Selectman Gets Complaints About ATVs & Dirt Bikes

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal told the Board of Selectmen April 5 that he has received a number of complaints about the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and dirt bikes, which are seen as a problem because of noise and their use on roads, public parks, and private properties.

Mr Rosenthal said he would ask the ordinance committee of the Legislative Council to look at information he has received from the Connecticut Council of Municipalities about approaches other towns have taken in regard to noise and usage of these vehicles in public areas, such as parks.

He noted that a state statute forbids the use of ATVs and dirt bikes on roads unless they are registered.

In other business, in regard to the town’s tercentennial celebration in 2005, Mr Rosenthal said he intends to ask the selectmen, Board of Finance, and the Legislative Council for a transfer from contingency funds for the Tercentennial Commission for seed money.

“They need an amount sufficient to get fundraising started,” Mr Rosenthal said.

“People are excited about this celebration,” Mr Bojnowski said. He questioned if it would be legal to include a request for donations with tax bills.

Mr Rosenthal said he would check with the town attorney regarding the legality.

He also noted that the Tercentennial Commission would need to get permission from the Planning and Zoning Commission for a fireworks event during the celebration year.

The Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed Ed Rees as a regular member of the Commission on Aging.

The board also voted unanimously for a resolution authorizing Town Clerk Cindy Simon to apply for a Connecticut Historic Document grant. Ms Simon said this is the third year the town has applied for the grant, which in the past was used for roller shelving for land records and preservation of town records.

The first selectman also presented the Board of Selectmen with charts indicating budget increases for the schools and town government and their percentage of total spending over a six-year period.

Over two years, an increase in total expenditures of $7,083,503 included $7,201,129, or 102 percent, for schools as opposed to a decrease of $117,736, or a two percent reduction, for town government.

Over three years, an increase of $11,379,727 in total expenditures included $10,705,607, or 94 percent, for schools and $675,120, or six percent, for town.

The increase in total expenditures of $25,028,896 from fiscal year 1998-99 to fiscal year 2004-05 included $21,083,645, or 84 percent, for schools, and $3,945,251, or 16 percent, for town government.

As a percentage share of total expenditures, the schools operating budgets have grown from 54 percent to 63 percent of total expenditures. The chart notes that if debt service, which is all in the town budget, is separated by purpose, the share of the budget expended for schools is 69 percent.