At its Dec. 22 meeting, the Deep River Board of Selectmen (BOS) adopted a resolution to spend grant funds received from the state under the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP), agreed to continue the lower interest rate tax program for taxpayers and discussed use of COVID-19 relief funds.

STEAP

The BOS adopted a resolution to use $119,000 in STEAP funds to move forward with an “open government” project that will equip various town departments with technology upgrades such as GIS mapping software for the land use department and increased capability for remote meetings.

Lower-Interest-Rate Tax Program

The BOS agreed to continue offering the lower interest rate tax program to all eligible taxpayers, for taxes due on Jan. 1, 2021. This program offers a reduced interest rate of 0.25 percent per month on delinquent tax payments and is available to all taxpayers without having to apply for it.

If the taxes remain unpaid on April 1, the usual 1.5 percent interest rate is applied back to the original Jan. 1 due date of the tax.

Selectman Duane Gates said the timing of the program will help ease any financial burden on citizens who have lost employment due to the pandemic.

“Some people have been laid off all this time…Maybe they’ve paid their taxes the first round, but being laid off, I’m sure the money has tightened up and now we’re in the holiday season,” he said. “Do you pick and choose? Do you buy the kids Christmas presents? Do you pay your mortgage? Do you pay your insurance, or do you pay your taxes?

“I think it’s a good gesture for our citizens, the ones that want to take advantage of it,” he added.

The lower interest rate tax program did not greatly impact tax revenues for the town’s July payments, according to First Selectman Angus McDonald.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for folks to take advantage [of the lower interest rate] if they need it,” said McDonald. “If they don’t need it then they don’t and that’s what we experienced last time. Our taxes were just a smidgen below what they normally are, what we have received thus far.”

The lower interest rate program is offered under Governor Ned Lamont’s recently issued executive order (No. 9R).

COVID Relief Funds

The Town of Deep River has received reimbursement of approximately $14,000 in federal and state funds for expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic that were incurred from March through June 30.

The town received $4,344 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for certain eligible emergency protective measures taken to respond to the pandemic and $9,720 from the state’s Municipal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Program.

McDonald said the monies went toward “additional cleaning in the buildings…the buying and purchasing of plastic screens and things like that…basically to ensure the safety of citizens as well as the people in the Town Hall.”

The town is expected to receive an additional $31,248 from the state’s municipal CRF Program, for eligible expenses incurred during the July 1 to Dec. 30 time period.