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FR EE
Bee Intelligencer AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown
www.bee-news.com
Volume XIII, No. 2
February 2017
Special election set for Feb. 28 By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Voters in the 32nd Senatorial District (Middlebury District 1) – Bethlehem, Roxbury, Washington, Bridgewater, Woodbury, Watertown, Southbury, Oxford and parts of Middlebury and Seymour – will go to the polls Tuesday, Feb. 28, to choose a state senator for the seat vacated by Republican Sen. Robert J. Kane’s Jan. 4, 2017, resignation. Kane resigned his senate seat to take the state auditor position formerly held by Robert M. Ward, who retired. Kane is a long-time resident of Watertown who was first elected to represent the 32nd Senatorial District in a special election on Jan. 15, 2008. Voters will see three names on the ballot: Democrat Greg Cava (also listed as the Working Families Party candidate), whose name was on the ballot when he ran against Kane last November; Republican Eric C. Bethel; and unaffiliated candidate Daniel M. Lynch.
Cava is an attorney from Roxbury and Bethel is a state representative in the 68th District, which covers Watertown and Woodbury. Lynch is from Middlebury. Middlebury polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road. All voting will be downstairs. Absentee ballots for the special election are available in the Middlebury Town Clerk’s office. Electors in the 32nd District are eligible to vote. An application must be filled out before a ballot can be issued. The applications are available at the Town Clerk’s office or can be downloaded from the Secretary of the State’s website, www.sots. ct.gov under Elections & Voting. The Middlebury Town Clerk’s office at 1212 Whittemore Road is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional information may be obtained by calling the office at 203-758-2557.
OFFICE PARTY
1 State Senator To Fill Vacancy Vote for One 1A Greg Cava
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
1B Eric C. Berthel
REPUBLICAN PARTY
1D
PETITIONING
Daniel M. Lynch
CANDIDATE
1E
WRITE-IN VOTES
Inside this Issue Puzzles.......................7 Senior News Line.........3 Sports Quiz..................6 Sporting View...............6 To Your Good Health....6 Veterans Post..............5 Winning Ways.............7
Editorial Office: Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Phone: 203-577-6800 Mail: P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 Advertising Sales: Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com
MONdayS Upcoming Events
Adoptable Pets............8 Classifieds...................7 Diversified Tax Tidbits... 5 Here’s a Tip...........................8 It Happened in Middlebury... 5 Obituaries...................5 Paws Corner.................8
By JANINE SULLIVAN-WILEY Previous Spotlight articles highlighted the beauty and active outdoor use of properties conserved by the Middlebury Land Trust (MLT) for those who enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing or who like to enjoy nature while walking their dog. Not everyone is able to get out and do these things, so this month’s Spotlight will focus on enjoying these properties from the comfort of your car. No matter how you enjoy them, the land conserved by the MLT contributes to your experiences as you live in or drive around Middlebury. Let’s take a look at some of those protected properties with a short car tour through town. Start by entering Middlebury on Straits Turnpike going south from Watertown. After you pass through a commercial zone with car dealerships, the scene to your right changes abruptly with an area of woods, a pond and wetlands. It will look like that until you get close to Park Road. That prop-
By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
Greg Cava
PARTY
Tour land trust properties from your car erty is the Sperry Preserve (aka Juniper Hill). For the next leg, drive along Breakneck Hill Road going west. That pretty pond you traverse is Abbott’s Pond, and the land to the right is all MLT land – a protected view. Take a left on Artillery Road and the woodland to the left also is MLT property; all four corners at the junction of Artillery Road and Charcoal Avenue are MLT owned or protected by easement. The intersection also provides a view of Brookdale Farm (aka Fenn’s Farm) and its fields and woods that sweep up the hill. Next, drive back east along Middlebury Road, and turn right onto Chase Road. Starting just past the parking lot on the greenway, you will be driving along MLT’s Goss Property on the right. It continues as you turn right on Tucker Hill, and extends all the way to the sharp bend in the road. Continue along that way and turn left as 188 veers off, then go straight, with the pond on your right, onto Wheeler Road. That is Turtle Pond and the Miriam Camp Tract, protected forever.
