STATE OF CONNECTICUT
TOWN OF GREENWICH
EXPLANATORY COMMENTS
JANUARY 18, 2005
DEPARTMENT: Board of Education 0501ED01
REFERRED TO: Education Committee
VOTES: Board of Education 8-0-0
RESOLVED, that the Representative Town Meeting, having previously approved the establishment of the Hamilton Avenue School Building Committee, authorizes Greenwich Public Schools, in accordance with C.G.S. Section 10-283, to solicit schematic drawings and outline specifications, and to file a grant application for reimbursement of eligible costs for the Hamilton Avenue School construction project consistent with approved educational specifications.
EXPLANATORY COMMENTS
Construction grant applications to the Connecticut State Department of Education require resolution(s) from the local legislative body (not the Board of Education) 1) establishing a building committee, 2) authorizing at least the preparation of schematic drawings and outline specifications, and 3) authorizing the filing of this grant application.
The RTM previously approved the establishment of a building committee. However an additional resolution is required to comply with 2) and 3) above.
Attachments
None
DEPARTMENT: First Selectman December 22, 2004
REFERRED TO: Finance, Town Services, Labor Contracts Committees
VOTES: Board or commission name vote (y/n/a)
RESOLVED, that the sum of $6,600 for the fiscal year 2004-05 is hereby appropriated to carry out the terms of the negotiated four year collective bargaining agreement between the Town of Greenwich and AFSCME Council 4 Local 1303-222, AFL-CIO.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Representative Town Meeting of the Town of Greenwich hereby approves such provisions of the collective bargaining agreement, if any, which may be in conflict with any charter provisions, special act, ordinance, rule, or regulation of the Town of Greenwich with the meaning of Connecticut General Statutes, Section 7-474.
EXPLANATORY COMMENTS BY THE FIRST SELECTMAN
The Town and AFSCME Council 4 Local 1303-222 have reached an agreement on a successor collective bargaining agreement to the agreement that expired on June 30, 2004. The successor agreement is for a four-year term retroactive to July 1, 2004 expiring on June 30, 2008. The bargaining unit consists of nineteen (19) employees; three (3) public health nurses employed in the Department of Health and sixteen (16) public health school nurses employed in the Board of Education.
The agreement provides for general wage increases of 3.26% retroactive to July 1, 2004 and 3.25% effective July 1, 2005, 3.25% effective July 1, 2006 and 3% effective July 1, 2007. AFSCME Council 4 agreed to the Town proposed health care changes, which will take effect April 1, 2005. These changes include replacing the current PPO medical plan with a POS medical plan as the Town’s base plan. Employees may continue to select the PPO plan by paying the difference in cost between the two plans. The current $5/$10 co-pay prescription drug plan will be replaced with the $5/$15/$30 three-tier drug plan. The cost of the agreement is within the guidelines adopted by the Board of Estimate and Taxation.
A summary of all negotiated changes is included with the materials submitted to RTM. The appropriation request in the resolution for FY 2004/05 is the additional amount required by the Board of Education over what was budgeted to pay the July 1, 2004 general wage increase and the $125 one time lump sum payment to sixteen (16) public health school nurses.
I believe that the agreement is in the best interest to both the Town and to the covered employees.
Attachments
Summary of negotiated changes
Comptroller letter
Cost analysis – summary and detail
Retirement Board actuaries (EFI) cost letter regarding 5 years vesting
Black lined version of the collective bargaining agreement, on file in Town Clerk’s office
DEPARTMENT: Nathaniel Witherell 0412NW01
REFERRED TO: Finance, Health & Human Services, Public Works Committees
VOTES: Board of Estimate & Taxation
RESOLVED, that the sum of $107,500 be and the same is hereby appropriated to be added to the account number identified below:
Z450-59200 Capital Project $107,500
EXPLANATORY COMMENTS
This request is for a new appropriation of $107,500 to replace The Nathaniel Witherell’s centrifugal chiller unit.
The centrifugal chiller was installed at Witherell in 1974 as part of a tower addition. Its purpose is to deliver 55 degree water to the individual heating/cooling units on each floor. The chiller is a McQuay manufactured 135-ton capacity unit with two internal stages equaling 60 & 75 tons of refrigeration. This unit has been in service since the addition was constructed in 1974, with routine maintenance for the unit undertaken through a service contract with McQuay Services.
In the fall of 2003, the 60-ton stage portion of the chiller failed. The entire unit had to be shut down and the refrigerant removed before mechanics could disassemble it to determine the problem, because of its size and antiquated design. Inspection of the exposed compressor found no single failed component but severe wear on gaskets and rings. Since the unit was disassembled it was determined at that point to make repairs but in the long term, the entire unit would have to be replaced. After completing repairs, the chiller was put back into service until it failed again this past May. Fortunately, the cool weather this past summer, allowed the 75-ton operational stage of the chiller to carry the building’s cooling load.
DPW and the Witherell maintenance staff have determined that repairing the unit again would not be in the Town’s best interests due to the high cost of repair and the continued unreliability of an obsolete unit. Therefore we recommend the total replacement of the chiller. Total replacement cost is estimated at $107,500 as shown below:
Attachments
None
DEPARTMENT: Hamilton Avenue School Building Committee 0501HS01
REFERRED TO: Education, Finance Committees
VOTES: Board of Estimate and Taxation 12-0-0
RESOLVED, that the sum of $2,550,000 be and is hereby appropriated to be added to the following account Z6800292 59560 25110 for Hamilton Avenue construction engineering and design. Said appropriation to come from the Reserve for Capital Non-Recurring Fund.
EXPLANATORY COMMENTS
The Committee is requesting an additional appropriation in this fiscal year to pay for completion of plans, hire a project manager, and demolition of the existing building.
We have hired the architect, are in the process of hiring a project manager, and will go out for bids for demolition in early spring. We must adhere to this schedule to be able to complete the building for occupancy in September of 2007. The balance of funds will be requested in the next fiscal year budget.
Attachments
None
DEPARTMENT: Department name Selectmen’s Office
REFFERED TO: Finance, Transportation Committees
VOTES: Board of Selectmen 3-0
BET 12-0
RESOLVED, that the sum of $35,000 be and the same is hereby appropriated from Contingency to account A105 52130 Board of Selectmen, for Transportation of Greenwich (TAG).
EXPLANATORY COMMENTS
The request for $35,000 is necessitated by higher than anticipated fuel costs a dramatic rise in liability insurance and rising labor costs.
ATTACHMENTS
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