Town of Colebrook, Connecticut

Greetings from Colebrook Town Hall.

Town offices will be closed tomorrow in observance of Good Friday. Curbside trash and recycling collection is on a normal schedule this week.

Yesterday, our Public Works team re-opened the dirt portion of Beech Hill Road for the season.

Last week, the Board of Finance voted to recommend the mill rate be established at 25 for Fiscal Year 2026/27 (i.e., $25 per $1,000 of assessed value for real estate, personal property and motor vehicles). This is down from the current rate of 33.7 for real estate and personal property (and 32.46 for motor vehicles).

The recommended mill rate will be discussed at the Town Budget Hearing on Thursday, April 9th, and the Board of Finance will have the opportunity to consider public comments after the meeting, prior to referendum. And, although assessed real estate values have increased as a result of the state-mandated Reval process, residents will see a break on their motor vehicle taxes with the declining mill rate.

The referendum on the Colebrook and Region 7 budgets will be held on Tuesday, May 5^th.

Also, during May, residents will consider an ordinance to accept the Town of Colebrook Code, as presented. Voting on the proposed ordinance will take place at this year’s Annual Town Budget Meeting on Monday, May 4^th, at Colebrook Town Hall.

Colebrook Associates scholarship applications are available at Town Hall (and attached to this newsletter) and are due April 30^th.

Applications for the Colebrook Associates Small Business Start-Up Grant program will be accepted through April 30^th, and the grant recipient will be announced by June 30^th. Learn more in the attached application.

Colebrook Lions Club scholarship applications for graduating Colebrook high school seniors are available at the Guidance offices at Northwestern Regional 7 and Oliver Wolcott Technical High School.

The Community & Senior Center and Colebrook resident John Parisi are hosting a photography portrait session free of charge for Colebrook seniors on Thursday, April 9^th, from 1-3 p.m. One 8” x 10” print will be provided in time for Mother’s and Father’s Day. There is a limit of two people per photo. Call 860.738.9521, ext. 400, or email seniordirector@colebrooktownhall.org to sign up.

The Center served 38 breakfasts this week. Breakfast is available every Tuesday from 8-9:15 a.m. for $6. Lunch is served every Thursday at noon for $7 (advance registration required for lunch). For news from the Center, follow them on Facebook.

The Colebrook Volunteer Fire Department is looking for new members to join their ranks and help our community. There are many ways to serve, everyone is welcome, and no prior training is needed. For more information, contact Todd Correll at 860.459.0292.

The Colebrook Associates food pantry, located in the vestibule of the Community & Senior Center, is open Monday-Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m.-noon. Donations may be left at the pantry, or in the collection bin in the Post Office.

The Northwest Conservation District is hosting its annual Earth Day Plant Sale. Plants are currently available for pre-order through April 15th. Pre-orders will be available for pickup during the onsite Earth Day Plant Sale, Friday-Sunday (April 24th-26th) from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Goshen Fairgrounds. There will be many native and beneficial plant options available on both pre-order and day of sale lists. You can access the store at nwcd.org/shop. Please see flyer attached.

Upcoming events

The Colebrook Conservation Commission is hosting Colebrook Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 25^th. Trash bags will be available from 9 a.m. to noon outside the Town Hall second floor meeting room. To sign up in advance for a specific road (or portion of a road) contact Karen Odell at kodell@colebrooktownhall.org.

On Sunday, April 19^th, at 3 p.m. the Colebrook Historical Society will host its Annual Meeting at Colebrook Town Hall. A brief business meeting will be followed by a presentation discussing what the American Revolution meant to the people of Connecticut. The program will feature artifacts and documents from the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.

Upcoming meetings

Town Budget Hearing – Thursday, April 9^th, at 7 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (second floor meeting room)

Planning & Zoning – Monday, April 13^th, at 6:30 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Land Use office)

Board of Selectmen – Monday, April 13^th, at 7 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (second floor meeting room)

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

Happy Easter and Passover,

Brad

Brad Bremer

Colebrook First Selectman

860.379.3359 ext. 202

bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org

Scholarship Application

Small Business Grant Application

Colebrook Associates Launches Small Business Start-Up Grant for Local Youth
Entrepreneurs

Colebrook Associates, Inc. is proud to announce the launch of its annual Small
Business Start-Up Grant, designed to support graduating high school seniors and local
youth ages 17–21 who plan to pursue entrepreneurship after high school.

Each year, Colebrook Associates will award one $2,500 grant to a young Colebrook
resident who is launching a small business and does not plan to attend college or
university in the fall. The program is intended to encourage business ownership as a
primary post-graduation path while supporting creative ideas that contribute to the future
and vitality of Colebrook.

Applicants must submit a completed application, business plan, high school transcript,
and a letter of recommendation. Applications are accepted through April 30, and the
grant recipient will be announced by June 30.

Before funds are released, the selected recipient must provide proof of official business
formation, either through Town registration or formation of an LLC.

“This grant reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting the next generation of
Colebrook residents,”. “We are excited to encourage young entrepreneurs who are ready to invest their ideas, energy, and ambition in our community.”

NOTICE

TOWN OF COLEBROOK

Notice is hereby given that the audited Financial Statements for Regional School District No. 7 for the year ending June 30, 2025, as prepared by King, King & Associates, PC, are on file at the Town Clerk’s office and available for public inspection during regular office hours.

Dated at Colebrook, Connecticut, this 17^th day of January, 2026.

Debra L. McKeon, Town Clerk

Tax Relief Program Summary 2026

TOWN OF COLEBROOK

Notice is hereby given that a signed copy of the Agreement between Regional School District No. 7 Board of Education and Northwestern Teachers’ Association of Regional School District No. 7 2026 – 2029 has been filed with the Town Clerk and is available for public inspection during regular office hours.

Notice is also hereby given that a signed copy of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Northwestern Administrators’ Association and The Board of Education of Regional School District No. 7 dated July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029 has been filed with the Town Clerk and is available for public inspection during regular office hours.

Dated at Colebrook, Connecticut this 22nd day of December, 2025.

Debra L. McKeon, MCTC