1973/01/02MINUTES
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
January 2, 1973
The meeting was opened at 7:30 p.m. by First Selectman Arthur B. Powers.
All Selectmen were present.
Also present were: Miss Oeena Clavette and Mrs. Joyce Moller, both of
the press and a representative of WNTY.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Rio, it was voted to accept the
minutes of 12/18/72. MOTION CARRIED.
Regarding the possibility of bike paths, Mr. Powers said he had noted in
the Park and Recreation Commission's minutes that the Commission has "heard
nothing" Mr. Powers reported he spoke with Mr. McGlone and he was informed
that Pare and Recreation would like a letter on the matter.
Mr. Powers said he hoped to have the preliminary budget ready for the next
meeting. Mr. Powers said he has planned a meeting with Thomas Ward, Chair-
man of the Finance Board, to discuss revenue sharing and also would tell
Mr. Ward that the Board of Selectmen would like to meet with the Board of
Finance at their convenience.
Mr. Powers read a letter from the Board of Finance requesting that the
Board of Selectmen call a Town Meeting for the following purpose: To
transfer $10,000 from the General Fund to Board of Education account
#1022 for the express purpose of Band Uniforms.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Rio, it was voted to call a
Town Meeting for the above purpose on 15 January 1973 at 8:00 p.m. at
the McGee School. MOTION CARRIED.
Mr. Powers presented a copy of the Hearing Examiner's Report and Recom-
mendations and the Final Determination for Manafort Brothers, Inc., Order
#989, as submitted to us by Merwin E. Hupfer, Director of Water Compli-
ance of the Department of Enviornmental Protection.
Mr. Powers said he was disturbed when he saw garbage lying uncovered in the
fill area next to the Incinerator and said he would contact New Britain to
see to it that it is cleaned up.
In discussing the letter from Attorney Greene {see minutes 12/18/72) who
represents a group of Newington residents who wish to use Selden School
as a Day Care Center, Mr. Powers said he understood that the President of
the eouncil of Youth, Michael Mtesterltng, said that the Council of Youth
favors making the facility available for this purpose. Mr. Powers said
he has not yet heard from the Youth Council, but would write to Attorney
Greene for more specific details and send a copy of both letters to Father
Lord. Mr. Powers further stated that perhaps we can make repairs to the
wiring and the water situation and we may be able to get some rental out
of it. However, other residents have tried to rent out the building for a
nursery school and were denied.
On motion by Mr. Rio, seconded by Mr. Powers, it was voted to sign a docu-
ment in which the Kensington Fire District, whech is laying a sanitary
sewer through property of Anne R. Bodach upon which the Town of Berlin has
a lien for welfare payments, has requested that the Town subordinate its
interest to the right-of-way. MOTION CARRIED.. (MR..LANZONI A~TAINING DUE
TO THF FART THAT HF TS A M£MBER OF THE KENSINGTON FIRE DIS~R.ICT).
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1/2/73
Mr. Powers read a letter from Town Counsel, Harry N. Jackaway, in which
he advises that the Attorney for the Drive-in Theater has requested that
the Board of Selectmen sign the enclosed Certificate of Compliance so that
the case may be withdrawn from Federal Court. Mr. Rio said that the fence
does not go all the way to Selden Street. Mr. Powers said he and Mr.
Seelye had inspected the area and he didn't realize that there was any
portion that had not been fenced in although they were not bound to any
number of specific feet. Mr. Powers said further there is a pipe along
there and this may be the reason for stopping the fence at that point.
The pipe is a drainage pipe. Mr. Powers said he would look into the matter
and Mr. Rio said he thought it best to go over it again before signing the
document submitted by Town Counsel.
The secretary read a letter from Kenneth A. Wood, Jr., Assistant Commis-
sioner of the Department of Environmental Protection confirming "previous
discussions concerning the request of the Central Connecticut Regional
Authority for a solid waste grant and to report on the most recent develop-
ments''. The body of the letter is quoted below:
"As we discussed at our meeting of November 16,me Department of Envtorn-
mental Protection has requested a grant from the State Bond Commission
for the sum of $183,)00 to design a regional solid waste facility which
would have a high probability of fitting into the state-wide system which
is also being designed. You will recall that the study will take 120 days,
with an additional two weeks for the preparation of a written report, for
a total of 134 days. As we indicated~ our meeting, about ninety percent
of the design would be applicable in any of the regions in which there are
pressing and immediate solid waste problems (Hartford, New Brttain, New
Haven and others). On December 8, the State Bond Commission approved the
grant request and the Hartford region has been d~stgnated as the initial de-
sign area. Results from this design are expected to be complete in the
latter part of April. it is our intention, at that time, to meet with you
and reexamine your needs in light of the recommendations of this design
study. We will, therefore, plan to meet with you as soon as this informa-
tion is available so that the Central Connecticut Regional Authority will
be able to continue its planning and implementation schedule with the bene-
fit of this additional information."
