Oswegatchie Fire Station Building Committee - Minutes - 09/03/2026

FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
PHONE: 860-442-0553
www. waterfordct.org
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September 3, 2026 
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Pledge of Allegiance 
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Meeting called to order at 6:32 pm.
Mernbers Present:
Robert Tuneski, Ursula Moreshead, Richard Muckle, Wayne Gilpin, Timothy Sullivan, Paul Rafuse, Rocco
Barcciale (6:40 pm)
Kathleen Elbaum, Matthew. Blankenship.
Guests:
Susan Driscoll, Steve Smith, Eric Cantar, Chris Haley, Director Fire Services, David Ferland, Chief of Police
Public Comment:
None.
Opening Remarks:
We received a letter of resignation of Matthew Blankenship two days ago. He sent it to us and to David
Campo, Town Clerk, | believe that he is an at large candidate. 
| believe the RTM will have to assign
someone to replace him. 
| hope that Madame Moderator will considers someone as balanced as Matt
was. He was a really good addition to the team, he was dedicated, thorough, and conscientious.
Review and Approve Minutes:
Motion: by Timothy Sullivan and Ursula Moreshead to approve the minutes of August 20, 2026.
Motion is withdrawn,
The minutes are out there, in the Correspondence you will see some feedback from Madame
Moderator. Sue Driscoll —it is not the accuracy of the minutes, its cut and paste, the best way |
can describe it. The second half if the minutes is the repeated version of the same pages from
the August 6, 2026, meeting. What is missing is the discussion on the traffic light and on the
subcommittee.

Motion: by Paul Rafuse and Timothy Sullivan to table approval of the last meeting minutes till
the revised version of the minutes is available for review.
For: Unanimous
Invoice Payments:
Motion: by Paul Rafuse and Ursula Moreshead to approve Silver Petrucelli invoice #26-930 in
the amount of $5,280.00.
For: Unanimous.
Motion: by Timothy Sullivan and Ursula Moreshead to approve US Digital Design invoice
#5273706712 in the amount of $4,500.00.
Amended Motion: by Rich Muckle and Wayne Gilpin to table US Digital invoice #5273706712
for $4,500.00 until the next meeting.
For: Unanimous.
Chris Haley — US Digital Designs is in part owner ship with Honeywell. That is the notifer alarm
system for the fire alarm system in the building. This is a legitimate invoice. This is for the
oversight, management, oversight and testing of the system. | spoke with them to clarify what
was for the alarm panels and what was for alerting system. 
| printed out their billing milestones
that goes along with these projects and according to them it is in line, which is why { called
them. 
| will check with the Finance Department tomorrow.
Wayne Gilpin — if this is for a physical product that we have in hand, then yes it should be paid.
But if this is for labor that will be done nine months from now, | am not quite sure we should be
paying them before the labor is done,
Rich Muckle — what does the purchase order say? 
| would like to make a motion that we can’t
pay this until we have further clarification. is this project management or installation costs?
Motion: by Ursula Moreshead and Wayne Gilpin to table US Digital invoice 45243706709 in the
amount of $4,225.30 until the next meeting,
For: Unanimous.
Old Business:
Steve Smith — the Barton and Loguidice request for their request of $7,500 to the Purchasing Agent. 
|
have asked for backup information from them and received it and reviewed it. We have gone back and
forth and had them break it down from the categories that they have an increase in services, and after
review and discussions with them, Downes is okay with what they are asking for in terms of the
information they have provided. At some point, the committee will need to approve that $7,500.
Current Business:
Construction Status: Steve Smith — despite the rain, it is going well. They had a few days with some of
the down pours that they have not been able to work, but the site is draining well. They have a good
stone base on site to not Jet the mud get in the way of the progress of the construction. They are laying
out and currently starting utility work, under slab utility work within the next couple of weeks. The
mason should be onsite to start their work. They do need some masonry to be complete to start the
slabs for building. Once the slabs are done and in October the steel will go up and you will start to see

