Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting Monday, April 4, 2005 APPROVED
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 4:00 P.M. on Monday, April 4, 2005 at Memorial Town Hall Auditorium. First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Skip Sibley and Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder were present.
Approval of Minutes: March 21, 2005
The minutes of March 21, 2005 were not available and will be approved at the next Board of Selectmen meeting.
Communications:
a. Rep. Giuliano – Homeland Security Grant - $28,383 for Old Lyme
First Selectman Griswold received a letter from Rep. Marilyn Giuliano concerning the Homeland Security Grant to be awarded to the Town of Old Lyme in the amount of
$28,383. The money is to be used in conjunction with planning, training and emergency equipment. Emergency Management Director Dave Roberge is also aware of $54,000 that has already been allocated for the town as well as other nuclear safety money from Millstone.
Appointments:
a. Resignation of Robert Getman from the Lymes Senior Center Board as of May 31, 2005
A letter of resignation was received from Robert Getman of the Lymes Senior Center Board effective at the end of May.
Old Business:
a. Lyme Street Reconstruction Project - Update
Drainage work and elevating the catch basins to the proper height is being done on Lyme Street. Attention will be given to the curbing behind the catch basins and to the driveway aprons and the intersections with town roads. This work should be completed by April 15, 2005. Pulverization, grading and paving will occur during the week of school vacation starting on April 18. Traffic will be allowed on the street throughout the process.
Town Woods Field House – Update
Builder Steve Hallahan reports that work on the Town Woods Park field house will be completed by May 14, 2005. The wood on the inside of the building will be urethaned. The weather vane has been be placed on the top of the building. The installation of the playground equipment will be in the spring. The grading and site work will also be completed in the spring. Melodie Green of Lettering and Signs by Melodie has volunteered the help of a friend who has a border collie to control the geese in the park.
Sound View Village District - Update
Selectman Sibley presented a revised Sound View Villege District zoning regulation. The district boundary now includes all of the current C10 area on Hartford
Avenue as well as both alleys. The term “rooming house” was changed to “tourist home” and will be in a separate section of the zoning regulations. He requested the Board of Selectmen sign the application and will get the necessary information such as maps, etc. to be submitted with the application.
Town Hall and Lyme Street Fire Dept Hook-Up to Dist 18 Water Supply
The Old Lyme Town Hall and Lyme Street Fire Department were hooked up to District #18 water supply. Tests will be needed to be sure the line is good for each location. Selectwoman Reemsnyder asked whether hooking up two more buildings would affect District #18 water pressure for fire sprinklers in the Middle School? First Selectman Griswold stated there would not be a problem.
e. Town Budget Preparations
The Board of Finance should finalize the budget tomorrow and it will present the same at the Budget Hearing on April 25th. There is an increase in the total general government of $374,770 which is a 6.4% increase. Sanitation accounts for $103,000 of the increase and Capital Projects (landfill closure) accounts for $98,000. Landfill closure reserve is increasing from $150,000 to $250,000. Emergency management increased by $40,000, with the expectation that grant income will offset the cost. The capital budget, in addition to the general government, increased by $161,500. In fiscal year 2004, the town planned to use $425,000 of surplus to balance the budget and actually used $417,265. The current
surplus is approximately 9% of the budget. Net total grand list, because of revaluation, increased by 63%. The mill rate is estimated to be 16.8.
New Business:
Blizzard January 22-24 – FEMA submission $25,847
A reimbursement request was submitted to FEMA for $25,847 because of the blizzard in January. The Federal reimbursement is expected to be 75% or $19,385.
LOL Techno Ticks – Chairman’s Award
The Techno Ticks won the robotics competition Chairman’s Award for inspiration, recognition, science and technology. The Techno Ticks will now travel to the National Championship held at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21 where 12,000 teens will participate.
LYSB – District #18 Student Art Show – Art Academy – April 1 4:30 P.M.
The District #18 Student Art Show is being conducted at the Lyme Art Academy. The show opened Friday, April 1 and will continue until Saturday, April 9, 2005.
6. Public Comment:
Old Lyme resident Jack Alexander, 12 Lord’s Meadow Lane, stated that he attended the Adelphia franchise meeting on March 24, 2005. He felt the Board of Selectmen should consider opposing the franchise for renewal. His concern is that Old Lyme has been deprived of two years of system upgrades that could have occurred if they were under
license and required to provide those upgrades. Nationally, in December 2003, 79% of the houses passed by Adelphia service had 750 mg broadband service or greater. Old Lyme is in the 21% deficiency group with Adelphia nationally. In bankruptcy, Adelphia has cut its capital expenditure budget to a third of what it was two years ago. Mr. Alexander said the Board of Selectmen should express its concerned to the DPUC and activating the consumer council by sending a letter to the DPUC indicating it is necessary to have assurances about the upgrades promised in 2002. Mr. Alexander will give First Selectman Griswold a summary of the technical information.
Other Business:
First Selectman Griswold called for a motion to discuss the abandonment of a portion of Ben Franklin Road. Selectwoman Reemsnyder made a motion to add Ben Franklin Road abandonment to the agenda. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED. First Selectman Griswold explained there would be a payment from five landowners to the town for this abandonment. Although not agreed on by all parties, the small westerly section would require a payment of $3,000 to the town from the landowners and the larger stretch of land on the eastern end would require a total of $12,000. The abutting landowner lots would extend to the center of the area to be abandoned. Town Atty. Marylin Clarke drew up a resolution to be signed by the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance and Planning.
It would be presented at a Town Meeting, possibly on May 16. Selectman Sibley stated he would like to walk the area before making his decision to approve the abandonment.
Selectman Sibley noted that he has a conflict and will not be able to attend the Board of Selectmen meeting on April 18, 2005. The date of the meeting will be rescheduled to Friday, April 22 at 4:00 P.M.
Selectwoman Reemsnyder asked if the Board plans to move ahead with school buses parking at the landfill. First Selectman Griswold stated that the school has received bids from three different companies to provide bus service. The school will make a deal with a provider, and if there is some change, it will be based on the town or Health Official talking to the landowners about correcting the situation. First Selectman Griswold feels there should be a desire to discuss and to work this situation out to the mutual satisfaction of all without rigid rules and lawyers. He feels a one-year extension would help to understand better what the options are. Selectman Sibley stated that in the current contract there has never been a specific description of where to park the buses other than in the confines of Lyme
or Old Lyme. Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that the opinion of the Health Department official would be important.
Executive Session:
None
Adjournment:
Selectwoman Reemsnyder made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:00 P.M. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Coffee, Clerk
| 
