The Southington | Plainville Citizen

Spring Dance hits the floor on May 6

Press Release

PARC, Inc. is hosting its 2023 Spring Dance on Saturday, May 6, for members, families, friends and supporters. The event will be held 7 to 11 p.m. at Testa’s, 26 South Center St. in Southington. The $60 ticket price includes a dinner buffet, music with DJ David Robinson, and dancing. A reduced ticket price of $35 is offered to members and students.

PARC’s Shining Star Award will be presented to an outstanding member.

PARC promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes by providing family centered support, direct services and advocacy. Based in Plainville, PARC welcomes residents of contiguous towns.

Tickets can be purchased via parcdisabilitiesct.org or by calling the PARC office at 860-747-0316.

Move feels like coming home for owner

By Christian Metzger Record-Journal staff

SOUTHINGTON For Mike Truss, the owner of Craft Kitchen in Southington, moving into the restaurant’s new location at 42 W. Main St. in Plantsville is like coming home. Truss grew up on Pine Street, only two miles from the new location in Plantsville. Much of his childhood was spent in the Southington area, working for his grandfather and for the local businesses in town.

Councilor proposes new bidding process

By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff

SOUTHINGTON A town councilor and local business owner is looking to change how Southington bids municipal work. Jack Perry, owner of HQ Dumpsters & Recycling and a Democratic councilor,

proposed forming a procurement committee and buying procurement software to make bidding easier and more open.

With easier bidding and better communication with company owners, Perry said the town can get more bids on jobs and likely better prices.

“Can we stretch a dollar?” he said. “At the end of the year, this could be hundreds of thousands of dollars that we could save.”

Republicans hold a majority on the Town Council.

Mike Truss, chef and owner of Craft Kitchen stands at the unfinished bar area at thefutureCraftKitchenrestaurantinPlantsville. Bill Shettle, Special to the Record-Journal

Victoria Triano, council chairwoman and a Republican, said she’d sent Perry’s suggestion to Town Manager Mark Sciota for review.

“He was very open about it, he said maybe there are some things that we can change that can be helpful,” Triano said.

The council is slated to discuss Perry’s suggestions and Sciota’s review at the meeting next week.

Triano said Perry, as someone who’s bid on town work, might be able to suggest improvements to Southington’s procurement policies.

Sciota said the town has procurement policies but not a procurement software program. He and Public Works Director Annettee Turnquist are working on recommendations for a procurement committee to present to the council.

Notifications, bid history

Perry’s company does work with other towns and cities in Connecticut that have online procurement systems. He cited Wallingford and Waterbury, which have systems that notify bidders if a job is available that fits the company’s capabilities.

Perry no longer bids on Southington jobs, saying that allows him to advise on town bidding procedures without the perception of a conflict of interest.

Southington sends out emails to all company owners doing work with the town, but Perry said this results in many irrelevant emails to business owners who become accustomed to ignoring them.

“It ends up falling on deaf ears,” Perry said of the town’s current notifications. Procurement software “would allow people to select categories to sign up for.”

To find out the amount of previous bids, Perry said he has to call Town Hall and request it from town workers. Other towns include previous awarded contracts online, which is easier to find and saves time for town employees according to Perry.

With an easier, more automated process, he said jobs could be bid that aren’t being bid now. For jobs under $10,000, Perry said there’s no bidding requirement although town employees are required to get three quotes for the work.

Procurement committee?

Part of Perry’s suggestion was the formation of a procurement committee that would help review bids and create bid specifications. He proposed it would include town department leaders and representatives from the Town Council, possibly himself.

“There’s got to be representation from the council,” he said. “I know I could bring a lot of value to it.”

While open to changing town procurement policies, Triano said the formation of a committee struck her as “top-heavy” and unnecessary.

“If we find that there’s any change, or a better way of doing it after discussion on the council floor, we’d instruct Mark (Sciota) to make the change through the department heads,” Triano said. “I’m not interested in forming a committee to oversee bidding.”

Republican leaders and Perry have clashed over his role as a councilor and business owner. While Perry wanted to be on the public works committee, Triano and others said his business dealings with the town would present frequent conflicts of interest.

Last year, Perry suggested changes to some of the town’s trash and recycling contracts. He’d held some of those contracts in previous years and said there were ways for the town to save money. Republicans said the concerns should have been brought up earlier in the process and awarded contracts as written.

