MINUTES OF SELECTMEN’S MEETING
APRIL 8, 2008

 

1.0       Meeting convened at 6:30 PM  Pledge to flag.

            Selectmen present: Muriel Bonin, Glen Ridley, Mark Russell

            Guest included:

            Elaine Carpenter                       Frank Hammond

            Rodney Allen                            Stan Labbe

            Tina Gowell                              Anne LeBlanc

            Paul Perreault                           David Larrabee

            Kevin Doyle                             Pat Soboleski

            Steve Lemieur                          Nancy Birkhimer

            Brian Sturtevant                        Bruce Slattery

            Paul H Ruoppe             Terry Tracy

            Elton Wade                              Diane Clay

            Teague Morris                          Eric Seaman

 

2.0       Mark Russell moved/ Glen Ridley seconded (passed 3-0) to accept minutes of March 25, 2008.

 

4.1       Town Manager

(a)        Walter McCarty, Deputy Road Commissioner, “booked” county jail trustees to clean/paint public works garage from July 21 through July 23, 2008

(b)        On April 11 (Fri), Manager will attend MMA’s New Managers’ Workshop.

(c)        Letters have been mailed to Town Report contributors, requesting articles on or before April 23, 2008

(d)        To take advantage of discounts when available, the Manager will apply for a GSI Visa credit card in the name of the Litchfield Public Works Dept. with backup purchase orders.

(e)        After his recent surgery, Dale Filion (P.W.) has been restricted by his doctor to “light duty” for 2 weeks (April 14-April 28).

(f)         As the Manager has a conflict on the next regularly scheduled Board meeting (April 22), Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to meet on Tuesday April 29, 2008.

 

4.2       C.E.O.

            (a)        Reviewed his permit log (see Attachment # 1).

            (b)        Submitted two new road names for approval:

(i)         Forbidden Lane.  Mark Russell moved/ Glen Ridley seconded (passed 3-0)

(ii)        Martin’s Lane.  Mark Russell moved/ Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0)

 

 

5.1       Public Hearing: WCYI $52 Million Tax-Exempt Bond:

            (a)        At 7:15 PM, Chair Muriel Bonin opened the Public Hearing.

(b)        Mark Russell moved/ Glen Ridley seconded (passed 3-0) authorizing “non-resident” Frank Hammond, Senior Regional Manager, to review: the acquisition/programming of WCYI; and the IRS required Resolution (for the Bond to be tax –exempt).

(c)        At 7:25 PM, Chair Muriel Bonin declared Public Hearing closed.

(d)        Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to execute the Resolution. (see Attachment # 2)

(e)        Mark Russell moved/Glen Ridley seconded (passed 3-0) to authorize Muriel Bonin, as Chair, to sign the Resolution on behalf of the Board.

5.2       Preliminary FY ’09 Fire Protection Budget

            Manager/Chief Stan Labbe reviewed the $61,800 proposed budget (see attachment # 3)

 

5.3       Preliminary FY ’09 Emergency Services Budget

            Manager/Director Bruce Slattery reviewed the $33,850 proposed budget (see attachment #3).

 

5.4       Preliminary FY ’09 Rescue Budget

            Manager/Director Tina Gowell reviewed the $23,550 proposed budget (see attachment # 4)

 

5.5       Litchfield Rec. Committee Proposed ‘08/’09 Mowing contract

            (a)        During discussion, Paul Perreault, Paul’s Yardwork, commented that:

(i)         As his mowing bid was lower than the proposed awardee, Steven’s Contracting (see attachment # 5), how were the bids “scored?”

(ii)        The Grounds Keeper specs (Perreault did not bid on this) may constitute a Town “employee” rather than an “independent contractor”

(b)        Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to table this matter pending the Rec Committee reviewing with the Board its bid “scoring” methodology.  Manager will place this on April 29, 2008 agenda.

(c)        Manager will contact MMA Legal services re: “employee/independent contractor” issue referred to in item 5.5 (a) (ii) above

 

5.6       LD 227- An Act to Allow the Reimbursement of Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes in Certain Cases:

            Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to implement LD 227 (see attachment # 6)

 

5.7       Paul Ruopp’s Peace Pipe Shores Proposal dated 4-3-08

(a)        Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) authorizing “non-resident” Paul Ruopp to review his proposal to research title and lien records to determine the origin of the Beach lots and the interest Litchfield has in those lots.

(b)        Mark Russell moved/ Glen Ridley seconded (passed 3-0) to accept/sign Paul Ruopp’s proposal. (see Attachment # 7)

(c)        Mark Russell disclosed for the record that he works part time as the bookkeeper for the Monmouth Sanitary District whose Trustee Chairman is Paul Ruopp.

 

6.1       Conservation Commission Facilitation Request

 

(a)        Extensive discussion between the Board and several members of the Conservation Commission as to the “conflict” when the Commission discusses the Senior Housing project being proposed by the Senior Housing sub-committee as Judy Bourget chairs both entities.

(b)        Mark Russell moved/Glen Ridley seconded (passed 3-0) to issue the following resolve: Whereas Judy Bourget chairs both the Senior Housing Sub-committee as well as the Conservation Commission, and, whereas the Housing sub-committee may, through a proposed June 2008 Town warrant, request that the Board of Selectmen be authorized to convey title of a parcel of land (location, acreage yet to be determined) now held in trust by the Commission to the Housing sub-committee for a proposed Senior housing project, we, the Board of Selectmen respectfully request that Judy Bourget recuse herself as Commission Chair when said Senior Housing project is being discussed by the Commission.

 

6.2       Deaf Child Sign

            (a)        A Litchfield family has requested an appropriate sign for their deaf child.

(b)        Manager was informed that the Town’s policy for this type of request is the family pays for the sign and the Town will install the sign.

 

6.3       Elaine Carpenter’s Health Insurance Request

(a)        Manager recommended that Elaine, who, at 20 hours/week now qualifies for town-subsidized health insurance (see attachment # 8 for details), be approved for such insurance.

(b)        Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to reconfirm the March 25, 2008 vote (item6.2) approving Elaine’s request for 2 additional hours/week, and approve her current request for health insurance.

 

9.1       Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to approve/sign Town Voucher # 21 for $129,536.85.

 

9.2       Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to approve/sign Town Payroll # 20 for 12,260.17, # 20A for $3,393.75, # 20B for $766.07, and #21 for 11,480.51

 

9.3       Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to approve/sign School Voucher #20 for $18,083.93

 

9.4       Mark Russell moved/Muriel Bonin seconded (passed 3-0) to approve/sign

School Payroll # 20 for $582.39 and #21 for $127,458.01

 

10.0     Public Discussion:

Much discussion of the impact of the Governor’s recent veto of LD 1932 (the school consolidation “fix up” bill).

 

11.0     Future Agenda Items:

(a)        Turnpike road/bridge projects scheduled for this summer

(b)        Rec. committee will discuss the mowing and selection process

 

12.0     Meeting Adjourned at 8:50 PM

 

Respectfully Submitted

M.G. Byron

Secretary