001Good evening. Today is Monday, March the 2nd, 2026. It's 7 p.m. I'd like to call the regular board of selectman meeting to order. Troy Lamir, >> Kevin Bishop, >> Paul Marino, >> Paul Harrington, >> Todd Archalashi, >> Glenn Alanios, >> William Hester, >> Cheryl Hef, and McGlenn, >> William Paulo. >> Please join me for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Item three, agenda review. Does anyone have anything? >> Item four, approval of the minutes of our regular meeting on February 17th. >> So, one correction under item 10 and this would be uh under the to form the charter revision commission there was actually an E. So we had A,
002B, C, D, and E. And E was, and I don't have the exact wording, but it it would be any other item that the commission deems important. And that would be letter E under item 10. A >> second with the correction. There's actually one more. Yeah. Uh it's highlighted in there for the mayor Arch Galoski rested uh requested a fiveminute caucus. Uh selectman Marino made the motion but he can't make the second. >> I think it was selectman Lamir that actually made that second motion. >> I did you up. >> Any other corrections or additions? >> Seeing none. We have a motion. We have a second. All in favor? And Item five, citizens comments. The board of selectman welcomes public comments. Speakers will be limited to three minutes and may speak once. Who wishes to
003speak? Anyone six, town managers report. >> Good evening, mayor, and good evening board, and welcome. Uh few items, but uh you'll see towards the end of it what we've been doing over the last few weeks. First, I'd like to begin by extending a severe thank you to our public works department for another outstanding storm cleanup effort following the most recent storm. Wish I didn't have to keep thanking them, but they do tremendous work and hopefully we're we're through all of the snow. Um, their preparation, long hours, professionalism ensured the roads were cleared quickly and safely for the residents. I also have to recognize the critical support uh provided by the emergency management director, police department, and fire department. Their coordination and assistance played a significant role in ensuring operations ran smoothly and safety throughout the
004storm event. Winchester is well served by its dedicated professionals. Moving on, I wanted to report to the board that at our last meeting, I let the board know that our speed cameras were uh kicked back after cursory review. We've since gone back and we've uh enhanced some of the items that they were looking for. Happy to report last Friday we were given the green light that the 60-day clock for the speed cameras has officially started. So the DOT will let us know 60 days from this past Friday, excuse me, a week from Friday. So it wasn't this past Friday, but it was a week ago Friday that the speed cameras has passed the cursor review section and we're off to the 60-day uh window. So as we hear more, I'll obviously let the board know.
005Moving on, Eversource was in our office this morning. They are reporting that the next phase of their gas main replacement will begin sometime late spring to early summer. This section will begin at High Street and end a little bit towards uh past the Dunkin Donuts. Um, as the start date gets a little bit more locked in, we'll plan on doing anformational meeting like we did in the past. Um, and probably do it on a Monday night prior to a board of selectment meeting so people can, you know, uh, stay around for both. Um, but this will be a little less impactful because there there isn't any islands up there. Um, but I will point out that um, the infrastructure work that they had did that they did last summer was uh gave us the ability
006to purchase three additional police cruisers. So, it'll be the same. They'll have to hire police officers. I did ask when we they'd be looking at potentially paving the section that they ripped up. Um DOT has not given them the green light as of yet to pave it. The debate right now is do we wait until they finish the new section and then pave it all or not? Obviously, not our road. Um, I throw it out to the board of what their opinion is and I can definitely, you know, voice your opinions with uh uh the DOT and with Eversource. Um, but nothing more. I I I honestly I don't have an idea of which way the DOT is leaning right now if they're >> wait until it's done. That's >> Wait till it's done. Um,
007so more on that. That just uh got hit today. Um, really quick, SS4 consultant selection. Um that's the safe streets for all. The town has selected Tyian Bond to lead the development of Winchester safe streets for all. Uh the first meeting with Tai and Bon and the advisory uh committee will be this March 2026. No dates been locked in, but we do want to have our first meeting March of 2026. I can say I've worked with Tyian Bond in the past on a very similar project in a prior town. They are a really talented firm and they will give us all of the details that we need in order to potentially unlock more state and federal dollars. Brownfield assessment for 3 and 41 Meadow Street. Through our partnership with the NH Cog, the town secured
008a DEEC grant to evaluate 3 Meadow Street and 41 Meadow Street. We received a draft phase one environmental site assessment for three Meadow Street. The report documented the property's history and identifies potential areas for environmental concern based on prior site uses. Based on these finding, our consultant BL Companies has recommended proceeding with a phase 2 environmental site assessment to determine the presence and extent of any contamination. These assessments are important step in positioning these properties for future development. No one's going to come in and develop a property unless they really know what they're getting into. On top of once we know exactly what type of re remediation that is needed, we can then go and apply for some brownfield grants which will then help those developers, you know, uh get those sites cleaned up. Going
009down the road of brownfield uh assessment um revitalization along the Mad River, as I like to say, the legacy building. Uh the town continues again to partner with the NH COD. Keeping in mind our match was $220,000 of the $250,000 grant that we did get. Um we are in the process of interviewing. We did send out an RFP along with the COG. Eight firms actually uh responded to the RFP and put in a bid. Uh we've shortlisted that and we will begin interviews with a shorter list of companies to go out and start the uh whole Mad River legacy building assessment project to see exactly what those buildings will ultimately need in order to you know be converted. And moving on uh we did get uh an email late Friday night that Torington transfer station.
