Several items were discussed at the last Thursday’s Board of Selectmen meeting to be brought to an April Town Meeting.

The first was an expenditure not to exceed $10,000 from the Capital Non-Recurring Fund to purchase a new dock for the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department. Renovations to the existing dock had been suggested in previous discussions, but the rest of the Board echoed First Selectman Lowe’s opinion that the necessary repairs were too extensive.

The second expenditure from the Capital Non-Recurring Fund is an amount not to exceed $20,000 to begin work on Wakeman Hill Road. The project, with the funds, will include field and drainage investigation, sieve analysis, and core boring. The LOTCIP application will also be completed and submitted to WESTCOG and the Department of Transportation (DOT). Any comments from the council or DOT will be responded to for the completion of said application.

An increase in building fees was the third item added to the Town Meeting agenda, raising the price from $10 to $12 per $1000 of additional value. Since such fees follow a fiscal year-schedule, the increase, if approved, will take effect July 1, 2019.

The vote was unanimous in revising Linda Arnold’s recent appointment on the Commission on Aging, making her a full-time member of the Board.

The SVFD responded to 15 fire calls and 18 EMS calls in March, and is preparing for a gathering with the fire departments from Gaylordsville and Kent on April 25th. More details to follow.

First Selectman Lowe shared updates on the sodium and chloride levels in the town wells, reporting that if this week’s tests show low enough levels, the wells at Town Hall, the Senior Center, and the school will be under the limits. He quickly voiced his plan, however, to start preliminary research for drilling a new well for the fire department since its numbers were the highest. Initial suggestions for the new well were shared by Selectmen Kevin Keenan and Bob Ostrosky, but the Board agreed to continue discussions in the upcoming weeks. Recycling stickers were also a quick item on the agenda, as the plan will be for them to be free and possibly sent out with car taxes at the end of June. No plans have been solidified for their distribution, but the zero fee was agreed upon at the meeting.

The town budget has been made available online, showing a 2.5% reduction on the mill rate. There was correspondence from The Sherman School administration stating that they would like to mail out an 8-page summation of their budget
to residents; up to the present the school budget was included with the Town budget mail package. There was speculation on the logistics of separating the information, but Town Treasurer Eric Holub echoed the idea of taking any figures in the school budget out of the Town budget summary and allow the school to send its own info.

Due to the numerous accidents that have occurred on Route 37 coming from New Milford, there will be two signs placed to signal the
curve near the traffic light. Drivers are urged to continue to use caution, especially at night.

The Senior Center Feasibility Committee had nothing to report as of the Regular Meeting, but Lowe informed the Board that he would be organizing a meeting time with the Committee Members for April.

Happy Acres Farm is busy in the early springtime bustle since it welcomed its first calf of the season just last month. No other calves have yet been born as of the meeting, but several are anxiously awaited at number 2 Taber Rd.

The next Regular Monthly meeting is set for Thursday, April 25th, and the date for the Town Meeting will be posted on the town website.

By Anne-Marie DiDomenico