TOWN OF OLD LYME
Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting Record of Votes
September 19, 2016
The Board of Selectman held a Regular Meeting at 4:00pm on September 19, 2016 in the Meeting Hall of the Old Lyme Memorial town Hall. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder, Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal and Selectman Skip Sibley were present.
September 6, 2016
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to approve the minutes of the September 6, 2016 Meeting Minutes. Motion passed.
September 14, 2016
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve the minutes of the September 14, 2016 Meeting Minutes. Motion passed.
- Communication: None
- Appointments: None
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to move item 5b: Summer 2016 Recap up on the Agenda. Motion passed.
5.b Summer 2016 Recap
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reminded the BOS of the concerns regarding Sound View raised at the last meeting during the public comments section. She has also shared a copy of the report she received from Trooper Inglis regarding the incident which occurred on August 25th. She also wanted to discuss the enhancements, concerns and possibly looking at additional changes for next year.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder met with Lieutenant Chris Johnson, the Commanding Officer of Troop F to discuss the incident that occurred on August 25th and has invited him to attend the BOS meeting.. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder gave an overview of the discussions she has had regarding Sound View with Lt. Johnson prior to summer beginning including; past issues, what to expect and concerns that they have. She gave an overview of the enhancements put into place for the 2016 summer which included; 14 Rangers (6 Rangers – 2015), signs made for the entrances to Sound View, Miami Beach and Swan Ave., Officer Solari acting as the liaison for Sound View, and increased parking by 2 hours daily. Some of the concerns she pointed out were; the Town of Old Lyme was down
two police officers from last year. There was only one part-time officer and last year they were two. A TDY Trooper was hired for the summer who only worked evenings. In addition, for the first three weeks after Memorial Day, Miami Beach did not have any security as they chose not to utilize the Rangers.
She also noted the enforcement efforts with an increase in Town tickets issued this year, 498 vs. 241 last year and traffic stops increased to 136 from 53 last year.
Lt. Johnson addressed the BOS in regards to the incident which occurred on August 25th. He has spoken with Sgt. Mesham and Trooper Inglis in regards to the incident and they were present at the meeting. He stated that regarding the parking lot closure, it seemed there was a lapse in communication. It is not always possible to shut the gate at a prescribed time due to calls for accidents etc. and that Officers need to be able to use their discretion.
He read a regular communication he provided his troopers regarding the Sound View area prior to the summer season. The key points included; being proactive, strict attention to motor vehicle, parking and noise issues; shift supervisor should be made aware of any significant issues that arise in the Sound View area.. He felt hiring the second TDY officer was positive and would recommend hiring a second trooper for the upcoming summer. He also expressed the importance of residents calling the police with their concerns as they arise.
The BOS and Lt. Johnson continued to discuss possibilities for next year including: adding selective camera’s (similar to the ones used at Town Woods Park), utilizing the data collected to assist with planning for next year, additional enforcement, utilizing a positive approach vs punitive of law enforcement, and increased communication including regular meetings between the Town, SV Commission, police and residents. Other enhancements noted included the new swim lines and anchors, and the presence of the Fire/Police boat.
There was consensus that the incident on Aug. 25th could have been handled differently, and that the town lot gate should not have been closed while the concert goers were departing.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder gave everyone a heads up there will be an event down on Sound View this weekend; “Bound for the Sound” a 5k/10k race will be taking place on Saturday morning and The Resident Trooper is aware of this event.
- Boathouse Hains Park Improvements
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that all three change orders were approved at the Board of Selectmen’s Special Meeting on September 14, 2016. A detailed description on each of the change orders approved can be found in the minutes of the September 14th Special Meeting.
The changes were a result of having to put in a new foundation and some delay time. Work is continuing. At the last Committee meeting there was discussion about doing a detailed budget and the Committee will work with Tim Griswold and the Finance Director to finalize that.
Selectman Sibley added that one of the questions Tim Griswold had was regarding the donations that have been collected if the Town would have to approve the acceptance and expenditure of the donations. He then noted that the Finance Director confirmed this approval at the May 16th Town Meeting.
He added that Paul Gianquinto is also anxious to get together with Tim Griswold and the Finance Director to begin working on the budget.
Selectman Sibley asked for an update on the status of the building permit and First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will look into it.
Selectwoman Nosal asked if there will be changes to the project schedule as a result of the delay. Selectman Sibley commented he had seen a communication that Scope Constructions was requesting a 35 day extension and Paul Gianquinto was going to address this with them. As the schedule stands right now, installation of the racks are expected for November 1st and moving the boats into at least one side of the building by Dec. 1st.
