.


In accordance with Section 21(f) of the Charter of the City of Bristol, I hereby MOVE that the following proposed amendment to the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 4, Animals and Fowl, adding a new section 4-3, be INTRODUCED. I FURTHER MOVE that a public hearing be held thereon by the Ordinance Committee of the City Council on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the First Floor Meeting Room, City Hall, 111 North Main Street, Bristol, CT. (Words to be added are underlined):

4-3. Pick-up and disposal of dog waste. Fine.

(a) An owner or keeper of any dog, while said dog is on public property, including highways and sidewalks, or on any private property not owned or controlled by said owner or keeper, must carry on his person a means to pick up feces deposited by said dog. A plastic bag or other container shall meet this requirement.
(b) Any owner or keeper of any dog that defecates upon any public property, including highways and sidewalks, or upon any private property not owned or controlled by said owner or keeper, shall immediately pick up said feces and thereafter dispose of same as otherwise required by this code of ordinances
(c) Any person violating any requirement of this section shall be guilty of an infraction and fined $25.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

City budget passed after two-hour standoff

The city has a budget, but it wasn’t easy.
On six different budget votes Monday during a joint session of the Board of Finance and City Council, officials split right down the middle, racking up one 7-7 tally after another.
“We’re spinning our wheels, people,” said Janet Moylan, a finance commissioner who tried unsuccessfully to find middle ground.
“It’s a farce,” said Finance Chairman Rich Miecznikowski.
In the end, though, a first-term city councilor, Democrat Cliff Block, found the key to resolving the increasingly frustrating two-hour long standoff, proposing some minor additions to a spending plan that Mayor Art Ward created in a bid to pare the proposed tax cut.
The $170.9 million dollar budget approved on a 9-5 vote will hike property taxes by 1.04 mills, or $1.40 per thousand dollars of assessed value.
The fight was mostly about that 40 cents tacked on to the mill rate hike, which Block pushed in order to pump another $100,000 into education, $30,000 into code enforcement efforts, $30,000 into community promotions such as the Mum Festival and a couple other small increases.
“It’s amazing, the elder statesman, even though he’s a freshman, has come through with the tiebreaking vote,” Block joked afterward.
There was, however, an element of a power play involved, with Block and two more senior councilors, Democrats Craig Minor and Kevin McCauley, opposing the mayor’s preferred budget until they were able to add in a handful of items they had championed.
Ward was among those who voted against the budget, opposing it even though it almost mirrored his own, with a relatively paltry $190,000 added back in.
The finance board had backed a $172.7 million spending plan three weeks ago that would have hiked property taxes by 6 percent, or 1.5 mills.
Ward said that after hearing an outcry from residents struggling to pay their bills now, he revisited the spending plan with department heads and the school superintendent, winding up with a new proposed budget that would have hiked taxes less than 4 percent, or .98 mills.
But Ward’s budget drew only a few votes because most members wanted either less spending or more.
Following that, a series of votes that basically offered the finance board budget and a one mill increase budget split down the middle.
“It’s obvious everyone has dug in their feet,” said city Councilor Frank Nicastro, a former mayor who wanted a lower tax hike. He said he’d never seen anything like this in two decades in city government.
“We’ve got to come to reality here,” Ward proclaimed. “I’m getting a little frustrated.”
At one point, Republican city Councilor Mike Rimcoski told the city clerk to “make a mistake on the count” and bring an end to the divisiveness.
When one official left the room briefly, the mayor joked, “Quick, he’s gone. We can take a vote. 7-6.”
But Block’s compromise drew the necessary majority at last.
Had finance commissioner Cheryl Thibeault been there the two-hour long stalemate would have been virtually impossible because she would have provided one side or the other the winning vote. She told colleagues she couldn’t make it because of her mother-in-law’s death.
In an email, Thibeault said she thought a property tax hike of about a mill was appropriate.
The new budget takes effect on July 1. It preserves existing programs and isn’t expected to result in any layoffs.

