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Bee Intelligencer Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown A FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Volume VIII, No. 40
Tax Incentive vote Monday By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Middlebury voters will consider the town’s first business tax incentive application at a town meeting Monday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center in Room 26. The question will be, “Shall the Town of Middlebury accept the Tax Incentive Application of Winchester Electronics?” The application filed by Winchester Electronics of Wallingford was approved by the Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC), which created the program, and then by Middlebury’s Board of Selectmen. The final step in granting the tax incentive to the company is approval by voters at a town meeting. EIDC co-chair Michael Kenausis said Tuesday he will make a presentation to those attending the town meeting explaining the program and the application to be voted on. He said the tax incentive policy adopted by the town is on the town’s website, www.middlebury-ct.org. On the home page, click on “Economic Development” just above “Contact Us” on the left side of the screen to go to a window that has links to both the policy and the application form used to apply for the tax incentive. Kenausis said Winchester Electronics will bring 55 employees to its new location at 199 Park Road in Middlebury, where the company will be leasing 25,000 square feet for product manufacturing and research and development. Although this application is for a company relocating to Middlebury, Kenausis said, “The key thing is it’s not just for new businesses; it’s also for existing businesses that decide to expand.” Companies meeting the requirements of the tax incentive policy can qualify for a decrease in their taxes over three to five
Friday, September 28, 2012
Fenn Farm Tour
years depending on the assessed value of the business property involved. In each of three categories, tax breaks start at 35 percent of the tax due during the first year and decrease over subsequent years. Asked how much of a tax break Winchester Electronics will get if its application is approved, Middlebury Tax Assessor Daniel Kenny said he could not give actual numbers until the company has relocated here and filed a property declaration with his office. Based on the company’s Wallingford assessment of $917,300, Kenny said the company would qualify for tax incentives over a four-year period. The incentive would be 35 percent the first year, 30 percent the second year, 25 percent the third year and 20 percent the fourth year. Kenny said the first year is determined by the company being on the grand list as of Oct. 1, and the company will miss that date this year. That means year one of its tax breaks will be determined as of Oct. 1, 2013. The tax payment would then be due July 1, 2014. Kenny said using the $917,300 as the basis for calculations does not take into account increases or decreases in inventory over the life of the tax incentive. Also, the 28.07 mil rate used in his calculations is this year’s mil rate; mil rates usually change every year. Given those caveats, Kenny calculated the following taxes: The first year, with no tax break, taxes would be $25,750, The next year, year one of the program, taxes would drop to $16,700. In the second year of the program, taxes would be $18,000. In the third year, taxes would be $19,300, and in the fourth and final year, taxes would be $20,600. Over the four-year tax incentive program, Winchester Electronics would save $28,400 in taxes.
Fenn Farm’s Rob Fenn, in black tee shirt, leads a tour of the farm Saturday during the annual Fenn’s Farm Open House in Middlebury. In addition to the tour, visitors were treated to hot dogs, doughnuts, apple cider and free pumpkins for the children. (Marjorie Needham photo)
EIDC prepares for tax incentive vote By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC), at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 25, demonstrated commercial property listings on the town website, prepared for the first tax incentive vote, discussed progress on the Oxford Airport Enterprise Zone, assigned tasks for the Commercial Development Guidebook and amended sections of the tax incentive policy. Co-chairman Michael Kenausis started the meeting by showing listings of commercial properties on the town website. The listings come from a link from the Economic Development portion of the town website to the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) ctsitefinder.com website
and describe commercial land and buildings available in Middlebury. The $550 per year link was funded from the EIDC budget. Co-chairman Gerry Matthews said commercial brokers pay to be listed on the nonprofit CERC website, while property owners are listed for free. Commissioner Armando Paolino said additional links would be added to assist businesses in finding state programs for loans, job training and tax credits. Kenausis asked commissioners to attend the Oct. 1 town meeting at Shepardson Community Center where a tax incentive for Winchester Electronics would be voted. He said First Selectman Edward B. St. John would moderate the meeting, and Kenausis would explain the details of the package and answer questions, which he said would
be helpful to other businesses interested in understanding the program. The Oxford Airport State Enterprise Zone was the subject of a conference call between St. John and the First Selectmen of Southbury and Oxford. Matthews said State Senator Rob Kane organized the call to discuss progress and help the three towns work together on a common message to promote the zone and its business incentives. Paolino said the incentives include an 80-percent tax abatement on equipment and a sliding scale abatement on property and buildings plus job training and tax credit programs. These are all funded by the state at no cost to the towns. Matthews noted businesses could opt for either the
– See EIDC on page 4
