Town of Willington
BOARD OF SELECTMEN • 40 OLD FARMS ROAD • WILLINGTON, CONNECTICUT 06279 • (860) 487-3100 • FAX (860) 487-3103
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
REGULAR MEETING JAN. 5, 2009
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING 6:30 P. M.
First Selectman Eldredge called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectmen Palmer & Charette, L. Nicholls, and residents. First Selectman Eldredge led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
SELECTMAN CHARETTE MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF 12/15/08, 5:00 PM.
Selectman Palmer seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
SELECTMAN PALMER MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF 12/15/08, 6:30 PM.
Selectman Charette seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
SELECTMAN CHARETTE MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF 12/30/08.
Selectman Palmer seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
PRESENT TO SPEAK
Peter Andersen, Chair of the Conservation Commission, asked if the Board received the memo from the Conservation Commission regarding Burma Road? First Selectman Eldredge commented we need to discuss it with Lynn. Lynn commented Karl and I can’t do anything until spring. First Selectman Eldredge commented we need a Board action to close the road.
Mike Makuch, Chief of Willington Hill Fire Dept. reported that they received a $15,000 regional grant for the Hill and the Ashford Fire Dept. to upgrade equipment. Willington Fire Dept. #1 has already upgraded their equipment. Mike commented they also applied for a grant to clean equipments sets, if they get that they will get a special heavy-duty wash machine to do that. Mike asked do we have an ordinance that people can’t plow across the road? First Selectman Eldredge replied yes. Mike commented the snow piles in the roads can cause accidents, he thinks a reminder to the townspeople is necessary. There are also cars on the road; one truck has been on Navratil for over 2 weeks. Mike had questions on the plowing of Clover Springs Drive, it was plowed in the morning but after
continued snow it was not plowed again, there are steep hills there and it should have been plowed again. Lynn asked Mike to please document that for her, we are having problems with a contractor. Mike reported that the Study Committee for the Fire Depts. and the Senior Center hopes to have a rough RFI ready by the beginning of February. First Selectman Eldredge asked Lynn to go over the plowing routes with him tomorrow.
REGULAR MEETING -2- JAN. 5, 2009
CORRESPONDENCE
A list of correspondence was available at the meeting and in the Selectman’s office. First Selectman Eldredge commented today he received a letter from Mrs. Bowen, who after 29 years of faithful service to the Town of Willington is going to retire on March 6, 2009. If we have to, I will accept this with deepest regrets. Selectman Charette commented thank you Mary for many years of awesome service. Selectman Palmer commented you couldn’t do one more just to round it out.
FIRST SELECTMAN ELDREDGE MOVED TO ACCEPT, WITH REGRET, THE RESIGNATION OF MARY BOWEN.
Selectman Charette seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
PUBLIC WORKS
Lynn commented she removed the flags from the Town Green, they looked pretty bad. They will be put back up in the spring. Selectman Palmer said thank you. Lynn commented we need to put the ordinance about plowing and snowing blowing on the Internet. People also have hoses from their houses that cause black ice. We need to do something, they can cause accidents. Lynn commented she has talked to some, even more than once. We will have to start giving fines. First Selectman Eldredge commented take the time to address the issue with the people again. Selectman Charette asked could we fine repeat offenders? Lynn commented I know you want us to use salt at 5-1, it is almost cheaper to use it at 3-1 rather than going over everything twice. With the colder
temperatures we need more. Mike Makuch commented I have heard the roads were not good, but it is subjective. Selectman Palmer commented sometimes the roads look like they have nothing on them. Selectman Charette commented they are not clearing down as well. First Selectman Eldredge commented I do not want to change it right now. Wednesday we may need to do something different. Lynn commented the storm hit around 2:30 AM and froze instantly. Lynn commented we are finding more and more trash on the roads. Selectman Charette commented he didn’t understand why we paid someone overtime to go home. Discussion on this followed. First Selectman Eldredge commented we had 3 employees at Public Works who were paid to stay but the person from the Transfer Station was sent home and we need to treat everyone equal. Discussion followed on CDL drivers and facilities plowers and when people were called in. Lynn commented
she was told to cut cost so she didn’t need the 2 Transfer Station people but was told to bring them in. One truck broke down. Selectman Palmer asked are you saying you do not need facility people? Lynn replied no, I only need one. Discussion followed on the union contract. First Selectman Eldredge commented you can take one employee each time; you have to be equitable to all people. Your facilities should be ready at the same time as the roads. Discussion on this followed. Selectman Charette commented it depends on whether it is a weekday or weekend. My point is that they do not need to be paid to go home especially when we are watching the budget, we are setting a precedent. First Selectman Eldredge commented you can’t tell someone to stay here and rest and send someone else home. Lynn commented I know when to call people in, I watch for problems. Selectman Palmer commented it sounds like a
scheduling problem. John Patton commented it sounds like micro managing problems, each storm is different and Lynn must act accordingly. Discussion followed on if the Transfer Station Operator and the Assistant Transfer Station Operator are the same as Public Works people. Selectman Palmer commented 2 guys are working 2 days with Public Works. Discussion followed on titles at Public Works, truck driver/labor or labor. First Selectman Eldredge commented my point is you can’t give an opportunity to some and not others. Lynn commented my point is I did not need to bring them in but was told to bring them in. Mike Makuch asked did the people who got sent home get paid for that time, paid as if they were at Public Works. One person did get paid. Mike commented every job classification is on paper and there should be equalization in the contract, you need to look at the contract. Discussion followed on upgrading.
