BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting August 18, 2014
Lower Level Conference Room 6:30 P.M.
*Minutes are not official until approved at the next regular meeting
First Selectman Mailhos called the meeting to order at 6:34 P.M. with the following in attendance: Selectmen Kowalyshyn & Blessington, Town Engineer Karl Acimovic and Public Works Director Derek Dimmock. First Selectman Mailhos led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes:
Selectman Kowalyshyn moved to approve the minutes of August 4, 2014
First Selectman Mailhos seconded the motion
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No.
Selectman Blessington moved to approve the minutes of August 5, 2014
First Selectman Mailhos seconded the motion
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No.
Present to Speak:
No one was in the audience.
Correspondence:
A list of correspondence will be presented at the next BOS meeting.
First Selectman Status Report
First Selectman Mailhos went over the updated report:
*Old Town Hall Renovations – The cement floor has been poured in the basement and the decking on the ramp is finished. The bathrooms are in the process of being finished along with the paint as well as the repointing of the foundation. They are slated to finish the project in the next few weeks.
*Polster Bridge – Funding was approved at Town Meeting. The bids are out for the bridge with a return date of August 25th. We are hopeful to begin the construction in the fall as we have already received IWWC and 8-24 approval.
*Turnpike Road– Construction for Phase 2 is almost complete. We will pave from Ashford line to Moose Meadow next.
*Senior Housing – The Housing Authority has awarded the infrastructure project.
*Performance Contracting – the boiler work will be finished this week and the entire project will come to a close.
Public Works:
Derek reported that the crew has been busy with the following tasks:
Roadside Mowing
Trim Guardrails
Mow Site Lines
Add aggregate and grade Old Cemetery Rd
Prep and pave Bus Lot
Vehicle maintenance
Burned brush at Transfer Station
Sweep chip seal route
Traffic control for chip sealing:
Chip sealing was completed on August 14th, this year’s route took a total of three days, the crew will start sweeping the chip seal route later this week. Also American Pipe and Catch Basin Cleaning finished on August 12th with a total of 766 basins cleaned.
New Business
- Possible land purchase – 33 Hancock Road
First Selectman Mailhos stated that the Town is under contract (pending town approvals) to purchase a 12 acre parcel that is adjacent to the Public Works Garage and Transfer Station. Karl Acimovic, Town Engineer presented a map of the property which outlined a 200 foot buffer and a proposed new salt shed with a newly proposed plow shed.
First Selectman Mailhos stated that she is on the Conservation Commission’s agenda for this week and would like to present the information to them to get their support and help to conserve a large portion of the parcel. She added that purchasing this parcel will allow future expansion at Public Works. Karl Acimovic suggested having a boundary survey done as well as a topographic survey to delineate wetlands as soon as possible. That way we can decide where the conservation area would be.
First Selectman Mailhos stated that she also plans to discuss this at the next Board of Finance meeting and then Planning and Zoning and Inland Wetlands. After having met with those, we will plan on holding a Town Meeting.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to re-appoint Don Berg as a regular member of the Willington Housing Authority effective August 18, 2014, expiring August 1, 2019.
Selectman Kowalyshyn seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to re-appoint Tina Binehimer as the Municipal Animal Control Officer effective retro-active July 2, 2014, expiring July 2, 2016.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to re-appoint Katharine Brody as a regular member of the Northeast Connecticut Visitor’s District; effective September 1, 2014.
Selectman Kowalyshyn seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No. Selectman seconded the motion
First Selectman Mailhos moved to re-appoint Mary Huda as the Town of Willington Assessor, effective retro-active June 30, 2014, expiring June 30, 2016.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No.
- MS-4 Program General Permit (upgrade to Tier 1)
Derek Dimmock presented the proposed changes that the State has recommended. He added it will be expensive and will have to be contracted out. For example, the requirement will be to test 6 outfalls twice per year, currently we only do two twice per year; at the Transfer Station and Public Works. The proposed change would require having the entire town mapped out and also require we perform instream testing twice per year and catch basin cleaning twice per year (instead of once per year).
Selectman Blessington asked if this is because we have been dropping huge amounts of pollutants into the Willimantic River? Derek said no, we were designated as “Tier 1” urbanized community. Karl Acimovic clarified that we have had a general permit for the past 10 years for the Transfer Station and Public Works. But because we have a small area (that houses apartment complexes) near Mansfield, it has thrown the entire town into the Tier 1 category. Selectman Blessington said the State is more or less looking for an excuse to tax the Town of Willington.
Derek stated that the State used to do the testing on their own, but are looking to pass it off on the Towns. Selectman Blessington stated this is just another unfunded mandate.
