Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting Monday, May 3, 2004
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 7:30 P.M. on Monday, May 3, 2004 at Memorial Town Hall Auditorium. First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Skip Sibley and Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder were present.
Approval of Minutes: April 5 and April 16, 2004 and Special Meeting April 12, 2004
Selectwoman Reemsnyder suggested the minutes of April 5, 2004 be amended:
Page 2, under c. Sound View Parking Committee – Recommendations, change the last
sentence to read 8:30 A.M. instead of P.M.
Selectwoman Reemsnyder made a motion to approve both April 5, 2004 and April 12, 2004 minutes as written. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
The minutes of April 16 will be approved at the next Board meeting.
Communications:
CT Office of Emerg. Mgt. – Generator for Lyme Consolidated School
First Selectman Griswold received a copy of a letter from the Office of Emergency Management addressed to Selectman Koch of Lyme regarding Lyme’s request for assistance in procurement of an emergency power generator for the Lyme elementary school. The Emergency Management Office will look at the next fiscal year budget for 2005 for Lyme and Old Lyme and consider reallocation of a reasonable sum of funds. The justification for doing this project is that Lyme/Old Lyme is a regional school district and it would benefit both communities providing sheltering and staging areas outside of the Millstone Ten Mile Emergency Planning Zone. The specific funding would come from the State’s Nuclear Safety Program. Selectman Sibley added Dave Roberge is part of the Contingency Emergency Plan for Lyme Youth
Service Bureau, Old Lyme Learning Center and Lad and Lassies Nursery School. Their plan relies heavily on getting to the Lyme School in case of an emergency. More information will follow.
Appointments:
None
Old Business:
Town Meeting of April 19 – Approval of Items
The two items brought before the Town Meeting were passed unanimously. The first item was to approve the two-year contract with Country Lawn and Garden Landscaping Company Inc. for ground maintenance at the Town Woods Park. The second item was to approve an amount not to exceed $940,000 for the reconstruction of Lyme Street between Maple Lane and the parsonage.
Town Woods Park – Recommend Construction of Building to Board of Finance and to Town Meeting
The discussion of the building committee on the proposed building at the Town Woods Park was to increase the 5% contingency to 7.5%. First Selectman Griswold read a proposed resolution to recommend to the Board of Finance and to Town Meeting to authorize the expenditure of a sum not to exceed $300,000 to construct the 1,946 sq. ft. recreational building at the Town Woods Park to be owned 75% by the Town of Old Lyme and 25% by the Town of Lyme. Funding will be provided by $130,000 of unspent funds from Phase I, $127,500 from Old Lyme and $42,500 from Lyme. First Selectman Griswold stated that the $300,000 is for the entire project to build the building, install all utilities including telephone lines, grading, septic system, crushed stone pathway to the back of building. The $130,000 left over from the first
phase will drop the amount to be paid by the town to $170,000 and, considering the split of 75%-25%, Old Lyme’s share will be $127,500 and Lyme $42,500. Selectman Sibley made a motion to approve the resolution and Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED. Selectman Sibley added that he is in the process of recruiting volunteers for a fundraising committee for this project.
Town Budget Meeting Mon. May 17, 2004 Middle School Auditorium 7:30 P.M.
The annual town budget vote is scheduled for Monday, May 17, 2004 in the Middle School Auditorium at 7:30 P.M. The town’s operating budget increased $227,780, which is a 4% increase. The amount includes the Town Woods Park expenses of $65,000 to be reimbursed 21% by the Town of Lyme. Capital spending is approximately $375,000, a decrease of 2.29% from last year. The mill rate increase of 1.9 represents an 8% increase.
SVDD – Update
Selectman Sibley stated that the Sound View Development District is scheduled to meet with the Zoning Commission on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at 7:30 P.M. at the Sound View Community Center.
Sound View Parking Committee – Update
Discussion at the Sound View Parking Committee on May 3, 2004 centered on offering the retail merchants spaces in front of their businesses for 15-minute parking. Selectman Sibley sent out letters to merchants and the responses were positive. A group of the parking committee will check to be sure a number of designated spaces will be for retail businesses. Trooper Todd indicated that a professional line painting company will stripe the pavement and paint the curbs. The work could begin in the week of May 10, 2004. The goal is to have the work completed by Memorial Day. An arrangement will be made for a tow truck to be available to remove illegally parked vehicles. Signage on Rte. 156 alerting the public that the beaches in Old Lyme are closed is needed.