Mr. Powers explained the reason for our grant being turned down (because of
the above mentioned study period). Mr. Powers said we were reluctant to
allow this but they had us so we had to go along with them. Actually we
requested the study at their request said Mr. Powers. We are cony(need,~
now, continued Mr. Powers, that our best bet is a turnkey operation.
On motion by Mr. Lanzoni, seconded by Mr. Rio, it was voted to reappoint
Wallace Mierzejewski and Philip Maule to three year terms on the Park &
Recreation Commission. Their terms of office will expire on 31 December
1975. MOTION CARRIED.
On motion by Mr. Lanzonl, seconded by Mr. Rio, it was voted to appoint
Joseph Pegolo to a five year term on the Zoning Commission. Term to ex-
pire on 31 December 1977. Also it was voted to express thanks to Mr.
William Diskin who served so ably on this Commission. (Mr. Pegolo will
replace Mr. Diskin, who was not reappointed). MOTION CARRIED.
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1/2/73
On motion by Mr. Lanzont, seconded by Mr. Rio, it was voted to appoint
Joseph Gagltardi to the Zoning Commission as an Alternate Hember to
f~11 the vacaucy created when Joseph Pegolo was appointed as a Regular
Hember. Hr. Gagltardt's termS11 expire on 31 December 1974. MOTION
CARRIED.
On motion by Mr. Lanzont, seconded by Mr. Rio, it was voted to eea~o~nt
Alfred Curnow and Fred Oowns to three year terms on the Pollution Control
Commtssfon, their terms to exptre on 31 Oune 1975 and Nllltam Dtsktn to
the same Commission. Hr. Oisktn's term of office wtll exptre on 30 June
1974. MOTION CARRIED.
Hr. Powers said he had wrttten to the State Department of Forestry as
regards the Dutch Elm Dtsease. That Oepartment sent material telltng
what is known about the dtsease and that there ts no known cute for the
Dutch Elm Dtsease and trees already infected cannot be saved.
Mr. Rio asked ff Hr. Powers had heard from the Public Butldlng Commission
with regards to the possibility of holding a public hearing on the new
Municipal Complex. Mr. Powers satd he had spoken with Mr. Gandolfo but
that Mr. Gandolfo had said he would send a letter to the Board of Selectmen.
Mr. Powers satd that Hr. Gandolfo had told h~m tnformally that we have
never had a public hearing.on the destgn of a butld~ng before. Mr. Rio
said that Jt was not hts intent to ask for a publlc heartng on the destgn.
Hr. Powers satd the architects have come up with a destgn and now that all
that money has been spent it ts too late to make changes in the destgn.
Hr. Rto satd he~lt townspeople, stnce they are paying for tt, should have
the opportuntty to see it and make comments, not about the design but the
appearance. Mr. Powers asked what he meant by appearance and Hr. Rto satd
the exterior appearance, whether tt will be of brtck, etc. and whether it
would be a colonial style or a modern style. Hr. Powers said If people
were to dectde they wanted a particular style of architecture the whole
plans would have to be changed. They have destgned a building based on
the square footage needed, the topography of the land as well as other con-
slderattons. ~e have never had a publlc hearing on the schools that were
butlt tn town. Mr. Rto sald he had heard some people say that there was
no need for a new Town Hall. Mr. Powers said the public fs tnvtted to come
to my office and take a good look around and they w11~ see tt ts needed.
Hr. R~o said he was not questioning the legality of the Publtc Butldtng
Commission's responsibility to follow 1ts charge but that he felt that tax-
payers ought to have a chance to voice theft optnton. Mr. RIo asked if
theft dectston not to have a public heartng ts based on principle or what?
Mr. Powers said tt fs based on money, when you constder that the work has
already been done, and to change tt would cost a great deal of money not to
mentton time. Mr. Powers satd~the Public Butlding Commtsston would be workin.
with the Design Review Committee. Mr. Rio said tf they (the Public Butldtng
Commission tsn't willing to listen to the people, maybe they won't listen
to the Design Review Committee. Hr. Powers said he dtdn't want to put words
into Mr. Gandolfo's mouth and would wait and when hts letter arrives, tt
wtll be presented to the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Rio said he d~dn't want
to get us Involved tn a dispute but he does thtnk lt~s a mistake not to have
a public hearing.
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1/2/73
Mr. Rio asked if Mr. Seelye had prepared the map on the land in East
Berlin to be used for a proposed recreational area. Mr. Powers said
Mr. Seelye is working on it and will have it ready in a day or two.
The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia A. Casella
Secretary