Neighbor News
Ridgefield Has Perhaps Misused State LoCip Funding
Recent Assumption of ACT's Lease Obligations Presents Serious Issues
“A Contemporary Theatre Company Inc. “ACT” has for the last seven years operated as a not-for-profit theatre company at the Town’s Schlumberger Auditorium under a lease that required it be responsible roof repairs and replacement. The roof has leaked for some time.
On May 8, 2023, at Special Town Meeting, Ridgefield BOS, among other things, amended ACT’s lease, removed its obligation to repair the roof, and gratuitously assumed it. Estimates, known before such amendment: $240,000.00- $300,000.00.
ACT’s shtick was that it didn’t have money, but Its 2022 IRS Form 990 indicates it has assets of app. $3 million and app. $2 Million of 2022 income, including COVID grant. Besides soliciting donors large and small, standard economic principles allow it to increase ticket price to offset increase operating increased costs. The Town is not its business partner.
Simultaneously, BOS said it would try to recoup this unbudgeted additional expenditure via the State’s LoCip (Local Capital Improvement) grant program. This permits reimbursement for very specific categories, see: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/opm/igpp/grants/locip/2023-locip/2023-locip-guidelines-and-instructions-0312023.pdf and https://www.ct.gov/opm/lib/opm/igp/grants/locip/2018_locip_guidelines.pdf, of which ACT’s lease amendment is not one.
Shockingly never disclosed at public meetings on this matter: One Select Person’s spouse sits on ACT’s Board of Directors.
$250K in Town funds for one “NFP-Theatre” raises serious questions: if to one, why not to all? If not to all equally, by what criterion should there be differentiation? Why just “Theatres”? Why not all NFPs? Does it make a difference if a particular NFP promotes a particular political or social “message?” Does public funding confer control?
BOS acted without foresight. Its imprudence unjustly burdens taxpayers. One-party rule can lead to rule by fiat, and pervert civil government into operation by “feelings” not reason, which can easily lead to disorder.
John Tartaglia
638 Danbury Road
Ridgefield CT
