Continue reading »]]> In the next two years, Trumbull leaders will have to manage ongoing sewer construction projects, oversee the potential development of the 20-acre parcel expected to be acquired from Bridgeport, and address the looming issue of sewer regionalization. The two candidates, Republican incumbent Tim Herbst and Democratic challenger Mary Beth Thornton shared their game plans.

Oversight of Mark IV Construction Projects

Herbst said his administration is continuing to address identified defects, but “the process takes time and has been longer than I or any other member of my administration would like.” The identified issues will be resolved either through a resolution between the town and construction company Mark IV or through litigation, he said.

Had there been proper oversight on Contract 3, the Jog Hill project, the town likely would not have had $2.5 million worth of change orders and the $3.5 million no-bid contract extension would have been more closely scrutinized, Herbst said. The oversight the firm Tighe & Bond has provided for Contract 4 has already saved the town $1 million, he said.

As far as residents’ concerns over road paving, Herbst said he cannot condone roadwork over what the experts advise him is defective work. “I understand that this is frustrating, but it is better to wait and get the sewers fixed before we pave than to pave, dig up and put in patches that are likely to fail after the fact,” Herbst said.

Thornton said she would want to reassess the deficits because she questioned the accuracy of the report prepared by Tighe & Bond. She would also examine whether raising Jog Hill assessments could help cover the costs of those deficits.

“I believe we are paying too much for third party oversight and I would hire qualified engineers to oversee the project,” Thornton said. The town engineers would then have historical knowledge of the sewers to continue oversight for years to come, she said.
magnet school boundary change

Thornton said the first thing she would do is work with Bridgeport and state officials to mend broken fences.
“Right now, our relationship with Bridgeport is deteriorating,” Thornton said. “Even after the land swap, Tim brought forward a frivolous lawsuit.”

Thornton was referring to Herbst’s filing for intervenor status to ensure Trumbull would legally have a seat at the table in any discussions involving the 20-acre parcel it is slated to receive in return for giving land to Bridgeport to build an interdistrict magnet school.

Thornton said she would immediately drop the lawsuit because it is frivolous and costing the town legal fees. She said the 20-acre parcel Trumbull may acquire is likely contaminated and because the state would likely require remediation before the town could use it, the land will be difficult to develop. She also said she doubted the building on the parcel has much value. “I’m discounting that as an asset,” she said.

Herbst said the purpose of the appeal is to protect the town’s legal interests and the residents living nearby. The terms of the border change agreement essentially took away the Trumbull land use boards’ control, Herbst said. If successful, the appeal would allow the town to negotiate and advocate for residents’ environmental concerns and allow blasting concerns to be addressed.

Sewer regionalization

Trumbull currently has a contract with Bridgeport for the city to process its sewage at its treatment facility. That contract is scheduled to expire in 2012, and the town will have to reassess its sewage treatment options.
“Our options are definitely limited,” Thornton said.

Thornton said ideally, Trumbull could renegotiate an agreement with Bridgeport or enter into a sewer authority with Bridgeport and Monroe. Whatever agreement is negotiated, Thornton said it has to benefit the town.

Thornton said she has talked to officials in cities that have already regionalized, including New Haven and Stamford. Each region has a very different plan, and Trumbull can benefit from adopting the facets of each that have proved most successful, she said.

After Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch reneged on his promise to work with Trumbull to give the town the building on the 20-acre parcel, officials should be on heightened alert in future negotiations with his administration, Herbst said. Both Herbst and Thornton agreed that building a sewage treatment plant in Trumbull is not a viable option. Herbst said the town has three main options: renegotiate a deal with Bridgeport, enter a regional authority with Bridgeport and Monroe or enter into a regional authority with Stratford.

Bridgeport has to update its outdated sewer infrastructure at a cost of up to $1 billion that will be passed onto ratepayers. Herbst said renegotiating a contract would probably mean even higher sewer fees for users, who already pay one of the highest rates in the state.
He said he would only entertain working with Bridgeport if the city agrees to segment the infrastructure debt to city residents only, as New Haven did when it upgraded its systems.

“At this point, my preference would be to regionalize with Stratford” because the cost of tying in would be less than tying in with the city, Herbst said. Also, Stratford’s sewer rates are relatively stable, Herbst said.

By Vinti Singh

Reprinted from “The Connecticut Post” © Copyright 2011

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Trumbull-candidates-offer-views-on-top-issues-2231894.php#ixzz1bZhjlL3e

Continue reading »]]> With his political acumen and, the only working microphone, incumbent Timothy Herbst took control of Thursday night’s first selectman debate.

Democratic candidate Mary Beth Thornton spent much of the hour looking like a deer in the headlights. On at least two occasions, when asked by Moderator Jara Burnett of the League of Women Voters if she had any rebuttal to claims Herbst made against her, Thornton smiled and replied she had nothing to add.

