KENT, Conn. — A lightly attended recent public hearing and subsequent town meeting passed a revised ordinance governing the Parks and Recreation Commission and reviewed the proposed Five-year Capital Plan.
Parks and Rec Director Matt Busse explained at the Friday, March 27, meeting the changes in the ordinance, which he said “reduced the language, conglomerating things and putting things together.”
Among the changes is the configuration of the commission, eliminating an earlier requirement that the third selectman be a voting member. It was reasoned that there would be potential conflicts of interest for a selectman who sits in on the planning stages and then might be required to vote on the item as a selectman.
At the hearing, Kent resident Lynn Harrington questioned Busse closely about different provisions in the ordinance, including references to Kent Center School playing fields and whether the school or the commission had control over them.
First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer said there is a “collaborative unwritten rule” that responsibility for maintenance of the playing fields is shared by the school and town. “The property belongs to the school,” he said, “but that there has been an effort to make the town the owner.”
He said that effort faltered during the Covid years, “but if the town does work out an agreement to own the land, [maintenance] really should go to the town. Let’s get one group being in control of it.”
Harrington questioned the sections discussing employment of the director and who is responsible for establishing policy. She was told that the commission has the authority to approve policy and programs, but it is the director who implements them. As to the director’s employment, the commission recommends its preferred candidate to the selectmen, who hires the director as a town employee.
Harrington insisted, the “commission is still your boss,” arguing that the bylaws should state the director works “for” the commission, not “with” the commission, as stated.
Busse argued the point. “If the commission were to terminate me, would I be permanently terminated? No. If the Selectmen terminated me, yes.”
Harrington was critical of members of the Parks and Rec Commission for not attending Friday’s meeting. “Membership is more than just attending a [monthly] meeting,” she said.
There were three commission members in attendance. Lindenmayer and Selectman Lynn Worthington raised the point that the commission members had spent the last year working on the ordinance and bylaws, having already devoted a considerable amount of time to the task.
Even following the portion of the meeting dedicated to the capital plan, Harrington returned to her criticism of the ordinance. Lindenmayer pointed out that it had been extensively reviewed by the town’s attorney, the commission, and the selectmen.
During the subsequent town meeting she moved that action on the ordinance be delayed so more consideration could be given to the points she had brought up. The motion received no second. The subsequent vote on the ordinance approved it 17-1.
No vote could be taken on the Five-year Capital Plan, but Lindenmayer explained its different parts to the audience during the hearing. The capital plan is essentially a savings plan that allows a town to prepare for large expenditures by accruing funds over five years. Taxes are not levied on items included in the sixth through the 10th years, and funding only starts when they “cross the line” into the fifth year.
Lindenmayer has proposed that a $393,000 allocation for a roof at Kent Center School that should cross the line this year be pushed back into the sixth year. He noted that the three roofs at the school are in good condition and that $600,000 was left over from last year’s roofing project. He argues that can be reallocated to address sidewalks and paving at the school.
“Our recommendation to the Board of Finance and the school is to look at the amount of money in the roofing project and to slow down,” he said. “Push the $393,000 back across the line and ask the school board to reallocate the $600,000 to the sidewalk and paving. That is money we have taxed for already.”
The public works department wants $891,234 in 2026 to address bridges, roads, and as an installment toward purchase of a new truck.
No money will be put aside for Emergency Management until the fifth year when $25,000 will be allocated for emergency sheltering equipment.
The Kent Volunteer Fire Department is budgeting for a new Rescue Truck #8 and has included $200,000 for that in 2026.
“Parks and Recreation has a lot going on,” Lindenmayer said, but added that the commission “has done a great job” of spacing out its allocations. It has no funding request for 2026.
Town-owned buildings always need maintenance, but the only sum included for 2026 is $30,000 for Swift House. Lindenmayer explained that he has asked for a $1 million STEAP grant to help with rehabilitation of the ancient building, so it can be used by Social Services and the Food Bank. Additional sums for the building are included in years 2028-30.
The total 2026 tab for the Capital Plan would be $2,076,895. Items listed for 2027 would total $2,524,656; 2028, $2,402,389, and 2029, $199,462 for a five-year total of $9,382,789.
