Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Monday, 2 June 2014
Regular Meeting
The Board of Selectmen held a Regular Meeting at 7:30 PM on 2 June 2014 in the Meeting Hall of the Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall. First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder, Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal and Selectman Skip Sibley were present.
1. Approval of Minutes – Regular Meeting 19 May 2014
Selectman Sibley moved to approve the minutes of Regular Meeting 19 May 2014. Selectwoman Nosal seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Communications – NONE
3. Appointments – NONE
4. Old Business
a. Budget Vote – Update
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that the Budget was unanimously approved at the Town Meeting held on 19 May. She thanked the Board of Finance members for their hard work with special thanks to Chairman Andy Russell for giving such a great presentation. Copies of the Budget are available in the Town Hall and on the Town Website.
b. Boathouse Hains Park Improvements Committee Update
Selectman Sibley reported on the Committee meeting of 29 May. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will present to the Planning Commission on 12 June. This will then go to Zoning. The land has two zones and the Committee is aware of the fact that they will need to apply to the ZBA for a zoning variance. Selectman Sibley has been in contact with all Land Use Departments.
c. Beach Stipend Committee
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder presented the charge of the Committee. Five people have applied to serve on the Committee so far. All applicants are from the private Beach Associations and First Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that she would like to see representatives from other private associations in Town and from areas of Town that are not private serve on the Committee. The Selectmen agreed that the Committee would need to be more balanced and that they will reach out for more applicants before the Committee members are chosen.
d. Route 156 Bikeway / Sound View Improvements Committee
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that the Agreement has been signed and that the survey should begin shortly. The people doing the survey will be in a white van and will be working in the areas of Swan, Hartford and Portland Avenues south of Bocce Lane. Wooden survey stakes with ribbons will be placed. She asked the public not to remove or worry about the stakes. Notices will go out to residents and information will be posted on the Town Website.
Selectwoman Nosal reported on the progress of the Committee, stating that all information will be posted on the Town Website. At this point the Committee needs to be expanded and the Selectmen agreed on adding two new members. Selectwoman Nosal moved to appoint John MacDonald and Jim Lampos to the Sound View Improvements Committee. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will send out letters to both members.
e. Private Parking Lot Requests
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported on Private Parking Lot requests. One request was from a family member of a parking lot owner who recently passed away. This parking lot is located within Old Colony Beach. The recommendation from the Town Attorney was that the Town be consistent with past practices. The owner’s intention is to run this parking lot on a seasonal basis only. Old Colony Beach Association asked for reassurance that the parking lot will continue to be for Old Colony Beach people and not open to the general public. This parking lot is limited to 25 cars.
Selectwoman Nosal moved to approve the transfer of the Parking Lot Permit for a Private Parking Lot located within Old Colony Beach to Kathleen Orebaugh. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
A second application was made by Lenny Corto for a private parking lot located at 59 Swan Avenue. This parking lot has changed ownership, but was a parking lot in past years. There was a discussion regarding maintaining the parking lots that are already permitted and about approving parking lots that change ownership and not inherited by a family member. Selectman Sibley noted that each year all private parking lot owners apply for a permit and it is up to the Selectmen to approve the applications each year.
Selectman Sibley moved to authorize the continuance of Lot #128, Parking Lot Permit #7 for the 2014 season. Selectwoman Nosal seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
f. Rogers Lake Weeds Committee Recommendation for Scope of Work
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reviewed the Scope of Work. The Committee has applied for a STEAP Grant in the amount of $117,700 with each of the two Towns putting in $15,000 each. This would equal the $147,000 needed to pay for the initial Scope of Work. A revised Scope of Work, which does not include the EPA Watershed study, will cost $88,330. The Committee recommends acceptance of the revised Scope of Work. Old Lyme would be funding one half. In FY 2015 budget $15,000 is designated to be used for this purpose. With an additional $30,000 needed, this would have to go to a Special Town Meeting for approval. The Town of Lyme has already approved the expenditure.
