Middlebury Bee March 2015

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Volume XI, No. 3

March 2015

Botsford requests 2.48percent budget increase

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Region 15 Superintendent of Schools Regina Botsford on Monday night presented to the Board of Education a proposed 2015-16 budget of $65.26 million, a 2.48 percent, or $1.58 million, increase over the current $63.68 million budget. She said via telephone Wednesday, “I’m very proud of this budget. I think it’s a great example of managing our assets in a very responsible manner.”

In addition to the increase in the budget itself, Middlebury taxpayers will see an increase in the percentage of the budget they pay. That is due to the change in the number of students enrolled from Middlebury and Southbury.

If the Region 15 budget total remains unchanged, which is unlikely, Middlebury’s Chief Financial Officer Larry Hutvagner said Middlebury would need to contribute an additional $664,463 more than this year’s $19.95 million contribution, and the result for taxpayers would be an additional 6/10 of a mil. If neither the Region 15 budget nor the town budget decrease, Middlebury’s mil rate could move to 29.99 from the current rate of 29.34. However, both the BoE and Middlebury’s Board of Finance are conducting budget workshops that are expected to reduce their respective budgets by the end of March.

Highlighted budget items in Botsford’s budget presentation were technology, math textbooks for grade K through 3, restoration of funding for library books, a turf field at Pomperaug High School (PHS) and new textbooks at PHS. Technology needs of $323,376 include a $234,380 infrastructure upgrade, replacement of Smartboard projectors and Smartboards, Smartboards for pre-K, additional computer projectors for PHS and additional computers and software for the Digital Learning Academy. In addition, a total of 1,074 aging desktops and laptops are to be replaced with new leased computers at a cost of $60,000 a year.

Math textbooks for grades K-3 will cost $40,000 and library books will cost $83,232. The new turf field at PHS would be funded from the capital reserve and would not impact the budget. The new textbooks at PHS would be for AP economics, personal finance and AP calculus and would cost $16,736.

Middlebury BoE member Paul Babarik said, “I think overall it is a fair budget, well thought out, not aggressive, but there is room to reduce it.”

He expressed concern about the need to reduce the number of professional staff, noting that the number of students has dropped by more than 500 since 2010-11, and staff hasn’t reduced as much. He said there are now 10.5 students per teacher, and he feels 15 to 16 students per teacher is a good number.

He said he’d also like to look at reductions in money spent on replacing computers. “We need to re-examine the functionality

of the computers, and I think we could save quite a bit of money not replacing all the computers in the school,” he said.

Babarik also said he wants to look at outsourcing staff positions such as counselors, psychologists and nurses, and he questioned spending more than $82,000 on books for the school library. “We have a good public library in this town, and so does Southbury.

Why do we need a third library at the school?” he asked.

The proportion of students from the towns of Middlebury and Southbury is determined as of Oct. 1 each year and is then used to calculate the percentage each town will pay. On Oct. 1, 2014, Region 15 had 3,881 students enrolled compared to 4,012 the previous October and 4,556 in October 2010.

For the 2015-2016 year, Middlebury has 1,226 students, down 31 students from this year’s 1,257 students. Southbury has 2,655 students, down 100 students from this year’s 2,755 students. These numbers generate a budget obligation of 31.59 percent for Middlebury (up from this year’s 31.33 percent) and 68.41 percent for Southbury (down from this year’s 68.67 percent). Numbers are rounded.

Region 15’s largest individual increase was in salaries, which rose 39.93 percent to $40.51 million from $39.88 million. Salary increases are mandated by the existing contract with the teachers’ union.

The next largest increase was instructional, which rose 29.12 percent to $1.67 million from $1.20 million. Instructional include the technology enhancements and purchases along with annual subscriptions for databases and network management.

The third largest increase was rentals, leases and advertising, which rose15.04 percent to $1.67 million from $1.44 million. It includes the computer leases and an increase in special education therapies.

The fourth largest increase was insurances, which rose 11 percent to $10.86 million from $10.69 million. While the district saves $1 million annually by self-insuring health with Middlebury and Southbury, property and liability insurance premiums increased, as did the medical insurance premium.

Lower increases were seen in tuition (3.80 percent), transportation (2.82 percent) and facilities (2.69 percent). One category, debt service, decreased by 4.43 percent.

The Board of Education will meet for budget workshops Tuesday, March 3; Thursday, March 5; and Thursday, March 19. All meetings will be at 7 p.m. in the PHS media Center. On Monday, March 23, the BoE will present the budget at 7:30 p.m. in the PHS AP Room, and the public hearing and adoption of the budget will be Monday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the PHS AP Room. The referendum will be Wednesday, May 6.

Inside this Issue Obituaries....................... 5 Puzzles........................... 7 School Daze.................... 2 Diversified Tax Tidbits....... 5 This is a Hammer............. 7 Varsity Sports Calendar.... 6 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

P&Z sets hearings for new gas station, Plan of Conservation and Development

By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its Feb. 5 meeting unanimously approved a sign on Straits Turnpike and accepted an application to replace the Shell station on Middlebury Road. It also discussed cleanup of the excavation at the corner of Clearview Knoll and scheduled a March public hearing for the long-awaited Plan of Conservation and Development.

A special exception for a 5-by-8-foot directory sign at 687 Straits Turnpike for Dr. Giuseppe Tripodi d/b/a Tripod Realty was unanimously approved. The sign lists businesses at that address and is similar to one for a dental office at 415 Middlebury Road.

An application for demolition of the Shell station at 520 Middlebury Road and construction of a larger station and convenience store on that site and the adjacent lots formerly occupied by Vinnie’s Pizza and Johnny’s Dairy Bar was accepted for public hearing March 5. Attorney Michael McVerry, representing Wesson Energy, owner of all the properties, said an August 2012 land swap with property owned by St. John of the Cross Church gave more room in the back to square off the building site.

The plans show a 3,275-square-foot gas station and convenience store with an ex-

panded canopy and five double-sided gasoline pumps. A setback variance for the canopy was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals in October, and McVerry said approvals by the Conservation Commission, Economic Development Commission, Police Department and Fire Marshall were being sought. Chairman Terry Smith instructed McVerry to supply a lighting plan and architectural renderings of stonework behind the building.

In enforcement matters, Robert LaFlamme d/b/a Pomeroy Enterprises LLC told commissioners he would clean up unfinished excavation work on the lot at the corner of Middlebury Road and Clearview Knoll. At the January meeting, Smith called the lot a “gravel pit” in the center of town, saying brush was stacked up on the sides of the excavation with boulders everywhere and sewer pipes sticking out of the ground.

Zoning Enforcement Officer Curtis Bosco was instructed by Smith to have LaFlamme come explain how the excavation conformed to stipulations in a permit issued in January 2012. LaFlamme told commissioners he needed to get the excavation finished by February before his $6,000 excavation permit expired. He said he offered the fill to the Town of Middlebury as required by the permit, but it wasn’t wanted, so he found other firms who needed it. The

only remaining excavation, according to LaFlamme, was ledge slowly being removed using hoe-ram impact equipment. He said blasting would have been faster and cheaper but would have disrupted the neighbors.

LaFlamme said what appeared to be a sewer pipe sticking out of the ground was a GPS locator for the State of Connecticut. He agreed to remove boulders and stumps, grade the property and plant grass as soon as the snow melts. Smith agreed to allow him six additional months to complete the excavation.

In other business, Chairman Smith said town planner Brian Miller had incorporated updated maps from the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments into the longawaited Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). He said the POCD would be distributed to commissioners and also posted on the town website for review by the public. He asked the Bee-Intelligencer and other newspapers to make this known to residents so they would be able to comment March 5 when the commission will take public input. Please note the POCD can be found at middlebury-ct.org.

The next regular P&Z meeting and the public hearings for the Shell station replacement and POCD will be Thursday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.

St. John presents town budget, reductions start

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Middlebury First Selectman Edward B. St. John presented a proposed 2015-16 $10.30 million town budget to the Board of Finance (BoF) at the board’s Feb. 11 meeting. The proposed budget is a $330,452 increase over the town’s current $9.97 million budget.

A handout at the Feb. 11 meeting said if the proposed budget were approved and if the Region 15 budget stayed flat other than the increase due to Middlebury’s changed percentage of students, the mil rate would increase to 29.39 from 29.34.

Since then, on Feb. 23, Region 15 Superintendent of Schools Regina Botsford presented a Region 15 budget with a 2.48 percent, or $1.58 million, increase. Middlebury’s Chief Financial Officer Larry Hutvagner said that increase would add $664,463 to Middlebury’s share of the budget and increase the mil rate to 29.99 if both budgets remained unchanged.

