The Southbury Board of Selectmen on Thursday authorized the $2.3 million purchase of two new fire engines, continued debate over staffing at the Senior Center, and weighed the potential conservation of a Roxbury Road property.
Added to the meeting’s agenda was the approval of awarding the bid for two Class A pumper fire apparatus to Pennsylvania-based 4 Guys Fire Trucks for $2,323,448, following a recommendation from the Southbury Volunteer Fire Association (SVFA).
Members of the SVFA were in attendance as the board gave their unanimous approval for the pair of versatile fire engines.
An agenda item that would have authorized the town to enter into a consultant agreement for a 10-hour role for assisting in economic development and grant writing services was removed from the agenda and not discussed.
Selectwoman Wendy Bernard was not present for Thursday’s meeting.
Senior Center Staffing
Board members also took up what Senior Services Director Andrea Corcoran called a more immediate operational need: part-time staffing at the town’s Senior Center.
“I am requesting approval for a part-time employee to start at the Senior Center as soon as possible,” Corcoran told the board, citing sustained growth in programming and participation in recent years.
She described a department that has expanded services while maintaining core responsibilities, but added that a recent gap in Friday coverage has left them in need of an additional in-house body. A previous floater position had covered five hours on Fridays following the town’s 2025 pilot program schedule changes, allowing the center to maintain its extended programming.
However, she said that coverage is no longer in place due to circumstances outside their control, with the center’s three-person staff finding it difficult to bridge that gap.
An additional part-time staffer would help stabilize operations and allow existing staff to pursue additional opportunities, including potential grant writing and funding, she said.
“I personally, as the director, have no time to research any grants that might help fund our Senior Center further,” said Corcoran.
Selectman Jason Van Stone, a former liaison to the Senior Services Commission, voiced his support for the department’s request.
“I’m the last guy in town that probably wants to spend a nickel,” Van Stone said. “But I think this is one of the areas that, very similar to our library and parks and rec, our residents really have connections to these places.”
“The last thing I want to do is go backwards at the Senior Center,” he added.
First Selectman Tim O’Neil suggested the request be brought before the town’s Board of Finance as part of the upcoming week of joint budget hearings between the two boards.
“I think it’s a good topic to bring in front of the Board of Finance and hopefully we can come to a resolution,” O’Neil said, adding that additional participation data could strengthen the case.
The Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed to send a positive referral to the Board of Finance for consideration of the immediate hire.
415 Roxbury Road
The board also discussed the future of a town-owned parcel on Roxbury Road, with First Selectman Tim O’Neil signaling his interest in pursuing permanent preservation of the property.
“We did have some interest with the Board of Education to relocate one of the elementary schools on that site,” O’Neil said. “I’d like to see it preserved.”
O’Neil said he intends to formally bring the matter before the board in the near future, framing the matter as a way to “preserve the rural character” of Southbury.
“I think that’s one property that shouldn’t be developed,” he said, while acknowledging the site’s development appeal because it has access to water and sewer infrastructure. “I personally really love that piece of property.”
The conversation comes amid broader discussions about rebuilding two aging elementary schools located in the Region 15 school district.
Selectman Holly Sullivan clarified that it is not currently the Region 15 Board of Education’s intention to move forward with using the Roxbury Road property for a school, even though it had been previously probed as a potential site.
Conservation efforts would be separate from the Board of Education’s current plan, she added.
No formal action was taken, and the discussion is expected to continue at a future meeting.
Tree-Cutting Settlement Finalized
O’Neil also announced that the Town of Southbury has finalized a long-running legal settlement involving a local couple who removed about 150 trees from town-owned property near their lakefront home in 2017.
An April 2025 court judgment ordered the couple to pay nearly $600,000 in damages to the town. According to O’Nell, the settlement was finalized earlier this month for the amount of $683,336.50.
The couple’s insurance carrier agreed to cover $250,000 of the total, with the remaining balance to be paid directly by the homeowners.
Park Vandalism Insurance Claim Update
O’Neil also updated the board on the town’s insurance claim stemming from winter vandalism at Settlers Park and Ballantine Park.
The insurance adjuster’s report assessed total damage at $55,634, he said. The town is aiming to complete repairs by early May.
O’Neil added that there has also been progress in the related police investigation.
New Strategic and Sustainability Committees Formed
The board also voted to establish two new committees aimed at long-term planning and sustainability initiatives.
The first, a Strategic Plan Task Force, will operate for six months and focus on developing a three- to five-year outlook for the town. The task force will include two members of the Board of Selectmen, one member of the Southbury Board of Finance, and three members of the public.
Board members also approved the formation of a Sustainable Materials Management (SMMR2) Committee. That group will include one Selectman and public volunteers, and is expected to focus on waste reduction and materials management strategies.
Budget Workshops Begin Next Week
The Southbury Board of Selectmen will hold budget workshops from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 205 at Southbury Town Hall on the following dates:
- February 23, 2026
- February 24, 2026
- February 25, 2026
- February 26, 2026
- March 2, 2026 (if needed)
- March 3, 2026 (if needed)
There may be a quorum of the Board of Finance present at these meetings, which will also be streamed online at https://southbury-ct.org/videostreaming
Next week’s workshops are expected to play a key role in shaping the town’s proposed budget before it advances further in the approval process.
The Southbury Record 