TOWN OF OLD LYME
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
Meeting Date: Monday 1 February 2016 – 7:30 PM
Location: Meeting Hall, Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall
Approval of Minutes:
19 January 2016 Regular Meeting
Selectman Sibley recommended a change to the minutes on page 4 Section A; Delete the first two sentence’s and replace with:
Selectman Sibley welcomes co-chairs Paul Fuchs and Paul Gianquinto. He stated that Parks & Rec had made a request at Decembers BOF meeting for funding to gain a legal opinion. This was dealing with their belief that they have final authority to approve the Haines Park Boat house project. Selectman Sibley noted that Park & Rec did not accept the Town Councils position on this, stating approval was in the purview of the HPBIC committee.
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve as amended the minutes of the 19 January 2016 Regular Meeting. Motion passed.
25 January 2016 Budget Review Meeting
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve the minutes of the 25 January 2016 Budget Review Meeting. Motion passed.
Gary Gregory (U) – Inland Wetlands Commission, alternate – 3 yr. term Jan. 2019
The recommendation for the appointment was made by the Inland Wetlands Commission chair. A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley to appoint Gary Gregory as an alternate to the Inland Wetland Commission for a 3 year term to expire in January 2019. Motion passed.
Gary Gregory (U) – Open Space Commission, alternate – 3 yr. term Jan. 2018
The recommendation for the appointment was made by the Open Space Commission chair. A motion was made by, Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to appoint Gary Gregory as an alternate to the Open Space Commission for a 3 year term to expire in January 2019. Motion passed.
Sal Cancelliere (D) – WPCA, regular member – 4 yr. term Jan. 2019
The recommendation for the appointment was made by the WPCA chair. A motion was made by, Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to appoint Sal Cancelliere as a regular member to the WPCA for a 4 year term to expire in January 2020. Motion passed.
Dini Mallory (R) – Historic Dist. Commission, regular member – 5 yr. term Jan. 2021
The recommendation for the appointment was made by the Historic Dist. Commission chair. A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley to appoint Dini Mallory as a regular member to the Historic Dist. Commission for a 5 year term to expire in January 2021. Motion passed.
George Finley (D) – Harbor Mgmt. Comm. regular member – 4 yr. term Jan. 2020
The recommendation for the appointment was made by the Harbor Mgmt. Commission chair. A motion was made by, Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to appoint George Finley as a regular member to the Harbor Mgmt. Commission for a 4 year term to expire in January 2020. Motion passed.
John MacDonald (R) – Harbor Mgmt. Commission, regular member – 4 yr. term Jan. 2020
The recommendation for the appointment was made by the Harbor Mgmt. Commission chair. A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley to appoint John McDonald as a regular member to the Historic Dist. Commission for a 4 year term to expire in January 2020. Motion passed.
Geri Baker (D) – Lymes’ Senior Center Board – 3 yr. term to July 2018
The recommendation for the appointment was made by the Lymes’ Senior Center Board chair. A motion was made by, Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to appoint Geri Baker as a regular Board member to the Lymes’ Senior Center Board for a 3 year term to expire in January 2019. Motion passed.
Boathouse Hains Park Improvements
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder presented an update on the Hains Park project.
- Paul Fuchs and Paul Gianquinto have given presentations on the project, to the Zoning Commission and following the town meeting.
- Both presentations were well received and the presenters were complimented by First Selectwoman Reemsnyder on their hard work and persistence.
- The BOF is in support of the revised plan. The Fire Marshall and Building official have been providing feedback and communication between all parties. This will be discussed further at the next meeting on February 8th and also following the Zoning meeting on February 11th .the project continues to move forward.
- Selectman Sibley reaffirmed the Wetlands Commissions approval that the plan is in full compliance.
Rte. 156 Bikeway/Sound View Improvements
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder provided an update on the committee meeting that took place on January 26th. She pointed out two highlights of the meeting:
- The committee will need to go through the RFQ process for a construction inspector.
- Whether lighting will be covered by the grant.
Selectwoman Nosal gave a summary of the January 26th meeting.
- The main discussion was the RFQ process.
- The draft will be used to add particulars including an ad for local papers and the Town website.
- They would like to have the inspector on board by the end of May.
- The budget was discussed the decrease in fees will offset the additional costs.
- The state will perform an audit upon the completion of the construction.
- The BSE will not be able to closeout until the audit is complete and all invoices are submitted.
- Lighting is also very important; a plan has been submitted to the DOT for approval and they have 30 days to respond.
- It was noted that Eversource owns the poles, but Old Lyme will own the fixtures. This has not come up in any of the past discussions, but could be brought up by the DOT.
- Further meetings will be scheduled and the public will be notified so they can attend with any questions they have.
Selectman Sibley noted that there is a possibility of the DOT rejecting the lighting as a part of the grant making the Town of Old Lyme responsible for 100% of the cost.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder noted that there will be further discussion on LED lighting during the meeting which may be a viable alternative if needed.
