[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6065638,"mediaKeyId","3195078-e9f074e3eead0bf7f1c8bf79725b1f58","parentId",3195078,"title","BET actions at a glance: retirement‑charter amendment, assessor and routine approvals, staffing change","audioSeconds",89,"startMs",3982000,"endMs",4071000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195078-e9f074e3eead0bf7f1c8bf79725b1f58&start=3982&end=4071","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195078-e9f074e3eead0bf7f1c8bf79725b1f58/thumbnail_3982000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6065638/Connecticut/BET-actions-at-a-glance-retirementcharter-amendment-assessor-and-routine-approvals-staffing-change","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6065638-8f58021cde069f5e19c790ee8de00cd8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770978504&Signature=VN69cZkZK4yA7UYmnVc~EqWhjpbN1vUBZGP10aAKp7dK6fAlr1nGN9BlV~K-SxKycmt~I8uFZntT6dhtplpM3fDih5~14iSW1vOP0khvXMPOigJOQ7oAD8Mc-n23nALS~ruDVinEGHx~NEY8-KtMikrcuxyYgYXvL935yQixa2XWYrSKcKSKrnxNfaN9WAtJS6XFJt984BErGKt2m8IKZY9rZdgC-KJe-eKJYKAmLjq~GWlgckEfrhW3A73KIVp0E77~CRDje6o6LPHULB3u7PlDeWsN7VuUgUm-iXT1WflxPWJ8q25lTLG15cZ5igf9imStFRLjkSmn~p6ZOmHSsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of Greenwich, CT","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","The Board of Estimate and Taxation recorded a series of formal actions on Feb. 24, 2025. Major outcomes included approval of a proposed Greenwich Retirement Board charter amendment related to retiree hiring, acceptance of the assessor’s and controller’s reports, approval of routine budget adjustments, and authorization to convert a part‑time zoning enforcement position to full time. Vote results and key details follow.

Votes at a glance

- Greenwich Retirement Board charter amendment (retiree hiring): Passed 11–1–0. The BET moved and seconded approval of the amendment and the board recorded an 11–1 vote in favor. (Motion: amendment to Charter related to retiree hiring.)

- Acceptance of the 2024–2025 annual report: Approved unanimously 12–0–0 on second reading.

- Assessor’s report (February 2025): Accepted unanimously 12–0–0. The assessor reported approximately 85 Board of Assessment Appeals filings to date and noted the appeals period and hearing schedule; the assessor said 38 seniors had applied for senior tax relief as of the meeting.

- Routine budget adjustments and approvals: Routine items listed on the agenda (probate court, DPW, police 911 overtime, fire overtime and other routine appropriations) were approved by unanimous consent, 12–0–0.

- Zoning enforcement table of organization change (convert part‑time to full‑time position): Approved by unanimous voice vote; HR committee supported the change and the department reported it can absorb the 0.77 full‑time equivalent within current salary lines for the year.

- Approval of minutes and reports: The board approved three sets of minutes and the monthly Treasurer’s report by unanimous consent, 12–0–0.

Context and next steps

Several items were advanced after committee review (law, budget, HR). The charter amendment will proceed in accordance with local procedures for amending the Greenwich Retirement Board charter. Routine budget items and staffing adjustments will be reflected in department accounts; the controller noted consolidation day for the municipal budget process was scheduled for the next day. The GreenSkies PPA matter and the HMGP grants were handled separately and have their own follow‑up actions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Greenwich Board of Estimate & Taxation, February 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 24 meeting the BET approved a retirement‑charter amendment, accepted routine reports and budget adjustments, and approved a zoning enforcement staffing change; votes were recorded and are summarized below.","taxTitle","Town of Greenwich, Fairfield, Connecticut","taxId",80074,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6065644,"BET signals support for 20‑year PPA with GreenSkies for Cohen Center solar, 11–1 vote after extended debate",372,4122000,4494000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195078-e9f074e3eead0bf7f1c8bf79725b1f58&start=4122&end=4494","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195078-e9f074e3eead0bf7f1c8bf79725b1f58/thumbnail_4122000.jpg","/articles/6065644/Connecticut/BET-signals-support-for-20year-PPA-with-GreenSkies-for-Cohen-Center-solar-111-vote-after-extended-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6065644-31b8e871f7ae042b314323db42f62bd4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770978504&Signature=Nu3PLkDGEpVM4ISEHw7xVW3npS3umNbD2ZdUweT1uiaGdTd~9eCKHo25Qng6lxTgLjYfaNca~Y~CSOAYl6bwyn9vtfga~lbCUdM-KYzNOaO8piCf-6NV~vBubU1qpJ2COOKig8zRIf75v8e7q45NJa3BdgyPRVBd74D1Hx4ML4P8wPRqpgKdHawl4V-81gURvHEpMPd1-lZLNXWFnlH1vLZ4CjnKqVVnEHc62QpTvkuB9GaUpR-vYs9CgInnfC4RkJBy0U24Fj~cXLANNrEBqSWZtf16WC7xV02xq0afq92MeQC~jjj0aJRvjlt5UkhoB4j4xAapUxCh~N66elHTqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Estimate and Taxation voted 11–1 to express support for a 20‑year power purchase agreement (PPA) with GreenSkies to install solar panels on the Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center and sell the town electricity at a rate reported in the meeting as 6.7¢ per kilowatt‑hour.