Info. Tech. Committee – Update
Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that she and several others are going to the E Gov Expo on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 in New Haven. She has contacted another company and requested pricing on an accounting package.
Roche Property – Update
First Selectman Griswold requested a special session on the Roche property be held at the conclusion of the Leadership Meeting on Friday, May 7, 2004.
Reg. Household Waste Collection Facility – Schedule and Procedures
The first collection at the Regional Household Waste Facility in Essex (off exit 4) will be May 22, 2004. Other collection dates are June 5 and June19, July 10 and July 24 as well as two in August, two in September, etc. Clinton and Westbrook will conduct a satellite collection on May 8 at the Clinton Public Works garage from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. Killingworth and Chester will have a satellite collection at the Killingworth Elementary School on May 15 from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. Lyme and Old Lyme plan to have a collection in September. Old Lyme citizens may go to the collection sites in other towns. Informational pamphlets are available in the Old Lyme Selectman’s Office.
Dist. 18/Town Hall/Firehouse Water Connection – Update
After some revisions, District #18 has agreed that the town will not be charged for use of the water from the school water supply. Any problems with the town-installed pipe will be the responsibility of the town. There will be a one-year wait and possibly a fee for non-municipal users such as Lyme Youth Service Bureau and the Old Lyme Day Care, etc. to be sure there are adequate quantities of water. The pipes have been ordered and will be installed to the edge of Lyme Street from the Middle School connection and run along the Middle School driveway to the firehouse. An outside contractor will help with the trenching. The Old Lyme Town Hall will be connected when the Lyme Street reconstruction project is going on this summer. Selectwoman Reemsnyder inquired about the report on the Old Lyme Town Hall
septic system. First Selectman Griswold stated he is waiting for a report from Gary Yuknat of Shoreline Sanitation.
New Business:
Anson & Dee Clinton – Potential Open Space Acquisition of 20 Acres
George James of the Open Space Committee has been communicating with Anson and Dee Clinton regarding an open space acquisition of twenty acres of land off Stagecoach Road. The north side runs along the military reservation and could fit into a potential greenway situation. There has been discussion of a purchase price of $200,000 with extended payments over a period of four or five years that could be helpful to the town and the seller. This project is only in the talking stage.
Formation of Church Corner Committee
A committee, consisting of two people from the Congregational Church, two from the Catholic Church, two from the Historic District and First Selectman Griswold, will meet on Thursday, May 6, 2004 at 2:00 P.M. to discuss sidewalk patterns, parking, lighting, landscaping, pedestrian safety, access for emergency vehicles, etc. on the green at the intersection of McCurdy Road, Lyme Street and Ferry Road.
c. Formation of Town Facilities Committee
First Selectman Griswold added Bob Reemsnyder to the Town Hall Facilities Committee. After the perameters are set by the committee, it may be necessary to hire a person who is familiar with codes to give an analysis of what is necessary to make Old Lyme Town Hall code and handicap compliant. A committee meeting will take place on Thursday, May 13, 2004 at 7:30 P.M. Selectman Sibley suggested adding Diana Johnson to the committee.
FOI Training Date 7:30 P.M. Thurs., May 27, 2004 Middle School Auditorium
Thomas Hennick from the FOI Commission will hold a training session on Thursday, May 27, 2004 at 7:30 P.M. at the Middle School auditorium.
Public Comment:
Democrat Registrar Pat McCarthy reminded the taxpayers of Old Lyme that there will be a School Board Budget Referendum from 6:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at the Cross Lane Firehouse. This will be a yes/no vote on the $24,047,668 school budget.
Other Business:
First Selectman Griswold mentioned that the Nature Conservancy, which owns a spit of land at Griswold Point, has decided to restrict people from the point this summer to give the birds a better chance to nest. The warden will not allow walkers or boaters to get near this area.
Executive Session:
None
Adjournment:
Selectman Sibley made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:38 P.M. Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Coffee, Clerk
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