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BOARD OF SELECTMEN 3-1-07
Town of Willington
BOARD OF SELECTMEN • 40 OLD FARMS ROAD • WILLINGTON, CONNECTICUT 06279 • (860) 487-3100 • FAX (860) 487-3103

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

SPECIAL MEETING                                                                                                                    MAR. 1, 2007
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING                                                                                                              5:30 P.M.


First Selectman Eldredge called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. with the following in attendance:  Selectmen Patton and Lewis, L. Nicholls and residents.

PUBLIC WORKS
The Board signed bills.  Lynn commented all equipment is working and ready to roll.  Selectman Patton asked should we start on the chip sealing bids?  First Selectman Eldredge commented oil prices are down now, we could ask for them as a soon as possible.  Selectman Patton asked has the State got anything yet?  Lynn replied no, I will look into it.  Selectman Patton commented ask if it is better to get early bids or wait.  Discussion on prices followed.  Selectman Patton asked where are we on the Village Hill project?  Lynn commented Karl & I are meeting Monday morning and going over that, Turnpike, Tinkerville and other items.  Selectman Patton asked what compactor are we going with?  Lynn commented Karl is going to look over them.  First Selectman Eldredge commented it might be a good idea to rent one, I think we paid $350 a month for 5 years and there was a buy out of $1.00.  Rental will be looked into.  First Selectman Eldredge commented I checked with OPM and STEAP grants can be used for any kind of drainage.  Selectman Patton commented the chance of getting it is slim to none.  First Selectman Eldredge commented the Governor’s budget was cut from 20 to 10 million but I still want to put in for STEAP grants.  Selectman Patton commented absolutely, there is a difference between on how you are planning on paying something and while you are planning on paying it you are also going to do some other things to hopefully lessen the burden.  First Selectman Eldredge commented exactly.  Selectman Patton commented you are saying, I know we are going to get these things; I am saying this is not going to happen.  Firsts Selectman Eldredge commented I want Karl to work up prices for piping to Center School.  When he comes up with that there is $500,000 available that we can put in for the drainage on Village Hill.  I agree nothing is a guarantee; you plan on paying for it and then see if you can get a grant to supplement it.         Lynn commented they probably look at it the same way FEMA looks at stuff from a flood.  FEMA’s commented to me was if you are going to fix it because FEMA is going to pay for it, forget it.  If you are going to fix it because it was caused by the flood and you would do it either way whether it was FEMA money or not, that’s a different story.  First Selectman Eldredge commented I wanted to clarify with STEAP to make sure you could do a drainage problem on a road, any public town road and you can.  Selectman Patton commented it is allowed, the questions is when we compete with other towns whether they are going to say are we going to do drainage for these people without any social or economic project that goes along with it; I am curious maybe they do that.  First Selectman Eldredge commented I said we had a road that needed drainage and she said that’s okay.  Lynn commented she was asked if when it is time we are going to put Lou’s truck out for a sealed bid.  The Board agreed it would be a sealed bid.  Selectman Patton asked what’s up with the Transfer Station railings?  Lynn commented we will look at them and see which ones really need to be done.  Most of the stuff on Monday will be the jobs on Tinkerville and the Transfer Station.  Selectman Patton asked is the mower fixed?  Lynn replied no, they are working on it, still waiting on the glass also.  Selectman Patton asked have they had a chance to really look at it, is he still satisfied with his report?  Lynn commented definitely, he is more convinced now than ever.  Selectman Patton commented I would like somebody to compile everything, a very succinct description.  I have read it and I can’t wrap my mind around this, it is to conflicting; from what I am being told happened and from what the metal is saying.  With the assistance of the union I would like us to get somebody that has some expertise in this area to compile it, look at it and come up with an answer with a high degree of confidence of what they think transpired.  First Selectman Eldredge commented you basically feel that what the report says did not transpire; the employee is not being honest about it?  Selectman Patton
SPECIAL MEETING                                             -2-                                                                     MAR. 1, 2007

commented yes, from what I am reading and what I am being told happened there is definitely a disconnect. I want someone to compile all that with a high degree of confidence.  Do another round of interviews with the people, compile the stuff we have and find out; there was some real potential for injury there as well as substantial damage to the equipment.  First Selectman Eldredge commented yes you are right seeing that the thing was up and came at the cab and hit the glass.  First Selectman Eldredge asked do you want to get a stress analysis on it?  That would have to be done by a professional engineer.  Selectman Patton commented I don’t know if I want that, I suppose we could; I think we have some very competent welders, experienced with steel, who said there was nothing wrong with it, it was a degree of force that happened that caused the steel to snap.  I would like someone to compile all the information and say, with a high degree of confidence, this is what happened.  If they feel in order to do that we need an element analysis of the steel maybe that is something we need to look at too.  First Selectman Eldredge commented we have to make sure he saves any of the parts he takes apart.  Lynn commented she already told him that.  First Selectman Eldredge commented he is making a whole new boom, one piece.  Selectman Patton commented we would probably want some sort of recommendation from the union, they would want to be involved, as they should be.  First Selectman Eldredge commented right, when I look at it, something hitting that high, it had to be up in the air to hit that high.  I have no reason not to believe what I read.  How far we want to go with it, whatever it takes.  Something hit that high with a person sitting up in the cab, it had to be above them to swing down to it.  You have to consider the vehicle, we don’t know how many hours are on the boom, we know it did have stress cracks, we know it was welded, that’s all got to play into it.  Selectman Patton commented the question is who can we get to do this?  First Selectman Eldredge commented think about it and see where we want to go.  I think we should approach the union and see if they want to use someone, that way it is neutral.  Selectman Patton commented they could certainly be involved.  First Selectman Eldredge commented luckily there was no personal injury.  Selectman Patton commented absolutely, everything else can be replaced.  
   
SELECTMAN PATTON MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 6:06 P.M.
Selectman Lewis seconded the motion.
VOTE:  3 YES (ELDREDGE, PATTON & LEWIS)    0  NO

Respectfully submitted,
Mary Bowen
Secretary


Board of Selectmen
860-487-3100

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