“The tendency to whining and complaining may be taken as the surest sign symptom of little souls and inferior intellects.” ~ Lord Jeffrey
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Bee Intelligencer Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Volume X, No. 2
Friday, January 10, 2014
What to expect in 2014 By MARJORIE NEEDHAM When we asked town officials what Middlebury residents can look forward to in 2014, the most enthusiastic person we talked to was Library Director Jo-Ann LoRusso. “2014 is going to be awesome!” she said. She said whenever you look ahead, you also need to look back. “This time last year we were undergoing a major renovation and were moving the entire collection into a 7,000square-foot space (from 15,000 square feet at the Central Road location).” That new location at 199 Park Road Extension had no windows and no room for community space. LoRusso said she looks back with gratitude on the smooth transition last fall back to the newly renovated Central Road location. “Now we have beautiful windows and additional community space so we can do more programming and meet the needs of the community,” she said. “2014 is all about welcoming back our community and offering them information and entertaining and enlightening programs based on conversations we’ve had with members of the community.” The jigsaw puzzle contest, which couldn’t be held in the temporary space, will return this year. The improved Larkin Room is the setting for free surroundsound movies being shown twice a week, and the new 3-D printer will make the pieces for a new board game middle schoolers will create. LoRusso said the library is focusing on health and wellness this year and offering programs to improve one’s health and overall wellness. A possible 5K run is being considered for this spring. The winter library Olympics Tuesday, Jan. 21, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. will engage children in grades one to four. Children will “skate” around an indoor “skating rink,” make igloos and toss penguins. An appropriate movie also will be shown.
Seniors in the community will be served by the new Lifelong Learners Program, which includes book discussions, movies, fitness programs, music and speakers on a variety of subjects. First Selectman Edward B. St. John said he expects the town will complete its capital plan during the first few weeks of January. That plan will cover the town’s anticipated needs over the next five to 10 years. In 2014, new roofs will be put on facilities in need of them, and other infrastructure upgrades will be made as the budget allows. St. John said he also is looking at regionalizing more areas of town government. “There are lots of opportunities out there, and we need to take advantage of them,” he said. So far police dispatching, the health department and the town’s health insurance coverage have been regionalized. Selectman Ralph Barra said he is focused on several goals this year. One is a town leash ordinance, a project he started working on last year at the request of residents whose child was bitten by a loose dog. He said the proposed ordinance is being reviewed by the town attorney. He said the ordinance will focus on dogs that are on town property such as the Greenway or in town parks. Barra has another project related to pets – pet awareness. “My wife and I are dog lovers,” he said. “We see people running with a dog on a leash on a hot day. The dogs’ paws get burned on the hot pavement.” He said he’d like to raise awareness among residents so pets receive better care. Human safety concerns him, too. He said he sees people walking or jogging on town streets after dark with no reflective clothing, no light and wearing dark clothing. Many also walk or jog with the traffic flow instead of against it. He’d like to raise awareness about residents’ safety when walking or jogging on town streets.
– See 2014 on page 7
ZBA continues pool hearings By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) at its Jan. 7 meeting continued two outdoor swimming pool-related public hearings until February. Scott Tedesco of 64 Janet Drive did not appear for his pool and shed public hearing. In his Dec. 4 application, he told commissioners his plans for an in-ground swimming pool would exceed the maximum 10-percent lot coverage allowed in the R-40 zone by 1 percent. He said additional coverage of 409 square feet was allowed after coverage from his house and porch was subtracted. The pool would exceed that by 236 square feet, and a proposed 12-foot-by-12-foot shed would add another 144 square feet for
total lot coverage of 11.17 percent. A nonconforming smaller legal lot in the R-40 zone was cited as the hardship. His public hearing was continued to Feb. 5. A sideline variance public hearing for a 10-foot-by-10-foot swimming pool storage shed for Susan Tracy of 294 Porter Ave. also was continued to Feb. 5. She had been instructed Dec. 4 to bring a detailed plot plan to the hearing, but commissioners agreed she failed to provide adequate information. Tracy said the proposed location of her shed is about 28 feet from the house and in the only reasonable place on her nonconforming lot. The next ZBA meeting will be Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the town hall conference room.
