Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting Monday, March 17, 2008
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 3:45 P.M. on Monday, March 17, 2008 at Christ the King Church. First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Skip Sibley and Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder were present.
1. Approval of Minutes: 15 February 2008
The minutes of February 15 were reviewed. Selectman Sibley made a motion to accept the minutes with no changes. Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Communications: None
3. Appointments: None
4. Old Business:
a. Town Hall Expansion – Status
The project is proceeding on schedule, Town Hall staff working offsite will be moving back in early May. There will be a monthly expense update at the next Board of Selectmen’s meeting. Selectwoman Reemsnyder asked to be notified of the Expansion Committee meeting next week so that she can attend.
b. Transfer Station – Status
The contractor has been working on the project and has completed moving the landfill material. The west wall by the recycling bin area is being completed. The road grading is being done in preparation for paving in April.
Additional methane testing showed that the trench near the building needs to be extended 100 feet to prevent a dangerous build up of gas in the building which could be set off by a spark from the electrical panel.
The estimate to relocate the utility pole and electrical service came in at over $10,000. Due to the expense and the time delay it would cause, First Selectman Griswold recommends keeping the driveway where it is and working around the utility pole. Removing the pole would mean installing another pole which would interfere with the deceleration lane on Four Mile River Road. Anchor Engineering was consulted and said that the traffic flow in and out of the landfill would be fine, since most of the large trucks turn left to go to I-95.
Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that the original reason to redesign the entrance was to improve safety and if it is being changed, the town should get the opinion of a traffic engineer. Selectman Sibley agreed and asked to have Anchor Engineering evaluate the change in writing for the file. Selectman Griswold agreed to speak to Anchor Engineering about it.
c. Landfill Closure – Material from Blinkers – Update
The owner’s engineer said the Blinkers material will be removed soon. The Town has pushed into piles for the convenience of the owner.
e. Black Hall Woods – Become Plaintiff in Black Hall Club Suit
First Selectman Griswold stated that fourteen months ago, the purchase of 2 parcels of land, consisting of about 42 acres adjacent to the Black Hall Golf Club, from Black Hall Woods LLC was approved at a Town Meeting. Since that time there have been ownership changes in Black Hall Woods and the new owners refused to sell the property under the original terms agreed upon. In January, the Club filed an action against Black Hall Woods about the purchase and would like the town to become a plaintiff in the suit. The town would bear little or no expense by becoming a plaintiff.
Selectwoman Reemsnyder made a motion that the Town of Old Lyme becomes a plaintiff with the Black Hall Club in the Black Hall Woods LLC lawsuit and Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
f. Public Works Garage Committee – Update
The Public Works Garage Committee has obtained estimates totaling about $200,000 for the cost of making various improvements at the Public Works Garage (improving the doors, removing and replacing the floors of the bays, redoing the roof and the siding, etc). The work would be put out to bid and could be done in segments. Some funds are in the budget now, and work could start in July, if the budget is approved.
g. Police Staffing Committee – Update
An ad was submitted to the newspaper for a certified full-time and one or more part-time officers. The Board of Finance recommended offering a finders fee to a town employee who recommends a certified officer who is hired. The staffing committee discussed the proposed ATV, and is not in favor of a vehicle that would be used in the water.
h. Elderly Tax Relief Committee – Update
The Committee has not met yet. First Selectman Griswold suggested inviting Walter Kent to the first meeting to provide an assessor’s perspective. Jennifer Hillhouse, Natalie Judson, Alice Burbank and Don Tapper have agreed to serve on the committee. Selectman Sibley stated that Deep River, among other towns, has recently been through the process of offering tax relief to elderly citizens. The Selectmen agreed to gather information from other towns and then schedule the first meeting.
b. Community Video Showcase Program
First Selectman Griswold spoke again about the opportunity for the town to participate in a Community Video Showcase Program. A short video would be created (at no cost to the town) with facts about the town accessed by a link on the town’s web page. Ruth Roach and Selectman Griswold looked at a sample of a video. Selectman Sibley reported that he spoke to several people about the video, with mixed results. He suggested bringing it up at a Chamber of Commerce meeting to get feedback.