However, the BoF is holding a series of special meetings to determine ways to reduce the budget total, and the Board of Education is doing the same with the Region 15 budget.

At the Feb. 11 meeting, BoF Chairman Mike McCormack described the proposed

budget as “a good start.” At the first of the special budget workshop meetings on Feb. 18, he thanked First Selectman Edward B. St. John for coming up with a “thoughtful” budget. However, he said he felt the budget increase of $330,000 needed to be reduced.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem to come up with a $200,000 reduction,” he said.

McCormack said Middlebury’s per capita spending four to five years ago was $1,500.

Now it is $1,345, but Middlebury is still 35 percent higher than its peer group of Southbury, Woodbury, Oxford, Washington and Roxbury. They all spend between $900 and $1,000 per capita, he said.

He went on to present to the BoF his thoughts on where reductions might be made, all the time stressing that these were just suggestions. Later, he asked BoF members to come to the next meeting with suggestions for reductions.

On the expense side of the budget, the largest reductions McCormack suggested were $20,000 less for fuel, gas and oil for police vehicles and $18,000 less in the capital budget for police car reserves. McCormack said the town has bought five new police cars during the past four years. He also suggested lowering the Contingency Fund by $7,500 and Debt Services Notes/ Bonds Issuance Expense and Extraordinary

Items Reserve for Contract Negotiations by $5,000 each.

St. John took exception to one cut McCormack made, a $2,738 cut to the town treasurer’s $4,720 salary. St. John said it is not within the realm of the Board of Finance’s responsibility to reduce the treasurer’s salary.

McCormack also suggested increases in some revenue categories, specifically a $5,000 increase in the assessor’s personal property audits, a $21,000 increase in the town clerk’s real estate conveyance tax collection and a $20,000 increase for police department special duty income.

McCormack raised the question of the town paying a portion of the cost of a resource officer Southbury provides for Pomperaug High School. St. John opposed this.

“When we paid for full-time resource officers, Southbury never paid anything,” St. John said. He said he thought the cost should be wrapped into the Region 15 budget instead.

The BoF special meetings are held Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. in Shepardson Community Center, Room 26. McCormack said he expects the budget will be ready to go by March 11. A public hearing will be held April 6, and the budget referendum will be May 6.

Paul Perrotti Legal Defense Fund Fundraiser

FRIday Upcoming Events

Adoptable Pets................ 8 Book Review................... 2 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 In Brief............................ 4 Library Highlights.........2, 7 Library Lines.................... 2

A public hearing on this proposed gas station at 520 Middlebury Road will be part of the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting March 5. The newspaper added the surrounding properties to the artist’s rendering of the west view of the proposed new Shell gas station to give an idea of how it will appear. The original image shows only trees and grass surrounding the gas station.

(Terrence McAuliffe image)

March 6

What: When: Where: Info:

Pasta dinner and raffles to help Paul Perrotti with legal expenses 6:30 p.m.

VFW Post 201 at 2205 Baldwin St. in Waterbury Admission $30 or mail check made payable to “Paul Perrotti Legal Defense Fund” to A. Tedesco, P.O. Box 481, Middlebury, CT 06762

FRIday First Day of Spring March 20

SATURday

March 21

Brass City Ballet Spring Gala What: When: Where: Info:

Dance performances include “Alice in Wonderland.” Mad Hatter Party follows performance.

6:30 p.m.

Naugatuck Valley Community College at 750 Chase Parkway in Waterbury Advance tickets to either event, $25 each, $30 at the door. Tickets at www.tututix.com or call 1-855-222-2849.

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The Bee-Intelligencer

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Middlebury Community Calendar

March 2015

Library Highlights

March 1 to 7, 2015

This column features highlights from each library. For a more extensive list of events at Monday, March 2 each library, please visit our Board of Selectmen website, www.bee-news.com, 6 p.m.........................Shepardson Community Center Auditorium and click on “Libraries.”

Tuesday, March 3

Middlebury

Water Commission 7 p.m.............................................................. Shepardson, Room 26

The following programs require registration. To register, call the library at 203-758-2634 or Land Preservation and Open Space 6 p.m.............................................................. Shepardson, Room 26 stop at the circulation desk for adult and teen programs or the Board of Finance Special Meeting 7 p.m.............................................................. Shepardson, Room 26 children’s desk for children’s programs.

Zoning Board of Appeals 7:30 p.m..............................................Town Hall Conference Room Teen Tech Week

Learn about Eversource Friday, March 13, at 3 p.m., the library will host a forum presented by Eversource Energy (formerly known as Northeast Utilities). Learn how they prepare for storms and power outages, as well as the day-to-day functions of the utility company.

Light refreshments.

Wednesday, March 4

Learn to juggle

Join us as we learn how to juggle Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m.

For a half hour before our “Get Board at the Library” family games night, Chris Parker will offer instruction in the art of simple juggling. All ages are welTeens in grades six to 12 can come to this event.

Thursday, March 5 celebrate Teen Tech Week MonPlanning and Zoning Commission day to Friday, March 9 to 13. On Get Board at the Library 7:30 p.m.....................................................Shepardson, Auditorium Tuesday, March 10, at 4 p.m., New at the library is a family make “Geek Chic Accessories” board game night, “Get Board at using recycled computer key- the Library.” It will be held once March 8 to 14 board parts. On Thursday, March a month starting Thursday, 12, make “Geek Treats” using March 19, at 6:30 p.m. Bring your Monday, March 9 cookie cutters printed on the 3D favorite board game, or come to printer! Also, stop by the Teen learn a new one. You are welPolice Commission 6 p.m...................................................Town Hall Conference Room Desk each day to enter our daily come to bring card games, dice raffle. games and board games to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Tuesday, March 10 Beyond the book Light refreshments.

Library Board of Directors features Alan Bradley 3 p.m.......................................................Middlebury Public Library Spring centerpiece Wednesday, March 11, at 1 Democratic Town Committee p.m., we will look at Canadian Children in grades K and 7:30 p.m......................................................... Shepardson, Room 27 author Alan Bradley and his de- higher are invited to create a Republican Town Committee lightful creation, “Flavia de beautiful spring centerpiece for 7:30 p.m......................................................... Shepardson, Room 26 Luce.” We will go “beyond the their table Friday, March 20, at 4 book” and discuss snack foods p.m. They will be given the maWednesday, March 11 found in Canada and not in the terials needed to create a small United States, as well as foods nest and then decorate it with Board of Finance 7 p.m.............................................................. Shepardson, Room 26 banned in each country. Snacks eggs, flowers and handmade carwill include items familiar in rots. Space is limited.

Canada, as the newest book of The Middlebury Public LiThursday, March 12 the series is based there. Join us brary is at 30 Crest Road. The Parks and Recreation in the café to sample something telephone number is 203-7587 p.m................................................................ Shepardson, Room 1 different and join the discussion 2634, and the website is middleabout snacks and banned food. burypubliclibrary.org.

Calendar dates/times are subject to change.

If your organization would like your event included in the community calendar, please email the information to beeintelligencer@gmail.com.

Book Review “Downton Abbey: Rules for Household Staff” Introduction by Mr. Carson (St. Martin’s Press, $14.99) Reviewed by Larry Cox Without a doubt, “Downton Abbey” has become one of the most popular series on public television. First appearing in the United Kingdom in 2010, the series made its American debut on PBS the following year and became an immediate hit. Season five is now under way.

Much like “Upstairs, Downstairs,” the plot focuses on an aristocratic family and its staff.

Set at a fictional estate in Yorkshire, the day-to-day life of the Crawley family unfolds during the early years of the past century.

What makes “Downton Abbey” so fascinating is its attention to detail. The various duties of staff members such as the footman, lady’s maid, housekeeper and groundsman and what each is expected to accomplish with “effortless dignity, finesse and pride,” are detailed. These tasks include how to set a proper table, put together a proper tea tray and even how to leave a room quietly in order to be as unobtrusive as possible.

This little handbook provides guidelines for the staff so the estate will function flawlessly.

From the cleaning and storing of fine silver to the preparations for hosting Their Majesties the King and Queen or other members of the Royal Family, this little guide provides an inside glimpse of the intricate workings of a grand estate in Britain a century ago.

Although there is no actual “Downton Abbey,” this guide is based on authentic manuals from the period. The hierarchy of Lord and Lady Grantham’s staff underscores the necessity of order and organization to ensure that the running of such a large estate goes as smoothly as possible.

This is a fun guide and documents almost every aspect of working downstairs in a grand estate during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. (c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Quest for the Eastern Cougar,” Tuesday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service declared cougars officially extinct in this area in 2011, but a 140-pound cougar was purportedly killed in Milford, Conn., that year, and additional reports still come to authorities. Tougias will discuss the history, folklore and controversy over recent sightings and include images from his study. His book will be available for purchase, and there will be free cougar information for patrons to take with them. The program is free and open to all, but please register to ensure seating.

