RECEIVED JANUARY 7, 2009 @ 9:20 A.M.
Michele R. Grande, Redding Town Clerk
3 pages
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
JANUARY 6, 2009
MINUTES
Filed subject to approval
Present: Approximately 150 people.
The meeting was conducted in the Redding Community Center
First Selectman Ketcham called the Special Town Meeting to order at 7:41 pm
The first order of business was the election of a moderator.
Motion by Dan Heller to nominate Dick Emerson as moderator. The motion was seconded by Frank Taylor and unanimously approved.
Mr. Emerson asked Selectman Takacs to read the Warning of the Special Town Meeting.
Mr. Takacs read the Warning. (See attached copy).
Motion by Bill Alvarez, seconded by Mr. Heller, to accept the Warning as read.
Mrs. Ketcham introduced Attorney Lee Hoffman of Pullman and Comley, to explain the TIF financing and how the program worked.
Mr. Hoffman presented information on the TIF program and took questions following the explanation.
Questions/comments from:
Ward Mazzuco,Wood Road
James Miller, Middlebrook Pond Road
Joe Dolan, Windy Hill
Hans van Oostendorp, Huckleberry Road
Jerry Sarnelli
Al Viscio, Sport Hill Road
Richard Hoffman, Seventy Acre Road
Adam Lubarsky, Long Ridge Road
Unidentified, Mark Twain Road
Ken Wright, Hill Road
Keith Gambino, Woodland Drive
Mrs. Ketcham presented the Board of Selectmen’s support for approval of the TIF program as presented.
Rosalind Kopfstein, Chairman on Aging Commission, presented the Commission’s view and support for approval of the request for the TIF program as presented.
Rob Dean, Planning Commission, provided information on the Commission’s support for the program.
A motion to approve the following motion was made by Frank DeSalvo, seconded by Frank Taylor.
1. To consider and take action on the recommendation of the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance to participate in tax incremental financing for a loan in the amount of $3.5 million to be provided by the Connecticut Development Authority (CDA) to Georgetown Land Development Corporation (GLDC) for he purpose of remediation of the road identified as North Main Street in the GLDC master plan.
2. To authorize both the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance to ascertain compliance with the following conditions prior to entering into any agreements with CDA and GLDC for tax incremental financing:
a. GLDC meets all the requirements set forth by CDA or its subsidiaries;
b. GLDC provides documentation of the financing needed to complete remediation on North Main Street, roadway infrastructure improvements leading to the new train station, and the full commercial phase of the project;
3. To authorize the First Selectman to do any and all things legal and necessary to accomplish the above-named purposes, and to take any other action that may legally and property come before the meeting.
Questions and discussion followed.
Questions and comments by:
Al Viscio
Dan Heller
Amendment by Bill Alvarez: change 2b of the motion to read: GLDC provides documentation that GLDC has obtained the financing needed through letters of financial commitment to complete the remediation on North Main Street, roadway infrastructure improvements leading to the new train station, and the full commercial phase of the project. The amendment was seconded by Paul Degener.
Further comments/questions by:
Richard Stein
Joe Dolan
Paul Degener
Rob Dean
Mr. Alvarez withdrew the amendment.
Mr. Alvarez offered the following amendment, seconded by Mr. Degener.
change 2b of the motion to read: GLDC provides documentation that GLDC has obtained the financing needed through letters of financial commitment to complete the remediation on North Main Street, roadway infrastructure improvements leading to the new train station and full commercial area of the project.
Further comments/questions by:
James Miller
Joe Dolan
Paul Degener
Richard Hoffman
Richard Klein
Mr. Alvarez withdrew the amendment.
Mr. Simeonidis offered the following amendment to change 2b, seconded by Mr. Alvarez.
change 2b of the motion to read: GLDC provides documentation that GLDC has obtained through letters of financial commitment, the financing needed to complete 1) the remediation on North Main Street, 2) roadway infrastructure improvements leading to the new train station, and 3) full commercial area of the project.
Comments/questions by:
Rob Dean
Mark Zak, Charlie Hill Road
Joe Dolan
Steve Soler, GLDC
Paul Degener
Richard Hoffman
Adam Lubarsky
Attorney Hoffman
Mr. Simeonidis withdrew the amendment.
Call the question, motion by Rob Dean.
Vote on calling the question: 100 voted for the motion, 25 voted against the motion. The motion carried.
Vote on the Motion (as originally stated in the legal warning): 101 voted for the motion, 31 voted against the motion. The motion was approved.
The moderator adjourned the meeting at 9:33 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Maday, Recording Secretary
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