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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Signs, Signs, Signs!!!

We got our signs in!

We are trying to prioritize high traffic areas for visibility if possible. This definitely includes areas in town that are further away from the current Timex site, as the zoning amendments, if passed, would allow distribution centers in LI-200 zones town-wide. Please keep signs 10 ft from the road on your own private property.

They will be available for pickup at Dunkin' from 5-6pm today (1/24/23). Depending on availability, we will have future times with more notice.

The signs cost the Middlebury Small Town Alliance $6 each.

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! 

“Region 15 Parents” Facebook Group Poll

 

“Region 15 Parents” Group

100 Votes, 98% Not in Favor of amending the zoning code

8 Comments

Here is a sampling of some of the comments

·         i'm not saying at all that i support this, but has there been any statement about how many jobs this would create, or tax $$ it would generate?

o   Response: somewhere said approx 450 parking spaces so figure that many jobs. But at what cost. Between the home values of Avalon farms going down and those other homes in the Christian rd/Judd hill area. And then also the increased traffic on 188 from the highway. Which runs next to an elementary school where children are playing outside. It seems like a good idea to develop but maybe the straits turnpike area would be better suited. You know where the old timex building originally was in that area.

·         Just my opinion, but I would guess that any tax savings would be negated by a drop in home prices at Benson Woods, Avalon Farms, and Brookside. Who wants to live next door to 24 hour trucking?