the shell of the building. Not too long after that it will be enclosed. Right now it has just been the
foundation, there is a lot of work that goes into that and what is underground there, by the end of the
month you will start to see a structure come out of the ground. The stee! will be here in October. We
met with them today onsite, the contractor, architect, and Eric joins us for project issues and progress
and things they may need from Eric. We do that every two weeks and we are doing well. We will have
an updated project schedule by next meeting.
Rocco Barcciale — js there an updated project schedule?
Steve Smith — we will have that next meeting.
Chris Haley ~ are we still looking for haunches in the footings, is that part of that?
Steve Smith — that is where utilities are coming into the building from outside and there is a detail that
was implemented to get those under the footings and foundation walls, so it is a non-issue.
Rich Muckle ~ we talked last meeting about electrical access for the traffic signal.
Steve Smith — | have asked them for a price to add a couple of conduits for the traffic light Eric and |
have to discuss where those have to come into the building and finalize that.
New Business:
Bob Tuneski -—| have asked Chief Ferland to come speak to us as the LTA on the status of the request for
a light outside of the Oswegatchie Fire Station. Chief, the floor is yours.
Chief Ferland- We submitted a request to OSTA back in May for a traffic light, I’m including my letter [
wrote with it to make sure you guys backed that. They asked for submission from the LTA and were told
the received it and the next day all that they would say was OSTA does not support that type of traffic
signal at this time. They suggested that we complete construction and have the fire trucks running out
of there and if we have problems come back to them to reconsider. We asked at that time that they
reconsider again, expressed again that there is an existing signal there. This is essentially an upgraded
newer signal and moving it 100 feet or whatever the distance is and the reply was the State of
Connecticut does not support these lights at this time. We have asked for a meeting with Matt Balino,
Director Haley and myself. Out meeting with DOT will be on next Tuesday. Our plan is to try to pitch
about the regressions of their decision. Their argument was there you're going to train people that
there is a flashing yellow light there and ail of a sudden there will be a red light. That will create a
problem. The counter to that is there has been an existing light there for how long there? We have had
it in front of Jordan, and that one functions more frequently, we have not had any issues with that light
and people ignoring the red light. It seems to work! Our residents and people traveling through town
are used to that so | think it is regressive to go back to having no light there and then say in two years
when this building is done and then you have issues and crashes, come back to us and we will reconsider
this. That is where we are at, at this point and time. The two concerns that Chief Ballestrassi had before
he left, and so did |, was line of sight which was taken care of no problem and the idea of backing in with
the light there. Even if the lights are on the fire truck, you are technically not responding to an
emergency, you not an emergency vehicle. Legally, you can’t do that, so he put the policy in about the
no backing. The police department does not enforce policy, but should there be an issue with no traffic
light and there is an issue there, it is a moving violation. Our position is we strongly encourage it! We
only see growth happening in that area of town. | also see another out building going up on in the

future once the old building is down, It could be used for emergency management vehicles, and
supplies stored there.
Ursula Moreshead — if the states says no final answer, what is our back up plan to be able to navigate
the traffic or is there a plan b?
Chief Ferland — so ultimately if there is no light able to get there and they are steadfast saying no, our
stance will be don’t back the fire trucks in there, That is the bigger issue, less about them getting out. If
we see issues, which | hope we wouldn’t, we have to go back louder and let them know there is public
complaints when they have lights on when we are leaving but the state won't let us do anything about
it. 
[do not think it will get to that level.
Ursula Moreshead ~ what do they have there now? Are there any blinking warning lights currently
installed.
Chief Ferland — there is currently a blinking flashing yellow light. When it works, there is circuit issues
with it. It is always flashing yellow right now.
Steve Smith — | would like to ask the committee to consider a change order review and action to every
meeting, even if there are not any at every meeting there will be a slot there. Next meeting, you will see
your first change order for the project. It is a $1,200 change for the project. It isa fire rating change on
a door they are putting in.
Correspondence:
Bob Tuneski - We did have the letter from Moderator Driscoll, we put it in here just too really be official,
more than anything else it was a catch on her part with the meeting minutes that looks like somehow
part of the minutes did not make it out to everyone which made it look like it was incomplete and to
your point it did not reflect what was discussed at that meeting. 
1 do recall seeing it prior to her sending
it out last week and reading through it and it made sense and we are addressing what you are saying.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 6:30pm at the Police Station.
Motion: to adjourn by Rich Muckle and Ursula Moreshead.
For: Unanimous
Meeting adjourned at 7:24pm
Respectfully submitted by:
Maryellen McConnell, Recording Secretary