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Prst. Std. U.S. Postage Paid Naugatuck, CT #27

“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” ~ Frank A. Clark

FR EE

Bee Intelligencer Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown A FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Volume VIII, No. 4

Friday, January 27, 2012

Mom wants to be in the loop By CRISTINA COMMENDATORE I’m not going to send someone home with a letter or a scarlet Middlebury resident Jackie M for substance abuse … I unPost told Region 15 School Dis- derstand the human need to trict Board of Education mem- want to know, but to make the bers (BoE) she is disappointed statement my administrators in the way Region 15 adminis- didn’t do the right thing is pattrators left parents out of the ently false.” loop after a drug incident at Post said she understands Memorial Middle School students’ names couldn’t be (MMS) last week. released, but she wished Sippy “This would have been an sent an email to parents or unbelievable opportunity to posted on his blog that a talk to our kids at home,” Post, drug-related incident hapmother of a fifth-grader at Mid- pened at school so parents dlebury Elementary School and would have been prepared to an eighth-grader at MMS, said, speak with their children. noting the district should have “That’s all I wanted,” she said. immediately informed parents “It’s the simple message we of the incident. “It starts with needed to hear.” the home, and I would never BoE member Sharon Guck say it’s all the school’s fault, but of Southbury asked Post if she the school is part of this. We lost wanted a school assembly. Post a golden opportunity to edu- said “yes,” and Guck said that cate, educate, educate – that’s could’ve been problematic begone. I cannot begin to under- cause students who may have stand why this was handled so been unaware of the issue poorly.” would be discussing it. Post’s concern comes after Post said, “Guess what, Middlebury police were dis- Sharon, the kids were already patched to MMS Jan. 19 after talking. You wouldn’t believe school officials found a mari- the stories I’ve heard.” juana joint on a student. Police Member John Bucciarelli of said one student brought mar- Southbury said he heard about ijuana to school and gave it to the incident on Facebook beat least two other students. fore school administrators sent School officials will discipline an email to BoE members. “We students according to school have to give credit to the adminpolicy, and police are investi- istration,” he said. “There is no gating. way we could have stayed Post, who said she is active ahead of social media. They did in and feels connected to the the right thing, and they’re conschools, asked Superintendent tinuing to do the right thing.” of Schools Dr. Frank Sippy and Post said she couldn’t find BoE members why parents specifically in the school poliweren’t notified about the inci- cies if there is a no-tolerance dent and why students weren’t policy. She read from policy brought together Friday to dis- 5151 on substance-abuse precuss the issue. vention, which has not been “To notify parents about a amended since 2005, and asked particular issue would violate the BoE to update it. FERPA (Family Educational The policy states, “Any violaRights and Privacy Act) by in- tions of Board policy, reguladirectly betraying an individ- tions or other rules involving ual,” Sippy said. “Every student – See Mom on page 5 has the right to FERPA. So, no,

Don’t park on streets during snowstorms Middlebury Police Chief Richard Guisti urges all residents stop parking their vehicles on public and side roads during snowstorms. Guisti said town ordinance dictates vehicles must not be parked along streets during snowstorms. “Get vehicles off the public roadways so the plows can do their jobs,” Guisti said. “Vehicles can be fined and towed if they become a nuisance or hindrance to the operation of public works. If need be, we will tow them.” Narrow side streets are difficult for public works to plow, and it becomes more of a challenge with vehicles parked along the roads. When the plows can’t get through, public works calls the police department, which sends an officer out to ask residents to move their cars. “It would be a great assistance to the town if they could just abide by the ordinance,” Guisti said. “It helps public works and public safety, which includes fire and ambulance, because we need to get up and down those roads.”

Inside this Issue Library Happenings............2 Library Lines......................2 Obituaries.........................5 Opinion.............................4 Parks & Rec.......................6 Puzzles.............................7 Reg. 15 School Calendar...3 Senior Center News...........3

Editorial Office: Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Phone: 203-577-6800 Mail: P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 Advertising Sales: Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com

tuesday Upcoming Events

Adoptable pets.................8 Book Review.....................2 Career Coach....................3 Classifieds.........................7 Community Calendar.........2 Computer Tip....................8 Fire Log.............................2 Legal Notices....................7

Jan. 31

wednesday Feb. 1

Thursday Feb. 2

Maureen Marcucci of Middlebury presents a blue ribbon and certificate of achievement to Dominic Morlino of Danbury for his first place win in the Great Way to Home Educate annual spelling bee Tuesday night.This is the ninth year Marcucci, who home schooled three children, has organized the event. (Terrence S. McAuliffe photo)

