Cornwall annual town meeting pushed to December

CORNWALL — Due to delays in the yearly town audit, Cornwall’s annual town meeting, originally scheduled for Nov. 17, has been pushed back to Dec. 8. 

At a meeting of the Board of Selectmen (BOS) on Oct. 17, First Selectman Gordon Ridgway said the town audit must he reviewed and worked into the Town Report ahead of the annual town meeting. With the audit not expected to arrive until Nov. 15, a delay was necessary to adequately review the audit ahead of the meeting.

“Item number one on the town meeting is to receive reports and we need to incorporate the audit into the annual report,” said Ridgway. “Which will take a couple weeks.”

In addition to the Town Report, there are three other items on the agenda for the Dec. 8 meeting: review and vote on the Five-Year Capital Plan; vote on the formation of an affordable housing commission in Cornwall; vote on increasing building permit fees.

A draft of the Five-Year Capital Plan was discussed at the Oct. 17 BOS meeting. The proposal showed an increase of $20,000 to Road Improvement, $20,000 to Cornwall Consolidated School, and $10,000 toward bridges and culverts. It also showed a decrease of $50,000 in the Town Buildings category, keeping the bottom line flat at $720,000 for fiscal year 2024-25.

A motion to send the plan to the Board of Finance (BOF) was carried, and will be further reviewed at a special joint meeting of the BOS and BOF on Oct. 24.

“This is our proposal, doesn’t mean it can’t be amended,” said Ridgway. “It will certainly be a work in progress.”

Cornwall will still hold a town meeting on Nov. 3 to approve the reconstruction of a retaining wall on River Road. The wall was damaged after a summer of heavy rain, and bids from contractors will be received by Oct. 23.

Community updates

The Little Guild began site work for its temporary facility at Foote Field. The animal shelter is expected to move to the three-trailer setup by January. It will remain there while undergoing construction of its main headquarters on Sharon Goshen Turnpike, with completion expected around summer of 2025.

Park and Recreation will host Halloween events on Pine Street on Oct. 31. Festively decorated cars will line up for trunk-or-treating near the village green. There will also be a chili cook off, judged by attendees. To donate candy, contact Park and Rec Director Jen Markow at Park.Recreation@cornwallct.gov

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