BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DECEMBER 9, 2013
Page 1 of 5
DRAFT
Attendance: First
Selectwoman Derrylyn Gorski, Selectman Donald Shea, Selectwoman Aileen Magda
Visitors: Attorney
Kevin McSherry, Lisa Amadeo, Salvatore Amadeo, Kim McClure, Arthur Slicer,
Sheila Wade, Carol Goldberg, David Forman, Donna Shea, Brian Laubstein
First Selectwoman Gorski called the meeting of the Board of
Selectmen to order at 7:30 pm. The
meeting was held in the Selectmen’s Conference Room of the Bethany Town
Hall. All present were asked to rise for
the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
First Selectwoman Gorski called for a motion of approval
for the minutes of the meeting of November 25, 2013. Selectwoman Magda moved to table acceptance
because she did not receive the minutes to review before the meeting. Acceptance of the minutes was tabled until
the next meeting.
TAX REFUNDS
First Selectwoman Gorski called for a motion to refund
taxes. The motion to refund to BAC Tax
Services Corp the sum of $54.00, to GMAC the sum of $93.89, to Jordan or D.
Lechner Gruskay the sum of $192.70, to Lucy F. Caruso the sum of $2.99, to
Steven Vinas the sum of $302.80, to Toyota Motor Credit the sum of $208.63, to
Cary Realty, LLC the sum of $782.20, to Vault Trust the sum of $1,500.51 and to
John R or Susan M Wolanic the sum of $20.72 all for overpayment of taxes was
moved by Selectman Donald Shea. The
motion was seconded by Selectwoman Magda.
The vote taken was unanimous.
HIRING OF LAND
USE ATTORNEY
Kim McClure, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning
Commission was present to request permission to hire a land use attorney to
assist with the Green Haven application and hearing. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously
to make this request. Chairman McClure
had made some inquiries from attorneys and she was recommending from her
findings $5,000 to cover review of the applications and hearings. The hiring of additional legal counsel is
done at the discretion of the Town Attorney and the First Selectman. Attorney McSherry and the Selectmen discussed
this request. First Selectwoman Gorski
took their request under advisement and they agreed that Planning and Zoning Chairman
McClure, First Selectwoman Gorski and Attorney McSherry would hold a meeting on
Tuesday to further discuss this matter. Selectwoman Magda moved to approve up to
$5,000 for the hiring of an attorney. No
second was made to this motion.
Following further discussion, Selectwoman Magda indicated that both she
and Selectman Shea would like to see an attorney hired.
APPOINTMENTS TO CHARTER/ORDINANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE
First Selectwoman Gorski
moved to table appointments to the Charter/Ordinance Review Committee for this meeting
as she was waiting for acceptance from someone she had asked to serve on this
committee. Selectwoman Magda moved to
appoint Paul Manger to the Charter/Ordinance review Committee. Selectman Shea seconded the motion. The vote was called. There were two yes votes and one no vote that
of First Selectwoman Gorski.
APPOINTMENTS TO LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING COMMITTEE
First Selectwoman Gorski
opened discussion regarding re-appointments to the Long Term Financial Planning
Committee. Appointed to the original
committee were Chip Spear, Steve Squinto, Sharon Huxley, Aileen Magda and Jamie
Stirling. Selectwoman Magda was representing the Board
of Finance at the time of her appointment. First Selectwoman Gorski moved to
have Janet Brunwin replace Selectwoman Magda because of her expertise and experience
as former chairman of the Board of Finance.
Selectman Shea seconded the motion for discussion purposes. No vote was
taken. Sharon Huxley, who at the time of her
appointment represented the Planning & Zoning Commission, could represent
the Board of Finance as a member of that board now. Discussion followed regarding expanding of the
committee to six or seven members, as Selectwoman Magda wanted to remain on the
Committee. Attorney McSherry indicated
the committee could be expanded by making a change to the charge. Following further discussion Selectman Shea
moved a motion to expand the committee to six members by amending the
charge. Selectwoman Magda seconded the
motion. The vote taken was
unanimous. Selectman Shea then moved a
motion to reappoint Selectwoman Magda to the Long Term Financial Planning
Committee and to appoint Janet Brunwin as the sixth member of the committee. Selectwoman Magda seconded the motion.
The vote taken was
unanimous.