Anti-Heroes TV Club Wednesday, March 11, at 6:30 p.m., join the “Mad Men” final season launch party as we celebrate the April return of “Mad Men” for its final season. We will share our burning questions, air key clips and discuss our favorite past episodes at this swanky affair. Dress as a Mad Men character and bring 1960s-themed accessories. Free and open to all (unless you’re from a rival ad agency), but please register by calling 203-729-4591 to ensure enough refreshments.

Vote for the library The Ion Bank Community Awards online program will run through March 31, 2015. The Whittemore Library asks bank patrons to vote for the library when supporting this generous program. To vote, please go to www.ionbank.com.

The Howard Whittemore Memorial Library is at 243 Church St. in Naugatuck. For information, call 203-729-4591 or visit whittemorelibrary.org.

Naugatuck

Southbury

Cougars in Connecticut: Myth or Reality?

Jolly Beggars’ Celtic music

Join us for a presentation by Saturday, March 7, from 1 to 3 Robert Tougias, author of “The p.m. in the Kingsley Room, patrons

can enjoy the musical stylings of The Jolly Beggars, a five-piece acoustic Celtic music band playing bass, guitar, mandolin, penny whistle and bodhran (a type of Irish frame drum). Their traditional songs and musical arrangements incorporate Irish folklore into the lyrics, and their reels and jigs are sure to get your toe tapping.

The program sponsor is the Friends of the Southbury Public Library Music Fund, and the Friends also will provide refreshments. Registration is required, so please call 203-262-0626, ext. 130, or stop by the Reference Desk.

World War II lecture series The Tuesday, March 10, lecture from 2 to 4 p.m. will be “The Great Patriotic War.” In the greatest land war in history, the land campaign for the entire Second World War was decided in the limitless expanse of Russia, not in the Pacific, North Africa, Sicily, Italy or France.

Even after the Normandy invasion, France was a secondary front.

The Tuesday, March 17, lecture from 2 to 4 p.m. will be “Victory over Europe (V-E Day).” This presentation will cover the last two years of the war in Europe that led up to the collapse of the Third Reich.

The Tuesday, March 24, lecture from 2 to 4 p.m. will be “The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” This presentation will explain the bombing of Hiroshima, why the bombs were used, the political situation in August 1945 and the defenses of Japan in preparation for the invasion of the Home Islands.

The Tuesday, March 31, lecture from 2 to 4 p.m. will be “Victory over Japan (V-J Day).” This talk will explain the final chapter of the war in the Pacific and its aftermath.

Lecturer Mark Albertson is the historical research editor at Army Aviation Magazine and has been a long-time member of the U.S.

– See Libraries on page 7

Library Lines

F

It’s snowing, so it must be Monday

ebruary was quite the month for snow this year – especially on Mondays. It was a good time to get caught up on that pile of books designated as “saving for a snowy day,” or try a new recipe, or clean out the junk drawer, treat yourself to a “Downton Abbey” marathon, or procrastinate doing anything other than shoveling the driveway again. On another quiet Monday with few patrons visiting the library, it was a great time to catch up on tasks we sometimes can’t find time to do – such as writing this column. I really like snowy Mondays!

“The Nightingale” (HAN) by Kristin Hannah is focused on the little-written-about subject of women in World War II. Centered on the lives of two sisters, Hannah writes of their struggles in German-occupied France.

Isabelle and Vianne are experiencing the war in vastly different ways: Isabelle is the “Nightingale” helping to create safe routes to return downed airmen home, while her sister fights the war in Paris with her young daughter and is a “nightingale” in her own way. This well-written book will keep you reading ’til the wee hours.

If you have read “The Red Tent” by Anita Diamant, you are already a fan. Her newest book is “The Boston Girl” (DIA). It offers a rich historical view of a young Jewish woman newly arrived in Boston in the 1900s.

Written as a flashback, the book introduces Addie Baum as an elderly woman telling her life’s story to her young grand-daughter. Feisty young Addie is drawn into a new world of women’s rights and education where her parents are completely lost – sound familiar? Some things really never do change.

So many of our favorite authors are publishing early this year. Anne Tyler has just released “A Spool of Blue Thread” (TYL).

I opened it just to skim and get a flavor for the story and had to tear myself away after 15 pages.

What a gift to draw you into a story with just a few lines of print!

Abby and Red receive a latenight phone call from one of their four children, and instantly we are involved in this multigenerational tale of family. Rats! I flipped to another part of the book farther on and was lost again for five pages! The writing is so beautiful and people so real.

Another new book by a favorite author is “The Country of Ice Cream Star” (NEW) by Sandra Newman. I am a sucker for a post-apocalyptic tale ever since reading Neville Shute’s version of a doomed world in “On the Beach” years ago. Newman creates a world composed of only children – everyone dies of a “plague” when they reach the age of 20. When Ice’s brother starts to show signs of the disease, she sets out to find a cure.

We can easily translate the language imagined by the author – “drowning in an icen pond,” for example, is such a graphic description that it is effortlessly simply to follow the story.

Mike Huckabee asks many questions in his new book, “God, Guns, Grits and Gravy” (973 HUC). It’s “Bubba-ville versus “Bubble-ville” – the place where most people live versus the big power centers according to Huckabee. What do aging hippies think of today’s world? Are there limits on which combinations of relationships are allowed and which are not? These ques-

tions and many others will certainly stimulate a conversation.

Jeff Hobbs was Robert Peace’s roommate at Yale and Hobbs then wrote a book about Peace’s totally divided life, “The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace” (B Peace, Robert HOB). Robert Peace was a brilliant young man who won a full scholarship to Yale and majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. He maintained his street ties while a student, never allowing one life to flow into the other. When he graduated and returned home to teach in the high school he had attended, he also became part of the drug trade and was killed when he was 30. That is the short story, but you should read the meat on the bones. Such a tragic end to such a bright man.

“The Wild Truth” by Carine McCandless (979.58 CAN) is the behind-the-movie account of Chris McCandless written by his sister, Carine McCandless. The movie “Into the Wild” is based on the deliberate disappearance into the wilds of Alaska by Chris, who left all comforts and cash behind. His decomposing body was found months later. Carine writes about why Chris wanted to disappear and how she and her half-siblings have come to terms with the outcome. The idyllic wealthy family face was certainly very different behind closed doors.

Finally we have, “Eating Dangerously: Why the Government Can’t Keep Your Food Safe … and How You Can” (615.945 BOO) by Michael Booth and Jennifer Brown. While researching the book, the authors admitted to becoming obsessive about food and the contents of their refrigerators. Then common sense took over, and they kept the routines that were essential to their family’s health and stopped the excessive practices. I will now eat only cooked spinach, faithfully use my one tablespoon of bleach in one gallon of water mixture on counter tops, and put my cutting board in the dishwasher, I hope.

Middlebury Public Library Adult Services Librarian Donna Hine writes Library Lines once a month. If you have a topic you’d like her to cover, contact her at the library at 203-758-2634.

The Bee-Intelligencer

March 2015

Benefit to feature evening of dance The snow may be several feet deep right now, but Brass City Ballet (BCB) is gearing up for its annual Spring Gala on Saturday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Naugatuck Valley Community College at 750 Chase Parkway in Waterbury. The performance will feature a mixed repertoire of modern and ballet works, with the highlight this year being BCB’s original “Alice in Wonderland.”

The Mad Hatter’s Champagne Party following the performance will include a jazz

band and silent auction. Proceeds from the evening’s benefit will go towards the Margery Hall Fisk Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to young dance talent. “‘Alice in Wonderland’ is a quirky story and a fun ballet,” said BCB Artistic Director Elizabeth Fisk Barisser. “We have some amazing young dance talent in our cast and, at the same time, some very funny community actors. The music has been fun, too. I like to mix it up when I choreograph story ballets, and this one is no exception. I’ve included classical, hiphop and new age, so there’s something for everyone.”

Advance tickets are $25 for the performance, $30 at the door. The Mad Hatter’s Champagne Party is $25 in advance, $30 at the door. A special Kids’ Party for children of parents attending the Mad Hatters Party will be held at the same time. The Kids’ Party is $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Tickets can be purchased at www.tututix.

Celia Torrey of Southbury dances the role of Alice in the BCB’s com or by calling 1-855-222-2849. original “Alice in Wonderland.”

Top to bottom, Alice (Celia Torrey of Southbury) is joined by Pansies Ellie Gardner of Middlebury and Rebecca Anderson of Southbury. They will dance the roles at the BCB Spring Gala March 21.

