BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting October 15, 2012
Lower Level Conference Room 6:30 P.M.
First Selectman Mailhos called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectmen Littell & Blessington, Lynn Nicholls and residents. First Selectman Mailhos led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes:
First Selectman Mailhos moved to approve the minutes of October 1, 2012 with the following edit: under Status Report: Reapportionment Committee: sentence “Ms. Psathas stated she would contact the committee chairman for clarification” was in reference to who was posting the notice for the public meeting on 10/30, not regarding an explanation of the plan in the polling place.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 2 Yes (Mailhos & Blessington) 1 Abstain (Littell) 0 No.
Selectman Blessington moved to approve the minutes of the Joint meeting held on September 25, 2012.
First Selectman Mailhos seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Littell & Blessington) 0 No.
Present to Speak:
No one was present to speak.
Correspondence:
A list of correspondence was available at the meeting and in the Selectman’s office.
First Selectman Status Report
First Selectman Mailhos went over the updated report:
* Old Town Hall Renovations – We just received the final report from The Architects. The BOS will need to discuss which renovations we will go out to bid for first. First Selectman Mailhos stated that she has also put in a CIP request for the additional $35,000 it will cost to complete all of the urgent items. She added that if the Town approved, the money would not even be available until after the referendum. In the meantime, the project will be scaled down to meet the STEAP funds that have already been appropriated for the project.
*Transfer Station – the second meeting was held and went well. The committee reviewed the two ordinances that are in place. One ordinance defines how the commission was created and the other defines use of the Transfer Station and how it is run. One of the items discussed was a section in the ordinance stating who can use the Transfer Station. This topic will be discussed at the next meeting.
*Reapportionment Committee- The public hearings will be held on the following dates: October 17th in Ashford; October 23 in Mansfield and October 30 in Willington.
*Union Contract Negotiations – a tentative agreement has been reached and the union will then vote on it.
Public Works:
Lynn reported that the construction on Turnpike Road is going well. The construction crews have hit very little ledge so far and they are moving quickly. She added that it has been helpful having the road closed while they work. She stated that the road is re-opened for residents, emergency apparatus, busses and the mail carriers upon entrance of the road with a minute or so delay.
First Selectman Mailhos stated that the Town Meeting will be held tomorrow night and hopefully, the STEAP funds will be appropriated. After it is approved, we will do the change order to add “Detail 1” back into the scope of work for Phase I.
Lynn stated that the crews still continue to work on drainage easements, filling potholes and roadside mowing. Friday evening, some roads were striped.
Lynn added that she would like to remind residents that now is a good time to check their mailboxes to prepare for the winter season. The mailboxes should be able to withstand a snow-load. Public Works will only replace a mailbox if it is hit by the plow; not the snow throw load.
New Business
- New MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) Sign retro-reflectivity requirements
First Selectman Mailhos stated that she attended a recent WINCOG meeting and it was discussed that the Federal Government has put a mandate on street signs that must meet retro-reflectivity requirements by 2015. The reasoning behind the mandate is to improve and maintain nighttime sign visibility –especially for elderly drivers. The mandate requires a plan, consisting of how many signs will be replaced and how each town will replace them. The plan needs to be in place by 2013. A representative from 3M Company was present at the WINCOG meeting, and offered to sell the Towns the assessment package to implement the plan. It was discussed to hire 3M as a region to assess the Towns. First Selectman Mailhos stated that it seemed it was in 3M’s best interest to scare the Towns into having the assessment
done, (if we do not take steps to come into compliance, we could be fined) however it was debated and no decisions have been made. She added that she wanted to check with Lynn to see if she was aware as well.
Lynn stated that she has been attending meetings on this topic since 2007. The mandates keep changing. She added that many of the other Towns cannot afford to keep changing the signs. First Selectman Mailhos stated that a representative from the 3M Company was present at the WINCOG meeting, and they offered to assist in the assessment in the area Towns. Lynn said that she already has a plan in place. First Selectman Mailhos stated she would like to go back to WINCOG to tell them we do not need to have an assessment done by 3M and we can do it ourselves. New signs and signs in need of replacement are in compliance, but we do need to plan for the eventual replacement of all signs, this will be costly.
Selectman Littell suggested looking into purchasing a machine to make our own signs, such as East Hartford has. It might be cheaper in the long run. Lynn added that the sign company that she currently purchases from is also in compliance, and there are other options, where you can order the signs in advance.
Good & Welfare
First Selectman Mailhos made a plug for the WINCOG GIS website. The website: www.WINCOG-GIS.org can be viewed by anyone interested in looking up their property or any property within the region. Lynn reminded everyone that even though the property card shows ownership up to the road, the Town has the right of way to maintain the area along the road. This website is also helpful to realtors so they don’t have to come in to the Town Office Building to get the information.
The Assistant Tax collector recently attended a class with 22 other assistant Tax Collectors. A survey was done and found that our Town was one of the higher collection rates. It was also found that we have the smallest staff of those polled, thus costing the Town less money to collect the taxes. First Selectman Mailhos stated that we are doing well and have limited resources and still get the job done. She thanked our Tax Collector, Assistant Tax Collector as well as our residents for paying their taxes!
First Selectman Mailhos added by December, residents will be able to pay their taxes on line. They will also be able to schedule future payments.
Susan Yorgensen had knee replacement surgery this morning. We have had reports that she is doing well. She will have a fill-in seated in her office on a part time basis until she returns to work.
The annual Republican Lasagna Dinner, WHFD chicken barbeque and Sentinel wine tasting were all great and well attended last week.
Selectman Blessington stated there will be a spaghetti supper held at the Senior Center this coming Saturday evening, October 20th.
Kelly Trueb stated that WHFD will be open on Halloween evening to hand out candy to trick or treaters.
First Selectman Mailhos stated that the CT Siting Council held a public meeting on Thursday to review two potential cell tower sights. Balloons were flown at the two perspective sights and the State of Connecticut Siting Council visited each sight during the day. The public hearing was held at 7PM that evening. She is not sure how long it will be before we hear from them on the final decision.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:17 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin Campbell
| 