RECYCLING CENTER CHARGE FOR MATTRESS DISPOSAL
The Selectmen discussed
for clarification charges for mattress disposal with Carol Goldberg. It was not clear if a mattress and box spring
would be charged as one unit. The Solid
Waste Recycling Committee had determined that they would each be charged
separately. It was questioned whether a
box spring could be put in the metal dumpster because of the springs. Carol will bring the concerns back to the
Solid Waste Committee for clarification.
AIRPORT PROPERTY
First Selectwoman Gorski
opened discussion with the Selectmen regarding the Airport Property, and to
address the concerns of Selectman Shea and Selectwoman Magda. They were questioning activities on the
property regarding activation of the Senior Housing plan. First Selectwoman Gorski explained that
Mutual Housing of New Haven, a non-profit group for senior housing, had shown
interest to do a preliminary
feasibility study for Senior Housing at this location. No Town monies have been spent. To move forward on this type of a project
would require Town Meeting approval. The
previous attempt to develop this area had failed because of septic, well and
drainage problems as the previous engineers had designed it. Attorney McSherry explained procedures that
would need to be done to ever bring this project forward.
HANGAR PROJECT
The Selectmen opened
discussion regarding the Hangar Project.
Selectman Shea and Selectwoman Magda questioned when approval was given
to move forward with this project. Both
Selectmen questioned the minutes of the Town Meetings where this issue had been
addressed. First Selectwoman Gorski read from the minutes of the meeting of the
Town Meeting of December 14, 2009 the amended resolution as follows:
Be it resolved at the Town
Meeting of the Town of Bethany that the use of the Bethany Airport Hangar
Building shall be changed from the current use as a storage building to a
Community Recreation Center/Emergency Shelter.
Be it further resolved that the Town of Bethany shall
prepare an analysis of:
a.
Potential expenses and revenues for the
project, including potential alternatives, and
b.
Fundraising
strategies
To be presented back to a
Town Meeting within 6 months
Be it further resolved that, pending approval of such
analysis, said Bethanhy Hangar shall be renovated and restored preserving as
much of the building as is reasonable and restore or replicate the existing
construction to respect and memorialize the existing hangar building and its
significance in the history of the Town of Bethany.
The renovation and restoration of the Bethany Airport
Hangar shall be in a manner consistent with proposals of the Airport Steering Committee
and design of Ames & Whitaker.
A Special Town Meeting
held April 26, 2010 addressed final approval.
It was opinion of Selectman Shea and
Selectwoman Magda that the minutes did not clearly give permission for this
project to move forward. Arthur Slicer
was asked by First Selectwoman Gorski to speak to the Board regarding details and
history of the Hangar project and its progress.
Arthur gave an emotionally filled report on the progress of the project and
the time, effort and interest that both he and members of the committee had
been put into it. He expressed his displeasure with the comments
from both Selectman Shea and Selectwoman Magda. He felt they were creating a hostile
environment.
TREE WORK
Selectman Shea and
Selectwoman Magda questioned Alan Green regarding the hiring of Harkness for
tree work. They both felt the work
should have gone out to bid since it had exceeded the $5,000 threshold for
bidding. The work will be put out for VIP bid (Vendor in Place) in
January. Attorney McSherry explained
procedures for bidding and proper payment of invoices.
BETHANY BULLETIN
Selectman Shea and
Selectwoman Magda expressed their desire to have a column in the Bethany
Bulletin. First Selectwoman Gorski
explained that the Bethany Bulletin was a news letter and that they could add
newsworthy articles to it anytime as long as they were not politically
motivated.
BETHANY HISTORICAL SOCIETY REQUEST TO HAVE TOWN
INCLUDED IN OIL BID
First Selectwoman Gorski
will have the Bethany Historical Society included in the bidding for oil for
fiscal year 2014-15. Since the Town bids
oil one year in advance, it was not possible to include them in oil delivery
for fiscal year 2013-14 as the request was just recently made to the Town by
William Brinton.
LETTER FROM BRIAN FOURNIER
The Board of Selectmen
discussed the letter from Brian Fournier to the Board of Selectmen. Selectman Shea and Selectwoman Magda
requested the letter to the Board of Selectmen from Brian Fournier be included
in the minutes of this meeting.
Selectwoman Magda and Selectman Shea are asking for his resignation from
the Board of Education as they have no confidence in him.
ADJOURNMENT
Adjournment was called at
9:05 pm after a motion was moved by Selectman Shea and seconded by Selectwoman
Magda.
Respectfully
submitted,
June
G. Riley
Secretary,
Board of Selectmen