The Frenchtown Elementary School auditorium was packed to hear the candidates square off, but it turned out not to be much of a debate, with Herbst and Thornton agreeing on many of the major issues.

Questions to the candidates were solicited in advance from the audience.

Both said they support the charter revision to require a referendum for major capital expenditures. Herbst pointed out the growing costs associated with the high school renovation and said it would have been much different if it had first been put to the voters. “The voters should be part of the process,” he said.

The two did clash over the proposed changes to the Board of Education and its budget, with Thornton explaining that money should not be taken from schools to be used for town expenditures. She is also concerned that people who may not be familiar with the school budget process could get elected to the school board.

Both supported the proposed expanded cell tower for the police department, pointing out its need to provide greater communication for police officers. Herbst said he is working to convince the Siting Council to reduce the planned 173-foot height of the tower; Thornton lamented that the voices of residents living near the proposed tower were not heard during the planning process.

Both supported a regional solution to the town’s sewer woes, a defined contribution-style pension plan for new town hires and full-day kindergarten, although Thornton questioned where the money would come from.

By Daniel Tepfer

Reprinted from “The Connecticut Post” © Copyright 2011

Continue reading »]]> Civility and a surprising amount of agreement marked the first debate between Republican First Selectman Tim Herbst and Councilman Mary Beth Thornton, his Democratic challenger.
The debate, which took place at a packed Frencthtown School auditorium, focused mainly on Town Charter revision, town finances and education.

Speaking first, Thornton told the audience she was a Trumbull native who had left town to pursue her career, before returning to raise a family.

“My dedication to the town has been unwavering,” she siad.

Herbst used his opening statement to tout the accomplishments of his first term.

“Two years ago, I heard the voters loud and clear,” he said. “The status quo was not working.”

He said the town’s financial health was strong, and Trumbull was heading in the right direction, “but much more work remains to be done.”

In response to the first question, Herbst said he favored Charter revision that would automatically subject capital expenditures over $15 million to a public referendum.

“Town debt affects our debt service, which drives property taxes,” he said. “Voters should be part of the process.”

Thornton said she mostly agreed, though she added that she thought the $15 million trigger for an automatic referendum was “a bit arbitrary.”

Thornton also said she though another Charter revision, subjecting the Board of Education budget requests to review by the Town Treasurer, was in conflict with state statues.

“My understanding is that this provision does not comply with state law,” she said. “If elected, I would ask that this question not be honored.”

Herbst said the Charter Revision Commission’s proposal had been reviewed by town legal counsel, and that other communities had similar budget review.

“The Board of Education derives its funding from the taxpayers,” he said. “You can’t take the approach that it’s separate and apart.”

Both candidates tread carefully around a question regarding the proposed T-Mobile cellular towner on Edison Road. The tower would boost emergency radio communications in town, but it also has been source of concern for neighborhood residents.

Thornton, who voted in favor of the tower as a council member, said there was consensus in town that police, EMS and fire personnel needed a higher tower.

“The issue is people didn’t have a voice,” she said. “Now, they do.”

She said the concerns of the emergency responders, T-Mobile and the neighbors could be worked out through dialog.

Herbst, who also approved the tower as chairman of the Planning & Zoning Commission, said Thornton’s concern for the neighborhood was a recent development.

“If she has such concern for the people, the Town Council should have done its due diligence,” he said. He pointed out Thornton had made a council motion to classify the tower as emergency legislation, meaning the tower would have been fast-tracked.

In response, Thornton said Police Chief Tom Kiely had asked for the tower to be emergency legislation, and that at the time there had been no opposition.

“The Town Council did not understand the needs of the residents,” she said.

Thornton’s most direct criticism of Herbst was in response to a question about municipal bonding. Herbst advocated bonding capital expenses such as roads, which have a useful life of more than 20 years.

But Herbst has also included items like town vehicles in bonding packages, Thornton said.

“If we move expenses into bonded debt, we can keep our tax increases artificially low,” she said. She compared bonding items like a Public Works truck to placing such items on the town’s credit card.

Herbst defended the purchase, stating that work trucks have service lives that easily reach two decades.

“When I took office, I rode in plow trucks that date back to 1985,” he said.

Both candidates had essentially the same position on economic development and regional sewer issues, but split on rectifying the town’s under-funded pension fund.

Herbst advocated taking strong action to move town employees to defined contribution plans beginning with newly hired employees. This would gradually reduce the town’s pension obligation through attrition, he said.

“When the United States and 13 towns in Fairfield County saw their bond ratings reduced, Trumbull retained its municipal rating and all the rating agencies cited our strong action on reducing our pension obligations,” he said.