The next Town Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at the John Weichsel Municipal Center, 200 N. Main St.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com

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Jack Perry, owner of HQ Dumpsters speaks during a press conference at HQ Dumpsters & Recycling in Southington on March 9, 2022. File photo

Volunteers needed for balloon fest comeback

Press Release

The Plainville Fire Company has announced the return of its Hot Air Balloon Festival after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will take place at Norton Park in Plainville the evening of Friday, Aug. 25, and all day Saturday, Aug. 26.

The festival will feature a “balloon glow,” fireworks display, two balloon launches, a car show, an arts and crafts show, musical entertainment, food, and several other vendors.

“I am excited to share that the Plainville Balloon Festival is back. Numerous residents have approached me, other members of the Town Council and town staff expressing interest and hope for the festival’s return,” Town Council Chair Kathy Pugliese said. “The town is proud to partner with the Plainville Fire Company in

organizing this festival that has been a staple of the Plainville community since 1984 and has in recent years become one of the largest and last remaining balloon festivals in the northeast.”

Attendees of previous years festivals know that this is a popular event and a signifi cant undertaking for the Town of Plainville and the Fire Company. Anyone inter ested in helping is encouraged to sign up to volunteer.

Volunteers are needed from Friday through Sunday. To access the volunteer application, visit plainvillefireco.com.

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MEDICAID ACCEPTED VOTED BEST HEARING SPECIALIST YEAR AFTER YEAR BEST OF READERS’ POLL 20 21 BEST OF READERS’ POLL 20 21 96418 www.bristolhearingaids.com Joanne Cyr-Callaghan, BC-HIS Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist 860-506-3720 | 72 PINE ST., BRISTOL Because I Wear Hearing Aids Myself, I Understand Hearing Loss. MEDICAID ACCEPTED VOTED BEST HEARING SPECIALIST YEAR AFTER YEAR BEST OF READERS’ POLL 20 21 BEST OF READERS’ POLL 20 21 R258504 WE DO SALES AND SERVICE OF MOST HEARING AIDS BEST OF WINNER 2022 BEST OF 2 VOTED BEST HEARING SPECIALIST YEAR AFTER YEAR 72 Pine St., Suite B, Bristol www.bristolhearingaids.com MEDICAID ACCEPTED 860-506-3720 Myranda LaPira HIS Our goal is to listen to you, understand your hearing loss, find a solution, and help you lead an active and healthy life. 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50th reunion

The Southington High School Class of 1973 will celebrate its 50th reunion Oct. 7 at the Back Nine Tavern. Tickets are $50. RSVP to Shs73_50threunion@ aol.com. Send checks payable to Maureen Cassidy to: 46 Dunham St., Southington, CT 06489.

Class of 1973

The 50th reunion planning committee for the Plainville High School Class of 1973 is looking for classmates. If you are a 1973 PHS graduate, or know of one, email contact information to crczellecz@ comcast.net.

Reading challenge

The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club, in partnership with Eversource, has announced the return of a student reading challenge for the 2023 season. Students (K through 8th grade) who read five books outside of the school curriculum will earn two tickets to a Yard Goats game at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford. A parent or guardian can register students on the Yard Goats website (yardgoatsbaseball.com) through May 6.

Transfer station

Plainville’s transfer station on Granger Lane is set to open for the season Saturday, April 8. Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

Saturdays only. The transfer station is for Plainville residents only. ID is required. Direct questions to 860-7930221 ext. 7176.

Certification

Eversource is partnering with Housatonic Community College and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Unions 420 and 457 to prepare the next generation of electrical lineworkers in Connecticut. The Lineworker Certificate Program provides students valuable training in the electric utility industry and the opportunity to progress into Eversource’s paid apprenticeship program. For details, visit Eversource.com.

Boxes to Boots

Berlin-based non-profit Boxes to Boots, 28 Chamberlain Highway, sends care packages to members of the U.S. military serving overseas. To learn more about the organization and its needs, visit boxestoboots.org.

Community grants

The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain approved its first round of grants for 2023, awarding more than $436,000 to a wide variety of programs serving Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington. The second round of CFGNB grant applications will be accepted this summer.

Letters of Intent are due July 1. Visit the “grantmaking” section of the foundation’s website at cfgnb.org.

Cemetery cleanup prompts questions, anger

By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff

SOUTHINGTON A cleanup at Immaculate Conception cemetery on South End Road prompted questions and complaints about the removal of personal items from grave sites.

and safe resting place. Loved ones of those interred there say it’s painful to have items with personal significance removed.