010I believe everybody's been brought up to speed of what RRDD1 did and they locked in with a a private hauler uh at the end of the summer. DAS came out Friday night at 4:58 p.m. letting the 11 towns up here know that they're going to cease operations of the Torington transfer station as of June 30th, 2026. They're advising the uh 11 towns up here that they need to go and find uh new places to drop their MSW and recycling off. Fortunately, uh the town had a discussion many many months ago. We went a different route um and we're positioned well for the next 10 years. So, commend the board of selectman that um when this hit the radar, we met, we talked about it. um they said we got to we got to go secure
011ourselves for the next 10 years and and what I thought was going to happen ultimately did happen. The states decided to pull out of the garbage business and um now it's all left out into the open market. And uh last two items, the 2026 budget preparation. Obviously, the majority of our our time over the past few weeks has been dedicated to uh preparation of the fiscal year 27 proposed budget. Our goal is to deliver the budget to the board of selectment by March 13th. That's a Friday. Uh my goal is to have it done by lunchtime if you want to swing in and grab it or we can leave your books somewhere else in the building if you want to grab it over the weekend. Most importantly, as you're probably aware, we did go back
012to all of the departments that roll into the into the town side of the budget. We asked them to identify an additional 3% reduction in their already reduced budgets that we've already talked about. Um this is not a step that we took lightly. However, we were currently managing approximately a $468,000 increase in our debt service payment, contractual obligations, and rising health insurance expenses. These pressures required us to take a disciplined and balanced approach as we work to present a responsible financial plan to all EU on March 13th. Um, I can say that the uh 3% reductions were due back to us by close of business today. And I commend our department heads. They again counted paper clips, counted pencils, and we're able to to to bring us back uh some reductions. So, it's good and
013it's going to hope to help the overall budget as we pull it all together. And last but not least, one of my favorite items, restaurant week kicks off Wednesday night at 6:00 at the Little Red Barn. Um the kickoff will feature appetizer samplings from our several of our outstanding local restaurants. I encourage I encourage all of you to register online. Starts at 6 PM. and please come hungry. With that, I open it up to the board. Questions from the board. >> Only question I have is something you didn't bring up. What's the status on Wall Hill? >> So, as mentioned, I believe at uh the last meeting, I have sent that off to Gman and York for a full analysis of school impact, fiscal impact, and overall town impact. That's going to take anywhere from
01430 to 45 days. is they're going to come back with a full report that I'll share with you and then we'll go in to executive session. I'll I'll share the proposals with you. But I think it's important if you're just going to look at a proposal but not have any of the information behind it of what's the impact on the schools, what's the impact on the overall town and what's the you know total fiscal impact on the town. I think it's important to while you look at proposals to see those facts as well. >> Did the clock start ticking on that or do they have all the information that they >> they have all the information. Uh the clock started ticking on it. We should be two weeks ago. I can get you the exact
015date when we engaged them. It was probably two two and a half weeks ago we engaged them. So they said it should take about four to six weeks to get it done. My thought was we'd have it by the end of March back to us. So >> has all paperwork been signed on the 508 property? >> Excellent question. There was uh a little bit of a back and forth with the attorneys. One of the attorneys, the developer's attorney was away on vacation. He came back. Our attorney reached out. Um I believe all of the paperwork is now officially signed. Now it's just a matter of um exchanging hands and the big check that's owed to us. A little joke there, but um it was supposed to close today. Um I think something got tied up,
016but that's moving in the direction that it needed to move. >> Do we have a new closing date scheduled? >> Uh I it was supposed to be today, but I didn't get word that it closed today. So, I'm assuming it's going to close tomorrow. In fact, the developer was here today asking a couple questions, pulling additional permits. Um, so it's it's going to be this week. I I will note I had to put a little bit of pressure um to get that to close. Um I was kind of left in limbo. Was really excited as all of you and I think a lot of our residents were. Brought the developer in. He understood that the need to close. He he wanted to close. He just was doing other in the meantime, he said, "Take ownership
017of the building. Worry about the other stuff later." He goes, "Got it." And then that moved along very quickly. So, um I I'll send it uh an email out to the board tomorrow um following up if it closed today or if it's closing, you know, this week. But that is a top priority to get that building closed. >> Main I don't want to clear snow off the How's that? >> Does he expect to start shortly after he closes? >> Yeah. per that uh developers agreement he has to demo that building within I don't quote me I don't have it in front 60 days 100 days 90 days something like that so from the day he closes I believe he has 60 or 90 days that building has to be down >> and I've had some
018casual conversations with him when he's come into our business and you know they're very excited about getting it started >> yes he thought that the closing of the building was one of the last things he had to worry about and then after a nice conversation um that we had. He understood the importancy and um brought his lawyer in and said get this closed immediately. He unleashed his attorney on our attorney in a good way. Then the two worked it out and we're moving in that direction. >> Question. >> Uh the Mad River Legacy building assessment that you mentioned, which buildings does that include? >> It includes everything um going down to almost where the little red barn is all the way up to town hall. >> Great. Yeah, they call them legacy buildings. I said
019that once before about a year ago in a board of selectment meeting and everybody goes, "What's a legacy building?" All the abandoned mills. Just sounds better when you call them legacy buildings than abandoned hills. Any other questions? Item seven, correspondence. Does anyone have anything? >> Item eight, boards and commissions. Kevin Bill. So, we have uh one reappoint uh Keith Wilson to the Torington Area Board of Health uh Republican Party uh for a member seat with a term ending 3209. >> Have a motion. >> I make a motion um that we reappoint Keith Wilson to the Toronto Area Health Party's Republican November term ending 3 to 2029. Second discussion. Congratulations. Item nine, unfinished business. We have no unfinished business at this time. We'll move on to item 10B while we wait for Homage to come back.
