Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting April 21, 2003
The Board of Selectmen held its regular meeting at 4:00 P.M. on Monday, April 21, 2003 at Memorial Town Hall Auditorium. Those present were First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Tom Bice and Selectman Skip Sibley.
1. Approval of Minutes:
Selectman Sibley made a motion to approve the minutes of April 7, 2003 as written. Selectman Bice seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Communications:
a. Atty. Thomas McGarry – MacCurdy Salisbury Property Survey
A letter was received from Atty. Thomas McGarry who is the attorney for the MacCurdy Salisbury Educational Foundation. There had been an approved purchase agreement with the State of Connecticut for 180 acres owned by the MacCurdy Salisbury Foundation on Town Woods Road. Atty McGarry enclosed two survey copies. Some adjoining landowners have been using the perimeters of the land. The Town of Old Lyme owns an irregularly shaped one-acre piece of land near the MacCurdy property that is unsuitable for development and is primarily wetlands and that would tend to offset the loss of land at the perimeter. The funds from selling the land will benefit the students of both Lyme and Old Lyme in the MacCurdy Salisbury Fund. At the town meetings, both towns voted to contribute $25,000 each.
The land will be preserved as open space. It is necessary to determine the value of this acre of land and be sure there is no other use for it. There will be more information at the next Board of Selectmen meeting.
3. Appointments:
a. Tom Clements (R) Adelphia Cable Advisory Council – 2-year Term to June 2005
Tom Clements (R) would like to continue on the Adelphia Cable Advisory Council for a 2-year term ending June, 2005. Selectman Sibley made a motion to approve the continuance of Tom Clements for a 2-year term ending June, 2005. Selectman Bice seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
b. Review of Open Positions:
One additional Adelphia Cable Advisory Council opening.
Two openings on the Conservation Commission.
One vacancy on the Economic Development Commission ending June, 2006.
One opening for an alternate on the Board of Finance.
One vacancy on the Flood and Erosion Commission – 2-yr. term ending January, 2004
Harbor Commission – expected resignation has not been received.
Historic Commission – alternate wishes to continue to 2006.
Two openings on the Lymes Senior Center Board.
Rogers Lake Authority has an opening – 3-yr term ending January, 2004.
WPCA alternate vacancy – 4-yr. to 2006.
Zoning alternate opening to 2004 must be filled by Democrat or Unaffiliated.
4. Old Business:
a. Town Woods Park – Update
The Town Woods Facility Building Committee has been working hard with the engineer. There was a meeting on Saturday, April 19, at which revised plans and specifications were reviewed and the bid package looked at. Two changes were recommended. Chairman Bob Dunn and First Selectman Griswold will meet with the DEP representative to review the requirement for the STEAP Grant. The DEP must approve the bid package before it can be released. The month of June is the target for the start of the construction. The DEP must approve the bid documents, the bid documents notice will be in the newspapers, and companies that obtain bid packages need to return them within three weeks. There is no active filing of an application regarding the pond.
b. Roche Property Committee – First Meeting
The Roche Property Committee met last week and discussed the future of the property. John Rhodes will find out how wide the road access must be for the buses. It will be necessary to know how wide the apron must be and how far back on either side of the apron parking must be restricted to allow the buses to turn in and out. It will also be necessary to know how many feet are required to have the buses enter along the Center School driveway to discharge students. First Selectman Griswold will be in contact with representatives of the Grange regarding a possible easement on the Center School drive. The use of the structure was discussed. Downstairs has office potential. Research will be done on the value of the house as a single-family dwelling. The next meeting will be on May
2, 2003. Selectman Sibley asked who is looking at the safety situation from the town’s perspective. First Selectman Griswold answered that the town could ask the school officer and/or the State Police to comment.
c. Refuse Containers - Update
The refuse containers are being delivered.
d. Hartford Avenue Task Force – Update
The Task Force is now dissolved. Selectman Bice submitted the recommendations of the Task Force to First Selectman Griswold. A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen will be called to name representatives who have knowledge of regulatory codes and matters to form a committee to review the recommendations before submitting the proposals to Zoning.
First Selectman Griswold was contacted by Gail Fuller representing the Sound View Beach Association regarding the alley. The assembly hall would require a septic system that could be accommodated within the confines of the property. The Board would have to be fair about the use of the alley for one party. The Board of Selectmen will hold a special meeting next week.
e. Town Budget and Budget Hearing
The town budget hearing will be held May 19 at the Lyme-Old Lyme High School. The Board of Finance will be presenting a draft budget for comments. The budget and its entirety will be increasing 4.4%. The town general government will increase 2.31%. The capital outlay increase 13.89%. Overall, the town increases 3.75%. The school impact to the town is 4.64%. The mill rate is anticipated to increase from 22.8% to 23.6% which is 0.8% increase and 3.56% increase in the mill rate. The school is giving assistance to the town of $600,000 of accumulated surplus, thereby keeping the school increase lower. The Board of Finance wishes to use $425,000 from surplus to assist in providing dollars for the budget. A referendum on the school budget will be on May 6, 2003.
5. New Business:
a. State Police Contract – Execute 2-Year Extension
Every two years the State of Connecticut has the Board of Selectmen execute a contract concerning out Residence State Police Program. This simply states that Old Lyme will sign up for two years for the program. The renewal would be from July, 2003 to June 30, 2005. This provides up to four State police and officers. Currently Old Lyme uses two State Policemen. Selectman Bice made a motion for the First Selectman to execute the contract with the State police. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
b. Discontinuance of Nuisance Collection
First Selectman Griswold made the recommendation to not have the nuisance collection in town. There was a time in the past when the town crew would pick up unwanted items at residents’ houses for no charge. Last July the town started to use a fee schedule because unauthorized people were using the landfill. It is estimated that it takes approximately 48 man days of Public Works to do the collection. This time could be used more efficiently in town. The selectmen agreed with this recommendation.
c. Old Lyme Fire Dept - $136,350 Assistance Grant Application
The Old Lyme Fire Dept is applying for a federal Firefighter Assistance Grant in the amount of $136,350. The purpose is to purchase updated communications equipment. A letter of endorsement was received from Congressman Simmons and his support will help the cause. The town will know in late summer or perhaps the end of the year if the grant has been awarded to the Old Lyme Fire Dept.
d. High Hopes - $16,814 SBC/SNET Excelerator Grant
The High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Corporation has applied for a grant in the amount $16,814 through a program provided by SBC/SNET. This grant would upgrade their computer system.
e. Storm Water II – CCM Briefing
First Selectman Griswold and Selectman Bice attended a Storm Water II software briefing presented by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. They are offering software to towns for $4,000 that would ordinarily be $6,000. The software would enable a town to inventory the pipe outfalls which go into watercourses and would inventory the catch basins around town using GIS technology. The program would enable the preparation of reports that would be required by the federal and state government. The Board of Selectmen will evaluate the information and determine whether to use the software in Old Lyme.
Selectman Bice proposed the creation of a Town of Old Lyme Information Systems Advisory Committee. The function would be to advise the Board of Selectmen regarding the town’s information systems, oversee planning and implementation of system components, and advise on the purchase of hardware and software. He proposed a membership of five or six people – one member from the Board of Selectmen serving as chairman and others to represent expertise in the following areas: computer hardware, computer networking, GIS Systems, software and business applications and internet web applications At lease one of the above be contributed by District #18.
6. Public Comment:
None
7. Other Business:
None
8. Executive Session:
None
9. Adjournment:
A motion was made by Selectman Bice and seconded by Selectman Sibley to adjourn at
5:17 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Coffee, Clerk
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