Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting Friday, April 16, 2004
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 3:30 P.M. on Friday, April 16, 2004 at Memorial Town Hall Auditorium. First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Skip Sibley and Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder were present.
Approval of Minutes: April 5, 2004
The minutes of April 5, 2004 had not been reviewed and will be approved at the next Board of Selectmen’s Meeting.
Communications:
CTDOT – Approval of Christ the King Access from Rte. 156
The Connecticut DOT approved a temporary access from Rte. 156 to Christ the King property in conjunction with the construction to begin shortly at the Church.
Letter to District #18 – Deletion of Fee Concept for Town Hall Water
District #18 School Board granted permission for the Old Lyme Town Hall to hook up to the school water supply. The School Board wanted a provision that they would create a policy with the town concerning the water and a fee structure. First Selectman Griswold objected to a fee structure based on the fact that the Town of Lyme currently uses water from the Lyme School with no fee structure. First Selectman Griswold wrote a letter to the School Board Chairman Lynn Fairfield-Sonn requesting the Board revisit the matter concerning the fees and make affirmation that the service would be supplied at no charge now and in the future. Selectman Sibley confirmed that the fee topic is on the school board agenda for the April 28, 2004 meeting.
Appointments:
Robert Getman (R) - Lymes Senior Center – 3-Yr Term Ending July, 2004
The Lymes Senior Center Board submitted the name of Robert Getman who is interested in filling a vacancy. Mr. Getman has lived in Old Lyme for 29 years. He has served on the Board of Ed., the Harbor Commission, Affordable Housing, and Town Committee. Selectman Sibley made a motion to appoint Robert Getman to the Lymes Senior Center filling a three-year term that ends in July, 2004. Motion was seconded by Selectwoman Reemsnyder. SO VOTED.
Old Business:
Special Town Meeting – Monday, April 19, 2004 7:30 P.M. MS Auditorium
On Monday, April 29, 2004 the Town of Old Lyme will hold a Special Town Meeting at the Middle School Auditorium to approve a two-year contract with Country Lawn and Garden Landscaping Company Inc. They are to perform the ground maintenance for the soccer/lacrosse fields and surrounding lawn area at the Town Woods Facility. If the dollar amounts of $10,407 for fiscal year 2004, $62,053 for fiscal year 2005 and $54,912 for fiscal year 2006 are approved, a contract will be prepared.
The second item on the Special Town Meeting agenda is to authorize the expenditure not to exceed $940,000 for the reconstruction of Lyme Street. The amount is based on an estimate by the town’s engineering consultant, the State of Connecticut DOT, etc. The work involves restoration of the pavement, build up of the road, installing granite curbing, paving the road, aprons, drainage, sidewalks, engineering work, plus an extra 5% contingency. The current estimate of grant funding, based on 80% of the contractor’s estimate is $438,000. The State and Federal Grant Transportation Improvement Fund is through the Regional Planning Agency. In addition to the Federal funding, $502,000 has been accumulated between prior budget years and through the State of Connecticut Local Capital
Improvement Fund. The Annual Town Budget Meeting is Monday, May 17, 2004.
Town Woods Park – Building Cost Estimate
Builder Steve Hallahan presented his cost proposal of $245,750 to the Town Woods Committee that includes the building, shelving, plumbing, electric, carpentry, glazing and painting. In addition, Machnik Construction quote of $11,500 provides fill, grading and seeding. The phone company quoted $5,200 for underground wiring for phone service. The estimate to create a dumpster pad and wood-faced enclosure is $5,000. A gravel access road around the concession side of the building and a walking path from the parking area to the building with a concrete apron is $5,000. Landscaping is $4,000. A clock on top of the building is estimated to be $3,000. Contingency at 5% is $15,000. The total of $295,000 minus $130,000 left over from Phase I of the project equals $165,000. The
ratio of Old Lyme 75% and Lyme 25% equates to Old Lyme total of $123,750 and Lyme total of $41,250. Fundraising is planned to offset some of the costs. The Building Committee will meet on April 27, 2004, 7:00 P.M. at High Hopes on Town Woods Road to review the above.