Supporters said the PPA offers a materially lower price than current market options and that the contract includes embedded operations and maintenance provisions. Matt DeChamps, who circulated a financial summary for the board, warned that the “largest risk as I see it is the movement, to the negative for the town” — meaning the town could miss the favorable price if execution is delayed. DeChamps also noted the expected energy figures: “the Cohen energy load is estimated of 375,000 kilowatt‑hours per year, and the solar system will generate 278,000 kilowatt‑hours per year, which is 75% of the load,” figures he presented to illustrate the projected contribution of the array.

Why it mattered: BET members and consultants reviewed the deal over multiple sessions. Proponents argued the PPA locks in a low electric price and shifts equipment ownership, tax credits and some performance risk to the developer. Opponents and some committee members asked for more legal and financial detail before the BET took an explicit stance: concerns included a long indemnification term, the cost and structure of 20 years of insurance in lieu of a conventional indemnity, the mechanics and potential cost of early termination or buyout clauses, and the need to ensure strong maintenance and monitoring arrangements.

Law, insurance and procurement questions

Members urged the law department to review indemnity language and to explain the insurance approach that the town would accept in place of other indemnity structures. Ms. Tarkington repeatedly requested greater detail on insurance costs, long‑term termination values and whether the maintenance contract met the town’s expectations. Several board members said the law committee and BET law staff had already reviewed the documents; others asked for additional follow‑up on the entities that would own or back the PPA over time.

Vote and next steps

Ms. Moriarty moved that the BET support the use of a PPA for solar panels at the Cohen Center; Mr. Olczyk seconded the motion. The BET approved the motion, 11–1. The matter is also on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) call because the RTM must consider the indemnification/insurance approach. BET members said they expect the law department to continue follow‑up on indemnity, termination mechanics and the maintenance arrangement and to report back as needed.

What the vote does and does not do

The BET vote indicated board support for using a PPA in this project and for the current negotiated commercial terms, but it did not itself execute the contract or finalize the town’s legal indemnity position. BET members said the town administrator and law department will proceed with contract execution steps and with the RTM review of indemnification language.","After extended committee review and debate over indemnification, maintenance and buyout terms, the BET voted 11–1 to support use of a 20‑year power purchase agreement with GreenSkies to supply the Cohen Center with solar power at a proposed rate of 6.7¢/kWh.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6065648,"BET OKs FEMA home‑elevation grants for two Greenwich residences, with quarterly reporting requirement",260,64000,324000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195078-e9f074e3eead0bf7f1c8bf79725b1f58&start=64&end=324","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195078-e9f074e3eead0bf7f1c8bf79725b1f58/thumbnail_64000.jpg","/articles/6065648/Connecticut/BET-OKs-FEMA-homeelevation-grants-for-two-Greenwich-residences-with-quarterly-reporting-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6065648-63a0093663c359b0d8b5c38641b6bb13/orig.mp4?Expires=1770978504&Signature=HhSSLjSIGDuuYnkEYVPvKHdhZr57Lx7QTtNpnB5SMv-v9--jZRms3Ia1mW2C20hF4nmnjCbLemTNH6tt~fdujgvGlk2QrI2U0LxR~nOaYyJ948edFLNuUo2WVgeRmr0DXrweZx7RhJ-C1j8w~H8RjnTQZGa9YJrk3ANVIEtPilFCZt-5Wqmr-EgXnqwQ8wUr5HF2l-WgroSPCuRIvun~Z7S710w9yXWMaa~tnpi~Xs~cX3hUSTQ-9B-gCbdubLGBvaZjuGxkpIsnpOTlEba3PM8pgOW2vnVSRR12zMKi3I4o1gFAdehL2GiPzbaXnZXrrfTbe6lJtLSdezENPX4OWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Estimate and Taxation unanimously voted Monday to accept $1,053,500 in FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program awards for two single‑family home elevation projects in Greenwich, approving the grants after adding a requirement that the Conservation Commission report progress to the BET quarterly.

