A still image from a Zoom video of the most recent Seymour Board of Selectmen meeting.
SEYMOUR — A local company that makes scales that can weigh killer whales, a change in staff at the public library, and a facelift for several town roads.
Those were some of the topics tackled by the Board of Selectmen during its Feb. 16 Zoom meeting.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Road Repairs:
The board gave Town Engineer Bryan Nesteriak the green light to proceed with $2.3 million in road improvements. Some of the roads in the worst shape, from Seymour Avenue and Shelton Street to Mountain Road and Moss Avenue, are in line for a makeover.
The repairs will be funded through a $5 million road bonding program residents approved at November 2019 referendum, along with some grant money. Nesteriak is also assessing some badly deteriorating sidewalks, including those along Washington Avenue, Maple and River streets, and will prioritize a list with estimated costs to present at the board’s next meeting.
Note: In a recent video interview with the Valley Indy, First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis said the town wants to repair Holbrook Road through a state $12 million ​“LOCIP” (local capital improvement program) grant.
The town is awaiting signatures to finalize the LOCIP paperwork related to easements connected to the Hollbrook Road project. Drugonis talks about Holbrook Road at roughly the 29-minute mark of the video below. The article continues after the video.
Tax Break:
The Emery Winslow Scale Co., located in the Silvermine Industrial Park, manufactures everything from simple warehouse floor scales to custom designs to weigh killer whales, Boeing 747s and even elephants. The company has two other locations in Indiana and Pennsylvania, with plans to consolidate its Terre Haute, IN operations to Seymour.
With the planned expansion here, including adding nine employees, the company qualified for a tax abatement under the town’s incentive policy. The board unanimously approved a 60 percent tax break for Emery for the next two years, which was based on the $636,704 value of the company’s slated improvements.
In Library News:
A familiar face will be taking over as head of children’s services at the Seymour Public Library. Former Assistant Children’s Librarian Rebecca Troop will replace the former director Ann Szaley. The board unanimously approved the promotion of Troop, who’ll earn an annual salary of about $49,000.
According to First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis, Troop was the only person to apply for the job. Szaley left last summer, and due to COVID-19, the library has been closed, and the town opted not to fill the position until now. Drugonis said the assistant position will be left vacant for the time being.
On the Economic Development Front:
The board gave its blessing to Drugonis for budgeting $45,000 in the upcoming 2021 – 2022 budget, which would fund a part-time economic development director.
Drugonis wanted input on whether to keep the money in the budget or not. While the selectmen said the town needs a full-time person, the partial funding is a step in the right direction. The town has been without an economic development director since late 2019. It previously had a part-time consultant from Connecticut Economic Resource Center onboard, but CERC no longer offers the service to municipalities.
Board members are hopeful someone can be hired late summer or early fall.
“Life has to go on despite COVID, and we still have to develop our economic base,” said Selectman Al Bruno. ​“I’m looking at the positives to continue to move the town forward.”
Selectman Bob Findley said keeping the position funded, at least partially, is important for the town’s future.
Route 67 Spot Improvements:
Nesteriak briefed the board on a $7 million project geared to make some improvements along Route 67.
The project is being funded 80 percent by the federal government and 20 percent by the state. It will in part feature sidewalk improvements, creation of some turning lanes and road widening in the areas from the former Housatonic Wire Co. and Seymour Lumber Co. to Klarides Village. The project is slated to go out to bid this summer, with an anticipated construction start in the fall, according to Nesteriak.
Nesteriak explained the feds and the state wouldn’t fully cover some project upgrades, including brick pavers, aesthetic lighting and granite curbing, and if the town wanted to make all those upgrades, would be on the hook for about $216,000.Nesteriak suggested the town go with the granite curbing upgrade as a smart investment, rather than concrete, since he said granite has a shelf life of 50 – 100 years compared to about 15 years for concrete.
Nesteriak said the town’s share to upgrade to granite curbing would cost about $28,000.
The full Seymour Board of Selectmen meeting can be viewed below:
