Board of Selectmen - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. I'm going to call the regular board of selectman meeting to order on March 16, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. Thank you for all of those who are here in attendance. And at the table we have selectman John Misham, selectman Jim Lamos, first select woman Martha Shoemaker, and we have J um Jen Datam. And we are off. So, with that information items, communications and correspondence, I'm just going to go over a couple of things that I have and then we can have each of you take a turn. Um, one of the things that I can tell you is that, um, Eric Knap will be going to the housing meeting over at Rivercoff on the I think he's going on the 19th. So that is something that's happening on this week. Also, our um police recruit Derek Brisbiz will be graduating on Wednesday at Central um State University at 2 o'clock and that's exciting. And then he'll be on our team. Um, I emailed you both the congressionally directed spending for [snorts] Dr. Blumenthal and Senator Murphy's office. If you want to start to think about projects that we could put in for, um, we can do that. We can apply to one senator's office, but let the other senator's office know that we've done that. So, we're happy to write those up if you have some ideas. Um these are just two-page applications because this is to be considered for it and then um they'll ask for more information going forward if we get chosen from the first round.

Um we received a wa letter which I gave you both copies of tonight from Connecticut Water um that uh Connecticut Water is filing a general rate case with PURA. They filed their letter of intent on uh March 13th. I w believe it was uh to PURA for a 19% rate rate. um once we know I think they pur has 270 days to um look into the situation and I believe there will be a hearing at some point and we'll learn more as we go through on that. Um the other thing that we extended the bids for the um road paving to March 26th because um the ad did not get into the New London day in a timely manner and we need 10 days by state law. So it's going in tomorrow and we'll have that for March 26. So we will notify those people that they have a few more days to get their assignments in. Uh then let's see the other thing that I wanted to let you know is that I I've sort of formed a working group with two representatives from planning, two from zoning, two from affordable housing. And over the next six months, I expect them to meet somewhere between four to five times. But basically, they're putting we're putting them together to do a deep dive into that housing bill which was um 8002. Now, it's public act 25-1, but there's um 107 pages to go through and it's very timely and consuming. There are different meetings all the time on this bill and how it's going to impact. And

so I asked Eliza Lreie to come over and do a presentation for them. And the first meeting will be held on the 26th here town hall. Anybody's welcome to come. um we will live stream it or whatever. It doesn't it's more of anformational sess session for them so that they can talk freely and then they go back to their prospective groups to disseminate the information because we can't send all of planning to a meeting all of zoning all of a portable housing and there are meetings happening weekly. So this gives them a chance to sort of do a deep dive into all the information we can get for them, talk about it, and then go back to their prospective groups and say, "What do you think?" And figure out how what changes or anything that we're going to need to do in town. Um I did um have a conversation um with Russell Blair at FOYA. He said it's you don't have to do an agenda, but I think we'll put out a meeting notice, but basically it'll be online. We'll tell you that it's going to be online. Eliza will do it. She'll share her screen and if anyone else comes in, whether it be from the state or a rep, one of like Devon comes or Martha Marks comes to talk to them about it, we'll put it up so that everybody in town can see it and how it impacts and that way we'll all know more about it. I think that's it for me. Anybody else?

Uh, I just received several calls from um regarding the sinkhole in the driveway with uh getting the town engineer out there. So, I know that that happened. So, I appreciate that getting moved along. Yep. That's on in the works. Anything else? No. Okay. Jen, I received uh communication from Rockport Tadera concerning um water testing uh point source testing for the proposed alternative to the sewer project and I agreed with his email.

Okay, thank you. Okay, we have next up we have public comment. So if you're in the audience and you would like to have public comment, come on up. to sit backwards. Yeah, you can. Yes. Okay. Because we want you on the mic.

Okay. On the mic. Okay. Good evening everybody. My name is Sandra Rube and I think many of you seen me walking. Uh I'm a walker and um I'm here to speak to you in support of the pedestrian bridge over the Halls River uh between the Hangry Goose and the Halls Road Shopping Center. Many of you see me walking around. I walk by flow grist. I try for six miles, but I don't always make it. Um, and for me that this would be a welcome addition for old line. But beyond that, there are several other important points to consider in this whole project. The first is that the ridges design is 85% complete. um and and it was thanks to the work of the Halls Road Committee. So that the design is there. The second is that the grants for this bridge will expire in in September of 2026. Okay. Um the design for the deep um fishing pier is not fully funded but there are many active fishermen and women you've seen them there who would love to have for for us to have appear there. And another point is of the $163,500 state grant awarded for the projects, 95,400 has already been used. Therefore, the $68,100 that remains unless these funds were used to pay the AIE design firm are

remain. So there is additional funds. So what I would say in conclusion is that the pedestrian bridge will provide more than simply a a safer crossing for walkers. It will be an aesthetically attractive uh site that celebrates old lime open public space. It it is a landmark that connects the arts, the civic and the commercial centers. And that is basically why I support it. Thank you. Thank you. Would you like to give a copy of your remarks again? I have only

Perfect. Thank you so much. Thank you. Is there anyone else in the audience who would like to speak?

I'm Jay Nungach. I live on 73 Neck Road um in town of course. Um I am a former member of the Halls Road Committee. I was also uh a grant writer for the Halls Road project. I became involved in the Halls Road project partly because uh it was clear there was a section of town that frankly I felt did not meet the image of Old Lime and that there was a plan for improvements to the commercial district of the town that made sense on many levels. Um, the pedestrian bridge was just a component of a larger vision of what Hall's Road might evolve to be. And it really was designed to uh connect the aesthetic and the historical parts of town with the commercial parts of town and really help unify I think that part of the community. Um we were successful in getting funding for the planning and design of the bridge and in fact went forward doing that. We ran into problems um when we w had to do the peer section of it. Otherwise, it would have gone forward probably to the end of the contracted um provisions um to end up with design and approvals

for the community. Admittedly, this was an obstacle, but it turned out that the pier ended up to be the obstacle that broke the camel's back, so to speak. Um, and at this point in time, we probably would be looking at the finishing the end of it. I'm really distressed as a former uh person who made my living off of grants for approximately 40 years. This is the first time I would ever be involved in a project in which we would have stopped mid uh project and say never mind we don't want to do what we said we were going to do. Personally, I think that is a red flag for future funding that you are um have received funds and then stepped away from doing what you said you were going to do. I would think that you would need really good um argument to withdraw from a project. And frankly, I'm uncertain of what the funding agency's feelings would be about whether or not you are um responsible for some of the funds that were spent and no longer were being um used. So, I'm in favor of continuing through. Obviously, at this point in time, I don't see that we can complete the contracted project, but I would hope that the remainder of the funds would be spent to move it forward. Um, so for that reason, I'm in support of continuing through um as best

as can be done.

