Ridgefield Public Hearing Covers Town Administrator, Senior Tax Relief And Property Proposals

Residents Debate Need For Town Administrator

The proposed town administrator position prompted questions about its cost, duties and effect on Ridgefield's existing form of government.

Marconi said the current town budget includes $90,000 for the position based on an anticipated January hiring. That would translate to an annual salary of about $180,000.

Selectperson Geoffrey Morris said the position would provide professional management and continuity as town government becomes increasingly complex.

“There’s a lot happening in this town,” Morris said, noting that Marconi has effectively handled the responsibilities of both first selectperson and town administrator during his lengthy tenure.

Related: Ridgefield Officials Weigh Town Administrator Role, Hear Warnings On Structure And Leadership

Morris said Ridgefield cannot assume future elected first selectpersons will arrive with the administrative experience needed to handle both roles.

“The idea of the job is to have someone there who’s permanent and ongoing,” Morris said.

Resident Katherine Daigle questioned whether the town should immediately commit to a position paying about $180,000 annually.

Daigle said Ridgefield should ensure Marconi's institutional knowledge is transferred before he leaves office and suggested officials consider a gradual approach, potentially beginning with a part-time position.

“I just feel that it’s a very big move and a very expensive move for the town when we’re not even sure what this person is going to be doing,” Daigle said.

Members of the town's former Form of Government Committee defended the recommendation, saying it followed an extensive examination of how Ridgefield should structure its government.

The committee recommended retaining the town meeting form of government while adding a professional administrator to address workload, expertise and continuity. One committee member noted that Ridgefield, with about 25,000 residents, is substantially larger than many Connecticut communities operating under a traditional town meeting system.

The administrator would be appointed by and report to the Board of Selectpersons, rather than replace the authority of elected officials, speakers said.

See Also: Ridgefield Leaf Blower Proposal Draws Sharp Debate Ahead Of Town Meeting

One former committee member said the position would also reduce the disruption that could occur when a new first selectperson takes office.

“We will have a new administration at some point,” he said. Without a professional administrator, he said, residents would have to wonder whether municipal services would suffer while a new administration learned the job.

Senior Tax Proposal Draws Competing Views

Residents also offered sharply different views on proposed changes to Ridgefield's senior property tax programs.

Under the proposal, qualifying senior homeowners would receive an additional $200 tax credit in fiscal 2028 and another $200 in fiscal 2029 if they continue to meet income requirements. The income limit for the additional benefit would be $85,000.

A separate change would raise the income ceiling for Ridgefield's elderly tax deferment program from $65,000 to $100,000. Under that program, eligible residents can defer property taxes, with a lien placed on their property. Marconi said the current interest rate is 3 percent simple interest.

Some former members of the Senior Tax Committee argued the Board of Selectpersons had not gone far enough.

Leonard Comberiate, who served as Secretary of the Senior Tax Committee, said the existing $1,048 tax credit has not been increased since 2008 and would be worth about $1,600 if adjusted for inflation. He criticized the board for declining to index the basic credit to inflation or Social Security cost-of-living adjustments.

“On behalf of the Ridgefield seniors, we are asking the BOS to reconsider their recommendation consistent with the strategy to retaining senior citizens in Ridgefield,” he said.

Another former committee member similarly argued that the existing credit had fallen behind inflation and said seniors face the same rising costs that drive increases in town and school spending.

Other residents questioned the very premise of the relief, wondering whether tax relief should be available primarily because someone has reached a certain age.

One senior who said he receives the benefit supported helping residents who genuinely need assistance but argued that the program should be means-tested.

“Every dollar you give to me or to somebody that’s older, you take from somebody that’s younger,” he said, arguing that eliminating benefits for seniors who do not need them could allow Ridgefield to provide more assistance to those who do.

Resident Sharon Garfield said she strongly supports the tax deferment program because the town eventually recovers the money, but questioned providing credits to seniors whose incomes may exceed those of younger residents subsidizing the program.

“If there were a means test, I wouldn’t have a problem,” Garfield said. “Let’s make sure that people who need to have some help to stay here get it.”

Another resident raised a different concern: seniors who spent decades owning homes and paying Ridgefield property taxes but later became renters.

A longtime Main Street resident who said she owned a Ridgefield home for 30 years before moving to a rental, said renters who otherwise meet the program's goals should also be considered.

“I really think you need to reconsider that aspect of this proposal for those that need it who rent, who lived here, the qualifying amount of time,” she said.

A 41-year-old resident with three children in the schools said he supported senior tax relief but suggested longevity in Ridgefield should be part of the eligibility criteria. He said residents who have spent decades paying taxes and supporting the schools should receive consideration, while questioning whether someone who had lived in town for only a year should receive the same benefit.

Pension Commission Seeks Two Alternates

The hearing also included a proposed amendment to Ridgefield's pension ordinance that would add two alternate members to the Pension Commission.

Christofer Christiansen, the commission's chair, said the change would help ensure a full seven-member panel when regular members are absent. Serving as an alternate could also provide experience to people who might later fill permanent vacancies.

Marconi said Ridgefield has used alternate members on other boards and commissions to help maintain quorums.

Lakeview Neighbors Seek Safeguards Before Town Sells Property

Residents living near town-owned 29 Lakeview Drive urged officials to impose conditions on its sale after what they described as about a decade of blight and disputes at the property.

Marconi said earlier in the hearing that Ridgefield acquired the property over unpaid taxes totaling about $59,000 after a legal battle lasting more than three years. He estimated the town spent about $70,000 on legal fees and said officials want to recover as much of those costs as possible through a sale.

Related: Ridgefield Moves Toward Selling 29 Lakeview

Bevin Carsten spoke on behalf of residents of Lookout Drive, Lakeview Drive and Great Hill Road, telling the board that neighbors had dealt with the property's condition for years.

Carsten said the property first appeared before the Blight Prevention Board in 2017, was formally declared blighted in 2018 and remained before the board for years. He said the town eventually obtained title through foreclosure in September 2025.

Neighbors asked Ridgefield to establish a minimum sale price at least sufficient to cover unpaid taxes and legal expenses.

They also requested additional cleanup and erosion-control work if the town retains the property and asked officials to investigate the financial ability of any prospective buyer to develop the half-acre lot.

The residents further asked that any future home remain consistent in scale with the surrounding neighborhood.

“We’re simply asking for a reasonable consideration for all the negative impact this property has had on our neighborhood,” Carsten said.

Mamanasco Donation Awaits Clear Title

The final proposal involves the donation of 84 Mamanasco Road and an adjoining parcel to Ridgefield.

Marconi said he has been discussing the donation with the property's owner, Barbara Tansky, and her nephew. Tansky wants both parcels donated together and has stipulated that the property become a park, Marconi said.

The town plans to demolish the existing house.

Before Ridgefield can accept the land, however, a probate matter involving the adjoining parcel must be resolved. The parcel had been jointly owned by Tansky and her late brother, and Marconi said a Connecticut probate case must be opened and completed to provide clear title.

Related: Ridgefield Moves Ahead With 84 Mamanasco Road Donation, Tracks Other Blight Properties

The town will also need a Planning and Zoning Commission referral and a Phase I environmental assessment.

Marconi estimated demolishing the house and cleaning up the property would cost about $15,000 to $18,000. The town would also lose the property's annual tax revenue and assume responsibility for maintaining the park.

Because of the title issue, Marconi said the proposal may not be ready for the Sept. 16 town meeting.