Morlino wins home schoolers’ spelling bee BY Terrence S. McAuliffe Domenic Morlino of Danbury, 12, outspelled 13 home-schooled students Tuesday night in a Great Ways to Home Educate spelling bee at Shepardson Community Center. After 16 rounds of elimination, Morlino emerged the winner by spelling the word “militant” correctly. He will go on to the New Haven Register Spelling Bee in Lyman Auditorium at Southern Connecticut State

University March 20. The winner of that competition will receive money to travel to Washington, D.C., to compete at the 2012 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in May. The final bee will be broadcast on ESPN. The Great Ways to Home Educate spelling bee allows home schoolers in Litchfield, Hartford, Fairfield and New Haven counties to compete with children from public and private schools. The Jan. 24 bee is the final

one for Maureen Marcucci of Middlebury who ran the event for nine years. She and husband Michael home schooled sons Nicholas and Patrick and daughter Meghan, who now attends Pomperaug High School. Morlino is the son of Jim and Frances Morlino of Danbury. Second place was won by sixth-grader Grant Oberle of Simsbury, and third place was won by Joseph Suess, 12, from New Milford.

Fewer students don’t equal budget decrease By CRISTINA COMMENDATORE This year 202 fewer students are enrolled in the Region 15 school district, but that doesn’t guarantee a reduction in the 20122013 school budget. Region 15 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Sippy explained why to Board of Education (BoE) members during their Jan. 23 meeting. “A reduction in the number of bodies doesn’t mean a reduction of student needs,” Sippy said. “Actually, we’re seeing the opposite.” Sippy based his enrollment impact on the budget presentation on a question BoE member John Bucciarelli asked months ago when Sippy first presented enrollment changes to the BoE. Bucciarelli asked, “As-

suming a per pupil cost of $14,170 and knowing we have a reduction of about 200 students in our total enrollment, should not the public expect to see a reduction of $2.8 million for fiscal year 2012-2013?” Sippy said the answer to that question is “no” since the majority of the $60,251,578 budget is driven by fixed and obligated costs, which include state and federal demands, salaries, natural gas and electricity, and transportation. Fixed costs represent $39.08 million, or almost 65 percent, of the budget; and obligated costs, which include pensions, medical benefits, tuition and interest on bonds, make up $17.82 million, or nearly 30 percent of the budget. Fixed and obligated costs are $13,384 of the total $14,170 gross per pupil expenditure.

Variable costs, which make up $286 of the gross per pupil expenditure, or 2 percent of the total budget, include extra pay/extra duty, textbooks and instructional supplies. Sippy said they are essential for work done in the schools. Based on Sippy’s presentation, the only room for budget reductions is under quasi-variable costs, which include repairs and maintenance, certified temporary staff and Teamster’s medical. These costs are $2.12 million, or 3.52 percent of the budget. They equal $500 in per pupil cost. Multiplying that by the 200 fewer students in the district totals $100,000, which Sippy said is an area in which eliminations can be discussed.

– See Budget on page 5

Middlebury’s last full-service station stops pumping By MARJORIE NEEDHAM While gas station after gas station in Middlebury switched to self service from full service, one station kept up the full-service tradition – Bob Ford’s Sunoco station at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Rte. 64. On Jan. 12 that changed – the town’s last full-service gas station stopped pumping gas. It still offers routine car care, tires, and 24-hour towing service, but the days of cus-

tomers pulling in and sitting comfortably in their cars while an attendant pumps their gas and checks their vehicle’s fluids have ended. Ford said Wednesday, “After 50 years of working everyone should change their job title.” Taking his own advice, Ford has given up working 12 to 14 hours a day seven days a week. Now the station is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Before he stopped pumping gas, he handed out flyers to his customers. “Going Fishing!” they said, and then explained after nearly 62 years of serving customers in Middlebury, the Ford family would no longer pump gas. “It’s been fun,” he said of his 50 years at Ford’s Automotive, started by his father, David Ford, in 1949. At that time, it was an

– See Station on page 5

State Rep. Tony D’Amelio and State Sen. Robert Kane Office Hours When: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center in Middlebury

Dragon roars in the Chinese New Year

Real Estate and Motor Vehicle Taxes Due

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What: Where:

Last day to pay real estate and motor vehicle supplemental tax bills without a fine of 1.5-percent per month Return one copy of the bill with payment to the Middlebury Tax Office at Town Hall Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Groundhog Day

Published weekly by The Middlebury Bee Intelligencer Society, LLC - 2030 Straits Turnpike, Middlebury, CT 06762 - Copyright 2012

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