Thank you. Anyone else? Come on out. My name is FA Richardson. I live at 14 Ferry Road. And I want to say that um my husband and I went to every open house at the town hall. We looked at mockups. We voted what we thought was in the best interest of the town. We went to meetings large and small. We participated in the townwide survey. And in every case, every time we had an opportunity, we voted in favor of revitalizing our business district. We were thrilled at the prospect of that bridge moving that would allow us to walk safely from Lime Street to the business section. In fact, when the Hangry Goose opened, we vowed once a week we would have breakfast after walking up Lime Street, crossing, turning left, and going to sit by the river. Um, we did it twice. Walking that little stretch for two people in their 80s was very uncomfortable. So, I'm I'm just here in in support of the bridge project now and maybe further developments for our beautiful little community. Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, Erin. Come on. Hi, I'm Evan Griswald um with live at 24 Osprey Road and um have um here to support the idea of a of rebuilding the bridge which was an historic um artifact of old lime for uh centuries. My guess is that that um several people who of historic note crossed that bridge and um including Benjamin Franklin who came across the Connecticut River and on his way from New York to Boston and and he followed route one, the Boston Post Road and that bridge before uh that was the route um before the new Boston Post Road was was re-engineered in the 1960s when the shopping center was built. So, um it's part of the history of of old line. Um I think as it's been said um by others that it would be u uh improve the the view and to um and to remind people who who are walking and frankly driving or biking. Um, so the sort of the way the pe the history of how people got around and um if the u if the bridge is rebuilt, I think you'd have a lot more people um giving up their cars to go to the the short distance from Lime Street to the

shopping center and uh and that is why I support it. So thank you. Thank you. Anyone else?

Hello.

Uh Jim Greyel. I'm the property owner of Lieutenant River Center. I think the bridge would be a nice ass asset for the town of Old Land. um that the Tenner River is a beautiful river and it'd be nice people can enjoy it. Um my only have two concerns. Um [clears throat] first is parking. You know, they have a fishing pier. People go out there fishing. They could be there for hours and taking up parking space. My uh shopping center is packed. It's it's a full place during the day. if they provide parking on either side so they can park on that side and then come down and fish. I think it' be really nice um to use that side because it's vacant. Um so you know park is a problem. The other issue is on the plan I saw the uh approach to the bridge is on the corner of my property which um I'd be concerned about liability in case somebody falls off the bridge or slips at the end of the bridge and sues you know everybody for sued but uh if it's on my property I got to make sure I'm not liable if there's an accident. So if we can work out those details, I think it' be a nice thing.

Thank you. Okay. Is there anyone else? Okay. Are is there anyone online who would like to offer um public comment? Doinger, you're online? Yes. Can you hear me? Yes.

Okay. Yeah. I just a real quick comment. Um I didn't go to the last uh cost sharing agreement um committee meeting last week I believe. Anyway, I was a little concerned that I think maybe you or somebody was on there from the town. I'm hoping that someone from the town of O line would be a representative that'd be willing to serve on the construction committee uh with the three beaches uh to be still involved in the project. So just want to put that out there that you know we are looking forward to maybe getting someone from the beach is still involved you know from the town anyways. So I just wanted to make that comment.

Okay. Thank you. I'll get back to you and and Doug Whan. Thank you. Anyone else online? No one else. Okay. Hearing none, we can move on to our regular board of selectmen approval of minutes for March 2nd, 2026. Were there any changes? I forgot to bring my copy, so you guys will have to be my eyes. I saw none. None. I saw none.

There are no errors. There's just the error may have been on my part. Um, under comments, a general discussion. Um, police the police weren't mentioned along with public works, fire department, emergency services. I don't know if I did mention them or not, but if I didn't mention them, have them mentioned if possible. Okay. So, hearing no other corrections, can I get a motion to approve the regular board of select meeting minutes? Make a motion to approve the March 2nd, 2026 board of selectmen uh minutes as presented. I'll second.

Thank you, John. Thank you, Jim. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those uh to vote in approval of the minutes for March 2nd, 2026, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Okay, we get to new business. And the first one is the update and the discussion on the Bow Bridge project. Anita, I know you're online. I know you had to leave early, but I didn't know if you saw my email on numbers

for the ARPA grant and the bridge and trails grant. I didn't know if you had seen that. Yeah, I sent it to you. Okay. I I didn't see it when I came back from my uh engineering field trip. Okay. So, the ARPA money for you're talking the Halls Road, correct? the the bow bridge. Yeah, the bridge project. Okay. The holes road one spent to date was 99,9203. Remaining balance is $35,97.37. Is that the ARPA grant?

That's the ARPA grant. Thank you. And I think Are you talking about the Connecticut Trails Grant? That was trails. I What was it? Like we had a like um we used 11,000 I believe out of 13 $13,551 that we used. Yes. For Yes. Okay. All right. But that wasn't for much more. We didn't have much more to go on that grant. Correct. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

Anita, I'm sorry. Could you repeat the uh the first numbers you you gave us? Hall's Road spent to date $99,9263. Current balance $35,97.37.

Connecticut. Okay, you're welcome. Bridget, did you got the I got the Connecticut trails.

