TOWN OF OLD LYME
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MINUTES
The Board of Selectman held a Special Meeting at 7:30 pm on December 19, 2016 in the Mezzanine of the Old Lyme Memorial town Hall. First Selectman Reemsnyder, Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal and Selectman Skip Sibley were present.
First Selectman Reemsnyder noted the meeting is being held in the Mezzanine due to no heat in the Meeting room and reminded everyone to speak up because there would be no video.
- Approval of Minutes: December 5, 2016 Regular Meeting Minutes
Selectman Sibley requested one change to the minutes:
Page 3, under Boathouse Hains Park Improvements the last sentence to read:
Selectman Sibley also reported the fundraising committee has exceeded the $71000 mark and donations continue to come in. This is in addition to the $51000 originally raised.
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve the minutes of the December 5, 2016 Regular Meeting minutes as amended. Motion passed.
2. Communication: None
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to move item 5 a. Recommendation from Troop F State Police Barracks Commander up on the agenda. Motion passed.
5. a. Recommendation from Troop F State Police Barracks Commander
First Selectman Reemsnyder gave an overview of the Old Lyme Police models over the past several years. Due to resignations, the Town is currently accepting applications to fill open positions. The State Police have made a recommendation to the Town to go to a 4 constable and 2 Resident Trooper model. Lt. Chris Johnson, Troop F Commander, and Sargent Mesham, Resident Trooper supervisor for Old Lyme and 4 other towns, have been invited to attend the BOS meeting this evening to explain why they recommend this model. Lt. Johnson began by explaining the rotating schedule and feels that having a second trooper working evenings only, with five days on and three days off, will allow for more coverage during the evenings. He also discussed benefits associated with hiring a Trooper which included; no additional cost to the Town for any
damages to vehicle & equipment of troopers, opportunities for additional relevant training in addition to the extensive training initially received, the ability to adjust schedules easily and find coverage for days off including sick days, vacation and the ability to adjust schedules, guidance and supervision and the ability to address disciplinary action quickly. Lt. Johnson also added that the state is moving away from TDY troopers due to the limits it places on requesting new classes and hiring additional troopers.
The BOS discussed the above, asked questions and continued to discuss the importance of seeing what the schedule would look like, the additional cost, the data from this past summer, the importance of adequate coverage for Sound View during the summer, especially on Saturday, Sunday and when overflow occurs due to Rocky Neck closure. They also discussed the importance of having someone who knows the area and residents, the importance of being proactive and encouraging residents to make complaints as issues arise, continued use of the patrol boat and good communication between residents, the Resident Trooper and the State Police. Further, they expressed concern with finding good part-time officers and the fact that many of them would be using the job to gain experience and training and then move on to more permanent jobs, the idea of
sharing a resident trooper with another town, and the possibility of a ½ time resident trooper.
The BOS agree they would like to review all the 2016 summer data, the schedules and the Sound View Committees 2016 summer report along with the costs (fringe based on pay scale) associated with going to the 4 constables and 2 Resident Trooper model.
Selectman Sibley asked about the status of a ticket that was issued by Trooper Inglis regarding a violation of a Town ordinance. First Selectman Reemsnyder explained the ticket is in collections but has not been paid and the next step is taking it onto the CT Judicial Court. She will follow -up with the Town Attorney for a recommendation on how to address this.
3. Appointments: Additional January Appointments
Motion |
Party |
New |
Board |
Term |
new exp. |
~ |
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to approve |
n/a |
Lynn Philomen |
Animal Control Officer |
2 |
Jan-19 |
Motion Passed |
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve |
n/a |
Walter Kent |
Assessor |
2 |
Jan-19 |
Motion Passed |
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to approve |
n/a |
David Roberge |
Emergency Mgmt. Director |
2 |
Jan-19 |
Motion Passed |
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve |
D |
Robert Doyen |
Harbor Mgmt Commission |
4 |
Jan-21 |
Motion Passed |
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to approve |
D |
Robert DePianta |
Inland Wetlands Comm. alt |
3 |
Jan-20 |
Motion Passed |
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to approve |
R |
Frank Maratta |
~SV Comm. alt |
1 |
Jan-18 |
Motion Passed |
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to approve |
U |
Joan Flynn |
Tree Comm. alt |
1 |
Jan-18 |
Motion Passed |
4. Old Business:
- Boathouse Hains Park Improvements
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported that since the last meeting there has been a lot of work on the interior of the building. They have also made progress on putting the siding on the outside of the building
Selectman Sibley reported they are waiting for the racks to arrive for installation, as they are in transit and should be arriving this week.
They are also working on the electrical. Once the panel box is installed and the wiring and inspection are complete, they will notify the utility company for hook-up.
The proposed change order for the installation of the vault, Public Works will be on stand-by when the electric company comes out to complete the work.
