Bringing in business focus of subcommittees

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NAUGATUCK — Two new subcommittees are working on ways to help make the borough more attractive to businesses.

Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess created two subcommittees of the Board of Mayor and Burgesses last week.

One subcommittee will work on modifying the existing tax abatement ordinance and creating a new ordinance to establish a Tax Incremental District. Burgesses Pat Scull, Kathleen Donovan and Rocky Vitale were assigned to this subcommittee.

Under the current tax abatement ordinance, the board can abate taxes for a company either moving into the borough or expanding an already existing business. The current abatements offered for businesses fall into three tiers depending on how much the business is investing.

In addition, this subcommittee will look at the impact of a state statute that went into effect this year that gives municipalities broader powers to create a new taxing district.

“This subcommittee will be exploring ways to make Naugatuck more attractive to businesses. I want to get to work on that right away,” Hess said.

The second subcommittee was created to investigate the feasibility of acquiring additional industrial and commercial parcels of land to build a new industrial park. Deputy Mayor Robert Neth, burgesses Donald Wisniewski, Robert Burns, Laurie Taf Jackson, Borough Engineer Wayne Zirolli and Director of Public Work James Stewart are on the subcommittee.

Both subcommittees will ultimately report back to the full board before any decisions are made. They will also be working together.

“As we move forward that piece of property or properties may become a parcel where we would create a Tax Incremental District,” said Hess about potential land for a new industrial park. “So these two subcommittees will be working hand in hand to try to find land and a better way to make the land more attractive,” Hess said.

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