TOWN OF OLD LYME
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Meeting Date: Monday 2 May 2016 – 4:00 PM
Location: Meeting Hall, Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall
- Approval of Minutes:18 April 2016 NAA Hearing; 18 April 2016
A motion was made by, Selectman Sibley seconded by, Selectwoman Nosal to approve the minutes of the April 18, 2016 NAA Meeting Minutes. Motion passed.
Selectman Sibley requested change to title of Regular Meeting Agenda to read: Regular Meeting Minutes.
Selectwoman Nosal requested the following change to the April 18th minutes:
Page 2, 3rd paragraph to read: Selectwoman Nosal added as soon as they get approval from ConnDOT they will begin reference checks. (Remove- and the RFQ will go out to bid). The inspector will be onsite while all of the work is being done to ensure compliance in all areas of the work. The scope of the work will be planned out with the firm and an agreement will be signed prior to going out to bid (add) for a construction firm as part of the required process.
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to approve the minutes of the April 18, 2016 Meeting as amended. Motion passed.
2. Communication: None
3. Appointments: None
4. Old Business:
- Boathouse Hains Park Improvements
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported they are on the agenda for the next Zoning Commission meeting on Monday May 9, 2016 for approval of the special permit.
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported she had a conversation with Tony Leone from Garcia and Milas and he has arranged for one of the attorneys there to speak directly with Paul Gianquinto.
Selectman Sibley added he stopped by last week to see if the Fire Marshall had reviewed the code sheet and sent out an email to the committee chairs. He has not seen that email as of yet. First Selectman Reemsnyder has not received the email either so she will follow-up with the Fire Marshall.
- Rte. 156 Bikeway/Sound View Improvements
First Selectman Reemsnyder gave an update on the Public Information Session held last week. In regards to the postcard being circulated to area businesses, expressing concerns about the loss of parking spaces, there were concerns expressed. The number of parking spaces in that area will decrease from 373 to 351. The 22 space decrease is due to going from diagonal to parallel parking as well as accounting for the driveway entrances and the bumpouts. There were good comments as well; the community appreciated the efforts of the committee and was pleased to see the plans.
The selection committee has completed the interview process for the inspector and has selected a firm, which has been forwarded onto the DOT liaison, VHB and ConnDOT for approval. Once they have received approval all of the firms will be notified of the selection.
Selectwoman Nosal gave an over view of the other items discussed which included:
- Budget Review
- Timeline Review (Sept. – Dec. with an April closeout)
- Contract Bid
Selectwoman Nosal reported there was good attendance and the next regular meeting is scheduled for May 25th at the Town Hall.
Selectman Sibley asked if they still planned on having the “All in Meeting” and Selectwoman Nosal reported that was scheduled for May 10, 2016 and hopefully they will have a decision at the end of the meeting.
- Administrative Order/WPCA Update
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported a letter has been sent to DEEP regarding the progress of the last WPCA meeting. This included the approval by the WPCA of a plan to sewer Sound View and monitoring in Hawks Nest Beach and a timeline articulating this process to move forward.
First Selectman Reemsnyder also reported she had reached out to Woodard and Curran, and she and Jay Sheehan have an appointment this week to begin the discussion on the invoices from FY 2015to try and get them resolved. They will also begin working on the scope of work to move forward on the plan and the EIS. She will update the BOS at the next meeting.
- Osprey Festival – LOL Chamber of Commerce/SV Commission
First Selectman Reemsnyder did not really have anything new to report but gave an overview of the Osprey Festival for the public in attendance. She will continue to work with Mark Griswold, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Frank Pappalardo, Chairman of the Sound View Commission as the planning moves forward.
Selectman Sibley suggested it would be a good idea to get all the stakeholders together for a meeting prior to ensure everyone is on the same page and prepared for the day. He would like to attend this meeting and is willing to help where needed.
First Selectman Reemsnyder agreed this is a good idea and a meeting will be scheduled.
First Selectman Reemsnyder gave an update on the April 18th Budget Hearing for the FY 16-17. She applauds the BOS and BOF for coming in with a reduced town budget. As a result of the school budget increase of 2.8% and the decrease in revenues and state funding cuts, the mill rate will increase to 21.2 from 20.62.
There is a Region 18 budget meeting tonight that will be adjourned to a referendum. First Selectman Reemsnyder encouraged everyone to go out and vote tomorrow. While there is talk at the state level of cutting ECS funding totally, it is too late to look for cuts in the school budget at this point. However everyone is in agreement that if needed the towns and schools will work together to find cost cutting solutions.
The Annual Town Budget Meeting is scheduled for May 16th at 7:30PM in the LOL middle school. The BOS needs to approve the Call of that meeting. First Selectman Reemsnyder presented the three items on the Call.
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to add an item to the agenda “Annual Budget Meeting Call” under New Business. Motion passed.
- Guide for Boards, Commissions & Committees: Review
First Selectman Reemsnyder began a discussion on the final changes to guide;
- On page 5; it refers to a Bids policy and recommended this be changed to bid procedure and then update it when the Bid Policy is approved.