(Paulina Pietrorazio photos)

Seniors: No sharing health information How do seniors feel about sharing their health information? A poll dealing with health-data privacy conducted last fall by Truven Health Analytics, in conjunction with National Public Radio, has the answer. Researchers wanted to know how people of different niors hadn’t been notified that ages felt about having their their medical records had been health-care data shared with othcompromised.) ers, such as health plans, employFast-forward to January 2015, ers and even their own doctors. and a few things have changed: Here are some of the results, • Seniors who rejected sharing which varied widely by age: information anonymously with • Asked if they had any concerns researchers jumped to 56 perabout health-care record pricent from 39 percent. vacy, it was the middle group • When it came to sharing infor(age 35 to 64) that expressed the mation for specific reasons, most concern. Seniors were the such as developing new treatleast concerned of all. ments and reducing costs of • When it came to being willing to share information with researchers (if the information was anonymous), 39 percent of seniors said “no.” Ditto sharing credit-card purchases and social-media information if it would improve overall health.

Seniors said “no” at 84 percent.

(At that point, 98 percent of se-

care, seniors were the age group least likely to be willing to share.

The same results were seen when seniors were asked about anonymously providing information to researchers, university professors, drug researchers and consultants: The answer was an overwhelming “no.”

Why the change of opinion?

The answer is likely security. By mid-2014, we’d had nearly 400 security breaches, some of them huge. By the end of 2014 there were 783 security breaches, many of which made the news.

When it comes to safeguarding health information, seniors are paying attention.

Matilda Charles regrets she can-

Senior center events are listed at

www.bee-news.com

not personally answer reader questions, but she will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.

3

New column focuses on helping parents Greetings to all! Welcome to “School Daze” by Mrs. M. Every month I will share information with you, parents of school-age children, on a variety of topics.

These topics will help you understand current trends in education, how you can help your child at home, and what your child can do in school to be a successful student.

We’ve all heard about “Common Core.” I will expand on what that means and how it relates to your child’s education. Remember the comment, “It’s NEW math?” Well, it really is new math, and most parents are struggling with how it works. I will explain that as well and how you can tackle it. Have you been told your child’s reading ability is poor? I will suggest strategies you can use to help your child master reading comprehension.

As an educator, my intention is simply to create well-informed parents and provide support as you guide your child through the educational process.

As an educator for the past 16 years, the single most important factor I have witnessed in the classroom is the partnership established between parent and teacher. That partnership is the sound foundation that will be the prominent factor in a child’s per-

School Daze by Mrs. M.

formance. When parents and teachers work together, children succeed. It’s about as simple as that. So, to that end, I will be sharing tips, sound research practices, and, of course, a bit of humor as I experience my world as an educator. Kids say the darnedest things!

I hope you will follow me each month as I reach out to you in the hopes that you will have the tools necessary to make your child the best he or she can be.

One of my favorite quotes is, “Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch.” I hope to pull a few switches! Until next month, if you have any comments, you may email me at fmull04@gmail.com.

Mrs. M. (Fran Mullen) is an educator in the Waterbury School District.

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The Bee-Intelligencer

4

March 2015

Bee Intelligencer

in•tel•li•gencer: n. One who conveys news or information The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.

Issued by: The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society LLC Bee-Intelligencer Staff: Editor-In-Chief/Publisher: Marjorie Needham Contributing Writers: Mary Conseur, Terrence S. McAuliffe Art & Production: Mario J. Recupido - Submit press releases in person, by mail or email The Bee-Intelligencer welcomes news, press releases and advertising from all surrounding communities Editorial Office: 2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1, Middlebury, CT 06762 Direct mail to P.O. Box 10.

Telephone: 203-577-6800 • Email: beeintelligencer@gmail.com Advertising Information: Telephone: 203-577-6800 • Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com Deadlines: Display Advertising: 5 p.m.

Friday preceding publication Classified Advertising: 5 p.m.

Monday preceding publication Editorial/Press Releases: Noon Monday preceding publication Copyright © 2015 by The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Letters to the Editor Power plant a benefit to all

diligence and approved it previously. The EPA’s environmental mandates, criteria, operational residual effects, etc., all based on previous natural gas construction sites, which established thresholds, baselines and parameters, solve the problem and protect the public. This autocratic, bureaucratic federal agency is the “supreme court” of environmental concerns.

If our state and federal agencies sanction this power plant, it’s a done deal. Sit back, relax, do what you always do, hope your electric bill shrinks, etc., because your anxieties have been deemed invalid. Let the siting council and the EPA make a decision that’s an energy solution and benefit to all of us.

Frank Pellegrini Southbury Jan. 28, 2015

posed CPV Towantic Energy gas/ oil power plant provided Oxford, Middlebury, Southbury and Naugatuck residents the opportunity to express their views. The To the Editor: vast majority of speakers spoke There’s a constant flow of negemotionally of their objections ative letters regarding the proon topics such as air and water posed Oxford power plant. They pollution, health concerns, water hit all the bases, i.e., negative real supply, airport safety, fossil fuel estate value, threat to aircraft, use, reduced quality of life, depurging the water supply, envicreased property values, mainronmental impact, etc. Isn’t this taining the rural character and old news? All of these anticipated charm, traffic congestion, visinegatives existed when the origbility and noise concerns, etc. inal power plant project was apAlso the loud but orderly approved years ago. Let’s discuss plause that followed many of this without a personal agenda. these speakers clearly showed Do we have an energy producoverwhelming public opinion tion problem? Yes. Do we now that the Oxford site is not suited pay one of the highest energy for one of the largest (785-megabills in the country? Yes. Will the watts) power plants in Connectilocation provide the space, water, cut. topography, labor force, etc., to The CSC deliberation process support the project? Yes. Did the continues with evidentiary hearstate agencies and the EPA sancings involving CPV and all of the tion this project? Yes. preapproved parties and interSo, what’s the problem? The venors culminating in a CSC negative reaction is personal, decision at the end of the hearemotional, one-dimensional and ings. Public participation in this unsubstantiated. So, what’s the is still a vital part of the process. obvious? It will generate jobs Case in point, in Walpole, both during and after construcTo the Editor: Mass., in 2008, CPV dropped its tion. It will reduce the necessity The Connecticut Siting Coun- plan to locate a 580-megawatt of importing energy from Canada ($1 million per day). The state cil (CSC) public meeting on Jan. power plant in part because of a agencies have already done due 15 in Oxford concerning the pro- year of public opposition. Braith Kelley, CPV vice president, speaking of the community lack of acceptance, stated, “We are not going to the state because we are not going to shove this project down people’s throats.”

Middlebury Road (Opposite the Shell Station) It cannot be stressed enough how important your worries and Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily concerns are to the CSC deciAnthony Calabrese 203-758-2765 sion-making process. Please take a moment and view www.StopTowanticPower.com and learn how easy it is to send simple letters to the CSC and your elected representatives on many different topics. Every single letter is vitally important to help stop this power plant!

Jerry Fogel Oxford Feb. 5, 2015

Public input vital to power plant defeat

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Power plant should not be built To the Editor: A dirty-fuel energy “start-up” plant is obsolete in the 21st century. Methane is a dirty fossil fuel that generates carbon dioxide (CO2). It adds to climate change, including global warming. The global effects are devastating and scary.

Using fossil fuel is like driving off a cliff because of leaking methane that threatens our communities. Are we going to wear pollution masks when plumes of soot particulates from the CPV energy plant are sent into residential areas, walking trails, fields, recreational areas, schools, playgrounds and wooded areas? Are you going to let our lives and our children’s lives be discounted?

There is a 100-percent guarantee there will be leakage at the CPV energy plant. Methane is a highly energy-intensive fuel source. Methane pollution will be emitted as the result of leakage at valve points, losses during transportation and emissions from plumes.

Emissions produce ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter in the form of microscopic solids or liquids into the atmosphere. When it rains down as precipitation, it will affect human health. People with respiratory problems like asthma, COPD, bronchitis, emphysema and lung ailments will suffer and their quality of life will be threatened. Airborne soot particulates are the deadliest form of air pollution. They penetrate deep into lungs and blood, causing DNA mutations, heart attacks, lung cancers and premature death.

This gas is a dirty fuel. It is a bad and irresponsible source of energy to use in the 21st century.

The CPV energy plant is and will be a burden to families, commu-

nities and their economy. This energy plant should not be built.

Connecticut’s dependency on the burning of dirty fossil fuels needs to change. We need clean and renewable energy like solar power, wind power, geothermal heat and biomass that do not emit CO2, particulate matter or nitrogen oxide into the air, causing global warming and health disorders. We need to improve the quality of life for people living in Naugatuck, Middlebury, Oxford, Southbury, Beacon Falls and Woodbury by using sustainable energy.