5. New Business:
a. Sale of Town Parcels – Recommendation
First Selectman Griswold reported that there have been requests by people to buy town property, usually small parcels abutting their property. Zoning is in favor if it creates a conforming lot or reduces nonconformity. The Selectmen agreed that the town needs a transparent process to handle the requests. First Selectman Griswold will draw up a draft for the next Board of Selectmen’s meeting.
b. Gov. Rell’s Press Conference at the OLPD – Highway Safety
Governor Rell had a news conference at the Old Lyme Police Department last week about highway safety. She spoke about adding additional troopers and DOT truck personnel. There were a lot of State Police and DMV officials in attendance, as well as personnel from Old Lyme’s Fire Department and Ambulance. Twenty-five percent of Old Lyme’s emergency calls are related to I-95 and the town is not reimbursed for these calls. In a study done on widening I-95, the stretch from the Baldwin Bridge to I-395 in East Lyme was rated 5 or 6 out of 6 in its capacity to handle the traffic. Studies have shown that, with proper signage, traffic cameras are effective at slowing traffic and preventing accidents.
c. Girl Scout Week – Proclamation
First Selectman Griswold announced that March 12, 2008 marks the 96th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, which were founded by Juliette Gordon Lowe in 1912. Over 55,000 girls in Connecticut belong to the Girl Scouts. The Town of Old Lyme proclaims the week of March 9-15 to be Girl Scout Week.
6. Public Comment:
Mr. Folland asked for an update on the Ethics Commission, since the ordinance was passed two months ago. Selectman Sibley has spoken to Jack Collins and there have not been any applications for membership on the Commission submitted to the Town Clerk. Mr. Folland stated that he does not see the message asking for public participation on the front page of the town’s web site anymore. He has to click on the Code of Ethics link to find it. He suggested publishing something in Lymeline about the need for volunteers to serve on the Commission and wonders if it could be publicized at Sunday church meetings, as well as a Chamber of Commerce meeting. He also pointed out that a form is needed to record a complaint if someone has one. Selectman Sibley suggested printing flyers and
leaving them at the churches and around town. Mr. Folland suggested bringing it up at a school meeting. The Selectmen thanked him for bringing up the issue.
7. Other Business:
a. Center School Recycle bins
First Selectman Griswold met with Principal Pomroy of Center School and some of the students to talk about upgrading the recycling containers in the school. The Selectmen got a letter from the Center School Recycle Committee which stated:
“We are the Center School Recycle Committee and we would like to request 34 Old Lyme recycle bins plus bins for the cafeteria and the teachers’ lounge. We would like to recycle in our school because we want to lower global warming, get rid of landfills and we want to recycle more plastics, cans, milk cartons and cardboard. Not only does recycling help the environment, it helps save the town money. When can we pick up the bins at your office? Can you let Mr. Pomroy, our Principal, know?”
The Selectmen congratulated the Recycle Committee on their initiative and agreed to reduce the fee for each bin to $5.00 in recognition of the Committee’s good work.
b. Old Lyme High School Techno-Ticks
Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that the Old Lyme High School Techno-Ticks won the Chairman’s award for the sixth year in a row. It is awarded to the team that shows the most support for the program and reaches out to the other teams. She would like to acknowledge the group at a future Selectman’s meeting. They will be going to Georgia for the national convention and will be competing in the national championship.
c. Estuary Transit Service
Selectwoman Reemsnyder asked about feedback on the new Estuary Transit bus service to East Lyme. Selectman Griswold reported that the rider ship of the service is growing and that the Senior Center has purchased some tickets to help riders afford the fare. He also mentioned that the Transit District has a service which will take seniors to doctor appointments, for a fee.
d. Public Works Position
First Selectman Griswold reported that the town will move to fill the Public Works Superintendent position by placing an advertisement in the Day newspaper. He also spoke to Ed Adanti about creating a mechanics position in the department, but Ed did not think it would be cost effective.
Selectman Sibley moved to go into Executive Session at 4:55 PM and Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
8. Executive Session
9. Adjournment
The Board came out of Executive Session at 5:55 PM. Selectman Sibley moved to adjourn the Selectmen’s meeting at 5:55 PM and Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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