Board of Selectmen Meeting.

January 6, 2004

 

Present: First Selectman Woody Bliss, Selectman Richard Miller, Selectman Glenn Major, Administrative Assistant Judy DeVito, Gloria Manning, Eileen Buckley, Steve Patton, Michael Greenberg, May Kolek, Brian Gioiele.

 

This meeting was recorded and the tapes are available in the Selectman’s office.

 

Mr. Bliss called the meeting to order at 7:32pm

 

Conservation Education Center Committee (Steve Patton and Michael Greenberg) discussion regarding the construction cost and schedules.

Steve Patton presented a proposal which is attached to the minutes. Mary Kolek spoke on behalf of the schools. She said the plan dovetails exactly where the school is going with the science program and other programs that they have. They are looking at taking the classroom into the field.

 

There was discussion about the cost projections and timetable. The estimated total cost of the project is 3 million dollars and the Town’s share would be 1.5 million.

The board wanted to know in what fiscal year they needed the funds since they need to know whether to take it out of the capital budget or bond it.

 

Mr. Miller suggested $250,000 in fiscal year 2004-05, $500,000 in fiscal year 2005-06 and $750,000 thousand in fiscal year 2006-07. Michael Greenberg said they would look at it and come back to the Board of Selectmen with a timeline on the critical path of having enough funding for all of the engineers, consultants etc. so that they can make a proper presentation to the Town. Mr. Bliss said the Town’s priority is to push as much of the cost to 2006-07 as we can.

 

Mr. Major said the piece the Town needed almost immediately is the dollar requirements for 2004-05, because we are putting that budget cycle together now so we need that number.

 

Mr. Major asked how the Nature Conservancy was going to raise its money. Steve Patton said fund raising, grants from foundations and individual donors.

 

Set Special Town Meeting date for conveyance of conservation easement of various wetlands parcels on the Weston School Campus. Mr. Major made a motion to set the Special Town Meeting for conveyance of conservation easement of various wetlands parcels on the Weston School Campus in the Weston Middle School Cafeteria Tuesday January 27th at 8:00pm with a snow date for Thursday January 29th at 8:00pm also in the Middle School Cafeteria. Mr. Miller seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Discussion/decision regarding veteran’s affairs. Mr. Bliss said he put this on the agenda since legislators has passed legislation increase our ability to offer Veterans exemptions in recognition of those who served their country to give us the freedom we have.

 

Mr. Bliss said from time to time he gets comments from veterans that the purpose of holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veterans Day are sometime missed in the celebration of a party or picnic, as opposed to the recognition of those who served to give us that great freedom we have in this country.

 

A couple of women from the elementary school PTO worked with Mr. Bliss and Mr. Dominic Butera, the acting principal of Hurlbutt to put a program together. Mr. Bliss recommends setting up a Select Committee for Veterans. Mr. Miller said he supports the idea.

 

Mr. Miller said the current exemption for wartime veterans and their surviving spouses is from $1,000 up to a maximum of $10,000 of the assessed value of the property.

 

The Town of Weston currently provides a reduction of $4,500 off the assessed value of the property. In terms of savings to the Veterans its approximately $112.50 per year. If we were to give the full exemption of $10,000 that would be approximately $260 a year in tax savings. There are currently approximately 300 veterans receiving this benefit.

 

Under the new law towns can also authorize an exemption of up to 10% off the assessed value of the property for single veterans and single surviving spouses.  The income limits for a single veteran has been raised from $26,100 to$51,100 and a married veteran from $31,900 to $56,900.

 

The current limit on the senior citizen tax abatement program is $49,000. Mr. Miller said he would like to address the needs of those veterans whose income is greater than $49,000 but less than $56,900. He said it was a small number of veterans, but that the Town should try and help them in accordance with the new law.

 

Mr. Bliss said if we decided to move in the direction of forming a committee to look at this that we would give them the information and charge them with the responsibility of coming back to the Board of Selectmen with suggestions and recommendations. Mr. Bliss said he would put together a mission statement for the next meeting. 

 

Mr. Bliss said that under the old law we got reimbursed from the state 50% of the cost of the veterans exemptions. Under the new law we no longer get reimbursed by the state.

 

Request for property tax refunds

            Honda Lease Trust                            $260.00

            Mercedes Benz Credit                   $3,060.18

            Mercedes Benz Credit                      $574.44

            Nissan Infinity                                    $275.50

            BMW Financial                                  $151.25

            Ford Motor Credit                             $917.36

            Ford Motor Credit                             $271.83

            Mazda American Credit                    $110.75

            GMAC                                                $691.57

            Chrysler Financial                           $1,256.96

                                                Total            $7,569.84

Mr. Major made a motion to approve the request for property tax refund as outlined on the agenda for a total of $7,569.84. Mr. Miller seconded and motion passed unanimously.

 

Discussion/approval of the minutes of the December 18, and December 21, meetings.

Mr. Major made a motion to approve the Board of Selectmen minutes of December 18th as amended. Mr. Miller seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Mr. Major made a motion to approve the Special Board of Selectmen minutes of December 21, 2003. Mr. Miller seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Any other business to properly come before the meeting. Mr. Miller said he read the annual report for the Town of Chester and he was impressed by it. He would like for the Board of Selectmen to consider forming a committee that would prepare an annual report for the Town of Weston. Mr. Bliss asked Mr. Landry to take a look at this and come back to the Board of Selectman with suggestions.

 

Executive Session- Contract negotiation. At 8.45pm Mr. Major made a motion to enter into an executive session. Mr. Miller seconded and the motion passed unanimously. At 9.37pm Mr. Miller made a motion to adjourn the executive session. Mr. Major seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

Adjournment: At 9:38pm Mr. Major made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Miller seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

Respectfully submitted

Judy M. DeVito

Administrative Assistant

Approved 01/15/04