These alternative, sustainable, renewable, clean energy sources can help to boost Connecticut’s national image on this front. Connecticut could be the frontrunner for sustainable alternative energy. Connecticut should be looking for ways to discourage an increase in poisonous fuel emissions from the CPV energy plant and swing over to zero-carbon sources of energy like solar, hydro, wind, geothermal heat and biomass.

Renewable, alternative, clean energy sources would help boost Connecticut’s national image on this front.

Support Connecticut’s pledge for a 20/20 plan – 20 percent renewables by the year 2020.

Thank you.

Christine Yannielli Naugatuck Feb. 9, 2015

Power plant savings less than $35 a year

$34.12 a year! For that savings in our electric bill, CPV will put thousands of us near this plant at risk.

Andrew Bazinet, director of development at CPV, has said that on its own, Connecticut has a surplus of electricity capacity. So, as CPV has admitted, supplying power to other states in this region, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, is going to save those within a 10-mile radius of this plant $34.12 yearly. $34.12 a year! If you support this plant to save on your electric bill, as some have written, is it worth it? That’s almost a tank of gas once a year. One trip a year to the movies with popcorn and soda.

Is $34.12 a year worth your and your families’ health? Is it worth polluting our environment? Is it worth the ecological damage that it will create? Is it worth the reputation of this area as being quaint and rural? Is it worth the risk to air traffic safety? Is it worth having this huge plant and its emissions dominate our landscape? Is it worth the risk of our homes being devalued? Is it worth the risk getting labeled as a heavily industrialized area?

I’ll give CPV $34.12 just to go away!

Peter Bunzl Oxford Feb. 16, 2015

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor may be mailed to the Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 or To the Editor: According to an exhibit re- emailed to beeintelligencer cently submitted to the Connecti- @gmail.com.

Letters will be run as space percut Siting Council by Competitive mits. Please limit letters to 500 Power Ventures, $34.12 a year off words, avoid personal attacks, and of our electric bills will be what understand letters will be edited. For Connecticut residents will receive verification purposes, please include as a savings if the proposed CPV your name, street address and dayTowantic Energy Center is built. time telephone number.

LPOS elects Pietrorazio its chairman

By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE

Trust & Dignity

The Middlebury Land Preservation and Open Space Acquisition Committee (LPOS) elected Ray Pietrorazio its chairman and Ted Mannello its vice-chairman in a unanimous voice vote at its Feb. 4 meeting after former chairman John Cookson announced he would not seek to continue as chairman. Members also discussed several ongoing Fenn Farm maintenance projects.

In Fenn Farm structural masonry work, Pietrorazio said he finally received a third written proposal to repair the collapsing horse barn walls, a topic discussed at many 2014 meetings. According to those discussions, the west wall needed to be supported by jacks so loose stones and dirt could be removed and the stones cemented back in place, a repair likely to cost less than $5,000 and thus not requiring competitive bidding. Pietrorazio had two quotes as of November but had been unable to get one more. Cookson instructed Pietrorazio to prepare a masonry specification package for

member review at the March meeting.

In Fenn Farm roof repairs, Pietrorazio said he had prepared a specification package for cow barn re-roofing for member review using information from two vendor quotations. Pietrorazio took on the job Nov. 5 when members agreed the work, expected to cost more than $5,000, was not sufficiently urgent to bypass the town’s bidding process, but still needed to be done quickly so repairs could start before the more expensive spring busy season. He said the specifications would ultimately be incorporated into a formal bid package to be published by the town.

During discussion, members questioned sheathing thickness, use of existing support planking, the warranty of roofing materials, whether specific brand names should appear in the package and also whether town- or vendor-supplied dumpsters were to be used for waste disposal. Pietrorazio said he would discuss the package with Public Works Director Dan Norton before bringing it to First Select-

man Ed St. John and then to Building Inspector Ollie Leduc and Town Engineer John Calabrese.

On the topic of Fenn Farm asbestos removal from furnace pipes in the farm house basement, Cookson said he had discussed the matter of unwrapped pipe elbows with Public Works Director Dan Norton and was told Norton would check with BriCo, the contractor performing the work. At the Jan. 7 meeting Cookson said Norton had spoken to BriCo and was told elbows did not radiate enough heat to justify the additional expense of wrapping. Pietrorazio said the Department of Energy required all the pipes, including elbows, to be insulated to an R-value of R-3 and Cookson agreed to follow up.

Cookson said he asked owner Rob Fenn to count the number of elbows needing to be wrapped.

In electrical repairs, Cookson said Mark Electric of Middlebury was ready to go with all the necessary parts ordered, but was waiting on CL&P because of the weather, adding the Mark Electric work needed to start from outside to inside. The repairs will upgrade

old and brittle wiring from the service entrance into the farmhouse, increasing electrical service to 200 amps from 60, connecting to a manual backup generator transfer switch. The work had been projected for completion in January if weather cooperated.

In procedural matters, recording clerk Tracy Graziano told Pietrorazio the Dec. 3 minutes had not been amended to include his comments on election of officers made at that meeting. She told him the January minutes included his comments on that matter, but said rules of minutes-keeping did not allow her to change minutes already recorded with the Town Clerk.

Editor’s Note: Town Clerk Edith Salisbury said changes in minutes usually are made as an amendment when the minutes come up for approval at the next meeting. The amendments then appear in the minutes of the meeting at which they were made.

The next regular LPOS meeting will be Wednesday, March 4, at 6 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.

The Bee-Intelligencer

March 2015

Obituaries Ralph Frederick Gilnack Jr.

Husband of Janet (Johnson) Gilnack Ralph Frederick Gilnack Jr., 81, of Middlebury passed away Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015. He was the husband of Janet (Johnson) Gilnack and the late Irene (Elley) Gilnack.

Mr. Gilnack was born June 19, 1933, in Waterbury, the son of the late Ralph F. and Bertha (Wiggglesworth) Gilnack Doolittle. He was a 1951 graduate of Naugatuck High School, where he was on the school rifle team and football team. He continued his education at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Miami, Fla. He served his country during the Korean War in the U.S. Air Force as a staff sergeant in the 773 Aircraft Control and Warning Squad Division, 26th Air Division stationed at Montauk Point, Long Island. He was employed for many years at the Bristol Co. and Waterbury Farrell. He was a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Middlebury since 1958.

Mr. Gilnack was a member of the Shepard-Salem Lodge No. 78 A.F. and A.M., where he received his 50-year pin and assisted with DeMolay, a program preparing young men to lead happy and productive lives. He was cofounder of the Middlebury Rifle Club, which he ran for over 32 years, teaching instructional small-bore to teenagers.

He was a high master in highpower rifle shooting.

In his retirement years, Ralph enjoyed traveling with his wife Janet to Florida and England.

They also enjoyed motoring through New England in his MG TD sports car with their NYCONN MG Club friends. Ralph’s favorite home away from home was his cottage in the village of Popham Beach, Maine, where he spent many happy summers.

Besides his wife of 14 years, Mr. Gilnack is survived by his children, Ralph F. Gilnack III and his wife, Debby, of Naugatuck; Barbara Fecteau and her husband, Paul, of Middlebury; Mary-Jane Erickson and her husband, Shane, of Naugatuck; Jim Gilnack and his wife, Jaime, of Bethlehem; his stepchildren, Mark Johnson and his wife, Penney, of Massachusetts and Erica Johnson of Oregon; his grand-

children Dan and Amanda Gilnack, Michael and Kevin Fecteau, and Jennifer and Tyler Erickson.

The family wishes to thank the Middlebury Fire Department, VNA of Watertown and Hospice of Waterbury (Hartford Health Care) for their outstanding care and compassion during Mr. Gilnack’s illness.

Funeral services were held Feb. 19 at St. George’s Episcopal Church on Tucker Hill Road and Route 188 in Middlebury. Burial will be held in the spring at Lake Elise Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. George’s Episcopal Church, Tucker Hill Road, Middlebury, CT 06762 or the American Cancer Society, 825 Brook St., Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

Arrangements were by the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Naugatuck. For online condolences, or to share a story or a photo, please visit www.fordfh. com.

Dominick A. “Nick” Rado Uniroyal retiree

Dominick A. “Nick” Rado of Naugatuck, 90, passed away peacefully at Waterbury Hospital Saturday, Feb. 7. Mr. Rado was born in Naugatuck, Conn., Sept. 14, 1924, the son of the late Charles and Josephine (Salinardi) Rado. A lifelong resident of Naugatuck, he retired from Uniroyal Inc. after 37 years of service. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Dominick is survived by his daughter, Linda M. Whitney of Lake Oswego, Oregon; his two grandchildren, Brooks Almquist and Trevor J. Whitney; his three great-grandchildren, Ava B. Almquist and Ashley B. Almquist,and Tre D. Whitney; his sister, Jeanette Vollone of Stamford; several nieces and nephews, including Ralph and Rosemary Guiliano; and his caregiver and special friend, Trisha Andrews.

