Old Lyme Board of Selectmen
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Regular Meeting
The Board of Selectmen held a Regular Meeting at 7:30 PM on 2 September 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 18 August 2014
Selectwoman Nosal moved to approve the minutes of Regular Meeting 18 August 2014. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. There was a discussion. SO VOTED.
2. Communications – NONE
3. Appointments
Frank Noe (R) – WPCA, Alternate – 4 year term Expiring Jan. 2016
Selectman Sibley noted that Frank Noe is presently Chairman of the Old Colony Beach Club Association WPCA and both Selectman Sibley and Selectwoman Nosal felt that this would be a conflict for Mr. Zoe to be a member of two WPCAs. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will bring this back to the Chair of the WPCA asking if this would be a conflict, and also if he could cultivate another person for this position. There are two alternate positions open at this time.
Stacy Winchell (R) – Zoning Commission, Alternate – 1 year term Expiring Jan. 2015
Selectwoman Nosal moved to appoint Stacy Winchell to the Zoning Commission as an Alternate for a 1-year term expiring January 2015. Selectman Sibley seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
4. Old Business
a. Beach Stipend Committee Meeting – Update
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that this Committee has been meeting weekly for the past month. Every beach association that is presently receiving a stipend from the Town had the opportunity to sit before the Committee to review their needs and budgets. The next meeting of this Committee is Thursday 4 September at 5:00 PM. All of the agendas and minutes are on the Town Website. Selectman Sibley asked if all private associations have been or will be asked to share their budgets with the Committee. There was a discussion. The Selectmen commended the Committee for their hard work and patience.
b. Route 156 Bikeway / Sound View Improvements Committee
Selectwoman Nosal reported that the Committee last met on 22 August. The area was walked with special attention to right of ways. The final report is being worked on at this time. Traffic data is being reviewed and a utility review is ongoing. The next meeting will be at the Shoreline Community Center on 22 September at 4:00 PM.
c. Boathouse Hains Park Improvements – Update
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that she had received an email from Selectman Sibley about the fundraising effort and the cost of a website specifically for this effort with a conduit for donations. Selectman Sibley reported that the Committee has not met since the last Selectmen’s meeting but will meet on Thursday, 4 September at 7:00 PM. The site plan that was submitted to the Wetlands Commission was approved at last month’s meeting. A materials list will be worked on at Thursday’s meeting. Several contractors will be asked to provide a cost estimate through an RFQ. This would then provide the Committee with a cost estimate as they move forward.
d. Recycling Incentive Committee – Update
Selectwoman Nosal reported that the term “unanimous vote” was used in the suggested resolution because at the meeting where this was approved there were only eight people out of thirteen Committee Members present for the vote and all eight people approved the resolution. At the last Board of Selectmen’s meeting the Selectmen inquired as to how the non-present Committee members would have voted. Selectwoman Nosal will formally bring this up at the next Committee meeting to be held on 10 September meeting.
Selectwoman Nosal reported that she had followed up with the Director of Solid Waste and Recycling from Stonington. Selectwoman Nosal stated that Stonington has a curbside yellow bag pickup in addition to their beloved transfer station program. The Director stated that the program has been in place since 1992 and he is available if the Selectmen would like to speak with him. Their recycling rate is over 40%.
Selectwoman Nosal reported that she had a discussion with Natalie Starr of DSM, the State Consultant, about the resolution and the Selectmen’s recommendation. She is a proponent of the bag program (or bags and carts), and she said that with the DEEP’s approval she could work with the Town on some other unit based pricing and suggestions.
Selectwoman Nosal reported that she had spoken with Chris Nelson of the DEEP and he understood the Town’s situation and felt that the Town has made good progress. He will look into options for the Town in applying for the grant.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that now and going forward education is very important. If the DEEP does not embrace this resolution, or if they do adopt it and say that the Town has to have unit based pricing within a year, then the Town should look into funding it themselves. It was agreed that there should be a standing Recycling Committee.
e. CT Solar Challenge vs. Solarize CT
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that representatives from CT Solar Challenge and Solarize CT have presented to the Board of Selectmen. CT Solar Challenge is a non-profit organization working with towns to challenge people to find out information about solar and hopefully to install solar on their homes, thus giving the Town the opportunity to have solar installed on a Town building. Pricing is based on how many people agree to install solar on their homes. Solarize CT is sponsored by the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority which will soon be known as the Connecticut Green Bank. It is associated with the State and the way it works is that you have to apply to be accepted into the program. Other towns have applied and been accepted, and some towns have not been accepted. Solarize
CT has a list of vendors that they have vetted. Once the Town is accepted into the program, they issue an RFP where those vendors can bid on solar installations in the Town. AEGIS is the company that works with CT Solar Challenge and is also one of the accepted vendors with Solarize CT. The programs are similar in the fact that the pricing is tiered according to how many people sign up. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder suggested that the Town needs time to investigate these options and there is not enough time to investigate Solarize CT as the application is due on 17 September. She suggested that the Town continue on the path with CT Solar Challenge as there is a six-month period to absorb it. There was a discussion. Selectwoman Nosal would like more feedback on AEGIS. She noted that they are a foreign registered company which may or may not be an issue. All the Selectmen support the initiative.
5. New Business
a. Boathouse Memorandum of Understanding
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that a few weeks ago she received the Memorandum from our Town Attorney. It was sent to District 18 and they ran it by their attorney and it has come back with quite a few edits and lot more pages. There were some things in the changes that our Attorney did not feel were necessary. One thing was that it was a Memorandum of Understanding and District 18 changed it to Memorandum of Agreement. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder spoke today with the Superintendent of Schools and she suggested that the two attorneys speak to each other about the changes. This will need to be approved by the Board of Selectmen first, and then it will go to the Board of Education for their approval. Basically the Memorandum states that Regional District 18 will give the
Boathouse to the Town and the Town will renovate and expand it at the Town’s cost with an agreement to how it is used.
b. New WPCA / Health Admin Assistant – Chris Seery
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that Chris Seery is the new part-time WPCA / Health Department Admin Assistant. He was recently an intern at the Ledge Light Health District.
c. Welcome Back to School District 18 Students
The Selectmen welcomed the District 18 students back to school and wished them a wonderful, healthy and knowledgeable school year.
d. Police Department Union Negotiations / Contract Update
Selectman Sibley moved to approve ratification of the Contract between the Police Department Union and the Town of Old Lyme. Selectwoman Nosal seconded the motion. There was a discussion. SO VOTED.
6. Public Comment – NONE
7. Other Business
Selectwoman Nosal noted an announcement from Cathy Frank regarding two upcoming webinars on composting. This information is on the Town Website under News and Announcements.
Selectman Sibley thanked First Selectwoman Reemsnyder for the work she did on behalf of the Old Lyme Fire Department authorizing the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that she was informed that the Ambulance Association did not need a separate letter. It was suggested that the Committee that worked on this revisit their charge and make a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen whether or not this should be a standing Committee.
The next Board of Selectmen's Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 15 September 2014 at 7:30 PM.
8. Executive Session – NONE
9. Adjournment
Selectman Sibley moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 PM. Selectwoman Nosal seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Respectfully submitted,
~
Mary Ellen Garbarino
Recording Secretary
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