Thornton favored a more subtle approach, saying she would work with the municipal unions to see if there was common ground.

“I would work with the unions to make sure they’re part of the process,” she said. “I don’t think bold action will work when dealing with the unions.”

Herbst said the time for half-measures had passed.

“For 20 years we kicked the can down the road,” he said. “Now, the day of reckoning is here.”

A question about education priorities, which was awkwardly worded and included full-day kindergarten, Charter revision and school reconfiguration, tripped up both candidates.

Thornton, who answered first, said there were numerous issues facing the schools, including some that were not apparent right now. She said she favored full-day kindergarten, but expressed concern about class sizes and reduced programs at Trumbull High.

“I’m in favor of full-day kindergarten, but it requires space and funding, and I don’t know where we’ll put it or how we’ll pay for it,” she said.

Herbst endorsed revised election procedures for the school board, pointing out that six of seven board seats currently are appointed by the political parties.

“The people of Trumbull should elect their board, all seven members,” he said.

Herbst also called full-day kindergarten a “fundamental difference” between himself and Thornton.

“We’ve talked about it for a long time, but we haven’t implemented it,” he said. “The time is now.”

Finally, both candidates spent their two-minute closing statements making their best pitch for votes.

Herbst, speaking first, said he had the necessary attributes to lead Trumbull forward.

“Tough times demand tough decisions,” he said. “I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish, but there is more to be done.”

This election, he said, voters faced a choice between moving forward or moving backward.

“The choice has never been more clear,” he said. “I don’t believe people want to relive the days of high taxes and spiraling finances.”

Thornton called Trumbull “a place that values family, traditions and education.”

If elected, she promised to be a leader that helpd the town through the current tough econonic climate.

“I understand government and education are service-oriented,” she said. “We ask people to do more with less, but need to give them the tools to do so.”

By Donald Eng

Reprinted from “The Trumbull Times” © Copyright 2011

Continue reading »]]> The first First Selectman debate took an hour and covered sewers, education, charter revision and the proposed Police Department cell tower.

First Selectman Tim Herbst defended his two percent tax increases and hiring an engineering company to oversee sewer work in north Nichols, among other topics in the first debate with his democratic opponent, Mary Beth Thornton.

The hour-long debate drew a capacity crowd at Frenchtown School Thursday night. It was sponsored by the Trumbull Chapter of the League of Women Voters of Greater Bridgeport and the Trumbull Parent/Teacher/Student Association.

Each candidate had two minutes to answer the questions, written by the audience, and 30 seconds to rebut.

The Questions and the Answers
Charter Revision Ballot Question 2, automatic referendum for bonding requests of at least $15 million:
Herbst: "I think it’s important to recognize the Charter Revision Commission endorsed this unanimously. It’s important to be part of the process." The town’s bonded debt has grown to $141 million, and "is going to affect our annual debt service," eventually affecting property taxes. The $68 million Trumbull High School renovation bonding "should have been put before the voters." Other schools will need repairs in the coming years, and it’s necessary to establish a consistent capital plan. However, the town must be careful how it proceeds because it is reaching a bonding threshold that could endanger the town’s AA2 rating.
Thornton: "I agree with the first selectman," she said. "The bonding that we’ve done over the years has been very balanced." But the number $15 million "could be a bit arbitrary." She said she agreed with the process and that the change should be part of charter revision.

Changing the charter to give the Town Treasurer power over the school superintendent’s expenses:
Thornton: "This modification does not comply with state statute," she said. The Board of Education budget is separate from the municipal budget and the town cannot control how the district spends its money. She cited the town taking control of an employee health care account, which the town later returned after an attorney hired by the school board called the move illegal. "We saw that this was an illegal move," she said.
Herbst: He said the Charter Revision Commission unanimously approved the changes and several attorneys reviewed everything. "It exists in other municipalities in the state of Connecticut." The board’s organization has to be changed because it violates state law, he added. Opponents can seek redress in court, he said, noting that both the town and the school board use taxpayer funds. On another note, he said the charter changes empower voters.

The Police Department Cell Tower:
Herbst: "It is critical for our officers to be able to communicate," he said. The problem led to a police sergeant having to call for backup on his cellphone while dealing with a gunman because his radio didn’t work. He added he has spent 18 months dealing with T-Mobile in reducing the tower’s height without compromising police communications. Ultimately the decision lies with the state Siting Council. The Town Council shouldn’t have approved the contract in the first place, Herbst said.
Thornton: The tower may be necessary, but its height has changed and its neighbors need to be heard. She is the Town Council minority leader and has been working with the majority leader to gain intervenor status in the matter. "This is what we’ve been looking for: just dialogue." She added that the police chief asked the council to approve the tower and the Planning and Zoning Commission, led by Herbst, recommended the tower.

