Letter to the Editor: Middlefield Resident Says 'Town Should Keep 19.67 Acres'

Middlefield/Rockfall residents have received or will receive in their mail glossy postcards from Lori Vogel-Brown asking voters to vote yes at the referendum on Tuesday, the 23rd. The picture on the front of the card is most interesting to me and other folks: the slogan "Keep the field in Middlefield" was what we proponents who supported keeping the Strickland Farm on Cherry Hill Road open used as a motto, including the present Republican town committee chairman.

At present the 20 acres remaining of the Powder Ridge ski area is open space. All that is left of our original purchase, it is land owned by every person in Middlefield/Rockfall. Ms. Vogel is a well known real estate agent, her husband runs a documented commercial/construction company from their existing property. She has spent a huge amount of money promoting the sale of town owned property to herself. As the result of her purchasing the 20 acres, she will  have the ability to not only build a million dollar house on the property, but also lease out acreage for "agricultural" activities which, by current definitions, may include many assorted uses including green houses, vineyards, and more, not just the picturesque horses as pictured on her mailer.

Jon Brayshaw, our First Selectman, has spent $40,000 of taxpayers money supporting the division of Powder Ridge property to accommodate Ms. Vogel. The ability of the Board of Selectmen to grant the right and approval to build a house on the property is also very questionable, both under the wording of the original bond as approved by the taxpayers, and also by the mission of the Planning and Zoning Commission where the real  authority lies for such approvals. In addition, there was never a public bid process to determine  the real market price  for the 20 acres. Both property appraisals were done on behalf of Mr. Brayshaw and Ms. Vogel to support their positions on the sale. 

If voters on Tuesday approve the Brayshaw/Vogel proposal, Middlefield taxpayers lose any control over the last 20 acres of the original bond approval. Because of the expenses incurred by the First Selectman on this transaction, the actual cash return on the 20 acre parcel is $260,000 not the $300,000 as has been touted. Ms. Vogel gets a house lot with additional property which she could lease for a return, these are smart moves for any real estate player. According to town records, a 2 acre house lot on Powder Ridge recently sold for $175,000. 


For the next 15 years or more, each year Middlefield taxpayers will pay on the $2.85M Powder Ridge purchase bond.  According to our finance director, the real cost is $5.2 million dollars. One mill on our tax bill is $400,000. When we voted to purchase the Ridge, the question  on April 10, 2007 referendum was: " For the purchase of approximately 294+- acres of a combination of land and development rights by the town to preserve the Powder Ridge Ski and SURROUNDING AREA REAL ESTATE  AS A SKI, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE AREA."

Our town should keep control of our last 20 acres. Let us see what the future brings at the Ridge.  Do not expect a large property tax return; records indicate that the largest real estate tax paid by Mr. Leavitt was approximately $32,000.  Please remember that the area has the same advantage as Lyman's and others in using the 490 law that allows the town to tax the properties as "open space." This aids in keeping Middlefield "open and green."

Marianne Corona
Middlefield resident