BoE approves Spectrum as social services provider By KATHLEEN RIEDEL During the Region 15 Board of Education (BoE) meeting Monday night, Pomperaug High School student representatives reported, Superintendent Dr. Frank Sippy presented Heather Murphy as Teacher of the Year, principals introduced new staff members and Assistant Superintendent Kelly Lyman gave a presentation on Connecticut’s New Accountability System. The Finance, Policy and Curriculum, PTO and Wellness Committees also reported on their activities. During designated citizen comments preceding the BoE vote on a new social services vendor for the region, Noel Federle, the representative for Behavioral Health Center for Counseling and Learning, one of four social services vendors competing to provide those services during the 2012-2013 school year, spoke about the frustrations the company experienced during the bid process. As a member of an agency with 10 licensed clinicians with 179 years collective experience, licensed social work-
ers, drug and alcohol counselors, family therapists and professional counselors, Federle said she was offended by board member Joseph Rock’s comments in an article in the Waterbury paper earlier this month. The article said Rock described Spectrum, the vendor that was appointed Monday night, as “the best fit” for Region 15 and said, “Their qualifications are far and above everyone else’s.” Federle said she felt the board’s basis for comparison among agencies was unclear. She said in her interview she asked what quality assurance policies and procedures were in place to monitor services, how well the vendor was meeting contractual obligations and client satisfaction. “The interviewer told me that there were no such policies and procedures. So I’m not sure how the assessment process was done to see if the services YFS (the former provider) were providing were the services you were looking for,” she said Federle also expressed frustration in communicating with the board and
the interview committee, which comprised members of the Finance Committee, the BoE and the administration as well as Middlebury and Southbury representatives and clinical personnel. Federle said in May she repeatedly sought an RFQ (request for quotations) detailing services currently provided by Youth and Family Services (YFS) in order to compile a thorough budget estimate for Region 15. She said on May 17 central office Finance Director Keith McLiverty said, “No RFQ for YFS services has been issued. There is no date expected for issuing any such RFQ. You were misinformed.” Twenty-four days later, Federle said, the RFQ appeared in the Waterbury paper. She also said several telephone calls and emails to the board from Behavioral Health employees requesting a follow-up budget interview were not answered. “Even when I asked at the interview what the number of approvals is that central office gives per month for counseling services, I was told they would have to get back to me on that. Nobody ever got back to me on that. So there was no way to put together a de-
tailed budget for this contract that I am aware of.” She said she felt information was at times withheld or simply ignored. She also noted the lack of a smooth transition for clients, as promised by the BoE, after YFS closed in August. “The paper even suggested a PHS counselors’ meeting to look at sending children to other agencies. There has been no continuity of services at this point,” she said In closing, she suggested the two remaining vendors each be given the opportunity to make a formal presentation to the full board for a more detailed evaluation of services and final approval. When Chairman Janet Butkus opened board discussion of the counseling services issue, McLiverty offered a synopsis of the board’s approach to the interview process. Board members were unclear about the protocol for providing budget and RFQ information. Member Steven Suriani asked if the board was bound by any law or RFQ proceeding to give a specific budget-related interview. McLiverty said, “According to Policy 3250, when it comes to professional and consultative services, bids or quotations
shall not be required. Such services must be performed by the individual who has a proven reputation in the field and require expertise and extensive training and cannot be easily described by specific group specifications in a bid or a quote.” McLiverty held that all data given to the board by YFS was provided in the RFQ. “Recognizing the severity of the issue, we did make it very clear our focus was on clinical service assessment and who do we feel, as an 11-member panel, will provide the best services for our needs,” he said. McLiverty assured the board the interview committee took “great time and pride and diligence in doing this assessment.” Vendors were asked the same 17 questions, and all interviewers were given the same rating sheets. The vote for Spectrum was unanimous. McLiverty also addressed Federle’s RFQ concerns. On May 17, when the RFQ was not available, McLiverty said this was in fact the case. “When it was published in the papers, which is pub-
– See BoE on page 5
Legal Notices....................7 Library Happenings............2 Nuggets for Life................6 Obituaries.........................5 Parks & Recreation............7 Region 15 Calendar..........3 Senior Center News...........3 Varsity Sports Calendar......6
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Inside this Issue Book Review.....................3 Adoptable Pets..................8 Classifieds.........................7 Community Calendar.........2 Computer Tip....................8 Fire Log.............................2 Frugal Mummy..................5 In Brief..............................4
Saturday
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Monday
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Boy Scout Troup 5 Bottle Drive
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. What: All Connecticut deposit bottles, cans and plastics will be accepted. Where: Village Square Plaza at 530 Middlebury Road in Middlebury
Woodward House hosts AFL event.
Page 8
Middlebury Town Meeting When: What: Where:
7 p.m. Discussion and vote regarding acceptance of the Tax Incentive Application of Winchester Electronics Shepardson Community Center, Room 26, at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury
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