First Selectman 'Clarifies' Cost of Baron's South Housing

After insisting that the Baron's South project has not cost a dime of taxpayers' money, First Selectman Gordon Joseloff clarified his assertion in a statement issued to the press.

“In my presentation, I said no taxpayer funds had been spent on the project," Joseloff said. "I should have said that no additional funding has been requested and spent on the project since a study authorized in 2007."

A plan proposed by Joseloff and his administration would develop 23 acres of town-owned land into a skilled nursing facility for 84 patients and 66 one- and two-bedroom rental units for seniors. A zoning amendment that would pave the way for the proposal has been .

“Clearly staff time has been spent by those in the town departments – including the Town Attorney’s Office -- preparing aspects of the application and responding to requests for additional information and clarification from Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Finance, and RTM members.

“As was pointed out by a RTM member, there was an earlier $50,000 appropriation for the study issued by the Weston and Sampson engineering firm which provided the basis for focusing on housing as the best use of the property. We have not asked for additional funding in four years."

The land cost taxpayers $7 million in 1999. The cost of the project is unknown as a request for proposals to find a partner has not been drafted yet.