Selectmen table Green Knoll Drive driveway plan

Board of Selectmen · Meeting of June 1, 2026

Brookfield Selectmen tabled a contested driveway request and approved another, while setting a July hearing on commission rules. The board, with Selectman Bob Belden and Selectman Hinger standing in for an ill First Selectman Steve Dunn, withdrew a staff-recommended denial of a second driveway at 36 Green Knoll Drive after architect William Bescherelle pitched a grass-covered pervious-paver design for elderly access, saying "we are willing to do anything to make the driveway basically invisible." The board instead tabled the item for further review with zoning staff. Selectmen separately approved a driveway extension at 7 Cove Road and scheduled a July 6 public hearing to fix an ordinance conflict that lists the Commission on Aging at seven members instead of the charter's five.

Town Controller Mary Ann Marion reported $1,359 in approved interfund transfers and said the school district expects to return "a little short of 500,000" dollars this fiscal year.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,031 words

Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of June 1, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Public Comment: Tick Treatment at CLES

A resident identified as Ellen Gowan, of Brookfield Meadows, asked the board during public comment whether anything had been done about a tick problem at CLES, a town school facility referenced by its acronym in the meeting. Belden said he did not have full details but understood the schools and Parks and Recreation departments worked with the town's health director, cutting back tall grass near wooded areas rather than spraying lawns directly, with the goal of controlling ticks at the tree line where they originate. Gowan noted some residents treat an entire property rather than just a perimeter and asked whether cost estimates from outside companies were obtained. Belden said the work was handled "within the town" rather than through competitive bids. Gowan said her family had not had new tick encounters recently but said other residents reported continuing problems. No vote or formal action followed; this was an information exchange during public comment.

Public Comment and Deliberation: Secondary Driveway at 36 Green Knoll Drive

Background and stakes: The Planning and Zoning Commission and the Inland Wetlands Commission both referred a request for a second driveway cut at 36 Green Knoll Drive to the Board of Selectmen with negative recommendations, triggering the board's own review since driveway-cut approvals fall under selectmen's authority rather than zoning's.

The question before the body: whether to deny the driveway cut as the referring commissions recommended, or take another path.

Substantive content: William Bescherelle, an architect who said he is also a close friend of the family, told the board the property's existing driveway serves the main house, while a mother-daughter addition on the opposite side of the home has no vehicle access short of a roughly 150-foot walk. He said the family's elderly relative, whom he identified as Vicky, finds the walk difficult, particularly in winter. Bescherelle said he spoke with the highway department, which told him the first 10 feet of any new driveway must be paved for plowing and safety, but that the remainder could use pervious pavers filled with sod, making the driveway look like a lawn. He offered to accept conditions such as a permit renewable every five years so the board could revisit the arrangement. A second speaker, identified as a family member, said she and her sister want to ensure their mother has safe access, noting a recent stretch of 40 inches of snow in two weeks.

The deliberation: Belden said the issue, as he read the referral materials, centered on the neighborhood's lack of existing double-driveway properties, which the commissions viewed as changing the area's character. He said the commissions did not appear to have considered the pervious-paver design discussed at the meeting. Hinger seconded Belden's original denial motion "for purposes of discussion" before Belden pivoted.

"I don't think they took into account alternative ways of building a driveway that made it kind of disappear, as discussed by Mr. Bescherelle," Belden said.

Belden also raised a broader process concern: driveway-cut requests decided by selectmen do not include a formal public hearing comparable to a Zoning Board of Appeals case, and there is no appeal path because the matter is not a zoning action.

"It also doesn't give a right for appeal because it's not a zoning matter. So the ZBA doesn't play," Hinger said, agreeing with Belden's point.

The two discussed options including a special meeting that would let the applicants present formally and let board members ask questions, and inviting a representative from the zoning office and the land use director to join. Bescherelle, from the audience, offered to prepare renderings showing what the driveway would look like.

Procedural steps and outcome: Belden initially moved to deny the driveway cut as recommended by the referring commissions, and Hinger seconded for purposes of discussion. After the exchange above, Belden withdrew that motion and moved instead to continue tabling the item; Hinger seconded the amended motion, and it passed by unanimous voice vote of the two members present. Belden said he would contact Dunn, who was home sick, to brief him and said Dunn had indicated he might be listening to the meeting from home.

Implications and what is next: No new hearing date was set. The matter will return once Dunn, Belden and Hinger can meet as a full three-member board, potentially alongside zoning staff, before any vote on denial or approval.

Driveway Cut at 7 Cove Road

Background and stakes: This item was a carryover from a prior meeting, also referred by the Planning and Zoning Commission and Inland Wetlands Commission.

The question before the body: whether to approve a driveway cut that both selectmen described as a continuation of an existing circular driveway rather than a second, separate driveway.

Substantive content and deliberation: Belden and Hinger both noted the distinction from the Green Knoll case: the Cove Road request extends one driveway loop rather than creating a second point of access to a different structure. Hinger said zoning minutes referenced safety concerns tied to pulling into or exiting the existing driveway, which added weight to approval.

Procedural steps and outcome: Belden moved to approve the driveway cut as referred; Hinger seconded. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

Implications: The approval clears the way for construction once any remaining permitting steps are completed; no further board action is required unless issues arise.

Economic Development Presentations

Greg Dembowski, appearing for the town's Economic Development Commission, told the board the commission's sixth annual block party is set for Sunday, June 7, with an expanded food court, tripled children's activities and 20 new tent vendors, free to attend, with proceeds supporting municipal departments. He also previewed the second annual restaurant week, with roughly 30 Brookfield restaurants participating and a kickoff "Sip and Savor" tasting event Thursday, June 11, at Saint Marguerite Hall, requiring registration through itsrestaurantweek.com. This was a presentation only; no vote was taken.

