Selectmen Appoint Mohabeer, Set Fromson-Strassler Vote
On August 19, the Board of Selectmen appointed Martin Mohabeer to the Board, heard from the public about the proposed sale of the Fromson-Strassler land, and set dates for a Special Town Meeting and machine vote on that matter.
Mr. Mohabeer will serve on the Board until at least November 8. He is a candidate for the position in this year’s municipal election.
First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor praised Mr. Mohabeer for his “ongoing commitment to the community,” and said his taking office is “notable in the sense that Weston has never before chosen a Black Selectman,” and that it “requires a particular sort of courage to blaze a trail, particularly in the realm of local politics.” She said, “this is a special moment for our little town.”
Mr. Mohabeer was sworn in by Town Clerk Donna Anastasia in the presence of his family. His children led the Pledge of Allegiance to convene the meeting.
Fromson-Strassler
Voters must approve the sale of town-owned property, so a Special Town Meeting will be held for discussion outdoors, weather permitting, on the front steps of Town Hall on Thursday, September 9, at 6:30 pm. If the weather does not permit, the meeting will be held the next day, and so on.
The actual yes-or-no vote, by machine ballot, will take place on Saturday, September 18 from noon to 8:00 pm in the Town Hall Meeting Room.
The August 19 hearing was informative. It began with a presentation by David Brant of Aspetuck Land Trust about the environmental significance of adding the land to acreage the Trust preserves.
By our count, 29 individuals addressed the Selectmen at the hearing, the great majority in favor of the transaction.
At press time, the video of the meeting had not been posted to the Town’s Vimeo account, but may be by the time you read this. Mr. Brant’s presentation probably starts at about the 21-minute mark. At about 38 minutes, Selectman Stephan Grozinger provides insights about how the property came to be acquired by the town, and how the sale augments Weston’s “branding,” making it “the open space capital of the region.”
In the photo above, clockwise from upper left, Selectman Martin Mohabeer with his family and Town Clerk Donna Anastasia, First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor, Town Administrator Jonathan Luiz, Selectman Stephan Grozinger. Zoom screen capture.
Related Stories:
August 18, 2021: On the Agenda
December 22, 2018: Town to Consider Sale of Fromson-Strassler