MEETING MINUTES
December 10, 2015
Economic Development Office, Old Saybrook Town Hall
7:30 pm
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Carol Conklin called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm
ROLL CALL
Members present: Joseph Arcari, Carol Conklin, John DeCristoforo, Bruce Greenfield (at 7:50pm), Jim Keating, Matthew Pugliese (at 8:10pm) Sandra Roberts, Elizabeth Swenson.
Members absent: David Cole
Staff: Susan Beckman, Economic Development Director, Chris Costa, Zoning Enforcement Officer
PUBLIC QUESTION & COMMENT - none
REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Approval of Minutes: Nov 12, 2015 Regular Meeting and Dec 3, 2015 Special Meeting
MOTION: To approve the minutes of the November 12, 2015 EDC Regular Meeting MADE: by J. Keating SECONDED: by E. Swenson VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Arcari, C. Conklin, J. DeCristoforo, B. Greenfield, J. Keating, S. Roberts, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: None; APPROVED 7-0-0
MOTION: To approve the minutes of the December 3, 2015 Special Meeting with the following corrections: D. Cole voted to oppose the motion to approve petition #2 for zoning map change to B3 zone; S. Roberts joined the meeting at 8:17pm; M. Pugliese joined the meeting at 8:40pm; Attorney was Eliza Heins. MADE: by J. Keating SECONDED: by J. Arcari VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Arcari, C. Conklin, J. DeCristoforo, B. Greenfield, J. Keating, S. Roberts, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: None; APPROVED 7-0-0
B. Correspondence & Announcements
a. EDC representative to IWWC – tabled for a future meeting
OLD BUSINESS - None
NEW BUSINESS
A. EDC Budget 2016-2017 – S Beckman passed out the Budget Status and History with the Economic Development Department year-to-date budget and the spreadsheet from the Finance Director with the annual budget history. Commissioners were asked to review prior to the January meeting and come to the January meeting with their thoughts on the 2016-2017 budget. C. Conklin suggested a new account for Mariner’s Way Marketing. E. Swenson volunteered to sit with S. Beckman and put a draft budget together. Suggestion was made to talk with River COG to see if member towns would consider contributing a couple thousand dollars to develop a regional marketing campaign. S. Beckman will call Sam Gold to set a meeting.
B. STEAP Grant – request for additional funding for the Main Street Connections Parking Lot and Park. BOS approved signing a resolution to support at the Dec 8 2015 meeting. S Beckman asked the Commissioners for their support of the additional STEAP Grant.
MOTION: To approve sending a letter of support for the additional STEAP Grant request. MADE: by E. Swenson SECONDED: by J. Keating VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Arcari, C. Conklin, J. DeCristoforo, B. Greenfield, J. Keating, M. Pugliese, S. Roberts, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: None; APPROVED 8-0-0
C. Other New Business - Suggestions to promote the Town: focus on businesses between Staples and Saybrook Country Barn along Route 1 with an event; “Wednesdays in Saybrook” to encourage visitors to spend the day in town from the morning Farmer’s Market through the Concert on the Green in the evening; “Friday Morning Serial” a weekly discussion about a topic of interest using an empty store front. S. Beckman will talk to the Chamber about the ideas above.
E. Swenson, EDC Rep to the Ad Hoc Committee on The Preserve, provided a brief update. She asked the Commission to consider budgeting money for marketing for The Preserve.
Invite Ray Allen, Director of Parks & Rec, to a meeting to talk about the use of public spaces.
PUBLIC QUESTION & COMMENT – none
STAFF REPORT –
C. Costa reported that the petitions for the zoning regulation and map changes have been submitted to the Zoning Commission and referred to the appropriate departments, commissions and agencies. Copies of the petitions were handed out to Commissioners. After the last meeting, Atty. Heins discovered that language proposed by D. Royston to clarify the Pedestrian Node had an error that did not accurately reflect the area on the map. Atty. Heins corrected the error by reverting back to the original text proposed for the Pedestrian Node as the Commission intended.
The Planning Commission will review the referral at their Wednesday, January 6 meeting at 7pm. Commissioners J. Keating volunteered to present at the Planning Commission meeting. S Beckman will also attend. The petitions will be on the Zoning Commission agenda at their meeting Feb. 1st.
S Beckman passed out the ED Director’s report.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: To adjourn the meeting at 9:00p.m. until the Regular Meeting of the Economic Development Commission on January 14, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at 302 Main Street, Town Hall, EDC Office, First Floor; MADE: by B. Greenfield SECONDED: by M. Pugliese VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Arcari, C. Conklin, J. DeCristoforo, B. Greenfield, J. Keating, M. Pugliese, S. Roberts, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: None; APPROVED 8-0-0
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan W. Beckman
Economic Development Director
Acting Recording Clerk
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