Selectman Charette asked can Lynn call in and one facility driver? First Selectman Eldredge commented that will be decided storm by storm and each time it should be equitable. John Patton
REGULAR MEETING -3- JAN. 5, 2009
asked who will decide this? First Selectman Eldredge commented I will talk to Lynn. John commented that is micro managing. Selectman Charette commented Lynn should decide, she is out there in the storm. Mike Makuch commented the whole facilities does not need to be completely plowed, just enough to get the Fire Dept. in. Selectman Palmer commented since we are talking equitable, do you want to do job classifications? First Selectman Eldredge commented not now. Selectman Palmer commented we should schedule 2 job classifications for executive session. Selectman Charette commented that is not executive session. Lynn asked shouldn’t this have been discussed during negotiations. First Selectman Eldredge commented negotiations are completed and this is beyond
negotiations. Our attorney said this could be discussed in executive session. Selectman Palmer commented it is a union issue. First Selectman Eldredge commented I refuse to be inequitable to our people. Lynn commented you paid one to go home and sleep and the others had to stay at Public Works to get paid. You have Public Works people and you have Transfer Station people, I do rotation between the Public Works people. Selectman Palmer commented when Transfer Station people work with Public Works they are Public Works people. Lynn commented that started when Public Works lost the 4th person, they brought down the Transfer Station person to help. First Selectman Eldredge commented just give everyone the same option. Lynn commented you told me to call them in when I did not need them. First Selectman Eldredge commented you must give the same option to all. Lynn asked what if they do not have a vehicle
to drive, what do I do? First Selectman Eldredge commented one would have to go home.
SET DATE FOR TOWN MEETING
FIRST SELECTMAN ELDREDGE MOVED TO SET THE FOLLOWING DATE FOR A TOWN MEETING.
Selectman Palmer seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
The electors of the Town of Willington and all persons who are entitled to vote in Town Meeting on the matters mentioned in the following warning are hereby warned and notified to meet in Town Meeting at the TOWN HALL at 11 COMMON ROAD in Willington on January 22, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. for the following purposes:
ITEM I
To see if the townspeople, on the recommendation of the Board of Finance will authorize the appropriation of $330,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund for the purchase of the Knowlton parcel.
ITEM II
To see if the townspeople, on the recommendation of the Board of Finance, will authorize the appropriation of $350,000 from STEAP grant, DPH log #2009-0093 for the design and construction of a water main from the Senior Housing water system complex to Center School.
ITEM III
To see if the townspeople will authorize the establishment of the Center School Public Water Supply Committee as the building committee with regard to the connection from Center School to the public water line.
ITEM IV
To see if the townspeople will authorize the Willington Board of Education to apply to the Commissioner of Education and to accept or reject a grant for the connection from Center School to the public water line.
ITEM V
REGULAR MEETING -4- JAN. 5, 2009
To see if the townspeople will authorize the preparation of schematic drawings and outline specifications for the connection from Center School to the public water line.
Selectman Charette commented I had no idea we were going to the Board of Finance to ask to go to Town Meeting. This was not on the Board of Finance agenda; they added it to the agenda. I think this was not the right way to do that. This is a controversial issue and people should have known about it. It should not have been added to the agenda, it should have been warned on the agenda. Discussion on this followed. First Selectman Eldredge commented he wrote a letter to the Board of Finance but it was not added to the agenda. First Selectman Eldredge commented Conservation was not on the agenda and they needed to get on right away because of the 30 day funding in the agreement. Selectman Charette commented he will go to the next Board of Finance meeting and talk about this under
present to speak, it is a controversial issue and people should have known it would be discussed.
Bob Wiecenski asked why the Board of Education is listed on Item IV and not the Board of Selectmen?
First Selectman Eldredge commented it is a different grant, this is the education part. John Patton asked who will pay for item V? First Selectman Eldredge commented that is the Board of Education part. Bob asked what will the total cost be? Discussion on this followed, First Selectman Eldredge commented you would not know the total cost until the bids were in. The estimate of the total cost is $350,000 from STEAP plus $70,000 minus a 64% reimbursement. John Patton asked if the State will have the money to pay this? Discussion on this and the annual cost to the Town followed.
TAX REFUND
FIRST SELECTMAN ELDREDGE MOVED TO APPROVE A TAX REFUND OF $720.37 TO TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORP.
Selectman Charette seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
GOOD & WELFARE
First Selectman Eldredge commented Boy Scout Nicholas Sadow needs to add to his Eagle Scout project so he would like to add 2 more sand boxes for the Town Office and the Library and flower boxes for the Senior Center. The Board agreed to this.
FIRST SELECTMAN ELDREDGE MOVED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS PENDING CLAIMS/LITIGATION WITH A.S.H.O.W. AT 7:43 P.M.
Selectman Charette seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
SELECTMAN PALMER MOVED TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:05 P.M.
Selectman Charette seconded the motion.
VOTE: 3 YES (ELDREDGE, PALMER & CHARETTE) 0 NO
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Bowen
Mary Bowen
Secretary
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