This will give you a flavor of the 7-7 votes:

Vote on the Final Budget

YES: John Smith, Don Soucy, Rich Miecznikowski, Ron Messier, Kevin McCauley, Mark Peterson, Janet Moylan, Craig Minor, Cliff Block
NO: Ken Cockayne, Frank Nicastro, Art Ward, Mike Rimcoski, Roald Erling

First Vote on Board of Finance Budget (with 1.5-mill property tax hike)
YES: Cliff Block, Kevin McCauley, Craig Minor, Janet Moylan, Ron Messier, Don Soucy, John Smith
NO: Ken Cockayne, Art Ward, Frank Nicastro, Roald Erling, Rich Miecznikowski, Mike Rimcoski, Mark Peterson

First Vote on slightly revised Ward Budget (with one mill property tax hike)
YES: Art Ward, Rich Miecznikowski, Roald Erling, Mark Peterson, John Smith, Ron Messier, Janety Moylan
NO: Don Soucy, Ken Cockayne, Kevin McCauley, Frank Nicastro, Mike Rimcoski, Craig Minor, Cliff Block

Vote on proposal for budget with 1.1-mills increase
YES: Cliff Block, Janet Moylan, Mark Peterson, Rich Miecznikowski, Ron Messier, Don Soucy, John Smith
NO: Art Ward, Roald Erling, Frank Nicastro, Ken Cockayne, Mike Rimcoski, Craig Minor, Kevin McCauley

More details to come.


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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Cliff Block, on the spot

Whether a proposal to create a chief operating office at City Hall will die next month may come down to one man: freshman Democratic city Councilor Cliff Block.
Though a majority of the council opposes the idea of establishing the full-time manager suggested by the Charter Revision Commission, at least one critic of the idea is willing to let the voters have the final word.
That means that Block, whose views are unknown, could be the swing vote to decide if the plan falters immediately or if proponents will get the opportunity to try convince the public that political leaders are wrong.
As it is, only two of the six council members who have taken a stand back the city manager-lite recommendation of the charter panel. Three councilors and Mayor Art Ward oppose it.
However, Ward said Tuesday that even though the proposed chief operating officer "falls short" of the original idea of creating a city manager, he's willing to let voters decide whether to have it or not.
It isn’t clear whether Councilor Frank Nicastro, who opposes the position, would be willing to put it on the ballot, but two councilors said Tuesday they don’t want to see the proposal on the November general election ballot.
That leaves things in a muddle. What is clear is at least four of the seven councilors oppose the idea and perhaps as few as two members support it. Block could not be reached for comment.
However, one of the supporters of the plan, Republican Councilor Ken Cockayne, said that if the council refuses to endorse putting it on the ballot, he’ll try to gather signatures this summer to force a referendum on it anyway.
"We need someone at the helm who understands the finances," said Cockayne.
Cockayne said the mayor's duties are "so overwhelming that he doesn't have time" to supervise department heads to the degree needed to squeeze out savings for taxpayers by streamlining operations.
He said he's sure that a chief operating officer position would easily pay for itself.Cockayne said that even city councilors who oppose the post ought to be willing to put the measure on the ballot so the public can decide what's best.
"Let's keep our own personal views out of this," said Cockayne.
But second-term Democratic city Councilor Kevin McCauley said he's against the proposal to create a pseudo-city manager.Moreover, McCauley said, he won't support bringing the issue to a public vote.
McCauley said he favored looking into the idea of having a city manager, but isn't satisfied with what the Charter Revision Commission found.
He said that the new post would cost a substantial amount for salary and benefits, plus there would surely be a need for administrative support as well.
McCauley said that he believes the city's current structure, which relies on elected officials to set policy and a Board of Finance to keep a lid on spending, is working well.
McCauley said he's also dissatisfied with the educational and experience requirements the charter panel set for the job. He called them "a little too basic to truly get the qualified individual that the proponents would want."
He said that he likes giving the people the power to pick the city's leaders, or get rid of them.
McCauley said that he doesn't want to send the plan to the ballot because many residents wouldn't vote on it so the decision wouldn't reflect the community's true wishes.
"Right now, I'm probably more apt to vote it down" completely rather than agreeing to put it on the ballot, McCauley said.
City Councilor Craig Minor said he has always favored a town manager, "whatever they want to call it."
Minor said, though, "I am concerned that the qualifications" for the proposed chief operating officer "are lower than I think they should be, and I have asked the Charter Revision Commission to consider beefing them up."
"Regardless of how that turns out, however, I feel that the residents of Bristol should get the chance to vote on this." Minor said.
Ward said he believes the proposed full-time position "only created another level of bureaucracy at an increased cost to the taxpayers."
He said that instead of having a chief operating officer handling day-to-day management of city departments -- a plan motivated in part by concerns that mayors are too busy to do the job adequately - Ward said that giving the mayor an aide might be better.
Ward said that having an aide would give the mayor "the flexibility of deciding the manner of addressing the needs, responsibilities and commitments of the mayor's office."
Having a mayoral aide "has been bantered about in every administration since" Mike Werner, Ward said, but it's only been tried during Gerard Couture's two-year term in office starting in 2003.
Couture hired state Rep. Kosta Diamantis, a Democratic ally, to serve as his $25,000-a-year part-time aide, a move that soured some politicians on the concept.
When Bill Stortz took office after Couture, the part-time aide post vanished. It's no longer in the budget.
Though Ward doesn't want to see a chief operating officer at City Hall, he's ready to approve the Charter Revision Commission's recommendation in order to let voters have the final say.
"I don't have any reservation about this concept going forward in order that the populace has the final decision," Ward said.
City Councilors Mike Rimcoski and Frank Nicastro oppose the idea. Rimcoski doesn’t want to see it come to a vote, but Nicastro hasn’t taken a stand on that issue. Block could not be reached for comment.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Where will the city get the money to pay ESPN?

