By: Maria Moore

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting began yesterday evening with board members agreeing to add an executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss a personnel matter.

Following are items discussed at last night’s meeting, not necessarily in the order that they appeared on the evening’s agenda (see foot of report).

Agenda Item #5: Appointment of Town Attorney

First Selectman Dan Jerram said that the town operates with four attorneys: Attorney Douglas Gillette of the law firm Day Pitney for Bonding, Attorney Mark Branse of the law firm Branse, Willis and Knapp for Planning & Zoning, Attorney Chip Roraback of Roraback and Roraback for General Law, and up until now, Attorney Ryan of Ryan & Ryan for Labor Law.

Dan said that the town has spent close to $26,000 with the Labor Attorney recently. He proposed making a change from Dave Ryan to Vic Muschell of Muschell and Simoncelli of Torrington. Vic provides services to Northwestern Regional #7 and specializes in labor law. As with the other attorneys, Vic would be providing on-call services which would not be binding the town to any period of time. Both of the other selectmen on the BOS, Bruce Gresczyk and Tom Klebart, approved making the change, and Vic Muchell was unanimously appointed as the new Labor Attorney for the town.

Agenda Item #6: Discussion of Town Engineering Services (On Call)

The contract with Lenard Engineering, the firm that has been providing engineering services to the town, expired this past June. The selectmen considered extending the contract through June of 2010. Bruce said that with the economy the way it is, there’s a lot of room for negotiations on professional services. He suggested putting out an RFP (Request for Proposal) for these services. Christine Hayward, administrative assistant to the First Selectman, informed the board that the last RFP had been issued in 2005; before that the town had been sharing engineering services with Granby for many years. Tom agreed with Bruce to put out an RFP. The selectmen agreed to table the matter for now.

Agenda Item #8: Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Farmington Valley Health District: Before going over the list of appointments to the town’s boards and commissions, Dan said that Bruce Gresczyk was being nominated as the town’s representative on the Farmington Valley Health District.

Dan said he’d gone to as many meetings as possible and that he’s trying to meet with everyone before they’re renominated. Following are those individuals that were reappointed, and those with whom Dan still has to make contact:

Commission on Aging:

• Reappointed: Ellen Durstin, Mary Kent.
• One vacancy on the commission to be filled.

Conservation Commission:

• Reappointed: Stan Brobston, Paul Mahoney, Helen Sellei.
• Need to meet with: David Buyak.

Economic Development Commission:

• Reappointed: Bill Bohan, W. Blake Hall, Jr., Donna LaPlante.

Historic District Commission:

• Need to meet with: Daniel Romaniello.
• 2 alternate vacancies on the commission to be filled.

Inland Wetlands Commission:

• Reappointed: Jack Trumbull, James Hall.
• Need to meet with: Troy LaMere, and Wayne Ryznar (alternate).

Open Space Preservation Commission

• No expiring regular members.
• 1 regular vacancy (should be BOF representative), 1 alternate vacancy.

Recreation Commission:

• Reappointed: Dan Eddy, Don Govotski, Laura McCarthy.

Retirement Board/Pension Committee:

• Reappointed: Elizabeth Connors, Debra Brasfield.
• 1 vancancy to fill.

Water Pollution Control Authority

• Reappointed: Ken Krohner.
• Need to meet with: Bill Michaud.
• 2 vacancies.

Agenda Item #4: Grants Update

Dan provided an update on the grants the town has ongoing.  Following are some notable developments:

Low Impact Development Grant ($47,000): A Town Planner is required to be appointed under this grant and an RFP is being put together for this.  The town must go to contract by January 21.

The following residents have been appointed to the Low Impact Development Task Force:  Ted Stoutenberg, Dave Krimmel, Tony Piana,  Stan Brobston, Mary Ann Gunning, Ron Miller, John Shaw, Carol Youell, and Tom Klebart.

STEAP Grant ($250,000): The town needs to decide where the grant money will be best utilized, since the grant received is half the $500,000 the town had applied for and will only cover one of the two sewer line projects that need to be done (one on Main Street and the other on Brook Street).  Dan asked the other selectmen to expand the scope of the Building Oversight Committee (BOC) for the wastewater treatment plant currently under construction, so that the BOC could analyze the data and make a recommendation to the selectmen on which project will be done.  ”There’s a tight timeframe ~ within 30 days.” Dan said.

Roy Litchfield and Denton Butler, two of the BOC members at the meeting, agreed it could be done within that timeframe, even with the holidays coming.

The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved expanding the scope of the BOC to analyze and make recommendations for which project to choose.

HUD Block Grant ($300,000): The grant money is expected to be received mid-February to March.  There are 15 applications on file, and the money will be allocated in the order that the applications were received.

Agenda Item #3: Operations Updates

Town Hall Hours of Operation: Dan said he has met with the employees’ union and is still discussing the new hours of operation.  He wants to make changes after the first of the year, but he said, out of consideration of the employees, there won’t be any change without a two-week notice to the employees.

Northwest Chamber of Commerce meeting: Dan updated the other selectmen on his attendance of a Northwest Chamber of Commerce meeting recently.  As a result of that meeting, he had gone on a tour of the commercial buildings in town with Vance Taylor, a commercial real estate broker and a past president of the Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

Add-on to Agenda: Executive Session

The Board of Selectmen met for about 15 minutes in executive session regarding a personnel matter.  At the end of the session there were no motions, and no additional information was made available.

To read the official minutes: of this Board of Selectmen meeting when they become available, please see the Minutes and Agendas section of the town’s municipal website.

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Following is the agenda for the Board of Selectmen Meeting held yesterday, Monday, December 21, reported on above.

1.)Minutes

2.)Opportunity for Public Comment

3.)Operations Updates ( First Selectman’s Report)

4.)Grants Update

5.)Appointment of Town Attorney

6.)Discussion of Town Engineering Services (on call services)

7.)Discussion regarding Subordination Request (Housing Rehab)

8.)Appointments to Boards and Commissions (Annual and any others needed)

9.)Low Impact Development Task Force Appointments

10.)Correspondence

11.)Request for Tax Refunds

12.)Any Other Business to Come Before This Board

A view of Brook Street, one of the two streets in the running for sewer repairs under a STEAP grant received by the town. Photo: Maria Moore