
SEYMOUR – The Seymour Board of Selectpersons met Wednesday (Jan. 17) for their regular bi-monthly meeting. Here’s a few highlights:
Beefing Up BOS Meeting Minutes
The board decided it will bolster the content of their meeting minutes to detail more discussion.
This happened after Selectwoman Theresa Conroy raised concerns that the minutes are too light. Conroy, elected to the board last November, said the board’s meeting minutes used to contain more information, including discussion from board members on agenda issues.
Now the minutes have been shortened to include the bare minimum required by state law: any motions made, votes taken, whose in attendance and a list of the agenda items.
Conroy believes the information recorded doesn’t reflect what happens at the meetings.
“All of our local and surrounding towns, like Oxford, Ansonia and Derby, have minutes that are pretty narrative, many are pretty much word for word,” Conroy said. “I’m not looking for the verbatim, but just a little more meat into our minutes.”
Conroy said, for example, if she casts a ‘no’ vote on something, she would like to see her rationale for why she voted ‘no’ reflected in the minutes.
First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis said the BOS minutes used to be several pages long, and it was “too much,” which is why the board moved away from that.
Drugonis said the town keeps an audio recording of the meetings and makes them available to anyone who wants to listen to them on file at Town Hall.
The meetings are also recorded and available for viewing on YouTube.
Town Attorney Richard Buturla said the BOS meeting minutes are accurate and contain what’s required under the law. He said it’s up the board to decide how much detail they want included.
After a lengthy discussion, the board decided it will now add to the minutes bulleted items of Selectmen’s comments; rationale behind selectmen’s ‘yes’ or ‘no’ votes if the board member wants that rationale reflected and a link to the meetings’ audio on the town website.
New Ordinances On The Horizon
The board directed its ordinance committee to explore writing up two new ordinances regarding splitting motor vehicle taxes into two payments, as well as rules on where residents who drive tractor trailers for their work can park the big rigs.
The ordinance committee will meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at Seymour Town Hall to discuss the proposals.
Taking Aim At Delinquent Taxpayers
The board voted to authorize the sale of tax liens on a commercial business located at 130 Silvermine Road, which officials say owes more than $130,000 in back taxes.
The business, according to the town assessor’s card on file, is listed as a service garage, owned by Robert and Romaine Leggio. Buturla said there is an undisclosed buyer interested in purchasing the commercial property, which sits on 2.08 acres and currently has two commercial buildings on it. One was built in 1971, the other in 1990, according to town records.
Buturla said the taxes are delinquent going back 10 years. He would not disclose the name of the potential buyer of the liens.
“This is someone who’d like to take a piece of property that has some issues, is characterized as distressed and utilize the liens to potentially acquire title to the property, invest in the property and return it the tax rolls in a productive way,” Buturla said.
Drugonis said selling tax liens is a faster way for the town to recoup the delinquent taxes.
“With the court system with foreclosures we’re finding it’s taking so much longer, all while these properties are sitting vacant, and taxes aren’t being collected. We want to make this property a more viable asset, collect the taxes on it and put it back on the tax rolls.”
Buturla said if the sale proceeds, the town will recoup $70,000 in a negotiated value of the $130,000 owed in back taxes, which he said represents all of the principal, but none of the late fees accrued over the last decade.
“I understand people fall on hard times, but they can always sell their properties, and they can work out a negotiated payment plan with the tax collector,” said Deputy First Selectman Al Bruno.
First Selectwoman’s Update
Drugonis briefly touched on some other happenings in town including:
*The town is likely to go out to bid in the spring on the West Church Street/Bungay Road road improvement project. She said the town is still waiting for two easements to be signed off on. Construction could then begin this summer.
*Plans to improve roadway safety from Maple Street to Clinton Road have been submitted to the state DOT, which the town is waiting back to hear for an approval.
*The Route 67 widening project is slated to start in spring, which in part will include repairs and replacement of sidewalks and curbing from Franklin Street to Martha Street, up to Klarides Village.
*In business news, Drugonis said Newport Health, which is slated to transform the former Villa Bianca banquet facility on Roosevelt Drive into a residential, live-in mental health treatment facility, recently began demolition.
*Town is working on getting the elevator replaced at the Seymour Community Center, and is planning to go out to bid for a new roof, which the town secured grant money for.
*A new electric vehicle charging station was recently installed in the parking lot near the fish ladder on Wakeley Street.