06-23-2015 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETINGSPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL
June 23, 2015
President Johnson – Meeting called to order at 7:00pm. Special meeting was originally called due to the track bonding
emergency situation however we were informed after the posting of several emergency transfers that the administration could not properly plan ahead for so therefore it was re-posted
for Tuesday evening. The emergency no longer exists with the track so the meeting will continue to take care of the transfers.
Item A. Roll Call
ROLL CALL – 9 PRESENT, 2 ABSENT (Councilors
Cavallo and Letellier) Councilor Letellier was running late.
With nine present and two absent, there was a quorum.
Item B. Moment of Silence and the Pledge of Allegiance
Everyone
rose for a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Item C. Old Business
1. TO-2015-27 - A Budgetary Transfer Building Maintenance of $7,000.00 from Regular Permanent Salary
(#11921-51010) to Overtime (#11921-51030) (Mayor) (Referred to Finance Committee)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Cichetti and seconded by Councilor Suffriti.
The vote was 9 YES,
0 NO, 2 ABSENT (Councilors Cavallo and Letellier) passing TO-2015-27.
2. TO-2015-28 - A Budgetary Transfer for the Municipal Golf Course of $4,000.00 from Municipal Golf Fuel & Oil
(#65263-52130) to Municipal Golf Food & Service Supplies (#65263-52220) (Mayor) (Referred to Finance Committee)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Suffriti and seconded by Councilors
Cichetti and Mineo.
The vote was 9 YES, 0 NO, 2 ABSENT (Councilors Cavallo and Letellier) passing TO-2015-28.
3. TO-2015-29 - A Budgetary Transfer for the Municipal Golf Course of
$5,000.00 from Municipal Golf Equipment, Maintenance & Repair (#65262- 52030) to Municipal Golf Food Service Supplies (#65263- 52220)(Mayor)(Referred to Finance Committee)
Motion to
approve made by Councilor Rossi and seconded by Councilor Cichetti.
The vote was 9 YES, 0 NO, 2 ABSENT (Councilors Cavallo and Letellier) passing TO-2015-29.
Item D. New Business
Council President Johnson asked if there was a Motion to take the items
out of order. Motion made by Councilor Calabrese and seconded by Councilor Mineo. Let the record show Councilor Letellier arrived.
3. TO-2015-34 - Emergency Preamble for TO-2015-33
(Mayor)
Councilor Rossi wanted to what the emergency was regarding this transfer and why couldn’t they get it on our Agenda in time? Council President Johnson said he agreed that it
should have been planned for ahead of time and placed on our Agenda however they need money to pay the bills. Councilor Rheault asked for the Emergency Preamble to be read into record.
Councilor
Mineo pointed out there was a recent Health Department transfer and why wasn’t this included at that time. He supports it but wonders why they couldn’t figure this out before and avoid
an emergency. Council President Johnson noted that he thought there might be some transfers needed and had intended to ask the City Auditor but she did not show up at the Budget Meeting
and could not ask about transfers before the end of the fiscal year. He cannot excuse the delinquency in putting this on our Agenda but we do need to pay the town’s bills. Councilor
Rossi said he did not appreciate being held hostage. Council President Johnson said if there hadn’t been the track funding emergency, he would not have called a Special Meeting for
these transfers. Councilor Letellier said it seems as if we are spending an awful lot of time for a $3,500 transfer but
we’re here and the nurses have come to us before so it’s just something that has to be done. Councilor Mineo has no issue approving this – he was just making a point of the importance
of being prepared. Councilor Bitzas said there was no choice. Councilor Perry noted that there was a choice. Everyone is well aware of the nurses’ conflict and that it could have
been solved long ago but it was now back in the Council’s lap.
Motion to approve made by Councilor Mineo and seconded by Councilor Bitzas. Council President noted that since there were
ten councilors present, a two-thirds vote to pass would mean seven votes were needed.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Cavallo) passing TO-2015-34.
