The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting on Monday, November 3, 2008 in the meeting room at the C.H. Booth Library, Main Street, Newtown, CT. First Selectman Borst called the meeting to order at 7:42 p.m.
PRESENT: First Selectman Joseph Borst, Selectman Paul Mangiafico, Selectman Herbert Rosenthal.
ALSO PRESENT: Finance Director Robert Tait, Town Engineer Ron Bolmer, Public Works Director Fred Hurley, Deputy Land Use Director Rob Sibley, Conservation Commission Chair Joe Hovious, Brian Holmes, Assistant Vice President of O & G Industries, Jerry Waters of Tai Soo Kim Partners, Architects, five members of the public and two members of the press.
VOTER COMMENTS:
Peggy O’Neill Murphy, 8 Meadow Road, Newtown wholeheartedly endorses sidewalks on Queen Street. It makes for a much more friendly community; people will be healthier and children will be safer. It would be ideal for the members of Newtown if the sidewalks were on the East side of the streets where they would connect to the Middle School and eventually to Fairfield Hills.
Michael Floros, 32 Queen Street, Newtown believes it is time to move forward with sidewalks on Queen Street. Study shows that Towns with sidewalks are healthier. This is an infrastructure project that would help everybody in the Town.
Barbara O’Connor, Little Brook Lane, Newtown, feels that if people wanted sidewalks then they should’ve bought a house in a Town with sidewalks. Mrs. O’Connor is against putting in sidewalks if it means her tax dollars are going to go up.
Lisa Floros, 32 Queen Street, Newtown addressed the safety aspect of sidewalks on Queen Street. Mrs. Floros believes this is the time to move forward because the Youth Center is open in Fairfield, the Recreation/Community Center/Senior Center is being planned, there will be more traffic and there will be more reason for kids to want to walk. This is the time to move ahead.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: Selectman Rosenthal moved to accept the minutes of 10/02/08. Seconded by Selectman Mangiafico. All were in favor.
COMMUNICATIONS – SELECTMAN, ETC.
Discussion of topics tabled from previous meetings:
1. Deer Study/Action Group: First Selectman Borst reported he had a meeting on
10/28 with Donna Culbert and Rob Sibley to address the deer/tick problem in the Town. First Selectman Borst spoke with one member of the Fairfield Hills Authority about possibly being a liaison to the group and he also spoke with
Maggie Shaw. She is unable to represent the Town at the Municipal Deer
Alliance but she did recommend another party who Mr. Borst has not had the
opportunity to speak with yet.
2. Leaps of Faith – Selectmen from Monroe, Southbury, Newtown and Oxford have written a letter to First Light, that owns the Lake, to see if they would be interested in donating funds to help cover the cost of the Leaps of Faith ski clinics. This needs to be looked at from a legal stand point.
3. Bateson driveway bond – John Poeltl, Chief Building Inspector addressed the Boards questions by explaining that by State Building Code temporary certificate of occupancy can be issued without an end date. Once the work is completed they have 30 days to get a certificate of occupancy. Selectman Borst would like Mr. Poeltl to look into revoking the temporary certificate of occupancy. Selectman Mangiafico also questioned why the Bateson’s are being charged 75% of their taxes? The house is incomplete, therefore they are not charged at 100%. First Selectman made a motion to cancel the temporary certificate
of occupancy on the Bateson property on 11 Merlins Lane. Selectman Rosenthal seconded. All in favor. Selectman Mangiafico moved the driveway bond be forfeited. Selectman Rosenthal seconded. All in favor.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Discussion and possible action:
1. Fairfield Hills Update:
Fred Hurley reported the permanent power was turned on for the Youth Academy and Parks and Recreation on October 25, 2008. The main fuses for the campus sub-station have been pulled so that the only power available on the campus is from the overhead power lines. DEP & DPH gave final approval as on the procedures for the tunnel removal. Contractors on site started work 11/3/08. Natural gas line completion is anticipated by Christmas. Parking lots will be done before the end of the year. Some additional street lights will need to be purchased but there will still be a savings due to the reuse of older lights. Paving will be finished from Keating Farms Ave. cul d’ sac to the Cochran House with binder
course. DEP/DPH have cleared and accepted work procedures to proceed with tunnel removal and Bridgeport Hall. Russell Bartley and TRC are overseeing all the environmental work.
Bridgeport Hall Roof Replacement:
First Selectman Borst spoke of a letter from Ron Bienkowski, Director of Business, Board of Education, indicating the Town will get reimbursement from the State in the amount of $647,000 which can be put into Bridgeport Hall to pay for some of the educational work that needs to be done. Funds under O&G in the budget can be transferred and used to replace the roof. First Selectman Borst feels that the entire roof should be replaced and believes there will be problems down the road in matching different types of roofing. He is concerned that the original shingles were manufactured and sealed around the edges. If the shingles are cut, the seal will be lost. The roof has moss, which indicates moisture. To clean the moss the seal may be destroyed. Mr. O’Toole of Greenwood Industries indicated to Joe that there is not a material that could replace the seal.