The grants, awarded in December 2024, total $563,000 for a property on Apple Tree Lane in Riverside and $490,500 for a house on Northway in Old Greenwich. Sarah Caccaro, assistant director of environmental affairs, told the BET the awards are administered through the State (DEMHS) and that the town serves as sub‑grantee; homeowners hire contractors, pay up front and are reimbursed after FEMA and the State approve requests. “I just want to repeat that the town does not pay for any of the home elevation projects at these residences,” Caccaro said.

Why it matters: the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) pays for mitigation projects after a presidentially declared disaster; historically the federal share was 75% but recent HMGP cost‑share rules can be higher. The two Greenwich awards arise from projects developed in 2022–2023 after the federal declaration related to Hurricane Ida; the award periods run through February and April 2026, and the town may request extensions.

Discussion and safeguards

Members of the BET and its law and budget committees pressed staff about prior problems on an earlier project that resulted in a FEMA clawback. Karen Fasiliotis, speaking for the law committee, said the committee had “discussed the indemnification provisions at length” and worried that project work not matching FEMA‑approved scope could expose the town. The budget committee, which initially voted 3–1–0 to approve the grants, recommended that reimbursement funds be withheld until the Conservation Commission confirmed each project was completed and officially closed out with FEMA and DEMHS.

Assistant Town Attorney Laura McGeachie said the town’s legal team had examined options such as performance bonds and placing liens on title but found no straightforward statutory mechanism that would allow a routine lien to be imposed in this grant context; a judgment lien would require court action. Megan D’Amato, director of risk management, provided a memo summarizing efforts by the town’s broker, Gallagher & Company, to locate indemnity insurance; staff reported insurers declined to underwrite a small policy to cover the potential exposure in this residential program, or offered coverage with a large retention that staff judged disproportionate to the projects’ sizes.

First Selectman Fred Camillo, who addressed the BET in support of the grants, described the homeowners as long‑standing neighborhood residents and warned that conditioning the grants with a 100% holdback would create a “chilling effect” because many eligible homeowners could not front the entire cost of elevation and then wait for federal closeout. “Not everybody lives in a $5,000,000 home and has money to spare,” Camillo said, urging the town to enable participation while strengthening oversight.

BET response and motion

BET members pressed staff for written procedures, staged inspections and Municity (the town’s permitting database) entries to document milestones and permit approvals. Caccaro and McGeachie said FEMA‑required quarterly reports and the town’s permitting inspections would provide overlapping checks, and they committed to formalizing procedures and to conditioning inland wetlands and CAM approvals where those authorities apply.

To balance homeowner access and town protection, the BET amended the motion: instead of a full holdback, the board required that conservation staff appear before the BET with progress reports at least quarterly until projects are complete. The board then voted to accept the grants as amended, 12–0–0. The motion (CC1) to accept FEMA HMGP funds for the two properties was moved by Ms. Tarkington and seconded by Ms. Moriarty.

What the decision does and does not do

The town will act as sub‑grantee and submit reimbursement requests on homeowners’ behalf; the town will not pay project costs up front. The BET did not require a 100% holdback of FEMA funds and did not direct a specific insurance arrangement. The budget committee’s earlier condition—holding reimbursements until official FEMA/DEMHS closeout—was replaced by the BET’s quarterly‑reporting requirement. The law committee will follow up on potential legal mechanisms to secure town recovery if a reimbursement is clawed back.

Next steps

Conservation staff will administer the grants, coordinate required permits and inspections, and return to the BET with quarterly progress updates until each project is completed and closed out with FEMA and DEMHS. The award periods end in early 2026 with the option to seek up to two 12‑month extensions.","The Board of Estimate and Taxation voted unanimously to accept two FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program awards for home elevations in Greenwich after adding a condition that conservation staff provide progress reports to the BET each quarter.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

BET actions at a glance: retirement‑charter amendment, assessor and routine approvals, staffing change

BET signals support for 20‑year PPA with GreenSkies for Cohen Center solar, 11–1 vote after extended debate

BET OKs FEMA home‑elevation grants for two Greenwich residences, with quarterly reporting requirement