Selectman Sibley stated that even though the Board of Selectmen needs to approve this, he feels that the health of the Lake is the responsibility of the Rogers Lake Authority and it would be best if they approved this recommendation in writing. The Board of Selectmen will support them along the way. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that the Rogers Lake Authority and the Boards of Selectmen from both Lyme and Old Lyme formed the Weeds Committee Task Force and charged them with coming to the Rogers Lake Authority and the Towns with a recommendation. There was a discussion.
Selectwoman Nosal moved to recommend to a Town Meeting the amount of $30,000 to work on the revised Scope of Work on the condition that the Rogers Lake Authority either at their next meeting take a vote to approve this or show minutes of this already being approved at a past meeting. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
5. New Business
a. Memorial Day Parade Recap
The Memorial Day Parade was held last Monday with wonderful weather and an outstanding ceremony. The speakers and the winning essayists did an excellent job. The Selectmen thanked the Fire Department and all those involved for making it all work so wonderfully. Special thanks to Tony Hendriks and Anthony Vallombroso, Tim Griswold and Public Works. It was a great day.
b. Keith Rosenfeld, New Land Use Coordinator
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that today was the first day on the job for the Town’s newly hired Land Use Coordinator Keith Rosenfeld. Last Friday there was an event at Town Hall recognizing Ann Brown for her many years of service.
c. Parking Stickers Request
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported on a Parking Sticker request from a new local farmer who has a long-term lease on land on Sill Lane. This woman sells her produce at farmers markets and to area restaurants. She hires people to help her with gardening and is actually looking to purchase a house where her workers could live. She has rented a house on Hartford Avenue for her workers to live in which can only accommodate parking for two cars but there are five cars that need parking space. She is requesting parking stickers for the extra cars. Parking stickers are normally given to people who pay taxes in Town. If someone is renting for a week or two, short-term, temporary stickers are available. The concern is that spaces would be taken away from people visiting the area or
patronizing the businesses. There was a discussion.
The Selectmen agreed that this request will not be granted.
d. Pioneer Police Boat to East Lyme
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that a little over a year ago the Town of Chester had a boat that was donated to them but they did not have use for it. They offered this boat at no charge to the Town. This boat is a great river boat but not meant for the Sound. The East Lyme Police expressed a need for a smaller river boat and in the spirit of how the boat was received the Town would like to donate the boat to East Lyme.
Selectman Sibley moved to donate the Pioneer Police Boat to the Town of East Lyme. Selectwoman Nosal seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
6. Public Comment
Doug Whalen, Chairman of the Old Colony Beach Association, thanked the Selectmen for all the things that they are doing for the beach communities. He asked that the Town come on board with them with doing something about the blight in the beach area and pollution in the Sound. He feels that the biggest part of the project is the pollution and hopes that the WPCA will continue to move on to find a solution.
Scott Boulanger, of Miami Beach and President of the Federation of Beaches, echoed what Mr. Whalen just stated. He wanted to clear up something he read in the minutes of the Selectmen’s meeting of 19 May. It was stated that the Town of Old Lyme did not know that Miami Beach was doing a study at the same time. Although no one at the Town was formally notified, he stated that the Town was certainly aware that Miami Beach was doing a study. The Sound is being polluted and he hopes that everyone can work together to solve this.
Mr. Boulanger looks forward to getting the Beach Stipend Committee established.
Mr. Boulanger questioned why the Town would grant Private Parking Lot permits to people who are grandfathered in, when other taxpayers cannot open a new Private Parking Lot. In his opinion this is discrimination with no benefit to the community.
7. Other Business
The next Board of Selectmen's Meeting is scheduled for Monday, 16 June 2014 at 7:30 PM.
8. Executive Session – NONE
9. Adjournment
Selectman Sibley moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:02 PM. Selectwoman Nosal seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
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Mary Ellen Garbarino
Recording Secretary
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