Litchfield, Torrington, & Winsted Board Meetings
Litchfield Selectmen: Developer Lawsuit, Ambulance Facility Lease, Region 20 Audit Discrepancies
5/20/25
Present were First Selectman Denise Raap, Selectmen Dan Morosani and John Bongiorno. Jeff Zullo was present via Zoom, while Jodiann Tenney was absent for personal reasons.
For new business, the board unanimously approved West State Mechanical’s bid for the $150,000 Bantam Fire Company air handler replacement contract.
Zullo said there had been discussion at the capitol meetings he attended with Bongiorno about partially funding the project through a grant from The Seherr-Thoss Foundations. Jane Golding from Bantam Fire Company said the trustees opted not to pursue the grant – something Raap indicated was “despite (her) encouragement.”
“We felt they had been extremely generous in the past,” Golding said. “And this was a partial piece of equipment, where in the past they’ve bought us a boat and a UTV and rescue truck, which seem more tangible to the public, so to speak. We appreciate all their generosity in the past.”
A motion on Planning & Zoning legal bills also passed in response to litigation from developer Michael Peloquin, who a day prior at the Board of Selectman meeting in Winchester was threatening similar litigation over housing. The fees totaled $4,880, with Morosani requesting a cumulative total of what the case is costing the town in legal fees.
Raap said she was told the case is expected to be resolved at some point during the summer.
A handful of other motions also passed in the meeting. The board unanimously approved the 77 West Street lease to the Litchfield Volunteer Ambulance. The total cost is expected to be $2.165 million.
Zullo said by the town funding $1.365 million of the project and providing construction funds via grants, it allows for a non-taxable municipal bond. That option creates less of a burden on taxpayers in part because the interest rate on a non-taxable bond is 3.75 percent, compared to 4.95 percent for a taxable bond, or 6.75 percent on a 25-year commercial loan.
Later portions of the meeting largely centered around Region 20.
Raap indicated the auditor found all three missing Apple laptops, with Bongiorno adding that he remains concerned about the tablets that remain unaccounted for that were owned by Litchfield Public Schools and Region 6.
Then came the issue of discrepancies in Region 20 audits. The school system’s CFO, Julia Cardillo, found duplicate invoices and some that were never presented to her, Raap said. The board had yet to receive an amended audit.
“I have real problems with that.” Bongiorno said. “... We had an auditor come in and look at those things and did not find them, and then she came in much later and her figures seemed to be correct, which means our audit is incorrect, and I’m now concerned with how much of our audit is correct.”
The budget proposal called for staffing cuts, which would have an impact on matters like student-to-teacher ratios. Bongiorno cautioned against making further cuts that would have a direct impact on education with superintendent Jeffrey Villar still new to the role.
“I don’t want them to cut too much more of the educational process until he has time to review the educational process,” Bongiorno said. “I don’t believe you can do that in … not even a month. And then you’ve got everyone in your ear. Really use the summer to sit back and reflect and look at all your numbers.”
Torrington City Council/WPCA Special Meeting: Sewer Fee Increase, Concerns Over MIRA Transfer Station Sale
5/19/25
Present were Mayor Elinor Carbone, City Councilors Drake Waldron, Stephen Ivain, Molly Spino, Paul Cavagnero, and David Oliver. Councilor Anne Ruwet was absent.
The meeting began with a roll call vote to increase the sewer use fee to $426 per dwelling unit, or per 65,000 gallons for non-residential users, representing a $6 increase from the fiscal year 2024-25. The motion ultimately passed, but not without Ivain first asking WPCA Administrator Ed Tousey to lay out what drives the increase.
Tousey explained that employee benefits and a 10-percent increase in sludge disposal from Synagro were the main factors. (Note: Synagro is a biosolids and residuals management company operating several facilities within CT and elsewhere.) The incinerators are old and breaking down, Tousey said, but that new technologies exist and are being looked into. The new technologies could drive down costs “considerably,” and having them housed in Torrington is being looked into.
That prompted a response from Cavagnero.
“If there is anything that defines a statewide problem requiring statewide solutions, statewide experience and expertise, it should be these areas,” Cavagnero said of trash and waste. “I have no idea where the hell our elected state officials, what they're doing or why they haven't taken control of this knowing for years, for years, all related departments have been warning city councils across the state that this is gonna become more and more and more of a major issue. And there's been nothing of substance that I can see sitting in this seat to come from Hartford about this.”
The council then voted unanimously to pass Chapter 63 of the city’s Code of Ordinances, which established the creation of the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority.
