Court Sides with Region 14 on NHS Referendum Vote

A Litchfield Superior Court judge has ruled against the towns of Woodbury and Bethlehem in a lawsuit that claimed the referendum to renovate Nonnewaug High School was invalid.

The towns of Woodbury and Bethlehem asked the court to invalidate the referendum vote from June 18 of this year, which authorized the Board of Education to bond approximately $63 million for renovations of and additions to Nonnewaug High School.

There was just a four-vote margin in the referendum — 1269 for to 1265 against — to appropriate the funds and move forward with the construction project. 

According to the court's decision, rendered Dec. 9, the towns argued that the referendum was not properly publicized via a legal notice in a local paper of substantial circulation.

Though voters were not warned of the referendum through the publication of a legal notice, according to the court's decision, Judge John W. Pickard concluded that it was sufficiently noticed through the publication of several articles in Voices and the Republican-American newspapers.

Judge Pickard ordered the towns to send the referendum results to the state so they can be certified. 

Woodbury Town Attorney Paul Jessell and Region 14 Superintendent Jody Ian Goeler were not immediately available for comment Thursday.

A discussion of the matter is on the agenda for Thursday's Woodbury Board of Selectmen meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Shove Building.