June 21, 2007
Call to Order
The Killingworth Town Office Building Study Committee held a meeting on June 21, 2007, at the Killingworth Town Office Building, 323 Route 81, Killingworth, Connecticut. Members in attendance were Gwenne Lally, Lou Annino and Jim Lally. Others in attendance were Selectman Fred Dudek and Arlene Tunney. Chairman Lally called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM.
Introduction of Visitors
There were no visitors present.
Approval of May Minutes
Tabled until the next meeting.
Communications
Community Garden Update
Chairman Lally noted Peg Scofield is doing an amazing amount of work on the Community Garden. The Board of Selectmen have been incredibly supportive of the project. Trees have been trimmed. There is a dumpster on the property for garbage. The white shed is being converted and made safe for use. Soil preparation is going on with Eric Auer and Peter Venuti helping. Peter Richards from Clinton Nurseries is giving fertilizer. Karen and Mike Milano have offered a sign. Selectman Dudek noted he read in the Inland Wetlands Minutes they have a concern about the well and the fertilizer, but there was no further discussion about it.
Mark Simon of Centerbrook Architects
Chairman Lally noted First Selectman Klein had recommended she call Mark Simon from Centerbrook Architects. Mr. Simon called her and offered himself as a resource in looking at this project to be sure it is as “green” as possible. Mr. Simon suggested members of the Committee plan to do a field trip to their offices to check out available resources.
Old Business
Report Template
Chairman Lally noted she was responsible for putting together the report template for the Power Point presentation but has not had sufficient time yet to do so. This will be done by the meeting.
Chairman Lally reviewed the assigned tasks -
Hilary Kumnick was to provide more information on the Town Clerk's Office requirements.
Jim Lally was to provide a sketch plan of the current Town Office Building concept and possible Bosco options.
Bob Aft was to investigate information on the addition being a prefab structure.
Chairman Lally noted Mark Simon will assist with the “green construction options.”
Arlene Tunney was to provide recommendations for furniture and reconfigurations.
Chairman Lally reviewed the scheduled completion of the report. Jim Lally asked if the finished report would tell exactly what square footage was needed. Chairman Lally replied yes. She stated her notes in terms of square footage indicate the only significant changes in terms of space needs were the Town Clerk and Tax Collector.
There was discussion regarding the office space in the Land Use Department. Lou Annino stated there was a notice on the www.killingworthtoday.com website that the hours of the building official and health department were going to be cut and that is a sign of the times.
New Business
Jim Lally noted he was a little perplexed. He thought the Committee was to come up with a concept of getting rid of the modular units at the back of the Town Office Building. He thought it had been discussed that this building was sound, other than a heating system. He also thought one of things that was needed were meeting rooms. Chairman Lally noted the survey that was done indicated the meeting room space wasn't as critical as everyone thought. There is the new Middle School, KES, the Fire House, the Grange Hall. Arlene Tunney noted there is definitely a need for a meeting room for the Selectmen's meetings.
Chairman Lally noted nothing will be acted upon probably until the end of 2007 or beginning of 2008. The lease for the modular units is up in 2011, so the Committee is good relative to time line. The Committee needs to worry a little less about timing at this point and more about what happens. Perhaps the modular units could be moved on to the Bosco property and given a new roof and new life.
Jim Lally noted it would be important to have someone giving direction on the Bosco property so that the Community Garden does not end up where something else was going to go. Selectman Dudek agreed noting that is why he suggested Peg Scofield contact this committee relative to the garden plans.
Jim Lally noted he visits a lot of town halls and sees how they are set up. He mentioned Madison and Cromwell specifically. Cromwell took an old school and made it into a town hall. He noted the Town needs to look at something under $1 million that will be functional and fit the town in a conservative fashion.
Mr. Lally had prepared a sketch of what he envisioned could replace the modular units. It was a post and beam barn with two stories (basement with offices). The lower level could possibly contain offices of civil preparedness and Land Use. There could be a couple of open meeting rooms on the main floor.
Mr. Lally also noted it was part of the charge of this Committee to find a use for the Bosco property. There was discussion regarding the old post and beam barn on the Bosco property and its condition. Chairman Lally suggested it might be used as a community meeting space. Arlene Tunney noted it would be too expensive to fix it up for that purpose. Chairman Lally also noted there other issue would be parking. Jim Lally noted there would be plenty of parking in the back. There was a brief discussion regarding having an elevator to meet handicap needs. Arlene Tunney noted any new construction would have to meet ADA requirements and be up to municipal code.
Bosco House and 14 Acres
Jim Lally noted he would like to schedule a site visit of Committee members at the Bosco property. An evening would be okay if weekends aren't convenient. Lou Annino reminded Chairman Lally that someone would need to get the key from the Town Hall to get on to the property.
It was decided Chairman Lally would contact everyone by email to set up a convenient time for a Bosco property site visit and a field trip to Mark Simon, Centerbrook Architects. She will also contact Peg Scofield to see what the proposed location of the Community Garden is. It was noted water for the garden would be handled by a manual hand pump at this time.
Chairman Lally commended Jim Lally for his work on the sketch of what he envisioned as a concept. She also noted she would put together the template for the report for the next meeting to be held on July 19th. There was a brief discussion on what the report would contain.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.
