Greenwich Free Press (https://greenwichfreepress.com/tag/rtm/)
“We are at a critical juncture where spending is about to increase dramatically while the new debt policy is a risk to our long-standing financial strength and quality of life.” – Bill Drake (BET) and Brooks Harris (RTM) Continue Reading →
Submitted by Lucia Jansen
On May 13, 2019, the RTM approved the BET’s proposed $444 million general FY19-20 fund budget. Included in the budget is $75,000 for an independent town-wide fire study that was added by the BET after a unanimous vote. During the BET budget hearings with the fire department, it showed that there were serious gaps in town-wide fire incident and response time data. Lacking sufficient data, of course, makes it difficult to determine effective and required fire department staffing levels. Additionally, the Office of First Selectman and Fire Department’s report to the RTM and BET revealed that town benchmarking data using national standard criteria for response times, including call processing, turnout, and travel times, was either non-existent, non-compliant (e.g., far beyond recommended standards), or excluded data from our important volunteer fire stations located in the area in which the shortfall in service is claimed. Continue Reading →
The Condemnation Commission exercises the powers and performs the duties in respect to the condemnation of land and the assessment of damages and benefits arising only out of the construction of highways, sewers and public parking.
The Appointments committee is seeking 5 members who will compose a board with a balanced set of skills and professional experience which include, but not be limited to, Real Estate Evaluation, Construction, Engineering, Legal Expertise, Town Planning, and Public Representation. Continue Reading →
“If you only fund projects with short-term debt, you may never make the large, long-term investments you need because the short-term impact on taxes would be prohibitive.” – Brooks Harris, RTM District 10, RTM Finance Committee Continue Reading →
The Appointments committee of the RTM were overall civil, though Carl Carlson pounded his fist on the table and said he could not abide by Richard Maitland being chair when P&Z approved Neighbor to Neighbor’s food pantry building by a historic church and Tomes Higgins House, as well as condos on Milbank Ave. Continue Reading →
Connecticut residents vulnerable to the millions of tons of solid waste and the billions of gallons of liquid waste generated by the oil and gas extraction industry. Waste contaminated construction fill or road de-icers are the common methods of entry into municipalities. Continue Reading →
“For those advocating “fiscal freedom” and focusing solely on the mill rate, I urge you to recognize that there is another side to the equation—having a reserve for contingencies as well as things our town needs to enhance its schools, buildings, fields, traffic. Are we taking this into account or we ignoring them to reduce the mill rate by .092 just so we can say we lowered taxes?” – Joanna Swomley Continue Reading →
“Fiscal Freedom for CT continues to believe the best way to improve our community is to focus on less taxes and regulation which will result in a positive quality of life, strong job growth and a pro-business environment.” – Laura Gladstone Continue Reading →
“What is our town becoming when our good faithful servants are attacked without cause.” – Richard F. Kriskey Continue Reading →
Proponents of a plastic bag ban walked away with smiles from Central Middle School on Monday night. Continue Reading →