Don Lowe First Selectman Column July 8, 2024
Sherman is moving into the new fiscal year and with that brings property taxes. As a reminder, Sherman Town Hall is open from 9am to 12pm and 1 to 4pm on Tuesday through Friday if you prefer to pay them in-person at the Tax Collector’s office.
This Thursday night, July 11 at 7pm, is one of the busiest Planning and Zoning Commission agendas in years. Right now this meeting will be held as it usually is in Mallory Town Hall; however, if we decide to move it to Charter Hall for more elbow room, we will announce it via NIXLE. (If you haven’t yet signed up for NIXLE you can do so by texting our zip code 06782 to the number 888777. It’ll sign you up.) No decision has been made yet on the meeting’s location as I write this column on Monday.
The agenda items at this meeting include a critical decision for our night-time Italian eatery in Sherman, which I hope goes well as our business community, small but mighty, is extremely important to our lifestyle here. Another agenda item is the pickleball courts and we hope for an approval so that we can get started with construction.
Also on the agenda is a special permit concerning the new proposed boat docks in the Town Beach Park. The P&Z decision is just the beginning to this approval project as we also need approval from First Light and, ultimately, from FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) who controls Candlewood Lake decisions such as this. A special permit application and change for the new Holy Trinity church is also on the agenda. Many citizens have expressed interest in attending this meeting for that item. Lastly, there is a new application for a septic connection to an accessory building and an application for a special permit for the Sherman veteran’s memorial tree. So pack a snack. This might take a while.
This would be a good time to offer my thanks to those who serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission for their dedication and commitment to Sherman. These individuals donate many volunteer hours on behalf of Sherman and serve our town expertly. When you look around and happen to notice what a beautiful and organized Town we live in, you can thank planning and zoning commissions through the ages for their fine work. I can’t think of a more diligent commission than the commission we have right now. Thanks, folks!
A Sherman School Building Committee meeting this week – old news by the time you read this – will have been held on Wednesday July 10. This is a comprehensive committee meeting and I will offer a report on that in my next column. What I can tell you right now is that this project is full-speed-ahead and, right now, all plans are for holding a referendum on the first Saturday in October. There is much to do to get ready for that but I’m confident with all stakeholders working together, we can do it.
Be sure to buy your tickets to the Fireman’s Ball to be held on Saturday, Aug 3. Doors open at 5pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the SVFD website: Sherman VFD.org. There will be live music, dancing, door prizes, raffles, and plenty of good fun with friends and neighbors. Oh yes, and the SVFD’s incomparable roast beef! Don’t miss this fun event!