4. TO-2015-33 - A
Budgetary Transfer for the Health Department of $3,500.00 from Regular Salaries #15101-51010) to Temporary Salaries (#15101-51020) (Mayor)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Bitzas
and seconded by Councilor Letellier.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Cavallo) passing TO-2015-33.
1. TO-2015-32 - Emergency Preamble for TR-2015-35
Motion to approve
made by Councilor Rheault and seconded by Councilors Perry and Rossi.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Cavallo) passing TO-2015-32.
2. TR-2015-35 - A Resolution to increase
the authorized bond amount for the new track, field and school locker facility at the Agawam High School (Mayor)
Motion to suspend the rules on TR-2015-32 and move the item to New
Business made by Councilor Bitzas and seconded by Councilor Letellier. Voice vote unanimous. Motion to go into Committee as a Whole to hear from the track committee made by Councilor
Rossi and seconded by Councilors Cichetti and Suffriti. The Council went into Committee as a Whole and called upon Jennifer Bonfiglio to make a presentation.
Jennifer Bonfiglio stated
that there were originally three (3) bids received on this track project. The first lowest bid was withdrawn due to clerical error on their part. The second lowest bidder accepted
the bid and subsequently late on Friday afternoon. The third bidder was $1.3million higher than the second bidder and she believed his bid was high to account for the tight timeline
with the locker rooms. The committee thought it would be best to push the locker rooms/team rooms until next summer. It would be fiscally irresponsible to force the exterior locker
rooms into the timeline. The revised plan would be to go out to bid around October 1st which would give them a solid timeline to proceed as soon as the weather permitted. This made
them one year behind schedule but it is a more fiscally responsible plan. The track committee is in attendance if there were any questions for them. There is still the need for extra
funding to be approved by the City Council. Councilor Suffriti mentioned that the track committee worked very hard and now it’s more important to cross our T’s and dot our I’s and do
it right. Councilor Letellier asked how much of a cost would be incurred to move sports around during
construction. Jennifer explained that they had planned for moving sports during this Fall’s sports season and Dave Stratton, Athletic Director, said that transportation during the fall
is more difficult and poses an issue however spring is much easier. Chris Sparks had said he encouraged everyone to use School Street Park anyway however transportation is an issue
between 2:00pm and 3:45pm because buses are very limited as they are transporting students home from school. After 4:00pm it is much easier to find an available bus. Councilor Letellier
asked if we had budgeted for extra transportation and yes, Dave put it a budget request of an extra $5,000 which was subsequently taken out. LPVEC does not charge for a drop off when
the driver is done with his/her day and just going home. Councilor Letellier appreciated all of that information. Dave Stratton mentioned that the Athletic Department has a total of
$50,000 each year and is confident that the arrangement will work when the time comes – it is a smaller hoop to jump through in the spring as compared to the fall. Councilor Bitzas
thanked Jennifer for all of her great work and was sad to hear of the delay. Councilor Rheault asked again if there was a Clerk of the Works designated. Jennifer stated that they were
about to enter into a contract with someone when the bids fell through and thanked the Council for their support and willingness to meet. It will just take a little longer than planned.
Lou Conte thanked the City Council for being so supportive and Jennifer has been awesome but wanted better communication with administration and track committee stating that this was
not a smooth transition. Councilor Suffriti asked if the plan will be the same in October and Jennifer said the package is incorporated with four addendas plus a new timeline which
John Hammier, co-manager, added all the same just reverse the time schedule – do the fields in the spring, building locker rooms when school gets out. Councilor Rheault asked about
the lights for the ballfield. Jennifer said that added $415,000 so it was considered a big ticket item and subsequently rejected in the overall plan. The dugouts however are made of
prefab cement and can be picked up and moved if there is ever a new high school built and fields change locations. Lou Conte noted that it was time to fine tune this project and move
forward.
Motion to come out of Committee as a Whole was moved and seconded with a unanimous voice vote.
This item would be moved to Old Business on the next Agenda.
Item E Adjournment.
Motion to adjourn made by Councilor Rossi and seconded by Councilors Suffriti and Bitzas. Adjournment at 8:05pm