Home values are still falling, but not as quickly as they were late last year. From March to April, the Zillow Home Value Index declined 0.77%, compared with a decline of 0.89% from November to December 2010.

While that’s a positive sign, home values are still falling too rapidly for the market to reach a bottom this year, says Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries in this month’s brief on the Zillow Research page. Declining rates of foreclosures and improving employment will be the keys to reaching the bottom, which we predict to come in 2012, at the earliest.

Still falling, just not as fast.

There was some other good news, with 48 percent of the polled saying they also disaproved of President Obama’s handling of the health care issue, a number certain to rise as the public becomes more aware of the disasterous details of the $1.3 trillion plan.

Overall, former Congressman Rob Simmons beats Dodd, 49-38 percent, former former Ambassador Thomas Foley, 47-40 and businesswoman Linda McMahon, the newest entrant into the Republican race, beats Dodd, 43 to 41.

The Charter Oak

Regarding the Charter Revision issue, it will be interesting to see who Bill Black decides to appoint. The last time we had a Charter Revision Commission (CRC) back in 2002 the First Selectman largely ignored the people put forth by the Republican Town Committee and instead stacked the committee with people of the First Selectman’s choosing as well as engaging the services of a consultant who spoon fed the committee members and aimed them in the direction that the First Selectman preferred. The result was a package that the First Selectman presented in a single “take it or leave it” vote, which the public rejected.

There also needs to be a budget for the CRC to pay for the consultant as well as for other expenses. This could cost between $20,000 and $30,000. If we are to see a CRC formed prior to the next budget season, then where will this money come from? It certainly is not included in this year’s budget. Will the BOS ask for a special appropriation?

The GOP Candidates

Voter turn out was high at 1157 votes cast. Compared with the town meeting votes this past summer on the budget of around 600 voters.

In the highly contested election for Board of Finance, Cliff Denniss (R): 768, Richard Shea (R): 766 to Lauren Cragg (D): 450. Cragg’s bid for a Full Seat on the BOF has failed and she will remain an alternate. The Board of Finance will remain a 3/3 split between Democrats and Republicans.

Board of Finance Alternates: Pasquale Amodeo (R): 697, Susan Leser (R): 763 to Russ West (D): 498.

Board of Education: Carole Shea (R): 709, Karen McKinney (R): 797 to Mimi Lapoint (D): 510 and Shannon Bielaczyc (D): 572 (All candidates for the BOE will be seated).

Assess Appeals: Ken Hjulstrom (R): 773, David Morganson (R): 820 to (no Democrat candidate).

Planning: Jim Fox(R): 800, Wendy Nichols (R): 815 to Denis Soucy III (D): 701.

Zoning: Sue McFarland (R): 657, Scott Miller (R): 680, Jeff Tracey (R): 585 to Frederic Klein (D): 362, Lisa Shawes (D): 373, Ned Hickey (D): 448.

Zoning Alternate: David Fisher (R): 795 to (no Democrat candidate).

ZBA: Al Donze (R): 626, Dick Proch (R): 639 to John Grasso (D): 571, Nicholas Higgins (D): 399, Alan Miller (D): 489

ZBA Alternate: John Valentine (R): 802, to (no Democrat candidate).

RHAM BOE: Sandy Sudduth (R): 785 to Jim Cherry (D): 662

One Republican phone bank caller remarked she has never seen people so angry. Indeed in light of the Republicans gains on the State level one has to wonder what the mid-term elections will be like given the mid-terms are rarely favorable to the party in power.

The BOS can hold the public hearing, but they can not bring an ordinance dealing with the issue till 12/01/09 at the earliest. (The Town Hearing is set for tomorrow night (10/27/09) at the school at 7pm.)

Till that time the Hodges or other interested parties can submit petitions for a town meeting to vote on the issue of William Hodge’s tax exemption.

If the petition is declared valid the town meeting will be held, a vote taken and the ordinance will be moot.

No word yet what the BOS spent on legal representation.

