From the Desk of the First Selectman
Don Lowe First Selectman 07/21/2025 Column
The Board of Selectmen regularly scheduled monthly meeting is this Thursday at 7pm in Mallory Town Hall. The agenda is on the Town website, and it includes a link to TEAMS wherein you can view the meeting remotely if you choose. We have switched from the ZOOM platform to the TEAMS platform for remote viewing, and I think you will find it more convenient to use.
The agenda is full this month, and some of the items include, along with our usual reports from the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department and also from Public Works, capital projects (Veterans Field gazebo roof; Tennis court painting, basketball court resurfacing ), an update on the Scout House, a discussion about some recent research on an abandoned Town road at the end of Cedar Lane, new state guidelines for property tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans, a discussion on income thresholds for elderly and disabled residents, and a discussion about a program called Hometown Heroes. This is a program wherein the photos of Sherman veterans are placed prominently on telephone poles for viewing. You’ve seen this in area towns, and there is some interest in this from a group of Sherman veterans.
Additionally, as you read this on Thursday, the architect and project operators of the Sherman School project are planning to give an update at this Thursday’s meeting. From that point on, we should have a clearer understanding of the taxpayer impact from the project’s bidding overages. We will also receive an update on the plan going forward. I will include that in next week’s column.
We are fully aware of how profoundly important this school renovation project is and that it means critically different things to different people. There are parents who need assurance that the school project is going forward; there are other taxpayers without children who need assurance that the bidding overages will not result in more taxes than are projected. No one attached to this project is happy or comfortable with this situation, a situation brought on by market uncertainties concerning the cost of construction products.
The Sherman Summer camp is in its fourth week and has been a big success. We have more than 220 campers this year. I want to thank the Park and Recreation Commission for organizing this and attending to it so smoothly.
A note on social media, particularly Facebook. I like Facebook for announcing events and situations in town, some of them emergencies. I like it for the humor it offers. I rarely, however, anymore engage in discussions over issues brought up. If someone has a legitimate question on Facebook, I’m happy to answer it. But I’m not going to enter the unmanageable chaos of correcting misinformation that various keyboard warriors insist on spreading. Recently there had been some ridiculously incorrect and disparaging remarks about our Board of Selectmen on Facebook concerning the recent veterans dinner. I don’t mind things directed at me; I’m used to it. But I hold selectmen Bob Ostrosky and Joel Bruzinski in the highest regard and watch them time and again work non-politically for the betterment of Sherman. Both have deep respect for the veteran community. Joel has had profound personal experience regarding veteran affairs, experiences I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Shame on the person who thought it necessary to write these untruths. In addition, the untruths and misrepresentations from the same source about our veterans representative Lynne Gomez are also not appreciated. Lynne is a remarkable resource for the Town of Sherman and we are lucky to have her. These slurs originally made Lynne resign, but a letter of assurance from the Sherman Veterans Association convinced her to return to her role as Veterans Representative. I’m thankful that she is back.
