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Senior Center Eno Memorial Sub Committee Regular Meeting

Meeting date: 
Thursday, February 20, 2014

SENIOR CENTER/ENO MEMORIAL SUB-COMMITTEE

REGULAR MEETING - 4:00 PM

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

 

 

OPEN MEETING

 

Richard Ostop, Chair, called the Regular Meeting of the Senior Center/Eno Memorial Sub-Committee to order at 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, February 20, 2014 in the Court Room of Eno Memorial located at 754 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT.  The following members were also present:  Edna Schreindorfer, Mona Martinik, Mark Orenstein, Aging Commission, Michael Jennings, Aging Commission, Kathleen Marschall, Staff, Mickey Lecours-Beck, Staff, Sarah Nielson, Main Street Partnership, Mary Lou Patrina, PBC, Francis Kelly, PBC, Donald Zaylor, Ed LaMontagne, Aging Commission, Ron Zappile, Aging Commission, Linda Schofield, Board of Finance, Jeff Shea, Simsbury Town Engineer, Richard Sawitzke, Engineer, Mike Paine, Board of Selectmen.  General Audience was Diane Nash and other interested parties. 

 

 

2.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES – February 6, 2014

 

Mr. LaMontagne made a motion to approve the minutes for February 6, 2014 of the Regular Meeting of the Senior Center/Eno Memorial Subcommittee.  The motion was seconded by Mr. Kelly and was unanimously approved.

 

 

3.  PUBLIC AUDIENCE

 

Ms. Diane Nash stated that this meeting was not on the town schedule.  Mr. Ostop stated that it had been on the schedule with the two prior meetings.

 

 

4.  POSSIBLE PRESENTATION – GUEST SPEAKER FROM COMMISSION ON AGING

 

The committee was unable to bring in a guest speaker for this meeting.

 

 

5.  DISCUSSION OF SITES

 

Mr. Ostop reminded the committee that the objective is to get back to the Town of Selectmen with a site(s) option for the Senior Center.  Once this has been done, the Board of Selectmen would then call a town meeting and/or referendum.  It was suggested to do a survey from a mailing list provided by Social Services to 2000 individuals at a cost of approximately $450.  Some committee members disagreed with the mailing as there have been several surveys completed in the past and two of those surveys from 2009 are on file.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Zaylor made a motion to make recommendations of three sites, in priority order, to the Board of Selectmen for review.  Mr. Orenstein seconded the motion and the vote was 7 to 2. 

 

With no recommendations for site selection made thus far, the motion is still on the floor.

 

Mr. Sawitzke reminded the committee members of the options:

 

  • New building at Bushy Hill Road and Stratton Brook Road
  • Full or phased in renovation of Eno Memorial which could include a new parking deck
  • Addition to the Performing Arts Center
  • New Building in the center of Simsbury

 

Mr. Sawitzke also reviewed the limited option to increase parking at Eno Memorial through construction of a retaining wall.

 

Mr. Ostop reminded the committee that the motion is still on the floor and the three recommendations to consider are (1) Bushy Hill Road and Stratton Brook Road; (2) Performing Arts Center and (3) Eno Memorial.  The motion was voted on 1/Agree to 7/Disagree.  The motion did not pass.

 

Mr. Orenstein made a motion that the committee decide what is best for the seniors of Simsbury and decide between the renovations versus a new facility.  Mr. Jennings seconded the motion. 

 

The committee wanted to clarify the “needs” of the seniors versus the “wants” for the Senior Center.  The committee’s concerns also include the cost to renovate or build and how it is going to affect their taxes.  The town of Simsbury received a grant to do some continuing design development which would be used to advance either a new building or renovation of Eno Memorial.

 

Mr. Orenstein withdrew his motion that the committee decide what is best for the seniors of Simsbury and decide between the renovations versus a new facility.

 

 

6.  POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION FOR SITE

 

The committee decided to wait to the next Regular Meeting to vote on one recommendation to the Board of Selectmen for a site for the Senior Center.

 

7.  ADJOURNMENT

 

Mr. Ostop adjourned the Regular Meeting of the Senior Center/Eno Memorial Sub Committee at 5:55 P.M. on February 20, 2014

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

____________________________________                        ______________________________

Richard Ostop, Chairman