06-22-17 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL
Minutes dated June 22, 2017
Meeting was called to order by Council President Cichetti at 7:30pm in the Auditorium of the Roberta G. Doering
School, 68 Main Street, Agawam.
Item A. Roll Call
ROLL CALL – 8 PRESENT, 3 ABSENT
Roll Call was taken with the following councilors present: Cecilia Calabrese, Council President
James Cichetti, Christopher Johnson, Gina Letellier, Council Vice President Joseph Mineo, Robert Rossi, Anthony Suffriti and Richard Theroux. Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault
were absent. With 8 present, there was a quorum.
Item B. Moment of Silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Council President Cichetti asked for a moment of silence and the Pledge
of Allegiance.
Item C.
1. TR-2017-27 (PH-2017-5) - A Resolution adopting the Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Operating Budget for the Town of Agawam (Sponsored by Mayor Cohen) - Motion to
Reconsider
Motion to Reconsider made by Councilor Rossi and Letellier and seconded by Councilor Calabrese. Councilor Rossi asked the Chair to please check whether it should be a Motion
to Rescind or a Motion to Reconsider. His thought is that a Motion to Rescind must be taken that same evening but that a Motion to Rescind can be any time thereafter and requested a
ruling. Councilor Letellier made a Point of Information that in Robert’s Rules of Order Point 3 Section 35 stated it was a Motion to Rescind. Motion to Rescind made by Councilor Rossi
and seconded by Councilor Suffriti. The vote was 8 YES, 0 NO, 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving the Motion to Rescind.
Amendment #1
Motion to Amend Paragraph
#2 after ‘administrative transfer of funds’ add “not to exceed $1000.00” made by Councilor Johnson and seconded by Councilors Rossi and Suffriti. Councilor Theroux wanted clarification
that this was being treated as a new amendment and that in essence we were starting over. Council President Cichetti agreed.
The vote on Amendment #1 was 8 YES, 0 NO, 3 ABSENT (Councilors
Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving Amendment #1.
Cut #1
Councilor Johnson made a Motion to cut $25,000.00 from Admin Building electricity/heat Line item #11222-52110 which was
seconded by Councilor Rossi. Council President Cichetti asked for the vote. The roll began and then Councilor Theroux Charter Objected according to Section 2-9(c). He stated that as
a new member of the Council he does not believe that after six weeks of having the budget, the Council should be making cuts at the last minute. Councilor Rossi made a Point of Privilege
and asked if there was a question or a point to the Charter Objection being made by Councilor Theroux. Councilor Theroux stated this was not a “gotcha game” and he had a right to explain
his Charter Objection. Councilor Rossi thought it sounded like he was lecturing the City Council and asked him to make his point. Councilor Letellier made a Point of Information and
stated that according to Section 2-9(c), Councilor Theroux should have made his Charter Object prior to Councilor Johnson making his first amendment and cut and therefore he made it
too late. She also stated that if the Charter Object does stand, then we can always have another Special Meeting but that
either way this budget will be voted on and councilors will have a right to have their voices heard. Councilor Johnson agreed with Councilor Letellier stating it should have been done
before Barbara began the roll call vote. He also noted the Council just voted on an amendment to Paragraph 2, and the Charter Objection could have been in order if it was made at that
time prior to that amendment. Councilor Theroux stated that the issue for him is that the Council waits until the last minute and he will challenge the Chair if he has to. Councilor
Letellier asked for a ruling from the Chair on the Charter Object prior to any further discussion. Council President overruled the Charter Object. Councilor Theroux asked for a voice
vote on that ruling. Council President Cichetti called for a voice vote noting (after Councilor Johnson’s Point of Information) that a Yes vote supported the Chair’s position and a
No vote means we do not. The vote was 7 YES (Councilors Calabrese, Cichetti, Johnson, Letellier, Mineo, Rossi and Suffriti), 1 NO (Councilor Theroux) and 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas,
Cavallo and Rheault) supporting the overruling of the Charter Object. Discussion continued on Cut #1 with Councilor Rossi noting we have 45 days to make cuts and amendments. Everything
has to be done again because in effect we undid everything we did at the last Council meeting. We are well within those 45 days and well within our purview to review this and make cuts.
