Minutes
Special Town Meeting
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at 7 pm

At 7 pm, Selectman Tim Keeney calls the meeting to order:

Tim requests that the Legal Notice for the Special Town Meeting be read aloud by the

Town Clerk, David Marti

David Marti read the Notice *

Tim then says: The first order of business is to “Elect a Moderator” and he opened the floor to nominations.

Bill Meier nominated Tim Keeney with Bob Schmidt seconding.

Tim asked if there any further nominations?

1. We had no further nominations
2. Tim asked “All in Favor” with an anonymous Aye

Opposed? None

Tim Keeney: Next order of business is to consider and discuss (but not vote on) the following resolution

Tim Keeney: Do I have a motion to consider and discuss the

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN APPROPRIATION OF $3,500,000 FOR ROAD AND PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS AND THE FINANCING OF SAID APPROPRIATION BY THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES IN ANTICIPATION OF SUCH BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,500,000

Bob Schmidt made the motion and seconded by Bill Meier

Tim Keeney asked for discussion and with no discussion moved to the next order of business to ask for a meeting to adjourn

Bob Schmidt made the motion adjourn and it was seconded by Bill Meier

Meeting adjourned at 7:05 pm.

In attendance: Tin Keeney, Bill Meier, Bob Schmidt, Brian Wissinger, David Marti, David McCaffrey, Terri Schmidt and Katherine Mashiak.

Minutes prepared by David Marti on 10/9/2025

*LEGAL NOTICE: TOWN OF SOMERS

NOTICE OF SPECIAL TOWN MEETING

All electors and persons eligible to vote in town meetings of the Town of Somers, Connecticut (the “Town”) are hereby warned that a Special Town Meeting of the Town is to be held at the Somers Town Hall Auditorium, 600 Main Street, Somers, Connecticut on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 7 p.m., for the following purposes:

1. To elect a moderator.
2. To consider and discuss (but not vote on) the following resolution:
3. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN APPROPRIATION OF $3,500,000 FOR ROAD AND PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS AND THE FINANCING OF SAID APPROPRIATION BY THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES IN ANTICIPATION OF SUCH BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,500,000

The full text of the foregoing authorizing resolution is on file and open to inspection at the office of the Town Clerk, Town Hall, Somers, Connecticut for the use or inspection of any interested person.

All electors and persons eligible to vote in town meetings of the Town are hereby further notified that pursuant to Section 7-7 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended, the Board of Selectmen by resolution adopted at its meeting on July 3, 2025, removed the foregoing resolution from the agenda of this Special Town Meeting for submission to the voters for vote by voting machine to be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, subject to the conduct of early voting from October 20 through November 2, 2025, at the times and at the polling places to be noticed.

3. To adjourn the meeting.

Dated at Somers, Connecticut this 27 day of September, 2025.

TOWN OF SOMERS BOARD OF SELECTMEN

Tim Keeney, First Selectmen
William Meier, Selectman
Robert Schmidt, Selectman

Town of Somers – Charter Revision Commission
EXPLANATORY TEXT
LOCAL BALLOT QUESTIONS – CHARTER REVISION
State General Election – November 4, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE
Town of Somers
Notice of 18th Day Before Election Day Registration Session

In accordance with Connecticut State Statutes Section §9-19b(d), the Somers Registrars of Voters will be conducting a mandatory enrollment session on Friday, October 17, 2025, between the hours of 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM at their office located in the Somers Town Hall, Room SB-1, at 600 Main Street, in Somers. The registration session will be for the purpose of registration and/or enrollment of electors entitled to vote in the November 4, 2025 Municipal Election.

In-person, mail-in and online registration cut-off in ALL towns. Last regular voter registration session. Those whose rights as to age, citizenship or residence mature after October 17, 2025 may apply in the office on a daily basis until the opening of the limited session on November 3, 2025  §9-19b(d). The deadline to register to vote using the On-line Voter Registration System is October 17, 2025, at 11:59 PM  §9-23g.

Those seeking additional information may call the Registrar’s office at (860) 763-8211 or the Town Clerk’s office at (860) 763-8207.

