Board approves $16,000 line-item transfer to complete demolition of 28 Grove Street

The New Canaan Board of Finance approved a $16,000 line-item transfer to support demolition and abatement work at a town-owned property at 28 Grove Street.

Town staff presented the request during the meeting, saying the building on the purchased property is beyond its useful life, that utilities have been cut off and the structure is an “attractive nuisance.” The project’s total cost was presented as approximately $52,000; the town has about $28,000 already budgeted for the site and staff requested transfers of $8,000 each from engineering outside services and highways stone-and-gravel accounts plus other small departmental amounts to provide the additional $16,000 needed to award the demolition and abatement contract.

Board members sought clarification on the exact transfer amounts and confirmed the plan to consolidate the available $28,000 with the requested $16,000 to present a combined funding package to the selectmen, who will hire a contractor to demolish the structure and grade the lot. A motion to approve the transfer passed unanimously with no recorded opposition.

Votes and specifics: - Motion to approve a $16,000 line-item transfer to town buildings outside contractors (to be combined with an existing $28,000 balance) to fund demolition/abatement of 28 Grove Street: approved (motion presented; second recorded). The transcript records the total project cost as “approximately $52,000,” an existing $28,000 account balance, and requested transfers of $8,000 from at least two departmental accounts; the transcript identifies the net transfer amount as $16,000.

The presenter noted existing utilities had been cut and described the building as beyond useful life. After the finance board’s approval, staff said they would bring the combined funds to the selectmen to hire a demolition contractor.