MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE

CORNWALL BOARD OF SELECTMEN

Monday, January 22, 2008

7:30 p.m. - Town Hall

PRESENT: First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, Selectman K.C. Baird, Selectman Bramley, Highway Foreman Rick Stone, one citizen, one reporter

First Selectman Ridgway called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

MINUTES: Selectman Baird made the motion to approve the minutes of December 6 and January 7, 2008 as presented. First Selectman Ridgway seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: First Selectman Ridgway made the motion to add to the agenda Appointments – After School Program Board, Tax Refunds, Tax Collector Request, and Executive Session: Legal Advice. Selectman Bramley seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

COMMUNICATIONS: Citizen Richard Griggs asked for an update concerning the status of the building downtown West Cornwall which had caught fire.

E – WASTE: First Selectman Ridgway reported to the Board on work done by the Recycling Coordinator Stephen O’Neil to make it possible to dispose of electronic waste at the town transfer station. Mr. O’Neil has contacted a company which would provide at no charge a container for storage of the e waste, provide boxes for packing and pick it up. Salisbury uses this company and is satisfied. Other companies charge rent for the container use and for pick up. The Board discussed this and costs. The Transfer Station permit with the state would need to be revised as the present permit does not permit e waste.

GREEN ENERGY/CCS GRANT: First Selectman Ridgway reported he had met with the Energy Task Force to discuss the $5000 grant from the Community Innovations Grants Program of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. It is the consensus of the Energy Task Force to use $2000 of this for energy related programs at CCS. The board discussed this and the successful sign ups enabling the school to have two and perhaps three solar photovoltaic panels.

First Selectman Ridgway made the motion to accept the recommendation of the Energy Task Force to spend up to $2000 of the $5000 grant towards energy related programs at Cornwall Consolidated School. Selectman Bramley seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

LEGISLATION 2008: First Selectman Ridgway reported he had met in Torrington with area legislators to discuss legislative issues. First Selectman Ridgway had brought to discussion the possibility of local housing groups to apply to the state through their respective towns for state property not vital to the state forest system for use as affordable housing. This had broad support at the meeting. The Board discussed this. Just 1% of the State land in Cornwall would be about 60 acres. First Selectman Ridgway will pursue this.

APPOINTMENTS: The board discussed the After School Program, its membership, the resignation of member Patty Bramley, the change of town Finance Director and a possible member-at-large. The After School Program board will meet and First Selectman Ridgway will ask the new Finance Director to attend.

TAX REFUNDS: The Board reviewed and discussed two tax refunds presented by the Tax Collector. Selectman Baird made the motion to approve the refund of $38.44 to Peter Ripley and of $251.80 to GESF Structured Finance upon clarification of the account being Sharon Auto Body in Sharon, for a total of $290.24. Selectman Bramley seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

BUDGET 2008-09: The Board discussed the highway 2008-09 budget with highway foreman Rick Stone.

BILL PAYMENT: Bills were paid in the usual manner.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: First Selectman Ridgway made the motion to go into executive session to discuss Personnel and Legal Advice. Selectman Bramley seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The Board went into executive session at 9:05 p.m.

The Board came out of executive session at 9:25 p.m. No action was taken.

Meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Joyce Hart

Secretary to the Board of Selectmen