DERBY — The BoAA’s failure to act on the purchase of the metal recycling center and a bond refunding resolution will cost the city greatly.
The city has been exploring ways of removing the metal recycling center from our downtown for a long time It is a huge impediment to downtown economic development. Agreements are in place for that to happen in the next 6 – 8 months once they are executed at zero cost to Derby taxpayers, allowing the property to be redeveloped, and produce tax revenue.
The city was also looking to restructure its bonded indebtedness, take advantage of favorable interest rates and save $500,000 in the FY 23 – 24 budget.
All that was needed for both was the approval of the Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen (BOAA).
I placed both items on the agenda for the regularly scheduled July meeting which was supposed to take place on July 14th. An email was sent with the agenda on July 12th at 12:55. A follow-up email with an attachment entitled “Metal Recycling Center Update” followed two minutes later.
On July 14th at 5:20 I received an email from the town clerk that he was informed by BOAA President, Sara Widomski, that there was a lack of quorum, and the meeting was being canceled.
Knowing the importance of the two items, I called for a special meeting a week later to consider both items. I was informed again by Ms. Widomski just before the meeting that she had cancelled the meeting saying there was no quorum.
I sent an email to Ms. Widomski and asked her to poll the board to find out when they could meet to consider these items. She emailed back the BoAA members could not meet until August 10th which is the next regularly scheduled meeting.
Only five of the nine BoAA members are needed for a quorum. So, at least 5 BOAA members had scheduled activities in conflict with them attending their regularly scheduled meeting, in direct conflict with fulfilling their responsibilities. No members notified me they could not attend. Did the BoAA members fail to notify Ms. Widomski until just before the regularly scheduled meeting resulting in the last-minute cancellation, not once but twice? BoAA meetings allow for virtual participation, and several members have used this option.
This makes this situation even more troubling, especially for a special meeting with only two agenda items which were very straightforward Then to be told that members of the BoAA could not or would not make time in their schedules to deal with these two very important matters until their next regularly scheduled meeting, provided they decide to show up for it, is simply unbelievable.
After speaking with our bond agent, I was told the BoAA’s failure to meet and act on the bond refunding will force the City to engage in alternative financing options, was a grave concern with the various financial agencies involved in the refinancing, would likely result in less favorable terms and conditions, force the city into more expensive short-term borrowing and cost the city an additional $150,000 at a minimum, which is unbudgeted. If the BoAA had approved the refunding resolution the city would have saved $500,0000.
Mayor Rich Dziekan
DERBY
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