Inside this Issue Library Happenings.......... 2 Nuggets for Life.............. 6 Puzzles........................... 7 Region 15 School Calendar....3 Senior Center News......... 3 Sports Quiz..................... 6 Varsity Sports Calendar.... 6
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Parents and children brave the extreme cold Saturday, above, to get in some sledding time on the hill between Middlebury Town Hall and Shepardson Community Center. Good thing they did so. The rain that started Sunday took with it every trace of snow, leaving the hill as you see it in the photo at right taken Wednesday. (Marjorie Needham photos)
Strobel no longer sole woman on MRTC By MARJORIE NEEDHAM At its Tuesday night caucus, the Middlebury Republican Town Committee (MRTC) voted in 21 endorsed candidates. There were no other nominations. Sixteen of the current members were chosen to serve another twoyear term. The five new members include one woman, Robin Desantis Stanziale. She joins Selectwoman Elaine Strobel as the only other woman on the committee. Strobel said of the addition, “I’m delighted. We’ll have to sit together.” Stanziale, the finance officer at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, said being asked to run by MRTC Vice-chairman Tom King motivated her to run. This is the first time she has served on a town committee or board. She said she’d like to see more women serving in positions like these.
Strobel has been the sole female member on the MRTC since former chairwoman Rita Smith chose not to run two years ago. Two women, Candace Graziano and Donita Semple, have served as alternates the past two years. The four other new members are Brendan Browne (a former alternate), Joe Mancini (a former alternate), Harold Zinno and Francis Brennan, who has served on the MRTC in the past. Members elected for another two years are Geoff Stowell, Thomas King, Ken Heidkamp, Terry McAuliffe, Robert Smith, John Calabrese, George Tzepos, Paul Babarik, Terry Smith, Frank Cipriano, John Cookson, Rito Albini, Jim Croccicia, Elaine Strobel, George Morreira, and Guy Tiso. Composition of the 21-member MRTC doesn’t come close to representing the town’s demographics. The town’s population of 48.5
percent male and 51.5 percent female (according to city-data.com) compares to the MRTC membership of 90.5 percent male and 9.5 percent female. In 2008 to 2009, three women, Kelli-Ann Bollard, Marilyn Cykley and Nancy Robison, served on the committee with Strobel, and a fourth, Crosby Middlemass was an alternate. Before then Jan Kulpa, Barbara Hunter and Erika Carrington were members or alternates. After voting on the candidates, Geoff Stowell, Tom King, Terry McAuliffe, Ken Heidkamp and Bob Smith were appointed to serve on the vacancy committee as required by state party rules. The MRTC will choose its officers and appoint alternates for the next two years at its next meeting, which will be Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center in Room 26.
P&Z approves cottage rebuild, nixes new closet By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its Jan. 2 meeting approved reconstruction of a Lake Quassapaug cottage, but agreed a walk-in closet could not be added to the former Tara Perrotti house on Woodland Road without a zone change. It also accepted a letter of regulations for affordable housing at Brookside. Reconstruction site plans for a cottage owned by David and Heather Messina in the recently rezoned West Shore at Lake Quassapaug were unanimously approved. Professional land surveyor Scott Meyers told commissioners the rebuilt cottage would have the same square footage as the one torn down in 2012. He said the work would not require grading and would not cause greater impervious surface coverage. He said the new cottage would be located
slightly farther from the lake and would be angled differently, adding that wetlands approvals were in place. Meyers told P&Z Chairman Terry Smith a letter from the West Shore Homeowners Association approved the plans, and the owners had only been waiting for recently completed sewers and water systems to be ready. In comments on the plans, Middlebury Building Official Oliver Leduc said a proposed 12-by-28-foot deck would cause the house to exceed the allowed 10-percent lot coverage, but Smith told him the plans conformed to condominium regulations adopted Nov. 7. Approval of a walk-in closet addition to the house at 86 Woodland Drive recently rezoned to commercial use will not be permitted, according to an informal discussion with Zoning Enforcement Officer Curtis Bosco. The former residential property previously owned by Tara Perrotti was rezoned
commercial in December 2012 by the new owner, Dr. Dean Yimoyines, so he could use it for expansion of his Whittemore Crossing business. Bosco said the house is temporarily occupied by a son of Yimoyines and the son’s wife. Commissioners agreed the closet addition could not be approved unless the property was rezoned back to residential. In other matters, a letter on affordable housing rules for resales at Brookside Development was accepted from town attorney Dana D’Angelo, who told commissioners a unit subject to those regulations was on the market. Smith said similar rules exist for Steeplechase, and he will include the Brookside letter in the soon-to-be-updated zoning regulations. The next regular P&Z meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.
Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury volunteer orientation
Upcoming Events
Adoptable Pets................ 8 Book Review................... 2 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 Fire Log........................... 2 In Brief............................ 4 Legal Notices.................. 7
Here one day, gone the next
saturDAY Jan. 11
What: When: Where: Info:
Panthers tested by Masuk, remain unbeaten
Learn how you can teach adult literacy and English as a second language 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Woodbury Public Library at 269 Main st. South in Woodburyommunity Center For more information, call Vanessa at 203-754-1164 or email Lvgw-programs@waterburyct.org.
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tuesDAY Jan. 14
Middlebury Democratic Town Committee Caucus What: Election of committee members for 2014-2016 terms When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center, Room 27
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