The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en
Volume 14, Number 17
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Timberlin opens early after productive off-season Voters say
‘yes’ to budget
By Nick Carroll The Berlin Citizen War m c o n d i tions last month all o w e d Timberlin G o l f Course to kick off its 2010 season, technically, during winter — March 10. Since then, golfers have flocked to the course, and have been pleased to see Timberlin’s rates unchanged from 2009. “Passes, greens fees, specials; everything is exactly the same,” said Head Professional Jeff Coderre, pointing out that golfers appreciate Timberlin’s reasonable rates, especially in a tough economy. “We’re taking people who used to be country club members, and really can’t afford it, and giving them the opportunity to play a couple of times a week.” Along with the steady stream of twosomes and foursomes that will tee off at Timberlin this season, See Timberlin, page 22
Inside
By Olivia L. Lawrence The Berlin Citizen
Citizen photo by Nick Carroll
Timberlin Golf Course was able to open early this season, and the local course was been abuzz with activity ever since. Pictured: Timberlin hosted several youth clinics last week during April vacation.
Coderre: Head Pro is no figurehead role By Nick Carroll The Berlin Citizen For golf enthusiasts, the occupation of Head Professional sounds like a dream job. Visions of schmoozing at the 19th Hole, and endless rounds of free golf, surely come to mind. But Timberlin’s Jeff
Coderre has found that the role of Head Professional is indeed a real job, and a tough one at that. “I carry a briefcase; I never thought I would as a Golf Pro,” said Coderre, who is in his fifth year at Timberlin. Coderre pointed out that it is not unusual for him to
spend 65 hours-a-week at the course, and as many as 30 hours working online from home. But it’s a labor of love. “It’s a great job,” he said. “It just requires a lot of hours, and it requires diligence.” See Coderre, page 22
The legend begins
Calendar.................16 Marketplace............27 Faith .........................8 Letters ....................14 Obituaries.................8 Opinion...................14 Seniors ...................12 Sports.....................19
Zack Legere, 5, with help from his uncle Vinny Marturano, shows off a 14-inch bass he caught at the Sage Park fishing derby April 17.
The April 27 referendum vote on the town’s $66 million budget passed by a safe margin with the finally tally at 566 to 312. Voters in all five districts approved of the budget which represents an increase of $2 million over the previous budget and will raise the mill rate by just under one mill. “We put a lot of effort into it,” said Town Councilor Robert Dacey, chairman of the finance committee. “It’s kind of pleasing to have people support it.” Dacey credited a cooperative approach to designing this year’s budget, with all seven councilors involved in the process. Dacey said it was the first year in which both members of the minority representation participated in the finance committee. Mayor Adam Salina said, with any increase, it’s difficult to know what the results will be. However, “people realized the entire council was behind this” and had passed it unanimously. there is not a single town that has held the line of budget increases to the extent Berlin has. Salina credited Dacey with an effective multi-year approach to containing the budget. With 878 people participating in the vote, that amounts to less than five percent of potential voters. Polls workers said activity was slow and that, at some points, their greatest challenge was staying awake. For example, at the senior center, there had been just 44 voters during the first five and a half hours of the day. However, later in the day, activity picked up.