Anything beyond that is just pure obstruction. He said let’s get the job done. Councilor Letellier apologized for the other night stating that between the heat of the building and
the heat of the meeting, words got a little heated. She was disappointed that the Mayor was not in attendance because in the past when the Council has proposed cuts, he could address
them and we’ve been able to successfully discuss cuts. Carryovers and unspent amounts in her opinion were not addressed prior to the public hearing because you don’t ask in January
why you haven’t spent 50% of your budget because there is 50% of the year left. The reason you ask in June is because that is the last month of the fiscal year and that’s when you can
compare these printouts to the budget numbers that are proposed. She noted that according to the updated reports from the Auditor and with nine days left of the fiscal year, over six
million dollars has not been spent and $1.7million in carryovers and 11.8 million dollars in unappropriated Free Cash. As Councilor Letellier says everything year when there is that
much money in Free Cash, you are over budgeting, and she thinks the problem comes with responsibility and over budgeting. If the administration properly budgeted, then we could possibly
afford to hired the four firemen that are needed. Imagine how much of this could be used towards infrastructure, policemen, firefighters, ambulances, sidewalks, etc. The DPW Superintendent
stated it will take 92 years to repair all of our sidewalks. She would like to think we would be able to repair them a lot more times within 92 years! It’s not so much about making
cuts but more about responsible budgeting. The administration needs to prioritize. It’s too easy to say “I gave you a level funded budget”. With $6,000,000 left over and $1,700,000
in carryovers and $11,800,000 in Free Cash with nine days left of the fiscal year tells her that we are not setting priorities and not being fiscal watch dogs. Everything continues
to stay as it is and we keep allowing it to happen. Councilor Theroux might agree with some of Councilor Letellier’s thoughts and/or comments but again should have happened six weeks
ago. If councilors had issues, they should be brought up before not at the public hearing in a “gotcha game”. He still believes the Council is wrong regarding his Charter Object however
he notes the Council will do it this evening but the point again is if these cuts are made and I have no one to ask about that cut. This is not the time – he feels that time has passed
and that the process is absolutely flawed. Councilor Rossi answered Councilor Theroux’s question by noting that for the two meetings we had with the department heads, the Mayor was
noticeably absent and he was the man to ask. We had to listen to department head after department head after department head and the Mayor was not present. He should have been present
to ask those questions. The first time he was ill the second time he had other issues other than his budget and again he is not here tonight – that should answer your question. Councilor
Theroux stated it did not because he didn’t need to ask Richard Cohen the question – he would ask the department head – it’s the “gotcha game”. Point of Information by Councilor Johnson
noting we were voting on Cut #1.
The vote on Cut #1 was 8 YES, 0 NO, 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving Cut #1.
Cut #2
Councilor Johnson made a Motion to cut $50,000 from Motor Vehicle Maintenance Line Item #14903-52130 which was seconded by Councilor Suffriti. Councilor Theroux asked Councilor
Johnson to explain his cut which Councilor Johnson made a sufficient explanation as he also noted at the previous meeting ending in stating that instead of giving them $100,000 only
give them $50,000 as they had a sufficient cushion to account for any fluctuation in fuel.
The vote on Cut #2 was 8 YES, 0 NO, 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving
Cut #2.
Cut #3
Councilor Johnson made a Motion to cut $75,000.00 from Blighted Line Item #16602-57710 which was seconded by Councilor Suffriti. Council President Cichetti noted that
in a meeting with the Mayor, the Mayor asked the Council to compromise at $50,000.00. Councilor Johnson asked leave the appropriation at $50,000 or make the cut $50,000? Council President
stated the Mayor asked to leave the appropriation at $50,000 to which Councilor Johnson noted that would mean to reduce the cut to $25,000. Councilor Johnson’s personal opinion is that
this is not even necessary and that there is a mechanism created just for this reason and it shouldn’t cost the town any money however if the Council wanted to compromise, he was willing.
