Issuu

“Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once.” ~ Lillian Dickson

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

FR EE

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

Volume IX, No. 30

Friday, September 6, 2013

Dispatchers sue Middlebury By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Middlebury’s two full-time police dispatchers, James Roy and Thomas Reynolds, filed a civil lawsuit against the Town of Middlebury in Waterbury Superior Court Aug. 30. The summons was received and filed in the town clerk’s office Wednesday, Sept. 4. The court signed an order for the town to appear in court Monday, Sept. 16. Named in the suit are First Selectman Edward St. John and Selectmen Elaine Strobel and Ralph Barra (in their official capacities). The lawsuit asks the court to order the defendants to call for an immediate special town meeting to allow residents to vote on whether or not police dispatching should be outsourced to Northwest Public Safety Communications Center (Northwest) in Prospect. The suit also asks the court to enjoin the selectmen from outsourcing Roy and Reynolds’ jobs until the special town meeting is held and “the voter (sic) have their say on the matter.” At the Sept. 16 hearing, the defendants will have to show cause why a preliminary injunction and temporary order of mandamus (the order that they must have a special town meeting) should not be issued against them. An attorney may represent the defendants at such hearings, but it is unknown at press time whether or not any of the selectmen will attend the hearing. Last year, the Board of Finance removed money for Roy and Reynolds’ salaries from the town budget after determining it would cost the town less to outsource police department and 911 calls to Northwest. Town officials have been preparing to move dispatching to Northwest, and it appeared likely the move would be completed sometime next week. After town officials began preparations to move dispatching, Roy and Reynolds twice circulated petitions calling for a special town meeting for residents to vote on whether or not to move police dispatching out of town. Fire department dispatching has been handled by Northwest since 2004. Twice the dispatchers circulated petitions and submitted the signed petitions to the town clerk, and twice town counsel Robert W. Smith determined the petitions were not for proper purpose and advised the selectmen they were not required to call a special town meeting. Reached by telephone Wednesday afternoon, neither St. John nor Barra would comment on the lawsuit. St. John said, “There’s one problem. I think Bob (Smith) is going to be very sensitive to what we discuss because once they sue you, you aren’t supposed to comment.” St. John said he had left a message for Smith but hadn’t yet talked to him. He said he

thought the lawsuit was the same as one the dispatchers filed and withdrew earlier. He also said his understanding was lawsuits are not heard if those filing them have other remedies available to them. As union members both Roy and Reynolds have the union grievance process available. Barra’s response was, “I’m not going to have any comment at this time because it is being handled by our attorney.” A message left at Smith’s office was not returned by our deadline. The dispatchers’ attorney, Richard J. Padykula, was in court when the newspaper called, and he also had not returned the call by our deadline. Padykula is with the Law Offices of Leon Rosenblatt in West Hartford. The suit he filed on behalf of Roy and Reynolds asks the court to enjoin the defendants from implementing their plan to outsource the town’s dispatcher positions until the court has heard the case and decided whether a special town meeting must be held. A motion for temporary mandamus and preliminary injunction is appended to the complaint. It lists 14 points to justify the dispatchers’ request the court issue an order forcing town officials to “forthwith” hold a special town meeting and enjoining town officials from eliminating the police dispatcher positions. Points listed include that the plaintiffs have a clear right to have officials call a special town meeting and they have no other adequate remedy. Another point refers to the defendants’ “secret decision” to outsource the town’s emergency services. The complaint itself states selectmen “have defied the will of the citizens of Middlebury and the law of the town” by failing to hold a special town meeting as is the dispatchers’ right under the town charter. It says in 2012, the selectmen “began scheming to outsource emergency services of the town.” It also says that, prior to a regular town meeting in December 2012, the selectmen “covertly placed the outsourcing on its agenda under the subject: ‘Memorandum of Understanding with Northwest Public Safety’.” It says the selectmen “made this important change to public safety without any input from the people of Middlebury.” The complaint alleges the plaintiffs did have a proper purpose and they and the citizens of Middlebury were denied a voice in determining how their emergency services were going to be delivered. Smith’s advice to selectmen seemed to revolve around the notion of “proper purpose.” Now it appears the court will decide if the petitions circulated by the dispatchers met or did not meet the requirement of being for proper purpose.

The Nature’s Goods Market staff, left to right, A.J., Barbara, Jim, Jared and Arthur, are ready to help you at the store at 860 Straits Turnpike in Middlebury.