David P. McCaffrey, Registrar
Janice S. Martin, Registrar

LEGAL NOTICE

TOWN OF SOMERS, CT

WARNING AND NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION AND REFERENDUM

In accordance with Section 9-226 of the General Statutes of Connecticut and Public Act 23-5, the Electors of the Town of Somers are hereby warned to meet at their respective polling places in said town on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, for the following purposes:

1. To cast their votes in the Municipal Election for First Selectman, Selectmen, Town Clerk, Board of Finance, Board of Education and Library Directors.
2. To vote to approve or disapprove of the following five questions with respect to the Charter Revision Commission recommendations approved by the Board of Selectmen:

Question 1: Shall the Town Clerk become a hired/appointed rather than elected position?
YES___ or NO___
Question 2: Shall the Board of Selectmen hire/appoint a Town Administrator who reports to them and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Town?  YES___ or NO___

Question 3: Shall the Planning and Zoning Commissions be combined into a single appointed body?  YES___ or NO___
Question 4: Shall the upper threshold of an unanticipated expenditure requiring Town Meeting approval be revised from $20,000 to two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of the Town’s most recently adopted annual budget?  YES___ or NO___
Question 5: Shall an appointee to a vacancy in an elective office serve for the remainder of the elected term rather than until the next election?  YES___ or NO___

The vote on said questions will be taken under the authority of Chapter 152 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended.  A vote of “Yes” will be a vote for approval of the question and a vote of “No” will be a vote for disapproval of the question.  The full text of the Charter Revision questions are on file and open to public inspection in the office of the Town Clerk during business hours.

1. To vote to approve or disapprove of the following question with respect to the Road and Parking Lot Improvements project:

“Shall the resolution entitled, ‘RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN APPROPRIATION OF $3,500,000 FOR ROAD AND PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS AND THE FINANCING OF SAID APPROPRIATION BY THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES IN ANTICIPATION OF SUCH BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,500,000’, be approved?

Yes ______  No ______”

The ballot label for said question shall read as follows:

Question 6:“Shall the Town of Somers appropriate $3,500,000 for road and parking lot improvements and authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and notes in the same amount to finance said appropriation?  YES ____or NO ____”

The vote on said question will be taken under the authority of Section 7-7 and Chapter 152 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended.  A vote of “Yes” will be a vote for approval of the question, and a vote of “No” will be a vote for disapproval of the question.  The full text of the resolution is on file and open to public inspection in the office of the Town Clerk during business hours.

Notice is hereby given that the location of the polling places on Election Day is as follows:

Election Day Voting District                       Election Day Polling Place                                                                  

District #01                             Somers Town Hall, 600 Main Street, Somers, CT 06071

Absentee Ballots will be counted at the following central location:

Somers Town Hall, 600 Main Street, Somers, CT

Voting tabulators will be used.  The polls will be opened at six o’clock in the morning (6:00 am) and will remain open until eight o’clock in the evening (8:00 pm).

During the 14-day early voting period before said election, the hours and location of early voting will be as indicated below. Each early voting location will also offer Same-Day Registration (SDR).

Early Voting Day and Hours                             Early Voting / SDR Location

October 20-27 & 29, 2025: 10 am-6 pm        Somers Town Hall, 600 Main Street, Somers, CT

October 28 & 30, 2025: 8 am-8 pm                Somers Town Hall, 600 Main Street, Somers, CT

October 31-November 2, 2025: 10 am-6 pm             Somers Town Hall, 600 Main Street, Somers, CT

On Election Day, the hours and location of SDR will be as follows:

Election Day Hours                                              SDR Location

November 4, 2025: 6 am-8 pm               Somers Town Hall, 600 Main Street, Somers, CT

Dated at Somers, Connecticut, this 9th day of October 2025.

David Marti,
Town Clerk, Town of Somers

Published in JI on 10/10/25

November 2025 Municipal Election, Sample Ballot and Early Voting Information

Early Voting Oct 20 – Nov 2 & Election Nov 4th 2025

A General Election is where all eligible voters elect candidates to office. In Connecticut, there is a general election every year.

OCTOBER 20 – NOVEMBER 2, 2025 EARLY VOTING
Polling location for Early Voting is always Lower Conference Room in Town Hall.
Polls are open from 10am-6pm with extended hours on Oct 28th and 30th from 8am-8pm.  Remember your ID.