Administrative Order/WPCA Update
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder noted they have not met since the last BOS meeting, and are scheduled to meet next Tuesday. She had a discussion with Carlos from the DEEP regarding the statement made by the health inspector regarding the monitoring approach. She will be meeting with the health director later this week to discuss and follow up on his concerns.
There was a report from the Attorney following the BOF meeting; he anticipates getting the final report out by the end of the week.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder thinks it will be important to form a task force to begin discussions and address previous invoices. She would like to see the chairman of each board on the task force to ensure representation to define the scope of the project. The task force would meet as needed, no definite schedule as of yet. She also mentioned the possibility of hiring a project manager or having someone from the town take on this responsibility. All of these items need to be discussed, as well as developing policy and procedure to clearly define how things should proceed and address who should sign the amendment.
Selectman Sibley clarified this would be to address the $5000 plus the previously submitted invoices and bills which were not itemized or previously approved by the contract in place.
It was also noted that this is a large project and towns don’t usually take on such a large endeavor. It is important to look at how other towns and the High School project for guidance and resources in going forward.
Annual Town Meeting Update; Citizen of the Year
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported all items on the agenda were approved:
- Accepted the Annual Report
- Accepted the Blackwell Lane Extension as a town road.
- Adopted the Resolution for the ICE application.
- Approves the use of C-PACE program for Old Lyme, this is a good opportunity for commercial and non- profit organizations in Old Lyme.
- Accepted a gift of Artwork from George Yager titled “Family Tea” First Selectwoman Reemsnyder thanked Selectwoman Nosal and Selectman Sibley for doing the honors of unveiling it. A space will be found in the Town Hall so it can be enjoyed by the community.
- Announced Citizen of the Year – Mary Seidner
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder gave and overview of Mary’s many accomplishments as the Director of the Old Lyme Youth Services program and the within the community. She thanked the BOS for their vote on that and thinks it was a great choice for the 2015 Citizen of the Year.
Transfer Station Safety Improvements
Gary Yuknat joined us at our last meeting. Gary provides the garbage & recycling service for Old Lyme. He explained the safety concerns that occur when bringing the recycling to the transfer station. The plan for improvements would address the current and future concerns. The cost would be approximately $60,000; First Selectwoman Reemsnyder recommended planning on $63,000 for any additional costs that may occur.
Selectman Sibley thinks it would be a good idea to engage Anchor Engineering, which handled the Landfill Closure, to weigh in on the decision. They would be able to provide valuable feedback in a timely manner as they are knowledgeable in this area, should this need to go out to bid.
Selectwoman Nosal added that she thinks it is important for Gary to keep his employees out of the hopper along with exploring a second estimate and more guidance. She also noted that it is important to keep the communities members safe while utilizing the transfer station.
It is the consensus of all that safety should come first. If a special meeting is needed it will be scheduled, however temporary steps should be put into place immediately such as pylons, cones, signs and possibly the Resident Trooper.
The First Selectwoman Reemsnyder, Selectwoman Nosal and Selectman Sibley will continue to discuss the plan as further information becomes available.
Marine Patrol Unit – Police/Fire
The First Selectwoman Reemsnyder gave overview of last meetings approval for $1000 refundable deposit to be returned in 30days. She asked if the BOS wanted to approve this now or wait for BOF meeting.
Selectman Sibley recommends waiting; Nicole has done some researching on grants and would like to hear feedback on what she has found.
BOS discussed the requirements of a Grant (not making it a viable option) for Old Lyme:
- Potential requirements to provide mutual aid - staffing not always available
- Specific designs and components to the boat itself - cost
- How other communities ex. Old Saybrook are providing requirements
- Additional Training/Homeland Security
The boat they have made the deposit on is de-commissioned, but the company will refurbish everything to meet to meet the requirements and specifications of the Police and Fire departments. The BOS would like to see a memorandum of understanding outlining the procedure outlined below.
The Fire and Police departments have collaborated to develop a procedure and control plan including:
- Who will be trained to drive and operate the boat
- Who will put the boat in/out of water
- Who will be responsible for the boat
- Who will be driving; so that the police will be available focus on law enforcement issues and provide policing and not have to worry about the boat.
Old Lymes main focus is the week-ends and patrolling Sound View in the summer and of course providing mutual aid.
Recommendation to the BOF for approval; A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley. Motion passes.
Budget Meetings begin this week
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder announced that the annual budget meetings begin this week. She is looking forward to an active and successful year.
Selectman Sibley noted he may not be at the first meeting due to upcoming knee surgery.
Local Traffic Authority requests
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder noted that after looking into it; the BOS is the local traffic authority.
The two requests below have been vetted by the resident trooper and state police and neither will impact or disrupt traffic patterns. The routes and number of participants were discussed.
Charity Cycling Event – Tour de Vine
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve the bike fundraiser to take place on 5/15/2016. Motion passed.
Tour de Cure
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to approve the bike fundraiser to take place on 6/12/2016. Motion passed.
