Volume 17, Issue 49
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
Friday, March 18, 2011
Powder Ridge sale contract Coginchaug essay winners at Capitol signed; check in hand By Sue VanDerzee Town Times “I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders,” sighed Jon Brayshaw the morning after a contract of sale was signed with Alpine Ridge LLC at a special meeting on March 15. The contract has been years in the making, started by a foreclosure proceeding against former owner Ken Leavitt and continuing through a landslide (1,097151) referendum on April 10, 2007 authorizing the town to spend up to $2.85 million to buy the ski area. Two potential buyers later, the town finally has a contract with Alpine, represented at the meeting on Tuesday by Alpine principal Dennis Abplanalp and local attorney John Corona. At the cordial 30-minute session on March 15, the selectmen unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the sale, and a check for $25,000 was handed over to be deposited in the escrow account of town attorney Ken Antin, who has represented the town in the continuing negotiations with Alpine. The contract and the
check start a 90-day “due diligence” clock during which either party to the deal can back out. During that 90 days, one or more public hearings and a town meeting must be held, and townspeople must vote affirmatively to go forward with the sale, which would transfer ownership of the entire 267 +/acres to Alpine for $1 million. In return, the contract stipulates that Alpine will invest at least $2 million in the property over the first years of ownership and re-establish a ski area on the premises by Dec. 31, 2013. The money will be paid $275,000 (plus the deposit check of $25,000) at closing with $100,000 due annually thereafter for seven years. Toll of vandalism and illegal use While Brayshaw is sighing with relief, there is also a See Powder Ridge, page 6
In this issue ... Calendar............................4 Durham Briefs................12 Middlefield Briefs...........13 Obituary..........................21 Sports ..........................22-23
Two Coginchaug High School students won a statewide essay contest sponsored by the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. Hannah Fowler and Emily Spence, both seniors, were joined by their families and their English teacher, Kris Nystrom, at the annual Women’s Day at the Capitol in Hartford on March 9 where State Representative Matt Lesser presented the Young Women’s Leadership Program essay contest awards to the young women. The first-place essay was written by Hannah Fowler, at right in photo, of Middlefield, who wrote about her aunt, Susan Lee Fowler, whose “bold attitude, confidence and selflessness” have inspired Hannah to decide to become a nurse practitioner, incorporating functional and holistic medicine so she may “enhance the lives of as many people possible.” Second-place was awarded to Durham’s Emily Spence, at left, for her essay about Mirinda Carfrae, who won the 2010 Ironman Kona Hawaii World Championship. Emily wrote that Carfrae inspired her “to stop focusing on who’s better than me and just make the best version of myself.” Submitted photo
Trooper position reduced, housing authority fees reinstated and increases in energy fees: all in Middlefield proposed budget By Cheri Kelley Town Times Middlefield First Selectman Jon Brayshaw proposed his 2011-12 town budget to the Board of Finance (BOF) during a special BOF meeting on March 10. The proposed budget at the time of the meeting called for a possible increase in the mill rate from 27.43 to 28.41, though new reviews to the
Board of Education’s (BOE) budget will increase that rate. At $15,592,488, the proposed total town expenditures represent a six percent increase over the current year. Brayshaw said the budget is always a work in progress and there aren’t any radical changes in this particular one. “The policies and goals expressed in this budget focus on maintaining appro-
priate levels of service and employment to provide for that assortment of services at the lowest cost to taxpayers,” stated Brayshaw. As far as new or increased revenues in the budget goes, the biggest factor was the sale and first payment on Powder Ridge. After speaking with Joe Guruch, the Financial Director for Middlefield, since the contract was signed at the Board of Select-
men (BOS) meeting held on Tues, March 15, the town will receive a $25,000 down payment, and they will enter into a 90 day due diligence period. At the end of the 90 days, if Alpine decides to purchase the property, a closing date will be set for around June 15. At the closing the town will receive the remaining $275,000. If Alpine decides by June 30 that they don’t want to continue with
the purchase, they may or may not receive the down payment back. For the next seven years the town will receive $100,000 per year to equal a total sum of one million for the purchase of Powder Ridge. There is also a minimum of two million dollars to be spent on infastructure on the property by the new owners. See Mfld. budget, page 24