Local Probate Decision Could Come Monday

By John Voket

Will the new regional probate court facility be in Newtown or Bethel?

On Monday, January 11, the four top elected leaders from Newtown, Redding, Bethel, and Ridgefield will meet at 10 am in Redding. And when they emerge from that public meeting, First Selectman Pat Llodra is hopeful she will have a final decision — or be substantially closer to one — regarding a location of the new regional probate court.

The regionalization of probate courts across the state that took effect in 2009 is mandating a district serving all four communities. But the rub has been determining which site is best for the probate court’s brick and mortar headquarters.

Mrs Llodra said the decision can be determined among the top local leaders. She also confirmed that neither Redding nor Ridgefield have a facility with the space, access, and infrastructure to house the court, which would serve in excess of 65,000 constituents among the four communities.

And while she was not able to confirm consideration of the now vacant Edmond Town Hall as a possible site for the court, she did say an ad hoc committee supporting the Town Hall Board of Managers looking into possible future uses for the building would be meeting with trustees January 7, after this issue of The Bee goes to press, during which a possible reuse scenario would be pitched.

“I think all the officials have done enough research to get together and finalize a plan to best serve the constituents of all four communities,” Mrs Llodra said.

She will be advocating strongly for Newtown during Monday’s meeting, in part because Newtown has the highest population among the four towns, and the busiest court which not only serves the community, but approximately 600 inmates at the Garner Correctional Institution.

Mrs Llodra said centralization of the court will also mean electing a probate judge to serve all four districts, and that whomever is elected will be expected to travel among the four communities when cases demand it.

(Look for updates following Thursday’s Board of Managers meeting at newtownbee.com.)