Litchfield Board of Selectmen: School Finances, Additional Constables
10/21/25
Present: 1st Selectman Denise Raap, Jeff Zullo, Dan Morosani, John Bongiorno and Jodiann Tenney.
Zullo provided an update regarding the Litchfield Volunteer Ambulance building at 77 West Street, including that the footings have been poured, and the forms for the frost walls are in place and expected to be poured that week. At the time of the meeting, Zullo noted they were waiting on a ruling from the state regarding the requirement for a sprinkler system based on the square footage.
The board appointed John Worthington as the Building Official and ADA Coordinator with a term ending June 2030, Robyn Ryle as a regular member of the Beautification Commission with a term ending February 2028, and Wolf Boehme as a regular member of the Beautification Commission with a term ending February 2027.
Raap provided an update on Region 20, saying that, during the Town of Litchfield’s Board of Finance meeting on October 20, they learned of a $400,000 deposit that went from Region 20 to the Litchfield Public School account on July 1, 2024.
“It’s an even number, don’t know what it was for,” Raap said. “ … So we’re looking to find out more information.”
Zullo said Region 20 Superintendent Jeffrey Villar and Chief Financial Officer Julia Cardillo were present at the Board of Finance meeting. Raap said former Financial Consultant Tom Ariola had explained to Director of Finance Amaechi Obi that the $400,000 represented repayment for expenses that Litchfield Board of Ed paid on behalf of Region 20 and Region 6.
The board of selectmen were concerned an audit failed to disclose this issue.
“After June 30, there was no Litchfield public school employees, they were done, so how could they have written a check?” Raap posed. “I would like to see a copy of that check and whose signature’s on it,” Tenney said, noting that checks that large can require multiple signers like in other school districts. Raap said she thought it would have to be two people: “Hopefully we’ll get a copy of it.”
Raap provided an update on resident troopers versus constables after meeting with Lieutenant St. John, Sergeant Conlin and Interim Resident Trooper David Hawley. They could not guarantee that Litchfield would be assigned a third resident trooper.
Regarding an upcoming capital request, Raap suggested including funding for at least a vehicle and possibly the hiring of two part-time constables that can either share a vehicle or request two.
“We can put it in and always back it out if the discussion changes after November,” Raap said.
Bongiorno recommended a special meeting to compile all of the data before making the capital request with different configurations. Morosani agreed, noting the importance of presenting two or three different cost options during a public hearing.
The board unanimously passed three motions: the expenditure of $18,488.84 for the Bantam Fire Company Engine 36 corrosion repair, waiving the Litchfield Fire Company Planning and Zoning and Inland/Wetland fees of $380 and adopting the 2026 Board of Selectmen meeting schedule.
