Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting August 4, 2003
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 7:30 P.M. on Monday, August 4, 2003 at Memorial Town hall Auditorium. First Selectman Timothy Griswold and Selectman Skip Sibley were present.
1. Approval of Minutes: July 22, 2003
Selectman Sibley made a motion to approve the minutes as written. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Communications:
a. Tom Bice –Resignation as Selectman
First Selectman Griswold informed the public that Mr. Bice tendered his letter of resignation as a Selectman and filed the required paperwork with the Town Clerk making it official. The Selectmen wished Tom Bice well in his future endeavors. In accordance with the statutes, Selectman Sibley and First Selectman Griswold must appoint a replacement within 30 days. The Selectmen received a letter from the Democratic Town Committee requesting that Bonnie Reemsnyder be appointed. The Democratic Town Committee will be having a meeting on August 5, 2003 to finalize their slate. An appointment will be made at the next Selectmen’s meeting on August 18, 2003, and the Selectmen look forward to working with the new Selectman designate in September until November when the new slate will be proposed
for the election.
b. Ann Brown, IWEO – Ames Property
A letter was received from Ann Brown concerning property owned by Steven Ames which the town is interested in acquiring as open space. The letter reads that at a special meeting on July 28, 2003, the Old Lyme Conservation Commission, with concurrence of Boards of Planning and Finance as required by State statute, voted unanimously to ask the Board of Selectmen to recommend to the town at a Town Meeting the acquisition from Steven Ames of the107-acre parcel on Whippoorwill Road for open space. The details are not worked out. This parcel would tie in the green belt property that the town now has with the McCulloch and Noyes properties.
c. Doug Whalen – Old Colony Beach Assoc. – Beach Parking
A letter was received from Doug Whalen, President of the Old Colony Beach Association, in which he urged that the police do vigorous enforcement of parking on Rte. 156 and the Old Colony Beach area. The Selectmen are aware that more signs are necessary as well as better traffic control. A new sign has been added to Hartford Avenue stating one motorcycle per space and they must be parked parallel to the lane of traffic. More signs will be in place on the roads on the north side of Rte. 156 soon. The parking in the South Shore Landing parking lot has been solved. Selectman Sibley suggested adding the words “No parking – Will be towed away at owners expense”
to the signs.
d. J. Ranelli – Town Woods Rd/Rte. 1 Intersection
J. Ranelli of 53 Shore Drive commented in a letter to the Selectmen that an island or barrel should be placed at the intersection of Town Woods Road and the Boston Post Road giving more room to the drivers exiting Town Woods Road onto the Post Road. First Selectman Griswold stated he would speak with John Roach and the police about that intersection. Selectman Sibley suggested a stop ahead sign.
3. Appointments:
a. Resignation of Jay Speirs from Harbor Management Commission
Jay Speirs has resigned from the Harbor Management Commission indicating he has conflicts with meetings and his work schedule. He had served as Chairman in the past.
b. Rita Rohrberg (D) – Lymes Senior Center – 3 yr. Term Ending July 2006
c. Don Tapper (R) – Lymes Senior Center – 3 Yr. Term Ending July 2006
d. Karen Wintringham (D) – Lymes Senior Center – 3 Yr. Term ending July 06
The Senior Center Board recommended Rita Rohrberg (D) be appointed to fill the vacancy left by Jerry LaFleur who moved. Rita is a member of the Mile Creek PTO and volunteers with Cub Scout Pack 27 and has worked in the human service medical field for 15 years. She also works for the Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer for Elderly Protection Program, HIV prevention counselor for the State of Connecticut and a medical office coordinator. The terms of two members, Karen Wintringham and Don Tapper, end in July. Selectman Sibley made a motion to appoint Rita Rohrberg, Don Tapper and Karen Wintringham to the Lyme Senior Center Board for the 3 yr. term ending July, 2006. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
4. Old Business:
a. Town Woods Park – Update
First Selectman Griswold recently attended a Town Woods Park Building Committee and John Roach who is Clerk of the Works reported there is good progress on the site by Machnik. John Roach meets with Vollmer every two weeks and checks over the site every day. During the recent rainy weather, the site drained well. Fill has been brought in from Lyme. There was a requirement for an increased amount of fill beyond what was in the contract at a cost of $24,400 for excavated material. Extra clearing was done in anticipation of a building at a cost of $6,000. There was a saving of $1800 because a field trailer was not needed. The project is now approximately 25 percent completed.