Jerry Waters of Tai Soo Kim Architects checked with two different roofing consultants who had never heard of any kind of sealer on these kinds of shingles before. The shingles are cut the same way the slate shingles are. The only place where there is water damage is above the stairwells, on the flat roof because a roof drain clogged, ponded and ran through the building. The halls and meeting rooms do not have leaks. He is not concerned about the moss and said that moss in not an indication of moisture it just means there is not a lot of direct sunlight. The entire building will be power washed, the moss should come off and there should not be any damage to the shingles. The new dormers will not have asphalt
shingles and there will be a copper flashing between the existing roof and the new roofing.
Selectman Rosenthal read all information, spoke with O & G and the chairman of the Public Building Committee and agrees that the roof that we would get in the bid package is not as good as the roof that is on there now, which is probably a 100 year roof. Any damaged shingles could be replaced with shingles from other buildings. Selectman Rosenthal thinks it would be a mistake for the Town to spend money on a new roof. Litchfield Hall is coming down and it would be a good opportunity to use the shingles. Jerry Waters confirmed they would be a perfect match. Selectman Rosenthal moved that the Town not replace the roof at Bridgeport Hall. Selectman Rosenthal (YES), Selectman Mangiafico (YES), First
Selectman Borst (NO).
Selectman Rosenthal suggested the Board of Education memo, requesting changes to the Board of Education area in Bridgeport Hall, be referred to the Public Building & Site Committee.
NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion and possible action:
1. Queen Street Sidewalks:
First Selectman Borst referred to a letter from Jim Gaston (attachment A) requesting
sidewalks down the East side of Queen Street from the Middle School, down Wasserman Way, around the corner up to Reed School and to the intersection of Trades Lane. Mr. Hurley was unable to speak of the cost because there is a lot involved, such as curbing, trees and obstructions. Selectman Rosenthal pointed out that the side streets are on the West side of Queen Street. Also, there is a steep drop-off on Wasserman Way down into a revine, leaving no room for a sidewalk. There was an engineering study and a LoCIP grant from Town and an additional LoCIP funds from the Borough that was used for the West Side Queen Street sidewalks, around Glover and up
Main Street. Mr. Bolmer said a midblock crossing is unsafe. Selectman Rosenthal is in favor of doing the sidewalks in segments and is sure it would have to go into the Capital Improvement Plan. Selectman Mangiafico moved the Board of Selectmen approve design and installation of sidewalks on East side of Queen Street to be constructed in various segments with the final plans being all of Queen Street turning on Wasserman Way and connecting to the Fairfield Hills Campus. First Selectman Borst amended that the funding be part of the Capital Improvement Plan. All in favor.
George Schmidt, 12 Old Castle Drive, Newtown, questioned the role of the Borough in this project, as their Charter says they are responsible for sidewalks, fencing , curbing required or anything that goes with the sidewalks . Selectman Rosenthal stated the Borough supervised the installation of the sidewalks. The Town paid for the sidewalks out of the LoCIP funds, the Borough had about 10% of the funding. The issue is the roads in the Borough are either Town roads or State Roads. Selectman Rosenthal suggested Jim Gaston come to a meeting to address those questions.
2. Driveway Bond Releases & Extensions:
Selectman Rosenthal moved to release two driveway bonds, one common driveway
Bond and approve one driveway bond extension as outlined in Attachment B. All in
favor.
3. Fire Suppression Tank Bond Release, Castle Meadow Road,
“Samuel Newman” Subdivision:
Selectman Rosenthal moved to release the $30,000 Fire Suppression Tank Bond,
Castle Meadow Road, “Samuel Newman” Subdivision. All in favor.
4. Children’s Adventure Center Resolution:
Selectman Rosenthal moved that the First Selectman be authorized to sign the Acceptance 097-CDC-39 in the amount of $240,750.00. All in favor.
5. Appointments/Reappointments: none
6. Acceptance of Wentworth Drive:
Selectman Mangiafico made a motion to accept Wentworth Drive. Motion seconded
and carried unanimously.
7. Newtown Board of Fire Commissioners request to donate spare truck:
Selectman Mangiafico moved that the Town of Newtown donate spare truck,
old 331, to the Litchfield County Chief’s Emergency Plan, Inc. Burrville Fire
School. Seconded by Selectman Rosenthal. All in favor.
Selectman Rosenthal moved to add an item to the agenda: Pension Plan
Selectman Rosenthal moved to add to the agenda the authorization of the Pension Committee to invest Commodities Mutual Funds. All in favor.
Selectman Rosenthal moved to adopt the recommendation of the Pension Committee regarding Commodity Mutual Funds, a limit of 5%. All in favor.
Selectman Rosenthal moved to enter executive session to discuss legal matters. Seconded by Selectman Mangiafico. All were in favor. Meeting entered executive session at 9:05PM and returned to open session at 10:35PM with no action being taken.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: none
ADJOURNMENT:
Having no further business, the Board of Selectman adjourned their regular meeting at 10:35 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
________________________
Susan Marcinek, Clerk
Attachment A: Letter from Jim Gaston
Attachment B: Driveway Bonds
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