Posted by Bob on April 11, 2013 under Daily Blogs | 
BlumShapiro, the consulting firm that has been hired by the Borough to perform a strategic assessment of Borough government, has announced the development of a community survey. The survey can be accessed electronically through the following link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NaugatuckStrategicPlanSurvey
Residents, employees and community stakeholders are asked to complete the short survey which asks questions about thoughts and perceptions of local government. Those without internet access or wishing to complete a hard copy of the survey may obtain a paper version of the same at the Naugatuck Senior Center (300 Meadow Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770), the Howard Whittemore Library (243 Church Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770) or the Mayor’s Office (Naugatuck Town Hall, Fourth Floor, 229 Church Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770).
Those taking the survey electronically will be able to do so only once per computer. Surveys will be collected through April 30, 2013.
Posted by Bob on April 8, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
The Board of Education will present its proposed 2013-2014 budget this evening at a meeting of the Tri-Boards (Board of Education, Board of Finance and Board of Mayor and Burgesses) tonight (4/8/2013) at the Naugatuck High School Resource Center (543 Rubber Avenue, Naugatuck, CT 06770). The meeting will begin at 6:30 PM, and is open to the public.
The proposed budget can be viewed in Microsoft Excel format here.
The proposed budget can be viewed in .pdf format in the following sections:
All proposed budgets at this point in the process are preliminary and subject to change as the process continues. It is very likely that additional cuts will be made before a proposed budget is presented at public hearing, currently scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2013. The current budget calendar has been revised slightly, and can be viewed here. All budget hearings are open to the public, and comment is encouraged at the public hearing.
It is the responsibility of education officials to provide the Board of Finance with an accurate reflection of what they believe is needed to operate our school district. Unfortunately revenue is limited each budget year to meet such needs. While the media may occasionally reference the request for an increase in educational spending, budget presentations and initial recommendations are in their early stages. All recommendations after initial presentation are still subject to additional scrutiny in the form of a final review by the Board of Finance, an initial approval of the Joint Boards of Finance and Mayor and Burgesses (“Joint Boards”), and the presentation of a proposed budget at public hearing before final adoption by the Joint Boards. Some numbers in various line items at this stage of the process are nothing more than place holders until more information is obtained.
Another significant factor that will influence the adopted budget is revenue. The Borough has finalized its grand list (the amount of taxable property in a municipality), which includes the implementation of a revaluation of real property. Given the significant drop of property values nationwide since the last revaluation in 2007, the grand list will undoubtedly be reduced, requiring an increase in the mill rate (the mill rate represents $1.00 of taxes for every $1,000.00 of taxable property).
State revenue to municipalities is also very much in flux as several proposals which effect local funding are being debated by the Governor and the Connecticut General Assembly. This is particularly true with regard to educational funding received annually from the State. In recent years, Naugatuck has attempted to gain a clearer picture of state revenues before final adoption of its local budget.
Posted by Bob on April 1, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
The Borough’s 2013-2014 budget calendar has been revised, and can be viewed here. The main change is that the Tri-Board (Board of Education, Board of Finance and Board of Mayor and Burgesses) meeting, during which the Board of Education will present its proposed budget, has been rescheduled to next Monday, April 8, 2013. The Tri-Boards meeting was originally scheduled for tonight (4/1/2013).
The departments and/or agencies originally scheduled to present on April 8, 2013, will present tonight (4/1/2013) at Town Hall (229 Church Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770). Said departments and/or agencies are as follows:
- Human Resources
- Building Inspector
- Probate Court
- Town Clerk
- Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
- Northwest Connecticut Public Safety Communications Center
- New Opportunities of Waterbury Elderly Nutrution
- Council of Governments Central Naugatuck Valley
- Greater Waterbury Transit District
The Board of Education will also meet this evening (4/1/2013) beginning at 6:30 PM at the Tuttle Building (380 Church Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770) to discuss the proposed 2013-2014 educational budget. Both meetings are open to the public.
Posted by Bob on March 28, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
The Borough has recently entered into a purchase and sales agreement for the acquisition of the General DataComm, Inc., property (Parcel A and Parcel B). The agreement was executed after negotiations and debate that began in the Fall of 2011. The following is a list of frequently asked questions and answers about the pending transaction.
- Why is the Borough pursuing the purchase of the General DataComm, Inc. property (“GDC Property”)?
