Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency

Minutes

                                                              May 7, 2007

Attendance:

Chester:              

Clinton:              

Deep River:          Rob Wylie

Essex:                  Tom Danyliw

Killingworth:       Jere Adametz, Pat Smulders

Lyme:                  Frank Skwarek, Ning Rich

Old Lyme:           Jane Marsh

Old Saybrook:     Karen Jo Marcolini                                                                                                          Westbrook:          Bill Neale

Staff:                    Linda Krause, Wini Olson                                                                                        

                        Secretary Bill Neale called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM in the CRERPA Conference Space at 455 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, CT. 06475. Karen Jo Marcolini was welcomed back to board, replacing Stuart Fairbank, who had resigned..

I.    Minutes

Tom Danyliw moved that the minutes of the April 2 meeting be approved as circulated.  The motion was seconded by Frank Skwarek and unanimously approved.

II.       Correspondence

Since “Staff Report” was omitted from the agenda, Linda suggested that she combine that with both written and oral correspondence. The request was granted.

A.     Linda reported that she has been ill and had been frequently absent. It has been decided that the problem is an allergy to an undetermined prescribed drug.  She reported that the Agency is functioning well with occasional phone

      consultations.

B.     The Gateway Conservation District has been designated as a State Greenway. The award will be made on June 1, 2007 at a reception to be held at the state DEP headquarters in Old Lyme. At the same time, Gateway will be given an award for many decades of protecting the view from the Connecticut River.

C.     Linda reported that the Selectmen’s Association will meet here on Wednesday morning. She anticipates that they will approve a contract between DEMHS for Emergency Management

D.     Linda announced that CRERPA is the only region in the state to have all of its towns included in the recent Pictometry oblique angle flight. DEP and DEMHS joined together to record the status of the territory included in the SLOSH. this documents the pre-storm status of property in danger of damage from severe tidal action.

E.      Linda reported that DEMHS is once more redetermining how to arrange the regions.

F.      Linda reported that HHW is open for the season. 114 cars were served at the first Essex event of the season. It was preceded by a satellite collection in Clinton and an electronics collection in Essex. As instructed by the Selectman’s Association, Westbrook residents are turned away from all collections until their share of operating costs for the program is paid. There is some hope that the second and third Selectmen will join the board of finance in paying the outstanding bill.

G.      Torrance is serving as temporary ZEO in Westbrook. The Agency bills $66.00 per hour for his time.  Tor also fills in for Old Saybrook ZEO Chris Costa when she feels that she could have a conflict of interest.

H.     Linda reported that the Chester Plan of Conservation and Development is proceeding nicely.  At the same time, the CRE plan is evolving.

I.        Margot Burns has been promoted to Environmental Planner.

IV.   Reports

       A.  Treasurer

                         The Treasurer’s report was distributed.

             Linda noted that there still is no state or federal budget. If no clues are received by June, she suggested that the previous budget be reaffirmed.

                                     Jane Marsh moved that the Treasurer’s report be accepted for audit. The

                   motion was seconded by Ning Rich and unanimously approved.

B.        Referrals

        The only referral is from Old Lyme. In anticipation of replacing the Regional District 18 High School, the Zoning Commission is proposing that Regional Schools be by Special Permit rather than by right. Tor’s written suggestion is that from a zoning standpoint, there in no inter-municipal concern. Frank Skwarek wondered if Lyme and Old Lyme should treat District 18 property in a uniform manner.

        Ning Rich moved that the staff comment be approved and that the comments should be forwarded to the appropriate parties. The motion was seconded by Pat Smulders and approved. Jane Marsh and Frank Skwarek abstained from voting.

        Linda noted that both the Deep River and Clinton Plans of Conservation and Development have been referred for review in June.

                            C.  Transportation

                                    There was no report. 

D.        Liaison

                 There were no reports from other commissions.

V.        Old Business 

                  A budget of some sort must be determined in June.

VI. New Business 

                  There was no new business.

VII. Other Business

A. Essex Traffic Study

                   Tom Danyliw mentioned that the Essex Planning Commission wants to do a traffic study. He asked what funding sources might be available.

Linda explained that, meeting as CREMPO, the Selectman of the region are ready to adopt the UPWP (Unified Planning Work Program) that allows federal money to be used for transportation planning within the region. The work is done by CRERPA. First preference goes to Planning Commissions.     

B. Old Lyme Road Standards

               Linda mentioned that she working on delineating private/non private Road Standards for Old Lyme.

               Bill Neale asked if a copy of the report could be forwarded to Westbrook.

       Pat Smulders moved that the meeting be adjourned.  The meeting was adjourned at

       8:18 PM.                                                                                                                                

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Neale, Secretary