RECEIVED MARCH 18, 2010 @ 8:30 A.M.
Michele R. Grande, Redding Town Clerk
3 pages
REDDING BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING
Minutes
March 15, 2010
Present: Ketcham, Pemberton, Takacs
Police Chief Fuchs, 11 members of the public and a representative of the Redding Pilot
Mrs. Ketcham called the March 15, 2010 meeting to order at 7:30 pm
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: move that the minutes of the February 17, 2010 meeting be approved as submitted. Takacs, Pemberton. Approved. Unanimous.
PRESENTATION: PLANS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING ADDITION
Mrs. Ketcham began the presentation with a review this project. In 2005, the Town applied for and received a STEAP Grant for $500,000 to expand the police department building to address current space limitations. The Town Plan of Conservation and Planning recommendation for the long term was the construction of a new building across the street on town-owned property. The Plan recommends the existing police department building be converted to office/storage use for town offices. The State approved the change in use of the STEAP grant from renovation of existing building to construction of a new building.
Since that time, with the economic conditions changing, the plan for a new building was deemed not practical, and the Town applied for and received State approval a change in the use of the STEAP Grant from new construction to renovation/expansion of the existing building. The project was moved forward last summer with the hiring of the architectural firm of Jacunski Humes Architects, LLC. The renovation/expansion project will serve the needs of the police department until a new and larger facility is needed. When that happens, the existing building can be converted to office use for the Town.
Police Chief Fuchs introduced Brian Humes of Jacunski Humes Architects, LLC. The firm prepared a needs assessment of the police department and found the primary deficiencies were inadequate locker room and one bathroom for the male and female employees. The current locker room also serves as the lunchroom. The other deficiency is in the prisoner-hold facilities and entrance. The current facility has only one room for prisoner hold. The facility can only be accessed through the same entrance used by the public, and the stairs to the actual holding facility creates a safety issue. Jacunski Humes Architects, LLC was asked to create a plan that would address these deficiencies and be within the available STEAP Grant funding of $500,000.
Mr. Humes presented the layout of the new addition along with visual impact and schematic drawings of the exterior when completed. The new two-story addition would contain prisoner-hold facility with a dedicated entrance on the first floor and separate male & female locker rooms and bathroom facilities on the second floor. The plan has been reviewed by Bob Flanagan, Redding’s Zoning Enforcement Officer, and he determined that no zoning variances would be needed.
Mrs. Ketcham invited members of the public to comment on the presentation.
Tom Flagg: commented on the lack of windows on the south side of the building and stairwells to provide natural lighting. Mr. Humes responded that windows are not planned due to privacy and safety issues with the first floor (prisoner-hold area) and the locker/shower room on the second floor, as well as spillover light for the neighboring properties.
Larry Ford: Mr. Ford asked that the plan be clearly communicated to all stakeholders in the project and that all federal, state, regional and local regulations be checked. He suggested the building official and fire marshal review the plans prior to the project being put out to bid. In addition, he asked that all permits be in place prior to construction beginning.
Mike D’Agostino: asked if the expansion would serve the needs of the department in the near future. Chief Fuchs responded that he believes the needs of the department will be served for the foreseeable next 10 years. Beyond that, it is impossible to predict the needs.
The Board of Selectmen has sent the proposal on to the Planning Commission for comment. Further action will be taken when the Planning Commission has completed their review.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
1. NABR Petition: a petition was presented by NABR at the Public Hearing on the budget. The petition asks that the budget be reduced by 10% in 2010 while maintaining services. Controller Gniadek provided an analysis of what this action would mean on the town side of the budget. 10% of the current $12,700,000 budget would mean a decrease of $1,270,000. From that Mr. Gniadek extracted the non-controllable costs (contractual salaries & benefits, debt principal and interest). NABR asked that the budgets for the Mark Twain Library and Park & Recreation Department not be reduced. With those reductions from the budget, the discretionary portion is $5,965,000. This would necessitate a 21.5% reduction in the remainder of the budget to meet NABR’s goals. Mrs.
Ketcham noted that this would be impossible to do and maintain services.
2. APPOINTMENTS/REAPPOINTMENTS
Motion: move to appoint Elaine Wyden as a full member to the Board of Ethics, 3/17/10-3/17/12. Pemberton, Takacs. Approved. Unanimous.
Motion: move to appoint Hank Bielawa as an alternate to the Board of Ethics, 3/15/10-8/1/11. Takacs, Pemberton. Approved. Unanimous.
Motion: move to appoint Elaine Mintz as a full member to the Board of Ethics, 3/15/10-3/9/12. Takacs, Pemberton. Approved. Unanimous.
Motion: move to appoint Ted Ogonek as an alternate on the Zoning Commission, 3/15/10-2/28/12. Takacs, Pemberton. Approved. Unanimous.
3. RESOLUTIONS
a. Motion: move that the Redding Board of Selectmen authorize Controller Steve Gnidek to sign the EECBG (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant) Notice of Grant Award. Takacs, Pemberton. Approved. Unanimous.
b. Motion: move that, contingent upon review by Town Counsel, the Redding Board of Selectmen authorize First Selectman Natalie T. Ketcham to sign the HRRA E Waste Agreement authorizing participation in the program. Takacs, Pemberton. Approved. Unanimous.
4. Employee Handbook change to Short Term Disability Policy: the change in the short term disability policy is to address an inconsistency with the union contracts. This item was tabled.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Frank DeSalvo: commented that the staggering of contract renewals could be advantageous.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion: move that the Board of Selectmen recess to executive session for a discussion of a personnel issue related to the term of employment of a police officer. Takacs, Pemberton. Approved. Unanimous.
Chief Fuchs was invited to be present.
The meeting recessed at 9:00 pm.
RECONVENE
The Chair reconvened the meeting in public session at 9:15 pm.
No further action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Maday
Recording Secretary
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