Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting: Monday, 28 March 2011
The Board of Selectmen held a Regular Meeting at 7:30 PM on Monday, 28 March 2011 in the Meeting Hall of the Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall. First Selectman Timothy Griswold, Selectman Skip Sibley and Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder were present.
1. Approval of Minutes: 7 March 2011
Selectman Sibley moved to accept the minutes of 7 March 2011, and Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Communications
a. Fred Callahan – comments about Ron Rose
The Selectmen reviewed a letter from Old Lyme Resident Fred Callahan asking the Selectmen to consider restoring Ron Rose to a full-time position as Building Inspector.
3. Appointments
Selectwoman Reemsnyder moved to accept the appointment of Harry Plaut to the Harbor Management Commission as a regular member, four year term expiring January 2013. Mr. Plaut currently serves as an Alternate member. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
4. Old Business
a. Ames Property – Open Space Purchase Recommendation – Diana Johnson
Diana Johnson, representing the Open Space Commission, reviewed the proposed purchase of the Ames Property by the Town for Open Space. The agreement calls for 50% down at the closing, and then dividing the balance into three equal payments over three years, subject to a 2.00% interest rate. Ms. Johnson requested that the Selectmen put this purchase on the agenda of the Annual Town Budget Meeting on May 16. Ms. Johnson stated that she would handle the presentation at the Town Meeting. The Open Space Fund, with a balance of a little less than $700,000, will fund this purchase without impacting the Town operating budget or the surplus. With future annual Town contributions to this fund, there will still be money in the fund after the 3-year payment process. There was concern about wording
in the agreement so First Selectman Griswold will have Attorney Marylin Clarke review the agreement.
Selectman Sibley moved to include on the agenda for the Town Meeting on May 16 the recommendation to purchase the Ames property for Open Space in the amount of $810,000, according to terms outlined in the Purchase and Sales Agreement. Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
b. Budget Discussion
First Selectman Griswold reported that the Town Operating and Capital Budget for the upcoming fiscal year should be at a zero or less percent change from this fiscal year. The School Board voted to present to the community a budget of $30,547,000 which is a 4.92% increase over last year. The operating portion of the School budget represents 0.57% increase and debt service represents the balance. The debt service was approved by the District voters previously and is therefore not negotiable. First Selectman Griswold pointed out that the School debt service should decrease in FY 2013, due to the retirement of the 2002 bond, but debt service for FY 2014 will increase substantially because of a $466,000 increase in the 2009 bonded debt and the likely debt service associated with the next High School Project
borrowing ($14.5 million). He noted that it will be critical that the School labor negotiating team secures meaningful contract concessions this fall in order to help mitigate the increase in debt service. Over the last three years, the union contract increases have provided 3.0% increases for the Administrators each year and 2.25% increases, plus step increases, for the teachers each year. First Selectman Griswold discussed the fact that the School will apply a refund of its FY 2010 surplus to the two towns totaling $1.388 million, with Old Lyme’s share being $1.102 million. The Board of Finance must decide whether to use all of the surplus to lower the School expense or “save” some of it to help with the large School increase forecasted in FY 2014. If all the School surplus is used in FY 2012, the Town mill rate would increase from 18.6 mills to 18.8 mills or 1.08%. There will be a School and Town budget hearings in April and budget
votes in May.
c. Pesticide Awareness Committee
First Selectman Griswold reported that the Committee will be meeting on March 29, at 5:00 PM in the Town Hall. Chip Osborne, President of Osborne Organics, with over 30 years of experience in the turf and horticulture industry and experience managing athletic and municipal turf fields naturally, will make a presentation to the Committee. It is hoped that the Committee will visit fields in Cheshire and Manchester in the very near future, because these towns are presently using organic treatments.
d. Automated Single Stream Recycling – Timing
First Selectman Griswold reported that the recycling carts have been ordered and will be delivered to residents in April. A Town employee will be leaving his position with the Town to become the recycling driver for Shoreline Sanitation. A mailing with a list of acceptable and non-acceptable items for recycling will be sent to all residents shortly.
e. Probate Agreement
First Selectman Griswold reported that the Probate Agreement has been executed and the annual Probate expense to the Town is estimated to be $4,000.