020>> Homish is right there. >> That was Steve. >> Uh, never mind. Staying on item A, the 250th celebration committee update. Committee member Amish. Uh, just hit the red button and that'll turn the microphone on. >> You can close. >> Okay. >> All right. Well, thank you very much for seeing me tonight. I won't take up too much of your time. Um, I just wanted to give you a kind of an update on what the uh historic commission is doing actually, including what we're doing for CT250. Um, so basically uh a couple of things have developed in the last couple of weeks. sent an email today to uh his honor the mayor and also to Mr. Hester. Uh we now have a a website that's up which we've been waiting for for a couple of
021years. So it's a ve very good news. Uh I sent off the the link so that we might be able to hook it up with the town's website as well. Um uh also we've been working on a grant that we received to create historic signage for the town. And at this point the signage is completely finished. It's actually right now with the people who are going to be constructing the physical signs themselves and uh I believe that Tom Hushell is actually working on where to to site the signs and talking about contacting property owners. Um we also have a good number of applications that are uh being put in for potential historic sites in the town and these are freedom trail sites. Uh, unfortunately I can't give you a lot of detail on it because
022the librarian who is actually our liaison for this project has just left the job over at Beardsley. So it's going to be a couple of weeks before we're sure of who's going to be taking it up again and I can then uh come in with another report if necessary. Um, also, uh, we, as the historic commission's been looking around, one of the things that we're doing, of course, is we're trying to site potential historic sites in the in the area, but we're also interested in taking an inventory of uh, limited projects that might improve either the the aesthetic look of the town or the historical value of the town. And so, right now, we're looking at a couple of projects. One of them is to clean a a fountain in the East End park. These
023are rather small projects, but they're they're projects we think would be good for the town, but also good for the commission as well. Um, we are thinking of trying to get a a small stone monument to women who have served in the military out in East End Park as well. There's a place that is actually available for a uh a monument. I don't know if anything's been cited there or or placed there, but we were thinking of uh asking the the board of selectmen at some time in the future if they'd be interested in in hearing more about it. We're also going uh for a campaign of creating uh high watermark plaques uh that we would put on buildings along Main Street to commemorate the the flood of 55. It's something that we really feel
024should have been done a while ago, but we're kind of catching up with that now. And we're also considering the possibility of uh teaming up with the land trust to make a couple of historical interpretive trails that are around the town. One of them that would follow kind of parallel to Route 44, which is the the dam system that was built after the flood of 55, and the other one would might be uh around where the old trolley uh line ran. Are you familiar with where I'm talking about? It's down on Winstead Road, goes up to Highland Lake. We were just thinking about these as possible projects. So, these would be probably for the long term, obviously. Um, we're also we wanted to let you guys know that we're cooperating with a lot of people
025in the town and and in the area, not only for CT250, which I'm about to tell you about, but also just kind of getting a lot of historical events uh moving. We've create we've cooperated with the American Mural Project. We're we're working on a couple of projects with them. uh the Museum of Tort Law, Barkhamstead Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the New Hartford Historical Society, as well as Torington and also the Beardsley Library. And so what we've been doing is actually kind of gathering a couple of events that are going to be occurring over the spring uh in in order to kind of celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, which is in July. And so, uh, this will be on the website that we have, but I figured I'd
026give you a couple of the events right now. On March 7th at the, uh, Museum of Port Law from 11 to 1, we will have a a display on Rosie the Riveter, very famous figure from World War II and talking about women and their service in the war. Um, on March March 21st, which is a Saturday, at 10:30 a.m., there's a presentation uh at the Beardsley Library called the Radium Girls. Uh, I'm not sure if you're familiar with this, but very often the uh old watches were given radium infused hands. And a lot of the women who worked on the watches, of course, were afflicted with radiation poisoning afterwards. for this kind of an interesting uh uh presentation. We also have uh in for CT250 in the town, we have two events that I'd like
027to just highlight. One is on April 18th um actually three events. Sorry about that folks. Uh one is on April 18th and that will be two events. A serviceoriented event in which we're going to be in the middle of town refurbishing Revolutionary War gravestones. And so it's uh something that we want to get the town involved in. Um, there'll be more on that later on. I'll make sure that I'm back here to report to you before the 18th uh about that particular thing. On uh April 26th at the American Mural Project, we'll be doing a a a presentation on uh women in the Revolutionary War. So, I'll be talking a little bit about women in the revolution, but uh there will be a number of volunteers there, some of them in period clothing, demonstrating what
028women actually did in the revolution, which is essentially to run the home while people were away. It was a pretty big job. Um, and they served in many roles. So, it's kind of an interesting idea. It's uh going to be 1 to 3 in the afternoon. And then on May 23rd, we're this is still in the formative stages, but uh we're looking at um possibly creating a uh kind of a secular memorial service for veterans, which would be at the First Church of Winstead. Um we have the Lichfield County Corral wants to come in and and do a a little bit of music for it. We've invited Susan Biservitz, who is the Secretary of the State, to come in, but I I have I've hesitated to come before you and and say this because we
029haven't heard back from her office yet. When we do, I will certainly let you know, and I'll make sure that you know that if there's somebody coming into town from Hartford, I'll make sure that you have that information. Um, and then in August, September, and October, in conjunction with the American Mural Project, we have three programs. One is at in in the end of August, one's in the middle of September, one is in the middle of October. Don't have the dates for you quite yet, but I will in the next couple of weeks. The first event is uh a a presentation and an interview on uh the flood of 55. We're going to try to get a few people who actually experienced the flood themselves to come in. We'll talk to them and talk about
030floods. This will be over at the American Mural Project in their main room. Then we're also going to be talking about uh a a labor organization. It's kind of interesting, kind of radical around the turn of the 20th century called the International Workers of the World, which you call the Wobblies. I don't know if you've ever heard of them or not, but they were kind of a militant uh labor union at that time. They were kind of looking for world revolution. And so they were here in Winstead fermenting the world revolution from here. I don't know how effective we would have been in going out and taking over China, but anyway. Um and then in October we'll be doing something on the CCC, the Civilian Conservation Corps in Connecticut. Um the Civilian Conservation Corps is
031probably the most famous New Deal program that occurred. It had about 4 million young men go through it uh who basically were given kind of a a boot camp setting and they were able to do a great deal of work outdoors in the United States, all through the country. Um, in Connecticut, if you've ever been to Sleeping Giant State Park, that was a big CCC project. Um, also, uh, People's State Forest, uh, the CCC worked on that a lot as well. So, we'll be looking at kind of area events and how they relate to these like larger trends as well. Uh, at this time, that's basically what I have to tell you. If you have any questions or comments, love to hear them from you. >> Questions from the board. >> How much thank the
032historic commission for all the work you guys have been doing lately. I've seen some of these wayside signs that they're getting ready to do and they're absolutely gorgeous. I walked around with them a uh one day where they're going to strategically put them and one's actually going to go at the Little Red Barn, maybe even right by the front door. >> So, it's it's great work you guys are doing here. >> Most of the people that we've approached who talked about it seemed very enthusiastic about it that putting in putting them in. So, we're really happy that they've kind of come together. Now, at this point, luckily, the the job isn't really in our hands anymore. So, it's kind of good to have gotten it done. But, >> yes, great job. >> And I I
033want to applaud your work and I'm not trying to poo poo anything, but Susan Bison was as lieutenant governor. I want to make sure you get her status. >> Did I say secretary of the state? >> She had been secretary. >> I was going to say, >> yeah, I'm old, but I'm not that old. I I just, you know, it's funny how when I I worked in Hartford when she was the secretary of the state. You can kind of tell, you know. All right. Well, >> I think your commission is doing great work. I was a history major in college, so history's always going to be a big thing. >> Best subject there is >> and I just love that you're you're digging in and presenting this and I really hope everything's well attended. >>
034Yeah, we think it's a good time to do it for us. So, >> absolutely. >> All right. 250. >> The website is active and it looks great on a phone so I'm sure it looks great on a laptop as well. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Mayor had sent your email over to me in my time between everybody goes home and everyone showed back up so I was able to put it on the website. go under our town of Winchester historical >> being pulled up on an iPad in the back. It's a beautiful website. I didn't get it. >> It is around it and luckily done with volunteer work. So that was also very good with itself. Um I also wanted to say just very quickly on the town's website which actually looks really good.
