Some time ago, the Mayor and Town Council cooperated in giving to Medinstill, formerly the Nestles facility on Housatonic Avenue, a five-year tax abatement valued at more than $1,000,000. In addition, at a cost of $4,200,000 in State and Local funds, the Town extended the sewer line to the facility.
Even the Sewer Commission helped Medinstill by granting a special fee to accept its sludge-handling until the sewer system was connected. Finally, the Sewer Commission based its hookup fee on historical water use rather than on a square foot assessment as is the rule for new commercial hookups. Combined, these sewer benefits saved Medinstill hundreds of thousands of dollars. The hookup fee was allowed to be paid over a 10-year period.
The total of these tax and sewer benefits exceeded $5,000,000. The Town of New Milford has never done this before.
All of this was based upon representations from Medinstill’s President, Dr. Daniel Py, that the company would expand its employee base by several hundred people thereby affording job opportunities to many New Milford residents.
It's been more than a year and those jobs have not materialized.
Given this unprecedented financial relief and the value added to the property, I think that it would be appropriate and an indication of Dr. Py’s good faith to donate to the Town of New Milford the existing Bulls and Volunteer fields for the benefit of today’s and tomorrow’s children.
This is Dr. Py’s opportunity to really become a part of the New Milford Community.
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