6 Park Terrace to be utilized by police department

By Theresa Knapp 

At a Special Town Meeting on Feb. 9, Milford voters authorized the Select Board to take the residential property 6 Park Terrace by eminent domain. 

The single article warrant asked residents if they would raise a money “to be utilized to acquire by purchase, or take by eminent domain, a certain property located at 6 Park Terrace…and to also be utilized for purposes of demolishing any buildings or structures on said property at the time of acquisition.” 

In a January letter to Town Meeting Members, Town Administrator Richard Villani said that, “due to the property being listed for sale, the Board feels there is urgency to schedule a Special Town Meeting, rather than waiting for the May Annual Town Meeting.” 

In the letter, Villani explained the two-family dwelling was built in 1930 and is currently unoccupied. The town had tried, without success, to purchase the property which has been for sale since June 2025. The property is behind the police station and is “sandwiched between properties owned by the Town and utilized by the police department…The Select Board feels that due to its location, the property will be extremely valuable to the town. It will allow for potential expansion of the police station to include parking and other facilities. Presently, there is not sufficient town-owned area to park the department’s vehicles.” 

At the Feb. 9 meeting, Select Board Chair Thomas O'Loughlin asked voters to approve the article and to “appropriate the sum of $620,000 by transferring the sum of $505,000 from Fund 2610 Sale of Town-Owned Property and $115,000 from Excess and Deficiency, said sum to be utilized to pay any damages and for the purpose of demolishing any building or structure existing on the property to be acquired.” 

The Finance Committee recommended favorable action. 

O’Loughlin explained this is the only home on that road. “The town wanted to acquire that property back when the police station was expanded but out of respect for the family that was residing there at the time, the Town did not do that at the time.” 

O’Loughlin said the town had attempted to purchase the property twice “since the early 2000s” without success. He said, “Since then, there’s a lot that’s on the other side of that property. So, there’s a lot owned by Milford National, the house, and then the police station. We acquired that lot on the other side when Milford National was being sold, they deeded it to the town as a donation…The only thing the town doesn’t own on that side of the street is that one structure.” 

Milford Police Chief Robert Tusino said, “The reason this wasn’t acted upon sooner is simply because it wasn’t a viable option,” and urged Town Meeting to support the article.  

“The issue for us now is, and I’ll be quite frank with you, we have town vehicles that we park off property, we shouldn’t be doing that. Why? Because we don’t have a place for them.” 

Speaking from the podium, Select Board member Paul Mazzuchelli encouraged voters to support the “very important article” to address “a real and growing need in our downtown which is adequate parking at our police station and the surrounding municipal area…Its location is uniquely situated for municipal use and no other nearby parcels can meet this need. It is the only parcel that can solve this parking problem…This is about a clear municipal need and every option has been exhausted.” 

Mazzuchelli said “eminent domain is always the last resort” and explained “the town did what we were supposed to do.” The property was appraised with a fair market value of $520,000. The town approached the owner to negotiate in good faith but “the price that they want is far above that number. And as a Select Board, we can’t justify paying well beyond fair market value with taxpayers’ dollars.” 

Villani, also a Town Meeting member at-large, said the property was originally listed at $659,900 in June of 2025. He had a meeting with the listing broker in October to express town interest. An independent appraisal came back at $520,000 and the town made an offer which was rejected. The owners said they had two offers, one for $620,000 and one for $610,000, which ultimately did not go forward for reasons not known to town officials. 

Most Town Meeting speakers were in favor of the article though one resident expressed concern that a two-family dwelling would be destroyed at a time when there is a housing shortage. Town officials noted this property has been vacant for eight months and there continue to be other vacant properties around town. 

After a 20-minute discussion, the article passed unanimously.  

To watch a recording of the meeting, visit MyMilfordTV at https://bit.ly/MilfordSTM-02092026. 

6 Park Terrace to be utilized by police department

By Theresa Knapp 

At a Special Town Meeting on Feb. 9, Milford voters authorized the Select Board to take the residential property 6 Park Terrace by eminent domain. 

The single article warrant asked residents if they would raise a money “to be utilized to acquire by purchase, or take by eminent domain, a certain property located at 6 Park Terrace…and to also be utilized for purposes of demolishing any buildings or structures on said property at the time of acquisition.” 

In a January letter to Town Meeting Members, Town Administrator Richard Villani said that, “due to the property being listed for sale, the Board feels there is urgency to schedule a Special Town Meeting, rather than waiting for the May Annual Town Meeting.” 

In the letter, Villani explained the two-family dwelling was built in 1930 and is currently unoccupied. The town had tried, without success, to purchase the property which has been for sale since June 2025. The property is behind the police station and is “sandwiched between properties owned by the Town and utilized by the police department…The Select Board feels that due to its location, the property will be extremely valuable to the town. It will allow for potential expansion of the police station to include parking and other facilities. Presently, there is not sufficient town-owned area to park the department’s vehicles.” 

At the Feb. 9 meeting, Select Board Chair Thomas O'Loughlin asked voters to approve the article and to “appropriate the sum of $620,000 by transferring the sum of $505,000 from Fund 2610 Sale of Town-Owned Property and $115,000 from Excess and Deficiency, said sum to be utilized to pay any damages and for the purpose of demolishing any building or structure existing on the property to be acquired.” 

The Finance Committee recommended favorable action. 

O’Loughlin explained this is the only home on that road. “The town wanted to acquire that property back when the police station was expanded but out of respect for the family that was residing there at the time, the Town did not do that at the time.” 

O’Loughlin said the town had attempted to purchase the property twice “since the early 2000s” without success. He said, “Since then, there’s a lot that’s on the other side of that property. So, there’s a lot owned by Milford National, the house, and then the police station. We acquired that lot on the other side when Milford National was being sold, they deeded it to the town as a donation…The only thing the town doesn’t own on that side of the street is that one structure.” 

Milford Police Chief Robert Tusino said, “The reason this wasn’t acted upon sooner is simply because it wasn’t a viable option,” and urged Town Meeting to support the article.  

“The issue for us now is, and I’ll be quite frank with you, we have town vehicles that we park off property, we shouldn’t be doing that. Why? Because we don’t have a place for them.” 

Speaking from the podium, Select Board member Paul Mazzuchelli encouraged voters to support the “very important article” to address “a real and growing need in our downtown which is adequate parking at our police station and the surrounding municipal area…Its location is uniquely situated for municipal use and no other nearby parcels can meet this need. It is the only parcel that can solve this parking problem…This is about a clear municipal need and every option has been exhausted.” 

Mazzuchelli said “eminent domain is always the last resort” and explained “the town did what we were supposed to do.” The property was appraised with a fair market value of $520,000. The town approached the owner to negotiate in good faith but “the price that they want is far above that number. And as a Select Board, we can’t justify paying well beyond fair market value with taxpayers’ dollars.” 

Villani, also a Town Meeting member at-large, said the property was originally listed at $659,900 in June of 2025. He had a meeting with the listing broker in October to express town interest. An independent appraisal came back at $520,000 and the town made an offer which was rejected. The owners said they had two offers, one for $620,000 and one for $610,000, which ultimately did not go forward for reasons not known to town officials. 

Most Town Meeting speakers were in favor of the article though one resident expressed concern that a two-family dwelling would be destroyed at a time when there is a housing shortage. Town officials noted this property has been vacant for eight months and there continue to be other vacant properties around town. 

After a 20-minute discussion, the article passed unanimously.  

To watch a recording of the meeting, visit MyMilfordTV at https://bit.ly/MilfordSTM-02092026.