The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘CHRISTMAS HOUSE’ FACES FORECLOSURE
Torrington residents upset by possible loss of holiday treasure
TORRINGTON — Fans of the mega-watt Christmas light display at 285 Main St. are upset that one of their favorite holiday traditions could be gone for good.
A notice of foreclosure recently placed at the house states that it will be the subject of a foreclosure auction on Nov. 3, beginning at noon at the property. Some commenters on the Facebook page T-Town Torrington Chatter wondered what would happen if the house were auctioned off.
The city’s property records show it is owned by Ronald, Alice and Donna Merriman. It is believed the three are siblings. They are all cited in the foreclosure documents.
Ronald Merriman, who could not be reached Friday, told the Register Citizen in 2011 that he saw a need in Torrington for something like The Christmas House, which was then its 30th year. “When I was growing up we would go to the Festival of Lights in Hartford every year,” Merriman said in 2011. “I loved it, I was always in awe, and then they just stopped doing it.”
At that point the display included a total of of 80,000 light bulbs, 600 animated dolls, 150 Victorian Santas, and 12 light switches to turn it all on.
Dozens of supporters wrote about how much they like the Merriman’s array of lights. One post from the Mommy Poppins website mentioned how much a family enjoyed the display. “...our jaws dropped in visual disbelief... the house (was) alit in all its fine splendor.”
A business owner in the neighborhood, who asked not to be named, said her family takes out-of-town visitors to see the display. Ronald Merriman is “friendly with everyone and he has hot chocolate.” She thinks the decorations add to the hospitality in the city.
Others social media commenters felt the display caused too much traffic. A few questioned how much it must cost to pay for the electricity.
While the costs of a private home’s electric bill are not available through public records, foreclosure records are.
Torrington Superior Court filings show the mortgage debt for the Main Street home is $11,350. Records also show that no mortgage payments have been made since spring 2017.
Attorney J. Michael Schonyers of Ackerly Brown LLP in Bantam is part of committee responsible for carrying out the foreclosure process for Webster Bank, which holds the mortgage.
“It’s somewhat of a unique property. It’s clearly an antique,” Schonyers said.
Property records indicate the house was built in 1900 and it contains 10 rooms. It is assessed at $116,000.
An interested party could buy the house for as little as $30,000, Schonyers said. But, he noted that at the auctions he’s overseen in the last few months, the only bid has been from the bank that owns the mortgage.
The lack of bidders, in Schonyers’ opinion, is because “if you can’t see inside, you don’t know what you’re getting. People are leery. The could be buying a pig in a poke.”
The family repeatedly refused to enter into mediation proceedings, a process that is required to be offered to any homeowner who is faced with foreclosure actions, Schonyers said.
A transcript of a mediation hearing in March shows that Ronald Merriman “expressed his unwillingness to complete or submit any documentation. Mr. Merriman expressed his discontent with Webster Bank...”
Until recently, the Merriman family did not have a lawyer representing them in the year-long foreclosure process. They hired attorney Fredrick Boland of Harwinton, who did not return an email or phone message seeking comment.
Any foreclosure action that would require the Merrimans to leave their home, would not occur until the end of the year, according to Schonyers.
The nearby business owner said Ronald Merriman is already putting up his Christmas decorations. That could mean one more very bright and colorful light display will greet passersby.