035Uh I appreciate the fact that at the top of it you guys were announcing our program. So I noticed it a week or so ago. So thank you very much. All right. Thanks for thanks a lot. Thank you for all the work you've done. Item B26-09, proposed line item transfer by the director of finance, town manager Harrington. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This one is coming through as our Winchester Fire Department uh from our chief uh Marianne Marian >> Marian. Um he's asking to move $3,000 from the uh pay per call to put it in the annual equipment testing line. He wants to do a a few more equipment uh tests that were on budget this year. He does feel that the payer call will have additional monies that will be unspent. He's looking to
036get ahead of some annual equipment testing with the with this $3,000 transfer. By recommendation of the town manager, I move the board of select and approve the above action step 26-09, a budget transfer totaling $3,000. >> Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second. Any discussion? >> No discussion. All in favor? >> Unanimous. Item C, potential tax sale. Talent manager Harrington. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Not sure if you had an opportunity to review the >> um not sure if you had an opportunity to review the memo that our tax collector of revenue had sent with the packet. Um we're suggesting that we uh step it up a notch on our collection. If you recall a few meetings ago, our finance director was in here for finance report. a number was put out
037there that roughly 800 $900,000 was uh delinquent. Um that was a big number to to to me. Um I took some time and really looked at what that actually was, what it actually meant. Um so let me run down a few things. So, first and foremost, and this report is as of 2:33 o'clock this afternoon, um the actual delinquent tax right now in this town is about $1.9 million. Keeping in mind a a majority, about a million dollar of it is the second payment that just became due February 1st. Okay. A lot of that will come in over the next couple of weeks. So now we got roughly a $900,000 number. Of that $900,000 $900,000 number 800 800,000 roughly is the town of Winchester. And this was property that was foreclosed on several several years
038ago. And when the town took ownership of it, there was no payment of the back taxes, the water, and the sewer. We are working with our auditors and our finance director to try and clean those balances up. Obviously, we own the property. The the issue we have is that if we write a check out of our general fund, it then returns right back into the general fund. But when you look at a uh a revenue and an expense of a budget, it's going to show that we collected delinquent taxes of a million dollars, but you don't have that million dollar to spend. So, we're trying to figure out a way to finally clean this up because you just can't have $900,000 sitting on the books that you really aren't going to collect. So, we want
039to clean that up, but that's not what we're here to discuss tonight. So then we started to say, okay, in order to do a tax sale, you need to create buckets. And I have worked with Adam Cohen in the past. He's a wonderful attorney. And I'll note that this was something years ago that I felt wasn't good for a talent to do and I resisted it. And then I had a well, what else are we going to do moment and decided to move forward with it and really saw the process played out. In fact, I went to Harford and I looked at their tax sale. I went to another town. I think it was Simsbury, looked at how their tax sale and then ultimately engaged in a tax sale in a prior town. Um, there
040are buckets that are created and you can't create, you can't just pull up property and say, "Well, I want them to go to tax sale." It has to meet the criteria. So, the criteria that the tax collector and I came up with is that you have to be delinquent for two years. a two-year delinquent and owe at least $7,000. We felt that that was a a a fair place to start that you're two years delinquent and that you owe a minimum of $7,000. Now, keep in mind this is just real estate. There's no mechanism for vehicles or personal property. I wish there was, but there isn't. Um, and that bucket yielded us uh that bucket yielded us $131,2201 which is a good number. Um and and you you know these particular properties are are two
041years and they owe at least $7,000. If we engage Adam Cohen at a certain period of time, those properties then become his properties to go and collect on. He then engages a a a sale on those particular properties. It's a very well advertised sale. Um, it goes on ctsale.com. It obviously goes on our website. It goes in the newspaper. It allows everybody to know that these particular properties are going to be sold. I can say back in my prior town that we had listed 25 properties without them going. When it actually came down to the day where everybody comes into the town hall and bids on it, only six of those properties had not paid their taxes, six of the properties actually sold that day. All but five were redeemed within the six months in
042one day. So, let's play a scenario out that we go through. Can I see your list again? Because I became unorganized very quick tonight. So, I'm not I'm going to pick on a a West Road property. West Road property um roughly uh owes um 147. Oh, that's actually not accurate. So, a West Road property owes let's say $7,000, right? It goes to tax sale and it sells for $10,000 that night. The new owner of that property has to wait six months in one day. The current owner of that property has 6 months in one day plus interest because it's a 2% interest every single month that they would pay the new owner. If they don't redeem the property from the new owner six months in one day, they would lose that property and the winning
043bidder would now take ownership of that property. Um any additional proceeds the town can only make what the taxes are owed. So again, this property that has delinquent taxes of $7,000, it sells for 10. The current owner could petition the court for the additional proceeds of the $3,000. the town does not get to profiter from the sale. Potentially the old owner, if they didn't redeem the property, could go to the court and ask them for the additional proceeds. I'm here tonight for a few reasons. One, is this something that the board of selectment has an appetite to go and do to give us another tool on our belt to step our step up our collections and see if we can sell these properties? And then two, that bucket that we created. Originally, we started the
044bucket at $10,000. It brought the list down to about 30 grand. Um, there seems to be that sweet spot between 7 and $10,000. And that's why we brought it. We even went to 75 and we ultimately settled on 7,000 which ultimately netted us $131,2201, which we would push off to Adam Cohen. That number has actually decreased. Not fully yet, but we believe it's going to decrease by $12,000 this week. Somehow this ended up on the agenda. The current property owner heard that this is a potential and ended up saying, "I'll be in this week with a $12,000 check. It does work. I've seen it firsthand." So, before you tonight is and open for discussion, does the board want to entertain the idea of going to a tax sale? There are many towns in Connecticut that