The GDC property comprises over ten (10) acres of flat land in the heart of the Borough’s urban core. Throughout the previous downtown development process (Renaissance Place), the GDC Property was pivotal to the entire proposal. Without the Borough’s involvement, the following two (2) scenarios could happen. A private party could purchase the GDC Property and redevelop with only minimal input from the Borough but for zoning regulations. More likely, the GDC Property would remain vacant and/or under-utilized for many years due to the complexities associated therewith.
- Who has known about the Borough’s on-going discussions with General DataComm, Inc. (“GDC”)?
Members of the Board of Mayor and Burgesses, the Board of Finance and the board of directors of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation (“NEDC”) have known about the on-going discussing with GDC. Borough Comptroller Wayne McAllister, Borough Attorney Ned Fitzpatrick and NEDC counsel Gary O’Connor have all advised local officials regarding efforts to acquire the GDC Property. There have also been information conversations with state officials and representatives from the regional brownfields program have also been informed of the process.
- How much will the acquisition cost?
The purchase price for the GDC Property will be TWO MILLION and 00/100THS ($2,000,000.00) DOLLARS.
- What is the “Transfer Act”?
The Connecticut Transfer Act regulates the transfer of ownership of potentially contaminated properties. The Transfer Act applies to properties that have been designated as “establishments” based on their previous use. “Establishments” are defined by former uses that were more than likely to have resulted in the presence of contamination on site, as well as the amount of contamination generated at the site. When such a property is transferred, one of the parties (buyer or seller) to the transaction must certify responsibility for remediation and to investigate and remediate the property over a period of time. The Transfer Act is often an impediment to the redevelopment of former industrial properties.
- If the Borough acquires the GDC Property, will it be subject to the Transfer Act?
No, there are several exemptions to the Transfer Act. One such exemption applies if a municipality (city/town/borough) acquires the property under a threat of eminent domain.
Eminent domain allows a municipality to take private property for public purposes. Owners of land that are taken under a formal process of eminent domain must be reimbursed for the value of the real property.
- Is the Borough taking GDC Property by eminent domain?
No, the Borough is not proceeding with taking the GDC Property by eminent. The Board of Mayor and Burgesses did vote to authorize acquiring the GDC Property by eminent domain, if necessary, but representatives of the Borough and GDC were able to reach an agreement for the Borough’s purchase of the GDC Property and a formal Purchase and Sales Agreement has been executed. A copy of the Purchase and Sales Agreement (“PSA”) can be viewed here.
- Is the State of Connecticut going to require the Borough to remediate immediately?
Since the Borough is exempt for the Transfer Act, there is not trigger requiring the Borough to remediate. If there was any significant environmental hazard that threatened human health or the environment, however, that particular hazard would have to be eliminated. Based on the environmental studies that have been conducted at the site, we have no knowledge of any such condition. The Borough has already begun the process of seeking remediation funds with our brownfields partners to address certain areas which will make the site more marketable.
- How much will it cost to clean-up the GDC Property?
The cost of remediation will depend on the site plan for reuse. This may seem vague, but it results from changes in philosophy about how to clean environmentally compromised properties. In past years, properties remediated in a uniform manner by removing contaminated soils to a certain depth, disposing of the same in licensed facilities and replacing with clean materials. This was a very costly process. Modern remediation practices allow for encapsulating non-volatile, contaminated matter onsite in areas that will not need sub-surface foundations. This method is more efficient and less costly. Remediation activity should occur in conjunction with if not simultaneous to redevelopment of the site.
- How and when will the GDC Property be remediated?
Remediation will occur in conjunction with a viable redevelopment site plan for the GDC Property. The Borough and NEDC will need to gauge market interest from the private sector and collectively decide what proposals are most likely to create a vibrant and connected downtown. While the Borough has already begun the process of seeking remediation funds with our brownfields partners to address certain areas which will make the site more marketable, the bulk of the remediation will not commence until a redevelopment site plan is created in conjunction with private parties.
- Who will pay for the remediation?
The Borough will undoubtedly require state and/or federal assistance to completely remediate the GDC Property. The availability of such funds is usually leveraged by the size of the private investment, the amount of jobs created and the potential tax revenue which will be generated through redevelopment.
- If no private party has been willing to purchase the GDC Property, what makes the Borough believe it should be involved?