Southington has two Catholic cemeteries, Immaculate Conception and St. Thomas on Belleview Avenue. With the merger of parishes, the Rev. Joseph Cronin said he’s been working to make the rules on cleaning up flowers and other items more consistent among both cemeteries.

cleanup was routine for Immaculate Conception cemetery, Cronin said the removal of all personal items hasn’t been done for years. Signs at the cemetery were put up more than a month before the cleanup.

“It was posted in the cemetery, it was posted in the bulletin, it was posted online, and they ignored it,” Cronin said. Small items can blow around while others can get caught in lawnmowers. At left: The plants and ornaments seen here were removed from gravesites at Immaculate Conception cemetery at 175 South End Road in Southington. Cemetery leaders say cleanups are routine and necessary to maintain a tidy and safe resting place.

Cemetery leaders say cleanups are routine and necessary to maintain a tidy

Photos by Dave Zajac,

See Cleanup, A8

Eversource Energy recognized as top utility on annual list

Press Release

For the fourth consecutive year, Eversource Energy has been recognized by Barron’s on its list of America’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies, appearing as the top utility in the annual ranking for the second time in the last three years.

Eversource’s rank also improved significantly – to 17th overall on this year’s list from 40th last year – reflecting the strides the company has made in executing its strategic commitment to sustainability throughout its operations.

“This recognition is a testament of Eversource’s deep commitment to and the hard work of our employees in building a more sustainable and equitable future for our customers, our communities, and the world we all share,” said Eversource Chairman, President and CEO Joseph Nolan. “Sustainability and strong environmental, social and governance principles are embed-

ded in all that we do – which will continue to serve as the foundation of our vision for providing safe, reliable service and meeting the future energy needs of our customers.”

The Barron’s list of Most Sustainable Companies is based on more than 230 environmental, social and corporate governance metrics (ESG).

To create the ranking, the top 1,000 publicly traded companies by market value were evaluated by how they performed for five key constituencies – customers, communities, employees, See Utility, A9

Congregational Church of Plainville, UCC, 130 W. Main St.

The third Sunday of the month, the church hosts The Arthouse at Coffee Hour, where local artists are invited to showcase and sell their work. To inquire about being showcased at an Arthouse event, email churchoffice@uccplainville.org.

Plainville United Methodist Church, 56 Red Stone Hill

The church will host a Community Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 8 at 4 p.m. This is a free event and all ages are welcome.

An American Red Cross Blood Drivewill be held Monday, April 10, 1 to 6 p.m. Call 1-800-733-2767 or go to redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.

“The problem is, the rules weren’t often enforced at Immaculate cemetery,” Cronin said. “We’re making the rules consistent between the two.”

Sentimental value

People’s items were put outside at the cemetery garage after the cleanup. That allowed people to recover their items, Cronin said. Some with loved ones in the cemetery were upset about having items removed and piled elsewhere.

Christine Shanley-Buck’s brother is buried in Immaculate Conception cemetery. Sea shells and coins placed on his headstone were removed as part of the recent cleanup.

“Every year, the church puts out a notice that the winter decorations are going to be taken down. Completely understand, we want our cemetery to be kept up and look nice,” she said. “It was the personal, sentimental mementos that were suddenly taken off, mementos that had been there for years. ”

Shanley-Buck was glad that Cronin is leading the merger

of Southington’s parishes, a challenging job which includes the oversight of local cemeteries.

“I adore Father Joe, I love his sermons, I love his approachability. I think he’sa very kind person,” she said. “It was just a surprise that these particular items in addition to the seasonal, Christmas decorations were removed.”

“If something is sitting on a headstone, is that really affecting the look of the cemetery?” Shanley-Buck said.

Oak Hill Cemetery looks to revise rules

Rules for Catholic cemeteries are set by the archdiocese although they’re managed locally. Other cemeteries in town are also trying to determine how to have a tidy, safe cemetery but allow people to grieve.

Matt Theriault, the caretaker for Oak Hill Cemetery on Queen Street, said the cemetery’s board is working to revise the rules concerning personal items around headstones.

“Right now, it’s working on formalizing (the rules). There’s stuff that’s been on the graves for years now,” he said.

The cemetery doesn’t allow porcelain items since they can break and scatter sharp shards. Many personal items can blow around or fall off a headstone.