The Killingworth Town Office Building Study Committee held a meeting on June 21, 2007, at the Killingworth Town Office Building, 323 Route 81, Killingworth, Connecticut. Members in attendance were Gwenne Lally, Lou Annino and Jim Lally. Others in attendance were Selectman Fred Dudek and Arlene Tunney. Chairman Lally called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM.
Introduction of Visitors
There were no visitors present.
Approval of May Minutes
Tabled until the next meeting.
Communications
Community Garden Update
Chairman Lally noted Peg Scofield is doing an amazing amount of work on the Community Garden. The Board of Selectmen have been incredibly supportive of the project. Trees have been trimmed. There is a dumpster on the property for garbage. The white shed is being converted and made safe for use. Soil preparation is going on with Eric Auer and Peter Venuti helping. Peter Richards from Clinton Nurseries is giving fertilizer. Karen and Mike Milano have offered a sign. Selectman Dudek noted he read in the Inland Wetlands Minutes they have a concern about the well and the fertilizer, but there was no further discussion about it.
Mark Simon of Centerbrook Architects
Chairman Lally noted First Selectman Klein had recommended she call Mark Simon from Centerbrook Architects. Mr. Simon called her and offered himself as a resource in looking at this project to be sure it is as “green” as possible. Mr. Simon suggested members of the Committee plan to do a field trip to their offices to check out available resources.
Old Business
Report Template
Chairman Lally noted she was responsible for putting together the report template for the Power Point presentation but has not had sufficient time yet to do so. This will be done by the meeting.
Chairman Lally reviewed the assigned tasks -
Hilary Kumnick was to provide more information on the Town Clerk's Office requirements.
Jim Lally was to provide a sketch plan of the current Town Office Building concept and possible Bosco options.
Bob Aft was to investigate information on the addition being a prefab structure.
Chairman Lally noted Mark Simon will assist with the “green construction options.”
Arlene Tunney was to provide recommendations for furniture and reconfigurations.
Chairman Lally reviewed the scheduled completion of the report. Jim Lally asked if the finished report would tell exactly what square footage was needed. Chairman Lally replied yes. She stated her notes in terms of square footage indicate the only significant changes in terms of space needs were the Town Clerk and Tax Collector.
There was discussion regarding the office space in the Land Use Department. Lou Annino stated there was a notice on the www.killingworthtoday.com website that the hours of the building official and health department were going to be cut and that is a sign of the times.
New Business
Jim Lally noted he was a little perplexed. He thought the Committee was to come up with a concept of getting rid of the modular units at the back of the Town Office Building. He thought it had been discussed that this building was sound, other than a heating system. He also thought one of things that was needed were meeting rooms. Chairman Lally noted the survey that was done indicated the meeting room space wasn't as critical as everyone thought. There is the new Middle School, KES, the Fire House, the Grange Hall. Arlene Tunney noted there is definitely a need for a meeting room for the Selectmen's meetings.
Chairman Lally noted nothing will be acted upon probably until the end of 2007 or beginning of 2008. The lease for the modular units is up in 2011, so the Committee is good relative to time line. The Committee needs to worry a little less about timing at this point and more about what happens. Perhaps the modular units could be moved on to the Bosco property and given a new roof and new life.
Jim Lally noted it would be important to have someone giving direction on the Bosco property so that the Community Garden does not end up where something else was going to go. Selectman Dudek agreed noting that is why he suggested Peg Scofield contact this committee relative to the garden plans.
Jim Lally noted he visits a lot of town halls and sees how they are set up. He mentioned Madison and Cromwell specifically. Cromwell took an old school and made it into a town hall. He noted the Town needs to look at something under $1 million that will be functional and fit the town in a conservative fashion.
Mr. Lally had prepared a sketch of what he envisioned could replace the modular units. It was a post and beam barn with two stories (basement with offices). The lower level could possibly contain offices of civil preparedness and Land Use. There could be a couple of open meeting rooms on the main floor.
Mr. Lally also noted it was part of the charge of this Committee to find a use for the Bosco property. There was discussion regarding the old post and beam barn on the Bosco property and its condition. Chairman Lally suggested it might be used as a community meeting space. Arlene Tunney noted it would be too expensive to fix it up for that purpose. Chairman Lally also noted there other issue would be parking. Jim Lally noted there would be plenty of parking in the back. There was a brief discussion regarding having an elevator to meet handicap needs. Arlene Tunney noted any new construction would have to meet ADA requirements and be up to municipal code.
Bosco House and 14 Acres
Jim Lally noted he would like to schedule a site visit of Committee members at the Bosco property. An evening would be okay if weekends aren't convenient. Lou Annino reminded Chairman Lally that someone would need to get the key from the Town Hall to get on to the property.
It was decided Chairman Lally would contact everyone by email to set up a convenient time for a Bosco property site visit and a field trip to Mark Simon, Centerbrook Architects. She will also contact Peg Scofield to see what the proposed location of the Community Garden is. It was noted water for the garden would be handled by a manual hand pump at this time.
Chairman Lally commended Jim Lally for his work on the sketch of what he envisioned as a concept. She also noted she would put together the template for the report for the next meeting to be held on July 19th. There was a brief discussion on what the report would contain.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.
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