News from Colebrook Town Hall

Greetings from Colebrook Town Hall.
Personal property declarations have been mailed to all known businesses in town, as well as owners of known motor vehicles, including campers, that are not registered or registered outside the State of Connecticut, that in the normal course of operation, most frequently leave from and return to, or remain in, Colebrook.
Completed declarations are due in the Assessor’s Office by the end of business on, or postmarked by, November 3rd, 2025. If you don’t file by November 3rd, Connecticut State statute dictates that the Assessor must file for you and apply a 25% penalty. Any filing received after November 3rd is also subject to a 25% penalty according to State Statute Section 12-42.
Not receiving a declaration does not relieve you of the responsibility of filing if you have such taxable property. Forms may be obtained from the Assessor’s Office or the Town website on the Assessor’s Office page. Please contact the Assessor’s Office with any questions at assessor@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:assessor@colebrooktownhall.org>, or 860-379-3359, ext. 206.
Our pilot food scrap recycling initiative kicks off next week. Bear-resistant collection stations will be delivered to Town Hall and the Forge Firehouse next Tuesday, September 16th. Weekly pickups will begin on Tuesday, September 23rd, and on Tuesdays thereafter. The collection stations will be open 24/7.
This past week, we distributed more than 50 food scrap recycling kits to town residents. With the generous support of transfer stations in Salisbury/Sharon and Newtown, we’ve been able to expand the number of free kits available for residents. Kits include: a countertop bin; an initial supply of BPI-certified biodegradable 3-gallon bags; and a storage/transportation 6-gallon bin. If you’d like one, please contact me at bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org>.
As mentioned last week, and as part of our new curbside agreement with USA Recycling, beginning October 1st, bear-resistant rollout carts will be available to Colebrook residents for $8.50/month (or $102/year). For residents who currently have bear carts, you will receive the new, lower rate when your current annual contract expires. Learn more about how these carts work here<www.usarecycle.com/news/bear-resistant-rollout-carts-how-do-they-work>. Contact USA Recycling at 800.998.2984 to reserve one.
There have been a number of projects completed in the Center of town recently. Prior to the Fair, the iron fence on the Route 183 side of Town Hall was repaired following damage from a hit-and-run driver earlier this summer. Repair costs, minus deductible, are being covered by insurance. A new camera has been installed on that side of Town Hall to allow us to monitor there more closely.
Also prior to the Fair, our head lifeguard Joe Vasaturo stained the exterior of the snack shack at the ballfield a dark green color that looks great.
Finally, this past week, our Public Works team removed three overgrown pear trees that were between Town Hall and the Community & Senior Center. They also removed the overgrown Climbing Hydrangea from the Courtyard that was threatening the integrity of the stone wall there. Sadly, a falling stone damaged the stone bench in the Courtyard. It will be repaired and re-installed. Moving forward, we’ll be looking at landscaping options for this new, much brighter space.
This week, the Building Inspector and I had the opportunity to tour the under-renovation Colebrook Store. Great progress is being made in opening up the space, leveling the floors and preparing the store for a future tenant. This week, the Colebrook Historic District Commission approved adding windows to the south side of the building, consistent with those in place in the front, bringing more light to the interior. The Store is expected to reopen in 2026.
Next Tuesday, the Colebrook Fair Committee will be meeting to debrief on this year’s event and discuss how it can continue to evolve and thrive.
The Colebrook Associates Food Pantry, located in the vestibule of the Community & Senior Center, needs breakfast foods and hygiene products. Donations may be left at the pantry or in the collection bin in the post office.
The town is currently accepting applications for energy assistance. Please contact Karen Odell to set up an appointment, or for any questions, at kodell@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:kodell@colebrooktownhall.org>.
Upcoming events
A long-standing tradition at Colebrook Consolidated School is raising funds to support their Sixth-Grade trip to Nature’s Classroom. Part of that tradition is the Fifth-Grade Class Pumpkin & Mum Sale, being held on Saturday, October 4th, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Colebrook Consolidated School. Pumpkins, mums, food, bake sale items and raffles are included. Raffles will be drawn at 1 p.m. Proceeds benefit the 2027 Nature’s Classroom trip.
On Thursday, October 9th, from 9-11 a.m. at the Community & Senior Center, the Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Litchfield County will be offering flu vaccines to people aged 18 and older.
On Friday, October 17th, the Colebrook Historical Society will host their final Friday Night Gathering of the season. Museum Educator, Annie O’Brien, will share the harrowing story of witches in colonial New England. Refreshments and mingling at 7 p.m. at the Historical Society, program at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
Upcoming municipal board meetings
Board of Finance – Thursday, September 11th (today), at 6 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Land Use office) Town/School Building Committee – Tuesday, September 16th, at 6:30 p.m. at Colebrook Consolidated School (School Library) Inland Wetlands – Tuesday, September 16th, at 6:30 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Land Use office)
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org>, or call me at 860.379.3359, extension 202.
Cordially,
Brad Brad Bremer Colebrook First Selectman 860.379.3359 ext. 202 bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org
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Greetings from Colebrook Town Hall.