Selectman Kowalyshyn asked what happened to the petition that was going around? First Selectman Mailhos stated it is still upstairs, but someone else beat us to it and has already forced them to hold a public hearing and she does not believe our petition is necessary. She added that with this new MS4 permit, there is no way to ask for an exemption. Derek clarified that there is one way, but you have to have under 1,000 people in an area; this particular area was listed at 1,100 in the 2010 census. First Selectman Mailhos added that she is going to ask for a way to appeal to be exempt because we certainly do not have any urbanized areas, nor do we fit into their extenuating circumstances.
Selectman Blessington stated that he feels this is bad faith on the DEEP’s part. Karl Acimovic added if this is their concern; why not just require us to test in the area of question. First Selectman Mailhos stated studies found that the pollutants generally come from run-off from parking lots into the streams. She added that the apartment complexes in question are not even near a water source; it runs into the woods. Karl Acimovic added that the complexes should have a good storm water management program, (which had already went through IWWC); the discharge should already be taken care of; there should be no new or drastic discharge points to the environment.
Selectman Blessington stated that this is not about clean water; it is about sucking the taxpayer dry.
Selectman Kowalyshyn asked if there is a way to change their minds. Derek stated that if enough people protest this, they might. First Selectman Mailhos stated that there are several towns that are involved and protesting for different reasons. She added that we are with seven other towns that have leapt into the Teir1 category and are not happy about it. She added that CCM and CRCOG are also working on protesting it as well.
First Selectman Mailhos stated it would help to get our petition signed and she will send a letter along with the petition. Selectman Blessington will also send a letter of protest.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to advertise the petition that anyone in town can come in to the Town Office Building* and sign if they are interested.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Selectman Blessington stated that he is planning on seeing State Rep. Sam Belsito on Wednesday and will discuss this with him. He will also speak with Senator Guglielmo as well.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Kowalyshyn) 0 No.
*The petition will be at the Transfer Station on Wednesday, August 20th.
Old Business
- Discussion of TOB Needs Assessment
First Selectman Mailhos recapped that we only received one bid for $34,900; but we only had $20,000 budgeted for the project. She contacted the contractor to see what we could do to reduce the scope. The contractor suggested mapping out the building for us to use as a baseline. The map will indicate when permits were pulled and give us an approximate circa of construction. The quote for this came in between $4,900 - $5,600 to perform the work. First Selectman Mailhos stated this would be a good place to start. Karl Acimovic stated that we have a site plan for the area as well as the parking lot and roof areas in an AutoCAD format. First Selectman Mailhos stated that she will offer that to the contractor and start with the lower price.
First Selectman Mailhos moved to award the project to LaRoche Builders, LLC in the amount of $4,900 to measure the existing Willington Town Office Building and all the departments within the facility and provide a drawing set showing the exterior and interior dimensions of each room in the facility. They will assign room numbers/names to the rooms consistent with our wishes. They will denote the approximate circa of construction for eacho f the additions encompassed wthin the facility as well as any newer work and year it was performed. The Town will provide the contractor a plan of the outside of the building with boundaries.
Selectman Blessington seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No.
Good & Welfare
Firs Selectman Mailhos stated that the Recreation Commission is looking for members to serve on their board. Selectman Kowalshyn asked if the Town requires the members to be registered voters to serve on a board of commission? Elected positions do require a registered voter because they need placement on the ballots. (Note: the Town Clerk states that most Ordinances state “electors of the Town”, which indicates that they must be registered).
Selectman Blessington stated that the Board of Assessment Appeals and the IWWC are looking for regular members; Planning & Zoning is looking for alternate members.
First Selectman Mailhos stated that we received a letter from the State, which indicates that they are accepting STEAP applications. She asked the Selectmen to think about what we would like to pursue this year.
The Energy Advisory Commission is also looking for members to serve on their board as they lost several members. They were able to make the Performance Contracting project happen and there are many other things they can do. She added that they got really close to the number of households signed up for solar panels and the clean energy programs. Pam Wheeler, an existing member of the EAC stated that the deadline for responding to the Phase 5 “Solarize CT” RFP has been extended to September 3rd.
First selectman Mailhos congratulated the Friends of the millworks for receiving the HPTAG Grant.
Selectman Kowalyshyn stated that her thoughts are with the Schofield family.
Derek Dimmock stated that someone had emailed us with clarification regarding cubic yardage definition as listed in the price list. To clarify, 3 Cubic Yards in a 6 foot truck bed is not “pickup bed truck level”; 3 cubic Yards is 18.3 inches above the truck bed sides which are 16 inches high. 3 Cubic Yards is also is higher than “even with the top of the truck bed sides” for an 8 foot truck bed. First Selectman Mailhos stated that we will send out a notice of clarification.
Selectman Blessington moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 P.M.
First Selectman Mailhos seconded the motion.
Vote: 3 Yes (Mailhos, Kowalyshyn & Blessington) 0 No.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin Campbell
Administrative Assistant
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