Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting Monday, November 2, 2009
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 8:00 A.M. on Monday, November 2, 2009 in the Meeting Hall at the Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall. First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Skip Sibley and Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder were present.
1. Approval of Minutes: 19 October 2009
The minutes of the regular meeting on October 19 were reviewed. Selectwoman Reemsnyder asked for a correction in under item 5a, Old Business. The first line should read “The Board of Finance is meeting tomorrow night to discuss the charging of construction fees.”
Selectwoman Reemsnyder moved to accept the minutes as amended. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Communications
a. Nancy Mesham- Thanks for Girl Scout Troop Visit to CRRA Facility
Selectman Griswold received a letter from Nancy Mesham thanking him for taking the Girl Scouts to the CRRA facility in Essex to see the single stream recycling operation there. The Girl Scouts are interested in promoting single stream recycling in Old Lyme.
3. Appointments: None
4. Old Business:
a. Bus Barn Project – Update
The bid documents have been reviewed by the attorney and the project is expected to be advertised this week.
b. Church Corner Project – Update
The binder course of pavement has been installed along with some of the curbing. The utility poles have not been moved yet, although the request was put in over a year ago.
c. Public Works Garage Renovation – Update
The project is proceeding well. The siding and roof are done and the passenger doors are being worked on this week. Replacement of the salt shed was discussed.
d. High School Building Project Fees - Update
The Board of Finance met and discussed the construction fees but no vote was taken. The Board of Selectmen will make the final decision regarding the fees, with input from the Board of Finance. First Selectman Griswold met with Betty Osga, Supt of Dist 18, and Susan Fogliano, Board of Ed. Chair, to discuss the matter. Selectwoman Reemsnyder asked to have copies of the ordinance defining the inspection fees at the next Board of Selectmen’s meeting.
Selectman Sibley spoke with Lyme’s First Selectman, Ralph Eno, about the CT Water Company and the Equitable Share payment.
5. New Business:
a. CCM Energy Bid Results
Three years ago, the Town of Old Lyme and District 18 entered into a 5-year fixed rate contract with the TransCanada Electric Company for a rate of 10.135 cents per kilowatt hour. Electric rates are less now and the Town and the District were able to renegotiate the contract, adding 3 years to Dec 2014. We had the choice of a blended rate for five years at 9.81 or continuing with the 10.135 for the remaining two years of the current contract and adding three years at 9.53. Because the District’s electric use will increase in two years, due to the geothermal system, it was decided to lock in the most favorable rate for the last three years, for a savings of about 6%. These rates apply to the larger town and school accounts and the library.
b. ECS Funding – District 18 to Credit ARRA Funds ($86,396)
The Superintendent and the Business Manager of Dist. 18 have agreed that the Town will be able to credit the ARRA funds (which come directly to the District from the State) as a credit against a future billing.
c. Old Saybrook Police Chief Change of Command Ceremony
First Selectman Griswold attended the Change of Command Ceremony for the Old Saybrook Chief of Police. Retiring Police Chief Mosca passed the baton to the new Police Chief Spera in a ceremony held at the Old Saybrook High School.
d. H1N1 Flu – Update
Two of the Old Lyme Schools have had an absentee rate of about 20% due to the flu. Normal absenteeism is about 12%. The schools have not been closed. Some area towns closed schools when the absenteeism reached close to 50%. The state has notified the town that 127,000 doses of flu vaccine have been delivered to Connecticut. Updates on the flu and the vaccine can be found on the website www.ct.gov/CTFluWatch.
6. Public Comment:
Mr. Bill Foland asked to have the Town Hall Expansion project added to Old Business; he would like an update on it. He also said he is waiting for a response to his request for information regarding the town’s contract for 90 Shore Road (Christ the King parking lot). Mr. Foland also commented on emails he sent to Selectman Sibley at his personal email address regarding the CT Water Company payment. He believes some of Selectman Sibley’s statements on this matter were false.
Mr. Foland spoke at length about the 20% by 2010 Clean Energy program, and the free solar panels that it offers. Old Lyme currently has 123 households signed up for clean energy and needs about 30 more to qualify for some free solar panels. He would like someone in the town government to help partner with the schools to increase participation in the program, look into obtaining the solar panels and perhaps develop a science project around solar energy. The Clean Energy representative has offered to come and speak to the District 18 Leadership meeting about the program.
Selectman Sibley responded to Mr. Foland, asking him to stop sending email to him alone. Emails should be sent to all three of the Selectmen for Freedom of Information reasons. He also said that if Mr. Foland is concerned about confidentiality he could print out the letters, seal them in envelopes, and put them in the Selectmen’s mail boxes at town hall.
Selectwoman Reemsnyder pointed out that email is not intended to be strictly confidential and that when issues are raised before the Selectmen, they discuss them openly to try to resolve them.
Selectman Sibley stated that he stands by his letter and will not retract his statements regarding the CT Water Company payment situation.
Mr. Sibley stated that he likes the increased interest in clean energy and that it has grown beyond the Town Hall Expansion Committee. The Selectmen may try to form a Clean Energy Committee.
Selectman Griswold agreed that it would be a good idea to have a Clean Energy representative come and discuss the program because a lot has changed since the town first signed up.
7. Other Business:
Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that she received a complaint from someone about a high fee charged for a load of brush at the Transfer Station. She was told that the load was estimated and a fee charged accordingly. She would like the loads to be weighed so that the fee is fair to everyone.
Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that she tried to get Board of Selectmen minutes online to be prepared for the meeting and found some of them missing. She asked about the procedure for posting them on the web and was told that Ruth Roach is in charge of posting them. Selectman Griswold will have Ruth contact Ms. Reemsnyder.
8. Executive Session: none
9. Adjournment:
MOTION: Selectman Sibley made a motion, seconded by Selectwoman Reemsnyder, to adjourn at 9:07AM. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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