Council agenda 11/28
I've gotten the agenda for next Tuesday's Council meeting. My thoughts on the items included on the agenda are:
1. Discussion and action re: approval of agreement to purchase energy through CCM. This is an easy one for me. I'm expecting this will be a unanimous decision.
2. Discussion and action re: establishment of Sunday hours at the Cheshire Public Library. I want to know what the costs will be, but am expecting to support this. Personally, I don't use the library much. But both from my visits, as well as from the usage numbers I've seen, the library continues to get an increasing amount of use (6% per year is the number that comes to mind). So I know the benefit is there, I just need to see the cost. I'm expecting this to pass with six or seven votes in favor, two or three opposed.
3. Discussion and action re: approval of economic incentive for Sandbank Veterinary Hospital. My concern with this is less with this particular incentive and more with our townwide approach to tax incentives for businesses.
This really begs the question: will we ever see any substantive property tax reform? I haven't really investigated this beyond reading the local newspapers, but I have yet to hear any legislators define their version of "property tax reform."
But back to Cheshire, I'd like to see both a comparison of Cheshire to other towns and if there are any facts to substantiate the costs and benefits of the tax incentive program that is often offered by the town.
4. Discussion and action re: appointment of pool consultant. I'm willing to listen to the proposal from Parks & Rec, but I find it hard to believe that anyone can convince me to vote in favor of spending this $20k. I'm expecting that this will be another 8-1 pool vote, with me opposed.
5. Discussion and action re: approval of revisions to Personnel Rules and Regulations. I'm not yet sure what these revisions are.
6. Discussion re: land acquisition, executive session.
Tim White
Town Council, 4th District
UPDATE: I got the details for the proposed Sunday hours at the Library.
The Sundays would run from Jan 7 - Mar 25. The hours would be 1pm to 5pm. The known costs are as follows:
1 Supervisor @ $41.25 x 4.5 hours = $185
1 Children's desk librarian @ $37.50 x 4hrs = $150
1 Reference desk librarian @ $37.50 x 4hrs = $150
2 Clerks for checkout desk @ $14 x 8hrs = $112
1 Page @ $7.80 x 4hrs = $31.20
Total wages per Sunday = $629 + 7.65% Soc Sec = $677
Total wages for 12 Sundays = $8,123
There are some unknowns here, including some small revenues and miscellaneous "unknowns," such as plowing/shoveling and heating.
I still have some questions which I'll try to get answers to before Tuesday's meeting. (I can already tell that this meeting will be a long one. I certainly don't want to make this meeting go any longer than it likely already will... I have to get up in the morning to go to work.) Overall though, I think I like the idea of offering Sunday hours at the library.
6 comments:
Another waste of taxpayers money. A pool consultant will tell us nothing
new. We know the bubble needs to be replaced. We know the facility uses too much energy. All the Town wants from the consultant is validation we need a new building and we need to reduce energy. Without validation from an "expert" none of the Town Council members has the backbone to propose major structural and mechanicl changes to the building. In a nutshell, we are paying a pool consultant to buy balls for our Town Council members.
"we are paying a pool consultant to buy balls for our Town Council members" = Pool Study Group
Now replace the letters:
P
O
O
L
with the letters:
I
R
A
Q
No politician wants to make the tough decisions.
I agree...the pool consultant is a waste of money as they won't tell you anything you don't already know. And it's just a way for the council to later say that it was the "experts" recommendations that they're following. If things don't work out, the tc will point to the consultant as the one to blame. Anon. 1:00 pm is correct..the tc just doesn't have the balls to make decisions regarding the pool.
And as for the library and the Sunday hours...seems like a lot of money to me. People should be able to get to the library on Saturday if they need books. Save the over 8K and keep it closed on Sundays. Just because some towns may have Sunday hours doesn't mean we have to have them too.
AGREE..POOL CONSULTANT IS A WASTE OF MONEY.....TIM, IF THEY PUT UP A PERMANENT ROOF ON THE POOL, DONT YOU THINK LESS FAMILIIES WILL WANT TO SPEND A HOT SUMMER DAY THERE...AT LEAST NOW ITS OUTSIDE..THEY REALLY NEED TO GET RID OF THE POOL...SHAME BUT IT CANT SUPPORT ITSELF OR EVEN COME CLOSE....COUNCIL AFRAID OF ALL THE SWIM TEAM FOLKS RAISING A STINK...WELL THEY WON ALL THEIR TITLES WITHOUT A POOL OF THEIR OWN
Just watched the council meeting from 11-28. Was a bit disappointed at the rude reception one member from the public seemed to get from Mr. Hall. People should be able to voice their opinions without council members coming back with an argumentative response.
So it's official. We're going to spend $19,500 for this Aquatics firm to tell us how much more we'll have to spend to fix the pool issues. They're associated with USA Swim which is an organization that competitive swim teams pay dues to.USA Swim will also make recommendations on the pool problems. I hope the interests of the general public will be considered and not just the interests of the swim teams.
The library will also be open for 10 weeks this winter at a cost of approx. $10,000. It's a pilot program but I'm sure it will become a regular schedule of hours come the following year. No one ever likes taking away services (oh, except for bulky waste pickups). I guess 6 days a week being open isn't good enough.
How much more money should we spend??
The pool is an issue, no doubt, but there is a way to make it right. I do not know if the taxpayers will sign up for this, but hear this out. The Milford "YMCA" had a buuble for 20 yrs. Lost memberships and money, had to decide to fix it or close it. They decided to fix it at a cost of 4 million bucks. They enclosed the pool in a clear polycarbonate greenhouse, complete with air conditioning, dehumidification.The results are: decreased energy costs by 70% and that is without a fuel cell, increase of membership by 400%. The payback is in a few years. A spectacular facility. The walls and roof open during the summer hours, the polycarbonate provides UV protection from sunburn. They users love it. There is no concer or complaining about it is not an outdoor pool during the summer. Just so you know this idea and others were given to the Town Council, Park & Rec by the Energy Commission in a comprehensive 50 plus page pool report over two years ago. Rumor has it this pool report written by the Energy Commission was sent to the newly hired pool consultant. You tell me, what will we learn from the pool consultant?
Post a Comment