Date: Fri 07-Nov-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

selectmen-Keillor-Bradley

Full Text:

Selectmen Tell Developer: `A Deal Is A Deal'

BY STEVE BIGHAM

When you make a deal, you stick to it. The Board of Selectmen made that point

perfectly clear to a local developer Monday night.

Last spring, Jay Keillor of Land Engineering Associates (also Pond View, LLC)

of Monroe and the selectmen reached an agreement on some road and drainage

work to be done on Bradley Lane.

Mr Keillor wants to create 13 residential building lots on 30 acres near the

Monroe line. To do so, he and the town agreed that he would widen Bradley Lane

to deal with increased traffic and improve storm water drainage at a cost of

about $80,000.

The land proposed for subdivision is off Great Hill Road and Bradley Lane.

After getting the nod from the selectmen, the developer eventually took his

application to the Planning & Zoning Commission, which turned it down because

the developer had not properly notified abutting residents of a June 5 public

hearing. The P&Z voted the proposal down, 4-0, despite an appeal from local

attorney Bill Denlinger.

Mr Keillor has since contacted the owners and is ready to go back to the P&Z.

But Mr Denlinger was not representing Mr Keillor when the developer made his

original road work agreement with the selectmen. The attorney has since come

on to the scene and, after reviewing Mr Keillor's case, has determined that

his client agreed to do more road and drainage work than is legally required.

Monday night, the two men urged the Board of Selectmen to ease off on the deal

a bit. They were hoping the town would instead agree to more like $55,000

worth of road improvements.

Mr Denlinger believes it is simply not fair to force his client to do more

work than he should have to by law.

"In other words, he agreed to get ripped off," Mr Denlinger said.

The selectmen, however, did not see it that way.

"We cut a deal. We shook hands. Now he wants to change the deal. No way,"

selectman Jim Mooney said. "He agreed to things that he should not have, but

he didn't have an attorney. That's his problem."

First Selectman Bob Cascella and selectman Gary Fetzer both agreed.

"You agreed to do something. Things didn't go well, so now you're back asking

for a rebate," Mr Cascella said. "The position of the board is we already have

a road work agreement in place."

The request was turned down unanimously.

Some residents, since learning of the proposed development, have spoken out in

opposition to the plan, saying it would increase traffic. Others are concerned

that stone walls and trees will be affected when the road is widened.