Important Town Budget Meeting - Thursday, March 16th

This week, the Middlebury Board of Finance (BOF) and Board of Selectmen (BOS) have a special joint budget meeting at 7pm in the Town Hall Conference Room on Thursday, March 16th. It does not appear this meeting will be available on Zoom, so it's important that residents attend to witness what is proposed and decided upon. Public Comment is allowed and highly encouraged. 

The agenda is available here: https://www.middlebury-ct.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif6871/f/agendas/joint_bos_and_bof_special_mtg_agenda_03162023.pdf

There is special concern surrounding the proposed 2023-24 Region 15 school budget. First, the proposed budget increase is largely driven by contractual salary increases and inflation-driven increases in energy, transportation, health insurance, and out of district tuition costs. Middlebury also gained additional students in the last year while Southbury lost more graduating seniors, so the percentage of the budget Middlebury is responsible for also shifted higher.

Second, the pool at PHS is in dire need of repairs, and the BOE is considering a repair bond to cover the estimated $3.5M in repair costs. It would cover this bond cost using a current bond payment that ends this year, and other needed capital repairs such as fire panels, HVAC systems, tennis courts and away bleachers would also be included in the repair bond.

The Superintendent's budget presentation is available here: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1677598826/region15org/baq630gx5tdlv7jbjv2z/R15Budget2023-24FINAL.pdf

There is a joint Middlebury/Southbury Boards of Finance and BOE public hearing on March 29th at 6:30pm in the Media Center at PHS. If you can't make the 3/16 Middlebury meeting, you have a second chance to provide input at the March 29th public hearing.

The PHS Girls Swim and Dive team are State Champions, and the Boys Team just won the South-West Conference Championship on March 2nd. We have champion athletes at PHS, and our facilities don't support the exceptional student athletes we're producing. The priorities presented at the special joint budget meeting on Thursday will indicate how Middlebury officials "feel" about the proposed school budget. Without your input, the BOF and BOS may vote not to support the Region 15 school budget.

If you can't attend any of the meetings, please email your opinion to:

First Selectman Ed St. John:         firstselectman@middlebury-ct.org

Selectwoman Elaine Strobel:        estrobel@middlebury-ct.org

Selectman Ralph Barra:                rbarra@middlebury-ct.org

Region 15 Board of Education:    Region15BOE@Region15.org

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Middlebury Small Town Alliance - Suggested Actions Week of January 23-27

• Attend the Economic Development Meeting: Monday, Jan 23rd at 6:30pm, Shepardson Center Room 26
• Agenda is here: https://www.middlebury-ct.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif6871/f/agendas/edc_agenda_2023-01-23.pdf
• Public Comment is allowed at the end of the meeting: Voice your opinion —> do distribution facilities (and buildings 750,000 sq ft large) belong in Middlebury?
• Attend the Board of Education Meeting: Monday, Jan 23rd at 7:30pm, PHS Media Center
• Agenda is here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1M2b0SN6IJevYUUBjiaV45R1xCZUW3GfM
• A key item on the agenda is an update on the Bond Proposal
• Public Comment is allowed towards the end of the meeting: Voice your opinion —> should Region 15 hire appropriate staff to maintain small class sizes at the elementary/middle school level?
• Write Letters to the Editor
• Voices (Limited to 300 words, letter must include name, address, phone number and signature of the writer, and be faxed or dropped off in person at 55 Heritage Rd, Southbury by 4pm on Fridays for publication the following Wednesday. Anonymous letters are not considered.)
• Bee-Intelligencer: Letters to the editor may be emailed to mbisubmit@gmail.com or mailed to Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer, P. O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762. Letters to the editor run as space permits. Please limit letters to 500 words, avoid personal attacks and understand letters will be edited. For verification purposes, please include your name, address and daytime telephone number. Only names and towns will be published. Anonymous letters will not be printed.
• Mark your calendar for February 2nd: Planning and Zoning continued Public Hearing at 7pm. Location presumed to be Shepardson Center. Might want to come early to get a parking place and a seat in the room.
• If you can’t attend, email your comments to cbosco@middlebury-ct.org for inclusion in the public record.
• If you experienced any difficulties attending the January 5th P&Z Public Hearing (couldn’t hear or see what was going on, not being able to speak during the hearing, being turned away from the parking lot, etc.) it is very important that you document these difficulties into the public record. Simply send an email to 
• cbosco@middlebury-ct.org, give your name and address, and list your complaint.
• Support the Alliance financially: https://www.gofundme.com/f/middlebury-small-town-alliance
• We've raised $5,895 from 37 donors online and have another $2,000 that was donated in cash. Our fundraising total as of 7pm on 1/22 is $7,895!
• Thank you! We’ve raised what we need to cover the Civil Engineer expert witness expenses, and now we need to focus on our lawyer’s fees.
• If you would prefer to mail a check, checks should be made payable to Middlebury Small Town Alliance and sent to PO Box 1073, Middlebury, CT 06762
• Our incorporation costs were graciously covered by a donor, so our only current costs are the yard signs we ordered, the expert witness, and the lawyer.
• Reach out to your neighbors and friends: ask what they think about distribution facilities coming to Middlebury, and encourage them to participate in the process to have their opinions included on the record at Planning and Zoning. Now is the time to have your voice heard.

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Zoning Amendments - Help on Next Steps!

 Zoning Amendments - Help on Next Steps!

- Email Region 15 Board of Education and attend Jan 9 BoE Meeting at 7:30pm in the PHS Media Center (Tomorrow): "As Middlebury residents and representatives to the region, please represent the collective community to oppose LI200 Zoning changes and the building of a large Distribution Facility close to our schools. The proposed use is incompatible with the current use of the zone" (Region15BOE@Region15.org)

----> https://www.region15.org/board.../board-of-education-clone

- Mark calendars for the next Zoning Meeting on Feb 2nd

----> Email Curt Bosco to ask for a larger venue with a mic to allow all voices to be heard (cbosco@middlebury-ct.org)

- Call / email Ed St John: "Middlebury is a semi-rural small town, and there is no place for a distribution facility of this size at the proposed location. The proposed use is incompatible with the current use of the zone" (firstselectman@middlebury-ct.org 203-758-2439)

- Message me directly if you would like to take a larger role supporting the cause

- Talk to your friends and neighbors to get the word out

- Stay tuned for more information!