The Transfer Act, and the uncertain remediation costs associated with the clean-up of the GDC Property create inherent obstacles which discourage private interest. Any redevelopment of the site, whether or not the Borough is the owner, would require assistance from the Borough and other public sector partners. These impediments could leave the GDC Property in a vacant and/or under-developed state for many years to come. The fact that the site is privately-owned but requiring public assistance further deters developers. The more complexities to a site, the less likely private investors would be willing to pursue redevelopment plans. The fact that the Borough would own the land, participate in the remediation process and work in conjunction with a developer improves the likelihood of responsible redevelopment significantly.
- Is anyone interested in buying and/or developing the GDC Property?
While various levels of interest in Downtown Naugatuck have been expressed to local officials since the resolution of the previous development agreement, the Borough does not comment on such matters publicly. It is likely that the Borough, with or without acquisition of the GDC Property, will solicit redevelopment plans through a focused request for proposals (“RFP”).
The Borough and the NEDC hope to retain GDC as a tenant in the existing building and execute a lease agreement that benefits all parties. This will keep existing GDC jobs in the Borough and allow the Borough to collect lease payments to help offset the financing and maintenance costs associated with the building and the cost of the purchase. If GDC remains a tenant in the building, the company will still be responsible for the payment of personal property taxes on machinery and equipment, payment of approximately EIGHTY (80%) PERCENT of utility costs (until additional tenants occupy space in the building) and a payment in lieu of real estate property taxes.
- What will happen to the tax revenue currently paid by GDC?
The Borough will lose the value of collecting real property taxes (land and buildings) from GDC if it acquires title to the GDC Property. The current amount of real property taxes collected is approximately TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND and 00/100THS ($200,000.00) DOLLARS. This figure, however, is likely to drop significantly after the pending revaluation which will be implemented for tax purposed on July 1, 2013. The current assessment for real property is based on 2007 values, which were much higher prior to the recession. GDC will still be responsible for the payment of personal property taxes on machinery and equipment.
- Why shouldn’t GDC clean its own property?
There is no real incentive for GDC to clean the property under current conditions. Because the GDC Property is currently covered with the building and asphalt, there are no pending orders to remediate. Responsibility to remediate would only be triggered by a change in ownership under the Transfer Act (discussed above). This scenario is one of the impediments to redeveloping brownfields. Typically a contaminated property that does not contain significant environmental hazards that pose a threat to human health and/or the environment is not required to be remediated. Ultimately, the Transfer Act often serves as an obstacle to remediation and redevelopment because the costs to clean the site exceeds what a private party is willing to pay to purchase a brownfield property. Most owners of such sites are not in a financial position simply to incur the costs of clean-up without being able to justify a return on the investment. It is unlikely that most of the contaminants under the GDC Property parking lot have anything to do with GDC’s use of the property over the years. Most of the contaminants are industrial fill which contain coal and coal ash remnants from the former industrial use.
- Why shouldn’t Uniroyal and/or its successor company pay to clean the GDC Property?
Methods of environmental remediation were very different when the former factories of Uniroyal Rubber were demolished in the early 1980’s. The Borough has no information that suggests that any action to force the successors to Uniroyal Rubber to remediate the GDC Property would be productive.
- Has an appraisal been completed for the GDC Property?
Yes. GDC gave permission to the NEDC to conduct a property appraisal for the GDC Property earlier this year. A link to the appraisal can be viewed here. There is a significant range in the value of the GDC Property which is affected by whether or not the Transfer Act applies, the potential reuse of the GDC Property and level of remediation required, and the inherent value to a particular owner. While the GDC Property has value to the Borough because of its central location, there are remediation expenses that would make the parcels cost-prohibitive for other private parties, depending on their planned reuse.
- Does the Borough have any environmental information regarding the effects of any contamination at the GDC Property?
Yes. The Borough received an environmental assessment grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to perform testing on and develop a remedial action plan for the GDC Property. Reports were provided to EPA upon completion. The Borough understands the extent of the contamination, but actual costs depend on the reuse and a specific site plan associated therewith.
- Who will maintain the building and grounds if the Borough acquires the GDC Property?
The Borough will be required to maintain the building and grounds if the Borough acquires the GDC Property. A financial analysis of such costs will be provided upon completion. Borough inspectors have already toured the building on the GDC Property, and are compiling a punch list of items that would need to be addressed in the short term and long term.
