What to Know Westport Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What to Know Westport Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors October 18, 2017

Westport Town Clerk Patricia H. Strauss

Town Clerks 1835 - 2017 1835 Edwin Wheeler 1897-1911 Joseph G. Hyatt 1835-1838 Lewis Raymond 1912-1914 W.J. Wood, Sr. 1839-1873 John W. Taylor 1915-1934 E. C. Birge 1873-1879 Edward J. Taylor 1934-1944 William A. Krause 1880-1881 Henry P. Burr 1944-1959 Lois R. Clark 1882-1885 William J. Finch 1959-1963 Dorothy Janson 1886-1887 Henry P. Burr 1963-1998 Joan M. Hyde 1888-1897 William J. Finch 1998- Patricia H. Strauss

wesTporT’s mosT imporTanT doCumenTs are enTrusTed To The Town Clerk – serving The CommuniTy Through four major areas of responsibiliTies:

1. Recorder of land transactions **creating and preserving the history of the town everyday • Warranty Deeds • Quit Claims • Mortgages • Assignments • Liens and Releases • Easements • Restrictions

2. Registrar of Vital Statistics -  births  marriages  deaths  burial and creamation permits  adoptions

3. Election Officiator  certify petitions  ballot preparation  absentee ballots  certify election results

4. Clerk of the Legislative Body (RTM) • 9 disTriCTs, 36 members  Keep members communication information current  Prepare meeting agendas for 17 study committees & monthly meeting  Prepare backup material for each agenda item  Scribe and post the meeting minutes  Record results of the meetings

oTher responsibiliTies ● Provide Public Information - walk-in, phone, mail, eMail**, web-site** ● Also process FOI requests, Justice of the Peace appointments, Military Discharges, Ordinance Codification, dog licenses, trade names, liquor permits… ● Provide genealogical support, issue oaths, assist the public on how to search the records. ● Post town meeting notices and agendas, take minutes, publish paper and electronic copy of minutes & ordinances. ● Revenue Collector for Local, $2.1M,and State Government, $9.0M ● Keeper of the town seal. ● Liaison between public and other branches of government. Over 440 state statutes involve the Town Clerk.

goal ● To provide online access to all land records dating back to 1835. • CurrenTly  Digital online access of land recordings index date back to 1900.  Digitial online access of land recordings images date back to 1984.

Preserving Our Past For OUR Future

where To find informaTion • www.westportct.gov • Town Clerk web page:  online access to land records  calendar of meetings and minutes  maps and surveys  town codebook  election results

auTomaTing The Town Clerk offiCe Up-to-date indexing system COTT SYSTEM since 2000 24/7 on-line access to digitized land records - 24/7 revenue since 2011 • Apply for a marriage license online since 2013 • eRecording Land Records since 2014 - 12% of all documents filed this way • State-wide birth registry since 2016 - Currently working with DPH on electronic death registry. • Electronic campaign finance reporting 2017 - Pilot program with SEEC

or visiT The vaulT – room 105

realTor homework analyzing your ClienT; performing a quiCk TiTle searCh • for your buyer: • Lookup existing homeowners deed by the owners name. • The deed should give you map numbers, the metes and bounds property description, easements, restrictions, variances, private roads, part of a homeowners association or special taxing district….

realTor homework analyzing your ClienT, performing a quiCk TiTle searCh • for your seller : • Look up sellers deed, as buyer. • Search for mortgages and liens to get a ‘financial’ perspective of your seller.

meeT The Town Clerk sTaff •

Planning & Zoning, Mary Young • Introduction to Westport Planning & Zoning • Administrate the zoning and subdivision regulations • Issue and advise in preparation of zoning permits • Special permit applications, variances, subdivision applications • New Guidelines: Village District Overlay Zone & TOD Master Plan for Saugatuck • Violations • Building a pool, garage, tennis court • Variance Process • Pre-existing and/or non-conforming structures • Schedule of setbacks • Additional Questions

Building Department, Steve Smith • Introduction to the Building Department • Public Act No. 17-176 • Concerning the Close of Certain Building Permits • Nov 28 th State Building Inspector coming to Norwalk

Building Department, Steve Smith • When is a permit required? • Smoke detectors & carbon monoxide detectors • Work without permit • Municipal searches • Additional questions

Public Health and Real Estate Transactions Westport Weston Health District Mid-Fairfield County Association Realtors Meeting October 18, 2017 Mark A.R. Cooper, MPH RS, Director of Health 180 Bayberry Lane Westport, CT. 06880 203.227.9571 ext. 244 Publichealth@wwhd.org

What is public health? “The science and art of preventing disease , prolonging life and prom oting physical and m ental health and well being through organized com m unity effort for the sanitation of the environment, organization of medical and nursing services for the early diagnosis and prevention of disease , the education of the individual in personal health and the development of the social machinery to assure everyone a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of improvement of health” C.E.A. Winslow – founder of the Yale School of Public Health

Westport Weston Health District The Westport Weston Health District is a full service health district offering comprehensive public health services to Administrative Services the communities we serve, is fully compliant with state mandates and staffs a full service travel clinic. Community Environmental Health Health Emergency Management First Health District in Connecticut Serving the public since 1 9 6 5

Com m unity Health: Provide health prom otion and disease prevention through education, screenings, im m unizations, and surveillance. W ellness Clinics Regularly offered blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar screenings; individualized risk reduction counseling is provided. Travelers and Routine I m m unizations Clinics Providing required immunizations and preventive medications to reduce the risk of infectious diseases that can be acquired when traveling. Specialty Screenings WWHD partners with local health professionals and agencies to provide screenings. Hom ebound Health Check In-home (non-skilled) visits by a registered nurse are provided to homebound residents so as to ensure that they maintain or improve their health status through assessment and early intervention. Health Education Forums and presentations, on-going classes, publications and press releases in regard to a variety of public health issues and concerns, are provided by the community health staff and invited public health experts when appropriate.

Environmental Health Food Service I nspections Food service establishments including restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores, bars, schools, are inspected to prevent food borne illness. Septic System I nspections New installations and repairs to existing septic systems are overseen, reviewed and approved by the District. W ater Supply W ells Private wells are regulated by the District to ensure proper location and installation, and a safe water supply.. Lead The District reviews lead sampling reports, remediation, abatement and management plans . Com plaint I nvestigations The District investigates complaints concerning regulated facilities, environmental hazards (mosquito breeding, rodent infestations, accumulations of trash, substandard rental housing, foodborne illnesses, water/ air pollution, etc). W est Nile Virus ( W NV) and Zika Surveillance West Nile and Zika are spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. The CT Agricultural Experiment Station coordinates the statewide mosquito surveillance program of mosquito trap sites distributed around the state. Shellfish The WWHD routinely reviews water quality data and sampling results with regards to the US FDA shellfish program requirements for the operation of the conditional shellfishing areas. Beach W ater Testing Each summer, the Westport Weston Health District tests the waters at the Westport beaches and other public swimming areas to ensure safe water quality.

Most Common Concern Brought To WWHD Sellers: Open Permit Emergency! No water softeners or garbage disposal systems can discharge into septic system - not grandfathered If potential buyer wants to do work to the property (addition, pool, etc.) set up an appointment to meet with a sanitarian to go over the requirements - It is difficult to figure it out over a phone call. WELL BEFORE the closing, Check with every department make sure there are no open permits for pools, additions, accessory structures, etc.