Representative Town Meeting (RTM) - Minutes - 10/28/2021

FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD
PHONE: 860-442-0553
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
www.waterfordct.org
MINUTES 5
REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING =
Special Meeting
Waterford Town Hall - ZOOM only. ‘
October 28, 2021
€4:2 Hd 1- AGH 1202
RTM Moderator Thomas Dembek called the October 28, 2021 Special Meeting of the Representative
Town Meeting to order at 7:02 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Greg Attanasio, Jennifer Bracciale, Timothy Condon, Thomas J. Dembek, Susan Driscoll,
Steven Elci, Timothy Fioravanti, Nick Gauthier, Paul Goldstein, Kathleen Kohl, Valerie Metivier, Richard
Muckle (7:25 P.M.), Theodore Olynciw, Dan Radin, Michael Rocchetti, Danielle Steward-Gelinas, Baird
Welch-Collins.
ABSENT: Michael Bono, April Cairns, Miriam Furey-Wagner, Daviod Lersch, Valerie Metivier, Liam
O'Leary, Robert Swansen.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT: First Selectman Robert J Brule; Chair of the Board of Finance Ronald R.
Fedor, Selectman Elizabeth Sabilia.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ABSENT: Selectwoman Jody Nazarchyk, Chair of the Board of Education Craig
Merriman.
ALSO PRESENT: Town Clerk David L. Campo; Town Attorney Rob Avena.
ITEM C CORRESPONDENCE
Received from RTM Member Ted Olynciw. (See Attachment)
CALL ITEM 1 — Fire Services Hydraulic Equipment
PRESENTATION: Director of Fire Services Michael Howley
MOTION by Welch-Collins, seconded by Goldstein, to approve a recommendation from the Board of
Finance for an appropriation in the amount of $181,000 from designated Line #20523-57826 (Hydraulic
Equipment).
VOTING IN FAVOR: Unanimous
CALL ITEM 2 — Acceptance of Seaview Terrace
PRESENTATION: Planning Director Abby Piersall, Public Works Director Gary Schneider
MOTION by Driscoll, seconded by Goldstein, to accept Seaview Terrace asa TownR
review of documentation by the Town Attorney.
oad, pending final

Discussion ensued.
VOTING IN FAVOR: Attanasio, Bracciale, Condon, Dembek, Driscoll, Elci, Fioravanti, Goldstein, Koh},
Metivier, Morgan, Radin, Rocchetti, Steward-Gelinas.
VOTING AGAINST: Gauthier, Olynciw, Welch-Collins.
Abstained: Muckle
MOTION PASSED: 14-3-1
CALL ITEM 3: Acceptance of Kathryn Court
PRESENTATION: Planning Director Abby Piersall, Public Works Director Gary Schneider
MOTION by Steward-Gelinas, seconded by Driscoll, to accept Kathryn Court as a Town Road, pending
final review of documentation by the Town Attorney.
Discussion ensued.
VOTING IN FAVOR: Attanasio, Bracciale, Condon, Dembek, Elci, Fioravanti, Goldstein, Metivier, Morgan,
Muckle, Radin, Rocchetti, Steward-Gelinas.
VOTING AGAINST: Driscoll, Gauthier, Kohl, Olynciw, Welch-Collins.
Motion Passed: 13-5
Moderator Tom Dembek called for a moment of silence to recognize the previous First Selectman of
fourteen years, Daniel Steward, who had passed away on October 24 2021.
MOTION by Muckle, seconded by Rocchetti, to adjourn at 7:49 P.M.
VOTING IN FAVOR: Unanimous
Respectfuily Submitted,
David L. Campo, CCTC
Waterford Town Clerk

David Campo
From: Thomas Dembek <wastreasurer152@outlook.com>
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2021 1:44 PM
To: David Campo
Subject: FW: RTM AGENDA ITEMS 2 & 3
1 . CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. I
I Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender! 's email address and know the |
, . _ : content is safe. |
From: Ted Olynciw <tedolynciw@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2021 7:55 PM
To: Tom Dembek <wastreasurer152 @outlook.com>
Cc: Gary Schneider <gschneider@waterfordct.org>; Rob Brule <rbrule@waterfordct.org>; Robert Avena
<ravena@sswbgg.com>; Abby Piersall <apiersall@waterfordct.org>
Subject: RTM AGENDA ITEMS 2 & 3
Mr. Thomas Dembek, RTM Moderator
Town of Waterford
15 Rope Ferry Road
Waterford, CT 06385
This email is in response to Mr. Gary J. Schneider, Director of Public Works, letter to you dated
October 25, 2021.
| request that you read my email under "Correspondence" and enter it in the record of the RTM
meeting on October 28, 2021.
| appreciate Mr. Schneider's detailed response to my concerns in my email dated Oct. 20, 2021
which was directed to Abby Piersall, Director of Planning.
It is apparent that the long standing Operating Policies and Standards previously maintained by
the two former Directors of the Public Works Department, both Ed Steward and Ron Cusano are
being ignored or that there are new Operating Policies and Standards in place that | am not aware
of.
There appears to Double Standard being used, developers who followed the Town regulations and
those who do not follow the regulations and their excuses are tolerated by the Town Department(s). It
is very disappointing that the Town has lowered the bar for approving new roads.
None of the roads | build in Town would never had been accepted by Thomas Wagner, previous
Director of Planning, the P & Z Commission or the Department of Public Works if these roads were
not 100% completed before | even would request Town acceptance.
You realize that the the Planning & Zoning Commission has the final say as to when a road is ready
to be accepted and does rely on the input from the Public Works Department who oversees the
construction of the roads. However, the Director of Public Works recommended approval.
1

| have not seen any recommendation or request from the Director of Planning or the P & Z
Commission for the RTM to consider accepting any of these roads. No meeting minutes were
provided to us from that Commission showing any discussion, consideration or approval to accepting
these roads. Without these minutes | cannot tell if this matter was even discussed with the
Commission.
| most definitely feel compassion for the families living on these new streets but to put the burden on
the RTM to accept these roads, without being completely finished, is unacceptable. These developers
certainly have had many, many months to complete their work at it a failure of our Town that the work
has not been completed. The Director of Public Works have stated that the developers posted Bonds
with the Town, an insurance policy, if, in fact the work is not completed. The Town could have put the
developer on legal notice, notified the Bonding Agency, and could have completed this work at no
cost to the tax payers. This could and should taken action months ago and not wait to the 11th hour
to put the burden on the RTM.
In short, two major reasons for voting NO on these 2 agenda items:
1. The long standing Operating Policies and Standards of the P & Z Commission and the Public
Works Department have been DOWNGRADED to the point where now, any road that is not
completed
can be accepted by the Town. A new standard and precedent for other developers. This
new policy to downgrade rather that to upgrade existing policies should be unacceptable fo all.
2. There is no record, communication or recommendation by the P & Z Commission that they have
discussed this item at any meeting and have not formally requested approval by the RTM, which is
standard practice when considering any item presented to the RTM.
Ted Olynciw, RTM Rep. 2nd District