Council President Cichetti noted that the Mayor just asked that he bring this to the Council. Councilor Letellier noted that of that $100,000.00 budget, nothing was spent. Until seeing
some action in this blighted property line item, she can’t imagine giving him half of what he didn’t spend any of. Councilor Theroux mentioned that if the Mayor has asked for a compromise
then we should listen to it and he knew personally that there were some issues in “the hopper” and is favor of the compromise. Councilor Letellier asked him through the Chair to share
what “items were in the hopper” with the Council. She asked how Councilor Theroux had privileged information that the rest of the Council did not have. Councilor Theroux mentioned
he speaks to his son a lot and if she wished to find out that information, she could call the Building Department and ask herself. Councilor Letellier stated that she thought if he
had that information and did not share with his fellow councilors then he was not being upright. Councilor Theroux stated they can each have their own opinion. Councilor Johnson amended
his Motion to reduce the cut from $75,000.00 to $50,000.00 leaving $25,000.00 in the line item. He also noted that in the Mayor’s tirade in the hallway, he indicated that he wanted to
use the money as leverage to force people to clean up or demolish so Councilor Johnson thought $25,000 was sufficient leverage and this amended amount was seconded by Councilor Rossi.
The
vote on Cut #3 was 7 YES, 1 NO (Councilor Mineo), 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving Cut #3.
Cut #4
Councilor Johnson made a Motion to cut $150,000.00 from
Capital Improvements Line Items #16610-58949 for the Early Childhood Education Schematic and seconded by Councilor Calabrese. Councilor Rossi believed this cut was unnecessary and feels
this would save the town money by doing this. He doesn’t believe it is putting the cart before the horse. Councilor Theroux noted that of all the cuts that could happen this evening,
this is the one that should not happen. If the School Committee, voted this then we should not second guess them or the administration and will not support the cut. Councilor Johnson
stated as he also stated the other evening that he too supports the Early Childhood Center however does not support a schematic design. It requires eight votes to pass a bond. What
happens if we approve this and spend $150,000.00 on a design and then it doesn’t get the necessary eight votes to approve the funding for $10, $12, $18million to build it – then we have
just wasted taxpayers’ money to come up with the plans but never approving the funding to build? The Mayor should come before us with the appropriate bonding information and in his
opinion it is not appropriate to do it in this way. They are leveraging a Capital Improvement project without having the eight votes and his crystal ball does not work well enough to
know what will happen in the future. Councilor Theroux equated it to not buying a house without seeing what it would look like and believes this cut should be defeated.
The vote on
Cut #4 was 5 YES (Councilors Calabrese, Cichetti, Johnson, Letellier and Mineo), 3 NO (Councilors Rossi, Suffriti and Theroux), 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving
Cut #4.
Cut #5
Councilor Suffriti made a Motion and then withdrew it. Councilor Calabrese wanted to revisit Building Maintenance Line Item #11922-52110 that recommended $920,000.00 line item
and proposed a $200,000.00 cut which was seconded by Councilor Letellier. Councilor Johnson noted that the difficulty was not what was proposed but the massive carryover from the last
fiscal year. Councilor Johnson believes it to be an accurate projection. It is up to the Council now to not allow the massive carryover. Since Monday’s meeting, Cheryl (Auditor) has
charged off the fiscal year 2017 numbers against the line item from 2018 and re-credited the carryover amount. The problem wasn’t the amount requested; the problem was the massive carryover
from 2016 to 2017. If the Council takes $200,000.00 out of that line item, he is afraid that Doug won’t have enough to make the bills. Councilor Letellier asked Councilor Johnson through
the Chair if he was saying that the carryover was going to be closed out? She asked if Councilor Johnson confirmed with Cheryl if this amount will be closed off? Councilor Johnson
said if she does her job then yes, it has to and as Chair of the Finance Committee, I will ensure she does her job. Councilor Letellier said if she indeed does her job and the Council
ensures she does her job, then Councilor Letellier would take away her second. Councilor Calabrese removed her Motion.
Councilor Letellier stated there was still $6 million left over,
the carryovers and the Reserve Fund is only half spent, she proposed an across the board cut of $500,000.00 which was seconded by Councilor Calabrese. Councilor Johnson made a Point
of Information while he agreed with the sentiment; he stated the Council needs to make specific cuts to line items. Councilor Letellier thought the Council could make general cuts.