His funeral was Feb. 14 at the Naugatuck Valley Memorial/ Fitzgerald-Zembruski Funeral Home in Naugatuck. To send an online condolence, please visit www.naugatuckvalleymemorial.com.

Jessie (Pelosi) Tamburini

to unload them for something more economical.

On the other hand, if you’re ww shopping for a midsize or compact car, expect to see prices fall because of the availability.

Consumer money guru Clark Howard (www.clarkhoward.com) is now willing to consider buying new instead of used. Loan terms on new cars are better, and consumers end up paying less because the cost of the loan is so much less. New SUVs aren’t a good deal now because of the falling gas prices. People are once again willing to buy gas guzzlers, cutting the supply and leaving the fuel-efficient vehicles on the lot. If you buy something no one else wants, you can save considerable cash.

EIDC approves gas station, continues work on guide

Loving mother, grandmother

By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE the historic Whittemore build- soon as approvals were in place, and great-grandmother Jessie (Pelosi) Tamburini, 94, of Middlebury passed away Feb. 11 at Waterbury Hospital under VITAS Innovative Hospice Care surrounded by her loving family. She was the widow of Gino Tamburini.

Jessie was born in Waterbury Jan. 6, 1921, a daughter of the late Anthony and Louise (Regis) Pelosi. She graduated from Hendricken School. She worked briefly as a seamstress at Dibner’s Dress shop before marrying and becoming a proud homemaker. She was an avid golfer and played at both Prospect Country Club and Watertown Country Club. She loved to travel, especially in the winter months. Jessie was an outstanding cook and enjoyed cooking for family and friends. She was a loving grandmother who loved designing and making clothes for every one of her grandchildren. She also enjoyed knitting. She was a communicant of St. John of the Cross Church in Middlebury.

She leaves a son, Richard G. Tamburini Sr. and his wife, Lila “Susan,” of Middlebury; a sister, Jayne Viarengo and her husband, Carl, of Waterbury; four grandchildren: Lisa Coleman and her husband, George, of Naugatuck; Richard Tamburini Jr. and his wife, Wendy, of South Carolina; Michelle Shea and her husband, Kyle, of Middlebury; and Theresa Santoro and her husband, Aaron, of North Carolina; seven greatgrandchildren: Korin, Halie, Troy, Michael, Leah, Anthony and Sophia; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by three sisters, Marie Varanelli, Connie Gugliotti and Florence Misurelli.

The Mass of Christian Burial was Feb. 14 at St. John of the Cross Church in Middlebury. Burial was to follow in Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Jessie’s memory to VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, 199 Park Road Ext., Suite 102, Middlebury, CT 06762 or St. John of the Cross Church, 1089 Whittemore Road, Middlebury, CT 06762.

Arrangements were by Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home. For more information or to send e-condolences, visit www.chaseparkwaymemorial.com.

Bargains to be had on new, used cars Not only have gasoline prices been falling; the prices for cars that use that gas are predicted to fall as well. So says the NADA Used Car Guide in its 2015 market forecast.

The availability of late-model used cars is predicted to rise by 8 percent, which means consumers are out there shopping for new vehicles and leaving those used cars behind.

The availability of luxury compact utility vehicles will see the biggest increase, at 33 percent, followed by subcompacts at 24 percent. Large cars, on the other hand, will see the biggest drop in availability, at 14 percent, followed by midsize pickups and large SUVs. This means that if you’re in the market for a big SUV, you’ll still pay a high price for it because there just won’t be as many of them around. With the price of gas falling, those who own big vehicles are no longer in a hurry

5

If you prefer to stick with a used vehicle, consider these steps before you buy. Get your financing first, and know what you can spend. Check Edmunds. com or NADA.com and get an idea of the value of your preferred vehicle. Check Carfax.com to be sure the vehicle you want isn’t on a previous crash list. Get the vehicle independently inspected.

Bottom line: There are deals to be had. Save by buying a used vehicle in the category of too much supply and not enough demand, or save by buying a new vehicle in the category of vehicles no one wants and take advantage of better finance terms.

As always, do your homework.

David Uffington regrets he cannot personally answer reader questions, but he will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com. (c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

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I am an individual, who is part of a family and that is part of our community. I want my funeral to reflect that.

We know the things that are important to the families we serve. After all, they’re the same values that guide our business... family, community, and personal service. To learn more about how we can help you and your family create a meaningful funeral, please contact us.

The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission at its Feb. 24 meeting unanimously approved architectural renderings and site plans for a new gas station to replace the Shell station on Middlebury Road. It also continued work on the long-promised Commercial Development Guidebook.

Plans for demolition of the Shell Station on 520 Middlebury Road and construction of a larger combined gas station and convenience store on that property and the adjacent lots formerly occupied by Vinnie’s Pizza and Johnny’s Dairy Bar were explained by Jack Starr, project manager for Wesson Energy, owner of all the properties, and attorney Michael McVerry, who represented the company.

Starr showed commissioners two renderings of the new station, which he said was designed to follow the Colonial themes of

ings around Lake Quassapaug and the former Center School, now home to the Middlebury Historical Society on the town green. He said the siding would be of red cedar appearance and the roof gray asphalt shingles, incorporating the eyebrow dormers of the Whittemore mansion and a cupola similar to the one on Shepardson Community Center.

The proposed building is a 3,275-square-foot gas station and convenience store, with an expanded canopy and five doublesided gasoline pumps. The current building is 1,600-squarefeet with four gas pumps. McVerry said a set-back variance for the canopy approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals in October was necessary due to unique 75-foot setback requirements on Routes 63 and 64. He said the new canopy actually would be farther back from the road than the current canopy. Starr said construction would begin as

and the old station would be razed when the new one was completed. He pointed out a drive-through window on the side of the store for picking up groceries, noting the need for Planning and Zoning (P&Z) approval for this feature, which he said would be helpful for customers with children in the car wanting to purchase bread and milk. A public hearing for the project will be held at the March 5 P&Z meeting.

A fourth draft of the commercial development guidebook, now 19 pages in length, was reviewed by members with plans to incorporate maps of the commercial districts and a comparison chart of Middlebury’s Tax Incentive program versus the Oxford Airport Enterprise Zone, since many businesses could qualify under both plans.

The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.

The Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) and your tax return On your 2014 tax return, for the first time, you will see the implications of The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The degree to which you may be affected depends on your specific situation.

First of all, if you have health insurance through your employer, in most cases you will just check off a box indicating you have coverage. That is all you have to do, and there are no further implications.

Second, if you did not have “minimum essential coverage” for the entire year but satisfy one of the almost 20 exemptions, then you have to indicate which exemption you qualify for on Form 8965 and you are done.

On the other hand, if you did not have the “minimum essential coverage” throughout 2014 and do not meet any of the exemptions, you will owe a penalty (in government language, your “shared responsibility payment”). That penalty can range from as low as $95 up to almost 1 percent of your income. This penalty will show up on line 61 of your Form 1040.

The final issue to be considered is the Premium Tax Credit (PTC). If you obtained health insurance on one of the exchanges (e.g., Access Health CT), at the time of sign-up you were given an option of either paying the full monthly premiums dur-

Diversified Tax Tidbits

By MARK A. BURNS

ing the year, or seeing if you qualified for a “subsidy” (i.e., reduced monthly premiums) based on your income. So, if you wanted the reduced monthly premiums (which most people preferred), then you provided an estimate of your 2014 income and a calculation was done to see if you were eligible for such a reduction.

However, those calculations were based on estimated income. Now you must include Form 8962 with your 2014 tax return to reflect the final numbers. If your actual income ended up being higher than your estimate, there could be an unfavorable adjustment on your tax return, and you could either owe some additional taxes for 2014 or get a smaller refund than ex-

pected. On the other hand, if your actual income ended up being lower than estimated, you could have an adjustment in your favor.

Also, if you did not choose to have your monthly premiums reduced for any subsidy, then any PTC for which you are eligible can be claimed fully on your 2014 tax return.

If you obtained your insurance through one of the exchanges, you already should have received Form 1095-A, which will provide the information required to perform the necessary calculations on your tax return.

The above is a very broad discussion of this topic. Make sure you consider all issues on your tax return – whether you prepare your own tax return or if you use a professional tax preparer.

Mark A. Burns, MBA, is a CPA with Diversified Financial Solutions PC in Southbury. He can be reached at 203-264-3131 or Mark@DFSPC.biz.

Need a raincoat?