Roche Property – Update
District #18 voted five to four (tiebreaker) to recommend that the school purchase the Roche property although they do not have a specific purpose for the property at this time. They discussed having a one-year period of time to form a committee to review a campus master plan. First Selectman Griswold stated he does not see the point of having the school own the property now without a specific plan for its use. Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated she would like feedback from Old Lyme citizens. Selectman Sibley said, from a financial standpoint, it would be better to have the administrative offices on campus instead of paying rent for space on Davis Road. First Selectman Griswold suggested holding a meeting or a forum to invite school and town officials and citizens of Lyme and Old Lyme to discuss
ideas for the property. More information will follow.
Town Hall/District #18 Water Connection – Update
The price of the 4” water pipe that would conduct water from a corner of Middle School to the firehouse and down the street to the town hall and a 6” pipe to the street for fire protection, if desired, is $4,500. Superintendent of Public Works John Roach will need an outside person to help with trenching along the fence line and the north side of the firehouse to connect with the well. The estimated time of the job is four days and will be started at the end of this month. There are ample funds in the town hall improvement budget and Public Works’ outside miscellaneous contractor budget.
Sound View Design District – Update
Sound View Parking Committee – Update
Selectman Sibley reported that the SVDD held a special meeting with Zoning and the discussion focused on three areas. Regarding the on-street parking, there will be painting of consistently sized and numbered spaces. Officer Todd recommended one time frame for both sides of the street and that will be a two-hour period from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., May through the end of September. The bike patrol will manage that situation and violators will be towed. Two 15-minute drop-off/pick-up parking spaces may be available in front of each retail business establishment. The second area of discussion centered on the 35-ft regulation building height. Ann Brown recommended reducing that to 26-ft and Tom Risom recommended 30 ft. The third area of discussion was setbacks and lot size. The
setbacks on the east side of the street are 90 ft. deep and the west side are 100 ft. deep. The next meeting is scheduled for May 5, 2004 at 7:30 P.M. at the Sound View Community Center. Selectman Sibley remarked that whenever there is a rainstorm, the handicap spaces at the end of the street are in a puddle. They should be moved to high ground. On May 3, 2004 there will be a parking lot meeting at 8:30 A.M. The goal is to have the parking spaces work completed by Memorial Day.
Information Technology – Update
Five people are scheduled to go to the E Gov Expo hosted by CCM on May 12, 2004 in New Haven. First Selectman Griswold signed up the group for a meeting with a special website person who is willing to give of her time for instruction.
New Business:
Meeting with Rep. Giuliano – Local Issues
First Selectman Griswold met with Rep. Marilyn Giuliano regarding State matters going through the legislature. She is trying to minimize the unfunded mandates because they affect the town and education. The Appropriation Committee proposals are actually putting more money in their budget version for the towns than the Governor. One important issue is the real estate conveyance tax adjusted upward by the legislature last year for one year only from $1.10 per thousand to $2.50 per thousand has made a difference of $100,000 of additional revenue for the Town of Old Lyme. Towns are pressing the legislators to try to retain that extra sum in the conveyance tax. Also, many towns closer to major cities where some of their residents are employed in a professional fire company, have union contracts
that specify those people cannot volunteer to be firefighters in their own communities. There is an effort to discard that. There is pressure to institute ethics bills that would apply to all towns as well as the State of Connecticut. There is agreement in having an ethics policy and a committee or commission to oversee the ethics questions, but against having financial disclosures of elected and/or appointed volunteers. It could result in a reduced number of volunteers. There was discussion on the Bottle Bill and the unclaimed nickel. Rather than going to the bottling companies, a portion of the deposit could be designated to take care of the cost of handling the empties and the extra amount go to support the refuse collection. There are proposals to institute video voting machines for $5,000 each. One machine is needed for every 250 voters. Old Lyme machines cost $11,000 and serve all the voters. There was discussion
against same day registration because the chance of fraud is high. It is hoped that, as the economy improves, there will be more open space funding. There was discussion on the excess cost of special education. Legislators discussed removing e-mail and voice mail as part of public record under FOI. Rep. Giuliano is working on the noise and speed of boats on the Connecticut River.