Councilor Theroux agreed with Councilor Johnson for probably the only time this evening. Again, six weeks we’ve had the budget, you want to make a general “I’m ready to go home” cut
off the top. It’s wrong. Councilor Letellier noted she was ready to stay all night and was in no rush however noting that only 45% was spent from the Reserve Fund and proposed a cut
of $150,000.00 from the Reserve Fund which was seconded by Councilor Calabrese. Councilor Theroux asked for further clarification of the thought behind that. Councilor Letellier stated
that only 45% of the Reserve Fund was spent with only nine days left in the fiscal year and she thought it was appropriate and we’ve done this before. The Mayor can bring supplemental
budgets in front of us if this is approved so if there was an emergency that needed attention, it could be dealt with that way. Councilor Theroux it seems without conversation with
the Treasurer and the Mayor and others, it shouldn’t be approved. Councilor Letellier also noted that the Mayor was not at the first budget sub-committee meeting. He wasn’t at the
second budget sub-committee meeting and was not in attendance this evening so if he was concerned, he’d be here and my colleague to your right was concerned about the state level budget,
she wouldn’t have seconded me. Councilor Theroux noted that the Mayor was in his office today, the Treasurer was in her office last week and the Auditor was present the other night
and he never heard this question mentioned. He mentioned he calls them and asks and also noted Councilor Calabrese’s comments on the state budget. Councilor Johnson agreed with the
sentiment but could not support the cut as it is there to support unexpected needs and the Mayor has to come before us. Councilor Letellier reiterated that if the Council did a supplemental
budget that wouldn’t tax the taxpayers and also responded that to date we had only cut $275,000 out of this huge bloated budget and would be willing to cut $100,000.00 out of Reserve
Fund. I don’t use these words lightly but she amended the Motion to cut $100,000.00 out of Reserve Fund and Councilor Calabrese amended her second. Councilor Theroux asked if Councilor
Letellier was aware that the town hall roof was not in there and Councilor Letellier noted that that was a capital improvement item. Councilor Theroux said he knows it would be coming
out of the Reserve Fund and asked if she was aware if you made a significant cut it could affect the town’s bond rating. Councilor Letellier replied that there was enough money in this
year’s reserves for the roof and was indeed aware of the bond rating and $100,000.00 was not a significant cut. Councilor Theroux also noted that the town hall roof was not in there
– Councilor Johnson made a Point of Information to correct Councilor Theroux to say that money was already out. Councilor Theroux stated that the Auditor told him that money was not
out. Unfortunately Cheryl was not present to ask her. Again, we could have asked during these past six weeks. Councilor Johnson made another Point of Information to state that once
the City Council approved the appropriation that money was moved and if Councilor Theroux looked at the printout in Building Maintenance Building Improvement Line Item, it shows the
transfer amount of $153,672.00 so it is not reflected in the reserve fund balance.
The vote on Cut #5 was 5 YES (Councilors Calabrese, Cichetti, Letellier, Mineo and Rossi), 3 NO
(Councilors Johnson, Suffriti and Theroux) and 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving Cut #5
Councilor Theroux moved the question to approve the amended budget
which was seconded by Councilor Johnson.
The vote on moving the question was 6 YES (Councilors Calabrese, Cichetti, Johnson, Letellier, Rossi and Theroux), 2 NO (Councilors Mineo and Suffriti) and 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas,
Cavallo and Rheault) moving the question.
The vote on TR-2017-27 as amended was 6 YES (Councilors Calabrese, Cichetti, Johnson, Letellier, Rossi and Theroux), 2 NO (Councilors Mineo
and Suffriti) and 3 ABSENT (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo and Rheault) approving TR-2017-27 as amended.
Councilor Theroux stated the issue still remains that we can do better and hopefully
next year we do better.
Item M. Adjournment.
The Motion to adjourn was moved by Councilor Johnson and seconded Councilors Rossi and Suffriti. Meeting was adjourned at 8:50pm.