- What will happen with the car dealership storing vehicles on the GDC Property?
The vehicles currently on the GDC Property are owned by a private company that has made a private arrangement with GDC. It would be the Borough’s intention to take title to the property free and clear of all leases but for an agreement that allows GDC to remain at the location. This would not preclude the Borough from allowing the owner of the car dealership a reasonable amount of time to relocate its operation to another site. If such an agreement is reached, the Borough would collect the lease payments from the car dealership which are currently made to GDC.
- What is the current condition of the building on the GDC Property?
The building on the GDC Property is functioning as the location for GDC, but a majority of the square footage is unused. Certain repairs and/or maintenance need to be performed, and Borough inspection personnel are compiling a punch list with estimated costs of the same. The load-bearing capacity of the building is significant, but any work performed to the building outside simple maintenance would be leveraged by the level of private interest and investment.
- Has there been an appraisal done on the GDC Property?
Yes. GDC allowed the NEDC to commission and appraisal of the GDC Property.
- There is a large range of value referenced in the appraisal of the GDC Property. Explain.
The range of value largely depends on the applicability of the Transfer Act as discussed above. While the appraisal referenced above lists a negative value for the GDC Property if the Transfer Act applies, the value is above the agreed-upon purchase price if the Transfer Act does not apply.
- How will the purchase be financed?
The purchase will financed through a lease-purchase arrangement. (Cite: www.municipal-financing.com) The Borough is working with a respected national lending institution, William Blair; and a local bank, Naugatuck Savings Bank; to obtain favorable terms to finance the transaction.
- What are the short and long term costs of financing the transaction?
The Borough has obtained a commitment from Naugatuck Savings Bank to finance the transaction over a ten (10) year term of payments at THREE and 25/100THS (3.25 %) PERCENT interest rate. Payments will not begin until July 1, 2013, and require an approximate annual payment of TWO HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE and 72/100THS ($234,525.72) DOLLARS.
- Can the Borough repay the lease-purchase financing prior to the ten year term without penalty?
Yes, there is no pre-payment penalty associated with the lease-purchase financing arrangement.
- Why doesn’t the Borough hold a referendum to authorize bonding for the purchase of the GDC Property?
There is an issue of timing to complete the transaction. The Borough and the NEDC have been working to effectuate the transaction for over a year. The current mortgagee of the GDC Property has been patient, but needs to have a conclusion to the process as soon as possible, or pursue an alternate course. The uncertainty of and time required for a referendum could compromise the proposed terms of the current deal in principle. In addition, the Borough intends to pursue a purchaser for all and/or parts of the GDC Property. If the Borough bonds the purchase price, the payments and interest would be fixed over the term of the bonds. The Borough could not pre-pay the balance if the purchase price was bonded, even if the GDC Property was sold before the duration of the bonds.
- Would the Borough receive a better rate of the acquisition costs were bonded?
The Borough would like receive a slightly better rate, but could not prepay the financing without paying for the principal and interest costs over the entire terms of the original bonds. The approximate rate the Borough would receive through traditional general obligation bonds would be between TWO (2%) PERCENT and THREE and 25/100THS (3.25 %) PERCENT, based on a projected bond interest schedule. It is estimated that the difference of the ten (10) year term between a transaction financed by traditional bonding v. lease-purchase financing would be approximately TWELVE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FOURTEEN and 00/100THS ($12,214.00) DOLLARS. Said figure, however, assumes that the Borough would not pay the loan in full prior to the ten (10) year term. If the Borough sells the GDC Property prior to the completion of the term, there is no prepayment penalty associated with the lease purchase financing. If the Borough finances the transaction through traditional bonding and sells the GDC Property prior to the ten (10) year term, the Borough would need to repay the remaining fixed principal and interest costs regardless.
- Why wouldn’t the Borough wait for a private party to buy the GDC Property?
Based on the environmental issues relating to the GDC Property and the potential applicability of the Transfer Act, there is a natural disincentive for a private party to pursue purchase of the parcels without express commitment of state and/or federal remediation assistance. Even if a private party pursued purchase, the Borough would lose control over the reuse of the GDC Property but for local zoning control. Borough and NEDC officials who have analyzed the particulars of the transaction have been advised of the strong possibility that nothing will happen without the Borough’s action. One of the biggest obstacles to implementation of the former Renaissance Place proposal was the failure of the developer and GDC to reach an agreement on the sale of the GDC Property.
