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“When the bold branches Bid farewell to rainbow leaves - Welcome wool sweaters.” ~ B. Cybrill
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Bee Intelligencer Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Volume IX, No. 38
PC comments on leash law draft, chief search By MARJORIE NEEDHAM The Middlebury Police Commission (PC) discussed a proposed leash law and the search for a new police chief at its special meeting Monday night. It also heard committee reports and the acting chief’s report. Chairman Frank Cipriano and commissioners Paul Bowler, Chip Ford, and Jordano Santos were present. Commissioner Fran Barton Jr. was absent due to a work commitment. Also in attendance were PC candidate Ken Heidkamp and Officer Ed Demers. Selectman Ralph Barra presented commissioners with a proposed leash law and asked them to comment on it. The ordinance has three parts: the first is that all dogs must be leashed when on town property or on private property other than that of the owner, and the leash must be no longer than 7 feet. The second is that violators will be guilty of an infraction and will be fined not less than $90 nor more than $250. The third is that the procedure for infractions will follow that in Connecticut General Statutes Section 51-163n. Commissioner Ford noted retractable leashes extend farther than 7 feet and the ordinance didn’t mention them. Commissioner Santos, after questioning whether the PC was the right venue for the discussion, said he thought a leash law was redundant because state law says owners must keep their dogs under control. Acting Police Chief Richard Wildman said the state law requires control, but not leashes, so some towns have adopted leash laws. Commissioner Bowler said, “The state has something in place. Either the dog is under control or it’s not. You don’t need a leash law for this.” Commissioner Ford asked if passing the ordinance would mean new signs would have to be created and placed along the Greenway. He asked if the ordinance would apply only to Middlebury residents or to everyone, mentioning people from out of town walking their dogs on the Greenway, and asked how the public would be notified if a leash law took effect. Barra said the information would be in the newspaper. Chairman Cipriano said he really would like to hear from Raymond Connors of the State Department of Agriculture’s Animal Control Division. Cipriano said Connors told him he would attend the meeting. Connors was on the agenda, but he did not show up. Barra said the Board of Selectmen enacts ordinances, but he was asking PC members for their input on the leash ordinance because the animal control officers are part of the police department. Moving along to committee reports, Commissioner Ford,
who reports on the building and equipment, asked Wildman how the transition to dispatching police calls out of Prospect was going. Wildman said completing the transition has been delayed by a couple of technical glitches, so it likely will be another two weeks before the transition is complete. In the meantime, Wildman said, the department has a safety net in place with dispatchers on duty at the police station to be sure all calls are handled properly. Asked about the job performance of the new dispatchers in Prospect, Wildman said they all are properly trained, but there is a difference between being trained to do a job and actually doing it. “The dispatching is improving on a daily basis,” he said. Unlike newly trained police officers, who ride with a seasoned officer when they begin working, the dispatchers go straight from training to doing the job. “Field training is not available for them,” Wildman said. Cipriano said he toured the dispatch facility in Prospect and was impressed. “There are bugs to be ironed out,” he said, “but it’s a nice facility and well secured.” Turning to the search for a new police chief to fill the spot vacated by former chief Richard Guisti, who resigned more than a year ago. Cipriano said the commission had received from town attorney Robert Smith a one-page “hold harmless” letter needed for the police chiefs who have agreed to serve on a search committee for the new chief. Now their work can begin. Santos said, “What was the holdup? This shouldn’t have taken three months. We’ve had nothing but constant issues with the town attorney. It’s absolutely ridiculous. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Next, Cipriano said the PC had received three letters. George Frantzis of Quassapaug Amusement Park wrote to thank the police for the way they handled the September mass casualty event event at the park. Richardson Drive resident Don Kranz wrote to suggest the road could be made safer if “No Parking” signs were posted in the stretch of road between no. 19 and no. 67, so the view of oncoming cars would not be obstructed. The third letter was from an out-oftown family who wanted to thank Officer Todd Adams for his kindness when they had to interact with him following the loss of a family member here in Middlebury. Kranz’s request is to be put on the agenda for the next PC meeting. Due to the Veterans Day holiday, the next PC meeting will be Monday, Nov. 18, at 6:45 p.m. in the town hall conference room. It also will be a special meeting; regular meetings are held the second Monday of every month.
Daylight Saving Time ends Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour this Sunday at 2 a.m.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Library grand re-opening Nov. 4
Cars and trucks belonging to library staff and outside contractors fill the parking lot at the newly renovated Middlebury Public Library Wednesday as the grand re-opening Nov. 4 approaches. A public works employee mows the lawn while, in the foreground, straw covers newly seeded lawn areas, and newly planted trees stand in place of the trees that once occupied the island between the parking lot and the street. (Marjorie Needham photo)
Please vote this Tuesday By MARJORIE NEEDHAM The Bee-Intelligencer encourages its Middlebury readers to get out and vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, despite the lack of challengers for most positions on the ballot. For the six candidates for the three open positions on the Police Commission (PC), every vote counts. Listed in alphabetical order, the six are: Sharon S. Bosco (D), Paul Bowler (R), Joseph J. Drauss (D), Kenneth Heidkamp (R), George Moreira (R) and Noa Silberberg Miller (D). Although the ballot is laid out with two of the six candidates in each column, voters may choose a total of three candidates, and two of the three can be candidates in the same column. The six candidates are vying for the three positions, and voters are to choose any three of the six. The newspaper got a late start contacting the candidates, so was able to speak to only three of the six before press time. A fourth, Moreira, was on his way to the airport and tried to connect with us. Here are statements from the candidates we did reach.
