REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
Town Hall, 1st Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Randi Bradbury called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Randi Bradbury, Chairman
Diane Aldi DePaola, Vice Chairman
Mary Kennedy
Jeffrey Meotti
Richard Peters
Donald Brigham
Members Absent
Eugene Creighton
Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
Members of the Public Present
Torrance Downes, from the Historical Society
Ted Levy, from the Historical Society
Linda Cansella, from the Historical Society
III. OLD BUSINESS
- Awareness Building Initiative
Signs: There was nothing new to report.
Brochure: D. Aldi DePaola showed Commissioners the draft brochure of the North Cove Historic District. She thanked C. Nelson and Joanne Rynecki for their help. She said the brochure looked great, but she’d like it to open like a book.
D. Aldi DePaola said she would follow up with E. Creighton to see if he is still available to take new photographs for the brochure. She would like to keep some of the old pictures and place them next to the new photos. She asked Commissioners to review the brochure and offer comment.
R. Bradbury suggested asking one of the town historians from the Old Saybrook Historical Society to review the brochure for historical accurateness.
C. Nelson suggested the HDC hire a graphic designer to make the brochure look more professional.
Commissioners are hoping to have the brochure completed in the summer of 2014.
J. Meotti received an e-mail from Professional Engineer Geoffrey Jacobson on 1/15/2014 regarding the replacement of the existing guiderail along North Cove Road. The new rail would be a steel backed timber guiderail. The rail would cost approximately $100.00 per foot, and it would be approximately 300 feet. Commissioners can choose which guiderail they like, and Geoffrey Jacobson can give them an estimate of probable cost.
Commissioners would like to know what the price difference would be if they keep the metal posts versus replacing them with wood posts. Also, they would like to see what the steel posts with a horizontal steel rail with wood facing would cost.
J. Meotti will contact G. Jacobson to ask him if he can get an estimate as soon as possible. Once the estimate of probable cost has been received, R. Peters offered to talk with First Selectman Carl Fortuna about the cost. C. Nelson suggested asking J. Jacobson to join him at the meeting.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
- Certified Local Government
R. Bradbury asked members of the public if they wanted to speak.
Ted Levy, a member of the Board of Trustees for the Historical Society, said that he would like the town to conduct an historic inventory. The first step in this process would be to hire an historic architect to identify the historic resources that exist. The CLG program allows $30,000.00 for that survey. The historic architect would then share those findings with the HDC and the town.
T. Downes added that an historic survey was done recently in Clinton over a 6-8 month period, and it was very successful.
L. Cansella stated that there are a significant number of historical towns that have already gone through this process. The timing is perfect for this type of inventory. She urged the HDC to move forward with this project.
T. Levy noted that the last time a study like this was done in Old Saybrook was in 1980. Before that, the last historic inventory was done in 1966. Historic resources have been lost over time, and it’s so important for a town like Old Saybrook to preserve their historic resources.
R. Bradbury asked who would write the grant. T. Downes offered to get a copy of the grant from Clinton. C. Nelson said she would like to see examples of what other towns have done, and she will help write the grant.
D. Brigham asked if the historic architect would offer suggestions as to how to improve or restore the historic buildings. T. Levy said many of the historic properties are private residences, but establishing an historic district is a way to protect and preserve the historic properties. A preservation easement can be built into deeds. There is an educational follow up to this type of a program so homeowners will better understand the historic importance of their homes.
C. Nelson asked if anyone would be willing to serve as a liaison. T. Downes offered, and HDC Commissioner D. Aldi offered to help also.
MOTION: to make application to the State Historic Preservation Office for funds to undertake an inventory of historic resources in Old Saybrook; MOVED: M. Kennedy; SECONDED: D. Aldi DePaola; IN FAVOR: R. Bradbury, M. Kennedy, J. Meotti, R. Peters, D. Aldi DePaola; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
V. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Meeting Minutes
MOTION: to approve the minutes of December 19, 2013 as presented with the following correction: page 2, paragraph 8, change spelling of “Rosa Bergosa” to “Rosa Rugosa.” MOVED: M. Kennedy; SECONDED: J. Meotti; IN FAVOR: R. Bradbury, M. Kennedy, J. Meotti, R. Peters, D. Aldi DePaola; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
A letter dated 12/16/2013 was received from the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service that Old Saybrook has been accepted as a Certified Local Government.
- Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
C. Nelson reported that the Planning Commission is working on the Town Plan, and there is going to be a section on Scenic Roads. She asked if the HDC would like to have input regarding signage.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled HDC meeting on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room; MOVED: R. Bradbury; SECONDED: M. Kennedy; IN FAVOR: R. Bradbury, D. Aldi DePaola, M. Kennedy, J. Meotti, R. Peters; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
| 
