This report was updated January 23 with details on the Board of Finance budget meeting schedule.

Facing several television crews and reporters from a number of news bureaus, the Legislative Council quickly and unanimously voted January 21 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to move forward with plans to demolish the home of 12/14 shooter Adam Lanza.

That residence, at 36 Yogananda Street, was also a crime scene and the location where the Sandy Hook perpetrator murdered his mother Nancy before driving to the local school and committing one of the worst mass murders in US history.

First Selectman Pat Llodra told the council that there was no precedent or charter directive for such a specific action, after the town received the property for a $1 conveyance from the mortgage holder, Hudson City Savings Bank.

So she was handling the process, obtaining the approval of the council, as though the property was another parcel of town-owned land. Mrs Llodra told council members that the decision to raze the structure, and allow the property to “revert to its natural state” was made after consulting with immediate survivors of the tragedy, as well as neighbors in the sprawling hilltop subdivision.

It is assumed that the property will eventually meld with a tract of open space that borders its rear exposure. Mrs Llodra also told the council that she is working on language that would direct future town leaders who might want to dispose of the parcel to transfer any profits to a fund that benefits the shooting victims’ families and survivors.

Finance Director Robert Tait said that the cost for demolition is coming from a special insurance fund set up with designated donations to the town following 12/14. Mrs Llodra said based on another recent residential demolition the town underwrote, she is estimating it will cost about $29,000 to demolish and remove debris associated with the 3,162-square-foot dwelling.

Councilman Ryan Knapp asked if a future appropriation for the funds would be coming before the council, but Mr Tait replied that no appropriation is required to spend insurance money designated for 12/14-related expenses.

With the council’s approval, future business related to the demolition and disposition of any future profits from any eventual development of the parcel is in the hands of selectmen.

Budget Calendar

In other business, the council set its anticipated budget calendar Wednesday evening.

Mrs Llodra reported that the selectmen plan to complete their budget deliberations at a special meeting on January 26, and during a regular meeting February 2.

The earliest date the finance board will access budget requests is February 9, with a charter stipulated deadline of February 14 to deliver both the town and school budgets.

The school district budget is set for adoption by the Board of Education at a planned February 5 meeting. A public hearing on the district budget is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3, at 7:30 pm, at the Newtown Municipal Center.

Both budgets will then go to the Board of Finance for review before being presented to the council for final deliberation. Once final budget requests are set by the council, the proposals go to voters in a split referendum April 21.

On the evening of January 22, Finance board Chairman John Kortze announced his board will hold a public hearing on the budget on Thursday February 19, followed by a presentation on the selectmen's budget. The finance board plans to review the school budget on February 24 and 26, with a follow-up seesion on the selectmen's proposal - if necessary - on March 2.

The finance board will either complete its deliberations and vote to recommend a budget to the council on March 2, or if necessary, will delay any final deliberations and vote to March 9.

Council Chair Mary Ann Jacob said she expects to receive the two recommended budgets from the finance board in time for a special meeting planned for March 11. That meeting will include a presentation by the finance board to the council detailing recommendations.

At that point, council committees will split up budget details for further review and discussion. Committee deliberation is expected to conclude by March 25. The council’s public hearing on the budget proposal is scheduled for March 18, and full council deliberation of the proposals may occur following the hearing.

Additional council deliberation dates are April 1 and 8. Ms Jacob said these dates are tentative, however, and subject to cancellation if not needed.