Riiska updates BOF on bridge repair costs

By Susan MacEachron The Board of Finance (BoF) heard about the increased cost of replacing the River Place bridge at its meeting on Aug. 13. The bridge reconstruction that began in the spring of 2022 was halted in the fall of 2022 and has recently recommenced. The cost has increased from the original estimate of […]

Updates on town projects at board of finance

By Ruth Melville First Selectman Matt Riiska proposed two appointments at the Aug. 7 meeting of the Board of Selectman: Rebecca Easton as an alternate on the Conservation Commission, and Philip Carr-Harris as an alternate to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Both appointments were approved by the board. In his monthly Selectman’s Report, Riiska first […]

Eye on Town Goverment

Board of Finance discusses investment options By Susan MacEachron The Board of Finance (BoF), at its meeting on July 9, approved investing most of the approximately $1.2 million which reverted to the town from the terminated defined benefit pension plan (DB), in a one-year Treasury Bill (T-bill), and a small amount in a five-month Certificate […]

Eye on Town Government

Selectmen: Reappointments, Updates By Ruth Melville At a short, preholiday meeting on July 3, First Selectman Matt Riiska proposed several reappointments to town positions: Tom Strumolo, Paul Madore, Hartley Mead and Susannah Wood to the Energy Advisory Committee; Kathleen Lippincott to the Retirement Plan Committee; and Matthew Klimkosky as the town tree warden, with Starling […]

Modest Tax Increase in a Difficult Year

By Susan MacEachron The Board of Finance approved a 2.5 percent increase in the mill rate for the fiscal year 2024/25 budget at its special meeting on April 23. To keep the tax increase below 3 percent, the significant increases in the education components of the budget were partially offset by a larger than usual […]

Regional 7 increase, town debt lead budget review

By Susan MacEachronThe Board of Finance (BoF) had a first look at the town government portion of the fiscal year 2024/25budget at its meeting on March 12. The overall budget of about $8 million has three major components:town government and services, Botelle School and Northwestern Regional School District Number 7(Regional 7). Absent finding ways to […]

Eye on Town Government

Funding City Meadow Discussed at Inlands Wetlands Agency By Susan MacEachron Construction of a pool house and tennis pavilion and restoration plans for City Meadow were the two issues discussed at the Inland Wetlands Agency (Wetlands) meeting on Feb. 5. Kevin Costello, an associate with Renee Byers Landscape Architect described the plans to build a […]

Financial Woes Discussed at Board of Finance Meeting

By Susan MacEachron The budget deficit facing the town from the July flooding clean-up, ongoing costs from the gas spill, and recent trouble with the Botelle School boilers were discussed at the Board of Finance (BoF) meeting on Nov. 14. First Selectman Matt Riiska said he is working with the state to get Local Capital […]

Board of Finance Focuses on Repairs

By Susan MacEachron At the Board of Finance (BoF) meeting on Aug. 8, First Selectman Matt Riiska described the multiple road and bridge projects, including those underway before the heavy rains and the work required to repair roads and bridges after the rain.  Riiska highlighted the fact that he had been promised that the new […]