Where Sandy Hill Road angles to the right, follow it. After you go under I-84 and pass five driveways, the conifer forest of MLT’s Tuttle Tract will be on your right. It ends at South Street. Make a left there, and as you drive down the long hill you will see Larkin Pond on the right. Go right on Long Meadow Road and you’re making a circuit around two sides of Larkin Pond (aka Fodder’s Folly) MLT property. Turn around and go back up South Street, past the other side of the Tuttle Tract on your right. Returning to the historic center of town on South Street, turn left at the corner of the green. To your right, bordered by mature trees is MLT’s Bronson Meadow. At the light go left (west) on 64 and stay on that as it turns right to go towards Woodbury. You will go past MLT’s Lake Elise on your left, where we end this tour. Throughout Connecticut, land trusts play a valuable role in maintaining our rural history. Enjoy your ride!
Middlebury grand list drops
1C
WORKING FAMILIES
Brookdale Farm (aka Fenn Farm), shown here looking cross the fields behind the buildings, can be seen from the intersection of Artillery Road and Charcoal Avenue. At that intersection, the properties on all four corners are either owned by the MLT or protected by MLT easements. (Curtiss Clark photo)
Feb. 13 & 20
TUESDAY Feb. 28
FRIDAY
Mar. 3
Middlebury’s 2016 grand list shows a .3-percent decrease of $3.2 million compared to an increase of nearly 1 percent, or $8.2 million, in 2015. The 2016 grand list total is $941.9 million; the 2015 grand list total was $945.2 million. Middlebury Assessor Chris Kelsey the drop could be attributed to the 2016 property revaluation. This resulted in a decrease of 2 percent in residential assessments other than condominiums. Their value decreased 2.5 percent. Kelsey said vacant land also was valued lower than in the 2011 revaluation. The grand list comprises real estate, motor vehicles and personal property. Real estate, which had increased nearly $7 million, or nearly 1 percent in 2015, decreased $4.1 million, or nearly 0.5 percent in 2016. Personal property assessments of $51.3 million reflect a decrease of $733,654, or 1.4 percent, compared to last year’s $52 million. Motor vehicle assessments, which had dropped to $64.3 million from $64.7 million
Combined Top 10 Taxpayers 2016
Combined Top 10 Taxpayers 2015
1. Preston Park 2004 LLC................... 12,917,800 2. Connecticut Light & Power Co......... 11,993,050 3. Timex Group USA Inc...................... 11,793,320 4. Toll Ct II LP.........................................9,594,850 5. Middlebury Edge LLC.........................8,053,600 6. Crossroads Middlebury LLC................6,286,700 7. Midex LLC..........................................4,223,500 8. Lake Quassapaug Inc.........................3,219,490 9. Middlebury Land Development LLC....2,970,500 10. 2191 Straits LLC................................2,774,700
1. Preston Park 2004 LLC................... 16,227,800 2. Conn Light & Power Co Inc.............. 11,779,104 3. Timex Group Usa Inc....................... 11,717,546 4. Middlebury Edge LLC.........................7,976,947 5. Crossroads Middlebury LLC................6,524,000 6. Toll Ct II LP.........................................6,504,700 7. Midex LLC..........................................4,536,000 8. Middlebury Land Development LLC....4,368,900 9. Lake Quassapaug Inc.........................2,850,022 10. Chemtura Usa Corporation.................2,847,022
in 2015, were up $2.7 million, or 4 percent, at $67.2 million in 2016. There was concern last year about the accuracy of motor vehicle numbers following a 2015 software change at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The ranking among the top 10 combined (real estate and personal property) taxpayers is shown in the tables. Retaining their 2015 spots in the top 10 were no. 1 Preston Park 2004 LLC, no. 2 Connecticut Light and Power, no. 3 Timex, and no. 7 Midex.
Toll CT II, developers of the Ridgewood subdivision, moved up to no. 4 from no. 6, while Middlebury Edge dropped to no. 5 from no. 4 in 2015, and Crossroads Middlebury LLC dropped to no. 6 from no. 5 in 2015. Lake Quassapaug Inc and Middlebury Land Development LLC swapped places, with Middlebury Land Development dropping to no. 9 and Lake Quassapaug rising to no. 8. Chemtura USA dropped out of its no. 10 spot on the 2015 list and was replaced by 2191 Straits LLC.
All town offices and buildings will be closed for Lincoln’s Birthday and Presidents Day. The U.S. Post Office will be open Feb. 13, but will be closed Feb. 20.
Special Election to Fill State Senate District 32 Seat Vacated by Robert J. Kane What: Vote for District 32 state senator. (District 1 in Middlebury) When: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road.
PHS art students win awards Page 3
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