Originally, the proposed cost was $4500, but was reduced to $2161.62 as Public Works will be helping with the installation. First Selectman Reemsnyder reviewed the details noting that the majority of the additional costs are for the electrician and Commercial Construction, due to the electric company requiring the installation of the Vault.
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to approve change order #PC10 (2nd revision) in the amount of $2161.62. Motion passed.
Selectwoman Nosal thanked Public Works for their assistance with this and saving the project these funds.
First Selectman Reemsnyder added they are working on the plaque that the STEAP grant requires. The plaque will have the Town seal as well as the CT DEEP Seal on it, and will be on the building to acknowledge investment of funds by each entity.
Selectman Sibley reported the fundraising committee met last week and they reviewed where they are to date, with no significant changes but they have received several donations this week. They also discussed when to end the fund drive; possibly the end of March, as well as the idea of holding a ribbon cutting/re-dedication ceremony, possibly in mid-May, 2017.
Selectwoman Nosal asked if there had been any feedback on the bathrooms for the Hains Park Boathouse improvement project. Selectman Sibley said he had seen that Parks & Rec had requested capital funds for this and the Cross-Lane playground. He also stated that there had been a small sub-committee formed for this and they have not yet put together a detailed estimate to complete the bathrooms.
First Selectman Reemsnyder stated that this is something the BOS would be looking at during the budget planning process. She feels it is something that may need to be brought to a Special Town Meeting so they can explain to the public what has happened with this part of the original scope of work due to the unforeseen expenses with the project.
Selectman Sibley added the Pavilion and the bathrooms will both be separate projects for the upcoming year. The Chairman of the BOF asked if this was brought to a Special Town Meeting, would these two items (Pavilion and Bathrooms) be presented as separate items? First Selectman Reemsnyder replied yes.
- Rte. 156 Bikeway/Sound View Improvements
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported they had construction going on through some of last week. Two weeks ago, they poured a section of the sidewalk from Pond Road to the Town parking lot but did not pour more due to the weather. The contractor will check on the area during the winter shut down to ensure the barrels are in place and nothing has been moved around. There was a construction meeting last Friday to update everyone progress to date. They also discussed some minor changes with the drainage. The project is shut down for the winter and work will resume when the weather is better.
Selectwoman Nosal added that once the materials were ordered and attained things moved quite rapidly. The committee did not meet this month but have their next meeting scheduled for January 23rd.
- Administrative Order/WPCA Update
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported the WPCA has not met since the last meeting and there is nothing to report.
- Request by Historic District Commission for SHPO study
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported that Cathy Frank has heard back from SHPO and has confirmed what needs to be done. They will begin the application process for this and try to identify the areas of historic significance from one mile north of I-95 to the Long Island Sound. SHPO can approve a grant for up to $30,000 which will cover a survey. The RFP process will help to determine the depth and rigor of the survey, and whether or not the full area can be encompassed. She had a meeting last week with Dan Mackay, Executive Director of CT Trust for Historic Preservation and Ned Pfeiffer, Chairman of Historic District Commission, who supported the application and offered assistance, if needed. Later in the agenda they will vote to adapt the signature resolution to allow First Selectman Reemsnyder to sign the
application once completed. She will keep the BOS up to date on this as it progresses.
The BOS further discussed the purpose of completing the survey; to identify buildings (Homes, Barns, Bridges, etc.), features (original artist colony, landscape from paintings, etc.) and possibly archaeological sites that may have historical significance. Completing the survey does not mean they need to pursue applying for the National Historic Registry or expanding the Historic District. The survey can be used to make a case for the areas of Town that are important and can protect these areas from negative impact from future development.
The State has a list of companies who complete these types of surveys and they will utilize this during the process. They will also be putting together a committee to complete interviews once they have more information on the grant requirements.
First Selectman Reemsnyder is working with SHPO to schedule a public information session with a presentation to provide the public with resources and information. It was also suggested that inviting other towns who may be interested in hearing more about this may be a good idea.
5. New Business:
- Recommendation from Troop F State Police Barracks Commander – moved up on the agenda
- Annual Town Meeting – draft call
First Selectman Reemsnyder reviewed the draft Call for the Town meeting scheduled in January. The BOS will review this again at the January BOS meeting for approval.
- Accept Annual Report
- Academy Lane Fire Dock – approve $80,000 allocation –
First Selectman Reemsnyder noted she will be going to the BOF meeting tomorrow night to ask them to approve to a Town meeting an amount not to exceed $80,000. Keith Neilson will also attend the BOF meeting to answer any questions they may have.
- LED Light Project – approve $130,000 allocation –
First Selectman Reemsnyder noted she will be going to the BOF meeting tomorrow night to ask them to approve to a Town meeting the amount not to exceed $1300,000. Although she does not know the exact amount yet, the committee has met and reviewed all the costs and feels this amount will cover the costs. They need to have the BOF’s approval at this meeting so this can go to the Annual Town meeting scheduled in January. She should have the exact amount for review at the next BOS meeting so they can discuss and approve it before the Town meeting. She reported that the lights for the pilot project have not been installed yet, but Tanko Lighting has completed the audit. She will let everyone know as soon as the pilot lights are installed and this will also be posted on the Town website so residents can look at the
difference between the different kinds of lights.
