By Bob McGarry, Haddam First Selectman
(June 8, 2023) — Could the Town sell the former Haddam Elementary School without input from residents? The short answer is “No.” In this article I’ll explain why. There’s a process we have to follow to buy or sell real estate. It’s not something that can be done under the cover of darkness. There are many opportunities for you to give input, but you have a part to play, too.
Both our Town Charter and Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) dictate what we have to do before we can buy or sell property. Section 3.9 of the Charter, Sale or Purchase of Real Estate by the Town, states “…the sale or disposition of real estate of the Town used or reserved for Town purposes, and the purchase or other acquisition of real estate for such purposes shall require approval of a Town Meeting.” But the process starts long before the Town Meeting.
Typically, the first step is a Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting. The proposed purchase or sale will be discussed, the public can make comments and ultimately, the BOS either approves the transaction or disapproves it. Since a proposed purchase will require funding, it has to go to the Board of Finance (BOF); proposed sales don’t.
Like the BOS, the BOF will discuss the purchase, primarily the financing of it, consider public comments, and either approve sending it to a Town Meeting or disapprove it. CGS §8-24 requires the purchase or sale be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z). P&Z will hear the proposal and public comments, and decide if it is consistent with our Plan of Conservation and Development. Unlike the BOS or BOF, where disapproval ends the matter, the proposal can go to a Town Meeting even if P&Z recommends against it. The P&Z recommendation will be part of the discussion at the Town Meeting.
Our practice is to hold a public hearing to present the proposal to residents, answer questions about it and listen to comments/concerns before holding the Town Meeting. The meeting can start right after the hearing, but I prefer to hold them on different days so that you have time to discuss and think about the proposal. The final decision to buy or sell the property is made by the voters at the Town Meeting.
“A democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry.” That quote is attributed to Thomas Jefferson. While there is some debate as to whether or not he actually said that, there is little debate about the accuracy of the thought. In recognition of the need for an informed citizenry, Connecticut passed the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in 1975. In part FOIA requires state and local governments to hold meetings in public, provide notice/agendas of meetings before they’re held and post meeting minutes after. (Without going into too much detail, information-gathering sessions like the one at HES on June 8, 2023, and the budget hearing we hold each year are not meetings, under FOIA).
As a rule, the town has been diligent in meeting its requirement to publish meeting schedules, notices and agendas. They’re in many places on the town’s website (www.haddam.org): the calendar, the page for the board/committee/commission, the Agendas/Minutes page, etc. Town Meetings, P&Z meetings (depending on the agenda), and hearings regarding proposed ordinances require publishing legal notices in a newspaper in addition to the FOIA notice requirements.
But an informed citizenry requires more than government action; citizens have to do their part. I realize few of you have the time to regularly check our website for notices, but you don’t have to. You can sign up on the town website to receive the notices/agendas/minutes you want, and we’ll email them to you. On the Home Page, click on “Sign up for Alerts” and then complete the form that opens. I need your thoughts, concerns and input before we act. Complaining after the fact doesn’t help.
