Daily Five: Town Council Approves Tax Rate Increase

1.  Today is Wednesday, June 6.  The National Weather Service predicts mostly cloudy skies, a high temperature of 66 degrees and isolated showers between 9 a.m. and noon. The low will fall to 55 tonight.

2.  The Groton Town Council approved a tax rate of 20.22 mills for the coming fiscal year, an increase of 7 percent over the current mill rate of 18.89 mills.

The increase comes after Representative Town Meeting approved a general fund budget of $120.89 million for the coming fiscal year; the budget represents at 2 percent increase from current year’s spending.

Despite the tax rate increase, almost three-quarters of residential property owners will see a drop in taxes because of the recent revaluation, according to the finance director.

3.  The council also voted Tuesday to give the Noank Fire District more time to develop a plan for the former Noank School. The district met with the council’s committee of the whole on May 8, and asked the town to lease the property to the fire district.

The resolution approved gives the district six more months to come up with a “multi-year plan” for using the school that includes cost estimates for work and financing options.

4.   Four Paws Veterinary Service recently expanded its practice in the Mystic section of Groton by building an animal hospital on Cow Hill Road. The new facility offers preventative medicine, surgery, behavior consulting, laboratory and diagnostic services, house calls, boarding and grooming. The town council issued a proclamation expressing thanks to the hospital Tuesday.

5.  The at Mystic & Noank Library. Most books are half price, and there will be a $5 bag sale on Saturday. Proceeds support the Friends of the Mystic & Noank Library, which run programs at the library throughout the year.