Sewage treatment:
Thornton: She serves on the bipartisan committee reviewing the town’s sewage treatment options. The contract with Bridgeport expires in 2012. "I would be happy to look at regionalization but only if the best interests of Trumbull are served. We must get the best end of the deal," she said.
Herbst: It would cost $80 to $100 million and take several years for the town to get approval and build its own treatment plant. "I don’t believe that the town can sustain that level of debt service," he said. But renegotiation is not the best option because of Bridgeport’s sewage infrastructure, which needs to be upgraded to separate storm water and sewage. Trumbull’s rates rank among the state’s highest. The town should have thought about this when it started adding more sewers.

What should be bonded?
Herbst: Operating expenses should not be bonded. Anything that is bonded should last more than a year and, ideally, at least 20 years. Town roads, some of which have been paved since 2009, should last at least 20 years. The capital plan approved last year included new plows and other town equipment that needs to last at least 20 years. Finally, he cited a 92 percent increase in town spending in the past eight years under former First Selectman Ray Baldwin Jr.
Thornton: Use shorter, five-year bonds, on bonded items that have shorter lives. "We have to be very careful at this point." She charged that bonding "has kept taxes artificially low." Town roads haven’t been paved in two years, she added. The town is repaving 16 roads this year, Herbst responded.

Economic Development:
Thornton: "Economic development is critical at this point. Economic Development has seen some really good things lately," such as the expansion of the Westfield Trumbull Mall and the opening of the Home Depot. "Increasing the commercial tax base should happen only according to the Master Plan. We have a Main Street that still looks like an old-time main street." She added that the economic development director’s position should be filled quickly, because "every day it’s empty is another missed opportunity for economic development in our town." She would first reach out to existing businesses in town if elected.
Herbst: The town is 98 percent developed and the town’s residential character needs to be preserved while keeping existing businessess here and attracting new ones. "We need to keep a modest and predictable tax rate," he said. He said average annual tax increases of six percent drove out some businesses. It’s also critical to finish revitalizing Trumbull’s downtown, he added. The town should attract the medical and research and development industries, Herbst concluded.

Trumbull’s Pension Plan:
Herbst: Herbst’s budgets included increased contributions to the pension plan. "We need to reduce our unfunded liability" and move toward defined contribution plans instead of traditional pensions. Partly because of its pension solutions, the town’s bond rating remained steady among its neighbors, which were placed on watch lists. The town is working with all municipal employees to close the pension gap and "bold, hard action" is needed to fix the problem.
Thornton: "Our pension needs to be modified and enhanced. We need to work with the unions" to move into different plans. It will take a lot of money to fill the pension gap. "Bold, hard action would not work with unions and that would not be my approach," she said.

Third-party oversight of capital projects:
Herbst: Third-party oversight helped save money in the Trumbull High School renovations and has saved money on Phase IV sewer work in north Nichols. Without oversight, there were millions in change orders and sewer work was botched, Herbst said. "It’s as much about cost as it is quality control," he said.
Thornton: She said she believes in third-party oversight but objects to hiring the firm Tighe & Bond at a cost so far of $1.8 million. She added that while other costs have been spread out over the town, north Nichols will be paying the firm’s costs. The town could have hired new engineers at a cheaper rate instead of paying Tighe & Bond, she added.

Impacts of full-day kindergarten, school reconfiguration and charter revisions:
Thornton: "We’ve lost programs, like Latin and SAT preparation." There are 30 children in chemistry labs. "We have portables in most of the schools." She said all-day kindergarten required a lot of thought. "Can it be sustained? You have to promise a program that can be sustained." Regarding charter changes, she said changing all Board of Education terms to two years could lead to total turnover every two years with new, inexperienced members reviewing budgets. "It is not easy. There is a huge learning curve," she said, adding that she has reviewed eight school budgets.

Herbst: All members of the Board of Education should be elected, not like under the current board structure. All day-kindergarten should be implemented, in part to maintain the town’s highly-ranked school district. All-day kindergarten is possible because of declining enrollment, and could cost $296,000, Herbst said, citing a report from the district. "We’ve talked about it for 25 years. It is time we do it."

By Aaron Leo

Reprinted from <em>Trumbull Patch</em> © Copyright 2011

Continue reading »]]> Under a new tax relief plan for senior citizens, residents over age 65 could receive as much as $125 each off their tax bill.
First Selectman Timothy Herbst, who presented the plan to the Town Council’s finance committee earlier this week, said the plan would provide seniors in town with a small amount of tax relief at a time when the cost of living continues to escalate while Social Security increases have not kept pace.