Bosco said she is a member of the Middlebury Democratic Town Committee (MDTC) and a justice of the peace. She said, “I can dedicate myself just to this because I don’t serve on other boards.” She said the police commission interests her, and she thinks she would be good at serving as a commissioner. “My profession is human resources, so I think it fits my experience better. And there hasn’t been a woman since 1987 or 1988, so the board isn’t representing all the townspeople,” she said. She hopes people will vote for her because she is fair, honest, and dedicated. “I will do my best to represent everyone in town,” she said. Incumbent Paul Bowler is a member of the Middlebury Republican Town Committee (MRTC). He is completing his first fouryear term on the PC. Due to family and work commitments, he decided not to seek reappointment to the Conservation Commission after serving on it for 12 years. He said he wants to be re-elected because he feels there is work still to be done and his presence will add continuity to the commission. Bowler said he is the only commis-
sioner with a completed term other than Chairman Frank Cipriano. He said people should vote for him to maintain continuity. “The last four years during our terms, things have been handled professionally and quietly without a lot of press. We’re not here to make headlines. We’re here to ensure the safety of our officers and our towns folks,” he said. We couldn’t reach Drauss, but MDTC Chairman Curt Bosco said Drauss served on the Region 15 Board of Education for 21 years, 12 of those as chairman. Drauss also is a member of the MDTC. Heidkamp, a member of the MRTC and an alternate on the Board of Finance, said the five years he worked on Middlebury’s Woodside senior housing project is his proudest accomplishment for the town. He also chaired the short-lived Fire Commission. He said in the past he has worked with Cipriano, Bowler and Moreira on various projects. “We work well together,” Heidkamp said. He said he thought the Republicans
– See Vote on page 7
Conservation Commission chooses Proulx as chair By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Conservation Commission (CC) at its Oct. 29 meeting elected Thomas E. Proulx as its new chairman. It also approved projects on Ravenwood Drive, Lake Quassapaug West Shore and Tyler Cove. It accepted a permit modification application for Ridgewood and advised the submission of a permit modification for Burr Hall Road construction. Proulx, an eight-year veteran of the commission, replaces Paul Bowler, who decided not to be reappointed when his term expired in October. The chairmanship was expected to go to vice-chairman James Crocicchia, who did not attend the meeting. Also absent was commissioner Mary Barton. Commissioners Terence Manning, Vincent LoRusso and George Tzepos joked that Crocicchia stayed away so he wouldn’t be elected chair. Along with Proulx, they all claimed to be too busy with business matters to assume the role. Proulx agreed to become chair with the stipulation his commitment run only until June 2014. He ran the seven-agendaitem meeting in a brisk 34 minutes, a pace former chairman Bowler had been noted for. Permits for Raymond Brennan for a two-bedroom, 1,800-square-foot house on Ravenwood Drive were unanimously approved. The construction had been opposed
by neighborhood petition, but commissioners agreed with Proulx the house would cause no additional flooding, and Tzepos said there was nothing in the application to justify voting against it. The West Shore Homeowners Association plan to widen existing roads in the Lake Quassapaug cottage community from 14 to 18 feet and replace existing 4-inch PVC pipes with 12-inch pipes and new catch basins was unanimously approved. The widening is required by town ordinance for emergency vehicle access and was recommended by town engineer John Calabrese and First Selectman Edward B. St. John. Association president John Butkus said he hoped to get the storm drains installed before winter to control runoff and reduce flooding, with paving to be done in 2014. A permit for Mary Ann Dawkins of 33 Tyler Cove to replace a demolished cottage at 32 Tyler Cove with a garage was unanimously approved. She said there would be no excavation and no paving, and the garage would be farther back from the lake than the cottage. A permit modification application by Toll Brothers to reroute heavy equipment construction access from Ridgewood’s internal streets to an old logging road was unanimously accepted for review. Professional engineer Tom Daly of Milone and MacBroom told commissioners the new path would
cause fewer disturbances to existing residents of the community. He said the temporary route exiting to Bona Road would be a layer of crushed stones over filter fabric to be rolled up and removed when no longer needed, estimating a maximum of 100 trucks per day during earth-removal operations. Proulx worried about the trucks disturbing residents of Bona Road, but Daly said permits for that access were already in place and Wetlands Enforcement Officer Deborah Seavey said it was a Planning and Zoning Commission issue. Daly was told to stake out the proposed road for commissioner walkthrough. In other matters, commissioners said a full permit modification application was required to substitute wetland mitigation areas on Burr Hall Road Lot 1-B. At the March 27, 2012, meeting Michael Ferrara received a permit for house placement in the steep topography if wetlands were added to compensate for disturbed areas in a ratio of three to one. The proposed alternate substitution would require less intrusion of deeply wooded areas, but Manning said it was important the substituted area be permanently marked to prevent it from being turned into a lawn. The next regular CC meeting will be Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Room 26 at Shepardson Community Center.
Adoptable Pets................ 6 Book Review................... 2 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 Fire Log........................... 2 In Brief............................ 4 Library Happenings.......... 2
Nuggets for Life.............. 2 Obituaries....................... 5 Parks & Recreation.................4 Region 15 School Calendar....3 Senior Center News......... 3 Sports Quiz..................... 6 Varsity Sports Calendar.... 7
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Upcoming Events
Inside this Issue
MONday
Middlebury Public Library Grand Reopening and Ribbon Cutting
tuesday
Election Day
Nov. 4
Nov. 5
saturday
Nov. 9
What: Library reopens following renovations – ribbon cutting, library tour and refreshments When: 10 a.m. Where: Middlebury Public Library at 30 Crest Road in Middlebury
Polls open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center
Pilgrim’s Pace 5K Road Race
What: Sixth annual road race, fitness walk, children’s fun run. Food, drinks, prizes, awards When: 10 a.m. Where: Middlebury Congregational Church on the Green, see middleburyucc.org
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Panthers stumble to Barlow in fourth quarter
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