The ordinance passed, albeit with the possibility that some of the language will be amended depending on the acquisition of a transfer station on Vista Drive. The station serves 11 towns as per the agreement with the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA). A term sheet had been executed, Public Works director Ray Drew said, signed by the commissioner of DEEP, the COG, and Carbone, for the city to acquire that station from MIRA.
That was until USA Hauling & Recycling swooped in with a massive $3.25 million offer for the facility – a facility Drew said is valued at just $500,000, citing the assessor’s office. The absence of local control alarmed officials, who have since the sale reached out to Attorney General Tong’s office regarding potential antitrust issues.
“We did immediately reach out to our delegation after that meeting,” Carbone said. “I did express my concern that, is the state paying attention to the monopoly, that they have the corner of the market now? They already had the corner of the market even before acquiring this piece of property.”
The council also extended a handful of contracts, including the tree trimming and removal services, HVAC equipment maintenance and repair, electrical services and repairs, general plumbing and repairs, miscellaneous locksmith and door repair services, and on-call roof repairs and annual inspections. The prices and terms of those contracts will all remain the same.
The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) budget was unanimously approved for the upcoming fiscal year, as was the Five-Year Capital Improvement Budget/Program and the miscellaneous fee schedule.
Winsted Board of Selectmen: Main St Gas Lines, Boyd Street Drainage, Sewer Upgrades, Dog Abuse Civil Case
5/19/2025
Present were Mayor Todd Arcelaschi, Town Manager Paul Harrington, Selectmen Troy Lamere, Paul Marino, and William Hester, and Selectwoman Candy Perez. Selectwoman Linda Groppo and Selectmen William Pozzo had excused absences.
The meeting quickly got off to a contentious start when, during public comment, developer Michael Peloquin lambasted the board for not selling him town-owned land on Wallens Hill that he submitted a bid for in 2023. The board members didn’t say a word as Peloquin criticized them, ultimately noting his comments for the record. Peloquin threatened legal action against the town if they do not issue a new request for proposal (RFP).
Peloquin currently has active litigation in Litchfield over a plot of land he wanted to build luxury townhomes on.
In the Town Manager's report, Harrington outlined details on the Eversource gas line replacement project taking place on Main Street that is expected to run into September. The project runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with Harrington noting that professional traffic management would be required. A motion was unanimously approved later in the meeting to implement the Police Assistance Program with Torrington for sources beyond Winchester Police to manage the traffic, pending police union approval.
Harrington shared that in the Sarah Smolak dog abuse case he, along with other town employees, will be asked to testify in the civil case. (Note: According to reports in several state media, the Winsted woman is accused of mistreating 40 dogs in Winsted and Norwalk. Smolak was arraigned in Stamford Superior Court on two counts of animal cruelty related to the Norwalk cases, along with charges of larceny and criminal damage to property. The town of Winchester filed a civil complaint for permanent custody of the animals after Smolak said they were her pets and refused to relinquish ownership.) Finding permanent ownership for the dogs is ongoing, but they have been transferred temporarily to the town’s control.
“Our focus remains on public safety and the fair application of the law,” Harrington said. “I know many are eager. I get many phone calls and a lot of emails into my office daily. I know many are eager for the closure.”
Harrington also laid out the details of a plan to create the Rehabilitation & Evaluation of Sewer Components for Upgraded Efficiency Plan (RESCUE) as part of the application for a state grant through the Community Investment Fund. The project would allow for the hiring of an outside consultant or company to draft engineering plans for aging and priority sewer components.
The motion passed for Arcelaschi to sign a letter of support on behalf of the board for the application, which requests $250,000 for the RESCUE plan.
“This is long overdue and much, much needed,” Hester said. “The sewer plant was built over 30 years ago – what lasts 30 years? Some cars do, but with a lot of rehab. This is a much-needed project, and this $250,000 is just the beginning. It is going to be millions of dollars to fix this plant to be up and operational, which will also help on growing the Grand List, help on the Sue Grossman trail, will help the town and everything. So, it’s much, much needed.”
Public works director Jim Rollins gave a flurry of updates about forthcoming projects. Marino told Rollins he has had multiple residents approach him about the Boyd Street drainage issues from Highland Lake. Rollins said he’s been in contact with the Department of Transportation. They first have to survey the area, which has been scheduled.
“They reminded me that they're aware that there's a time frame on this because winter's coming and there's a deep drawdown and water's gonna be coming out fast, so they're aware of it,” Rollins said. “Nothing can happen till the survey is done.”