“It’s also a safety thing,” Theriault said. “That stuff blows off, it blows under a leaf, you’re mowing and it shoots out. It hits a stone, or God forbid it hits somebody.”

He also wants to keep a tidy cemetery and the presence of items left years ago

doesn’t help the aesthetics.

“Stuff starts looking worn down, not looking presentable,” Theriault said. A cleanup “just adds to the overall cleanliness of the cemetery.”

Additional stones around graves

Jessica Blanchette’s father is buried at St. Thomas cemetery. She and her mother put a cement heart with an inscription near his headstone last week. A day later it had been removed.

“I was absolutely livid. I just lost my Dad recently in September,” Blanchette said. “I put this little tiny cement heart This stuff is for the living to grieve. It’s not like this stuff is tacky.”

The family had also wanted to put a Red Sox baseball memento on the grave but the request was denied by the cemetery.

Cronin said rules are clear on what’s acceptable at the cemetery.

“There are rules on the deeds when they buy (a plot), there are signs on the cemetery,” he said.

Headstones too have to meet certain standards and can’t just be a rock that the family has placed on the grave.

“The markers have to be permanently affixed,” Cronin said.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com

203-317-2230

Twitter: @JBuchananRJ

Connecticut to experiment with speed cameras

By Mark Pazniokas The Connecticut Mirror

The unblinking eye of cameras will begin enforcing the speed limits at highway work zones in Connecticut in a tightly constrained pilot program that begins on April 10, the day after Easter.

To Carl Chisem, the experiment is long overdue. As the president of Connecticut Employees Union Independent, Chisem represents 3,600 state employees, including 1,500 at the Department of Transportation.

“The data does not lie,” Chisem said last week. “In

Utility

From A6

the last four years, there have been 3,674 crashes, resulting in 13 fatalities and 32 serious injuries in work zones alone.”

A simple memorial in the DOT lobby lists names of the 13 and 24 other workers killed in work zones. Where someone might ordinarily leave flowers, there are orange traffic cones marked CT DOT and wrapped in black ribbon.

Gov. Ned Lamont joined Chisem, DOT workers and others in a parking lot near the DOT headquarters in Newington on March 29 to

publicize the start of a pilot program that transportation officials hope will become a permanent check on reckless drivers.

“It’s gotten pretty dodgy since COVID,” Lamont said. “A lot of people driving like a bat out of hell. It’s these folks who are at risk.”

They stood by a white SUV equipped with cameras linked to automated systems that will issue tickets. Cars sped by on the Berlin Turnpike, occasionally drowning out the speakers.

“What if this press conference was scheduled for behind a set of cones on I-95 at midnight or even better, after the bars get out?” asked Donald J. Shubert, the president of the Connecticut Construction Industries Association.

The highway construction season is a three-season affair, with overnight shifts common. “Construction workers are going to be out there eight to 10 hours a night, spring, summer and fall, focusing on their fellow

employees, the trucks, the heavy equipment and the quality of their work with their backs towards the traffic,” Shubert said. “Think about that. How would you feel?”

On the night of Nov. 16, 1995, David Ferraro was a construction inspector in a closed southbound lane on I-95 in Greenwich, about 1,000 feet from the New York border, when a motorist sent safety cones flying, struck a truck and sped away.

See Cameras, A10

the planet and shareholders – looking at ESG performance indicators such as workplace diversity, data security and greenhouse gas emissions. To qualify for the list, a company must be rated above the bottom quarter in each of the five stakeholder categories.

“It was at the beginning of the night at the point where all workers were preparing to start paving,” Ferraro said. He felt the impact of the cones, not realizing he had been hit by the car until a trooper pointed to his torn and bloodied jeans.

Troopers caught the driver in New York. He was drunk. Ferraro said things only have gotten worse.

“Over my years on the job, I’ve seen it all,” he said. “People not just going five or 10 miles an hour over the speed limit, they’re going 30,

40 or plus miles an hour over the speed. So what can we do to slow people down?

We do this by joining other states around the country and adding automated speed control devices and cameras to active construction projects.”

The General Assembly has placed tight limits on the DOT. Only three camera-enforcement vehicles can be used at one time, each limited to a work site posted with signage warning motorists of automated speed enforcement.

The cameras are unblinking, but they are programmed for leniency. They cannot issue a ticket unless someone is 15 miles per hour over the limit.

