Falls Village budget vote set for June 6

By Patrick L. Sullivan

FALLS VILLAGE — The public hearing on the proposed spending plans for 2025-26 drew about 40 residents to the Emergency Services Center Wednesday, May 21.

Board of Education Chair Pat Mechare went through the Lee H. Kellogg School proposal and First Selectman Dave Barger handled the municipal plan.

At the May 12 Board of Finance meeting the board reduced the Board of Education’s bottom line by $10,000 and the Board of Selectmen’s by $37,498.

One reduction in the municipal spending plan was in the legal line for the Planning and Zoning Commission. At the hearing, P&Z chair Greg Marlowe asked that some or all of the funds be put back in the spending plan, arguing that once a completed application is accepted the commission has 65 days to make a decision. If no decision is made, the application is considered approved.

He said the commission often needs a legal opinion and that takes time. If the commission has to ask the selectmen and the finance board for additional funds to cover the legal cost, they run into problems with the 65-day deadline.

Marlowe also asked for funds to be restored to the P&Z zoning enforcement officer/planner line.

Andrea Downs asked that $20,000 be restored to the Truck Reserve account. She said the town crew chief, and her husband, Tim Downs routinely saves the town thousands of dollars by performing in-house repairs that keep older vehicles running, but this arrangement won’t last forever.

Peter Jensen rose several times with overall questions about the town’s financial health but his point was consistent. He is opposed to higher taxes.

The finance board met Thursday, May 22 and added $1,000 to the P&Z legal line.

The spending plans for the town budget meeting Friday, June 6 are:

Municipal spending plan totals $2,422,826, an increase of $94,138 or 4.00%.

The spending plan for Kellogg is $2,390,265, an increase of $136,673 or 6.06%.

The Region One budget passed earlier in May, and the assessment for Falls Village is $1,543,685, an increase of $126,422 or 8.92%.

Total education spending would be $3,933,950, an increase of $263,095 or 7.17%.

Latest News

Rhys V. Bowen

LAKEVILLE — Rhys V. Bowen, 65, of Foxboro, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on April 9, 1960 to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979.

Rhys grew up at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where his father taught English. Attending Hotchkiss, Rhys excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, he also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run at least 50 miles a week, until the day he died.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kelsey K. Horton

LAKEVILLE — Kelsey K. Horton, 43, a lifelong area resident, died peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, following a courageous battle with cancer. Kelsey worked as a certified nursing assistant and administrative assistant at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, from 1999 until 2024, where she was a very respected and loved member of their nursing and administrative staff.

Born Oct. 4, 1981, in Sharon, she was the daughter of W. Craig Kellogg of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and JoAnne (Lukens) Tuncy and her husband Donald of Millerton, New York. Kelsey graduated with the class of 1999 from Webutuck High School in Amenia and from BOCES in 1999 with a certificate from the CNA program as well. She was a longtime member of the Lakeville United Methodist Church in Lakeville. On Oct. 11, 2003, in Poughkeepsie, New York, she married James Horton. Jimmy survives at home in Lakeville. Kelsey loved camping every summer at Waubeeka Family Campground in Copake, and she volunteered as a cheer coach for A.R.C. Cheerleading for many years. Kelsey also enjoyed hiking and gardening in her spare time and spending time with her loving family and many dear friends.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eliot Warren Brown

SHARON — On Sept. 27, Eliot Warren Brown was shot and killed at age 47 at his home in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a random act of violence by a young man in need of mental health services. Eliot was born and raised in Sharon, Connecticut, and attended Indian Mountain School and Concord Academy in Massachusetts. He graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He and his wife Brooke moved to New Orleans to answer the call for help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and fell in love with the city.

In addition to his wife Brooke, Eliot leaves behind his parents Malcolm and Louise Brown, his sisters Lucia (Thaddeus) and Carla (Ruairi), three nephews, and extended family and friends spread far and wide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Randall Osolin

SHARON — Randall “Randy” Osolin passed away on Sept. 25, 2025, at the age of 74. He was born on Feb. 6, 1951, in Sharon, Connecticut to the late Ramon (Sonny) and Barbara (Sandmeyer) Osolin.

He was a dedicated social worker, a natural athlete, a gentle friend of animals, an abiding parish verger, an inveterate reader, and an estimable friend and neighbor. He was a kind-hearted person whose greatest joy was in helping someone in need and sharing his time with his family and good friends.

Keep ReadingShow less