Berlin Property Owners Association meeting today 6 PM, 883 Farmington Ave, Kensington

The Berlin Property Owners Association (BPOA) will be holding its second meeting on Wednesday, March 26, at 6:00 PM upstairs in the hall above Joel's Hair Salon located at 883 Farmington Ave, Berlin, CT 06037.

All are welcomed and invited to come to our meeting. Again, we are a nonpartisan association with no hidden agenda. Our mission is to be a constructive voice, advocating for improvements in the Town of Berlin--including the control of Town spending--in order to make it a better place in which to work and live.

A public hearing is scheduled for April 8th, 7:00 PM, at McGee School.  Let's get ready for a good showing and state our case for no increase in property taxes this year to our good citizens serving on the Town Council.  If citizens fail to speak up at this public hearing, our Town Councilors may rightly believe that the citizens of Berlin support the tax increase.

We had a very good showing at the first meeting.  Our attendees included both homeowners and small business people, committed to the Town of Berlin.  Those in attendance introduced themselves and expressed various concerns about our Town. One concern expressed was repeated by a number of attendees:  the habit of our Town Councilors virtually dismissing the results of our Town referendums of our annual budget.  

An individual stated that he would not object to paying higher taxes if the Town referendum voted such; however, when the Town referendums repeatedly reject higher taxes, and the Town Council nevertheless then repeatedly approves increases in taxes, certain attendees expressed frustration and even outrage over the lack of a real voice in our Town government.

Since BPOA's first meeting, a number of complaints from small business owners here in Berlin have been heard about the posture of Berlin's Town government toward small businesses.  Some have expressed fear of reprisals from town officials for becoming involved in a property owners association.  The Berlin Property Owners Association affords small business owners an opportunity of having their concerns addressed by appropriate Town officials in a constructive, positive, and supportive manner.

As of yet, no officers were elected; no bylaws or articles of organization were drafted; and no decision was made regarding membership, including whether it should be private or public. Our intention is to decide all of such democratically, allowing each of you a voice in the process.

If you have any questions, please contact us at (860) 249-1571 or email us at berlinctpropertyownersassn@gmail.com. All comments and suggestions are welcomed: this is your Town and your Association! Please be certain to provide your full contact information so that we may communicate with you as needed.

We appreciate your commitment to Berlin. Thank you.

William Brighenti

Berlin Property Owners Association (BPOA)