- two paragraphs down; opening of pubic bids should read: First Selectman and another town representative.
- Vendor Selection should include approval of the First Selectman and the Chair of the Board/ Commission /or Committee. The Finance Director reviews the finance portions of a contract, but doesn’t need to approve the document in full.
- Last page Change Board of Selectman to Board of Selectmen
- Add committees throughout the document when referring to: Boards, Committees and Commissions to be consistent.
- On Page 5 under Bids, Grant and projects 3rd paragraph down; do not print electronic communication. Change to softer tone…we encourage you to not print….etc…
It is the consensus of the BOS this document is complete for review by Board/ Commission /and/or Committee chairs for further input.
First Selectman Reemsnyder will make the changes discussed and forward the updated document for final review.
5. New Business:
- FD/EMS Incentives Committee Wrap up
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported they held the wrap up meeting of The FD/EMS Incentives Committee Tuesday afternoon at 4PM.
The incentives and insurance have been reviewed and updated. They finalized the retirement plans for the Old Lyme Fire Dept. and the Old Lyme South End Volunteer Ambulance Association. A Summary will go out to every member who has a retirement account.
Members were able to choose if they wanted to continue with a tax abatement or a $1000 pension donation. Many of the current members chose the retirement pension donation.
Going forward, new members will not be offered the $1000 tax abatement, but they will be given the $1000 in the retirement account. This may need to be spelled out in the plan document.
The committee was disbanded and the BOS will need to develop a charge and appoint members for a new pension committee for the Fire Dept. and the South End Volunteer Ambulance Association. It was recommended the new committee be formed to oversee the Pensions, Initiatives and Insurance (Accidental, etc.) coverage. Members should include: Trustees from the Fire Dept. and the South End Volunteer Ambulance Association, the First Selectman, the Finance Director, and an additional member from the Fire Dept. and the South End Volunteer Ambulance Association.
- Sound View/Hartford Ave. Historic District
First Selectman Reemsnyder read a letter she received from Michaelle Pearson who was unable to attend the BOS meeting regarding Sound View becoming recognized as a Historic District. In summary, below are some of the key points:
Doug Royalty from the CT State Office of Historic Preservation addressed the SV Commission in January regarding the possibility of SV being recognized as a Historic District. He emphasized that this designation in NO WAY restricts the owners' use of their property. It’s not like the town historic district, but rather more of an “Honor Roll” to recognize area of historic importance and/ or a unique nature.
- It does make qualifying for certain grants easier.
- He explained that there is money available under a Hurricane Sandy grant program for historic preservation. We would not have to apply for this grant, the money has already been allocated, and his office has identified Sound View Beach as meriting a listing in the National Register as a Historic District.~R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates will perform this work at no cost to the town.~
- The objective is to document Connecticut’s historic resources so we’ll be prepared for the next storm.~
- There’s also a tax credit program. Historic homeowners also receive a tax credit of 30% on qualified rehab work, if you are in a designated property.
- There are also credits available for people who have income-producing properties.
- Developers who rehab buildings may receive significant tax benefits.~
The BOS further discussed the letter, the key points above and process and are in full support of Sound View being recognized as a Historic District on the National Registry. However they would like to communicate with the Historic Commission, the Zoning Board, the Land Use Commission and the Sound View Commission (which has already voted to support this) to ensure any questions are answered before voting on this. This will be added to agenda of the next BOS meeting for follow-up.
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported that John Sieviec, Town Sanitarian, resigned on April 19th for personal reasons.
First Selectman Reemsnyder has arranged for temporary placements to assist in the interim:
Scott Martinson will cover all of the food service inspections.
George Calkins (town resident), former East Lyme Sanitarian will help with the town inspections, septic’s, wells and is working closely with Patti Myers, Administrative Assistant, who currently holds her Phase I & II Certification which includes some inspections.
John Flower, the building official, can also assist when needed.
First Selectman Reemsnyder thanked everyone for working as a team and stepping up to take care of everything.
First Selectman Reemsnyder has placed an ad in the paper for a Sanitarian but has not yet received an application from anyone who meets all of the requirements.
She has also reached out to Ledge Light Health District and the CT River Area Health District with the knowledge of the Health Director to explore other options that may be available. She gave an overview of the preliminary findings on each of the Health Districts above including; costs, staff hired by the health dept., local services offered, etc.
First Selectman Reemsnyder recommends putting together a small committee to look at all of the information. It is the consensus of the BOS this is a good time to look into this further.
- Middlesex Paramedic Services Agreement Review
First Selectman Reemsnyder gave a re-cap of the discussion the BOS had on the Middlesex Hospital Paramedic Services Agreement at the March 7th meeting. This was discussed further at the RiverCOG Meeting last week. They have put together a committee made up of 4 Selectman to look into this further, review the new agreement and decide what to do before First Selectmen to review the agreement. This will also be shared with an attorney and ultimately the town attorney as well. She will share the findings of the committee with the BOS before it is signed if we determine we are going to do this.