Commission on Aging Ordinance Public Hearing

Background and stakes: Town staff discovered the municipal ordinance governing the Commission on Aging lists seven members, while the town charter specifies five, and the commission has operated with five members for years.

The question before the body: whether to schedule a public hearing to formally amend the ordinance to match the charter.

Substantive content: The proposed hearing would address changes to Chapter 4 of the town ordinances concerning commission size and member terms.

Procedural steps and outcome: Belden moved, and Hinger seconded, scheduling a public hearing for July 6, 2026, at 6:45 p.m. in Meeting Room 133 at Town Hall. The motion passed unanimously with no discussion beyond Belden's explanation of the charter-ordinance discrepancy.

Implications: Residents can attend or comment at the July 6 hearing before any formal ordinance amendment vote.

Financial Updates

Town Controller Mary Ann Marion presented the monthly revenue and expenditure reports with one month remaining in the fiscal year. She said revenues are tracking close to budget, with final tax figures unavailable until August 31 because of the town's cash-basis tax year running September 1 to August 31. On expenditures, she said the town is shifting from quarterly to monthly interfund transfers to maintain purchase-order controls, presenting $1,359 in increases and $1,359 in decreases for approval. She also reported the school district expects to return "a little short of 500,000" dollars to the town, with a portion tied to special-education funds ring-fenced under an agreement with the Board of Finance, and noted a state statute change roughly two years ago now lets the Board of Education direct non-lapsing funds toward one-time purchases without Board of Finance approval.

On the capital non-recurring fund, Marion described two small additions: $105 for signage related to the Police Building Committee's project presentation, and a $162 transfer from a completed football scoreboard project to cover an issue encountered during Beach Community Room air conditioning and heating installation, with the remaining balance returning to the town's fund balance. She said the bonded capital and town grant fund reports required no transfer requests this month, noting an outstanding state grant reimbursement tied to 20 Station Road still in process.

Belden moved approval of the $1,359 intra-department transfers; Hinger seconded, and it passed unanimously. Belden then moved approval of the capital non-recurring fund transfers, to be forwarded to the Board of Finance; Hinger seconded, and it passed unanimously.

Updates: Cell Tower, Compressor Station, 250th Anniversary

Belden relayed notes from Dunn on three ongoing matters. On a pending cell tower application, Belden said public comment has closed and the matter is now in a clarification and correction phase on technical documentation; Dunn, as a formal intervener, retains independent authority to act without a board vote, but Belden said the town does not plan further intervention absent new issues. On the Iroquois Gas Transmission compressor station project, Belden said the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has again delayed its final decision, now expected in the fall, with no further updates available. On the town's 250th anniversary planning, Belden confirmed a fireworks display is planned for Friday, June 26, with town officials coordinating parking and a shuttle service from industrial buildings near the event site; he said he had no further details on shuttle routes or viewing-area maps but suggested residents could look for alternate viewing spots along Federal Road given cleared sightlines along utility corridors.

Consent Agenda and Appointments

The board approved a five-item consent agenda covering minutes from the May 4 and May 30 meetings (the latter a Coffee with the Community session), two driveway bond releases, two excavation bond releases, and the hiring of Victoria Wyman as a parks and recreation administrative assistant.

The board then made three appointments. It reappointed nine members to the Community Center Ad Hoc Committee for terms running June 1, 2026, through February 4, 2030: Kevin Archer, Paul Chaco, Loretta Donovan, Mary Ann Gaffey, Sarah Lynch Kincaid, Ajesli Pineda, Kimberly Sanford, Cassie Dunn and Robert Zinser. It appointed Bruce Beneski, moving from alternate to regular member of the Commission on Aging, as recommended by the Republican Town Committee, for a term through February 4, 2030. It appointed Michelle Fitzgerald, a Democrat, as an alternate member of the Youth Commission for a term through February 7, 2028. All three votes passed unanimously without discussion.

Bob Belden, Selectman, presided in the absence of First Selectman Steve Dunn. Selectman Hinger, present and voting. Steve Dunn, First Selectman, absent due to illness; relayed updates through Belden. Mary Ann Marion, Town Controller, presented financial reports. Greg Dembowski, Economic Development Commission, presented on upcoming events (referenced once in the transcript as "Nemesky"). Ellen Gowan, resident of Brookfield Meadows, public comment on tick treatment. William Bescherelle, architect representing the owners of 36 Green Knoll Drive, public comment and later discussion on the driveway request. A second family member of the 36 Green Knoll Drive household spoke in public comment but was not named with a surname in the transcript. Vicky, identified as the elderly relative for whom driveway access was sought; no surname given.

Planning and Zoning Commission — issued the negative referral on the 36 Green Knoll Drive driveway cut and reviewed the 7 Cove Road request. Inland Wetlands Commission — co-issued referrals on both driveway cut requests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) — cited as the agency overseeing both the cell tower application and the Iroquois Compressor Station review, with the compressor station decision pushed to fall. Board of Finance — cited regarding special-education fund agreements with the schools and as the body the capital non-recurring fund transfers were forwarded to for further action. Republican Town Committee — recommended Bruce Beneski's appointment to the Commission on Aging. Democratic Town Committee — referenced generally regarding board and commission vacancies; Michelle Fitzgerald's appointment was noted as a Democratic appointment to the Youth Commission. Town of Brookfield Chapter 4 ordinance (Commission on Aging) — subject of the scheduled July 6 public hearing to align membership count with the town charter. Brookfield town charter — cited as setting a five-member standard for the Commission on Aging, in conflict with the current seven-member ordinance language.