Staffordville Lake residents approve new tax district
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Stafford’s Community Center saw a packed crowd for a Special Town Meeting moderated by Stafford’s attorney Richard Roberts from Halloran Sage. The meeting, called by some residents of Staffordville Lake, sought “To approve the establishment of a Staffordville Lake Tax District for the sole purpose of maintaining the water quality of the Staffordville Lake Reservoir.” And it worked.
Staffordville Lake Association (SLA) President Aaron Hoffman spoke at length to the audience, filled with residents who mostly lived on or near the lake. He explained what many already know: Staffordville Lake has a milfoil problem, like many waterways across Connecticut, and its “dense mat-like growths can harm lakes and aquatic life.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, ARPA funding came to the rescue when the lake was hit with a bill of more than $50,000 to test and treat the problem. According to Hoffman, there were about 40 acres of milfoil in the lake, and continued vigilance is necessary to keep the problem from getting out of hand again.
Hoffman estimates that the SLA averages about 65 members a year, while there are about 116 “doors on the lake.” That means the dues-paying members of the association are the ones footing the bill for ongoing testing and treatment. Interestingly, some people who live nearby but do not have deeded lake rights have also joined the association and helped pay the bill.
The goal going forward, Hoffman said, is to ensure all property owners on the lake “equitably support keeping it healthy” and to provide consistent funding to ensure water quality in the lake.
Hoffman said that while the bill can vary from year to year, it generally stays under $10,000. The hope is that through a tax district, they can raise about $11,000 and build up a war chest so that, in some years, no tax will be needed.
While the SLA had hoped to levy a flat fee of about $100, the State of Connecticut requires it to use a Mill Rate, meaning those with more expensive properties will pay more. Much like in Stafford’s Service District, the Mill Rate for the Lake District will be set each year by the officers at an annual meeting. Those officers were also elected during Wednesday’s meeting. Hoffman pledged that a charter and bylaws would be developed with the larger group, giving all property owners in the district a vote.
For the motion to pass, and the new tax district to be created, two-thirds of the electors present needed to vote yes—but who qualified as an elector was a bit more complicated than usual. According to Attorney Roberts, only those whose primary residence is within the district's boundaries could vote on its creation. The vote came down to 43 yes and 18 no votes.
The SLA will also likely continue as a fundraising and social organization designed to help keep the Mill Rate down. Hoffman also said he hopes to pursue a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to secure an annual contribution from TTM Technologies, as they hold water rights.