045once they start a tax sale, every two years they're doing a tax sale with the bucket. You can always create a new bucket if you want to redefine the bucket, but every two years towns are going out and saying, "Okay, you're in that bucket. It's gone. See you." Um, and the towns that are doing it every two years have seen a significant increase in their ability to collect taxes because everybody in town knows once I get to two years and I owe seven grand, they're going to sell my property. >> Now, would these would any bait programs for like elderly disabled apply in this situation where they they wouldn't have to go to the sale get excused? So, one of the items, if you filed bankruptcy, there's a stay on those. Um, elderly programs, if
046they qualify, then it would reduce their taxes. But again, those are things that they will work out with the attorney Cohen to see to make sure um that all of the avenues have been looked at before Adam goes in and tries to sell the property. Adam, >> so they would still apply. They'd still have a chance to enter that in case they hadn't known about it or tried to do it before. So, how it would work is if the board agreed um and we wouldn't be looking at a potential tax sale, believe it or not, and how busy uh attorney Cohen is. Cohen is wouldn't be until probably fall. That's how booked up he is. You can just go on his website, CT tax sale, and see how many sales are going on throughout the
047169 towns of Connecticut. We'd be looking at the fall list. The first thing is our marshall, who works very well with the town. This is not a knock. Marshall just just comes a time where the marshall isn't able to collect it. The marshall will engage every one of these properties say listen the board has taken action that eventually your property I'm not even going to be able to collect on it. It is now with the attorney and you're going to have to only deal with attorney coh. So that helps pick up the collection because nobody obviously wants their property sold. Then Adam gives them a date to say on or before the sale date, you have to pay the payment in full. Then if it goes to the sale date and the property does sell,
048that current homeowner still has that six months in one day for full redemption and that's it. And the property >> Adam is very qualified. I didn't look into that. Um what is his fee structure for this? All the fees are put on the actual sale of the home. There is absolutely zero fees that are incurred by the town. >> It's not reducing what we're collecting. If a bill is and remember the numbers that you look today change every month because at the first of the month another 2% interest gets added on. But eventually Adam says that's the price. That's where it goes. Once he takes, you know, full ownership of the of of the and he never takes full ownership once he has the power to then take fees. Um any additional legal fees is
049all tacked on to the sale of it. >> It's a purchaser. >> It's the purchaser that has to pay um attorney's fees. >> And what's the notice provisions? So like um neighbors, the property, the general public about when these sales are going to occur, what factors are going to be involved in? So, we did I I did look in it. The one thing needs to go in the paper. Um is is is one thing. Um Attorney Cohen did list does list it on his website. I did look at the past. Um the town did try and engage this before and I think it wasn't done in the most transparent way. I truly believe we're going to list it, you know, on our website. Um potentially mail the neighbors. What's it take to put a letter?
050Hey, just so you know that this property is is you know, potentially going to be sold at >> potentially or are we going to notify the neighbors? >> No. No. Potentially this property is going to be sold at an not potentially we're going to notify potentially that this property is going to because remember it's potential >> because if they redeem the morning of >> Yeah. >> Then it's Yeah. So that's I didn't when I said potential, it's potential that it was going to be sold. Not that potentially we're going to email. I The board can direct me in any direction it wants. All I want the same way when we sell a town owned property that you have to notify all the abutters. No problem. Um there's no ordinance, there's no statute, there's no anything
051that says what we have to do, but I'm open to any idea that you all want to do to make sure that this has enough exposure and that um uh it's not done in in in in any way, shape, or form. The other item that uh the tax collector collector of revenue brought up was she wants to prohibit any town hall any town employees from bidding on it. I said I bring that up. Great. >> You know, she felt we have some knowledge, we have firsthand knowledge of things even though everything's open and available. That could be another caveat that you put in to uh into the bucket that town hall employees are uh forbidded from uh being able to to bid on any any property in the auction. They can attend the auction. Has
052to be an open open event, but um you have that at at your pleasure as well. >> So So you're basically saying we can we can customize and set the rules for tax sales is what you're saying. >> Within limits. Um because I'll I'll look at everybody right now and tell you I'm not going to be the guy that takes a 96-y old widow who's two years behind for $7,000 and sell her home and throw her out of the the home. >> So can each can can special exceptions be brought to the board? >> That can't if you wanted the age restrict. So, right now, if we put 2-year limit, $7,000, and two years ago, a 96-y old widow stopped paying her taxes, you're saying next year, we're going to throw her out of her
053home and sell her house. >> I'm just >> I'm not saying that. I'm I'm saying that there are many avenues that that particular 96-year-old widow could potentially take to save her home. >> That's why I brought up those whether there's exceptions. There are there are there are things that you know individuals can do. Um there's reverse mortgage. I don't want to get into every anyone's personal finances um on that. Um but I can tell you Simposa that is the exact feeling that I had before and then I engaged in the sale and I saw 25 properties get turned over to uh Attorney Cohen. Only six went to auction and only one wasn't redeemed >> and And I understand what you're saying >> and and you're a town manager. I'm a volunteer and I'm looking at
054it as a homeowner. We have we have an agent thing. If we're not flexible on this and won't we put this in ink? Um what what what's the procedure right now if somebody hasn't paid their taxes for four years and goes up to $10,000? >> We just keep trying to collect. >> So how did we end up >> then it goes on the suspense list. So, so how did we end up with all these properties we own now? >> So, we many years for many, many years, the town foreclosed on properties, right? And there was a balance on those properties. When we took ownership of those properties, nobody wiped the balances. We're looking at a way there is an opportunity to wipe the balance when you take ownership of that. If it doesn't happen when
055you're changing the title, the balance just hangs out there. Nope. Everybody missed it. Everybody missed it. Um, and fortunately or unfortunately, the crew that's here now, great crew, none of them are here. We just have to >> fix the problem. >> So, Paul, if I hear what you're saying, it sounds like as opposed to foreclosing on the properties where suddenly we own them like all the other ones we do where we don't collect any revenue. Here, we have an opportunity to collect the revenue because people tend to pay the bill once you do this and keep it in private hands so that we don't take it over. >> Correct. So that's the benefit of doing this over what was done here years ago, which is foreclos. So I have just two quick questions for you.