Okay, so let me tell you what kind of homework I've done. Um I had a conversation with AI engineers um and they um basically a while back we had in the fall we had completed the flora investigation because we had to have a spring one and a fall one. So day preventure went and did that for us so we could get that so it was combined and we had it done. um because at that point in time I thought well let's just get this baseline done for the flora. So that was paid for and so was the um and then we talked to I talked to AI engineers and they um took a partial payment um because they hadn't been paid in a very long time. So, we gave them a partial payment and then um I explained to them that I wasn't sure where this project was moving, but um you know, I knew they had material materials that they had done for us that were basically owned by us because we'd now paid them for them, and I certainly wanted those. Um I also talked to the Connecticut Trails and Bridge. Uh, I think I'm I'm probably saying it wrong, Jane, but I I talked to the coordinator for that and she said, "Did you use the $13,000 for planning?" And I said, "Yes." And she said, "We have many, many projects that start and then don't get completed." She said, "If you've used the money for planning, it's something that in the future will be perhaps built upon." And she said, "So, I don't think you owe this back to us. if we did, we have the money in the ARPA grant that we could pay it back if we had to. She was checking to get more. Um, and I talked to her last week in

preparation for this meeting. So, she said it's not something to be ashamed of. It's just things that happen. And I've had a very long conversation with Jamie Sedoryak, who is the deed person who put the restriction on the property that we received from the state of Connecticut. And I explained to her that while the Bow Bridge reconstruction was something that the town had voted upon early on to add another 250 to half a million dollars to construct a fishing pier with more permits and more surveys was kind of unrealistic. I said, "That's not something that we ever considered when we first thought of this plan." And she said, "I get it. It's a big project and it's very costly." And she said, "You know, I'm sorry to hear it." And and I said again, I don't know where we're going, but I said that really was the iron that kind of broke the back of this project because it wasn't something that we were considering.

So I've kind of cleared up all those pieces. Not that that's but we have to have a discussion because first of all the ARPA grant the $35,97 will subside in December of 2026 and um that will go back to the way the ARPA committee formulated the ARPA funds. Anything in the town that we gave out but wasn't used would go back to the town social services account. so that it would still be used by the town and that was approved at a town meeting here when we worked on the artbook funding. So, whoever is nonmuted, could you please make sure you're muted because we're getting feedback from your mics. Thank you. Um and then we um

Sorry, I lost my train of thought. Um social services

social services. So the money would go back to the town if we owned the 13,000 to if they find out and they come back to me next week and say we are going to have to ask for the bridge money back that would come out of the 35,000. And there's also some money that I believe is in a fund a special fund as well, Anita, but I'm not sure which fund number that is and I feel like it's fund 32, but I could be wrong. Um anyway, there is some money there, but that would stay there for Hall's Road. So, we're kind of at this point. And as far as AI engineers, I talked to Michael Greer. He sent me everything that we have and he wants me to call Dave for Venture and get everything that Dave has, but he sent me everything he had so that I would have everything in a document file. And he said, "As far as I'm concerned, I don't think we you owe us any more money. We'll take the partial payment." And um I reached out to him when he sent me the files today and I said what's the status of thing and he has not gotten back to me but the other day he goes Martha I don't think you owe us another dime. I think we're happy with that partial payment. So knowing all that, now it's time to for us to have a discussion as we move forward um to decide how we're going to handle that. It's only March, but December will be here before we know it. [laughter] Um, so we've got to think about this ARPA money and the only thing that that ARPA money can be used for is planning and design of the bridge. That's the only thing it can be used for. You cannot trade it off for another project. So, um, when we're audited by the federal government in 27, that has to say that we didn't use it all or

whatever. So that's where we are. So I'm open to hearing from both of you. All right, I'll go specifically. [laughter]

Um I mean it's it's it's a tough one and we know we heard some very eloquent uh testimony to why we should do this. Uh the town has approved it and it's been approved at town meetings. um the funding was approved so it would be disrespecting the will of the voters um who did approve this and approved to push it forward. Um I think it is distinct from the overlay which was very controversial obviously now has been defeated. So this kind of stands as a as as a as an as an element on its own. Um the but it has the problem is it has grown. It has metastasized from what we were planning as you know in the very beginning it was going to be a very bucolic little reconstruction of the old bow bridge but that proved to be impractical uh due to just building code um you know modern codes. So um the scope of that project grew um and then as it grew uh there were you know fire department needed certain requirements there were certain parking requirements and then the fishing meter um and suddenly it's not just a little bucolic bridge now it's this whole production down there um and since the funding is in place my my instinct would be to push this forward board. Um, but it's grown to the point where, you know, it just may be too much. So, I was wondering if you had any sense that Deep would back off on this fishing pier stuff.

Um, it's always there's always a chance. There's always a chance that we could talk to Jamie once again and say, could we, you know, we just discuss this one more time? Um, I can I can do that. I've had many meetings with her in my office over the years and I can reach out and get that answer for us because we don't need to make a decision tonight on any of this. But I think it was time to start having the discussion. John, what do you want to say? Are you done? Okay.

I I think Jim is correct. This is something that snowballed beyond the initial conception. Um, you know, I don't think a true partner makes a demand that we have to take on what's essentially a whole new project with the fishing pure. Um, you know, we're we're on the verge of convening a sidewalk committee that'll be later tonight. And I think there's opportunities there. We've already discussed that that the state in short order will be looking to redo the bridge over Route One, and there will be opportunities there to make that more in line with what we probably want to see happening with sidewalks on the street. And it would be improved safety, improved uh improved sighting, improved uh appearances and it would uh be on the state's dime probably rather than our uh cost or even the money that we would be getting from the sidewalk grant. Um, I think the smart thing we we've mentioned to do the do our sidewalk project on either side of that and and come back to it when the state does the bridge. Um, you know, it's we we like to say it's the bow bridge, but it's there's no bow because we know that uh handicap accessibility and and all that does not allow the angle that we would want to see for uh the historic kind of reminiscent uh view that uh we maybe initially conceived. Um, you know, again, the width with the fire department, it just kept snowballing with more and more requirements. Um, so I I'm not sure that the general public now has the same appetite as when

the initial conception occurred. Um, it it wouldn't be a terrible thing for social services to get $35,000. Uh, it stays with the talent. I'm sure we can do some very good things with that. Um, I'm I'm willing to see if that one conversation with the state to eliminate the pier would, you know, maybe change people's perspectives on on what we could do.