Middlebury store offers natural and organic options By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Organic foods and natural products became a lot easier to obtain last year when Nature’s Goods Market opened at 860 Straits Turnpike in Middlebury (near Post University’s Drubner Center). In a relatively small retail space, a former bank building complete with what was once a drivethrough, the market manages to offer an amazing range of organic foods and natural products. It also offers a deli in which everything – salads, soups, wraps, sandwiches and more – is made with organic ingredients. Always included in the madefresh-daily dishes are gluten-free options and vegan dishes. When we visited recently, Marie “Cookie” Traver of Waterbury was shopping there. She said she discovered the store when she saw it from across the street where she had gone for a visit to her chiropractor. “I love the place – the variety, the food,” she said. Traver said the deli is wonderful, and she eats a lot of their deli dishes. She also likes the supplements the store sells. “If you need a supplement, she will order it for you,” Traver said of the owner, Barbara. Traver said she is in the store two to three times a week and finds the store staff very accommodating. “They’re nice,” she said, “Just good people.” Traver said she loves the cookies and smoothies sold there and now buys coconut water by the case. “I’m hooked on roasted seaweed,” she said. “I’d never tried it but Barbara had me taste it.” Now it’s a regular part of her diet. Store owners Barbara and Jared have plenty of experience running a natural and organic grocery store. They’ve run one in Unionville the past 12 years. When we stopped by Wednesday, customers were bustling in and out, and some were taking advantage of the nice weather by eating their deli purchases at tables outside. Two sat in the sun; another chose a table in the shade of the former drive-through. His paper was spread out on the table in front of him so he could read it as he ate. Planter boxes frame the seating area under the former drive-through. Inside, the store offers a wide range of

These tantalizing dishes in the Nature’s Goods Market deli section are made fresh daily using organic ingredients. They include vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. (Marjorie Needham photos) products. One is fresh organic produce. “All our produce is organic,” Barbara said. “If we can’t get it organic, we don’t sell it.” Wandering about the store, we were surprised to see just how much the relatively small retail space has to offer in about 5,000 square feet. Down past the produce shelves is a wall of bulk items, everything from yogurt pretzels and yogurt raisins to ginger chews, trail mix, granola, nuts, grains, rice, peas and lentils. Shelves in one corner hold glass containers of bulk herbs, among them bee pollen. Freestanding shelves in this area hold a variety of vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies for colds, flu and other ailments. “We have some phenomenal remedies,” Barbara said. “I research them deeply. I’m always reading about them.” The store also offers a small selection of greeting cards. Then there are books on topics such as natural medicine and ayurvedic cooking, a small selection of organic clothing and some eco friendly cookware. Next are the organic and handcrafted soaps, liquid soaps and therapeutic soaps like tea tree soap. Essential oils are near the water-based nail polish and eco friendly nail polish remover. Next are the natural lipsticks and makeup!

Moving back to foods, the freezer section holds organic grass-fed beef rib-eye steaks and patties for the meat lover, but it also has meatless meatballs and naan pizza for those eating vegetarian or vegan. Glutenfree products can be found throughout the store, and the cheese case selections include a vegan shredded cheese substitute. Paper goods include compostable cling wrap, paper sandwich bags and all-natural waxed paper made with 100 percent soybean wax. As for paper plates, shoppers can buy compostable and biodegradable bowls, plates, flatware and straws. Those wishing to avoid chemicals in common cleaning products can pick up natural washing detergent, dish detergent and household cleaners. There’s not much a shopper seeking organic and natural products won’t find in this store. And if the store doesn’t have a product customers need on its shelves, it’s likely it can be ordered. Nature’s Goods Market is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store telephone is 203577-2000, and the website is www.naturesgoodsmarket.com. Look for the store flyer in this newspaper the issue preceding the first of each month.

Adoptable Pets................ 8 Book Review................... 3 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 Fire Log........................... 2 In Brief............................ 4 Library Happenings.......... 2

Library Lines.................... 2 Nuggets for Life.............. 6 Obituaries....................... 5 Region 15 School Calendar....3 Senior Center News......... 3 Sports Quiz..................... 6 Varsity Sports Calendar.... 6

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

Upcoming Events

Inside this Issue

saturday

Sept. 7

9th Annual Southbury Fall Fine Arts Festival

PHS Panthers are on the prowl

What: Artwork, crafts, kids’ activities, baked goods, music When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Southbury Green, Main Street South, Southbury

Page 6

sunday

Sept. 15

St John of the Cross Apple Harvest Festival

What: Celebrate fall with delicious apple pie, crafts for sale and a tag sale When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center, 1172 Whittemore Road, Middlebury

Advertising Sales: Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com

Send mail to

P.O. Box 10, Middlebury CT 06762

203-577-6800