056One is why 7,000? Why not 5,000? Where where did the 7,000 come from? >> We looked at potentially second payments. Um, we we have a very interesting town in that you have some homes that may have a $3,000 uh total uh tax bill and then we have other homes that have $30,000 tax bills. We literally looked at all kinds of projections of we started at 10 um and noticed that the list didn't really get very large. Um, and then we said, "Okay, we we got to find the number where it makes sense to go out and engage attorney Cohen." >> We didn't run it at five. We could look at it at five. Two years and five. We can um I can provide a list. We didn't We didn't look at We stopped at seven.
057>> You know, I can see I don't know how I don't know how you got to the seven. It was just kind of an arbitrary >> arbitrary number. Yep. >> I mean, it'd be interesting to look at the five. And I so it has two years or a dollar amount. >> So it's >> so somebody with a $10,000 tax bill that's over the $7,000 happens to miss it. They're not suddenly on the list. >> Yeah. So we wanted to do it's not or right because here's and here's the big biggest example of it. Right. If you're $7,000 I could I have the full delinquent list. >> There are a ton of properties up at the lake by oversight for whatever reason. There are a bunch of residents up at the lake that still owe that
058second payment. Boy, that would be a little bit of a shell shock that wait, this thing just was owed on February 1st and you've already sent me to the attorney, >> right? >> We're saying it's got to be delinquent for two years and $1,000 because, you know, oversight little financial crisis that you're probably going to climb out of. Um, okay, you can make that $7,000 payment, that second half payment on on your home. Um, why we wanted to do and and not or is we were going to pick up a whole lot of second payments that are just 30 days late. >> No, I think that makes great sense. It should be and. Um, and the second question was you said you were resistant to these. You didn't like the idea originally. What were your
059concerns before that you didn't like and and tell us where how you got to change? >> Simpo said it best. Um, he did. Um, I did not want to put the 96y old widow out on the streets and a lot of residents had had supported this type of attack. At the time, I had a board of finance. All of the board of finance members were supporting a tax sale. And they looked at me and they said, "Paul, every one of our residents use the streets. Every one of our residents use the service. How come that particular individual doesn't have to pay for the services? Because when it's the 96y old widow whose husband was a veteran and I'm going to be the guy that's going to throw her out in the street, I' I'd rather
060foreclose in the house, try to work something out with her, but I'm not. >> But if you foreclose on the house, then she's out on the street, too. >> Right. That's where the lawyer will come in. The lawyer will work with the person. >> Well, and I get that. But that puts us in a situation where we can try to work something else out. can make an exception once we put this in and it's in writing. There's no exceptions for any reason. >> I guess what I'd like to see, Paul, maybe is >> is an idea of what exceptions we can make that doesn't throw the entire program out, right? I mean, are there >> it's a bucket. Unfortunately, you you can't say >> it's it's a price and time limit are the only two
061reasons for buckets. But it was asked, how do we handle elderly or or disabled? >> So, >> is there an exception that's already carved into the law for that? Because that was your question. >> You have the elderly tax credits. It's it's income based. You know, obviously, and I can tell you that our tax collector's office does a phenomenal job. If there's a lever that they can pull to help out these individuals, they're pulling it to help out those individuals. They're working handinhand with the assessor's office to try and give them any benefit that they can. Unfortunately, I think it gets to a point where they may um have too much income coming in or and and they don't qualify for this particular program. But you know, you could you could put a caveat that
062after we ensure that any benefit that they're entitled to has been applied to, you know, their payment and if they're still in the bucket, that that does work because you're not you you got to be careful because you just can't say, "Well, I want to exclude anyone that's 96 years of age." You can't do that. >> So, what if they make a partial payment? So, they've been delinquent for two years. They owe 10,000 through whatever programs they come in with 6,000. Does that stay the uh >> that stays? So if they it So when we turn this list over to attorney Cohen, if they get to a $6,999 balance, they don't go. >> I know the reason for the $7,000 number. >> So >> yeah, >> if you look at this list, you're looking at
063some places that haven't paid taxes since 2010. you know, it gets a little and there could be circumstances. I mean, one of the things we could do is when we send the notice out about this, we can include within it, you know, information about programs that might be available to the elder of the disabled. This is who you contact, reach out to the tax collector to see whether you qualify. And that way, we're informing them that they may have an out to it. So, that would be a way of trying to protect those people. Um, because yeah, you know, we don't want to do that. But at the same time, is it reasonable for someone not to have paid taxes, you know, >> 16 years? >> It's, you know, and not and not have reached
064out and see what programs are available or whatever. And we don't know what the situation is with these people. And it could just be like >> all sorts of things could be someone 99.9% of the time. Yeah. It it's just going to be because I'm just not paying them. >> Yeah. >> But that.1% of the time, >> right? And that's to provide >> again if we could put a copy in there that said we've exhausted all resources trying to help the elderly, trying to help the disabled veteran and and and we've done our due diligence to try to help them out. That's fine. But I'm not going to be that guy that that 1%.1% >> by law. So that's already been anyone that has that veteran exemption that passed last year that's already been applied
065to bills >> and that applies to widows and widows. That is correct as well. So those people are not >> those people are not going to be in the bucket. Um, you know, when I look at lists, I I I can't look at faces. I look at Excel sheets and it's just addresses and numbers. I get it. I do. >> And I get it from your your perspective and finances perspective, right? This is a business. We have bills to pay. I'm here for a different reason. I'm not here to run a business. I'm not here for finance. Yes, we're in charge of finance, but I'm here for the people of town. If there's that one person living out on, you know, almost on the North Fork line that's in their 90s when I'm fine if
066they're they're driving by me in a brand new Mercedes and they haven't paid there and they like, I can't come up with the $10,000, but there's people in the outskirts at sometimes at that age get to a situation where I got nothing left. I've eaten the last of the cat food, you know, which I shared with the dog. I I I don't have it. >> That's probably a pretty small percentage. It is. >> But we're we're signing a paper right now that when we're all out of this chair, I if you're telling me this is black and white and that's it, then it's still on my conscious that in 15 years that that one exception. So, we got to put a clause in there. We got to cover. This is an important one to me.