NOVEMBER 4, 2025 MUNICIPAL ELECTION 
Polling location is the Auditorium, lower level of Town Hall, 600 Main Street.
Polling locations are open 6am – 8pm.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Friday, October 17, 2025
Deadline for voter registration by mail to be post-marked
Deadline for voter registration at the DMV by close of business
Deadline for voter registration online by 11:59 pm – Click HERE to register online.
Deadline for voter registration in person by 8:00 pm

SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION
If you are not registered, but want to vote during the Early Voting, you may register in person every day of Early Voting.
If you are not registered, but want to vote on Election Day, you may register in person on Election Day at your Election Day Registration site which is the Lower Conference in Town Hall.

David Marti, Town Clerk announced that Somers has implemented Cott Systems’ PropertyCheck in an invigorated effort to combat property and mortgage fraud. This 24/7 service allows residents to sign up on the Cott Systems’ RECORDhub website (https://recordhub.cottsystems.com) to receive notifications when official documents are recorded on their property.  Residents can activate alerts based on their name.  This is a free service to the citizens of Somers.

WHAT IS PROPERTY FRAUD? Property fraud can occur if someone forges your identity, transfers your property into their name, and records the document. This fraudulent activity can make it appear as if that person owns your home or property – and you may not have any idea that this happened! It is, unfortunately, becoming more prevalent today as cyber criminals exploit every avenue they can to cause harm and steal from everyday citizens.

Cott System’s PropertyCheck works seamlessly in the background of the Somers records management RECORDhub software, automatically alerting on an enrolled record if a document with matching name or address is recorded. Property owners need to opt-in by creating a RECORDhub account, create alerts for their name and choose the preference of alerts – email or text message.  “It’s also a good idea to set up multiple alerts based on first, middle and last name variations and your spouse’s name, to be sure that an alert will be triggered in case a recording happens with some kind of slight variation,” says Paul Fetters, the product Implementation Specialist at Cott Systems

Somers has partnered with Cott Systems to offer this no-cost solution, adding an additional layer of protection to records data and allowing residents to feel safer in their homes.  Marti explains, “Somers is proud to now offer this service and I encourage all residents to sign up.”

To activate this benefit, residents of Somers can simply sign up for PropertyCheck alerts at: https://recordhub.cottsystems.com

TOWN OF SOMERS
BOARD OF SELECTMEN

The Somers Board of Selectmen will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Somers Town Hall Auditorium, 600 Main Street, Somers, CT to receive public comments on the following:
1. Revision to Ordinance #179-14-21 Local Tax Relief Program : Proposed revision seeks to amend the ordinance by changing the tables by which the program is bound and allow for more flexibility to amend the income tables in the future.
Said proposed ordinance is on file in the Town Clerk Office of the Town of Somers, Somers Town Hall. At this hearing, interested persons may be heard and written communications received.

Dated at Somers, Connecticut this 9th day of September, 2025.

Board of Selectmen
Timothy R.E. Keeney, First Selectman
William Meier, III, Selectman
Robert Schmidt, Selectman

To be published: September 19, 2025

Town of Somers – Charter Revision Commission
EXPLANATORY TEXT
LOCAL BALLOT QUESTIONS – CHARTER REVISION
State General Election – November 4, 2025

Ballot Question No. 1: Shall the Town Clerk become a hired/appointed rather than elected position?

EXPLANATORY TEXT: The question asks shall the Town Clerk of Somers become a hired/appointed rather than elected position in accordance with the recommendation set forth in the final report of the bipartisan Town Charter Revision Commission? The question requires a choice: YES __ NO __
Under the current Town Charter, the position of the Town Clerk is an elected position with a four-year term in office. The Charter Revision Commission proposed revision recommends that the Town Clerk become an appointed position.
The varied, critical, statute driven responsibilities of the Town Clerk require a qualified professional with knowledge, skills and expertise regarding their responsibilities, along with computer skills for the varied computer software and systems used. Certification in the State of Connecticut takes 3 years to complete. By changing the position to a hired/appointed position, the Town Clerk will be hired based on qualifications and expertise; appointed by a panel who recommends hiring; and reports to the Board of Selectmen. The proposed change would have the appointed Town Clerk serving a four-year term, reviewable annually by the Board of Selectmen. if passed, this change would become effective at the end of the current elected term or the resignation of the incumbent, whichever comes first.

Ballot Question No. 2: Shall the Board of Selectmen hire/appoint a Town Administrator who reports to them and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Town?