- Why doesn’t the Borough wait for a specific development plan prior to purchasing the GDC Property?
The lack of site control is a disincentive for private parties to propose any construction reuse for the GDC Property. If the Borough issues a request for proposal (“RFP”) for development ideas for the GDC Property without ownership of the same, many developers will be reluctant to invest time and resources into a redevelopment plan that requires involvement with a third party (i.e. the owner of the GDC Property). Once the Borough acquires marketable title to the GDC Property, it is anticipated that an RFP will be issued for redevelopment plans for Parcel C, the railroad station property and the GDC Property. This will allow the Borough to market approximately fifteen (15) acres of downtown property as the owner, rather than the five (5) acres Naugatuck currently owns (Parcel C and the railroad station).
- What happens if there is no interest by the private sector in purchasing the GDC Property?
As stated above, the Borough intends to retain GDC as a tenant in the building on the GDC Property. The NEDC will be entrusted with the authority to entertain proposals by other interested parties to lease space in the building.
- Will GDC pay rent to the Borough?
Yes, GDC will rent eighty thousand (80,000 ft2) square feet of space from the Borough. The purchase and sales agreement defines a temporary use and occupancy period after the closing during which GDC pays the Borough TWO and 35/100THS ($2.35) DOLLARS per square foot for use of the space. This would equal an annual rental payment of ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY EIGHT THOUSAND and 00/100THS ($188,000.00) DOLLARS. The Borough intends to negotiate a longer term lease with GDC, post-closing, based on similar terms.
- Who will pay the utility costs associated with the GDC building?
The use and occupancy agreement included as part of the purchase and sales agreement described above requires GDC to pay EIGHTY (80%) PERCENT of the electric, natural gas, water and other utility charges related to the Building. Once the Borough finds additional tenants for the building, the percentages would be adjusted accordingly based on usage.
- What will happen to the taxes currently paid by GDC?
The Borough will no longer receive payment of real estate taxes from GDC as the Borough will be the owner of the GDC Property. That would result in the loss of approximately TWO HUNDRED and 00/100THS ($200,000.00) DOLLARS of revenue from the Borough’s budget based on the current fiscal year’s (2012-2013) assessment. This amount is scheduled to decrease, however, for the 2013-2014 fiscal year based on the revaluation. GDC will be expected to make a payment in lieu of taxes equivalent to the amount of square footage leased (proposed at 80,000 ft2) relative to the total square footage of the building (approximately 320,000 ft2). Based on the current assessment, the purchase and sales agreement will require a monthly payment in lieu of taxes in the amount of TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY SIX and 26/100THS (2,526.56) DOLLARS. It is anticipated that a similar amount will be negotiated into a longer-term lease.
- Why doesn’t the Borough buy the Peter Paul (Hershey) property instead?
The current asking price for the Hershey (former Peter Paul factory) site is approximately SEVEN to EIGHT MILLION and 00/100THS ($7,000,000.00 to $8,000,000.00) DOLLARS. The purchase price for the GDC Property, which is directly in the urban core of the Borough’s central business district, is TWO MILLION and 00/100THS ($2,000,000.00) DOLLARS.
- What happens if the Borough fails to pay the debt service on the GDC Property purchase?
The lease purchase financing is being provided by Naugatuck Savings Bank in exchange for the Borough’s promise to repay the amount borrowed. While the Joint Boards of Finance and Mayor and Burgesses could choose not to appropriate the annual payments during the budget process, it would have a negative effect on the Borough’s bond rating (often described as a municipality’s credit score) and increase interest rates on other obligations.
- Can the Borough rent other portions of the building on the GDC Property?
Yes. With the NEDC acting as its development agent, the Borough intends to seek additional tenants to occupy other space in the building on the GDC Property to offset the costs associated with financing the transaction. Any leases would be structured to allow the Borough to sell all and/or portions of the GDC Property to private investors should there be interest to do so.
- What are the prospective reuses for the building on the GDC Property?
The building on the GDC Property is structurally very solid and has significant weight-bearing capacity. There are multiple different ways the building can be redeveloped, but the Borough and NEDC will be seeking development proposals from private investors before determining the long-term use and/or uses for the building.
- Why doesn’t the NEDC purchase the GDC Property?
