Daily Five: Groton Tax Rate Will Rise 7 Percent

1.  Today is Monday, June 4.  The National Weather Service predicts cloudy skies, a high temperature of 59 degrees and showers, mainly after 1 p.m. The temperature will drop to 50 degrees tonight.

2.  The Town Council is expected to vote Tuesday to establish a tax rate of 20.22 mills for the coming fiscal year, an increase of 7 percent over the current mill rate of 18.89 mills.

The increase comes after Representative Town Meeting approved a general fund budget of $120.89 million for the coming fiscal year, $78.1 million of which must be raised from property taxes. The approved budget represents at 2 percent increase from current year’s spending.

Despite the tax rate increase, Finance Director Sal Pandolfo wrote in a memo to Town Manager Mark Oefinger that almost three-quarters of residential property owners will see a drop in taxes because of the recent revaluation in town. Residential assessments dropped nearly 7 percent and commercial property assessments fell more than 10 percent.

3.  Naval Submarine Base New London will mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Midway with a wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. today on the ship Nautilus pier. Commanding Officer Captain Marc W. Denno will speak at the event, and Retired Master Chief Radioman Deen Brown, who served as crew member in the USS Trout, will attend. The West Side Middle School band will also perform. The event is free and open to the public.

4.  Phase one of the project would build 23 units of senior housing, a 3,500 square foot clubhouse and new access drive from Military Highway. Fairview filed an application in November to build 197 independent living apartments, 69 cottages and 20 assisted living units for people with memory loss. The development would be built on the 70-acre site overlooking the Thames River.

5.  Groton Patrol Officer Randy Winkelman has retired from the police department after 23 years. Winkelman trained future officers, conducted background checks and served as an acting sergeant. He is also past president of the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association.