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Minutes of the Board of Finance meeting held on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at the Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall.
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Present:~~~~~~~~~~ Regular Members:~ Andrew Russell, Wayne Devoe, H. P. Garvin, III,
Christopher Kerr, Janet Sturges, David Woolley
Alternate Members:~Anne Coburn
Nicole Stajduhar, Finance Director
Absent:~~~~~~~~~~~ Regular Members:~
~Alternate Members:~~ David Kelsey, Judy Read
Timothy C. Griswold, ex-officio
Guest: Diana Atwood Johnson, Chairman, Open Space Committee
Dimitri Tolchinski, Chairman, Water Pollution Control Authority
Mervin Roberts, Member, Water Pollution Control Authority
Brian Curtis, Consultant, Nathan Jacobson Consulting
Ed Adanti, Director, Old Lyme Public Works
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~Mr. Russell called the meeting to order at 7:02~p.m.~
Minutes of March 01, 2011
The minutes of March 1st were reviewed. On page seven, under Lymes’ Senior Center, at the end of the first sentence, add “on behalf of the other Senior Center Specialists, David Woolley and Judy Read.” In the second sentence, change “she” to “they”. Third sentence, add a “period (.)” after “newsletter” and start the next sentence with, “the specialists hope for an improved relationship with the Estuary Council.” Seventh page, change Mr. Russell to Mr. Kerr who stated the next meeting schedule.
There being no further changes noted, a motion was made by Mrs. Sturges, seconded by Mr. Kerr to approve the minutes as written. Mr. Garvin abstained from voting. Motion carried.
Minutes of March 08, 2011
The minutes of March 8th were reviewed. On page 2, under PGN Library, the correct amount the Library requested is $262,500 and the actual amount the town allocated last year is $255,000, not $240,000. On page 3, under Lyme Art Association, second sentence, change the word “in” to “from”. Third sentence, delete the words, “from last year” from that sentence.
There being no changes noted, a motion was made by Mr. Woolley, seconded by Mr. Devoe to approve the minutes as corrected. Motion carried.
Regional School District #18 Board of Education Presentation
Mr. Russell stated that The Board of Education did not vote on a budget last week. Therefore, Regional School District 18 Board of Education presentation is postponed until next week.
Mr. Russell stated that Mrs. Atwood Johnson wanted to address the Board regarding an Open Space purchase. Therefore, a motion was made by Mr. Devoe, seconded by Mrs. Sturges and passed unanimously to add Open Space to the agenda. Motion carried.
Open Space Discussion
Mrs. Atwood Johnson presented a proposal to acquire 81 acres of land for $10,000 per acre from Steven Ames and to receive, as a donation the fee interest, an additional 38.22 acres from Steven Ames. The land adjacent to an existing 24+ acres of Noyes Open Space, the 76+ acre Edward and Deborah Ames Preserve and the 1.14 acre Town Evergreen Trail Open Space. These acquisitions will create and connect 220 acres of contiguous Open Space off Whippoorwill Road. Open Space is in partnership with the Old Lyme Land Trust with a proposal to accept grant from the State for $38,650. The sales agreement terms are 50% down ($405,000) with the remaining half divided into thirds and paid over the following three years. She explained that this north-south Greenway is designed to create an interconnected
unbroken chain of forest, pasture and watercourse, can be used by the public as hiking, biking trails or in form of a continuous stream belt that serves to protect watercourses and natural vegetation. In the Ames case, this open space protects ancient highways, Indian trails and wood roads that have typically run north to south. It also provides a significant amount of unrestricted open space so necessary for wildlife corridors.
It was requested that Mrs. Stajduhar supply a detailed breakdown of the Open Space budget. Mr. Russell requested to add Open Space to next week’s meeting.
Mr. Russell stated that several representatives of the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) came this evening to discuss additional funding for WPCA. Mr. Tolchinski came before the Board to discuss the WPCA’s mission to avoid sewers within the town. The additional funding would be spent on studying and consulting services to keep sewers out of the town. A motion was made by Mr. Woolley, seconded by Mr. Kerr and passed unanimously to add WPCA to this evening’s agenda. Motion carried.
Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) Discussion
WPCA Chairman, Dimitri Tolchinski appeared before the Board with Brian Curtis, an engineer with Nathan Jacobson, Consulting Engineers of Chester, CT and Mervin Roberts, a member of WPCA. He submitted a letter dated February 03, 2011 to the Selectmen and the board of Finance asking for an additional $50,000 for the forthcoming fiscal year. Mr. Tolchinski’s letter and oral presentation, along with that of Mr. Curtis and Mr. Roberts, are all in agreement. He pointed out to the Board that WPCA statutory mandate is clearly defined but that the current WPCA budget appropriation is inadequate. He stated the five tasks he enumerated in his letter are critical here and now, especially in anticipation of lawsuits from beach associations and the threat by the DEP of sewering much or all of Old Lyme. He made it clear that he must comply with the law to make every discharge legal. There is, he pointed out, absolutely nothing in the state that refers to seasonal use. Either a discharge
meets the requirements of the law, or it does not, every day of the year.
300 Capital Expenditures/Non-Recurring
1900 General Government: Mrs. Stajduhar distributed the Five Year Capital and nonrecurring budget. She itemized General Government stating that Info Tech GIS has one time charges to maintain the webpage and to maintain or replace computers and printers. The Land Use R10 Registry funds are for the attorney that represents the town at all ZBA appeals ($11,250). Parks and Recreation is requesting $4,800 for improvements and general maintenance to related buildings and bathhouses. Mr. Bugbee reported that Hains Park’s beach sand needs to be augmented ($15,328). The Assessor’s $2,000 request is to laserfiche older Field Cards. The Finance Department needs a new payroll computer ($1,500) as well as $5,000 to update the outdated Employee Handbook. The CT River
Trail has $36,700 included to fund design work and this cost will be reimbursed by a State grant that has been approved. Mrs. Stajduhar said the $25,000 request (not $50,000 as noted above) from WPCA is included as well as Lyme Art Association ($2,000) to assist with flood damage. Rogers Lake Authority has Old Lyme’s 50% appropriation for weed study ($2,500) and the Benthic Mats (1,000) to kill existing weeds. It was noted that the Senior Center requested $5,000 to replace damaged floor tiles. The Town Clerk has $19,000 to fund various equipment which, can be offset by State grant money. Various Town Hall Improvements and Art restoration/maintenance is included bringing General Government to $298,968.
1910 Public Works: Mr. Russell stated that Public Works has three Capital requests. Mr. Adanti explained that the Elgin Sweeper needs replacing ($165,000). To rent a sweeper it would cost $400 a mile to sweep, with 60 miles of road to maintain. He stated that the life span out of a sweeper is approximately 25-30 years. A dump truck with plow ($146,000) is also included on the Capital budget, as well as $5,000 for small equipment.
1920 Public Safety: Under Public Safety, the Fire Department Capital includes Air Bottles ($5,000) mobile radios ($1,425), rugged laptops ($6,000) and Fire Apparatus ($260,000). Emergency Management Equipment for $40,000 is offset in revenue by grants and money from the State’s Nuclear Safety fund. The Police Capital requests include a police car ($26,000) and necessary accessories ($3,000), a vehicle camera ($3,000), and painting exterior of the police station.
1930 Public Works Projects: Public Works Roads includes Library Lane-road reconstruction ($130,000) and sealing the Lyme Street Fire House parking lot ($4,200). The Public Works Projects has Outside Contractors ($20,000), Salt Shed (building/paving/drainage) for $36,000, replacement guardrails on Lords Meadow/Dutchess Drive ($5,000), Transfer Station scale house roof & building maintenance ($2,000), as well as the Johnnycake/Meetinghouse drainage ($30,000) and the Duck River culvert ($15,000).
Revenues
Mrs. Stadjuhar detailed the Revenue for Property Tax, Charge of Services, Investment Income, and Intergovernmental. She highlighted various line items within the charges for services, and investment income. She stated that under Intergovernmental various grant amounts are down from previous years, however, the overall anticipated revenues are fairly consistent as last year.
Mr. Russell stated that the next Board of Finance meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 7:00 p.m., commencing with Regional School District #18’s Board of Education budget presentation. Agenda items include: Valley Shore Emergency Communications, Salaries and Special Deductions. Because no action was taken on the Capital Outlay and Non-recurring and Revenues, those items are still pending as well as further discussion on Open Space and Lymes’ Senior Center.
A motion was then made by Mr. Devoe, seconded by Mrs. Sturges and passed unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Michele Hayes-Finn
Secretary
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