Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting: Monday, August 2, 2010
The Board of Selectmen held a regular meeting at 7:30 PM on Monday, August 2, 2010 in the Meeting Hall of the Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall. First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Skip Sibley and Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder were present.
NOTE: The minutes of the Board of Selectmen meetings June 21 (regular meeting), July 15 (special meeting and July 19 (regular meeting) have not been approved or posted on the Town website to date due to a malfunction of the tape recording. They will be posted to the website this week as unapproved minutes.
1. ~Communications - NONE
2. Old Business
a. Bus Barn Update – First Selectman Griswold spoke with Mike Collins, Vice President of M & J Bus Company, who said he believed the building was not ready for occupancy on July 1. First Selectman Griswold contacted John Flower, Clerk of the Works of the project, to ask his opinion about the building. Mr. Flower said the building was ready for occupancy on July 1st but that the phones may not have been ready, which is a tenant responsibility. First Selectman Griswold reported that Mr. Collins asked if the Town would install the air conditioning unit in the ventilation system due to the extreme heat in the building. $3,500 was allocated for AC in the original proposal as an extra, but the Town needs to be sure there adequate
funds available for this. First Selectmen Griswold feels that if there are funds available, that the Board of Selectmen should recommend that the Building Committee allocate these funds for the AC. The Selectmen feel strongly that the M&J must pay all utility costs, including electric; not the Town.
b. Church Corner Update – First Selectman Griswold reported that, according to the contract drawings, there are still six driveway aprons to be completed (five, with the sixth being a portion of the Christ the King Church driveway). The Contractor’s Attorney wrote that only two remain. The number of square feet of bituminous in the contract is very close to the amount required by the six aprons, so there should not be an issue here. Details are still being worked out between the Town's Attorney and the Contractor's Attorney. This should be finalized this week.
c. Sound View Commission Proposal – Frank Pappalardo, Chairman of the Sound View Beach Commission Formation Committee, reported that there are two public informational meetings scheduled this month; Sunday August 8 at the Community Center in Sound View at 6:00 PM and Tuesday August 10 at the Meeting Hall in the Old Lyme Town Hall at 7:30 PM. The Committee is looking for all interested people to come to the meetings. Their input will be greatly welcomed. The Committee has been in touch with the Economic Development Commission, Planning Commission, Parks and Rec Commission and the Harbor Commission. The Selectmen thanked Mr. Pappalardo and the Committee members for their efforts and suggested that if things move along smoothly for the
Committee, the ordinance could be presented at a September Special Town Meeting, when many of the seasonal residents would still be in Town. Mr. Pappalardo deferred to the Selectmen's judgment as to timing and mentioned that he is in the process of drafting an informational handout. Selectman Sibley asked that the Selectmen see the draft before it is printed.
d. Village Estates Public Hearing August 2 at 3:00 PM – First Selectman Griswold reported on the Public Hearing. Village Estates posted a $34,113 bond for certain road improvements to be done within a five-year timeframe and this timeframe is up. There are four improvements that need to be completed before the Town would consider accepting this as a Town Road. The Town should now call the bond and use the proceeds to make the improvements. If the cost of the improvements exceeds the amount of the bond, it will not be the Town's responsibility to cover the extra cost. Cost estimates for the work are estimated to be slightly less than the amount of the bond. If the Selectmen vote to exercise the bond, then a request for proposal
(“RFP”) would be drafted by the Town for the proposed improvements. In order to have the Town accept the road, the owner of the road would have to prepare a deed conveying it to the Town and would have to have any mortgages and/or liens released. The Town is not responsible to obtain the deed or clear the title; it is the responsibility of the owner of the road. A maintenance bond would also have to be posted. This can vary between 5% and 50% of the cost of the road. 5% would be a little more than $10,000. The bond proceeds will hopefully pay for the cost of the improvements but it is unlikely that there will be enough to finance the road maintenance bond. If the developer fails to fund the maintenance bond, the homeowners could do so.
Selectwoman Reemsnyder moved to adopt the Planning Commission's recommendation to call the Performance Bond of the Village Estates Subdivision and to complete the necessary improvements within the funds allotted; specifically items 1-4 in the memorandum from Thomas Metcalf, PE dated March 2010 (attached). Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED:
e. WPCA Ordinance Amendment Public Hearing – First Selectman Griswold reported that the public hearing on July 27 in Sound View was well attended. Tom Risom, Chairman of the WPCA, presided and there were many questions with good discussion. A second meeting scheduled on August 17 at 7:30 PM at the Meeting Hall of the Old Lyme Town Hall. A final draft should be completed shortly after the August 17 meeting.
3. New Business
Robert Ross Property Line Revisions (Lt. River Lane) Tony Hendriks
Deferred to a future meeting as Mr. Hendriks is out of state and could not attend tonight.
4. Public Comment – Scott Boulanger, President of the Federation of Beaches, spoke with regard to the WPCA Ordinance. He requested that the Selectmen take a closer look at all the information. He expressed concern that the WPCA is "ramming it down the throats" of the residents.
Mark Mongillo, President of Miami Beach Association, thanked Mr. Pappalardo for his efforts and agreed in principle with the proposed Sound View Commission Mission Statement. Mr. Mongillo asked if all beach residents would have the opportunity for input. Mr. Pappalardo and First Selectman Griswold responded that this is the intent of the public meetings scheduled for August 8 and 10. Mr. Mongillo would like the Commission members to be chosen fairly, with consideration to all the beaches involved. First Selectman Griswold stated that there is value to also having residents on the Commission who are not beach residents.
5. Other Business
a. Historic District Commission Grant - First Selectman Griswold stated that the Historic District Commission is requesting a Board of Selectmen Resolution for a grant application for signage (plaques) and that he would like to add this request to tonight's agenda. Selectwoman Reemsnyder made a motion to add the Resolution for the Historic District to submit a grant for plaques to the agenda. Selectman Sibley seconded. SO VOTED. The Selectmen are supportive of approving the Resolution, but will need more details, such as a dollar amount, before they can proceed. First Selectman Griswold will contact Martha Hansen for more information. The Selectmen will vote on this at a special telephonic meeting, since the deadline is
August 15th.
b. Selectwoman Reemsnyder asked if there would be a future discussion of Virtual Town Meeting concept discussed at the last Board of Selectmen’s meeting. She felt this concept would be very important for the Town's seasonal residents. She suggested forming a committee to investigate it further. First Selectman Griswold suggested that the Comcast Advisory Council could be the core group and will speak to Cathy Frank who is a member of said Council. Discussion of this will be put on a future Selectmen's meeting agenda.
The next Board of Selectmen's meeting will be held on August 16, at 7:30 AM in the Meeting Hall of the Old Lyme Town Hall.
6. Adjournment – Selectman Sibley moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:47 PM and Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted, ~
Mary Ellen Garbarino
Recording Secretary
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