Town council approves year-end transfers; hears plan for cameras at high-school field and possible sewer litigation

The Berlin Town Council approved a series of year-end budget transfers and received staff updates on planned security cameras and a potential legal action by the water and sewer company.

Jerry, a council member, moved to approve three sets of minutes and then moved two separate year-end transfer motions: $524,172 to cover a mix of storm reimbursements, higher snow-and-ice materials costs, increased unemployment on the town side and other overages, and $191,000 for additional year-end adjustments. Both motions were seconded and the chair announced they were carried.

Kevin, a town staff member who presented the budget detail, said storm-related expenses and several personnel events drove transfers. "We did have... storm meal reimbursement," he said, and noted the town had "3 or 4 folks who were let go" in the past fiscal year, which increased unemployment expenses. He also described police overtime increases tied to sergeants out for extended periods: "When they're out, unfortunately, we have to back up with overtime."

Kevin pointed to a notable rise in school electricity costs as another driver. He said the town previously had a rate near 7¢ per kilowatt-hour but recent bids yielded a rate near 10¢, and that increased utilization at the high school contributed to higher bills. "So you combine increased utilization with a higher kilowatt per hour charge," he said.

In additions to the transfers, Kevin updated the council on year-end bookkeeping: 26 invoices were paid, work continues on the Sage Park parking lot and HVAC projects at Griswold and Hubbard, tax collections remain strong, the health-insurance fund is improving, and the auditors have begun preliminary work with a target to complete by year-end. He said the town currently projects a surplus, though expenditures were higher as a share of budget than last year.

On public-safety measures, Kevin told the council there have been e-bike incidents at the field behind Berlin High School and staff are proposing to fund cameras from surplus. "I've got it to the list $50,000," he said, and said an agenda item authorizing the purchase will appear at the town meeting next Tuesday; Steve Wood is expected to present the authorization to purchase. A council member asked if the cameras would link to the police department; Kevin said he would ask the presenter.

Kevin also reported that the water and sewer company may seek to use about $140,000 from its reserves (a proprietary fund, not the general fund) to hire outside counsel recommended by the town attorney to pursue disputed unpaid bills from two other sewer districts. "It relates to the other two sewer districts and what is owed," he said. Council members asked for clarification about the overdue payments and the proposed legal approach; Kevin said the matter would come back to the town meeting and then to the council if the town meeting approves.

The meeting proceeded without further formal actions and adjourned after a motion to end the session.

Next steps: the camera authorization and the proposed water/sewer reserve use will be considered at the town meeting next Tuesday; if the town meeting approves, the council would take final action thereafter.