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Bee Intelligencer AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown
www.bee-news.com
Volume XI, No. 7
June 2015
Shell station criticisms continue By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its May 7 meeting continued a public hearing on plans to replace the Shell station on Middlebury Road. It also accepted an application for new zoning regulations for Tyler Cove and approved plans for the town to sell property on Benson Road. Some 40 residents attended the public hearing to review and comment on plans to demolish the Shell station at 520 Middlebury Road and construct a larger station on that site and the adjacent lots formerly occupied by Vinnie’s Pizza and Johnny’s Dairy Bar. The almost two-hour hearing, the first item on the agenda, pushed the meeting far past the official 9:30 p.m. closing time at Shepardson Community Center. A custodian told Chairman Terry Smith to end the meeting, but Smith told the custodian the meeting must continue because it was official town business. The gas station expansion proposal drew criticism at a March 5 hearing and, although it was tabled at the April 2 meeting, many who attended that night stayed for a public hearing on updates to the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and specifically objected to the size of the expansion in Middlebury Center, saying the expansion’s five two-sided pumps under an enlarged canopy made it more like a truck stop than a village gas station. At the May meeting, Michael A. Galante of Frederick P. Clark Associates said a traffic access and impact study performed during a weekday morning from 7 to 9 a.m., a weekday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m., and a Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. showed peaks occur from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays, with the weekday afternoons carrying the highest volume. Approximately 55 percent of the traffic comes from the east; less traffic comes from the west. After merging 2014 data from the state department of transportation and adding traffic for known future developments, Galante estimated the upgraded station would gen-
erate an additional 45 to 65 trips each hour. He said his opinion was this would not be a significant impact to the road system, and traffic signal timing would not need to be changed. Professional engineer Dainius Virbickas of Artel Engineering Group said soil testing would be done within the a week or two to support the storm drainage plan. Using site diagrams, he showed the landscape plan, which he said created a nice appearance and presence to hide the pumps from the road. He said the driveway around the back of the building would remain for delivery and garbage truck access. Attorney Michael McVerry, representing the property owner, summarized the project by saying the project complied with CA-40 zoning regulations and was in perfect harmony with the neighborhood it was in, since that neighborhood consisted of gas stations. He said the project design was “nothing but an improvement and preserving of the landscape,” referring to the rundown buildings and vacant lots. In public comments, Nancy Robison asked McVerry what he meant by being in harmony with the neighborhood. McVerry listed the neighboring gas stations, Middlebury Station, the bank and the farm market, and said, “It’s not something totally out of character with what’s in the neighborhood.” Robison replied, “Five bays in the project ... get out of here. It sounds like something that should be up on the Mass Pike.” She also criticized the traffic study for not addressing the effect up and down the road. Michael Jacobi asked if diesel would be sold and if the station could be limited to two diesel pumps. McVerry said stations typically have at least one diesel pump because of the number of diesel cars and this one might have more. He then said, “I’ve heard a lot of stories these last two weeks about the new biggest truck stop between Danbury and Hartford. It’s probably the most preposterous suggestion I’ve heard.” He said there wasn’t enough room for tractor-trailers, except for the ones
– See P&Z on page 4
Special town meeting June 1 A special town meeting will be held Monday, June 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the Shepardson Community Center Auditorium at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury, Conn., for the following purpose: To vote to approve the sale of 33+/- acres on Benson Road to Raymond and Penny Albini or an entity created by them; for the sum of $200,000 as approved by the Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission in accordance with Connecticut General Statute §8-24 and as recommended by the Board of Selectmen. Those qualified to vote at the town meeting are U.S. citizens 18 or older who, jointly or severally, are liable to the Town of Middlebury for taxes assessed against them on an assessment of not less than $1,000 on the last completed town grand list, or who would be so liable if not entitled to an exemption under subdivisions (17), (19), (22), (25) or (26) of Section 1281 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended.