Last Saturday turned out to be a perfect day for the 80th annual Colebrook Fair. Approximately 40 vendors lined the Green and a closed-off portion of Smith Hill Road. Great music and food were plentiful.

At the pet show, our judges awarded first place ribbons to six dogs and two chickens. Our iconic frog jumping contest featured 48 entries, with prizes for the longest and shortest jumps in both the small and large frog categories.

After an absence of many years, the Colebrook “Cow Plop” made its return to this year’s Fair, thanks to Pinney Stables, and proved to be a successful fundraiser for our Rec. Board, with all 80 squares selling out (one for each year of the Fair).

At the car show, more than 100 classic cars and motorcycles vied for the Best-in-Show, People’s Choice, and Selectmen’s awards. The Selectmen’s prize this year went to a beautiful, vintage 1941 Chevy AK Series pickup truck from Norfolk.

The Colebrook Community & Senior Center raffled off more than 60 baskets on Saturday. Combined with proceeds from food sales on Fair day, the Center raised more than $3,500, which helps to support programming there. Thank you to all those who donated and bid, and patronized our kitchen.

Fair day concluded at the Town Pond with more than 150 people sharing in the excitement of our annual Cardboard Regatta. This year’s race featured 12 boats competing for prizes, including “Funky-est” boat and best costume.

With our 80th Colebrook Fair in the books, thank you to our many tireless volunteers who keep this important tradition alive, and help to ensure its success! The Fair Committee will be meeting later this month to debrief on this year’s event and discuss how it can continue to evolve and thrive.

At last night’s Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Bob Gilbert announced that Colebrook Consolidated School finished its 2024/25 fiscal year (ended this past June 30th) with a surplus of more than $23,000, or slightly more than 1% of its annual budget. CCS will be returning the surplus to the town’s general fund. The Board of Ed will also be returning an end-of-year $10,300 special appropriation that was not spent.

State approval of our Small Town Economic Assistance grant funding is day to day. Paving of Deer Hill, Gaylord, Millbrook and Phelps Roads, and the Center Firehouse parking lot, will take place once final approval is received. We’ll confirm the paving schedule as soon as we know more.

We are finalizing a new service agreement with USA Recycling (our current waste hauler) which includes one year of free food scrap recycling. We are providing food scrap recycling kits to the first 50 households to sign up for this pilot initiative. Kits include: a countertop bin; an initial supply of BPI-certified biodegradable 3-gallon bags; and a storage/transportation 6-gallon bin.

Bear-resistant, food scrap recycling collection stations will be delivered to Town Hall and the Forge Firehouse on Tuesday, September 16th. Weekly pickups will begin on Tuesday, September 23rd, and on Tuesdays thereafter. The collection stations will be open 24/7 to accept waste in the biodegradable bags included in the starter kits. If you’d like to participate, and have not yet signed up, please contact me at bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org.

As part of our new curbside agreement with USA Recycling, bear-resistant rollout carts will be available to Colebrook residents for $8.50/month, down from the current $9/month, and less than USA’s quoted rate of $12/month (which was our price as recently as last year). Contact USA Recycling at 800.998.2984 to learn more, or to reserve a cart.

