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Middlefield selectmen enter executive session as dispute over RSD13 building-permit fees continues
Summary
At a July 7 special meeting, Middlefield selectmen heard multiple public comments disputing roughly $500,000 in building-permit fees tied to Regional School District 13’s renovation. Legal counsel advised silence on the pending lawsuit; the board entered executive session and took no public action.
First Selectman Bob Yamartino opened the July 7 special meeting of the Middlefield Board of Selectmen and summarized an ongoing dispute with Regional School District 13 over building-permit fees for a school renovation project. Yamartino said no agreement has been reached, litigation is pending, and, on advice of counsel, members would not comment on matters related to the lawsuit. He said authority to resolve the claim currently rests with the Board of Selectmen.
Members of the public and district officials urged the board to provide more information and to reconsider charging substantial fees to a public entity. Christine Cowan, Treasurer for Regional School District 13, said the renovation is a jointly supported public project and questioned charging substantial building permit fees to another public entity, urging stewardship of taxpayer resources. Several residents said public messaging has been incomplete and that Freedom of Information requests submitted to the town were not fulfilled in a timely manner.
Residents raised legal and fiscal objections. Lucy Patrove said the district had budgeted for permit fees but argued the approximately $500,000 fee "exceeds what should legally be charged." Roger Cleveland pointed to Connecticut statute, saying permit fees should not generate revenue beyond administrative costs. Laurie Polatog said she believes Connecticut law does not authorize collection of the disputed fees and expressed concern about the town’s legal expenses in addition to the permit fees. Commenters repeatedly noted the lawsuit, which participants said has limited the town’s ability to publicly resolve the matter.
Several speakers also asked the board to improve meeting records. Linda Darcy asked that future meetings be recorded in addition to producing written minutes, and moved that the June 11 special meeting minutes be revised for greater accuracy; Selectwoman Susan McNamara moved to table approval of those minutes to allow revisions, Doug O'Rourke seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
Procedurally, the board voted to enter executive session with members of the Board of Finance to discuss the pending litigation; the motion was made by McNamara, seconded by O'Rourke, and passed unanimously. The meeting returned from executive session with no public action recorded and then adjourned.
The dispute over RSD13 permit fees remains unresolved in public session; litigation is pending and no further public decisions were made at this meeting. The town did not provide specifics in the public record about how much has been collected in permit fees to date, citing ongoing legal counsel guidance.