EXPLANATORY TEXT: The question asks shall the Board of Selectmen hire/appoint a Town Administrator who reports to them and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Town in accordance with the recommendation set forth in the final report of the bipartisan Town Charter Revision Commission? The question requires a choice: YES __ NO __
The Charter Revision Commission recommended that the Board of Selectmen hire/appoint a Town Administrator who reports to them and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Town.
An appointed (hired) Town Administrator brings expertise and experience in professional management and Government (public) administration providing consistency and continuity of Somers’s administrative operations ensuring that services are delivered effectively and efficiently and assist the Board of Selectmen. This allows the Board of Selectmen to focus on strategic direction and policy. By charter, the First Selectman remains the CEO of the Town, and the new Town Administrator will be the CAO reporting to the Board of Selectman. The proposed change if passed would become effective at the end of the current elected term or resignation of the incumbent, whichever comes first.

Ballot Question No. 3: Shall the Planning and Zoning Commissions be combined into a single appointed body?

EXPLANATORY TEXT: The question asks shall the Planning and Zoning Commissions be combined into a single appointed body in accordance with the recommendation set forth in the final report of the bipartisan Town Charter Revision Commission? The question requires a choice: YES __ NO __
The current Town Charter language states in § 5-5, “There shall be a Planning Commission …” and in § 5-6, “There shall be a Zoning Commission …” Both commissions have five members, serving four-year terms and three alternate members serving one-year terms. Also, both have the powers and duties prescribed by the state’s General Statutes. Having two separate commissions has at times contributed to a disconnect between planning, zoning, and land use policy resulting in duplication, inefficiency, confusion, and frustration for those undertaking efforts to improve development in the community. The Charter Revision Commission recommended that the Planning and Zoning Commissions be combined into a single body with seven members and three alternate members. Eighty-five percent of the cities and towns in Connecticut have a combined Planning and Zoning Commission. The creation of a single commission is designed with the goal of streamlining the application and approval process of land use proposals. If approved the change will be effective January 1, 2026.

Ballot Question No. 4: Shall the upper threshold of an unanticipated expenditure requiring Town Meeting approval be revised from $20,000 to two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of the Town’s most recently adopted annual budget?

EXPLANATORY TEXT: The question asks shall the upper threshold of an unanticipated expenditure requiring Town Meeng approval be revised from $20,000 to two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of the Town’s most recently adopted annual budget be revised in accordance with the recommendation set forth in the final report of the bipartisan Town Charter Revision Committee?
YES ___ NO ___
Under § 6-7. Special appropriations in the current Town Charter, when a proposed additional appropriation exceeds the amount prescribed in the state statutes CGS 7-348, approval of a Town Meeting is required. As it pertains to Somers, the amount prescribed in CGS 7-348 is $20,000. This means that whenever an appropriation exceeds the $20,000 threshold that a Town Meeng approval is required. The $20,000 amount in the state statutes was established in 1990 and has not been updated since then. In this Charter amendment, the Commission has recommended substituting a formula rather than a specific dollar amount thus addressing any inflationary effects. The suggested formula would determine the upper limit by taking two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of the most recently adopted budget (General Fund budget multiplied by 0.2 %). For example, if the most recent adopted budget is $42,000,000, the upper limit would be $84,000 ($42 million X 0.2%) rather than the $20,000. When the cumulative amount of all such appropriations or transfers exceeds the limit within a fiscal year any other transfers or such appropriations must be approved at a Town Meeting.

Ballot Question No. 5: Shall an appointee to a vacancy in an elective office serve for the remainder of the elected term rather than until the next election?

EXPLANATORY TEXT: The question asks shall an appointee to a vacancy in an elective office serve for the remainder of the elected term rather than until the next election in accordance with the recommendation set forth in the final report of the bipartisan Town Charter Revision Commission? The question requires a choice: YES ___ NO ___
Under the current Town Charter, an appointee to a vacancy in an elective office shall serve until a successor, elected at a special election or at the next regular town election qualifies. The Charter Revision Commission proposed revision recommends that the appointee selected to fill an unexpired term in elective office shall serve the remainder of the term, negating the need for a special election or an election to fill a partial term. Adopting this change simplifies the vacancy process and addresses voter confusion over partial terms in office appearing on the election ballot.