The NEDC is a not-for-profit development agency that acts as the redevelopment authority of the Borough of Naugatuck. While it is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of representatives from the public, private and non-profit sectors of our community, it does not have the assets, collateral and/or income streams to guarantee financing of the magnitude involved
Posted by Bob on March 25, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
The Naugatuck Board of Finance held more budget hearings last Monday (3/18/2012) for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Various departments under the Public Works umbrella were discussed by Finance Board members after initial presentations were made by department heads. The following department budgets can be viewed below in Microsoft Excel format. The columns highlighted (yellow) on the far right (Column I) represents cuts made by the Board of Finance after the presentation. The initial, departmental request is listed in the preceding column to the left (Column H).
Supporting documentation can be viewed by clicking the various sheet pages at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
For those without access to Microsoft Excel or applicable conversion software, the summary page of each budget can be viewed below in .pdf format.
The Department of Public Works budget includes roads, maintenance, sanitation, recreation and golf. Engineering is a section of Public Works that primarily operates from Town Hall. Fourth of July covers the annual Independence Day celebration, and Town Hall Building pertains to the operation of Town Hall. The Water Pollution Control Authority oversees the operation of Naugatuck’s sewage treatment facility.
All budgets at this point in the process are preliminary and subject to change as the process continues. It is very likely that additional cuts will be made before a proposed budget is presented at public hearing, currently scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2013. The current budget calendar has been revised slightly, and can be viewed here. All budget hearings are open to the public, and comment is encouraged at the public hearing.
This Monday’s (3/25/2013) budget hearings will focus upon various departments functions and community activities which include the following:
- Assessor
- Naugatuck Valley Health District
- Veterans Council
- Arts Commission
- Street Lighting
- Settlement Legal Claims
- Jesse Camille’s (a Borough-owned building)
- Railroad Station
It is the responsibility of supervisors to provide the Board of Finance with an accurate reflection of what they believe is needed to operate their respective department. Unfortunately revenue is limited each budget year to meet such needs. What often results at this stage of the process is requests for increases in funding well above the previous year’s expenditures for many departments. While the media may occasionally reference such a significance increase in a particular department, budget presentations and initial recommendations are in their early stages. All recommendations after initial presentation are still subject to additional scrutiny in the form of a final review by the Board of Finance, an initial approval of the Joint Boards of Finance and Mayor and Burgesses (“Joint Boards”), and the presentation of a proposed budget at public hearing before final adoption by the Joint Boards. Some numbers in various line items at this stage of the process are nothing more than place holders until more information is obtained.
Another significant factor that will influence the adopted budget is revenue. The Borough has finalized its grand list (the amount of taxable property in a municipality), which includes the implementation of a revaluation of real property. Given the significant drop of property values nationwide since the last revaluation in 2007, the grand list will undoubtedly be reduced, requiring an increase in the mill rate (the mill rate represents $1.00 of taxes for every $1,000.00 of taxable property).
State revenue to municipalities is also very much in flux as several proposals which effect local funding are being debated by the Governor and the Connecticut General Assembly. In recent years, Naugatuck has attempted to gain a clearer picture of state revenues before final adoption of its local budget.
Posted by Bob on March 22, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
Governor Dannel P. Malloy will be hosting a community forum next Wednesday, March 27, 2013, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM, in the Resource Center of Naugatuck High School (543 Rubber Avenue, Naugatuck, CT 06770). A press statement from Governor Malloy’s Office can be viewed here.
The forum is free and open to the public. Residents wishing to ask a question of Governor Malloy should arrive at 6:15 PM and be prepared to complete a brief sign-up form. The Governor’s visit to Naugatuck represents his continued commitment to discuss issues confronting the State of Connecticut with residents in a face-to-face, town hall meeting environment. Previous forums have been held in Middletown, New Britain and Norwich earlier this month. We are grateful to Governor Malloy and his staff for choosing Naugatuck, and urge residents to attend if at all possible.
For more information regarding the forum in Naugatuck, please feel free to contact our office by phone (203-720-7009) or email (bmezzo@naugatuck-ct.gov or bob@bobmezzo.com). Seating capacity is limited, and will be offered to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis.
Posted by Bob on March 18, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
The Naugatuck Board of Finance held more budget hearings last Monday (3/11/2012) for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Various administrative departments were discussed by Finance Board members after initial presentations were made by department heads. The following department budgets can be viewed below in Microsoft Excel format. The columns highlighted (yellow) on the far right (Column I) represents cuts made by the Board of Finance after the presentation. The initial, departmental request is listed in the preceding column to the left (Column H).