b. Senior Center Access Road
The seniors are concerned about how the pattern of the drive works. The Building Committee had Vollmer look at the driveway again, a schematic was prepared of how a slight change in the pattern will work. Brush will be removed at the corner enabling drivers to have a better sight line and a stop sign will be added at the corner exiting the Senior Center. First Selectman Griswold will make a presentation to the Senior Center Board. There was discussion at the Building Committee Meeting about the future phase of moving the softball/baseball fields away from the parking area. The Park and Rec Directors were asked to see what their requirements would be in terms of the size of an office, the size of storage, looking at a number of toilet fixtures, etc. If there is money left over at
the end of the project, a request will be made at a Town Meeting to construct a building.
c. Senior Center Meal Site - Update
There was concern among the seniors and the Senior Center Board that participants in the meal program were dwindling. Bill Paradis, Jim Nichols, First Selectman Griswold, Senior Center Director Kay Mannetho and Lyme First Selectman Bill Koch met with Sherry Jackson of the Estuary. The focus is on the meal site only. Sherry Jackson mentioned that meal site attendance, in general, seem to be dwindling. There will be staff changes and perhaps a meal once a week from a local restaurant and, in general, tie programs to the meal. There could be activities in the dining room away from where the meals will be served.
d. Sound View Parking Committee – Update
A meeting was held to look at where things stand now that mid-summer is here. The general consensus is that the parking tickets are now $40 instead of $20, and people are taking it more seriously. The ordinance is explicit about any vehicle, including motorcycles, is to be one per space in the permitted lots. When a vehicle is towed, the owner is issued a $40 (or more) town ticket as well as a $60 State ticket and a towing fee of approximately $80. Cars are being parked on the extension roads, at Mile Creek School, and streets off of Cross Lane. There will be No Parking signs posted in these areas. There was discussion of having electronic flashing signs on I-95 or informing motorists that Rocky Neck and Sound View are closed. Trailers with lighted signs could be used on Rte. 156
south of the Baldwin Bridge informing the public that Sound View is closed. The illegal lots in the beach area continue to be a problem. If the property owners are taking money for parking and violating the town ordinances, they will be given a summons to appear in court. There was discussion about a barrier between where the liquor is served and the public on the sand. Rocky Neck personnel call Troop F when Rocky Neck is closed to prepare for the traffic that might occur at Sound View. The merchants on Hartford Avenue might benefit by having a 15-minute parking space in front of their store. The owners of the Whole Enchilada find the parking situation difficult for patrons who want to stop for takeout orders and cannot get there. There is a lot to the north of the El Morocco that could be used for temporary parking. First Selectman Griswold commended the police for the good job they are doing.
e. Town Forum – August 20 – High School Auditorium – 7:30 P.M.
First Selectman Griswold reminded Old Lyme citizens there will be a Town Forum on August 20, 2003 in the High School auditorium at 7:30 P.M. This is an opportunity for residents to hear what is going on with various departments in the town. Al Kyle of the Rogers Lake Authority will present the Rogers Lake Weed Study.
5. New Business:
a. LOL Chamber of Commerce – Sidewalk from Art Assoc. to Shopping Centers
A committee of the Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce is discussing putting in a sidewalk from the Art Association on Lyme Street to the Shopping Center on Halls Road. This group should meet with a representative of the DOT to see how wide a swath the State owns on Halls Road and could a sidewalk be placed on the outside of the guard rail. More information will follow.
b. CTDEP – 2004 CT Boater’s Guild Cover Competition
The Dept of Environmental Protection had an enjoyable event at the Lyme Art Association. Every year they have a competition for an artist to be recognized for the cover of the Connecticut Boaters Guide.
6. Public Comment:
Resident Russ Carlow stated that things have changed for the better during the last two weeks in Sound View because of the efforts of the Selectmen and State Resident Trooper Dave Todd.
Mr. Hurley commented that the Selectmen should not spend a lot of money engineering the traffic pattern to the Town Woods Park near the Senior Center. All that is needed is a stop sign. He also asked to appoint a Selectman to replace Mr. Bice. First Selectman Griswold stated there are no results of what the ticket will be and there are 30 days to name someone.
7. Other Business:
First Selectman Griswold thanked the citizens of Old Lyme for cleaning the school area after the fireworks. The Mid Summer Festival was well attended. Congratulations to Lisa Warner, Valedictorian of the Class of 2003 and a finalist in America’s Junior Miss Contest in Mobile, Alabama.
8. Executive Session:
None
9. Adjournment:
Selectman Sibley made a motion to adjourn at 8:16 P.M. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
| 