- Rte. 156 Bikeway/Sound View Improvements
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported the Pre-Construction Meeting took place on Sept. 8th at 10:30am. Attendees included three representatives from DOT, Kurt Procharena , Rob Pinckney from the BSC group, Chris Faulkner from VHB , three representatives from the Inspection firm from WMC and two representatives from
the Contractor, B&W Paving. They reviewed all of the outstanding documents, discussed start dates, and the submittal process for ordering materials. , B&W was looking for a latter start date, but it was made clear that the start date is when the Notice To Proceed is executed. . First Selectwoman Reemsnyder received the bonds the following Tuesday and forwarded them to WMC for review. She issued the Notice to Proceed on Sept. 13th. She contacted B&W paving because she had not received confirmation of receipt from them. They gave a start date of Oct. 3rd, and will begin setting their equipment up on Sept. 30th. She forwarded the email to WMC and DOT for feedback. Jeff from DOT doesn’t think it matters as long as they finish on time. She
received the CON-100M form today and it has been completed, signed and returned to them.
There was some concern for parking and safety for the “Bound for the Sound” event taking place during construction, but the later construction start date will eliminate this issue.
Selectwoman Nosal added that she attended the Pre-Construction meeting and understood that prior to actual work going on B&W will need to get submittals and approvals on the materials, and testing that needs to be completed for DOT. She hopes this is being done so they can start work on Oct 1st. She noted the tremendous amount of paperwork that has been completed in just weeks which has delayed many DOT projects and thanks everyone for getting this done in such a timely manner.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder added the topic of a construction office in Sound View was brought up at the Pre-Construction meeting by WMC representatives. The DOT and VHB representatives noted that not all projects need an office and considering the cost they recommended this request. Frank Pappalardo looked into to renting some space in the Shoreline Community Center and it would cost $300/month including electricity and Wi-Fi plus heat. First Selectmen Reemsnyder is going to forward this quote to the DOT to get their feelings on that. It is the consensus of the BOS if WMC and B&W would like to use the Shoreline Community Center they should share the cost between themselves.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder suggested discussing a ground breaking ceremony around the end of September.
- Administrative Order/WPCA Update
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported that they met last Tuesday night and discussed Woodard and Curran’s (W&C) actual plan, the details and changes. The DEEP doesn’t want the flow from the private beaches included.. On Friday she had a conference call with DEEP, W&C,, the Chairman of the WPCA ? to review the details. During the next few meetings they will be fine tuning the plan. At the last meeting she reported she had submitted the Scope of Work and proposal to DEEP and has not heard back yet and will update the Selectmen when she does.
The Task Force did not meet because there was nothing to review, but will meet after the next meeting.
Selectman Sibley asked what the impact of growth will have on the development of the sewers and the importance of communicating what the rules are now. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder clarified that if there is a lot or/piece of property that could not be developed today with an onsite system then it will not be considered a building lot after the sewers are put in. In regards to the EDU’s one of the items discussed on the conference call was that Hartford Ave. does have a lot of commercial properties and how to establish what the EDU’s will be for
Commercial properties will be one of the challenges. They will need to develop a formula based on residential and commercial properties. They can look at what other towns have used and try to come up with the best method for them. In regards to the flow capacity the private beach associations have been moving forward with their plan. They have been in discussions with city of New London WPCA and discussed the maximum capacity for the entire shoreline, from Old Lyme Shores to Hawks Nest Beach.
When they are making their agreement with the New London Waste water treatment facility and it will be at a capacity that will handle peak daily flows and handle that growth. The DEEP feels this will be sufficient.
- Special Town Meeting Call – September 27, 2016
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reviewed the call of the meeting, it will include:
- Approval on SVI Supplemental PAL total $911,100- that is to accommodate the $34,000 increase. They did approve the original $877,000and the Town Attorney agrees the additional $34,000 should be approved at a Town Meeting. It is important to note that the increase is due to the bids coming in higher than expected and the additional required contingency.
- Joining Ledge Light Health District – Steven Mansfield will be out of town, but his Finance Director will present at the Town Meeting.
- Utility/Access easement in Hains Park-We are waiting for the language on this is being copied to the Town Attorney.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reminded everyone the Town Meeting is scheduled for September 27th at 7:30pm at the LOL Middle School Auditorium. She added that there was something else scheduled by another organization and they graciously moved to another location. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder felt it was important to have the location consistent.
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to move item 5d: LED Lights up on the Agenda. Motion passed.
5. D LED Lights
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reported she has been working with Tim Griswold and Chris Kerr on the LED Lighting project. After exploring two different lighting companies, Real Term Lighting and Tanko Lighting, they found Tanko Lighting to be the better option.
Tim Griswold attended the meeting to give a public presentation and introduction on the benefits of replacing the 396 Town owned street lights over to LED lighting. To replace the fixtures the final project cost would be: $115,114 with a $45,613 rebate incentive leaving a net cost of $69,501. There would be a substantial saving to the Town in terms of electricity consumption.