Okay. I will say that um I've had a couple of conversations by ver with some fishermen who've said leave it alone. I don't want a fishing pier. I really like to be under the bridge. And I like the quietness that it instills. And if you put a fishing pier in, it's going to draw more people. And instead of I mean he said we'll still be spread out because we're still going to go to our favorite spots but there will be more people that will be on around the area. And he said and that's not good for fishing. They also said that the stripers are returning and they said if you start construction down there the stripers which are about this long. He explained to me now he said we'll go away again and it'll take us years to get them back. they will not like all the construction and the um maneuvering down there. So, that's one thing. I'm not sure the bridge qualifies for congressionally directed spending, although because there's a variety of categories, some of which, by the way, I was reminded last night by Aaron McBride, who works for Senator Murphy's office, are never even touched or requested. They never have anyone go for them. So, she said, "If you call me, I can tell you which ones never have anything to go for." So, we can see what that lines up to see if there's anything there. And I can do some research on that over the next two weeks. Um, that has to be in April 6th. Those have to be in. We do have time. Um, and because we can have a special meeting if we have to. So, I'll do some homework on that. Um, I personally love walking bridges. Um, and I think that there are some beautiful ones. Manchester, Vermont. I love the ones in Shelurn Falls, Massachusetts. They've

done a wonderful job incorporating walking bridges into their communities to help their business districts align to um allow for pedestrians to walk safely. And I do think that's very important. But I do think that with the Halls Road sidewalk committee um they can start to look at some options. I mean there's really strict requirements on the Halls Road sidewalk because we have to follow DOT guidelines. So it's not like doing the Ferry Road or the Lime Street sidewalks. They've got real strict requirements on this because it is a business road and they'll be working along with us in partnership on that because they want to see this go through. They do want to make the bridge safer. Um my first meeting with them was the bridge isn't going to be done for 20 years. By the end of the conversation, 45 minutes later it was five years. We can get it done in five years. We'll get it done in five years. I said okay. Um, so they would probably be making some changes on that bridge as well. So I think that once we start to have conversations with them, see what their options are and hopefully they'll some of that will move along between now and the fall. Um, and if so, then we can they may come to us and say we'd really like to keep moving forward with the design of that bridge. And I do think it's probably even more than I think somebody said 85%. Um I think it's even a little bit more. And just so the YARPA funds don't don't go away until September of 2026 and the bridge and trail money. Um it's just a quarterly report and it's not she said just get it to me by April I have to send it to her by April 3rd and it's not

saying that we're not doing it. It's just saying the only thing that we paid out of it was we paid the $1,000 for the Flora study because that was part of it. So, we can go from there. But I appreciate both of you sharing your thoughts and you'll see what I do and I'll let you know. Um, okay. The next one is the High Halls Road sidewalk proposal from Nathan Jacobson. So Jim, just so you know, you had mentioned the bid process and the proposal from Jacobson. So when I told Aaron that, he was a little concerned and he said, um, why do you save up? And I said, well, we have a bid process. And he said, so he looked at our bidding policy and he said, "You have to remember that years ago you had a town engineer, Tom Metaf, who was here and he serves the town and he said, "And then you hired us as your town engineers." And he said, "So if you had a town engineer that was upstairs at a desk, you'd be having him do this." He said, "I'm your town engineer. My office is just in Chester. I'm really sorry I'm not over at town hall, but I'm here at your beck and call on each given day." So he read read through and he said that the application section of our bid policy states that the policy shall apply to all except and under nine expenditures for routine professional services who are appointed to handle ongoing routine town business on a regular basis such as but not limited to town attorney, town engineer, etc. He said, "I think Nate um Nathan Jacobson as town engineer is an etc. in that

exemption. Um we were selected by a formal RFQ process for the town engineer to perform ongoing and routine professional services. Designing a sidewalk in town is an town engineer service making the bid policy procedures not applicable. And I'm also happy to run this by the board of finance tomorrow night if anybody would like an option on that as well. But um I think we have to consider that he is perhaps correct in that that we have hired them. They do everything else. I will say that he's had extensive background on this connectivity grant. Yeah. I mean it I think you know

and he's already started us a little bit because he's attended meetings with us. He's terrific and and you know we worked together on the um the application on the grant itself. So um if my questions weren't about Jacobson, right, per set, you know, I mean I think they're terrific and I think the the bid is very reasonable. Um I think the rule of thumb would be about 200,000. So we're we're pretty well below that. So it's not like the cost is is outrageous. I just wanted to make sure that we're doing our due diligence and you know because it is 173,000. I just wanted

to to get a ruling on that to see uh you know what we should be doing uh because I don't want to get too far down the road when people say why the hell didn't you go out to bid for this you know but that reasoning makes sense to me. Um, so what do you think? Uh, I'm following the logic, but uh since we're finances tomorrow night, maybe we just run it by them to be Yeah, extra diligent. Sounds good. I'm happy to do that. Um, and I'll let him know once we

have a conversation. Um, but I I would say that it would delay the Halls Road sidewalk committee for a while because there wouldn't be much they could do starting until we'd go through the bid process and that would take anywhere from probably eight 8 to nine weeks. In my experience, the formation of these sidewalk committees happened after the engineer was already in place, right? So we would we wouldn't want to put the committee ahead of the selection of both. Thank you.

