Voter Beware: Vote YES to the sale of Powder Ridge!
While I truly respect and appreciate individuals who feel responsible to save taxpayers money, I warn citizens not to be fooled by scare tactics and misinformation coming from a small disgruntled group of motive and politically driven pessimists.
Despite information that has led to numerous inquiries from mislead citizens, including several seniors that appear to have been targeted in campaign calls alluding to an increase of taxes, please spread the word to your families that TAXES WILL NOT GO UP IF YOU VOTE YES for the sale of Powder Ridge.
Taxpayers will collectively benefit from THOUSANDS in SAVINGS A YEAR if we sell Powder Ridge. It will eliminate expensive attorney fees associated with Powder Ridge, our tax bill to Wallingford and Meriden will disappear as well as expensive liability insurance, maintenance expenses, etc. We will also benefit from tax revenue to the town from a new owner.
In addition, we won’t have the threat of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for demolition and removal of unsafe buildings that the building inspector requested to be boarded up.
While the elimination of development rights has impacted the value of the land by approximately 2 million dollars, it has spared the threat of condos/housing that could have increased taxes and preserved the land to return skiing, as citizens voted for.
Am I particularly happy that the Town has incurred enormous debt to taxpayers from multiple negotiations with prospective buyers that have fled? No, and I certainly don’t want us to be impacted by even more debt should this buyer decide to follow suit. We are never going to recover the incurred cost from the Town struggling to preserve this land to us for skiing, but we can certainly stop the bleeding by selling the property.
What it means if taxpayers don’t actively get people out to VOTE YES!
It means additional money spent on expensive legal fees for more negotiations like we have incurred for 5 years OR hundreds of thousands of dollars toward specialized demolition of buildings, that will continue to negatively impact taxpayers.
It risks losing a part of our history as well as losing local Brownstone as a buyer.
It risks losing the $500,000 DECD grant for the Powder Ridge property if this is delayed further.
Buildings will continue to lose value from vandalism and the elements.
Powder Ridge has played a major role in Middlefield’s history since 1959. Residents voted to bring skiing back. They overwhelmingly voted YES on the Alpine contract currently being used that has remained essentially the same.
Brownstone’s plan is innovative, extreme, classy, family oriented with a "something for everyone" vision of downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, half pipes, rails, racing courses, a spa/training facility, pool, lounge, day room rentals, shopping, fine dining, sporting events and so much more! A social meeting destination for friends & families, many employment opportunities, thriving local businesses and a 20% discount on lift tickets and season passes to Middlefield residents!
The synergy between local Brownstone Park and Powder Ridge, New England's future Extreme Sports destinations off of RT 66 will drastically increase odds of their success!
RELIVE and REVIVE the memories for your family and mine!
Car pool with friends and VOTE YES on August 16 from 6am-8pm at the Community Center!
Respectfully,
Amy Poturnicki
