“Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.” ~ Proverb
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Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Volume X, No. 22
Region 15 budget goes to vote June 4 By MARJORIE NEEDHAM The Region 15 Board of Education (BoE) voted Tuesday night to send a proposed 2014-2015 budget of $63.7 million to voters in a Wednesday, June 4, referendum. The proposed budget is a 2.79 percent increase over the current $62 million budget and provides $1.7 million in additional funds to the district. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. with voting in Middlebury at Shepardson Community Center and in Southbury at the firehouse. If the proposed budget passes, the mil rate for Middlebury is expected to increase to 29.34 from 28.86, a 1.66 percent increase. Board of Finance Chairman Michael McCormack said the impact on Middlebury taxpayers is less than the 2.79 percent school budget increase because Middlebury has fewer students and thus will pay a lower percentage of the 20142015 budget than it is paying for the current budget. At the new mil rate, Middlebury’s Chief Financial Office Lawrence Hutvagner said owners of homes assessed at $100,000 would have a $48 tax increase while owners of homes assessed at $250,000 would have a tax increase of $120. Southbury taxpayers will see their mil rate increase to 27.6 from 26.4, a 4.5-percent increase. The effect on taxes will be owners of homes assessed at $100,000 would have a $120 tax increase while owners of homes assessed at $250,000 would have a tax increase of $300. The vote Tuesday night was on a revised proposal from Superintendent Regina L. Botsford that was presented to the BoE Wednesday, May 21, during a budget workshop. Two extremely unpopular cuts in her May 14 proposals – the middle school drama program and the middle school sports program – were absent from her May 21 proposal. They had been listed at $54,000 and $30,100 (after parents’ contributions to the program), respectively, in the earlier proposal. Botsford’s May 14 proposals did not go to a vote due to a walkout by the four Middlebury BoE members. She had offered two possible budgets that night, one that was a 3.21 percent increase over the current budget and one that was a 2.77 percent increase over the current budget. The
$63.7 million budget that failed at the polls May 7 was a 3.67 percent increase over the current budget. Botsford’s May 21 proposal carried a 2.77 percent increase over the current budget, but increases suggested by the BoE in subsequent discussion raised the amount slightly for a 2.79 percent final increase. To get to her May 21 number, Botsford reduced the money to be paid into the medical reserve account by an additional $50,000, for a total reduction of $100,000. She said this could be done because claims have been low and the reserve account is strong. She also reduced the salaries amount by an additional $20,000 for a total reduction of $59,339 due to more resignations than initially expected. New hires come in at lower salaries. New items on the list were a $30,000 savings by eliminating the summer curriculum for teachers. Also new was a $54,000 reduction for one less technology staff person in the central office. Two bus routes were eliminated for a savings of $100,000 ($50,000 each), but they were mentioned at separate times during her presentation. The first was described as possible through consolidation of two runs into one run. Asked if this would increase the time a student spent riding the bus, Finance Director Keith McLiverty said that time would still be below the maximum amount allowed by school guidelines. The second bus route was mentioned later in the presentation. It was unclear how that reduction would be made. Another new item was elimination of .25 time of a high school Spanish instructor for a savings of $12,500. That joined the .25 time elimination for a high school science teacher that was in Botsford’s May 14 proposal. Kept at the May 14 amount were savings of $20,000 each for online testing, occupational and physical therapy, and nursing services; and $1,500 taken from bookstore gift cards for graduating seniors. Botsford said there still would be one nurse at every school and a free program would be used for online testing. She said the lower number for therapy costs was a more accurate estimate of student needs. Her proposal cut the $52,000 cost for 24 overhead computer
– See Budget on page 5
Weekend area road closings The Rev 3 triathlon will cause the following road closings this weekend. • Route 64 (between routes 188 and 6): May 31 - 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.; June 1 - 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Tuttle Road (between Route 64 and White Deer Rock Road): June 1 - 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. • Judd Road (between Pomperaug High School and Judd Hill Road): May 31 - 8 to 11 a.m.; June 1 - 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. • Alain White/Whites Wood Road (between Route 61 and Bissell Road): June 1 - 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Inside this Issue In The Garden................. 8 Library Happenings.......... 2 Puzzles..................................7 Region 15 School Calendar....5 Senior Center Events....2, 3 Sports............................. 6
Editorial Office: Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Phone: 203-577-6800 Mail: P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 Advertising Sales: Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com
June 2
Upcoming Events
Adoptable Pets................ 8 Book Review................... 2 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 Fire Log........................... 2 In Brief............................ 4
monday
wednesdaY
June 4
saturDAY
June 7
Friday, May 30, 2014
Memorial Day ceremony
Dr. Ray Sullivan, behind the podium, introduces Parade Grand Marshal First Lt. Thomas L. Brayton II, in the dark sports coat behind and slightly left of Sullivan, during the Memorial Day ceremony Sunday in front of Middlebury’s town hall. Sullivan said Brayton, who served in the Marine Corps, has been a true inspiration to his family, to his friends, to his clients, to his fellow attorneys and to any who have met him along the way. (Terrence S. McAuliffe photo)
Absentee ballots available Absentee ballots are available in the Middlebury town clerk’s office at 1212 Whittemore Road in Middlebury for electors who cannot vote in person at the June 4, 2014, referendum due to active service in the Armed Forces, absence from town during all of the hours of voting, illness, religious tenets forbidding secular activity on the day of the election, duties as an election official at a different polling place or physical disability.