“This is not that complicated. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t tweet and drive. Stop speeding,” Lamont said.

“Look at the wrong-way deaths. We see what’s happening to pedestrians getting hit. And look at the folks behind me.”

Cameras Bill to eliminate legal notice rule reprises debate

Behind him were DOT employees and private-sector construction workers.

“These guys are going to be really busy for the next 10 years. We’re upgrading our roads and bridges in a way that the state hasn’t seen since Dwight Eisenhower,” Lamont said.

Eisenhower was the president who pushed for passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and the creation of an interstate highway system not deemed to be finished until 1992.

By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff

State lawmakers are again debating repeal of a newspaper notification requirement for bid invitations, policy changes and other legal matters.

Some lawmakers say it’sa way to save towns money, while newspaper advocates argue the notification requirement is an accountability measure for government. State law requires certain measures such as contracts, foreclosures and unclaimed property to be noticed in a newspaper with substantial local circulation.

New bill, old fight

A bill in the General Assembly’s Planning and De-

velopment Committee, Bill No. 5186, aims to change the current system by allowing cities and towns the alternative of posting legal notices on their municipal websites exclusively.

It isn’t the first time state lawmakers have attempted to remove the notification requirement.

Chris VanDeHoef, a lobbyist representing the Connecticut Daily Newspaper Association, said he’s been fighting the move for years. Requiring towns and cities to publish certain legal actions provides public accountability, VanDeHoef said. The more places such notices are published the better.

See Notices, A14

Gary & Dave

That’s where he initially found his passion for cooking, which ultimately led him to open up his growing restaurant ventures in Southington.

When he was growing up, Truss’s grandmother operated a catering business on the side, which he often helped with alongside the rest of his family. Once he became old enough to work, he got a part-time position at Krys' Pizza. Truss’s experiences throughout high school having worked at restaurants like these and the Aqua Turf Club spurred him to pursue a culinary arts degree at Newbury College in Boston.

Truss has several personal connections to the buildings his restaurants occupy, having been to both Jimmy’s Drive-In, the restaurant that once occupied Craft Kitchen’s current 1244 Meriden Ave. location, and Taylor’s Market a store which had once filled half of his location in downtown Plantsville. Truss believes it’s important for him to leave a positive mark on these buildings, which were such a nostalgic part of his childhood.

“I worked throughout the area, the Aqua Turf, all the normal spots that were here. But I always gravitated towards here. And even this building, half of this building, used to be Taylor's Market. So we would come in, we could still hear the way that the floor squeaks when I was 10 years old walking through this place,” Truss said.

“It's awesome. It's a section of town where, especially with the past few years, it seems like tradition kind of went out the window. To be a part of it, trying to bring something else back to this section of town, it's huge. With Christmas and Halloween In the Village, this little area is a special little side of town as opposed to being right downtown, like Center Street. We want

to see this become the next Center Street of Southington and bring back those old businesses.”

One of the points of pride in Truss’ business is its commitment to a ‘field fresh scratch menu,’ which is locally sourced food that is all prepared in-house. It’sa process he was first exposed to working for his grandfather, who owned a farm on Pine Street that consisted of more than nine greenhouses where they grew over 5,000 tomato and pepper plants a year. The produce was then sold to local stores.

After his time in school and learning at other restaurants on both the East and West coasts, Truss returned to

Plantsville to open Napoli Deli, which he ran from 2010 to 2014. After he wasn’t given the option to renew his lease on the building, Truss closed the business and opened Craft Kitchen in 2018. One of the most im-

portant ideas he brought to his new venture was to rely on the relationship between local vendors and hand-crafted food. The ability to give customers a different culinary experience is a skill Truss thinks has been

lost at many other restaurants.

“The restaurant industry is a tough, tough industry,” said Truss. “One of the biggest things I learned throughout my career was that connection between the local products, local farmers, and where and how you use their product, and how you showcase it,” he said.

Creating hand-crafted food is a longer process, he said. “Certain things that we have on our menu, we have to be three days, four days ahead of to have prepped So that's like a three-day process just for one appetizer on our menu. It's all those little steps, procedures, and techniques that are kind of a dying breed. We try to keep them alive and bring them to local foods,” Truss said.

Construction was coming along at the future Craft Kitchen restaurant in Plantsville on Friday afternoon, March 31.

