MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
March 1, 2017
A SPECIAL MEETING was held by the City Council & Water Pollution Control Authority in the City Hall Auditorium on Wednesday, March 1, 2017.
Those present were Mayor Carbone, Corporation Counsel Jaime LaMere, City Councilors Drake Waldron, Gregg Cogswell, and Daniel Farley. City Councilor Anne Ruwet participated via telephone and City Councilor Paul Cavagnero joined the meeting by telephone at 5:25 p.m. City Councilor Luisa Noujaim was absent.
Mayor Carbone called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Pending Litigation
Executive Session
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council voted unanimously to enter executive session at 5:00 p.m., inviting Atty. LaMere, regarding pending litigation: City of Torrington v. Robert T. Crovo, DDM, LLI-CV15-5007734-S.
City Councilor Paul Cavagnero joined the meeting via telephone at 5:25 p.m., after the executive session.
Open Session
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Farley, the Council voted unanimously to enter open session at 5:26 p.m.
Atty. LaMere explained that an issue has arisen with a taxpayer who has two sewer tax liens belonging to former tax collector Robert Crovo. These are on her condominium which she intends to sell in the immediate future. She said that Mr. Crovo feels the sewer tax lien release is the obligation of the current tax collector, as noted in a written communication from Mr. Crovo’s attorney, Jonathan Kaplan of Pullman & Comley LLC.
Atty. LaMere noted that the closing is going to happen, that these sewer tax liens are not released, and that Mr. Crovo is refusing to release them. She said it is her opinion that Launa Goslee, our current tax collector is not obligated to release them.
Atty. LaMere pointed out that these sewer tax liens are paid in full, and that CGS §12-179, “Discharge of Tax Liens”, authorizes the Mayor to release tax liens. She recommended that City Council authorize the Mayor to release the liens on this occasion. Mayor Carbone noted that the statute was written for the other 168 towns that do not have private tax collection. She said these will be addressed in the future on a case-by-case basis, and always brought to City Council for approval.
Release Sewer Tax Lien
On a motion by Councilor Cogswell, seconded by Councilor Farley, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the Mayor to execute two Releases of Sewer Tax Lien from the Grand List of 2012 and 2013 recorded against a property located at 839 Main St. #56, Unique ID #11978. Councilor Cavagnero abstained.
Adjournment
On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the meeting was adjourned at 5:32 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC CITY CLERK |
Carol L. Anderson, MMC Asst. City Clerk |
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