Board of Finance–REFERENDUM VOTE ON SCHOOL BUDGET-10/14/24-12-8 PM ALL Property Owners Can Vote

08/28/24

Attendance: Vice Chair Ned Bixler, Paul Collins, James Korner, Bob Valentine, Russell Murdock
(alternate) Pat Reilly (alternate) and Todd Carusillo First Selectman.  Excused: Chair Allan Walker, Scott Tillmann

The Board received and reviewed financial reports submitted by Debbie Franklin for July 2024 as well as Tax Collector Rebecca Juchert-Derungs’ July 2024 report. Robert Valentine expressed concern on potential over spending by the Recreation Department. 81% of their supply budget is being spent on My Rec software and internet services for camp and concert season. ”… we're not really watching our dimes here and dollars are flowing out the window,” Valentine explained. “And so we have budget items that are running over.”

The Board of Finance conducted a contingency report of departments and positions that are over budget to a combined overage of $67,866.82. Goshen’s Building Official was $8,905.12 over budget due to an increase in activity. Conservation of Health was over budget by $738.46 due to an increase in Litchfield County Dispatch 911 call fees. Elections was over budget by $1,163.62 due to an increase in registrar’s salaries, training, and meetings for upcoming elections. According to First Selectman Todd Carusillo, Goshen received $10,000 from the State of Connecticut to cover election training and early voting costs. Of that $10,000 fund, $6,400 remains. Employee Benefits was $10,935.85 over budget due to employee insurance costs exceeding initial expectations when the town’s budget was made for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The Land Use Officer was $2,356.90 over budget due to an increase in activity. According to Carusillo, 63 new homes are being built in town. The Goshen newsletter was $517.78 over budget due to an increase in printing and mailing costs. The town is receiving some revenue from advertisements in the newsletter but not enough to offset costs entirely.  Professional legal services was $12,097.42 over budget due to legal costs regarding issues with the book Gender Queer: A Memoir, and the 190 Sharon Turnpike property complaints the town attorney had to review.  Town building offices were $9,136.18 over budget due to increased Yucatech computer and telephone costs. Waste removal was $22,015.49 over budget due to increased tipping fees from increased trash production in town.

Following the discussion on the contingency report, Robert Valentine motioned to move a total of $36,715.15 from Goshen’s contingency account to offset the overages in the aforementioned departments and positions. Valentine additionally motioned to move $31,151.67 from a Public Works winter salt fund to offset overages for town building offices and waste removal. These motions were unanimously approved.

For the First Selectman’s Report, Carusillo claimed that pension funds sent to the Region 6 school district are missing causing Region 6 staff’s pensions to be underfunded. “Apparently, [the] last few years, the money that was supposed go to the teachers pensions, did not go in,” Carusillo explained. “...It's funded at 42% right now, but it's underfunded by $1,000,005.” Carusillo further alleged the school district took the pension fund checks to offset teacher salaries and other projects since 2007. Crausillo and other Region 20 First Selectmen will meet with Region 6 officials on Monday, September 16th to ask questions including the exact whereabouts of these missing funds. Carusillo and the other First Selectmen were supposed to meet with former Region 20 Superintendent Christopher Leone to ask questions about the district’s $3.65 million shortfall but Leone canceled the meeting. “Did not have that meeting,” Carusillo explained. Carusillo claimed Leone was told by his attorney that he cannot speak on the Region 20 issue for 120 days starting from July 1st. Goshen will have a referendum vote on approving Region 20’s proposed budget on Monday, October 14th at Town Hall from 12-8 pm. Valentine reminded residents that people who own property or a second home of $1,200 or more in the town of Goshen who are not electors have a right to vote in town on monetary questions.

Goshen Public Library will have windows replaced by Tuesday, October 15th. In May, Goshen Public Library Board of Directors President Henrietta Horvay told the board that eight windows need to be repaired in total. Replacement windows were first requested back in 2015 when it would have cost $6,000 for repairs but now they’re expected to cost $10,000.

Carusillo requested the Board of Finance to give Goshen Fire Company firemen an appreciation dinner in order for them to be “recognized” by the town and increase morale. The dinner would be arranged by the Torrington Country Club and cost $5,250. Carusillo will make a $250 donation but requested the Board to cover the other $5,000 cost. Irrespective of the overdrawn budget, Valentine motioned to move $5,000 from an unassigned general fund balance to a Fire Commissioners line item to cover the remaining costs of the dinner. Most of the Board approved the motion while Patrick Reilly abstained. The motion carried. Seth Breakell of the Board of Fire Commissioners thanked the Board and Carusillo for the appreciation dinner. No date for the dinner was set.