New Legislative Council Gets Down To Business

By Jan Howard

The Legislative Council on Wednesday approved unanimously the authorization of the Building & Site Commission as the building committee for classroom expansion at Newtown High School, and the preparation of schematics and filing of a grant application for the project.

Funding of $400,000 for the project, which includes six new classrooms, was approved at the December 3 town meeting.

Following discussion, the council also unanimously approved a Parks and Recreation Commission request for an appropriation of $5,000 from the surcharge account to install irrigation on the infield of the Newtown Middle School baseball field. The Newtown Babe Ruth Baseball organization is spending approximately $16,000 to correct the drainage on the infield to make the field more playable. Currently, this field is totally unplayable for days after it has rained, according to Park and Rec.

Council member Fran Pennarola said a number of games have had to be canceled because of the wet conditions on the field. “The money is well spent,” he noted.

He said the irrigation system is necessary because the drainage system will remove existing water from the field.

Member Michael Iassogna said it is cheaper to properly maintain the field with irrigation than to replace grass because it has burned out from weather conditions or overuse.

The Legislative Council also unanimously approved its budget of $38,680 for the 2004–05 fiscal year, which includes $500 for dues and travel, $36,180 for the town audit, and $2,000 for legal services.

Finance Director Ben Spragg explained that the audit cost was increased because of a new reporting model being used. “It takes more audit hours to come up with financial statements,” he said.

In other business, the Capital Improvement Plan recently approved by the Board of Finance and forwarded to the council was referred to the council’s Finance Committee for review.

The council members also reviewed the responsibilities of their two major committees, finance and ordinance, and four minor committees, public works and recreation, education, administration, and public safety.

Appointed to the Finance Committee were Chairman Will Rodgers, Mr Iassogna, Joe DiCandido, David Brown, and James Shpunt. Ordinance Committee members are Joe Borst, Tim Holian, Peggy Baiad, Dan Amaral, Rich Recht, Mr Pennarola, and Joe Hemingway.

Three members were named to each of the four minor committees.

Since the Board of Finance hears budget presentations and looks at line items, the Legislative Council members said they no longer take an in-depth look at line items to avoid duplication of effort on the part of departments and boards.

However, member Joe Borst said, “I’d like to see the Board of Finance give more in-depth information on how they came to their decision. The Board of Finance is doing a good job, but we need more definitive information from them.”

Mr Iassogna said that instead of repetition in the budget process, a member of the council should attend the finance board’s meetings. “We could get a lot of detail at those meetings,” he said.

Chairman Will Rodgers said this was an excellent suggestion and would talk to Board of Finance Chairman John Kortze about a member of the council attending budget meetings.

The council also asked Mr Spragg to provide members of the council with a budget book for review purposes when the Board of Finance receives them. The council members also receive individual books from the Board of Education.

Mr Iassogna said he believes the council’s finance committee should focus more on the long term, including the Capital Improvement Plan. “We should understand what five years out is going to mean and where the Board of Finance is headed.”

Member Joe Borst has been named as the council’s representative to the High School Expansion/Academy Study Committee. As a member of the council’s education committee, he said he tries to attend Board of Education meetings so he can report back to the council regarding its activities.