Okay. So the next So I'll do my homework. I'll get back to you if we have to meet. Well, we don't have to meet on that one beforehand, but I'll let you know. Okay. Um appointments to authorities, boards, commissions, and committees. And the first one up is the Halls, Road Sidewalk Committee. We have nine positions. That means that um I think out of order. Yes, he did. Um by the way, the one person that had applied last week who said he was changing his um he came in in the group applications and he called Vicki to say he was changing his affiliation. He did come in to do that this afternoon with Jen. So we have a board of nine and on a board of nine you cannot have more than 2/3 any one party. So we have

board of nine 2/3. So six. So we have I believe it's seven, excuse me, three, four, six.

Six applications from Republicans. We have two now unaffiliated and two Democrats. If I count everything correctly. I'm sorry. I was trying to do everything, get everything into order. By the way, for those of you who applied on paper, please start using our new handy dandy form that comes up automatically because this means Wendy, um, Katie, and Vicki do not have to enter all the data by hand. It really helps saves a lot of time. So, um, anybody want to start talking about each of the how do we want to do this, etc. I think that one of the things that we're looking for is people who have construction and engineering backgrounds, also um contract experience and also financial because that helps on a project going forward.

Sure. And uh Timothy Griswald, I see him on here and he was kind of our uh frontman for the Ferry Road sidewalk project. So I think he would bring a lot of experience uh for sidewalks alone uh in addition to all his years of experience and municipal government. So I would uh nominate Timothy Griswald to the sidewalk committee and I'll second that.

He also might be really good with the $17,000 proposal if you let them go over it. Okay, so that's John and Martha. Any more discussion on Tim hearing? None. All those in favor of nominating Timothy Griswell to the um Halls Road Sidewalk Committee, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Tim is on board. Okay. I have a quick question. Jim, you want to pick one? I have a quick question. Did we get I I have indications that Marktock did apply today

and he had applied. Is Katie online? Katie, did you receive an application from Mark Griald because I'm sorry. Mark, sorry. Mark Commtock. Did it come through? I know he was having trouble with the online portal. He indicated to us that he'd applied on February 15th, but he sent in a letter of resignation from conservation. Katie, anything from Martha? No, I do not have anything from him at this point in time. She did talk to me today when he was having trouble applying. But

well, we've discussed before how important it is to have actual business owners uh on this committee, seeing as uh it'll affect them so much and they should have some good input. So, uh I see Brent Edmond on here. He's expressed interest from the get-go. So, I would nominate Brett Edmond to the sidewalk committee. Okay. One and he's now a U.

Correct. Second. Sure. Any further discussion? Actually, he was one of the first people I called because I wanted to know what he wanted for because the state's going to require him to have some type of an island because of the expanse, but he wants to have it done like Verage and Sed. Did you second? You second. Okay. Any further discussion? All those in favor of naming a threat amendment to the sidewalk committee, please signify by saying I. I. I.

Any opposed? Any abstension? Motion passes. Okay. Jim, do you have anybody that you see that you would like to appoint?

Um, yeah. Plenty of people. Um I I you know with I just want to bring up Mark again because he contacted me the day that I commented on Facebook that you know the grant that we had applied for fruit. Uh he reached out to me um that he wanted to be on this and he reached out to me again on the 14th of February saying he had applied and today saying that he had talked to Katie and applied. So um I just want to make sure he's not being overlooked. uh but we don't have his application. So uh let's uh let's go with uh James Glenn who is an attorney and uh be valuable to uh give us some insight as to legal questions that inevitably arise when we do these sorts of projects.

Sir, you're making that motion. Make a motion to appoint James Glenn the Hall Sidewalk Committee. I'll second James. Okay. I'm just making sure that we fill our categories so I don't Jim John and James has a great deal of um background in contract law and negotiations so you can negotiate the Jacobson proposal down. Okay. All those in favor of James Glenn being appointed to the sidewalk committee signify by saying I. I. I. I. Opposed. Abstension. Motion passes.

Okay. Uh I would also I think I can pick right. Um, I know that we have two people that have backgrounds in commercial projects and construction superintendants. Um, both with about 40 and 50 years, Don Burrow and Bob Antoniac. Um, I would be happy to nominate Bob Antonia to the Halls Road Committee.

I will second. Any discussion? I think that's uh a great addition. Bob has tried to be on some other uh commissions and he's swinging away here, so I'd really like to see him. Okay. Okay. All those in favor of naming Bob and Robert Bob Antoniac to the sidewalk commission, please signify by saying I. I. I Okay, we've got four to five to go.

Right. As mentioned, uh Don Bureau is another great choice. He's also a small business owner, so I think he kind of gets the business perspective uh in addition to his construction. So, I would nominate Don Bureau. Is there a second? Also, okay, any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor of nominate um of appointing Don Burrow to this false road sidewalk committee, please signify by saying I. I

I Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Jim, do you have anyone that you'd like to nominate on Lord Lewis? I would like to nominate Frank Morelli who has engineering experience. Okay. Anybody want to second? I will second Frank Morelli.

Yeah, Mr. Morelli is online. Okay. Okay. Um, any further discussion on Frank? Having none. Uh, his engineering got he has an engineering background. That's great. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. I.

Any opposed? Any extensions? Motion passes. Frank is on the halls road sidewalk committee. Okay, we have I would um nominate um out of the remaining four, I would nominate Robin Breeding to the Halls Road Committee. I know that she wrote that she um would like to use some of her design experience and I think that would be good for this committee. I'll nominate her. I will second.

Any further comments? I think she has a a good perspective. She's could probably bring a very good fresh look at this. And uh I'm in favor.

Okay. I think we need um someone who can weigh in on the aesthetics since there will be um you know benches, lighting, etc., etc. Uh so it' be valuable to have someone like that. I would just you know hope that everyone that and this goes for everybody that has volunteered for this uh is is doing so in the interest of making this a success project. the sidewalks actually get built. So, I think she would bring a lot to the table.

Okay. All those in favor of um appointing Robin Breeding to the Halls Road Committee Halls Road Sidewalk Committee. Sorry, I'm going to get it eventually. Uh please signify by saying I I I. Any opposed? Any abstension? Motion passes. Thank you for that. We have two more um positions available. I will nominate Sloan Dan an hour. Is there a second?