f. Discussion on Town Policy for Plowing Private Roads
The Selectmen discussed the issues raised during this past winter and the problems that occurred with regard to the plowing of private roads in the beach area by Public Works. The consensus is that the Town should not plow private roads and the Selectmen agreed that a policy needs to be developed over the next month or so. Assuming this policy is adopted, this timeframe would give the private beach associations and residents that live on private roads time to plan ahead for next winter.
g. FEMA Reimbursement of March 2010 Storm Damage
First Selectman Griswold reported that the Town received $58,800 from FEMA as a 75% reimbursement for the March 2010 storm damage. In addition, the Town has recently submitted an application to FEMA for assistance with the expense related to the snow storm in January 2011.
h. Committee to Consider Water Resource Ordinance
First Selectman Griswold reported that several names have been suggested and there will be a Water Resource Committee formed by the next Selectmen's meeting. There was discussion about how a Water Resource Ordinance would protect the Town's water resources and the legal ramifications of such an ordinance.
5. New Business
a. Extension of Regional Household Hazardous Waste Agreement
First Selectman Griswold stated that, as soon as the new Household Hazardous Waste Agreement is fully vetted, it will need to go to a Town Meeting for approval. Copies of the Agreement will be given to the Selectmen for review before the Town Meeting. A new schedule for household hazardous waste collections is posted on the Town Website. First Selectman Griswold stated that hopefully there will be an electronics drop-off at the Town Transfer Station in the future.
b. Discussion on Possible Formation of Council of Governments
First Selectman Griswold stated that there have been discussions at the State level regarding consolidation of the fifteen statewide Regional Planning Agencies. Old Lyme falls under the CT River Estuary Planning Agency, which is located in Old Saybrook. This agency consists of nine towns which are also affiliated with another organization (Connecticut River Valley Council of Elected Officials) that includes another eight towns north of Old Lyme, including Middletown. First Selectman Griswold believes that the State will decide to go from fifteen planning agencies down to five or eight, so the Town should take steps to join with the seventeen CRVCEO towns, which are of Old Lyme's size and character, before the State makes the decision for us. There is interest in the group of the seventeen towns to
explore merging the planning agency in Middletown with the one in Old Saybrook. There would be some savings if this was done and the newly formed agency office could be situated halfway between Old Lyme and Middletown. This needs to be sorted out and would need to go before a Town Meeting for a vote.
c. Discussion about Permit Fee for Permitted Parking Lots
The Selectmen discussed the permit fees for the eight permitted parking lots in Sound View Beach and the one at Old Colony Beach. Presently the Town Permit Fee is $20 per parking space per year. It is estimated that the Town incurs about $40,000 in expenses at Sound View Beach during the summer season for police, portable toilets and clean-up. The Selectmen decided that the permit fee will stay the same for this coming season, and they will ask the Sound View Commission for input and re-visit this in November. There was a discussion about how the 76 parking spaces on Hartford Avenue, that presently allow for free parking, could become paid parking spaces by using parking meters or parking kiosk machines. The Selectmen will ask the operators of the legal parking lots to report to the Town any
operation of illegal lots.
d. CIRMA – Equity Distribution ($5,764)
First Selectman Griswold reported that the Town will receive $5,764 as an equity distribution through the new CIRMA dividend program. CIRMA is one of the Town's insurance carriers. They handle workers comp, liability, property and automobile insurance. This money will be distributed in the new fiscal year.
e. Rotary Club Old Saybrook - $2,500 Donation to Social Services Emergency Fund
The Selectmen thanked the Rotary Club for its donation to Social Services Emergency Fund in the amount of $2,500.
6. Public Comment - NONE
7. Other Business
There will not be a Board of Selectmen's Meeting on Monday, 4 April.
The next Board of Selectmen's meeting will be held on Monday, April 11 at 7:30 PM in the Meeting Hall of the Old Lyme Town Hall. At this meeting, it will be decided if the meeting scheduled for 18 April is needed.
8. Executive Session: NONE
9. Adjournment
Selectman Sibley moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 PM, and Selectwoman Reemsnyder seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted, ~
Mary Ellen Garbarino
Recording Secretary
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