He also gave an overview of the annual energy and maintenance costs along with a 20 year projected savings to the Town of Old Lyme. Tanko Lighting offers a Basic, Plus and Premium maintenance plans and Tim reviewed the benefits of the Basic and Plus plans in terms of maintenance and additional protection. Should the
BOS approve this; Tanko Lighting would complete an inventory of the current light fixtures and make a formal recommendation. If the Town chose not to proceed at that time the cost to the Town would be $7,128 for the inventory. Tim also noted that they will be checking with other towns that have used Tanko Lighting such as East Lyme and the City of New London to get feedback from them.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder added that if this is done they will receive a GIS layer mapping out the light fixtures are located. Additionally, this project provides the town with the ability to position the lighting where it is most beneficial. Other discussion included ensuring the cross walks are well lit. It may be a possibility for the
Sound View area to replace their fixtures with a decorative fixture. Also, this project would only include town roads and not the private beach associations or private roads.
- Formation of Boathouse Fundraising Cte.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder presented a draft for the formation of a Fundraising Committee for the Boathouse Hains Park Improvements Project, it read as follows:
This committee is formed by the Board of Selectmen to develop and implement a plan to solicit donations to help with the improvements to the Boathouse Hains Park Improvements Project. These finds are to be used to support additional enhancements and improvement to Hains Park, as determined by the BHPIC and Parks & Rec Commission.
The charge of the committee will include:
- Providing a budget goal for fundraising
- Plan fundraising events
- Report to the BOS on budget and outcomes
- Other necessary tasks as needed
The committee must meet all FOI requirements with respect to posting of agendas and minutes. The committee should provide regular updates to the BOS.
The BOS discussed the above draft charge and suggested clarifying; the start and end date, what the funds/as well as any funds raised prior to this along with leftover funds should be used for and sharing this with the financial director for accountability. They also discussed the number of members and appointments. There are currently three members who will complete and forward their forms for appointment and it was suggested there be at least five members on the committee. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will follow-up with the Financial Director to see if there is specific language she would like added and the BOS will discuss this further at the next meeting.
- Summer 2016 Recap – Moved up on the agenda during meeting
- No Smoking Policy Request
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder reviewed a No Smoking Policy request from The Town of Old Lyme Safety Committee. The Committee is made up of representative from each entity in Town with a focus on employee safety. As a result of two instances where discarded cigarette butts have caused small fires close to Town Hall, the Safety committee is recommending adopting a no smoking policy for town facilities. They have received examples of policies used by other towns including Old Saybrook who put this into effect last year. Safety committee members acknowledge this may be hard to enforce but does highlight the dangers of smoking. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder began the discussion of the possibility of adopting a town wide no smoking policy which would include: Beaches, Parks and Town Buildings. The discussion
included whether this would include town vehicles, chewing tobacco, having designated and allow for designated smoking areas for employees. It was also suggested getting feedback from the Department of Public Works, the Parks and Recreation Commission and other town entities that would be affected by this.
- LED Lights – Moved up on agenda during the meeting
- Set hearing schedule for parking ticket appeals
The BOS discussed scheduling hearings for parking ticket appeals and set the following dates:
- October 3, 2016 at 6:30pm
- October 17, 2016 at 6:30pm
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will have notices sent out.
Tim Griswold gave an update and status report of the Boathouse Hains Park Improvements Project draft budget. He and Nicole have begun to work on the budget; he reviewed his initial budget and has begun redrafting the budget to include the lines not yet included in the draft. The budget still lacks the contingencies from the change orders. He will continue to work with the Chairman of the Committee and Nicole to develop a final construction budget.
Selectman Sibley commented on Tim Griswold’s preliminary work on the budget for Hains Park Improvements and thanked him for all his hard work. He knows that Nicole is aware of the expenditures and work that has been done so far and is confident that this will be put in a format that everyone is comfortable with.
Selectwoman Nosal Suggested the BOS begin to schedule Finance Reviews, prioritizing with the ones that continue to come up during audits and completing those before the next budget cycle.
Selectwoman Nosal announced the Ledge Light Health District includes Old Lyme in their Flu Shot Clinic; this year’s clinic is scheduled for Oct. 8th from 9am – noon at the Groton Municipal Building. The form can be found online. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder will have this added to the News and Announcements and will have a link for the form put on the Town website so it is easier for residents to find.
Selectwoman Nosal made everyone aware of the Red Cross Preparedness program which gives out free smoke detectors/alarms; the Red Cross will install the detector and assist families with developing an emergency escape plan. She has spoken with the Fire Marshal and Fire Chief who approved announcing this program on News and Announcements.
Selectwoman Nosal brought up the letter she received from Ruth Roach regarding FOI requirements and would like to discuss this further at the next meeting.
- Executive Session: None
- Adjournment:
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to adjourn at 6:17pm. Motion passed.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Patti Broedlin
| 
