3/28/2024 A Message from First Selectman Bindelglass
Good afternoon,
Town Hall will be closed tomorrow for Good Friday.
This week former town clerk Derek Buckley passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family. That of course, includes his wife of 63 years and senior center director Val Buckley. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family.
The dog park will reopen today, as the work was carried out ahead of schedule. Great job Park and Rec!
On Monday March 25 we held a Special Town Meeting. At that meeting, we approved an appropriation of $600,000 to the Board of Education for a budget shortfall this year. The superintendent explained how there was a large increase in students requiring special education which was unforeseen. The increased number of students combined with the difficulty in recruiting staff to work with them caused the shortfall and he discussed the steps taken to mitigate the shortfall now and going forward. As you may recall, in December the town received a grant of $396,270 from the state to do site work in conjunction with the EMS renovation. Accepting that grant at a town meeting was a necessary step in securing those funds.
Also discussed was a revision of the town ordinance which institutes tax relief for our seniors. This has never been a source of controversy before and there has always been universal agreement on the merits of this program. I believe a misunderstanding occurred which affected peoples’ opinions. The ordinance has always set income and asset levels and provided tax relief based on those levels. In the past seniors could deduct health expenses, much as one would deduct them on their tax returns IF THEY ITEMIZED THEIR DEDUCTIONS. The committee writing the ordinance had decided that having to present documentation of their medical costs with their application was a considerable burden and source of anxiety for our seniors, particularly as most took standard deductions on their taxes. Therefore, they removed this option and instead, so the seniors would not lose out, they increased the amount of tax relief provided. Overall, the tax relief to our seniors would be higher, but the focus at the meeting became bogged down in the perception that the loss of the deduction for medical expenses somehow was hurting seniors and not that the overall program was providing more tax relief for them. The ordinance specifies that if revisions to the ordinance are voted down, a new committee needs to be formed. We will do that. The current rules for senior tax relief will remain in effect for this fiscal year and we will relook at this for the next fiscal year 2025-26.
Following the town meeting a public hearing for the presentation of preliminary budgets commenced. The presentation of budget can be accessed at https://www.eastonct.gov/finance/pages/budgets. The Town of Easton budget including the Board of Education budget is projected to increase by 2.9%. Further review is being carried out by the Board of Finance and a final budget will be presented at the Annual Town Meeting on April 29, and voted on at referendum on May 7.
The presidential preference poll will be held on April 2, at the Samuel Staples Elementary school from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. For information about early voting see:https://www.eastonct.gov/home/news/an-important-message-from-the-registrar-of-voters-0. Absentee Ballots are available at the Town Clerk’s office and MUST BE RECEIVED no later than 8:00 p.m. on the day of the Presidential Preference Primary on April 2, 2024. Once you have completed your ballot, you can either deposit in the Official Drop Box or return in Person to the Town Clerk's Office. We are open Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The Friends of the Easton Public Library - a 501(c)(3) charitable organization - will be joining library lovers across the United States next Wednesday, April 3, 2024, as they support their local libraries for Library Giving Day. All donations are fully tax-deductible. In accordance with our mission to support and enrich the Easton Public Library, the Friends fund a wide range of book/media purchases plus programs not covered by the town’s budget allocation. These include, among others, museum passes for all library patrons, books and speakers for our “One Book One Town” program, support for the Summer Reading programs, the renovation of the library’s back patio, the Holiday tree lighting event, and items – such as lawn games and mobile hotspots – which can be checked out by patrons. With the help of our Easton neighbors, we will continue to keep our library a hub for learning, civic dialogue, the arts, family and cultural enrichment, servicing the interests and needs of our entire Easton Community. Donations of any size may be mailed or brought to the library, or they can be made online at https://tinyurl.com/EastonLibgiving.
Come join us for FAMILY TRIVIA NIGHT! On Friday, April 5th from 7:00pm-8:30pm at the Easton Library Community Room. This event is for all ages and for Easton residents only. Get ready for a night of fun and laughter as BTE Entertainment guides us through 5 rounds of fantastic trivia questions. Each round feature 10 intriguing questions. Come showcase your smarts and enjoy a memorable evening with your family. Registration is required, please visit https://eastonct.myrec.com/info/default.aspx.
The Town of Monroe will be hosting a public information meeting regarding the upcoming project to replace the bridge located along Judd Road over the Mill River. The meeting will be held at the Monroe Town Hall located at 7 Fan Hill Road in the Council Chambers on Monday, April 15th at 6:00pm. This is a joint project between The Town of Monroe and The Town of Easton. It is, however, by agreement being managed by public works in Monroe since the bridge straddles the town line. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information to the residents of both Monroe and Easton on topics such as where residents can expect to obtain information on project updates, anticipated construction date, anticipated construction timeline, and potential traffic detours.
Spring is a time when we all start doing outdoor cleaning and building projects. We all value our privacy as well as the quietude of our beautiful town. Please consider your neighbors when working outside and restrict your working hours to times which are respectful of your neighbors. Please make sure that people who do work for you understand this as well. There has never been much interest in an actual ordinance to limit noise and other than limiting hours it is difficult to set standards. If people have interest in a noise limiting ordinance, I would encourage them to come speak at a Board of Selectmen meeting.
Happy Easter,
Dave