The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
Volume 14, Number 3
Thursday, Januar y 21, 2010
Parents want action now on McGee air quality By Olivia L. Lawrence The Berlin Citizen
Parents worried about their middle school students’ health quizzed officials at a Jan. 12 informational meeting at town hall. The meeting
was an opportunity to learn more about air quality improvements planned for McGee Middle School. About 40 parents turned out for the meeting which discussed the proposed $6.8 million overhaul to the
HVAC system at the school. (Town Council scheduled a public hearing on the matter for Jan. 19 and it was expected to approve bonding funds for the project.) The project will take about two years to complete and
one parents expressed the sentiments of many in the crowd when he asked “What about the now?” During the course of the evening, parents related stories about how their children suffered from headaches, lethargy, itchy eyes, allergies and other ailments that appear to be connected to the air quality issues. The outdated system at the school consists primarily of unit ventilators. Moisture, negative air pressure, overheated classrooms and lack of air are among the problems at the middle school. “My son is coming home every day with headaches; he’s fine after about a half hour,” said Marcie Wnuk asking what the interim solution was for him and other children who are suffering. “It’s only January and Janu-
ary to June (when the remediation project begins) is a long time…we still have this year to get through and lots of kids are getting sick.” While a solution is on track, since it will take two years before the building is fully upgraded, parents wanted to know what kinds of testing and remediation are taking place now or that could be put in place immediately to address their children’s health problems. Officials said the recent cleaning in October 2008, along with other improvements, had improved air flow and air quality by about 30 percent. However, several parents pointed out that much of the testing was as much as 10 years old. Mayor Adam Sali-
See Parents, page 16
Town loses friend and patriot Citizen photo by Olivia L. Lawrence
Daniel Brochu, 1 1\2, offers to share his spaghetti with Post Commander Vin Trigila of American Legion Post 68. Looking on are (clockwise from rear): Daniel’s father Eric Brochu, dinner staff Amber Gunn and Daniel’s mother Jennifer Fitzpatrick.
The spaghetti is ready and the sauce is homemade Dinner is served Tuesday nights at the American Legion By Olivia L. Lawrence The Berlin Citizen Whether you call it a pasta dinner or a spaghetti supper the good times and good food are rolled out every Tuesday night at American Legion Post 68 on the corner of Porters Pass and Masserio Drive. And everyone is welcome. “It’s awesome,” said Hope Termine, who
has worked as a server at the supper for the past three years. She is also junior vice president for the Ladies Auxiliary that helps support the event. Termine described a party of diners who came in at 5 p.m. and stayed until nearly closing time at 7 p.m. The meal was equal parts food and socializing. “They See Dinner, page 16
By Olivia L. Lawrence The Berlin Citizen Former mayor of Berlin Warren E. Kingsbury, 86, who died unexpectedly Jan. 14, was remembered by friends and family as an active community member who worked in a variety of capacities well into his 80s. His wife, Elsie, described her husband as “an active member of the community and a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather.” The couple were married for 65 years. “He was a devoted patriot and a down-to-earth friend and family man. He helped where he could,” said his daughter, Marie Martin. A past president and longtime member of the Kiwanis
Kingsbury
Club of Berlin, Kingsbury was at the club’s Christmas tree lot this past holiday season. “He was still selling Christmas trees at age 86,”
See Kingsbury, page 16