Selectman Sibley asked if there was any possibility of an alternative for the lights on Hartford Ave. First Selectman Reemsnyder reported after speaking with the different companies, it is more difficult to replace the fixtures on Hartford Ave. because of the height of the street lights. She will continue to ask about this once they have selected the light fixtures they will be using.
- Authorization for Signature Resolution (due to SHPO app)
The Signatory Authorizing Resolution was read:
“Resolved:
That Bonnie A. Reemsnyder, First Selectwoman is authorized to make, execute and approve on behalf of the Town of Old Lyme any and all contracts and amendments and to execute and approve on behalf of this municipality other instruments a part of or incident to such contracts and amendments, effective until otherwise ordered by the Board of Selectman.”
A motion was made by Selectwoman Nosal, seconded by Selectman Sibley, to adopt the Signatory Authorizing Resolution as read. Motion passed.
6. Public Comment: None
7. Other Business:
First Selectman Reemsnyder reminded the BOS that the Land Use and Buildings Departments have expressed some interest in pursuing online permitting. They attended two presentations last week, one by Viewpoint and the other by AccuCom and they were very impressed with the Viewpoint system. The system clarifies the work flow and will provide a wonderful experience for the citizens. She said that online permitting allows citizens to check on the status of their application, and determine where in the process the application is, as well as confirming that they have submitted all required documentation, etc.
First Selectman Reemsnyder will be sharing more on this as they go forward, they may have one or two more presentations and the Land Use and Building Departments are very excited about this.
Selectwoman Nosal added that this is used by other towns and can be beneficial with monthly reporting and metrics.
First Selectman Reemsnyder reported that the Federal Railroad Administration has released their final Tier 1 EIS Environmental Impact Statement which included the bypass from Old Saybrook to Kenyon, RI. She attended a press conference last Friday with several other towns, state representatives and all were of one voice. This is not the plan that CT has asked for. She has been working with people to review the documents closely to help come up with comments to address this during the public comment period. She is also working with RiverCOG to see how to best submit comments and what comments to submit including; Historic preservation, Cultural, Environmental, Economic, Archaeology and Geological issues.
She is also reaching out to some people in Washington DC who work on railroad transportation issues to get some pro bono help in developing a strategy. Some of the key people who will be involved include; Dan McKay from CT Trust, Ned Pfeiffer, Jeff Anderson and Todd Jokl. She will also begin the discussion with the BOF at tomorrow tonight’s meeting to start a fund to fight this in the future.
It is hard to determine at this point what they are up against. It is important to bring up all concerns during the comment period so that if in the future, they want to take any action they can. It is her understanding that it must be mentioned in the comments to take any legal action later on.
The BOS also discussed the damage this would do to the environment, how in depth the comments need to be, the support of Senator Blumenthal and Congressmen Courtney and the amount of time the process may take and how to attack each of the areas of concern. However, it is important for everyone to do as much as they can to assist with any fight that may occur years down the road.
Senator Blumenthal will be holding a meeting in Old Lyme on Thursday at noon. First Selectman Reemsnyder will update everyone as soon as she has more information.
Selectwoman Nosal asked for an update on the JLUS Study. First Selectman Reemsnyder noted the formal Resolution accepting the final study had to come from the Board of Selectmen of East Lyme, as they were the lead town, and everyone else could review the final study at any time.
Selectman Sibley reported the BOS has received a request from Frank Papalardo, Chairman of the Sound View Commission, looking for information and asked if this has been put together for him yet. First Selectman Reemsnyder stated this has not been done yet but she has met with Frank and she is working on it.
Selectman Sibley asked about a meeting in the First Selectman’s office regarding the Planning Commission and an addendum to the POCD that they were working on. A staff person reported to him that the meeting was questioning what the Planning Commission was doing. The meeting included a few people, as well as Selectwoman Nosal.
Selectman Sibley asked for clarification on what constitutes a meeting when one or two of the Selectmen meet, exchange emails and what constitutes a Selectman’s Meeting. First Selectman Reemsnyder noted that Tom Hennick, the state’s expert on FOI issues, came to the Senior Center earlier in the day and gave a presentation to the Board of Directors. According to him, any time a quorum of a board, commission or committee meets and discusses town business, it is considered a meeting, though he also acknowledged that there are areas of the Freedom of Information Act that are gray areas and left to interpretation. A quorum of the Board of Selectmen is two, so any meeting of two Selectmen should be posted and minutes filed. Selectman Sibley requested more clarification on this.
8. Executive Session: None
9. Adjournment:
A motion was made by Selectman Sibley, seconded by Selectwoman Nosal, to adjourn at 10:13 pm. Motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Patti Broedlin
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