TOWN MANAGER'S MESSAGE:
The snow and ice are gone. Spring has finally begun! The weather is warmer, and flowers are just starting to bloom. I know we all are looking forward to spending more time outside. I encourage everyone to spend some time in our Parks and on walks along our trails such as the ones in the Williams Preserve or the Thornton Brook Preserve. If we have a rainy day, you may choose to visit the Booth and Dimock Library. They have many new activities like Dungeons and Dragons, Escape Rooms, and “Sunday Matinee at the Movies”. You can check out their programs at this link: https://www.coventrypl.org/events.html .
Spring is a good time to clean out the garage or shed! Remember if you are thinking about spring clean up at home, you can use the Town’s transfer station to dump those unwanted items, including tires, old electronics and paint. Spring is a great time to get out and start new projects. Click this link to learn more about the Transfer Station hours and items accepted: https://www.coventry-ct.gov/220/Transfer-Station. Spring/summer hours start at the Transfer Station this month, too: on Thursdays the hours will change to 12-6 PM as the daylight hours get longer. Saturday hours remain the same at 9 AM – 3 PM.
Town staff is planning and preparing for a spring-summer season of construction. The Town is maximizing the use of State and Federal grants to fund its construction projects. Miller-Richardson Park will see the completion of the parking and new sidewalk system. New crosswalks and flashing beacons will be installed on Main Steet and Cross Street(at GHR School) along with sidewalk safety features along South Street. Swamp Road and South Street will see some major road and intersection improvements. New sidewalks will be constructed along Main Street from Hemlock Point Lane to Winterberry with the goal to eventually reach Lisicke Beach and Daly Rd. The Booth and Dimock Library will have some structural work done to the floors in the historic part of the building. Summer road paving will also continue using grants, road bond funds and capital funds from the proposed FY 2025-26 Budget. There are also many other projects in design or being planned that you will hear more about in the months ahead.
This month at Town Hall, the Town Council has completed the department budget presentations. They are preparing their final budget cuts. They have also been looking at the impact of the revaluation on the residential taxpayer, due to the loss of motor vehicle tax values and the jump in value of housing. The Town Council is considering a phase in of the 2024 revaluation assessments, as allowed by CT General Statutes, so to soften the tax impact to the residential taxpayer. The phase in would increase all real property assessments by 25% of the new revaluation assessment each year for the next four years. This would provide a lower tax increase for the residential property taxpayer in the first few years before reaching 100% of the new assessed values. The Town Council is also exploring a newly adopted State law that provides an alternative motor vehicle depreciation schedule for taxation. This schedule would still lower motor vehicle taxes but would maintain some additional value (an extra 5%) on motor vehicles that could still be taxed. Adopting this alternative depreciation schedule would further reduce the shift of the tax burden toward residential property taxes. Unlike the four-year phase in plan, this schedule could remain in place for several years.
This month, we will be preparing to take our Town Council adopted budget to the Town Meeting for consideration. Town Meeting is unique to traditional New England towns. Instead of representative democracy which is used throughout our country and is today often used elsewhere in Connecticut, it is a form of direct democracy where every Town registered voter or a non-resident in-town property owner, can vote. At this meeting everyone is invited to attend to see my presentation of the Town Budget and the Board of Education budget presented by School Superintendent David Petrone. The Town Meeting is scheduled for April 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Coventry High School, Veterans Auditorium. Votes may be taken at the Town Meeting, but historically, the community will be able to vote on the Town Council’s budget by referendum. This year the vote will take place on May 6th. Both Districts 1 and 2 will vote at the South Coventry Fire House (across from Town Hall). I hope everyone comes out to participate and that everyone that’s eligible comes out to make their vote count.
I hope to see you all around Town this month. Perhaps at the Town Meeting or perhaps on a Sunday walk on the Thornton Brook Trail. Should you wish to contact me, please email JDrumm@coventry-ct.gov or call the office at 860-742-6324. Frequent updates are also posted to the Town Manager’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CoventryCTTownManager.
Sincerely,
James Drumm