The question on the ballot is: “Shall the proposed 2014-2105 Budget of the Pomperaug Regional School District #15 in the amount of $63,681,307 be adopted?” Electors and property owners owning property assessed at $1,000 or more on the last completed grand list are eligible to vote. They also must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old. Ballots will not be mailed. An application must be filled out before an absentee ballot
can be issued. Applications are available at the town clerk’s office or can be downloaded from the secretary of the state’s website at www.sots.ct.gov under Elections and Voting. Print the application form for referendum only. The town clerk’s regular hours are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call the town clerk’s office at 203-758-2557 with any questions.
EIDC OKs tax abatement for law office construction By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) at its May 27 meeting unanimously recommended a tax abatement for new construction on Straits Turnpike by the law firm Moore, O’Brien, Yelenak and Foti. It also heard an update on the Waterbury-Oxford Airport Development Zone, set a workshop for the commercial development guidebook and canceled summer meetings pending new business. Before starting the meeting, Chairman Michael Kenausis asked commissioners for a moment of silence to honor the memory of former member Joseph Salvini, who died March 2. Kenausis praised him for his almost 40 years service to the town. Kenausis also introduced new members Joseph A. Mengacci and Terrence S. McAuliffe. A tax incentive program application by Moore, O’Brien, Yelenak and Foti for a new 7,500-square-foot building to be constructed at 891 Straits Turnpike was unanimously voted for recommendation to the Board of Selectmen (BoS) as conforming and complying with the town’s requirements for a tax
Middlebury’s Economic and Industrial Development Commission determined this proposed building at 891 Straits Turnpike qualifies for the tax incentive program. The 7,500-square-foot building will house the Moore, O’Brien, Yelenak and Foti law firm currently officed in Cheshire. (Terrence McAuliffe scan) incentive. The BoS can schedule O’Brien, Yelenak and Foti has Zone tax incentive, but not both. In other matters, Kenausis a special town meeting to vote leased space in Cheshire and on the incentive, return the ap- currently rents 7,500 square feet asked members to bring draft plication to the EIDC for further there for eight attorneys and 14 components of the evolving information or take no action. full-time and two part-time staff. commercial development The new building will cost After the move to Middlebury, guidebook for a June 10 special about $1.5 million to construct the firm expects to add two new meeting workshop to pull the on 1.173 acres of land with a employees in the first two years. sections together and refine a Commissioner Armando Pa- common format and overview. purchase price of $600,000, poCommissioners also voted to tentially qualifying it for a four- olino told members he disyear tax abatement of 35 percent cussed the General Aviation cancel the regular June, July and declining 5 percent in each of Airport Development (Enter- August meetings unless new the succeeding three years. Ac- prise Zone) with airport attor- business arrives. If that happens, tual tax abatement calculations neys and found interest in coor- a special meeting will be scheddination with Middlebury’s uled. are done by the assessor. The next EIDC meeting will Occupancy of the completed programs and those of area building is planned for Jan. 1, towns. He said applicants could be a special meeting workshop 2016, and it will be used exclu- choose between Middlebury’s Tuesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. at sively for the law firm. Moore, tax incentive or the Enterprise Shepardson Community Center.
Middlebury Special Town Meeting What: When: Where:
Vote on whether or not the town should swap unpaid taxes of $75,925.07 for 33± acres of land on Benson Road owned by Baker Residential. 7 p.m. Shepardson Community Center Auditorium
Lady Panthers out, Panthers advance in playoffs
Vote on Proposed Region 15 School District Budget
Page 6
What: Vote on proposed $63.7 million Regional School District 15 budget for 2014-2015 When: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center in Middlebury; Firehouse in Southbury
Watertown Town-Wide Tag Sale What: When: Where:
Residents, businesses, churches, civic organizations offer tag sale items 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pick up map of tag sale locations at the Farm Shoppe, Watertown Meat Center, Tony’s Seafood, LaBonne’s (Watertown) or the Watertown Parks and Recreation Department the day of the sale.
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