“This abatement will help our older population deal with the effects of a severe economic downturn while allowing them the opportunity to continue to afford to live in Trumbull,” Herbst said.

Herbst presented the committee with four possible scenarios, costing between $340,000 and $575,000. The committee did not vote on any of the plans, instead opting to request a legal opinion from the town attorney.

All seniors in town would be eligible for the abatement plan, and all four plans would allow seniors to deduct up to $5,000 from their personal property tax assessments. Usually, the bulk of a personal property assessment is for a car.

“So basically, if you have a Buick that’s a few years old and assessed at $5,000, you would pay no taxes on it,” Herbst said. “If you have a newer Lexus worth $20,000, you would pay taxes on $15,000.”

Under the current mill rate, $5,000 in assessed value would mean an annual tax bill of $125.

Herbst said he had considered placing an income threshold on the abatement, but decided against it.

“Applying it to everyone means that all the seniors will benefit, plus it is easier to administrate the plan,” Herbst said.

The first, and least costly, option is to apply the savings to households with at least one member over 70 years old. Herbst estimated that would affect 2,723 accounts. Lowering the age limit to 65, which is Option 2, would increase the number of eligible accounts to 3,589.

The third and fourth options are to apply the tax abatement to individual seniors in town, meaning a household could have two recipients. Under that scenario, setting the limit at 70 would allow 3,435 residents to qualify for tax relief. A limit of 65 would mean 4,600 potential filers.

The plans would have varying levels of cost to the town, too. Option 1 would cost the town $340,375. Option 2 would cost $448,625. Option 3 would cost $429,375 and Option 4, $575,000.

Herbst said the finance committee could recommend any of the four proposals, recommend a modified proposal or take no action at all.

“Ultimately, the legislation adopted by the Town Council must serve the best interests of the town while providing meaningful tax relief to our seniors,” he said.

Town Councilman Mary Beth Thornton, Herbst’s Democratic challenger in November, said the timing of the proposal was curious.

“We formed a committee to look into personal property tax relief in November of 2010,” Thornton said. “A year later, we get this plan, and it’s still not ready for the council, we need another legal opinion?”

Thornton said Trumbull already has one of the most comprehensive senior tax abatement programs in the state, including freezes and deferments. She questioned the fairness of the flat $5,000 deduction.

“So someone with a yacht and a motor home would receive more benefit than someone getting by with their old car that’s not even worth $5,000,” she said.

By Donald Eng

Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2011

Continue reading »]]> Two years ago, First Selectman Tim Herbst promised to rein in tax increases and institute strong ethical standards when it came to spending. While his supporters say he kept those promises and more, critics say the accomplishments he lists often are exaggerated or not of Herbst’s doing.

Much of the race between Herbst and his Democratic challenger, Town Councilwoman Mary Beth Thornton, is focused on whether the first-term incumbent lived up the promises he made in unseating Democrat Ray Baldwin.

Herbst said he has had to prove that although young — his detractors often call him “Timmy” to insinuate he’s too junior for the job — he has proven he can buckle down on expenses while preserving the character of the town and its strong educational program.

Herbst said he is most proud of cutting $1 million from the operational budget in the first six months of office, a promise he made in his campaign platform and acceptance speech. He reached the goal by eliminating unnecessary employee cellphones, unnecessary employee credit cards, and free health care benefits some elected officials were receiving, town Treasurer John Ponzio said. Herbst said he was also able to reduce the municipal head count by 12 positions without laying anyone off.

“Why he continues to claim that is baffling because it’s so demonstrably not true,” said Democratic Town Committee member Tony Silber.
About $450,000 of the savings Herbst claims were savings in bonding projects not actually part of the operating budget, Silber said. Furthermore some of those projects, like the town pool, were canceled before they were put out to bid. To claim saving money that was never spent is misleading, Silber said.

But Herbst responded that if the bond authorization for the pool was not revoked, Trumbull would have had to budget an additional $400,000 a year in its operating budget for debt service.

Herbst said he further improved town finances by championing a comprehensive purchasing policy that requires Town Council approval to waive any bid in excess of $500,000. The policy guaranteed reform after construction company Mark IV was awarded a no-bid contract for $3.5 million to do sewer work that was later found to have major flaws, Herbst said.

Also, Herbst said, the defined contribution policy he pushed through will help reduce future pension liabilities. The town’s $54 million in pension liabilities is its top financial risk, Ponzio said. Herbst made a promise to also apply 25 percent of surplus revenues to the pension fund, something he hasn’t done, Thornton said.

Trumbull had a $1.6 million surplus in its last budget, 25 percent of which would have been $400,000.

“When we took office … we realized the situation with the pension fund was worse than we expected,” Herbst said. “Therefore, my financial team agreed that it would take more than one-time revenue injections to boost the fund.” Over the last two years, his administration has added $1 million to the pension fund.

SCHOOL PRIORITIES

On education, Herbst promised to fight for full-day kindergarten, to push for every classroom to be SMARTboard ready, and to develop a 20-year capital improvement plan for the schools.

Opponents say Herbst waited until September, just two months before the election, to seek full-day kindergarten in September. But Board of Education member Loretta Chory said a subcommittee to study full-day implementation was formed within six months after Herbst took office. She said the subcommittee probably would not have been formed were it not for the Republican majority on the education board. Board of Education chairman Ed Lovely said Herbst gave the committee his support, but otherwise couldn’t do much while the committee studied the issue.

Herbst also promised to eliminate all portable classrooms in the schools, but he said conversations with the schools superintendent have made it clear the portables can’t be removed until full-day kindergarten is implemented.

Herbst said he would like to serve another term so he could continue to advocate for the full-day program.

As for technology, every fifth-grade classroom now has a SMARTboard and 115 new computers were put into the schools in the 2010 fiscal year, Herbst said. New SMARTboards will be installed throughout the high school as part of the renovations, he added.

But the SMARTboards are not a result of Herbst’s initiatives, Silber said. They were bonded for during the previous administration under Baldwin, Lovely said.

“It’s not fair for him to take the credit for the investments just because he didn’t cut Ray’s investments,” Silber said.

‘BEST FOR THE TOWN’

As for the 20-year capital plan, it was probably ambitious, Herbst said. A five-year plan was developed, however, to address immediate priorities. Chory said the high school renovations have been such a huge undertaking there isn’t enough manpower to look at projects beyond the renovations.

In education policy, “I think he had some good moments,” Lovely said. “One example was helping us out with the Hillcrest (Middle School) pool. We had to make the locker room area safer and Mr. Herbst was helpful with that. But I was disappointed with the taking of some BOE funds, over $1 million, for health care purposes (in the last budget season). I thought such a move was illegal.”

Herbst also promised to make the recommendations of the 2006 plan of conservation and development a reality. Herbst said he has been partially successful with that goal. Some mixed-use and adaptive-use zones were approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission and Phase I of the downtown revitalization plan was completed. Herbst also promised to revitalize the Reservoir Avenue and Lindeman Drive area, a promise he said he wasn’t able to achieve in this term.

“No one has come along to buy that property, that’s why it hasn’t been done,” Planning & Zoning Commission Chairman Tony Chory said. “He has a great vision for that site.”

While Herbst claims to have grown the grand list, “all the development we’re realizing now was created through the former economic development director and economic development commission of the previous administration,” Thornton said.

Herbst said he would like two more years in office so he can merge town and education health care and energy plans to save more money. He would also like to oversee sewer regionalization with Bridgeport or other neighboring towns.

“I believe I’m better equipped than my opponent to sit at the negotiating table and argue what’s best for the town,” Herbst said.

By Vinti Singh

Reprinted from The Connecticut Post © Copyright 2011

Continue reading »]]> First Selectman Tim Herbst has proposed giving seniors relief on property taxes in a resolution he sent to the Town Council.
Herbst asked the council’s Finance Committee to develop an exemption/abatement program on automobile taxes.

“This relief would come at a time when our seniors are going on two years without an increase in their Social Security (benefits) while Medicare premiums are also going up,” Herbst said. “This abatement will help our older population deal with the effects of a severe economic downturn while allowing them the opportunity to continue to afford to live in Trumbull.”

The first selectman is proposing to reduce the taxable cost of seniors’ cars by $5,000. For example, a senior who owns a car valued at $20,000 would pay taxes as if it was worth $15,000.

Herbst offered four possible scenarios in his resolution. In the most aggressive one, all seniors 65 and older would qualify for the $5,000 reduction. In the least aggressive scenario, one car per household with a senior 70 years or older would qualify for the credit.
In the third scenario, one car per household that has a senior 65 years or older would qualify for the credit. In the fourth scenario, every senior 70 years or older would qualify for the credit.

The Finance Committee considered the resolution Monday night, voting to table it until it gets a legal opinion from the town attorney. Municipalities have jurisdiction under state law to give real estate tax abatements to disabled people and senior citizens, but committee members were unsure if that also applies to automobile tax.

“I envision that this process will take time,” Herbst said. “My goal is to have a plan in place before I present my budget to the Board of Finance in February, so we can properly budget for this tax relief in the 2012-13 fiscal year.”

Herbst said he will be asking the Finance Committee to schedule work sessions with the bipartisan committee was established last year to develop an appropriate plan.

“It is interesting that this is now being revisited during the campaign,” said Mary Beth Thornton, who is running against Herbst in November for first selectman.

