Town of Washington Board of Selectmen
12/4/25, 5:30 PM
Present: First Selectman James Brinton and Selectman Jay Hubelbank. Selectman Dean Sarjeant was present via Zoom.
Brinton began the meeting by making a motion to add subsequent business on the agenda. That was seconded by Hubelbank.
The piece of additional business was to authorize the disbursement of $16,726.40 to the Washington Community Housing Trust for repair work on a property at 77 Baldwin Hill Rd. The Washington Community Housing Trust has found a culvert on the property.
“Once they found that the culvert required additional stockpiles, piping, 80 tons of riprap, all kinds of different things,” Blinton said. “It was not known to be there, of course, and the town didn’t know about it.”
That item will return at the next Board of Selectmen meeting.
Later in the meeting, Brinton noted that he was recently notified that the town’s Zoning Commission is short an alternate member.
“When I was made aware of that, I reached out to the leadership of the [Republican Town Committee] for a recommendation,” he said. “Then I forwarded to [Hubelbank and Sarjeant] Jay and Dean the bio of Ariel Salama.”
Salama, who has a background in finance, was present at the meeting. Brinton made the motion to appoint Salama as an alternate to the board until November of 2029. The motion was seconded by Hubelbank, who asked Salama if he had had time to sit in on some of the board’s meetings.
“So he knows what he is in for,” Hubelbank noted. “I mean, some meetings last a half an hour, and some boards meet for a short time, and some boards meet for a lot longer.”
Salama did not address the question, but thanked Brinton for the appointment.
“I will do whatever I can to help, absolutely,” Salama said.
Brinton also discussed the town’s Planning Commission petition to the state to designate Popple Swamp Road in Washington as a scenic road.
“The planning commission found this road meets more than one of the designation criteria,” Brinton said. “Popple Swamp is narrow, bordered by many mature trees, stone walls, scenic views, and it blends naturally into surrounding terrain.”
