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Roxbury Bits, Roxbury, CT (2024)

08/25/2023

⚠️TOWN OF ROXBURY ZONING DISCUSS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

There has been harmony in the town of Roxbury for 28 years that can still be heard from time to time. Since the new administration has taken office that harmony dwindles day by day.
August 10th the Roxbury Zoning Commission had a guest speaker advertising himself as a Roxbury housing trust chairman, a non profit, non stock company. He discussed the creation of the Roxbury housing trust alongside selectman and zoning member Kim Tester.

The Trust is now excepting monetary donations for the creation of low to moderate "affordable" housing in town. Further along in the meeting this individual admits they have not recieved thier 501c3 statues, and plans on funneling large donations through another non profit that will provide the actual right off to the donor. Small donations? Not a big deal they will take those directly. How on earth is the town of Roxbury willing to be involved in such shadyness? Not surprising since its our understanding that Selectman Tester sits on its not so official board.
All of this is to fool the residents of Roxbury in believing we need to make some MANITORY, so we are told, 10% affordable housing quota. The residents are also being told that the zoning changes are mandatory but town Attorney Gale McTagert struggles to point those mandates out. Several zoning officials asked questions and made statements. Elaine Curly stated instead of several small dwellings she would like one big building. Where will that building go Elaine? Munson Meadow next to the Roxbury Market, you know, where the town Chrismas tree is located was purchased with land acquisition funds. Land acquisition funds place deed restrictions on the land but allow the property to be used for affordable housing. A commission member asked if the affordable housing would be available to Roxbury residents first. The answer was NO. State housing laws and State funding prohibit this.
In an effort to make Roxbury eligible for state funding to build the project, the commision has decided to hire a consultant to remove and replace all our zoning regulations. This will be done using YOUR TAX DOLLERS.
The new regulations are being fast tracked to speed up the project.

Shhhh, listen closely. Harmony, peace and quiet slowly slipping away. The very reason so many of you choose to move to Roxbury.

KEEPING ROXBURY ROXBURY, promised by the current administration IS A SHAM!

View the youtube meeting info at:
Time hack: 08:30:00

Town of RoxburyZoning Commission Regular MeetingThursday, August 10, 2023

08/15/2023

There has been alot of scuttlebutt
around the ban of public participation.

On May 5th at 8:45am, the Roxbury Board of Selectmen called a special meeting to ban public participation. Since then no one has been allowed to speak in a public meeting. They also removed the zoom option allowing residents the the ability to participate remotely.

After public outrage the Board of Selectmen have called another special meeting August 21st at 9:00am to "discuss public participation" yet again.
They have also reinstated the zoom link.

Has the town realized they made a fatal mistake?

06/28/2023

This was sent in to us here at the Bits. We were asked to share.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR.

Washington Ct Selectman Brinton's recent statement..“As a town we expect everyone to listen to others without interruption, speak when recognized and respect those who agreed to take on a leadership role. Especially important is respect for the committee chairman. Running a meeting is no easy task. We cannot, and should not, accept behavior that bullies, belittles or threatens others. Selectman Brinton is On Point!

This statement was echoed and applauded at the Roxbury ILWC meeting June 27, 2023 by chairman Russell Dirienzo [also Roxbury selectman]. Then an hour later at just after eight o'clock Roxbury ILWC chair Dirienzo went on an unprovoked tirade [a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation] of everything from a 46 year Taxpaying Applicant, who was not allowed into the Zoom meeting, to a well respected local attorney who had no part or previous mention in this meeting, to ALL lawyers and finally ending with a dress down of DEEP CT. Department of Environmental and Energy who is the very conduit of the Roxbury ILWC authority. This elected official is irrational and delusional and should be closely monitored especially considering a past "episode".

Washington Ct. Selectman Brinton also stated ..."“The town of Washington believes that residents have the right and, in fact, the responsibility to take part in how the town operates and makes decisions. We have a long history of having one of the highest percentages of residents participating in local, state and federal elections as well as volunteering for positions on our various boards and commissions. Not only do we volunteer for town government, but we actively volunteer for our fire department, ambulance and many non-profits in town which make Washington a better place." Selectman Brinton is once again On Point.

This is directly opposite the recent actions of Roxbury First Selectman Roy and Selectman Dirienzo[Circa 1997] and Testor where they BANNED ALL Public Participation which had been a cornerstone of twenty four year former First Selectman Henry now dismissed by Selectman Dirienzo ! Actions speak volumes when words fall short.

Voter remorse is a four year affliction IF properly addressed.

06/05/2023

04/18/2023

“If free speech is lost even in America, tyranny is all that lies ahead.”

Elon Musk

03/25/2023

The Board of Selectman meet at 9:00am in the morning on a Thursday? The topic - THE BUDGET.

On March 23rd 2023 First Selectman Patrick Roy called a "Special" town meeting at 9:00am (while most are at work) to discuss, vote on, and approve the new 2023-2024 Budget.

The budget increase totaling over 3% was approved unanimously by the BOS. Not a single member of the public was in attendance.

Did you know there was a meeting?

Municipalities love to use the word transparency, but only when it's convenient. Was this transparent?

