The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 7:30 P.M. on Monday, February 6, 2006 at Memorial Town Hall Auditorium. First Selectman Timothy Griswold and Selectman Skip Sibley were present. Selectwoman Reemsnyder was sick.
Approval of Minutes: January 17, 2006 and Spec. Meeting January 19, 2006
Selectman Sibley made a motion to approve the minutes of January 17, 2006 as written. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Selectman Sibley made a motion to approve the minutes of the special meeting on January 19, 2006 as written. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Communications:
None
Appointments:
a. John Forbis (D) has been recommended to fill the vacancy on the Historic District Commission as an alternate. Selectman Sibley made a motion to appoint John Forbis
(D) to fill the remaining three-year term ending January 2007 as an alternate member of the Historic District Commission. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
b. & c. Marianne Pfeiffer (D) and Agnes O’Connor (D) have been recommended to fill vacancies on the Conservation Commission. Selectman Sibley made a motion to appoint Marianne Pfeiffer (D) and Agnes O’Connor (D) as regular members of the Conservation Commission for three-year terms ending in January 2009. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Old Business:
a. Information Technology Committee - Update
Harris Computer Systems presented an accounting package to the Information Technology Committee that would include a joint system for both District #18 and the town with a considerable cost savings. The committee will listen to other presentations before making a decision.
b. Town Meeting Recap
The Old Lyme Town Meeting was held on Monday, January 23, 2006. The Town Report was accepted and copies are available in the Old Lyme Town Hall. The Citizen of the Year was June Speirs. Machnik Road was accepted as a town road and Briar Hill was accepted as a town road subject to receiving a deed from the owner of the road. It was also voted to discontinue Ben Franklin Road as a town road in the area of Mr. Arrowsmith’s property on the west side of Meetinghouse Lane and the discontinuance on the east side is subject to an agreement between the landowners and the Board of Selectmen. An ordinance concerning violations and penalties for sewage disposal systems was approved. An ordinance providing fines for violations of the Old Lyme
Inland/Wetlands and Watercourse regulations was approved. Penalties for illegal parking lots were increased. Jane Marsh was approved as the town’s representative to the Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency.
At a special Town Meeting held on February 1, 2006, $9,800 was approved for the Church Corner engineering services and the traffic consultants. The Board of Finance had previously approved $13,500 for the engineering services only, but an additional $9,800 was needed for the traffic safety analysis of the plans.
Town Woods Building Committee – Closeout Phase I and Field House
At the final Town Woods Building Committee, it was agreed that the two projects they have been supervising would be closed out. The construction of the three athletic fields in Phase I came in under budget by $135,853. The athletic building also came in under budget by $20,527. Lyme and Old Lyme have submitted paperwork for grants in the amount of $325,000 each through the STEAP program to complete Phase II for the baseball/softball fields and shared soccer field.
Rogers Lake Dam – Update
The Jacobson Engineering Firm is working to provide the State with information to make the Rogers Lake dam eligible for State funding at approximately 33 percent. First Selectman Griswold gave Jacobson the okay to hire a specialized engineer to work with soil samples to determine if steel sheetings can be used in this project. In a letter to First Selectman Griswold, Jacobson Engineering recommended acquiring the necessary land rights, via lease, for private land on either side of the dam. This may be needed for the State funding. Selectman Sibley asked if Lyme First Selectman Koch was contacted about the intended work on the dam. First Selectman Griswold stated he understands the dam is the responsibility of the town in which it is located.
Ethics Committee Application Form
Forms are available for those who wish to serve on the Ethics Committee. The responsibility of the committee is to determine the need for a Code of Ethics and an Ethics Commission, to create a Code of Ethics specifically to meet the needs for Old Lyme, to develop the charge for the Old Lyme Ethics Commission and to make a final recommendation to the Board of Selectmen and draft a town ordinance.
Cameron Parish Relief Effort - Update
The goal is to have another shipment to Cameron Parish by mid-March. Mary Stone has been working on a video of the trip at Christmastime. The needs list includes bedding, cleaning supplies, clothing items, food and drinks, paper goods, tools, pots, pans, grills, bug spray, books, etc. Collection points will be in various schools and the Lyme and Old Lyme Town Halls.
New Business:
a. Beach Improvement Committee Recommendation
The Beach Improvement Committee recommends: 1) additional police hours for coverage at Sound View on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. 2) segregate and label the port-o-lets as male and female in an enclosed area to improve appearance and cleanliness. 3) professional beach cleaning for a more thorough job. 4) correspondence with the State Representative regarding marine patrol. 5) upgrading the planter at the flagpole on Hartford Avenue. 6) lighting of the flagpole. 7) block off the end of Swan Avenue with boulders. 8) help with funding from the town for insurance and signage. 9) have the Selectman and police visit certain properties that are known to have illegal parking. 10) cooler enforcement. 11) reducing the number of short term parking places.
12) those with town stickers receive no better treatment for parking on the street.13) must
move cars after allotted parking time to another spot. 14) fines for illegal parking lots.
Park & Rec Bathhouse Improvements –Update
It was suggested that complete reconstruction of the bathroom structures at Haines Park and White Sand Beach would probably be necessary. Selectman Sibley presented a draft of drawings for White Sand Beach bathrooms from Nina Peck’s office. First Selectman Griswold will give the drawings to Ann Brown for her comments.
Lower CT River Pumpout Boat Resolution
Old Lyme has been involved with several other towns in operating a pumpout boat during the summer to assist boat owners in pumping out their portable toilets in an effort to keep the river clean. The towns of Essex, Lyme, Old Lyme, Chester, and Deep River have been asked to sign a resolution for a new boat that has become available through grant money. First Selectman Griswold read the resolution that continues the program and limits Old Lyme to $1,000 per year. If the program discontinues, the boats will go back to the State of Connecticut. First Selectman Griswold moved that the resolution be executed. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
d. Addendum to Employee Handbook
An addendum to the Town of Old Lyme employee handbook has been prepared by our labor counsel regarding policies on privacy, monitoring and internet use in the workplace. This includes, without limitation, inspections of employee lockers, desks, file cabinets, workstations, and mail. A copy of the addendum is attached. Selectman Sibley made a motion to adopt Addendum II concerning workplace privacy, monitoring and internet use policy to the Old Lyme employee handbook. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Public Comment:
None
Other Business:
Selectman Sibley presented a flyer from the Health of Rogers Lake Committee, a group working with the Rogers Lake Authority with emphasis on education on the health of the lake.
Selectman Sibley stated that he received comments from citizens about the Board of Finance voting down the expenditure of $15,000 to incorporate a donated generator at the Senior Center. The schools are being explored as possible inoculation centers because of the parking, crowd control, refrigeration, and space for the two towns, but there is a process to get them approved. A final decision on this subject has not been made.
Executive Session:
None
Adjournment:
Selectman Sibley made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 P.M. First Selectman Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Coffee, Clerk
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