In the wake of the controversy surrounding the now-aborted Brodie House lease, the New Hartford Board of Finance voted unanimously last week to form a task force to review municipal rental agreements.

Board member Dan Charest proposed the motion to establish the task force. First Selectman Earl MacInnes was publicly criticized after entering into an agreement with municipal employee Donald Birden on March 26. The contract called for the town to lease the municipal property at 550 West Hill Road to Birden and his family for four years at a rate of $400 per month in addition to maintaining the property. Town attorney Charles E. Roraback has since reviewed the contract and declared it invalid per state law.

Board members Ben Witte, Jim Fitzgerald, Mark Heuschkel, Bill Reiger, Tom Klebart and Charest voted in favor of the motion to establish a task force. They discusses the state of the facility and how to renegotiate a new contract.