Supporting documentation can be viewed by clicking the various sheet pages at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
For those without access to Microsoft Excel or applicable conversion software, the summary page of each budget can be viewed below in .pdf format.
Administrative (mayor’s office and Borough Clerk), Elections, Information Technology, Land Use and Tax are all municipal departments that operate primarily within Town Hall. Legal is the management of all professional fees for general legal and human resources matters for the Borough, excluding those for the Water Pollution Control Board. The Elderly Program is a senior tax incentive program administered by the mayor’s office.
All budgets at this point in the process are preliminary and subject to change as the process continues. It is very likely that additional cuts will be made before a proposed budget is presented at public hearing, currently scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2013. The current budget calendar has been revised slightly, and can be viewed here. All budget hearings are open to the public, and comment is encouraged at the public hearing.
This Monday’s (3/18/2013) budget hearings will focus upon Public Works related functions which include the following:
- Town Hall Building
- Water Pollution Control Authority
- Department of Public Works (includes roads, maintenance, sanitation, engineering, recreation and golf)
- Fourth of July Celebration
It is the responsibility of supervisors to provide the Board of Finance with an accurate reflection of what they believe is needed to operate their respective department. Unfortunately revenue is limited each budget year to meet such needs. What often results at this stage of the process is requests for increases in funding well above the previous year’s expenditures for many departments. While the media may occasionally reference such a significance increase in a particular department, budget presentations and initial recommendations are in their early stages. All recommendations after initial presentation are still subject to additional scrutiny in the form of a final review by the Board of Finance, an initial approval of the Joint Boards of Finance and Mayor and Burgesses (“Joint Boards”), and the presentation of a proposed budget at public hearing before final adoption by the Joint Boards. Some numbers in various line items at this stage of the process are nothing more than place holders until more information is obtained.
Another significant factor that will influence the adopted budget is revenue. The Borough has finalized its grand list (the amount of taxable property in a municipality), which includes the implementation of a revaluation of real property. Given the significant drop of property values nationwide since the last revaluation in 2007, the grand list will undoubtedly be reduced, requiring an increase in the mill rate (the mill rate represents $1.00 of taxes for every $1,000.00 of taxable property).
State revenue to municipalities is also very much in flux as several proposals which effect local funding are being debated by the Governor and the Connecticut General Assembly. In recent years, Naugatuck has attempted to gain a clearer picture of state revenues before final adoption of its local budget.
Posted by Bob on March 13, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
Jeffrey Ziplow, the lead consultant from Blum Shapiro who is leading our local strategic planning effort, will be hosting community input forums next week as part of that process. Mr. Ziplow issued the followed description of the forums.
The Borough of Naugatuck faces multiple, complex challenges, among them the parallel trends of a changing population and service demands coupled with limited financial and other resources. As our Borough continues to evolve, the members of the Board of Education, Board of Finance and Board of Mayor and Burgesses are looking to chart a course and create a vision for our future.
Recognizing many challenges facing the community, the Borough leadership wants to engage the community in a strategic planning process. The strategic planning process is designed to chart a course, provide focus and strategic direction, and assess our current and future services.
We want to reach-out to the community and obtain input from residents on what the long-term direction, short-term goals, and action steps should be for the Borough. We have scheduled two resident meetings to be held at the Naugatuck Train Station ( Historical Society, 195 Water Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770) on Thursday, March 21, 2013; and Tuesday, March 26; both session to take place from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
The following is a general outline of discussion points:
A. Confirm Strategic Plan Project Goals and Objectives
B. Confirm the State of the Town/Borough of Naugatuck
- What are the major issues facing the community today?
- What is the current direction of the Town/Borough of Naugatuck?
C. Confirm Assessment of External Conditions
- Who are those who make up our service population? Trends?
- Who are the regulators? Trends?
- Who are our resource providers? Trends?
D. Confirm Assessment of Municipal Services
- What does Naugatuck do well? What are the Town/Borough’s strengths?
- What could the Town/Borough of Naugatuck do better? What are the Borough’s weaknesses?
- What would Naugatuck like to see more of/less of?
E. Vision of the Future
- What is in store for the future if the Town/Borough of Naugatuck does nothing, something, a lot?
