BETHEL — The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Monday evening to amend a previous vote regarding a veterans memorial to be built on a lot on Main Street.
The board acquired the lot from George Dunn for nonpayment of taxes and gave permission to the committee for a memorial there.
Jared Crockett, acting as legal agent for the American Legion, recommended that the town accept a quitclaim deed from Dunn so the town could own the property outright and avoid a situation where Dunn returns in 15 years and makes a claim on his property.
During the board’s Oct. 13 meeting, interim Town Manager Steve Eldridge said there were three options they could consider with Dunn’s property: accept the quitclaim deed from Dunn, which carries a covenant that the land only be used for a veterans memorial, rewrite the quitclaim deed to remove the covenant and then accept it, or do nothing and vote to allow the Honor Roll Committee to continue work on the memorial.
The board then voted to not accept the quitclaim deed and allow the Honor Roll Committee to move forward with the memorial.
At Monday evening’s meeting, Crockett said he had a copy of an affidavit from Dunn explaining that he would claim no tax benefits from allowing the lot to be used by the Honor Roll Committee.
“You can vote to accept the quitclaim deed and make it contingent on Mr. Dunn signing this affidavit that eliminates his right to challenge the tax foreclosure,” Crockett said.
He said part of the quitclaim deed is that Dunn’s lot can only be used for the veterans memorial.
“Basically, this will give everyone a great sense of comfort moving forward with the veterans memorial project,” Crockett said. “Mr. Dunn is in his 80s, and he’s a Korean War veteran who spent four years in the Air Force. He and his wife don’t see a need for the tax benefit.”
The quitclaim deed also says that if the board does not use Dunn’s lot for the veterans memorial, the property would revert to his heirs.
“I talked to him about an hour and a half ago, and while he’s not pleased about the tax foreclosure, he said he’d be willing to let the whole issue go if you used it for the veterans park,” Crockett said.
The board agreed to accept a quitclaim deed for the property, as long as Dunn signed an affidavit releasing any claim he has to the property and agreeing to not accept tax benefits from the donation.
In other business, the board voted to renew liquor licenses for ChoSun and Black Diamond Steakhouse, and an entertainment permit for Black Diamond Steakhouse.
mdaigle@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