Link to the meeting:

Town of RoxburyBoard of Selectmen Special MeetingThursday, March 23, 2023

03/25/2023

Roxbury Connecticut’s town hall has been a busy place. For over two centuries not much has changed in town. Under the direction of the newly elected administration many new topics have arisen. These topic include, to name a few, a special events permit, taxation of interior furnishings, and blight.

Over the course of the next few months, we will be following and reporting on these topics as they move along.
Today, we would like to shed some light on a recent discussion held at the Feb 13th 2023 regularly scheduled zoning meeting in regards to blight.
Here is the meeting link along with the time in which the discussion took place.

https://youtu.be/XFCN_hPQ2V0 time:1:04:05

BLIGHT DISCUSSION BY CATHY MASI: Member of the Conservation Commission:

Here is a section of the Zoning minutes in regards to the topic including "quotes" not reported.

Cathy noted that the Conservation Commission had been working on BLIGHT before Covid. She was here to engage Zoning in a preliminary discussion of blight. She explained that CC had worked to have it added to the POCD as Goal #2 – Develop a best practice guide to protect natural resources and sustain rural character. She noted that CT law allows municipalities to develop a blight regulation. She wondered if Zoning would be the right Commission to develop the best practices guide. James Conway explained that zoning regulations only go forward in time so they would not solve the problem of any existing or current blight issues. He noted that Zoning had suggested that the BOS adopt a Blight Ordinance (a long time ago) because it would have the power to tackle existing blight issues. Here is an actual quote from Conway “It would go back and get all those people”. Masi stated “It would be more effective to have an ordinance. It has clout and teeth”. Conway agreed “Its got teeth”. James Conway further noted that Zoning does have regulations that address unregistered motor vehicles but not farming equipment or other appliances. Conway “I think baby steps on ordnances and keeping adding to them and we kind of hit them with the whole load”
Masi refers to a property on the south end of town as a “war zone” and “eye sore”. Masi, do you know what a “war zone” looks like?
Conway goes on to say “These people think it's their property so they can do what they want”. Is it not your property?
Jim suggested that screening rules could be developed and enforced. He felt that an ordinance would have more teeth and would be more effective against existing issues. He suggested that a Best Practices approach would do nothing to tackle the problem. His stated “We need some sort of law with teeth and muscle.”
Conway and the commission (laughing) discussed not requiring signed complaints which could come from anyone, including out of towners.
They even discussed the height of your grass! What happened to “no mow” April which was presented at the most recent Conservation meeting?

Cathy Masi thanked the Commission for their attention.

There was a series of documents passed around in regards to the blight ordinance at the zoning meeting but unfortunately they did not make it into the meeting minutes as required. Was the lack of support of documents intentionally left out?

This topic along with others being discussed raise a big question. Is this keeping Roxbury, Roxbury?
You be the judge!

03/07/2023

Shepaug Agriscience always doing great things.

03/05/2023

Judge continues case of Ewen Dewitt of Roxbury.

Ewen Dewitt, accused of murder and other charges in connection to the Dec. 6 killing of...

03/04/2023

Roxbury purchases land on North Street that selectman say "can be used for "affordable housing" or the "expansion of emergency services". See attached video; time hack, 30:35

https://youtu.be/WwG0mcdUeUw?start=1605&end=2225

THE COST - $150,000.00

Land acquisition money was not used in this purchase. Instead, The Board of Selectman decided to use the unassigned general fund to prevent any restrictions on the newly purchased property. Selectman Patrick Roy states "I can think of one property right off the bat if it ever came for sale I think it would be important for the town to purchase."
Selectman Russell Dirienzo "you don't have to say I got it" laughing.
Are they talking in code while laughing and discussing purchasing Triple R property with your tax dollars?
See
Above video; time hack, 29:58

A special meeting was scheduled for November 9th 2022 by the Board of Selectmen but we can't find any information on the meeting. We did however find the notice of special meeting attached below, but it appears the minutes remain a mystery.
Selectman Russell Dirienzo states "people are concerned about affordable housing" and at such time something is proposed for this land "you get to vote again". Did the taxpayers get to vote on this land acquisition? We can't locate any of that information or the results of a vote.

Recently the Planning Commission updated the plan of conservation and development. The new plan has smaller zoning in the downtown district, significant lowered from the previous four acre zoning. The newly purchased North street property is roughly two acres.

Are there plans the taxpayers don't know about?

After a recent Car Show proposal by the Town, a resident we spoke with said "I have lost trust in the town hall and several of its administrators." "I don't think they have our best interests in mind".

Stay tuned!

Link to the entire discussions:

https://youtu.be/jrPs6wrj47k?start=916&end=1157

https://youtu.be/WwG0mcdUeUw?start=1605&end=2225

03/04/2023

Thank you to our new followers for liking our page. We hope that you will enjoy our informative posts.

Cheers
Roxbury Bits

03/03/2023

⚠️ Breaking news❗️

RPM Marketing has withdrawn their proposal for the car show in Roxbury, CT.

Roxbury Bits

03/03/2023

Local Agricultural education for adults coming soon! Great job by the Region 12 school system.

We are currently setting up our next adult education offering through the Shepaug Agriscience. If you are interested in teaching a course or series of courses, please let us know by contacting [email protected] .