- What are the key issues that Naugatuck must address in this planning process?
- Identify key demographic indicators, e.g. growth of residential/commercial properties, population shift, economics, demographics, and financial data.
We want to thank all participants in advance of these meetings as local decision-makers continue to actively identify, recognize and support the quality services and programs residents expect from the Borough and Board of Education.
Posted by Bob on March 8, 2013 under Daily Blogs |
The Naugatuck Board of Finance held more budget hearings last Monday (3/4/2012) for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Various community departments and agencies were discussed by Finance Board members after initial presentations were made by department heads and/or agency leaders. The following department budgets can be viewed below in Microsoft Excel format. The columns highlighted (yellow) on the far right (Column I) represents cuts made by the Board of Finance after the presentation. The initial, departmental request is listed in the preceding column to the left (Column H).
Supporting documentation can be viewed by clicking the various sheet pages at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
For those without access to Microsoft Excel or applicable conversion software, the summary page of each budget can be viewed below in .pdf format.
The following agencies are not municipal departments, but are legal entities that receive and/or have received funding from the Borough: The Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation (“NEDC”); the Human Resources and Development Agency (“HRD” – a former Borough department that incorporated several years ago. Employees remain in certain Borough benefit plans); the Howard Whittemore Library; and the Northwest Regional Mental Health Board. The Downtown Development budget represents economic development activities coordinated by the NEDC relative to the redevelopment of Downtown Naugatuck, and there is also a new section for the expenses of maintaining the former Prospect Street School until the property is sold. The Social Services budget funds the contractual relationship between the HRD and the Borough. HRD provides staffing and clinical assistance to local residents in need as referred by Borough staff.
* An asterisk is listed next to the HRD, VNA and Youth and Family Services budgets as the Finance Board is awaiting recommendations from the current Blum Shapiro strategic planning process with regard to various aspects of the Borough’s social service delivery structure. The initial requests made at Monday’s (3/4/2013) hearings were not changed by the Finance Board as information from Blum Shapiro is expected prior to the conclusion of the budget process.
All budgets at this point in the process are preliminary and subject to change as the process continues. It is very likely that additional cuts will be made before a proposed budget is presented at public hearing, currently scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2013. The current budget calendar has been revised slightly, and can be viewed here. The major change to the calendar is that the Board of Education budget presentation originally scheduled for March 25, 2013, has been changed to a Tri-Boards (Board of Education, Board of Finance and Board of Mayor and Burgesses sitting together) to be held in the Naugatuck High School Resources Center on April 1, 2013, 6:30 PM. All budget hearings are open to the public, and comment is encouraged at the public hearing.
It is the responsibility of supervisors to provide the Board of Finance with an accurate reflection of what they believe is needed to operate their respective department. Unfortunately revenue is limited each budget year to meet such needs. What often results at this stage of the process is requests for increases in funding well above the previous year’s expenditures for many departments. While the media may occasionally reference such a significance increase in a particular department, budget presentations and initial recommendations are in their early stages. All recommendations after initial presentation are still subject to additional scrutiny in the form of a final review by the Board of Finance, an initial approval of the Joint Boards of Finance and Mayor and Burgesses (“Joint Boards”), and the presentation of a proposed budget at public hearing before final adoption by the Joint Boards. Some numbers in various line items at this stage of the process are nothing more than place holders until more information is obtained.
Another significant factor that will influence the adopted budget is revenue. The Borough has finalized its grand list (the amount of taxable property in a municipality), which includes the implementation of a revaluation of real property. Given the significant drop of property values nationwide since the last revaluation in 2007, the grand list will undoubtedly be reduced, requiring an increase in the mill rate (the mill rate represents $1.00 of taxes for every $1,000.00 of taxable property).
State revenue to municipalities is also very much in flux as several proposals which effect local funding are being debated by the Governor and the Connecticut General Assembly. In recent years, Naugatuck has attempted to gain a clearer picture of state revenues before final adoption of its local budget.
Posted by Bob on under Daily Blogs |
As a result of the inclement weather, regular Naugatuck trash and recycling collection for Friday (3/8/2013) will be pushed-back to Saturday (3/9/2013). Please ensure all containers are placed curbside by midnight tonight for collection on Saturday (3/9/2013). Regular collection schedules will resume on Monday (3/11/2013).
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