Check the weather at

www.bee-news.com

Paul Perrotti Legal Defense Fundraiser March 6, 2015 • 6:30 p.m.

VFW Post 201 2205 Baldwin Street Waterbury CT

$30 donation • Food, Raffles and Cash Bar Tickets Available at: Anthony’s Barber and Style Shop 500 Bank Street Waterbury CT 203-756-3588 Perrotti’s Pizza 544 Straits Turnpike Watertown CT 860-274-6878 Donations can be sent to: A. Tedesco PO Box 481 Middlebury CT 06762 Make checks payable to: Paul Perrotti Legal Defense Fund

Thank you for your support.

The Bee-Intelligencer

6

March 2015

The eyes have it effective eye contact with others can significantly increase our persuasiveness. Being able to look people in the eye and hold their gaze can help us develop relationships, land a job, make a moving speech and even intimidate adversaries.

We have probably all heard the old expression, “The eyes are the windows to the soul.” While this may not literally be true, our eyes do reveal a great deal about what we’re really thinking and feeling.

Also, consider all the eye-related maxims used in everyday conversations. We’re wary of “shifty eyes” and afraid of getting the “evil eye.”

We’re attracted to people who have “kind eyes” and eyes that sparkle, glow or twinkle, while we’re usually repelled by those who are “dead behind the eyes.”

When someone is eager and lively, we say they’re “brighteyed,” and when we refer to someone who appears bored, we often

Winning Ways

By Pat Iannuzzi Insights for Constructive Living

describe their eyes as being “glazed over.”

That we give so much weight to the idea that we can tell a lot about another person from what’s in their eyes is due to the fact that even when we try to hide our thoughts and emotions from others, they’re often still subconsciously revealed in our eyes. This explains why poker players often wear sunglasses in order to disguise their reactions to the hands they’re dealt.

The ability to maintain appropriate eye contact with someone is an especially powerful tool for demonstrating active listening.

Breaking our gaze during a conversation can convey that we’re

really not interested in hearing what another person has to say, while maintaining appropriate eye contact demonstrates that we’re tuned in, and that sends the message that we’re also personally interested in them. Effective eye contact provides an important form of personal acknowledgment that is key to developing rapport. Despite the fact that we’re more electronically connected than ever, many people are hungry for face-to-face interactions and for someone to actively listen to them.

While it’s important to maintain eye contact, it can become a bit uncomfortable for the other person if you stare intensely at them. Therefore, try to break eye contact every 5 seconds or so.

Don’t simply look away, as this might indicate disinterest. Instead, look up or to the side as if you are trying to remember something. You may want to use a tech-

Why saturated fats are unhealthy DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a question about hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats.

What is the difference? Nutritionists tell us to look out for partially hydrogenated but never mention the other one. Seems to me both would be bad for you.

– D.D.F. ANSWER: You are quite right.

There are four kinds of fat. Two are healthier – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, and these are found in healthy oils like olive oil and canola oil. Two fats are unhealthy – trans-saturated, also called partially hydrogenated, and saturated, which is fully hydrogenated but isn’t ever really called that.

Trans-saturated fat is not healthy. Food companies make it by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil at high temperature. The chemical bonds are “trans,” which are not normally found in nature. The process makes the fat more solid at room tempera-

ture. It isn’t much of an exaggeration to call trans fat toxic, since even modest amounts increase risk for heart disease from blockage of the arteries. I recommend as little trans fat in the diet as possible – preferably none.

Saturated fat isn’t healthy either, but it isn’t as bad for you as trans fat. There are two major kinds of saturated fat: Those that come from animal products (butter, red meat) and those from tropical sources like palm and coconut. Most experts think tropical saturated fats are not as unhealthy as those found in animal products. Nonetheless, I recommend keeping saturated fat intake low. The American Heart Association recommends less than 16 grams for a person on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.

DEAR DR. ROACH: In your column on atrial fibrillation, you did not address a procedure that can be done to cure the condition rather than taking medica-

tion. Could you discuss this and whether medication would be necessary afterward? – C.G. ANSWER: Atrial fibrillation is a chaotic lack of rhythm in the heart muscle, caused by abnormal electrical impulses. The goal when treating atrial fibrillation is to reduce the risk of stroke and minimize symptoms.

One new approach to treatment is radio-frequency ablation – that is, using radio waves sent through a small tube placed directly into the heart through a

leg or arm vein. The high-powered radio waves can destroy the cells causing the atrial fibrillation, or can isolate those areas from the rest of the heart. A surgeon can do a “maze” procedure to prevent the abnormal impulses from affecting the entire heart.

It isn’t clear yet who benefits most from these kinds of procedures, but early studies have suggested better outcomes and a good chance for cure, although sometimes it takes several procedures. There are potentially serious complications, so it should be done only in centers with extensive experience. It is a good choice for people who experience symptoms and can’t take medications or for whom medicines failed.

READERS: The booklet on heart attacks, America’s No. 1 killer, explains what happens, how they are treated and how they are avoided. Readers can order a

nique called the “triangle,” which involves looking at one of the other person’s eyes for about 5 seconds, looking at the other eye for 5 seconds and then looking at the person’s mouth for 5 seconds and repeating the process. This method, coupled with other listening signals such as nodding, using occasional agreement words such as “yes,” “uh-huh,” “hmm” and so on is a great way to keep the speaker talking and to show him or her that you are interested in what they’re saying.

For an excellent book on the importance of effective eye contact, check out “The Power of Eye Contact” by Michael Ellsberg.

Pat Iannuzzi of Symbiont Performance Group, Inc. is a performance consultant, trainer and coach focusing on selling, presentation and interpersonal skills. He lives in Litchfield and can be reached at 860-283-9963 or piannuzzi@symbiontnet.com.

1. Who was the last Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher before Josh Beckett in 2014 to toss a no-hitter in which he threw 120 or more pitches?

2. Which of the following pitchers had the most career shutouts: Bob Gibson, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry or Nolan Ryan?

3. When was the last time the Detroit Lions beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh?

4. Former college basketball coach Johnny Orr holds the record for most career victories at two schools. Name them.

5. When was the last time before the 2014-15 NHL campaign that the New York Islanders won the first four games of a season?

6. Who was the last American before Mikaela Shiffrin in 2014 to win gold in the Olympic women’s slalom?

7. Between 2011 and 2013, the men’s British Open had three successive champions all 40 copy by writing to Dr. Roach – No. years old or older. Name the 102W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL three golfers.

32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 Answers: U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address.

Please allow four weeks for delivery.

Dr. Roach regrets he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell. edu. To view and order health pamphlets, visit www.rbmamall. com, or write to P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. (c) 2014 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

1. Sandy Koufax threw 138 pitches in no-hitting the New York Mets in 1962.

2. Ryan had 61 shutouts, topping Gibson (56), Palmer (53) and Perry (53).

3. It was 1955.

4. Michigan (209 victories) and Iowa State (218).

5. It was the 2001-02 season.

6. Barbara Cochran, in 1972.

7. Darren Clarke (2011, age 42), Ernie Els (2012, 42) and Phil Mickelson (2013, 43).

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who avoided making eye contact with you?

How did you feel about that interaction? What vibes did you get from the other person?

Chances are you probably didn’t perceive him or her to be very confident, secure or interested in what you had to say. Generally speaking, eye contact in interpersonal communication is associated with self-assurance, believability and interest. Lack of eye contact is often interpreted as a sign of insincerity, insecurity or disinterest.

There’s really no way to take eye contact out of the equation when communicating face to face whether it be with another individual, a group or a large audience. Unlike words, eye contact involves simultaneous communication that is always in play, both when we are speaking and when we are listening. Making

(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

Pomperaug High School Varsity Games March 1 to 14, 2015 Boys’ Basketball

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Thursday, March 5................ SWC Championship (A).................... 7:30 p.m.

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Saturday, March 14.............. CIAC Qualifying (A)........................... 4:30 p.m.

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The Bee-Intelligencer

March 2015

Q:

7

Slow-flowing drain

My bathroom sink drains pretty slowly and fills up at least halfway when I’m brushing my teeth with the water running. I’m not sure if I should use a drain cleaner on it.

What do you recommend? – Sara in Melbourne, Florida

A:

Before taking the draincleaner route, try a couple of other things first. A slow-flowing bathroom sink drain’s problem may be sitting right in front of you, at the bottom of the sink, with the stopper.

Most of today’s standard bathroom sinks use a pop-up sink stopper controlled by a push-pull rod behind and below the sink. The bottom of the stopper is typically attached to a control rod; this ensures that the stopper pops up far enough to (Kathleen Brown-Carrano cartoon) allow a good, steady drain of water and that it seals tightly when you want to fill the sink.