City officials said they’re not sure exactly where they’ll get the money to pay back ESPN the $890,000 Bristol owes for a tax mistake a few years ago.
But city Comptroller Glenn Klocko said it’s possible that excess revenues from the conveyance tax or other charges could cover the tab.
Prodded by city Councilor Cliff Block, Klocko said the city could also perhaps take the money out of its $17 million rainy day fund.
Klocko said that ESPN, which made an error in an inventory list that caused the city to collect too much in taxes from the sports giant, agreed to receive the reimbursement in two annual installments in order to minimize the impact on Bristol’s finances.
The certificate of correction requiring the repayment was signed by city Assessor Rich Lasky in early July, Klocko said, after auditors approved the plan.
That put the first payment into the current fiscal year and allowed the city to end the previous fiscal year at the end of June with a small surplus.
“We managed our process with the cooperation of ESPN,” Klocko said.
It isn’t clear why the problem didn’t come to public attention earlier. City councilors and the Board of Finance were told of the money due but at least some said it was downplayed to such a degree that they didn’t realize the magnitude of the tax refund the city would have to make.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne, who took office in November, said he was unhappy that nobody told him.
“I don’t think I should have to read about it in The Bristol Press,” Cockayne said.
When the situation came to the city’s attention in late spring, Klocko said, former Mayor William Stortz told him and Lasky to “handle it.”
He said they did, while keeping the mayor and finance officials informed of their decisions.
Klocko said that he suspects the city will have enough extra cash this year to pay ESPN without dipping into the rainy day fund or hitting taxpayers for it.
Block said the city could, if need be, borrow the money from the rainy day fund and then make a commitment to restore the funds over the next four or five years.
“We basically want to not effect taxes,” Block said.
Mayor Art Ward said the city is lucky that ESPN proved a good corporate citizen.
“We’re very appreciative” of its willingness to ease the fiscal crunch on the city, Ward said.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Hoping for cooperative spirit, but...