Herbst formed a committee to look into the program in November 2010, but Thornton said she did not recall getting any committee reports since then.

By Vinti Singh

Reprinted from The Connecticut Post © Copyright 2011

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Herbst-proposes-property-tax-cut-for-seniors-2189530.php#ixzz1ZfcWTnuL

Continue reading »]]> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TRUMBULL MAINTAINS STRONG BOND RATINGS
August 23, 2011

Fitch, Moody’s and S&P cite a strong fund balance, robust economic development and pension deficit mitigation plan as reasons for preserving Town’s bond rating

TRUMBULL – - The Town of Trumbull has maintained its strong bond ratings, First Selectman Timothy M. Herbst announced Tuesday morning, in anticipation of the Town’s upcoming debt issuance. Three rating agencies, Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) as well as Fitch Ratings, all issued favorable reports on the Town’s bond rating on the heels of S&P’s downgrade of the federal government’s credit a few weeks ago, and almost two weeks after thirteen Aaa Towns in Connecticut were put on a watch list by Moody’s. Many of those towns and cities were in Fairfield County, including Greenwich, Weston, Westport, Wilton, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, New Canaan, Norwalk and Ridgefield.

“With what is going on around us, specifically in Washington, in Hartford and in surrounding communities, we are very pleased to have maintained our bond rating in these unprecedented economic times,” stated the First Selectman. “These reports confirm that our economic development is strong and our financial management is strong. More importantly, the reports confirm that the pro-active approach we have taken in addressing Trumbull’s pension problem head on with a specific mitigation plan will help to preserve our bond rating into the future. The short term and long term structural reforms we are making to the municipal pension system in Trumbull will ultimately reduce our unfunded liability and protect the Town’s financial health for years to come.”

In a press release announcing that Trumbull had maintained its Aa2 bond rating, Moody’s indicated in its rationale that, “the Aa2 rating reflects the town’s satisfactory financial position and strong management practices which have demonstrated an ability to maintain the town’s current reserves while addressing long term pension liabilities.” The Moody report further noted that the Town of Trumbull will “pursue benefit changes through the collective bargaining process, including transitioning to a defined contribution retirement plan, in an effort to offset funding shortfalls and reduce the unfunded liability.” While Fitch also noted that the Town had proactively addressed its unfunded pension liability, Fitch also took note of several other factors.

Fitch, who affirmed the Town’s AA+ rating, noted increased economic development and tax stabilization as key factors that underlie the Town’s strong financial position. “The fiscal year 2012 operating budget grew by a modest 1.9% over that of the prior fiscal year, and includes growth in debt service costs and pension funding. Sound tax base growth of approximately 1.9% for fiscal year 2012, the most in a non-revaluation year this decade, evidences the continued strength of the local economy and provided Trumbull with some flexibility in limiting its tax increase.” Fitch also took note of the Town’s strong general fund balance. “Trumbull’s financial position is stable. Fiscal 2010 ended with a 1.2 million general fund surplus resulting in a strong unreserved fund balance of $14.7 million.” Fitch also went on to note that “surplus operations in fiscal 2010 were a result of savings attributed to cuts in staff, stronger tax collections than budgeted, and lower debt service costs resulting from a refunding.”

Town Treasurer John Ponzio also expressed enthusiasm regarding the favorable report from all three rating agencies. “As we weather this economic storm, the reports from these three rating agencies validate the approach that we have taken over the course of the last two years as it relates to Town finances. Aggressive cost control, a strong and detailed pension deficit mitigation plan, and a healthy fund balance are all factors that will allow us to maintain a strong bond rating and strive for an even stronger rating in the years ahead.”

“Considering the strong credit ratings achieved by the Town, we anticipate that the bond and note sales tomorrow will go extremely well,” said the Town’s Financial Advisor Matthew Spoerndle from Phoenix Advisors. “In this economic climate, ratings play a more important role than ever. Investors demand for high quality investments is very strong and as a result, interest rates should be among the lowest the Town has ever experienced.”

Continue reading »]]> In the wake of the debacle following recent sewer work, Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst is making the absolute right call in proposing a comprehensive purchasing policy for the town.

Among key elements of the first selectman’s proposal is one that would require approval from the majority of the Town Council to waive bids on any project of $500,000 or more.

Frankly, it would seem the threshold for waiving the need for bids could be considerably lower than $500,000.

Auditors found that in what has turned out to be a troubled project, the Mark IV Construction company was awarded a $3.5 million no-bid contract extension for sewer work.

And they found that engineering services company Spath-Bjorklund Associates was contracted for about $1 million of services without the benefit of any formal bid.

Herbst is rightly choosing to surrender an authority that now unadvisedly rests in the first selectman’s hands: Town policy now requires only the first selectman’s approval for bid waivers.