A couple of things can happen to the stopper over time: Hair and soap can get stuck at the bottom of the stopper, where the pivot rod attaches to it, causing a clog or slowdown. Or, the

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Submit ad with your name, address, telephone number and payment to: Mail: Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Office: 2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1 This publication does not knowMORE! Running or Not, Sell ingly accept advertising which is your Car or Truck TODAY. deceptive, fraudulent, or which Free Towing! Instant Offer: might otherwise violate the law 1-800-871-0654 or accepted standards of taste.

However, this publication does Flea Market not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of any advertisement, WOODBURY ANTIQUES & nor the quality of the goods or FLEA MARKET open Satservices advertised. Readers urdays and Sundays yearare cautioned to thoroughly round 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. investigate all claims made in Routes 6 and 64 in Woodany advertisements, and to use bury, Conn. 203-263-6217. good judgment and reasonable care, particularly when dealing For Rent with persons unknown to you who ask for money in advance of delivery of the goods or ser- WARM WEATHER IS YEARvices advertised.

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Instruction LANGUAGE TUTOR: English, French, English as a second language, SAT, PSAT, and TOEFL preparation. Middlebury: 203-758-1888

GERMAN / SPANISH LANGUAGE TUTOR, Middlebury: German native, fluency in German and Spanish, private and group classes for children and adults, conversation, grammar review, exam preparation. 203-598-0854 PIANO LESSONS, Middlebury: Professional, dedicated, experienced; private and group lessons, all ages welcome.

Offering theory and performance exams, solo and ensemble recitals. Contact middleburypianostudio.com or call 203-598-0854 for info and to schedule a trial lesson.

Libraries -

Continued from page 2 Naval Institute. He is an author and professor of history at the Norwalk Community College for the Lifetime Learners Institute. Registration is required. Call 203-2620626, ext. 130, to register. This program is sponsored by the Library Gift Fund.

For more information, call 203-262-0626 or visit www. southburylibrary.org. The library is at 100 Poverty Road in Southbury.

Woodbury Teen Tech Week programs Teens in grades 6 and higher are invited to drop in to the teen department at the library during Teen Tech Week, March 9 to 12,

By Samantha Mazzotta attachment to the pivot rod can break. Even if the stopper still pops up or closes, it may not be doing either very well.

So check your stopper first: grab it from the top with your index finger and thumb and pull gently upward. If it comes out easily, its attachment is likely broken. There’s a great step-bystep guide at instructables (http://www.instructables.com/ id/Fix-a-Sink-Stopper/) on replacing a pop-up stopper.

If the stopper is attached to the pivot rod, you can go ahead and check for a clog at the base.

Dive under the sink and locate the pivot rod. This is a round metal rod jutting horizontally into the back of the drain pipe.

It’s held in place by a nut; loosen this nut and ease out the pivot rod. You may want to have a helper hold onto the stopper from above so that it doesn’t fall

from 3 to 5 p.m. to try out a variety of fun technology innovations.

Reference/Technology Librarian Tom Borysiewicz and Teen Librarian Marla Martin will lead the drop-in programs.

Monday, March 9, drop in and try simple soldering and making paper circuits. Participants can create their own blinky robot or rocket ship and make tiny light-up paper houses using LEDs. Tuesday, March 10, play with a Makey Makey, an invention kit for the 21st century. Makey Makeys turn everyday objects into touch pads and combine them with the Internet. Turn bananas into piano keys, play Tetris with Play doh and more!

Wednesday and Thursday, March 11 and 12, try out an Arduino, a tiny micro-controller, to make LEDs light up and learn the basics of programming and circuit assembly with Tom.

flush into place, making it hard to get out. Once the rod is pulled back, lift out the stopper.

Clean the gunk from the bottom of the stopper; if you see more gunk in the area around where the pivot rod sits, try fishing out the clog using a wire hanger bent into a hook, or an old bottle brush, or feed a pipe snake to the spot and swirl it a couple of times.

Using a helper to position the stopper, move the pivot rod back into place and hand-tighten the nut. Run the water to see if the slow drain problem is fixed, making sure water doesn’t leak from the pivot nut.

Send your questions or home tips to ask@thisisahammer.com. (c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

To de-gunk a slowflow ing drain without drain cleaner, pour a tablespoon of baking soda into the drain followed by two tablespoons of white vinegar; let it sit for a few minutes, then flush with hot water.

Strategies for maximizing Social Security Tuesday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m. in the library gallery, learn little-known strategies that may boost one’s Social Security benefits and substantially enhance lifetime retirement income. Social Security benefits alone will likely be insufficient for an individual or couple to retire comfortably. However, decisions discussed at this workshop offer the potential to improve the standard of living we may look forward to. Please call 203-263-3502 to register.

For more information, call 203-263-3502 or visit www. woodburylibraryct.org. The library is at 269 Main St. S. in Woodbury.

To see more library events, please look online at www.beenews.com.

Fundraiser will feature magician

Monthly SUDOKU

Do the daily crossword puzzle online at www.bee-news.com/puzzles

The Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) Ladies Auxiliary will host a pasta dinner and “A Night of Magic” with Jim Sisti Saturday, March 21, at 5 p.m. at the Middlebury Fire House on Tucker Hill Road. Sisti has been performing magic for over 25 years. His unique brand of comedy magic and mind reading has taken him all over the Northeast, including off-Broadway. He also served as an adviser to Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak” series on A&E. His family-friendly show will entertain young and old.

Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. and the show will be at 6:30 p.m.

Dinner will be pasta with meatballs, salad, beverages and dessert. All tickets need to be purchased in advance. Prices are $15 for an adult, $12 for a child and $40 for a family of four. Purchase tickets by calling the ladies auxiliary at 203-577-2108 (Beverly) Magician Jim Sisti will perform Saturday, March 21, at the Midor emailing ladiesauxiliary@ dlebury Fire House. The MVFD Ladies Auxiliary will serve a pasta middleburyfire-ct.org. dinner at the event. (Submitted photo)

The Bee-Intelligencer

8

Keeping a dog off the counter DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My poodle mix, Shep, loves to jump up on the kitchen counter – not just put his paws up, but his entire body. He will do it whether we’re in the kitchen or not. My husband thinks it’s funny, but I don’t. How can I get Shep to stop? – Julia in Phoenix, Arizona DEAR JULIA: I agree, it’s not funny. Shep clearly thinks it’s all right to jump onto the counter because he’s getting those positive vibes from your husband.

And unless you persuade your husband to stop thinking it’s funny, teaching Shep not to do it will be very difficult.

Make sure, of course, that when you’re not in the kitchen, nothing remains on the counter top that would present a danger to Shep. That includes leftovers, cleaners, houseplants – anything that he might chew on or ingest.

First things first: Make it clear

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PHOEBE Phoebe is a sweet female spayed tortie mix cat who is approximately 5 years old. She is affectionate, calm, mellow, healthy, social and good with everyone. She may do best in a somewhat quiet home.

She will be your best friend and loyal companion for life and would be great company for someone alone. She is a bit sad and in need of a reliable foster home until placed, everything provided.

Find a foster application on the website or call or email for one (see below).

These cats are with Pet Protectors. If you foster a cat for them, they will provide everything needed for their care. Learn more about adoption or the Foster Care Program at www.petprotectorsrescue. org. Applications are on the website, or call 203-330-0255 or email contactus@petprotectorsrescue. org for more information or for an application.

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to Shep that he can’t come into the kitchen at all without your leave. Start by setting up a toddler gate at the entrance. (One that’s pretty high, since it sounds like he’s a good jumper.)

When you’re in the kitchen cooking or cleaning, leave Shep out of it. If he whines, tell him to “sit” and “stay,” and continue working. Once you’ve finished working, you can let him in, as long as he’s supervised. If he tries to jump on the counter, firmly tell him “down,” and escort him outside the toddler gate again.

Both you and your husband need to be on the same page. Shep needs to make the connection that certain behavior in the kitchen will mean he doesn’t get to go in the kitchen. It will take a little while, NORA so be patient but consistent.

Nora is an extremely affectionate, pretty and Send your questions or comments petite cuddler.

This spayed female calico mix cat to ask@pawscorner.com. is approximately 4 years old and is fine with other (c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc. mellow cats. She is a total sweetheart, a love-bug who loves attention, and she is healthy. She would be great company for someone alone as well.

Spring Gala March 21 6:30 pm 2015 Naugatuck Valley Community College featuring Mixed Repertoire and

March 2015

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Champ

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Subscription Information The Bee-Intelligencer is available by mail to those outside our delivery area or in need of extra copies. Mail delivery costs $40 a year for each subscription. Send a check and the mailing address to Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762. Call 203-577-6800 for rates for shorter periods of time.

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The Bee-Intelligencer

March 2015