At tonight’s Town Budget Hearing, the Board of Finance recommendation to establish the mill rate at 25 for Fiscal Year 2026/27 will be discussed. This is down from the current rate of 33.7 for real estate. The decline is due to the increase in assessed real estate values following the state-mandated Reval process. The mill rate for personal property, including motor vehicles, will also drop to 25. Residents will experience a break on their motor vehicle taxes from the prior year mill rate of 32.46.
Following tonight’s meeting, and prior to referendum, the Board of Finance will have the opportunity to consider public comments. The referendum on the Colebrook and Region 7 budgets will be held on Tuesday, May 5th.
During May, residents will also consider an ordinance to accept the Town of Colebrook Code, as presented. Voting on the proposed ordinance will take place at this year’s Annual Town Budget Meeting on Monday, May 4th, at Colebrook Town Hall.
Although spring may have finally arrived, our Public Works team is already looking ahead to next winter with the arrival this week of our new 2026 Western Star nine-ton snowplow truck, funded out of our town capital budget. In anticipation of the truck’s arrival, the town collaborated with Colebrook Consolidated School (CCS) to choose a suitable name for the newest addition to our fleet. The winning entry, as nominated by CCS first grade student Jameson Van Ormer, was “Snow Monster,” and Jameson will receive a ride in the new vehicle.
The Colebrook Conservation Commission is looking for volunteers to be regular and alternate members. This year’s projects include: Colebrook Cleanup Day on April 25th (see details below); a Connecticut Trails Day Walk on June 6th on the US Army Corps of Engineers Beaver Pond Trail on Rt. 8; working with the town to eliminate invasive plants along town roads; maintaining the pollinator garden and Cooper Trail at the town recreation area; and staffing a booth at the Colebrook Fair.
Conservation Commission meetings are held quarterly on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. If you’re interested in being appointed to the Commission by the Board of Selectmen, please contact me at bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org>.
Planning for the 81st annual Colebrook Fair kicked off this week. The Fair will be held on Saturday, September 5th (the Saturday of Labor Day weekend). Sherri Gray and Karen Odell will serve as co-chairs. Volunteers welcome!
Colebrook Associates scholarship applications are available at Town Hall (and attached to this newsletter) and are due April 30th.
Applications for the Colebrook Associates Small Business Start-Up Grant program will be accepted through April 30th, and the grant recipient will be announced by June 30th. Learn more in the attached application.
Colebrook Lions Club scholarship applications for graduating Colebrook high school seniors are available at the Guidance offices at Northwestern Regional 7 and Oliver Wolcott Technical High School.
The Community & Senior Center is hosting a Kentucky Derby-themed Spring Tea on Saturday, May 2nd, from 9-11a.m. Tea, sandwiches, and treats will be served. Cost of attending is $15. RSVP by contacting the Center at 860 738-9521, ext. 400.
The Center is sponsoring a Fabric & Craft Supplies Sale on Saturday, May 9th, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. If you would like to purchase a table to sell your fabric/craft supplies, please contact the Center us at 860 738-9521 ext. 400 or email seniordirector@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:seniordirector@colebrooktownhall.org>. Tables can be purchased for $15.
Breakfast is available every Tuesday from 8-9:15 a.m. for $6. Lunch is served every Thursday at noon for $7 (advance registration required for lunch). Bingo is held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Center and we have an active group of participants. New players are always welcome. We also have a very dedicated team of volunteer callers. If you’d like to volunteer to call Bingo, please let me know.
And, to stay up to date with programming and events at the Community & Senior Center, follow them here on Facebook<www.facebook.com/ColebrookSeniorandCommunityCenter/>.
Upcoming events
On Sunday, April 19th, at 3 p.m. the Colebrook Historical Society will host its Annual Meeting at Colebrook Town Hall. A brief business meeting will be followed by a presentation discussing what the American Revolution meant to the people of Connecticut. The program will feature artifacts and documents from the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
The Colebrook Conservation Commission is hosting Colebrook Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 25th. Trash bags will be available from 9 a.m. to noon outside the Town Hall second floor meeting room. To sign up in advance for a specific road (or portion of a road) contact Karen Odell at kodell@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:kodell@colebrooktownhall.org>.
Upcoming meetings
Town Budget Hearing – Thursday, April 9th (tonight) at 7 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (second floor meeting room) Planning & Zoning – Monday, April 13th, at 6:30 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Land Use office) Board of Selectmen – Monday, April 13th, at 7 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (second floor meeting room)
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org<mailto:bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org>, or call me at 860.379.3359, extension 202.
Cordially,
Brad Brad Bremer Colebrook First Selectman 860.379.3359 ext. 202 bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org
Colebrook-Associates_2026-Scholarship-Application.pdf
