Goshen Board of Selectmen: Town Meeting, 7 p.m., Nov. 16
9/22/26 5:02 p. m.
Present: First Selectman Seth Breakell, Selectman Scott Olson (via Zoom).
Excused absence: Selectman Dexter Kinsella.
Approval of the Sept. 24 Payroll and Warrant included payment of $10,179.57 to the State of Connecticut for unemployment. Selectman Scott Olson moved to approve the Payroll and Warrant, and First Selectman Seth Breakell seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Breakell noted in his report the money is owed by Region 6 for unemployment from two years ago, and the Town paid Warren’s portion and was to be reimbursed the next day.
“There was a discrepancy that Region 6 owed unemployment, the unemployment benefits to the state of Connecticut,” Breakell said. “And then it all got lost, and there is no more Region 6, it's Region 20. It was a big mess.
“The Boards of Finance in the three towns, Region 6 towns, they basically told us Selectmen to figure it out and see if we can get this thing off the docket because we've been paying penalties and interest for over two years now on the original amount,” he said. “We were able to negotiate with the State of Connecticut, which took forever; we were willing to pay the original sum that was due, but we did not feel we needed to pay penalties and interest.”
Also in his report, Breakell said Region 20 is negotiating teacher contracts, and there is a gag order on all information until the contracts are final. An initial meeting was to be set after Oct. 6, he said.
“All of the Region 20 towns are allowed to have representation to sit in the room and listen to the negotiations from the Board of Selectmen and/or the Board of Finance,” Breakell said. “So, I know I'll be doing that for Goshen.”
In new business, bids were open on the Town Hall window replacement project. They came in at $38,900 from Martino Development of Plainville; $36,200 from CRC Group of Crossover, N.Y.; and $32,000 from Pella Windows of Monroe. Olson moved and Breakell seconded, then both voted “yes,” to table the matter because Selectman Dexter Kinsella was absent.
The Town has openings for one Fire Commissioner and one Board of Assessment Appeals seat, Breakell said. Recommendations were expected by the end of September for the Fire Commission spot.
The Selectmen both agreed to adjourn the meeting at 5:17 p.m. with a motion by Olson and second by Breakell.
9/29/26 5 p. m.
Present: Breakell, Kinsella; and Olson (via Zoom).
The Selectmen discussed the three bids for replacement windows at Town Hall at the start of Old Business.
“I think all three of us reviewed those bids and I think unless you guys have a different opinion that the Pella Windows, not only for the quality of the windows themselves, but also they also happened to be the low bidder in the pack there, is gonna be our choice,” Breakell said.
Kinsella and Olson said they agreed, and Kinsella moved to approve the $32,000 bid from the Monroe company. Olson then abstained from the vote.
“I agree with that (but) I'm going to abstain on this vote, Olson said. “I actually have a personal friendship with the family that's involved.” Breakell then seconded the motion, and it passed with “yes” votes from Kinsella and Breakell.
Under New Business, Breakell reported the Town’s old Employee Handbook dating to 2012 is being replaced.
“The Employee Handbook that we've been talking about for a few weeks now or a few months now actually is done, ready to be distributed,” he said. “A lot of this was just kind of housekeeping and having our labor attorney take some of those policies and procedures for grievance processes, for instance, and stuff like that and make them more applicable to 2026. I think there's a social media policy in there and stuff like that that we didn't have previously.”
Olson said the BOS wants to hear from employees before finalizing the handbook, and Selectmen will make the new set of guidelines effective Nov. 1.
“We're going to distribute this book for October 1st and give all of our employees a chance to digest it and have any questions or comments,” Breakell said.
“I think it's important that everybody understand that we are going to present the new handbook tonight, but it's not going to be codified or adopted until November 1st for several reasons, namely, and I think most importantly to give the employees of the town an opportunity to chime in and get their feedback on it,” Olson said. “I think that one of the most important pieces of the puzzle is still yet to come.” Olson moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:17 p.m., Breakell seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.
10/6/26 5 p. m. Present: Breakell, Kinsella, and Olson.
The Selectmen approved the Oct. 8 Payroll and Warrant on a motion by Olson, second by Kinsella, and unanimous vote. Olson listed large transactions including $30,103.41 to Anthem Blue Cross for employee healthcare benefits and $46,535.25 to Pine Valley Materials.
“That's all for materials for construction, roadside construction that's going on on Pie Hill Road and some for Wellsford Court as well,” Olson said.
Breakell reported the Oct. 3 Fall Festival was well attended.
“I just wanted to express tremendous thanks to all the boards and commissions and volunteers and 501c3s and all the people that attended and just everybody,” he said. “I thought it was a really nice event.”
On another topic, the three Selectmen said they are personally sponsoring Paws For the Cause at Goshen Center School to raise money for field trips.
In New Business, Breakell presented correspondence from the Inland Wetlands and Water Courses Commission, which voted Sept. 3 to increase the After-the-Fact permit fee for land-use applications from $235 to $300 and requested BOS approval. Kinsella moved to approve the increase, Olson seconded the motion, and the decision was unanimous for the increase.
“I have what some other towns are charging here and at 300 bucks we would be right in the mix with Warren, Cornwall, Morris, and Litchfield,” Breakell said.
The First Selectman reported the Democratic Town Committee recommended Gary Stango Sr. for the open seat on the Board of Fire Commissioners. Kinsella moved to appoint Stango Sr., and the vote to approve the appointment was unanimous after a second by Olson.
Kinsella moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:09 p.m., and the Selectmen unanimously agreed after a second by Olson.
10/13/26 5 p. m. Present: Breakell, Kinsella, and Olson.
After the Selectmen approved the previous meeting’s minutes on a motion by Kinsella and second by Olson, they agreed to approve the Oct. 15 Payroll and Warrant on a motion by Olson and Kinsella. Both votes were unanimous.
Breakell noted early voting was to start Oct. 19, and the approximately two weeks of early voting in the Town Hall may affect meetings ordinarily held in the Conference Room. He said that includes the Oct. 20 BOS session, which will be held in Breakell’s office, with no Zoom link because there is no capability in that room. The Oct. 27 BOS meeting is canceled due to early voting, the First Selectman said.
A Town Meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, Breakell announced. It will be held in the Goshen Center School Gymnasium inside the school at 50 North St. “It’s a little bit early (but) just to get that word out there,” Breakell said.
Under New Business, the Selectmen discussed seven bids for dry screened road sand, each priced per ton:
Stonybrook Construction, LLC, $25.94 delivered
Canton Village Construction Co., Inc., $17.13 delivered, $9 picked up
Stone Construction Co. Inc., $22 delivered, $22 picked up
Schultz Corporation, $26.50 delivered, $16.50 picked up
Zwally Enterprise, $37 delivered
Laurelbrook Natural Resources LLC., $29.20 delivered, $20.50 picked up
Segalla Sand & Gravel, Inc., $22.20 delivered, $16.20 picked up
All bids were deemed to be in order, the Selectmen said. The BOS voted unanimously, after a motion by Kinsella and a second by Olson, to forward the bids to Garret Harlow, Public Works Supervisor, to seek his recommendation.
Kinsella moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:12 p.m., and the BOS agreed unanimously after a second by Olson.
The Board of Selectmen also was scheduled to meet Oct. 20 in Breakell’s office, with no Zoom link available. The Board’s Oct. 27 meeting was canceled due to early voting. The Board’s first November meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Nov. 2