The Colebrook Conservation Commission is training volunteers to assist in a town-wide effort to eliminate Japanese knotweed, one of the most aggressive invasive plants. Our volunteers are learning how to identify Japanese knotweed and assist control efforts by using a free phone app to map it on town roads. This effort is part of a multi-town project. Our final training session will convene this Saturday (September 6th) at 9 a.m. in the Town Hall parking lot. Thank you to the seven volunteers who participated in today’s training, and the two signed up for Saturday.

The Colebrook Associates Food Pantry, located in the vestibule of the Community & Senior Center, needs breakfast foods, snacks, juice, and canned meat (e.g., tuna and chicken). Donations may be left at the pantry or in the collection bin in the post office.

The town will begin accepting applications for energy assistance beginning September 9th. Please contact Karen Odell to set up an appointment, or for any questions, at kodell@colebrooktownhall.org.

Upcoming events

Tomorrow (Friday, September 5th), the Colebrook Historical Society will host, “The Life and Times of Scot Haney – What a Ride.” Noted meteorologist Scot Haney will share his many experiences both on air and off. The evening kicks off with refreshments at the Seymour Inn at 7 p.m., with the program taking place at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall second floor meeting room. There is no cost to attend, and everyone is welcome.

Upcoming municipal board meetings

Planning & Zoning – Monday, September 8th, at 6:30 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Second floor meeting room).

Board of Selectman – Monday, September 8th, at 7 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Land Use office)

Historic District Commission – Tuesday, September 9th, at 5 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Second floor meeting room)

Board of Assessment Appeals – Wednesday, September 10th, from 5 until 6 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Assessor’s office)

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org, or call me at 860.379.3359, extension 202.

Cordially,

Brad

Brad Bremer

Colebrook First Selectman

860.379.3359 ext. 202

bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org

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Town Pond

The Town Pond is now closed for the season.

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Tax Collector Office Hour Changes

Effective immediately hours for the Tax Collector Office have changed to Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 1:00.

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Public Hearings ~ 9/8/2025

Click here to view Legal Notice regarding Text Amendments re: Child Care and Cannabis regulations

Click here to view Legal Notice regarding Public Hearing regarding Plan of Conservation and Development

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Legal Notice of Receipt of Certification of

Party Endorsed Candidates for Municipal Offices

COLEBROOK

 A certified list of Democratic and Republican party-endorsed candidates for the Town of Colebrook for election as First Selectman, Selectman, Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, Tax Collector, Board of Finance Full Term (2), Board of Finance Fill a Vacancy for Two Years, Board of Education (2), Board of Assessment Appeals, Constables (2) is on file in my office at 562 Colebrook Road, Colebrook, Connecticut, and copies thereof are available for public distribution.

A Primary will be held September 9, 2025 if the required primary petition(s) for opposition candidate(s) is filed, pursuant to Sections 9-382 to 9-450 of the Connecticut General Statutes, not later than 4:00 p.m. on ­August 6, 2025.  Petition forms, instructions and information concerning the procedure for filing of opposing candidacies, including schedules, may be obtained from: Karen Odell, Democratic Registrar of Voters and Sherri Gray, Republican Registrar of Voters, 562 Colebrook Road, Colebrook, CT

Debra L. McKeon, CCTC, MCTC

Municipal Clerk of Colebrook

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Employment Contract Available for Inspection

NOTICE
TOWN OF COLEBROOK

Notice is hereby given that a signed copy of the Contract of Employment between the Colebrook Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools for the period of July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028; is on file at the Town Clerk’s Office for public inspection during regular office hours.

Dated at Colebrook, Connecticut, this 3rd day of July, 2025.

Debra L. McKeon
Town Clerk

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Professional Agreements between BOE and principal available

NOTICE

TOWN OF COLEBROOK

Notice is hereby given that a signed copy of the Professional Agreement between the Colebrook Board of Education and the Principal for the period of July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026, is on file at the Town Clerk’s Office for public inspection during regular office hours.

Dated at Colebrook, Connecticut, this 6th day of May, 2025.

Debra L. McKeon, CCTC

 

(Legal notice per 10-153d of the CGS, Agreement received 05/23/17 30 days up on 06/23/17.)

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2025 Town Budget

Colebrook Town budget vote passed: 119 Yes; 38 No

Region 7 budget vote passed Colebrook: 111 Yes; 46 No

Region 7 budget vote passed in district.

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