067This is an important one that we got to put a clause there that all all resources are offered to that exception. Well, to everybody really, but >> we're looking at 10 properties. 10 property owners. >> It it's and this time but the tax sale were put there. >> I agree with you. That's why I raised the issue myself. But you know, we're looking and their efforts should be made and I agree with you 100% to alert them as to what their resources are before it reaches the point where they're having their property sold out from underneath them. >> But on the other side of the equation, we're asking the town department's head to come in with a 3% reduction. We know how this budget season is going to be this year. And for the 97%
068of the residents that pay their taxes and follow the rules and support everything we're doing in town, there's fairness on both sides there, too. So, I'm I'm with you, Bill. We're going to carve out whatever we can do to make sure those people know what resource resources are available if we do this. >> But I got paper cut. We need a medical timeout. >> Meeting temporarily recess. >> Okay. recess has been resumed. >> So if if um let's say that I didn't pay my taxes for two years in that two years like what what has happened? What has the town done to reach out? Like what what's the process? >> Excellent question. So we do employ a marshall here in town. that marshall has probably at least tried to make contact with you at least
06910 to 20 times um over the course of uh those two years that you've been delinquent. >> He's sent letters. He's knocked on your door. Um Art Quinn does a really really great job. >> This is now Art has exhausted and these people have gone just absolutely dark and have chosen not to get on any type of a payment plan or anything. they just decided that they that they weren't paying. Um, so Art has several contacted. On top of that, you know, Ashley first sends letters out, you know, she sends out the lean letters because we put a lean on it once the property hasn't been paid. Once something becomes 30-day delinquent, there's a letter that the town then pushes out that there is now a lean on your property. Then after that, ART then
070starts trying collection methods on it as well. Um and and it it's creating a these are never going to go away and it's putting an end to the bill that's going to keep growing because every month and every there's an 18% guaranteed uh interest rate on all these properties. something from 2010 >> by not it's only creating so if the house ever you know sells there's no proceeds for the family because we're entitled to all of it and and at that time you know the town doesn't get to say oh you were 96 we you were a great human being there's no way to forgive the taxes once that bill is produced there's no way to forgive the tax account as entitled >> I was shooting through the list and there's some people that old
071more and delinquent than they did originally. >> It's mostly bank that's better. >> I've seen it happen in in my job where people don't pay and what happens it gets pushed on to the next person. They're like, "Why do I have to pay that?" Well, because that's just that your your lawyer didn't do it at the closing. Is there a way to that this person could actually um agree to let the town put a lean on their property? So, when it does have to agree to it, we do it after your 30. >> So, what is the difference? this list and this list. >> One list is going to be the excluded uh properties from the town and and so the town's the big list. 800,000 pilots. >> Yeah. Don't look at that. >> Yeah.
072>> We're going to clean that. >> These are all the town properties. >> Yes. >> Yeah. You can see um >> why do they have names attached to them then? >> Well, that was the original and then now it's town of Winchester. So, >> these we've all taken possession of those are forclosed properties that were town >> over the years and by whatever reason, listen, a lot of things go on. Um, nobody thinks, well, I got to clear the balance off. It's a busy it's a busy town hall. Um, we're looking to clear that off so uh we don't owe ourselves. >> So, these are all properties as as selectman Lamir likes to talk about, we could put on the market to sell all of these properties. You would have to foreclose on the properties
073first. >> Can you just say we did? >> I thought they were >> Oh, I'm sorry. You were >> there big long list. >> Here's your shopping list, Croy. >> So, there's that list. Now, the reason why I do not want those properties going in the tax sale is because somebody could purchase that for just the taxes. >> That property might be worth more. >> We already own these, right? >> So, we can list them and sell them as we do other town properties. You could potentially, >> but we have to clear up the tax. >> We have to clear a lot of problems. >> We have to do the accounting problem. >> We have to do the accounting because that just hangs out there >> and then the new owner would we would still
074try and collect the taxes. So, I need to >> we went down this road and then I saw this big avenue. I was like, "Oh boy, we got bit more problems. So, do you need a motion to get this going or >> I I I I think eventually yes, if you're comfortable, but I also want it, you know, I did draft a motion, not knowing where the board would go. But I also know that I I put myself in a box with the town. The author authorization shall remain effect until 12:31 2026. We come back and revisit this after the sale. I'm not saying that you guys should be signing up today to say two years, seven grand, and and you've given me this blanket like I can do this every two years. >> Should
075we look at the $5,000 run to see what it does? >> Because you you said there's only 10 properties that would be in the $7,000 run, right? >> There's 10. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Can we run the five before we move forward on this? And >> I don't know if we want to be >> that aggressive. >> Yeah. Because that is kind of aggressive. >> That's what the average tax bill is. If >> you're talking about two years old, though, two years old, >> two years old, it's been ignored. >> I I think what I'd like to do, you know, we I agree we should have we need to the criteria. So, I don't think we're in a position to vote on something right now because I think we need to think what do we
076want to put in this proposal and what, you know, restrictions, you know, what can we put in? So I think that's where we need to have like a working group maybe to try to put together some language as to how we want to have that. You know, you've done this before. You probably seen what the languages and be good to help. Like what do what can we do to try to ease some of the concerns and make sure that we're going through the process appropriately, legally. You know, >> perhaps attorney come in and talk to the board >> before we do something like that as well. >> $700 an hour. I was going to say the stats >> sometimes it takes money to make money. >> So, and I respect attorney Cohen a lot. He
077is tremendous at what he does. Um he'll be one of those well um use my services or not, I'm not coming in to sell you. Um my track record speaks for itself. Right. So, now I can tell you that the tax collector in Norwok has used Adam Cohen so many times in the past, she now does it on her own. >> Aggressive. Um, >> do we have samples? I mean, you said you did it with your prior town. Yes. >> Do you have samples of what the the motion or the rule was that done that so we can follow that as a >> I was going to ask and was 7,000 what you did last time? I did 10,000. Um, now you and I and I urge you and and maybe maybe we don't do