There is no second. So the motion dies. Nominate Chris K. Second. Okay. Any comments on Chris? Chris has a good background for this. He's a former selectman and uh has some construction knowledge. I would wholeheartedly endorse him. Yeah, Chris has sat in his seat and I've worked with him on planning. I think uh you bring a valuable perspective. Okay. All those in favor of appointing Christopher Kerr to the Hiles Road sidewalk committee, please signify by saying I.

I. I. Any opposed? Any extensions? Motion passes. Thanks, Ch. And we have one last um person. We have um Dan Chano. Um, the only thing that I could see is it would be nice to have one more person on here that would be a business owner. I wish we could have another business owner. I I wish his application was in. I know, but can we hold that seat open for now? I mean, I have assurances from him that he had applied. So, that's why so many people did pay her because many people in the past. Yeah. Yeah. There's something.

This is a brand new system though this year. We haven't had any problems this year. Um, is it possible to hold that seat open till we get to the bottom of the list as to I mean, I've had extensive conversations with him. I'm kind of surprised that we don't have his application. He is a business owner. Uh, so on Halls Road on Halls on Halls Road,

not to mention the fact that he said about being supportive of um landscaping and things like that for the um project. Um, I'm not opposed, but I'm I'm not willing to do it for like an open week or something. I'm happy if he can get it in in two to by Wednesday. I mean, like I said, he said he had done it February 15th. He's not in the system. He didn't do it on the online system. He didn't send it to the selectman's office. He didn't send it. Everybody's checked their emails. nothing has come in except for the fact on February 14th he did send a resignation letter from conservation because he'd never formally um resigned from conservation. He'd only told the board but he never sent a letter in and Vicki needed it for her bios. Um, but that's

I'm okay with it if we hold. I mean, my my reluctance is we have a candidate who has come forward and and submitted the application and is is a good candidate. I think I'm just Oh. What do you want to do? If somebody wants to make a motion, we can make a motion for Dan. We can make a motion to hold, but we need a motion somewhere.

I will make a motion to appoint Dan Daniel Montano to the Falls Road Sidewalk Committee.

Do I have a second? Okay, I don't have a second. Therefore, that motion dies. We'll hold that last position and whoever gets their applications in, we'll have may apps will have more to consider going forward. Well, I I'm not sure that, you know, I would be in favor at this point because, you know, I just want to give us even just 24 hours to clear this up because he had reached out several times to me. So, some I just want to make sure that we didn't miss anything.

Okay. Well, I can have Katie give him a call tomorrow and walk him. She was on the website with him, right? So, um, we have an application. The next thing up is the Inland, uh, Wetlands and Water Forces Commission. We have an application, but there's also a concern about the minority rep on this one. Um, I think we're in a questionable mode between alternates and people, so I'm going to ask that we hold off on this one. So, we can It's either it is or it isn't. Well, if you you have the list. I didn't print out the whole list. No.

Oh, you don't have the list for inland wetlands? No. Well, it's because we have seven regular members and two alternates. And right now, we have six Republicans on the IWWC. And if that is, then we are out of compliance because out of party seven, we should only have five. I don't I don't think it's nine. It's two alternates. Seven plus two. Five and two. Seven and two.

I can have Katie. Would you look it up while you're there? Would you just please look up it? We'll just move to the next one, but would you look up inland wetlands? How many members total? And the count my count was that we have a total of nine se there are currently six Republicans and um two D's. Martha, there are seven regular seats and two alternates. Right. And now what's the breakdown of those seven regular seats? Five Republican. and and

two D's. Two D's and then you've got one D as an alternate.

Right. So, with nine, and this is where we go back and forth because sometimes Vicki says we're supposed to count the alternates, other times we're not. And I'm a little confused on this one. And I don't want to appoint him, John, and then find out that we're over. I'd rather count it and do this next time around. I don't have anyone else for this position. He's going to be an alternate and I'm thrilled that he wants to come back on. I think he was on the commission at one time, but I don't want to appoint and have to not pull out of an appointment. So, I would rather have this go through and just check with Vicki again tomorrow and make sure that we're all both reading this the right way. I want to take caution on this. But I have no qualms about him getting on. But I just need to make sure that we're following the rules correctly because if what Katie has told us and it's the seven that we're only supposed to look at the seven, then we're over because we should only have four. And right now we have five and putting on a six would really throw us over. Now, if we only have to look at if we look at the nine, then we can have six.

Well, we looked at the nine when we did appointments last time.

I know. But then I was told something else. So, I'm like, which is it? So, I want to clarify with her. I agree. I Here's my feeling. My feeling is that you look at just the regulars because the alternates only fill in when an all regular is out and we have this question come up at the foyer training but again it was sort of a convoluted thing about um whatever I don't even think we have a meeting coming up on IWWC so we can I mean we can call a special meeting for five minutes over the I think once we get this clarified,

can we get a ruling from um the municipal law attorney? Sure. I'm happy to move this along and I think it's the best thing we'd all feel more secure. All right, we have one person. We need a motion to not act on it table to table on the agenda. Sure. We can take a motion to table the inland wetlands and water courses commission. Would you like to make that motion, John? No. Okay. I will. Do I have a second? Second. All those in favor of tableabling the inland wetlands and water courses commission signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Next.

Okay. Any abstensions? 21. Lampost and Shoemaker will table till next time or a phone meeting sometime this week. All right. In Lime Senior Center, we have one position open due to the resignation of Shawn. Marylu Rice has applied. She's also attended a meeting. And I already heard from Peter Lucasy that he would like her to fulfill that seat. So, and I have a motion for Mary Lou Rice for the Lime Senior Center. Make a motion to appoint Mary Lou Rice to the Lime Senior Center board of directors.

I'll second. Any discussion? There's no concerns for the breakdown there. I don't believe so. There's plenty. Katie, can you check quickly for Lime Senior Center so we make sure? I think that one's pretty well split. Five D's, two Rs. four unaffiliated.