Town budget – Preliminary Figures
The final Board of Finance meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 20, 2004 to examine the current budget to determine the amount of unspent funds in this fiscal year and from carryover. Other than the property taxes, the local revenue is expected to rise 5%. Money from the State is expected to decrease approx. 24%. The State funding is going to be flat or slightly negative next year. That means the property taxes not only have to pay the increase in the budgets of both school and town, they also have to make up the negatives from the revenue. The town budget is forecasted to go up 4.9% and that includes 100% of the expenses of the new Town Woods Park. The capital budget is down 39%. The town budget will go down about $48,000. Because the school budget is forecasted to go up
7.4% and we will not have the benefit of last year’s surplus of $640,000, the school budget will be up $1.9 million or 11% increase. Factoring the town and the school together, it will be a7.8% increase or $1.852 million. The consequence to the taxes will be $2.45 million or 11.75% increase. These are preliminary figures. The mill rate of 23.6 may be raised to 26.3 or a 2.7 mill rate change. The surplus is $2.2 million after the Ames payment of $550,000 and that is 8.5% of the budget. There will be a town budget hearing on April 26, 2004.
Sound View Beach Assoc. – Use of Bocce Court Property for Septic System
The Sound View Beach Association is seeking approval to use the bocce court property to install a septic system that would make it possible to use the main floor of the new Community Center on a year-round basis. This includes the use of bathrooms and a small kitchen and utilizing the second level as an office area. A perk test came out well.
At this point, approval is required by the State of Connecticut to sanction a non-contiguous septic hookup system for this purpose. Since the main floor of the building is to be used for a public purpose, the opinion of the Board of Selectmen is that it is justified in using town property for the septic field. Once this is granted, the approval cannot be withdrawn. Should a future Sound View Board change the purpose of the Community Center, there would be an agreement between the Beach Association and the town to provide for a significant annual usage fee. Gary Yuknat of Shoreline Sanitation and the Old Lyme Health Director Ron Rose are designing the septic system. First Selectman Griswold made a motion for the town to enter into an agreement to be drafted with the Sound View Beach
Association to allow the Association the use of the bocce court property for its septic system. The town will work out the details in the agreement and execute an agreement. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Sound View Beach Association Vice President Gail Fuller stated the members of the Association appreciate the support of the town and the selectmen in allowing them to go forward with their plans. Gail Fuller stated that Ann Brown had a suggestion about parking on the bocce court to extend the street level into the property and the parking could start at the edge of the street and might allow for two bocce courts. It is necessary to have parking to get permission from ZBA to have use of the second floor of the Community Center. The next step is to get written approval of the plan from Ann Brown of Land Use Dept.
Town Hall Building Committee
First Selectman Griswold has asked Bob Chapman, Jim Bechtel, John Bysko and Bob Jose as well as others to serve on a Town Hall Building Committee. Discussion will be on fire codes and handicap compliance. It may be necessary to retain a professional outside consultant to look at the structure from a technical standpoint. Selectman Sibley suggested looking at other structures in town such as the three firehouses, the police station, etc. Selectman Sibley made a motion to create a facilities committee. Motion seconded by Selectwoman Reemsnyder. SO VOTED.
Church Corner Committee – Update
A Church Corner Committee to look at the south green area will be comprised of Jim Bechtel and Joann DiCamillo of the Historic Committee, Janet Sturges and Celine Sullivan from Christ the King Church, and Ted Crosby from the Congregational Church. Selectman Sibley made a motion to form a Church Corner Committee with the above mentioned names. Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
FOI Training
A date will be chosen for FOI training possibly during the month of May.
Public Comment:
None
Other Business:
None
Executive Session:
None
Adjournment:
Selectwoman Reemsnyder made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:40 P.M. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Coffee, Clerk
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