Highlights From Dec. 11 Ridgefield Board Of Selectpersons' Meeting

**News Release Submitted by Town of Ridgefield**

Dec. 13, 2024

Below are the highlights from this Wednesday’s Board of Selectpersons (BOS) meeting:

• Many residents came out to share their concerns about the leaking roof at Ridgebury Elementary School (RES). An entire roof replacement for RES is in the capital budget for fiscal year 2026 (FY26). However, after years of patchwork repairs to fix leaks in various areas of the building, parents are requesting that this be addressed as soon as possible. The BOS agreed to send a request to the Board of Finance (BOF) to consider a special appropriation of the scheduled FY26 capital request to be approved at a Town Meeting. For safety reasons, students and/or staff cannot be in the building during the replacement. The BOS will also work with the Board of Education (BOE) to explore a feasible timeline for the project.
• The BOS approved the request for an 8-24 referral letter to the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) for 34 Halpin Lane, to be used by the BOE as the new location for the Alternative School and 18-22 Transition Program.
  • Section 8-24 of the Connecticut General Statutes requires that municipal improvements, including building on town-owned property, be referred to the PZC for review before any local action is taken. The PZC is responsible for the preservation of Ridgefield’s Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD). Learn more.
• Jennifer A. Heaton-Jones, HRRA Executive Director, and Tiffany Carlson, Ridgefield Recycling Coordinator, talked about Ridgefield’s current Solar Powered ASP Composting Project and what’s in store for the future. Ridgefield first began recycling food scraps in 2015 and the program has been growing ever since. From 2023 to 2024, 120,000 lbs. (60 tons) of food scraps were collected and diverted from the waste stream. If you haven’t started composting yet, now is the time! Learn more about the program.
  • Fun Fact: Ridgefield has the highest rate of glass recycling in the HRRA region, which includes Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman, Weston, and Wilton.
• The BOS approved the request for the abatement of Fire Inspection fees for Ridgefield Housing Authority (RHA) facilities. The RHA manages affordable and safe public housing for seniors (or persons with disabilities of any age) in Ridgefield. Learn more about the RHA.
• The house at Richardson Park, 729 North Salem Road, has been leased to a Ridgefield Police Department employee yearly for the past five years. The BOS agreed to update the terms to increase the rent, which is well below market value, and require the tenant pay the utilities. In addition, the lease will be extended to three years with Consumer Price Index (CPI). The updates to the lease terms will need to be approved at a Town Meeting.
• A Public Hearing and a Town Meeting have been scheduled for January 8, 2025, to hear and vote on the new ordinance for the establishment of a Fair Rent Commission.
• The BOS approved the Fire Commission & Board of Selectpersons meeting schedule for 2025. The dates will be added to the Town calendar.
• The Tax Collector Refunds were approved for the amount of $19.273.99.

Want to know more?
Watch the full meeting here.