Kent selectmen oppose Schaghticoke Tribal Nation recognition effort

KENT — The Kent Board of Selectmen has formally joined opposition to a renewed effort by the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation (STN) to gain federal recognition.

The selectmen discussed the topic in executive session Tuesday, Feb. 17. In the regular meeting that followed, First Selectman Eric Epstein made a motion to approve a “common interest agreement” with the State of Connecticut and the Kent School to oppose federal recognition of STN. The motion passed unanimously.

STN is distinct from the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe (SIT), which recently received a positive review from the Office of Federal Acknowledgment. The tribe split into two factions — SIT and STN — roughly 40 years ago. STN is currently in the re-petition process for federal acknowledgment as well.

STN sued the state in 2016 seeking $610 million in damages for selling tribal land. The case was dismissed in 2019. Originally, STN aimed to leverage its land claims in Kent to build a casino in Bridgeport.

In other business, the board voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Finance an alternative paving bid connected to Kent Center School. The town school board, working through Region One, has already gone out to bid for a repaving project at Kent Center School, for $494,477.

Attached to the bid package was the option of repaving Judd Avenue and Elizabeth Street south of the intersection of the two roads and adjacent to KCS, for an additional $97,010.

The selectmen heard from Kent resident Gregoire Pye, owner of the Crepe Royale food truck, who would like to operate in Kent.

The status quo is that food trucks are not allowed on public property in the town, but are allowed on private property. Gregoire noted the presence of a hot dog vendor in the summer, and wondered why he couldn’t get a similar exemption. The selectmen said the hot dog vendor was grandfathered in. Epstein said the Planning and Zoning Commission does not have a regulation about food trucks. The matter was tabled and will be addressed next month.

The board tinkered with a resolution governing the recording of public meetings. The change would allow a board or commission to close a meeting if audio recording fails and 30 minutes of troubleshooting is unsuccessful.

The selectmen accepted Matt Frasher’s resignation as chair of the USA 250 subcommittee and appointed Sarah Chase as a replacement.

Epstein reported that work is ongoing on a request for proposals for work at Emery Park pool. He said the town has $100,000 in federal COVID relief funds that need to be spent by the end of the year.