So we can So we have five. Oh, but wait, you got to take out the limes. You got to take out the people from lime and me. Yep, you're right. Yeah. So that's lime is minus two two U's and one D. You're going to have to give that to us now. But still, like here's But still, they make up the They make up They make up. Yep. I know. Okay. Then we're gonna I'm going to make a motion to move that the Lime Senior Center same thing to the next meeting. There's a motion on the table. Martha, I'm sorry.

To appoint her and seconded. So, Jim, do you want to amend your motion? I will amend my motion to uh table the Lime Senior Center board of directors appointment pending a ruling on minority representation. And I will uh second that amended motion. Okay. All those in favor of the amended motion signify by saying I.

I. I and I'll send all of this to legal tomorrow morning to get rulings and check with Vicki, etc. All right, our last one is um the water pollution control. Laura parent is currently an alternate on the WPCA. She would like to move to one of the vacant full-time positions because she would like to take over the accounting. She has an accounting background. So she was hoping they don't have anyone to fulfill Andrea Lumbard's position. So Laura said that she would step up to the plate and do it if we could make her from an they can't have an alternate as a treasurer.

I would like to nominate Laura Parrot to the regular position on the WPCA. Second. Any further discussion? All those in favor of naming Laura parent from an alternate to a full-time position on the WPCA signify by saying I. I.

I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Laura goes to a fulltime. Now, Bill Reynolds has applied. And I don't know how you guys feel, but we have a lot of people from the shoreline. I'm wondering if we should try to look for some people that are not on the shoreline because our WBCA does not just service the shoreline.

Yeah, that's the one thing that jumped out against at me. I don't have any objections to Bill Reynolds per se, but um uh it's really a microcosm for geography as far as the WPCA is currently. So, um it would be good to try to get outside that circle, I think. I think Bill Reynolds would be good. Um, but I really haven't reviewed the the makeup in terms of addresses. Um, so I would be uh happy to table this with all the others until we investigate further with geographic what our geographic representation is on the WPCA.

Okay. So we'll table the second appointment for that as well. Okay, we're moving on to old business. Thank you both. Singles were more difficult. All right. Uh mailbox uh policy. We had the mailbox policy come before us. Ed had not finished looking at it. Ed has seen it. Ed has blessed it. He loves it. especially the diagram which John by the way you're the one that pointed out we should put in because it was in Westbrooks I believe so um with the deal with policy is it's just the board of selectmen who chooses to put this as part of our policy handbook and then we would make it put this post this on the um public works page and also probably the selectman's page during the wonderful winter season so that people would realize that we would love to fix your mailbox box if you let us know in a timely manner and that the um if they hit your post they'll try to fix it um etc. So I'd like to make a motion to adopt this mailbox damage policy that we set forth two weeks ago for adoption.

I will second. Any further discussion? Uh again, I think it's very reasonable. I think it's, you know, in writing for everyone to see. And uh again, the the actual schematic for official USPS, um which I did have a contractor show me years ago because he wouldn't put my mailbox on my fence that I had at the time because can't do that. So, um I I'm I'm all in favor of Okay. Any further?

Yeah, the public has had a chance to look at it. We received no. I mean, my only concern was it really favored the town. Um, but no one has spoken up about it, so I'm fine with it. Okay. All those in favor of adopting the mailbox damage policy as so written, please signify by saying I. I.

I. Any opposed? Any abstension? Motion passes. Thank you. All right. Duck River Garden Club certificate of appropriations for the blue and gold memorial markers. We had a historic district meeting last Monday. Can you believe it was a week ago? Um, and at first there was a little concern. So I finally said to them, look, all we want you to do is say that you'll work with us. So they gave us the parameters. The stone is 11 by 15. I think they're agreeing that we can have it embedded on a natural stone. The stone or the plaque?

The plaque. The plaque. The plaque is 11 by You said stone. I'm sorry. Yeah. 11 by 15, but it'll be 15 by 20. So maybe it's 11 by 16. 15 by 20 stone that it will be placed on. So, we have Mary Ellen is going, we had an idea that we're going to get a piece of couple of pieces of styrofoam, cut them to that size, and walk to look and see what it's going to look like. Okay.

In the garden over there or over here, and then we'll go back to the historic district once we have a look see of what it'll look like because it's very hard to envision. I think that the Jeff River Garden Club were like, "Well, we could put it in the garden." I'm like, "You put two of those in your garden. You're not going to have a garden anymore over there." So, they've got to figure out if that's what they like the look that they want or is that too much signage in that one spot. So, we'll play around with it. Okay. Mary Ellen and I'll take some pictures.

I'm just smiling because I'm envisioning a search committee for the just the the right rocks if this comes to fruition. Well, Jim got a beautiful lock box down at the Solstice Stone, so I'm sure he can find us a rock. I can source rocks. I got to tell you that somebody said to me, somebody said that day, they said, "There's a lot of rocks down at exit 75. I bet we could have our pick anything at exit 75." Those are all Yeah, they're grinding those making good money with those stuff.

All right, our next one is further discussion and possible action on revisions to ethics code. Mr. Mano, I know you're online and uh we are here. Um I know that I spoke to council today and she said that she would get back to you on your email to her. Um you'd have to unmute yourself, Lou, because you're muted at the moment. Or maybe Katie has to mute you. No, I got it. I think so. Okay. So, she will get back to you. Okay.

Um, but basically the time was that both of you would have time to read these and have any questions for Lou. Sure. I have I have a question. I have a comment also. So, Lou, thanks for hanging out for the whole meeting. We appreciate you being at the end. Sure. Um, thanks for giving me some time to look at this. The thing that struck me uh right off the bat at the last meeting was uh the proposed definition of probable cause. Yeah.

