Sherman Board of Selectmen schedules senior housing referendum
SHERMAN — Residents will go to the polls in December to vote on the town’s proposal to lease land to a private developer for Sherman’s first senior housing development.
Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at Charter Hall.
Last spring, the town proposed developing a 12-acre piece of town-owned land behind the American Pie Company into housing for people ages 55 and older. The proposal was sponsored by the nonprofit corporation Independence Village of Sherman and included leasing the land to a private developer for $1 a year, plus assessed taxes. As part of the proposal, the senior housing development would include a combination of 52 studio, oneand two-bedroom apartments available to rent and would be managed privately.
The official referendum question reads, “Shall the Town of Sherman lease approximately fifty percent (50%) of the 15.229 acre property located behind the American Pie on Route 37 and 39 for the purpose of
Senior Housing at a discounted assessed value to an entity to be determined by the Board of Selectmen and approved by the legislative body of the Town?”
The Board of Selectmen has discussed the referendum’s wording and date since as early as July. The selectmen delayed setting a referendum date at its Sept. 8 meeting but settled on one at its Sept. 22 meeting.
“It was a pretty open and shut thing,” Sherman First Selectman Don Lowe said of the board’s discussion last Thursday. “Most of the discussion has happened – it’s really just been difficult finding a date, you know, trying to deal with the election schedule. We didn’t want to co-mingle the referendum in any way with the election date, and then also the holiday season is coming up as well. We decided on Dec. 10 as a good date.”
Lowe said there will be a town meeting some time in the week before the referendum where the public can bring their questions and concerns. The date for the town meeting has not been scheduled yet. Lowe said the public can also contact the Independence Village of Sherman with questions.