“If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates.” ~ Jay Leno
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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 XII, No. 12
November 1, 2016
Heavy hauler misses own meeting By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Barnhart Crane and Rigging of Middletown, Conn., plans to transport three 343,000-pound (171.5-ton) transformers from a railroad spur in Litchfield to the Towantic Energy Center in Oxford. The transformers, each moving on separate dates and traveling at night over a two-day period, will move through Litchfield, Morris, Watertown and Middlebury on their way to Oxford. An Oct. 19 email from Barnhart’s Assistant Project Manager Nick Stekl notified officials of each town about the heavy haul and invited them to an Oct. 26 meeting in Oxford Town Hall. Stekl’s email instructed officials to have police and fire officials attend the meeting and to come “prepared to discuss any road projects, town events, traffic concerns that we need to be aware of that can impact our schedule.” And so, on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the appointed time of 11 a.m., Middlebury First Selectman Edward B. St. John, Police Chief Fran Dabbo, Public Works head Dan Norton and town attorney Bob Smith, along with Water-
town’s fire chief and residents from Middlebury and Oxford Greens, assembled in the Oxford Town Hall meeting room to hear Barnhart present its plans for transporting these loads. The meeting time came and went. Around 11:05 a.m., Oxford First Selectmen George Temple appeared in the doorway of the meeting room, looked around the room, and departed. Five or so minutes later, Temple’s administrative assistant, Joanne Pelton, came through the doorway a few feet, stopped and addressed those waiting. She said the meeting had been canceled by Barnhart in an email sent at 10 a.m. that morning to those it initially invited. She said Barnhart now planned to set up town-by-town meetings, and she had no idea why Barnhart postponed the Oct. 26 meeting. St. John said he wanted Pelton to make one thing very clear to Barnhart, “They aren’t going on our roads until they work out an agreement with us,” he said. This newspaper obtained a copy of the Oct. 26 email
– See Meeting on page 3
Photo No. 1. Can you match this photo with a Middlebury Land Trust property?
Spotlight on Middlebury Land Trust properties By JANINE SULLIVAN-WILEY
Get out and vote Nov. 8 By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Middlebury voters will face a number of choices when they go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8. They will vote on the next president and vice president of the United States, a U.S. senator, a U.S. representative, a state senator and a state representative. They also will vote on three questions related to the Middlebury Capital Plan. The arrangement of the three questions on the ballot may cause some to overlook two of the questions. Question 1 is at the top, above the names of candidates for offices. But Questions 2 and 3, instead of being under Question 1, are to the far right of the entire block of candidates’ names. We will scan the ballots for both districts and post them at www.bee-news. com so readers can see them before they go to the voting booth Nov. 8. Also, voters wishing to learn more about the Middlebury Capital Plan before they vote Nov. 8 can attend an informational meeting Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at Middlebury Fire Headquarters at 65 Tucker Hill Road in Middlebury. First Selectman Edward B. St John will present the plan and answer questions.
Polls will be open at Shepardson Community Center Nov. 8 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting for District 1 will be downstairs; voting for District 2 will be upstairs. Registrar of Voters Tom McCormack said in a telephone interview he expects a 90-percent turnout for the election. That means about 4,600 ballots will be cast. McCormack said poll workers are still needed for a variety of tasks Nov. 8. For more information on working at the polls, call McCormack on his cell phone, 203-725-5977. Election-day voter registration will be available for the first time during a presidential election. The Connecticut Secretary of the State’s website says anyone who meets the eligibility requirements for voting in this state and is not already registered, OR is registered in one town but has moved to another town may register and vote in person on election day. However, election day registration will not be at the polling place, Shepardson Community Center. Instead, it will be in the town clerk’s office in Middlebury Town Hall starting at 6 a.m. Those registering will need to provide proof of identity and
– See Election on page 3
Coat and Sweater Drive Middlebury Selectmen are collecting coats and sweaters for the needy Monday, Oct. 31, through Friday, Nov. 14. Please drop off new or clean, gently used coats and sweaters for adults and children at the office of Social Services Director JoAnn Cappelletti in the Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
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Inside this Issue Here’s a Tip...........................8 Senior News Line.........3 It Happened in Middlebury... 4 Sports..........................6 Library Highlights........2 Sporting View...............7 Obituaries...................5 To Your Good Health....6 Paws Corner.................8 Veterans Post..............4
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
Nov. 1
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Nov. 8
Despite some good guesses, the October mystery photo remained a mystery: it is from the 134-acre property now owned by the town of Middlebury, formerly owned by the Connecticut Water Company, over which the Middlebury Land Trust (MLT) has a conservation easement. It is in eastern Middlebury along the Naugatuck border. This month, we are offering a photo match to see how many readers recognize the properties in three photos. All were taken on MLT properties previously featured in Spotlight articles. The colors and weather this autumn have been just beautiful – perfect for a hike whether the weather is warm or feeling an autumnal chill. As there are no marked trails on the October mystery property, this month’s photos show locations where people will find established trails. The most easily walked trail on MLT property is in the Juniper Hill/Sperry Pond tract, starting at the entrance on the west side of route 63, a half mile north of Park Road. The trail is quite level and without the rocks and tree roots that make other paths more challenging. Next in terms of ease, but not in terms of beauty, is Lake Elise. The ring trail around it is easy to follow. Excellent views surround the lake. Some caution is needed on the eastern edge, where the trail is a bit uneven. Diverse tree species on this tract include white pine and Norway spruce, birch with their yellow fall foliage, maple and beech. Another location with established trails is Larkin Pond. A Middlebury scout – Michael Trager – improved the trail entrance from Long Meadow Road as his Eagle Scout project. The wooden boardwalk he built through a wet area on the path is a vast improvement.
Photo No. 2 (above). Can you match this photo with a Middlebury Land Trust property? Photo No. 3 (at right). Can you match this photo with a Middlebury Land Trust property? (Curtiss Clark photos) You can find this entrance and a small pull-off about two-tenths of a mile from the intersection with South Street. The trail goes fairly straight through the woods, which were brilliantly colored this year, then up a steep embankment to the earthen dam along the southern side of the pond. From that point you can walk to the right around the pond along a fairly easy path. Can you match the photos to the properties described? For help, refer to earlier editions of the Bee or use the map on the MLT website, middleburylandtrust.org. Submit your guesses to mbisubmit@gmail.com and put “Photo match” in the subject line.
Middlebury Capital Plan Information Meeting
What: Learn about the capital plan before you vote on it Nov. 8. When: 6:30 p.m. Where: Middlebury Fire Department Headquarters at 65 Tucker Hill Road in Middlebury
Panthers defeat Weston 21-14
Election Day! What: When: Where:
Exercise your right to vote! State and federal candidates and the Middlebury Capital Plan will be on the ballot. Polls open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury
Page 6
Middlebury Lions Club Annual Turkey Dinner
wednesday
Nov. 16
What: When: Where: Info:
Traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings, pumpkin pie, juice, tea and coffee. 5 to 7 p.m. Shepardson Community Center Tickets: Adults - $10, seniors and children 6 to 12 - $8,immediate family maximum - $35, kids under 6 free. Take home $1 extra. Tickets at the door or in advance from Lions Club members. Proceeds benefit the Middlebury Family Services Emergency Fund, scholarships, and other community causes.
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