At issue from a previous post:

The Complaint:
…
21.To date, the BOS has not called a Town Meeting to act on the enactment of a veterans’ tax exemption allowed pursuant to CGS § 12-81(21)(C).

22.The BOS did not undertake any substantial discussion related to the enactment of a veterans’ property tax exemption until September 1,2009, at the prompting of Plaintiff’s counsel.

23.At the September 1,2009 BOS meeting, Black indicated to the public that the BOS is the legislative body of the Town, not the Town Meeting.

In a nutshell and in my interpretation, the issues in this complaint are:

1) The BOS has not addressed the Wilfred Hodge issue as proscribed by the Marlborough Town Charter.

2) The CT General Statue Title 38 law allows for the legislative body to enact the Tax Exemption.

Connecticut General Statute Provision related to Title 38

8. Connecticut General Statute § 12-8I(2I)(C) provides in relevant part as follows:

Municipal option to allow total exemption for residence with respect to which veteran has received assistance for special housing under Title 38 of United States Code. Subject to the approval of the legislative body of the municipality

3) By preparing to address the issue as an ordinance the BOS are in fact declaring themselves the Legislative Body of the town of Marlborough. With the attendant powers of making laws.

4) The Town Charter of Marlborough states the Town Meeting is the legislative body of the town and that the BOS has only those legislative powers described in SECT 3.3 – 3.6 and CHAPTER 4 of the charter.

“The legislative powers of the Town shall be vested in the Town Meeting and in the Board or [sic] Selectmen as specified in Section 3.3 through 3.6 and Chapter 4 of this Charter.”

What is at stake.

Whether or not the Board of Selectmen get to decide the tax exemption issue of the William Hodge case solely or if it goes to a Town Meeting for a town wide vote.

Whether or not the Board of Selectmen can enact through ordinances policies that have been traditionally considered the venue of Town Meetings, such as taxation and law making.

Freshly killed Rattlesnake (death by car) just opposite Blish Road.

About 4 feet long and about 4 inches thick. 6 rattles on it’s tail. It looked healthy, except for the fact it was flat in one section.

What stuck me is how difficult it would be to see that dark brown with diamond pattern in the leaves. Remind me to stay on the path.

As I drove by, an old guy on a motor scooter was beating the dead rattler with a stick, “Lived in Marlborough all my life, first time I’ve seen the snake”. Got to love local color.

A game of Frisbee took a painful turn Sunday when a man was bitten by a rattlesnake in Marlborough.

A man and his friend were tossing the ring around on West Street Sunday when the disk landed near a snake, state police told the Hartford Courant. The man went to pick it up and the snake bit him.

He was in stable condition late Sunday, the Courant reports.

The type of rattlesnake that bit the man was not published but the only rattlesnake the state Department of Environmental Protection identifies as found in the state is the Timber Rattlesnake, which is endangered.

This type of snake is 36 to 54 inches long with a large, stocky body, v-shaped bands on a brown, black or yellow body and a light yellow belly.

This type of snake is found predominantly in the northwest corner of the state, according to a map on the state’s “Snakes in Connecticut” pamphlet. Timber rattlesnake bites are rare, according to state officials.

Should you encounter one, back away slowly. Fast or sudden movement can upset the snake.

The other type of venomous snake found in Connecticut is the Copperhead, which is found in central Connecticut and the southern part of the state. There are 12 other types of snakes found in the state.

The following graphs were provided by Ken Hjulstrom of the William Raveis Real Estate company.

Inventory:  The number of houses currently for sale.

May 2009 inventories are running about even with May 2008, but ~47% higher than May 2007.

The bad news is how many housing units are selling.

While in April of 2009 we had ~57 units for sale, only ~4 units sold.

Median Sales prices have trended downward.  Losing about $130,000 over the past 2 years.

As the Average Sales price has also.  Average sales price has dropped about $150,000.  OUCH!

But the Asking Price to Sales Price ratio has remained steady.

So, it’s not a great time to sell, there are more housing units on the market then 2 years ago, but comparable to last year.

Selling prices have dropped, but it appears the sellers have priced their homes realistically by recognizing the poor market and priced accordingly.