The policy, of course, addresses more than waivers. It covers the panoply of issues involved in purchasing and the awarding of public contracts.

In short, it will considerably tighten the protection of Trumbull taxpayer’s money, and for that reason alone should have universal support.

Reprinted from The Connecticut Post © Copyright 2011

Continue reading »]]> The early campaign season took several twists over the past week, as Republican Chairman Jack Testani criticized Democratic first selectman candidate Mary Beth Thornton over her abstention from a vote on proposed town employee 401(k) plans.

Democratic Chairman Nancy DiNardo, and Councilman John Rotondo, who also abstained from the vote, issued statements critical of Testani and defending Thornton, while Thornton herself characterized the entire situation as a miscommunication.

The issue began at last Monday’s council meeting, when the council approved 17-1 a plan to move non-union employees and elected officials from a pension plan to a defined-contribution plan. The vote affects about 25 town employees.

Thornton, who is also the minority leader, abstained from the vote. What followed is the crux of the political flap.

“During a recess after the vote, I was talking to reporters, and I said there had been some questions raised about the pension plan, and I wasn’t sure if it was going to save the town money,” Thornton said. “We had gotten the information on the previous Friday, which included an executive summary of the Pension Board’s report, and I came to the meeting ready to vote for it.”

But Democrat Mark Altieri’s comments that his questions to the Pension Board had not been included in the meeting minutes gave Thornton pause, and she decided she did not have enough information to cast a vote.

“I felt that, at that moment, I didn’t know whether I wanted to vote for it or not,” she said. “I could have made a motion to send the question back to committee, but that would have failed. I agreed with the measure, but with Mark’s questions, I didn’t feel comfortable voting yes and I didn’t want to vote no.”

Thornton explained her hesitance to reporters, then in response to a follow-up question, she commented that she had been in New Hampshire over the weekend. That comment, which appeared in a Connecticut Post story on the vote, drew fire from Republicans.

“Certainly, Mrs. Thornton could have taken a few minutes out of her weekend vacation in New Hampshire to make sure she was prepared to vote at the meting,” said GOP Chairman Jack Testani.

Testani also said Thornton could have voted to table the vote, pending more information, or voted no.

“Instead, three months before an election, she decided not to take a position,” Testani said.

First Selectman Tim Herbst also criticized the comment, citing it as evidence of a lack of leadership qualities in his challenger.

“When faced with a tough decision crucial to the town’s financial health, she doesn’t take a position,” Herbst said. “Leaders have to make decisions.”

But Thornton said the comment was taken out of context, and that she had only been in New Hampshire for several hours Sunday morning and afternoon.

“We drove up for a wedding, and then the small catering hall had a kitchen fire because they weren’t set up for a large crowd,” she said. “We didn’t want to wait on the fire department, so we got in the car and came home before we even got to eat our salads.”

Fellow Democratic Councilman John Rotondo, who also abstained, said that sometimes abstention is the correct decision.

“There are times when there is not enough data, too much or confusing data, or just an uncomfortable feeling that everything has not been well thought-out,” Rotondo said. “Those are the times when abstention makes sense.”

Rotondo pointed to Altieri’s comments that the defined-contribution plan might end up costing the town more money in the long run than the pension plan it replaced. He also said the mandatory plan might not even be legal.

“We are still in America last time I checked,” he said. “It makes you wonder how this even made it through the Republican-controlled committee meeting. It should have been tabled there.”

Not voting on an issue makes perfect sense when all the facts are not known, Rotondo said.

“Mary Beth Thornton won’t vote just for the sake of voting,” he said. “She’ll make the tough decision, even if it’s not the popular thing to do.”

Democratic Chairman Nancy DiNardo said Testani’s criticism was the height of hypocrisy.

“He himself, as a member of the Board of Finance a few years back, abstained from a much more important vote to adopt a municipal budget,” she said. “And more recently, the entire Republican membership of the Board of Finance abstained in the vote to adopt a town budget.”

DiNardo called the 401k vote typical of the “chaotic and dysfunctional” Herbst administration.

“Acquiescence was assumed,” she said. “I would much rather have a leader who is open and forthcoming, than a first selectman like Herbst, who is well-known to intimidate and bully people into submission when their opinions are contrary to his.”

Testani scoffed at DiNardo’s comments.

“While I appreciated the trip down memory lane, if Ms. DiNardo missed the fact that not only did Mrs. Thorton claim she was on vacation, but she abstained as the Democrat-endorsed candidate for first selectman,” he said. “The information was provided to Mrs. Thorton before she left for vacation, and certainly in the electronic age we live in, Mrs. Thorton could have sent e-mail questions before the vote of the Town Council.”

By Donald Eng

Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2011