078anything tonight. We kick it back for two more weeks, but you go on CT tax sale um and look at all the properties or the all of the auction that uh attorney Cohen has listed um and see um exactly, you know, what properties are going out there. >> But that doesn't give us the language to have in our >> Yeah. So really general, not general, but um I have the board of selectment town of Winchester pursuant to Connecticut General Statute 12-157 authorizes the tax collector to initiate the statutory tax sale process for any real property that meets the following criteria. The property is delinquent in payment for real estate taxes for a period of two years or more. and the total amount of delinquent taxes, interest, leans, fees, and other authorized charges owed to the
079town equals or exceeds $7,000. >> But do we want to put language in there that there be information provided to the property owner regarding vent potential resources >> y >> to abate the taxes? I think there should be like a notice of rights saying. >> Yeah. Um board's pleasure. Um, let me talk with the uh tax collector. Let me do two things. Let me get a $5,000 It's going to be hard to write, but let me get a $5,000 list. But that seems like it might be too aggressive. No, because I won't be able to um >> do we want to look at a $5,000 list? >> Let's go, 1500. >> No, let's look at a five. Well, let's look at a $5,000 list. I'm just walk you out of here. >> Let's look at
080the 5,000 just to see what it looks like. >> Yeah, it's an option. Maybe five, seven, and 10. So we can see the difference. >> Oh, fine. Well, you got the seven, >> right? >> Okay. >> Well, you already did above the seven. You didn't see much. >> You can see which ones are 10, right? That's going to be less than not a lot less. How about like three properties that are under 10. >> Yeah. Um, let me pull the $5,000 list. Let me then come up with language and and see based on buckets of, you know, making sure that we've exhaust every effort to make sure that, you know, anyone that is potentially able to qualify for a program has been given the right to qualify for that program um programs. What else you
081all want to look at? >> So, I have Go ahead. I'm sorry. >> One quick question. So, tax collector turns it over to the marshall. The marshall's gonna tack his fee onto taxes that he collects. I assume that's going to come off when it would come back. >> That is correct. So, one thing that the general statute does not allow, attorneys fees can roll in. Marshall fees do not. >> Pay the marshall. >> We pay the marshall fee. >> Who pays? >> The marshall would just unfortunately end up having to eat it. So, >> well, technically if he doesn't, he only collects. >> He only collects it if it's paid, right? So he's again similar to you know attorney Cohen where if a property does not sell there are no fees charged by attorney coh.
082>> So part two of my question the resident buys it at before the tax sale >> they would just pay the taxes >> so they wouldn't pay the fees to >> that is correct. Yep. And my question was to just make sure there is no uh Connecticut statute limiting us to what we can do because I know on suicide there's the threshold that you can't even lean somebody when you hit a certain amount of money. >> That's a new statute, right? >> That is correct. >> That is a new statute that came up there. There there is no statute that says that you couldn't go to $1,500. That is very aggressive. uh I believe. >> And just remember the homeowner has six more months after the sale date to get their property back in a
083day. In a day. >> Yep. >> So you give them everything that you can possibly give them. So >> and again, if they drop the balance to $6,999 prior to this going to Adam, it doesn't go. Or if they drop it after it goes to Adam, it doesn't go. >> Right. So if they owed 7,500, they could come in with a check for 600 bucks and get off the list. >> Now the problem is in 30 days, >> you want they got 700 in interest >> and but then that's not solving the problem. Like again, I think one of the board members pointed out that the interest in leans alone were more than the principal payment because they've just ignored it and ignored it. And every 30 days, we're adding >> 18 >> additional fees.
0842%. >> Yeah. They haven't cared about the lean because if they're not going to sell it, who cares? >> And they've just ignored it. So, >> okay. >> I have my homework. Any other questions? >> Very good. Good debate. Yep. Moving on to item D, charter revision commission membership edition. >> So on um February 25th, the commission had its first meeting. Select person. I'm going to get that right one of these days. >> Cheryl, >> can I do that? >> Mr. Put your name. >> Select person. And I couldn't read it tonight. I don't have my Q card. So um >> usually out >> select person McGlin and I um facilitated over the first meeting. The members elected a chairperson which is former selectwoman Candy Perez. And Candi came with her homework done and gave
085assignments to everybody to get the ball rolling here. So I think it was a uh very productive first meeting. Um at one of our upcoming meetings we'd like to invite Mr. Harrington to the meeting so that he can explain in a little more detail the the the change regarding referendum timing and that sort of thing because everybody had some some questions on the technicalities of that. Um, also in the days shortly after our last meeting, I had a chance to have several conversations with people. And what I really kind of took away from these conversations was if we're going to be successful and move these changes through the process and get the town to get behind it and support it, then we needed to have support from both sides of the political spectrum here in
086town. Uh so with that, I would like to go ahead and nominate Bill Hudach to join the Charter Revision Commission uh effective immediately. >> I'll second the motion. >> We have a motion. We have a second. Discussion. >> I appreciate that. >> My pleasure. Anything else? All right. All in favor? Opposed? 511. Congratulations, Mr. Hudach. >> I will get a letter off to Mr. Hudach tomorrow morning um and then get him sworn in um at the clerk's office and then Mr. Marino, do you want to point out when your first public because we're on camera, your first public hearing is um for charter. >> Did you bring your notes because I did not. >> That's on the 16th, I believe. quickly check that >> my calendar. >> No. Um, sorry. The first public meeting is
087on the 12th, Thursday, March 12th. It starts at 7 o'clock. >> That's right. We went back and forth on those dates quite a bit. >> Yes, it is indeed the 12th. >> So, I'll point out to the uh general public that um that is your opportunity to come in um and speak your mind about the charter things that you may want to have the charter revision commission look at. um this is their first informational meeting that they are looking for the public's input where if you feel that uh I can't think of anything off the top of my head but you you find something in the charter that you you're really perplexed about or wish it would change that's the opportunity to come in to this to to that board and or that commission and
088and and state that you would like them to look at that the reasons why you'd like them to look at that so next Thursday 7 p.m. in this room. >> Moving on to item 11, citizens comments. The board of selectman welcomes public comments. Does anyone wish to speak? Item 12, executive session discussions, strategy, and negotiations regarding emergency services pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes 1 to 206. Make a motion to move into executive session and invite Paul Harrington for discussion strategy and negotiations for an emergency services pursuit of negative statute section 1 through 2006. >> Second motion second discussion. All in favor and it is 8:10 p.m. Exactly. We are back from executive session at 8:43. >> No, let me try that again. We are back from executive session at >> 8:38. My watch was frozen.
089We have no action to take. Item 13, selectments, comments, and reports. Does anyone have anything? This is unusual. >> Motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Don't forget restaurant week begins on Thursday at 6 o'clock. >> Wednesday at 6 p.m. >> Yeah, but I think the