First Selectman Reemsnyder has received a revised agreement which includes different language in regards to the $1 per capita still increasing by $1 per year but with no $5 cap. There are still several towns who have not yet received the revised agreement.
She has also received a letter from Middlesex Hospital letting her know what they are going to do if the town does not sign the letter; residents using the service would be billed directly and the fee would not be eligible for insurance repayment, most troubling was the explanation in the bill residents would receive basically telling them they are receiving this bill because their towns would not pay a $1 per capita per the agreement.
First Selectman Reemsnyder continues to communicate with the BOF to keep them updated on the Middlesex Paramedic Services Agreement. It has been determined at the BOF level there is an area were funds can be taken from the insurance line item and put into a separate line item specifically for the Middlesex Hospital Ambulance Service Fee.
The new agreement also indicated they would be forming an oversight committee and everyone at the RiverCOG meeting felt it was important to get more details regarding who would be invited to sit on this committee.
First Selectman Reemsnyder asked the BOS to review their copies of the revised agreement and forward any questions they may have on to her and she will share them with the committee formed by the RiverCOG for review. She will keep the BOS updated on this issue.
- Annual Budget Meeting Call
First Selectman Reemsnyder read the Call for the Annual Budget Meeting:
To adopt the Budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, as recommended by the Board of Finance.
To adopt a proposal that taxes in the Town of Old Lyme on Real Estate and Personal Property shall be paid in two (2) semi-annual installments, the first payment being due on July 1, 2016 and the second payment on January 1, 2017. Any tax in these categories under $100.00 will be due in full in one payment in July 2016, as are vehicles on the Supplemental List due in January, 2017 in one payment.
To approve the acceptance by the Town of private monetary donations designated by the donors for the Boathouse Project and to approve the expenditure of such donations for said project in addition to the project funds approved by prior Town Meetings.
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by, Selectman Sibley to approve the Annual Budget Meeting Call. Motion passed.
Selectman Sibley noted that he had not seen an item like # 3 before and is aware of extra funds left over from other fundraising efforts. First Selectman Reemsnyder suggested these items might be brought to the town meeting this summer if determined necessary.
6. Public Comment:
Sandy Garvin, town resident attended the meeting and commented that the discussion on the possibility of Ledge light Health District sounded like a good idea. She asked for clarification on whether this would eliminate the town Sanitarian and Health Director. First Selectman Reemsnyder replied that if the town decided to go to a health district this would be all inclusive. The current Health Director is a contractor and they would not be required to keep him on, they would only be required to retain current town employees.
Sandy also asked if the current replacement for the Sanitarian was going to be reviewing any of the data for the WPCA. First Selectman Reemsnyder informed Sandy that the interim replacements would only be addressing current issues. However if the WPCA needs assistance from the Sanitarian during the interim they will find someone to work with them whether it is Mr. Calkins or a sub-contractor.
7. Other Business:
First Selectman Reemsnyder reminded everyone that tonight is the Region 18 Budget hearing at 7:30PM at the High School and tomorrow is the vote.
Selectwoman Nosal asked First Selectwoman Reemsnyder if she had heard anything on the weed remediation licensing. The town has an application into DEEP for a permit to use Flumioxozone in Rogers Lake. They have had this in for 6-8 weeks and she has not heard yet if it is approved. Selectwoman Nosal noted she is concerned because this is a time sensitive issue and the best time to apply the treatment is during the growth cycle, which could be missed.
Selectwoman Nosal asked First Selectwoman Reemsnyder for an update on the search for our police replacement. First Selectman Reemsnyder report the process has not begun yet. She met this morning with the new Lieutenant for the Troop along with their Sargent to discuss coverage for the summer. She has requested the specialist from the BOF to sit down with her to discuss the police dept. needs; it has been suggested the town would benefit from a second Resident Trooper; again it may be a good idea to put together a small committee of those who have worked with the police dept. to look into this further before making a final decision.
Hiring for this position is not going to be a quick process and it is not likely this position will be filled before summer.
Selectman Sibley asked First Selectwoman Reemsnyder for an update on the Landfill closure grant. She has received confirmation they received the Personal Service Agreement and expects funds to be deposited in our account in the near future. The Finance Director has sent the invoices over and received confirmation they have been received and are waiting for the supervisor to sign off on them. She will update the BOS when this is received.
Selectman Sibley reiterated the importance of one more meeting with all of the stakeholders before summer starts to make sure everything is in place to kick off Memorial Day Week-end and the Chamber event in June. Some of the items discussed were having adequate rangers in place, signage and some additional training made available to the Rangers. First Selectman Reemsnyder noted that meetings and coordination of efforts have been ongoing. He would like to be made aware of when the meeting is scheduled so he can attend.
8. Executive Session: None
9. Adjournment:
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal to adjourn at 5:52 PM. Motion passed.
NOTICE: Messages to or from the Town of Old Lyme domain are subject to the Freedom of Information statutes and regulations.
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