Mayor Art Ward said he hoped that city leaders would show the sort of bipartisanship "that I demonstrated in the appointment process," when plum assignments were handed out to councilors from both parties and to members who squabbled with Ward during the past two years.
This week's fight over committee assignments left the mayor disappointed but, he said, he still has hope that everyone will get along.
Ward said that he doesn't mind disagreement as long as it's done respectfully and to push a different idea about how best to serve the city.
The mayor doesn't believe that's what happened when city Councilor Craig Minor led a revolt against three park commissioners' reappointment in order to try to force Ward's hand into remaking the Park Revitalization Committee.
A week before the council meeting, Ward said, he met with Minor and Councilor Kevin McCauley and explained to them that he intended to appoint a new Park Revitalization panel at the council's January session. Neither of them objected, the mayor said.
On the Friday before the council meeting, Ward said, he spoke with McCauley and, again, no objections were raised to the plan.
Not until theTuesday afternoon of the council meeting did Minor express his wishes that a Park Revitalization Committee be created before the three park commissioners would get his vote for reappointment, Ward said.
By that time, he said, it was too late to name a new committee, particularly since councilors have made clear for a long time that they will only back appointments when they've had the names for a few days so they can consider them with care.
Ward said the move -- for which Minor had support from McCauley and Councilors Cliff Block and Ken Cockayne -- effectively turned three good volunteers into "pawns" in a political power play.
"We're crying out for volunteers" to serve city government, Ward said, and the council treated them as pawns. He called it "disheartening."
The three park commissioners were given a thumbs-up later in the council meeting when Cockayne switched sides after Ward vowed publicly to pick a Park Revitalization panel next month.
Ward said that if the rebels mean what they said later about not wanting to put volunteer board picks on the spot, he's sure the same standard will apply when he names appointees to the new Park Revitalization panel.
Though he would not say who might be in line for the panel, it's pretty clear that its membership won't match the lineup the committee had during Mayor William Stortz's administration.
Ward said he was particularly concerned to see that two of the councilors who initially opposed his park panel choices were freshen: Cockayne and Block.
He said the two never asked him anything about the three commissioners and never gave any indication they wouldn't support the trio of veteran volunteers.
"I'd be thinking about my conscience" if he were one of them, Ward said, because they had no knowledge of the job done by the people they turned into pawns.
Ward said that he hopes everyone will consider what they're doing more carefully.
"It all goes back to what I tried to do in the first meeting, to establish the need for mutual respect," Ward said.


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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Zoppo, Ken Johnson to serve on school committee?

Looking to fill two vacant spots on the West Bristol School Building Committee, the panel’s remaining members recently requested the city pick two prominent politicians to take the slots.
The panel is seeking the appointment of former City Councilor Ellen Zoppo and unsuccessful Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson to flesh out the panel tasked with finding a site for a new 900-student school in the western part of town.
“I think they’d both be excellent,” said Cliff Block, a freshman Democratic councilor who serves as the liaison to the Board of Education.
Chris Wilson, a school board member who serves on the building committee, said the two would be good choices.
Tom O’Brien, the school board member who has spearheaded the effort to build new schools in town, said that Zoppo has an expertise in the area that would be invaluable.
Block said there is nobody who knows the district, the schools and the players better than Zoppo, who served on the council for three terms before giving up her seat this year in an unsuccessful bid to capture the mayor’s job.
It is unclear whether Mayor Art Ward, who defeated Zoppo in a primary and Johnson in the general election, would back either of the two for the volunteer positions. But both contenders have substantial support on the council.
“It would be a great position for Ellen,” Block said.
Block said that Johnson is excited about the school plans and would make an terrific choice.
The West Bristol committee recommended putting a new kindergarten to eighth grade school on a former sand pit owned by Scalia Construction off Barlow Street this fall. But the council shot down the proposal and sent it back to committee.
O’Brien said he would like to see Wilson figure out if there are any sites that four of the seven council members could agree on for the new school.
The school board plans to open two new schools within the next four or five years and to shutter four older ones: Memorial Boulevard Middle School and three elementary schools: Bingham, O’Connell and Greene-Hills.
The other new school is tentatively slated to be built on the former Crowley auto dealership on Pine Street, next door to the existing Greene-Hills School. The old school would be torn down when the new one is finished.
City councilors may take up the school committee vacancies when they meet Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.



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