Simsbury Eyes 11.5-acre Land Purchase Near Landfill

SIMSBURY, CT — The town's board of selectmen has unanimously approved a $175,000 purchase of 11.5 acres of property on Wolcott Road, near the town's landfill/transfer station site.

Such a move would allow the town to avoid potential liability issues, as town officials were recently notified by the property owner part of the transfer station facility there encroaches on the site at 56 Wolcott Road.

"Acquisition of the property was deemed the most affordable and preferable course of action," reads a memo issued by Simsbury Town Manager Maria Capriola, Simsbury Public Works Director Thomas Roy and Simsbury Finance Director Amy Meriwether to the Simsbury Board of Finance, which will act on the proposal Tuesday night.

Roy has worked with the property owners and negotiated the $175,000 figure.

"This value is less costly than relocating the portion of the transfer station off of the 56 Wolcott Road property and will provide the town with more of a buffer to the transfer station and our closed landfill," reads the town memo to the finance board.

Funding to buy the site would come from general fund reserves.

Meanwhile, an additional $40,000 will be needed at year-end close to complete the demolition of the old residential structure, built in 1911, that is in poor condition on the property, reads the memo.

Roy said the site may contain asbestos as well.

Capriola said the town is in good enough fiscal shape to use general fund reserves for the purchase.

The town attorney did review and approve the agreement.

As part of the selectmen motion to approve, they authorized Capriola to "execute any and all documents related to the purchase of 56 Wolcott Road, as approved to form by the town attorney.

The purchase is not a done deal yet, with the proposal needing Simsbury Board of Finance approval.

The finance board meets Tuesday, July 19, at Simsbury Town Hall at 5:45 p.m. and the purchase is on the board's meeting agenda.

To see the July 19 Simsbury finance board agenda, click on this link.

To see the minutes of the Simsbury Board of Selectmen meeting July 11, click on this link.