And when I look at this, I was thinking about a layman, some just, you know, someone from the public coming, you know, that wanted to make uh a complaint. And it shouldn't be really overly lawyer uh jargon. It should be easy for uh people to understand. And um when I looked at it a little bit more, I noticed that uh the slide that you used in your in your presentation for the definition of probable cause doesn't match uh your big draft um list of changes because uh the slide said uh a referral for a hearing by the commission exists when a finding that the facts of the matter complained of provides a reasonable able ground to suspect that a code violation may have occurred. And so I didn't reasonable ground was really what kind of stuck in my claw because reasonable ground is not really standalone term. It's more synonymous with probable cause in this realm. Uh, and if you go over to the chart, it says, uh, the suggested definition would read, probable cause exists when a finding that the facts of the matter complained of warrant a reasonable person to believe that the alleged violation of this code is more likely than not to have occurred. I'm I'm all in favor of the reasonable person standard. I just want to make sure that that's the actual proposed change.

Yeah, the actual proposed change. Thank you for your comment and and let me also point out that um I'm on uh online also another member of the commission Claudia Schmouse is online as well. Um yeah, the um language that was in the initial draft, you you cite correctly, the language that was in the slide I presented last week, which included the uh the ground verbiage was adopted because that was the language suggested by town council. The the initial language, reasonable person, uh was the commission's language. When council reviewed that, she provided language that was actually taken from the definition used in Black's law dictionary.

So that's why we adopted it because it was endorsed and suggested um recommended by town council. That was the reason for the change in language. So I'm I'm sorry. I'm not sure I'm hearing this right. Okay. What's the actual suggested this one? The actual suggested language is to reasonable ground. Yeah. As opposed to reasonable person. Um re So the actual suggestion is what I presented last week. The recommendation.

Yeah. Yeah, I mean I I looked at several other towns and they they even are even more plain because they say it doesn't uh rise to the level of um it's above mere suspicion but less than proof beyond a reasonable doubt. And they also use the reasonable person standard. I I just I'm I'm really not liking the language, the reasonable grounds um verbiage as opposed to a reasonable person, which I think more people would understand. Yeah,

I I think that's a fair comment and I think, you know, the commission um could adopt person rather than ground. So we we would make that change. I I think that's a reasonable reasonable request and I think it's a reasonable person to I think well if you if you look at it's just easier to read if you Thank you. I think if this is consistent with established law it if it does the same thing.

Yeah. And it is balanced by the you know the reasonable ground is you know it's it's it's not totally equivocal and then may have occurred. So that gives you that gives someone a lot of leeway you know you can there's a reasonable ground to say yeah possibly so let's open a hearing. Um and then the finding of violation is obviously a little tighter. Yes. Um so I'm personally I'm comfortable with this uh because it is consistent

um language with established law but I think it if if you want to go to person it you know it it has the same function really I I think we agree with you. So why don't we edit that revision that proposed revision to read reasonable person as opposed to ground. I think that makes sense and it's uh uh it doesn't dilute or uh modify the uh the intent of that recommendation at all. Yeah. So, okay, point well taken.

So, do you want to check with your committee before because I will tell you conservation is coming back with their proposed changes to their ordinance in two weeks at the first meeting in April. So we can do you both and approve you both if you want to run this by ethics one more time or to question Christy Kelly why she sh she suggested the word change I we're okay for two weeks because we're not going to a town meeting just you or just conservation we're going together

all right okay why don't we that's fine um we'll send a notice to commission members to see if any everyone anyone objects and copy Christy in on that and to get her her opinion that that's fine. Are we good with that? I'm good with that then. Yeah, absolutely. I mean there's plenty of uh town and city code of ethics that have the reasonable person standard in their in their code. You say that uh I think I took uh East Hatam. I took London. So they even kind of break it down a little bit more that it's uh the belief should be more than a mere suspicion, less than a

proof beyond a reasonable doubt. I'm fine with the way it's phrased here. I just would like to change the reasonable ground to a reasonable person. Okay. Okay. Just just because I know there's a couple of members of your committee that will want to say something about this. So I'm pretty sure that they Yeah. Well, I think Okay. Yeah, that's fine. And I want them to have their say because otherwise they'll feel that they weren't heard. No, I think it's fine because as I said, the original language that we had was person and then we just changed it because of Christy Kelly's comment. So I don't think anyone's going to object. We'll be fine. I am okay with this. Right. Okay.

I appreciate that. I'm just looking at it as as you know somebody looking at this to fill it out to figure out because I mean the the the burden of proof is on the complainant. So I think it needs to be readily understandable by a member of the public. We totally agree because that's the whole point of this exercise was to make it uh readily understandable and a little bit more clear and clearly easily understood. So point was taken. Thank you. Okay, we are down to the last select them in general discussion. Do we have anything for general discussion for the good of the town? Martha, can I just

Oh, sorry. Sure. Go ahead. That's okay. So, barring that one uh change, um was the uh were there any other comments on the proposed revisions? No, I just think that Lou uh I will say only say to you that we have to put it in an easier format for presentation to the town meeting. That's all. Okay. We can work on that subsequent. Yeah. Okay. Great. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Anything select this general discussion except for the fact about the crack in the table that we're not going to have place.

Uh we discussed uh the Rivercog letter concerning SB151. Just wondering if that was I think I think we're done. Sam sent it out all to represent all the co all the towns. So that wasn't something that was signed by individual towns. No, it was signed by Sam on behalf of all the towns that he represented. Okay. And I did send a copy of that to Elizabeth Reagan. She asked for a copy. I can send a copy to both of you if you would like it. I I saw his testimony.

Okay. Um, I we talked about the the bid policy and the bid policy was discussed earlier and in reading through the bid policy prior to the meeting, I just uh noticed that it doesn't say anything about and we because we've discussed this before, but it doesn't uh say anything about uh taxes and good standing. Um, so I want you to know that the finance board is currently looking at their policies to advise, but I will mention that tomorrow night. That'd be great because I I mean I think that's important. Um, you know, if you're doing business with you should goes both ways. So, yep.

I agree. John, I mean Jim. See, I too liberally. Does anybody have Does anyone have a middle name I could use instead? No. No, I really don't for a change have anything extra to add to the meeting. Okay. Okay. So, I need a motion to adjurnn. I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Second at uh 6:55.