SATURday
Book Review...............2 Obituaries...................5
June 6
Here’s a tip.................7 This is a Hammer.........7 Library Highlights........2 Veterans Post..............5 Library Lines................2 Winning Ways.............6
Editorial Office: Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Phone: 203-577-6800 Mail: P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 Advertising Sales: Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
Classifieds...................7 Puzzles.......................7 Diversified Tax Tidbits...5 School Daze................3
Middlebury EMTs deliver baby
By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Baby bonnets for newborns were added to the supplies on Middlebury ambulances in April. On May 5, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) used one for the first time, gently slipping it on the head of Abigail DeSantis , a baby they had just delivered. EMT Kristine Boisits said it was the first time she delivered a baby since she began serving as an EMT 13 years ago. She and paramedic Beverly Dassonville, who has served for 11 years, responded to a call at the Mike and Joann DeSantis home in Middlebury about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 5. Joann, 24, was in labor with her second child. She said her delivery date was May 17, but when she went to the doctor Monday, May 4, he told her he expected the baby to arrive within the week. Baby Abigail decided to arrive less than 24 hours later. Dassonville and Boisits, working with a paramedic from American Medical Response, delivered the baby at 1:05 a.m., just an hour and 5 minutes after Joann went into labor. Dassonville said she initially went to get the stretcher out of the ambulance. When she came back to the house, the paramedic had decided the baby’s birth was imminent, and they needed to deliver the baby before transporting anyone to the hospital. “It was a great experience,” Boisits said. “The mother was wonderful and she did just great.” Dassonville said the delivery scene was remarkably calm. “We all knew what we had to do. The mother made it easier. She
Middlebury EMTs Kristine Boisits and Beverly Dassonville were awarded their pink stork pins for delivering a baby girl. was a real trooper. She said the baby is coming and one big push and the baby was there. She made it easy for us.” And she said of the baby bonnets, “Who knew two weeks later we would need them?” Joann said everyone who responded to the call, from the police officer to the paramedic and the EMTs, was excellent. “Everyone was calm,” she said. “They are so good.” It may have helped that Joann and Mike have a farm. Joann said, “We see animals having babies all the time.” And, she said, she was back at the farm Thursday, two days after giving birth.
Joann had not planned to have a home birth. Her obstetrician is in New Milford, and she was scheduled to go to Sharon Hospital, an hour’s drive from Middlebury, for the baby’s birth. When her water broke at 12 a.m., she called her mom to come from Bridgewater and stay with her firstborn child, Josephine, 18 months. By 12:30 a.m., Joann’s contractions were two minutes apart, so they decided to go to Waterbury Hospital instead, and her husband called the ambulance. “I knew it was too late,” Joann said. “They delivered my baby on the bedroom floor. Then they put her right on my chest and then they put us on a stretcher.” Dassonville said the staff at Waterbury Hospital’s trauma room was ready and waiting when the EMTs rolled Joann’s stretcher through the door. “The mom waved and said, ‘I’m here,’” Dassonville said. “Everyone had a smile on their face. It was a really happy time. Most of the time you are bringing patients in and it’s sad or traumatic.” The week of May 17-23 was national EMS week, and Boisits and Dassonville were among those honored at an awards dinner at Waterbury Hospital. Each got a pink stork pin for her uniform to let everyone know they delivered a baby girl. May 24, Boisits and Dassonville visited baby Abigail and her parents. They brought gifts for her and her sister Josephine, and Joann had gifts for them, too, boxes of Bridgewater chocolates. Dassonville said, “Now we’re friends on Facebook so we can watch baby Abigail grow.”
Boy Scout Troop 5 redeemable bottle and can drive
Inside this Issue Community Calendar...2 School Calendar..........2
Visiting with each other recently were, left to right Middlebury EMT Kristine Boisits, Mike DeSantis, Joann DeSantis (holding baby Abigail) and Middlebury EMT Beverly Dassonville. Boisits and Dassonville helped deliver Abigail at the DeSantis home May 5. (Submitted photos)
What: Fundraiser to benefit Scout programs When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Village Square Plaza at 530 Middlebury Road in Middlebury Info: For bottle/can pickup before Saturday, June 6, call Michael Zinko at 203-758-8599. Please note Gatorade and Powerade bottles are not redeemable.
Low-cost rabies clinic for cats and dogs
sunday
June 7
thursday
June 18
What: Pomperaug District Department of Health, Southbury Animal Control and Southbury Veterinary Hospital low-cost rabies clinic for dogs and cats. When: 1 to 3 p.m. Where: Southbury Town Garage on Peter Road in Southbury Info: Cost $15 CASH ONLY per animal. No residency requirements. Dogs must be on leashes; cats must be in carriers. Dr. Joseph Ross is donating his services and the vaccine. Proceeds will go to local charities.
Pomperaug High School (PHS) graduation
What: Class of 2015 graduates When: 6:30 p.m. Where: PHS gymnasium with additional seating in the auditorium
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