TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
WORK SESSION MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2012
COUNCIL CHAMBERS TIME: 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Delnicki called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Mayor Tom Delnicki
Deputy Mayor Gary Bazzano
Councillor Saud M. Anwar
Councillor Cindy Beaulieu
Councllor Ed Havens
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Cary Prague
Councillor Janice Snyder
Councillor Keith Yagaloff (arrived at 7:04 p.m.)
Also Present: Matthew B. Galligan, Town Manager
3. Public Participation
Mr. George Marcotte, 24 Podunk Circle came before the Town Council to comment about the Animal Shelter. Chief Reed did a very nice job presenting the plan for the Regional Animal Control Facility proposed at the old firehouse. If the Town does not act on this quickly, the grant funds will be lost which could be used to do the necessary improvements on the property. Mr. Marcotte requested that the Town Council give the upmost consideration for the old firehouse to be used as a Regional Animal Facility and to please consider what is good for the entire Town.
Ms. Kathryn Miller of Pierce Road came before the Town Council. Ms. Miller stated that it is her understanding that the animal shelter is a requirement of the Town and if the proposed plan does not proceed, the Department of Agriculture can mandate the Town to build a shelter at the current estimated cost of approximately $4,000,000. There is money currently available from the State to assist in the renovation of the old firehouse which could be lost. As a taxpayer, I can not comprehend why in this economy there is any question as to whether to go forward with this plan. Ms. Miller stated she fully support the shelter.
4. Communications
None
5. Town Manager’s Report
None
ITEM:
6. Items for Discussion
A. Park & Recreation Commission – Increasing the membership to 10 members
Deputy Mayor Bazzano stated that he would like to recommened that the Park & Recreation Commission become a 10 member Commission. The Park & Recreation Commission does a great job and does not worry about politics.
Councillor McCann stated that he has been a member on the Park & Recreation Commission and does not see any purpose in having a majority. Councillor McCann said he would support the recommendation to have the Park & Recreation Commission increase their membership to 10 members.
Councillor Snyder stated that she would also support this recommendation and feels it is a step in the right direction trying to unite people to work together towards the common goal which is the people of South Windsor, not the political aspirations of people.
Councillor Anwar said he would support this recommendation and feels that the Town has a lot of good volunteers and politics can get in the way when parties change and there are good volunteers that have to step down.
Mr. Alan Larson, Chair of the Park & Recreation Commission came forward and stated that he has been on the Commission for 10 years and there is never a discussion that is not fully discussed and unanimous. The Park & Recreation Commission cooperates with each other and has never had any political problems.
Councillor Havens felt this was a great idea and stated that he would support this recommendation.
Mayor Delnicki explained that a public hearing would be set in the regular meeting for this issue. Mayor Delnicki then stated that this is a step in the right direction to take some of the partisan politics out of items where it is not necessary.
Mayor Delnicki recessed the Work Session at 7:15 p.m. in order to hold a public hearing. The Work Session reconvened at 7:17 p.m.
B. Noise Ordinance – Lawn Mowing
Councillor Prague explained that the Town has two golf courses in Town and they are technically violating the Noise Ordinance when the open up in the Summer time. The greens are being cut at 6:00 a.m. where according to the Ordinance should not be done until 9:00 a.m. Councillor Prague requested that the golf courses do a study regarding noise which showed that the noise of a golf mower to the adjacent residential areas is less than a car or truck going by. The Town needs to amend the Ordinance that exempts golf courses from the Noise Ordinance and allow them to mow the greens.
ITEM:
6. B. (Continued)
Answering questions from the Council, Councillor Prague explained that the grass starts getting cut at the golf courses around 5:30 a.m. because the first golfers go out as early at 6:00 a.m. The mowers need to be ahead of the golfers. It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to cut a green. The owners of the golf courses requested that this be reviewed before there are any complaints.
Councillor McCann stated that he did review the Ordinance. The Noise Ordinance is based on the amount of noise that emanates from a particular property onto another property. The exception is lawn mowing which was just carved out. In respect to a golf course, if they can not mow until 9:00 a.m. then they will be out of business. Councillor McCann stated that he does not think the Town should have Ordinances that can put existing businesses out of business and this should be addressed.
Councillor Prague explained that the sound from the green to a neighbor’s house is less than a car or truck going by. A train goes by at about 7:15 a.m.
Councillor Yagaloff felt that this issue could be very simple or very complicated. If the industrial mowers go out and are quiet then the issue will be simple. A demonstration should be done once or twice with a notice being sent out to the neighbors. This will give the neighbors a chance to discuss this item under a public hearing.
Councillor Prague stated that Topstone Golf Course has been operating for 10 years and Willowbrook Golf Course has been operating for 7 years and he has not heard of any complaints.
Mayor Delnicki felt that the Town Council should see what the noise meter indicates because there is a standard for normal operation for amount of noise that is acceptable and noise that is not acceptable.
Chief Reed came forward and explained that there have not been any complaints regarding the noise from lawn mowers. There was a complaint from a neighbor regarding the golf course not abiding by the rules. The Town Manager granted a temporary variance and after that was done there have not been any complaints.
Councillor McCann felt that any study that is done of the lawn mowers for golf courses should include how long it takes to mow a green. There is a big difference of someone operating a lawn mower near your house for an hour at a time.
ITEM:
7. Executive Session
At 7:33 Deputy Mayor Bazzano made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss possible purchase of real estate for the Town (491 King Street, 11.57 acres; and R044 Ellington Road & part of L020 Long Hill Road, 6.88 acres). Councillor Yagaloff seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.
Those who went into Executive Session are as follows: Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan, Mayor Delnicki, Deputy Mayor Bazzano, Councillors Anwar, Beaulieu, Havens, McCann, Prague, Snyder and Yagaloff.
At 7:45 p.m. the Executives Session was recess in order to go into a Public Hearing. The Executive Session reconvened at 7:48 p.m.
At 8:00 p.m. Councillor Yagaloff made a motion to adjourn the Executive Session. Councillor Anwar seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.
8. Adjournment
At 8:00 p.m. Councillor Snyder made a motion to adjourn the Work Session. Councillor Yagaloff seconded the motion and it was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Recording Secretary
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