Accept Queen Anne Court as a Town Road
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder noted this needs to go through the town meeting, and shared the letter from Tom Metcalf the town engineer and the Planning commission minutes.
This was discussed by all members of the BOS some of the concerns raised the cracks in the road were repaired but the whole road was not paved by the applicant, and it typically it doesn’t take this long for a request to be made so you don’t usually see repairs need to be made.
It was noted that the road is in generally good repair, is lightly traveled and is structurally sound. It was recommended that the Town Engineer and Public works have a discussion of future costs for the town before accepting it. This will be brought up at the next town meeting.
The BOS will review this again at their next meeting.
Proposal for LED lighting installation
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder presented a proposal for LED lighting for street lights noting this is far less expensive and lasts longer. The technology has been perfected over the last few years and is being more widely used in other communities. She participated in a conference call with Tango lighting and they will not only set up a financing option but this will include purchasing the lighting for the town. A few years ago Old Lyme set up a $5000 saving account to replace the lighting fixtures in town. Based on the current number of lights in town the cost would be:
$120,000. Quote total cost
$45,600. Rebate from Eversource
$74,400 Net Cost
This can be paid for at once or financed.
The savings in energy and maintenance costs would pay for this in just under three years. This project would include Sound View.
As part of the project they may recommend changes/adjustments in some of the areas which could affect the quoted cost. There is also the possibility of teaming up with another town such as Old Saybrook to lower the cost. She will discuss with the BOF and forward emails to Selectwoman Nosal and Selectman Sibley.
It was suggested that Selectwoman Nosal and Selectman Sibley take a ride down the streets of Old Saybrook to get an idea of the lighting. It was also noted that the High School had LED lighting.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder has also just received a second quote from “Real Term Energy”. She suggested the possibility of putting together a task force to investigate this further. Selectwoman Nosal volunteered to be on the task force. Selectman Sibley asked if this might be a project for C-pace. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will look into this.
- Public Comment: None
- Other Business:
- First Selectwoman Reemsnyder noted the Town of Old Lyme is collaborating with the Chamber of Commerce to hold a Business Breakfast next Wednesday, Feb. 10th at 7:30 in the meeting hall. BJ Birdbloom will be there to present an update on accomplishments to date.
- First Selectwoman Reemsnyder gave an update on the NEC Futures Plans
This seems to be a fast moving issue and she is receiving a lot of feedback concerning Old Lyme. She has since learned this is going to be four tracks wide and tied into a utility project. She had a conversation with Congressman Joe Courtney who agrees this is not a good idea for Old Lyme and is helping to support us in our efforts to question the prudence of this. She has a meeting scheduled this week with several stakeholders including; Lyme Academy College, Florence Griswold, Art Association, Open space to name a few to develop a combined statement to demonstrate our serious opposition to this project. As Well as the impact it would have on the Town of Old Lyme.
Selectwoman Nosal stated she had written a letter to Congressman Courtney expressing her opposition.
Selectman Sibley agrees and can’t believe they would pay $30 million dollars on a 1000 page report and not have any input from the towns it will impact.
- First Selectwoman Reemsnyder announced the Town of Old Lyme was approved for $600,000 to assist with the landfill closure. She has not received official word, but went to the website and it stated everything on the agenda was approved and Old Lyme was on the agenda.
Selectman Sibley asked if our Steep grant for $500,000 made the deadline and First Selectwoman Reemsnyder confirmed it did.
- Selectwoman Nosal asked for an update on the Senior Center. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated the BOF approved the transfer of funds. Mr Forino needs to meet with the seniors.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder has reached out to the Town Attorney, but as he was her attorney this would be a conflict. She will reach out to another town’s attorney.
- BOS discussed a letter received from the Sound View Committee regarding using extra funds from Hurricane Sandy to shore up some of the Historical buildings and applying for National Record Status in the Sound View area. The BOS felt it would be a good idea to invite the CT Historical Preservation Office to the next meeting to get feedback and have questions answered by the group.
Selectwoman Nosal will invite them to the next meeting and put them on the agenda.
- Selectwoman Nosal asked if the BOS wanted to put the Volunteer Incentive Charge on the next agenda to discuss further. Selectman Sibley suggested the BOS look at their draft and tweek it.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder posed the question; have they completed their charge? Do they need to continue to meet? Should the BOS provide guidance and then meet with them to determine/revise how often they need to meet.
It is the consensus of the BOS that they will review at the next meeting and go forward from there.
- Selectwoman Nosal gave an update on her progress on the sound system. She had originally tried to reach out to Senhieser through a community member back in 2012 to get a quote for a sound system and that fell through.
Since all of the equipment has been updated it would make sense to update this also.
The microphones work for the meetings in the meeting room, but the BOS wants to ensure that the sound is good for the camera.
Selectman Sibley will reach out to a community member to see if he can get some information in case the cost needs to be put into the 2016 Budget. He will update at the next meeting.
- Executive Session: None
- Adjournment:
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley to adjourn. Motion passed. Submitted by
Patti Broedlin 2/8/2016
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