Bill Shettle, Special to the Record-Journal

Offering a unique dining experience and cultivating good community relationships has helped Truss to build a loyal customer base. He has been able to continue being successful while other restaurants have had difficulties since the pandemic.

This continued popularity was the primary motivator for the move to their new Plantsville location, occupying the Fireside on Main building, previously Tavern 42. The current flagship location of Craft Kitchen can only seat 36, with 40 additional seats on the patio in the summer. The new building drastically increases its occupancy to around 358. The bigger location also expands how much food they can prepare in the kitchen, though Truss wishes to continue working in the previous location to prepare some of their more intensive food items.

While some customers have expressed concern about the location shift, the reception has been largely positive. Truss still has plans for the existing restaurant, spinning it off from the Craft Kitchen brand into an oldschool barbecue joint specializing in smoked foods.

The employees working for the Craft Kitchen are just as excited about the venue change. “I was able to finally get down there last week and look at everything, and I think it's just a beautiful spot. I think it's going to be really good for us. We have a good following here at the Southington location, but we've definitely outgrown this spot,” said Elizabeth Pabon, who will be the manager of Plantsville location.

Pabon has worked for Truss for four years and has had nothing but a positive experience at the business. “I've loved working here since the first day when I started,” she

said, “I love working for Mike. I think he's a great guy and he makes the work environment very comfortable. I love working for him so much because I feel like he cares about his staff.”

One of the major accomplishments that Truss

is looking forward to is the opportunity to create new jobs for the Plantsville community. He will need to hire more than 15 new employees once they open in May.

The staff is currently working to renovate the location with a new coat of paint and new wood furnishings to match the aesthetic of the first Craft Kitchen location. While details remain tentative, the goal is for the restaurant to have its grand opening sometime in May at the beginning of the summer season.

Both Pabon and Truss thank the community for its ongoing support, and are excited about the new possibilities with their expanded space.

“If people have never tried us before, it's such a great opportunity to, especially when we have our little grand opening. It's going to be great for everybody to try our food and see just how Mike likes to do things in the kitchen,” said Pabon.

“It's been amazing. Absolutely amazing. Since day one, if we don't have the support of the community we don't have anything,” Truss said. “We would never be able to expand or move or try to provide everything that we do for the community without them. We couldn't be happier. We couldn't thank everyone enough for supporting us. That's all we can do.”

cmetzger@record-journal.com

Mike Truss, chef and owner of Craft Kitchen stands in the doorway of the unfinished Craft Kitchen restaurant in Plantsville on Friday afternoon, March 31.

Bill Shettle, Special to the Record-Journal

Joan M. Gooding

SOUTHINGTON - Joan

M. (Ouellette) Gooding, 87, of Southington, widow of the late Charles F. Gooding, passed away at Hartford Hospital, on Sunday, March 26, 2023 after a brief illness. Joan was born in Frenchville, ME, on May 14, 1935 and was the daughter of the late Jean and Mamie (Plourde) Ouellette. Joan was a faithful parishioner of the former St. Thomas Church in Southington. Joan is survived by her three daughters; Sandra Adams and her husband Robert of Colorado, Patricia Schoonmaker with whom she resided and Tamora Gooding of Massachusetts. She was a doting grandmother to her seven grandchildren; Joshua (Kristin), Jason (Cassie), Kate (Matthew), Ryan (Lindsay), Brad (Shannon), Alexander and Nicole. She was also survived by her ten greatgrandchildren; Charles and Lennon Adams, Lily, Emerson and Lawson O’Toole, Kennedy and Ryker Schoonmaker, and Owen, Brooks and Leo Schoonmaker. Joan is predeceased by her daughter, Joni Pratte. She also leaves behind a sonin-law, Pierre Pratte.

Joan was a kind and gentle soul who was loved by many and adored by all. Many people referred to her as a second mom. She was an amazing role model for her daughters and grandchildren. She was a loyal and true friend

Obituaries

Garden club

The next meeting of The Orchard Valley Garden Club of Southington will be held Tuesday, April 25 at the American Legion Hall, 64 Main St. The program will feature Sebby Milano, head grower at Winterberry Gardens. Doors open at 9:45 a.m. and the program begins at 10. Guests are welcome for a $5 donation. For more information, visit orchardvalleygardenclub.weebly.com or follow the club on Facebook.

to many and was always willing to lend a helping hand.

As Joan continues her spiritual journey she is reunited with the love of her life of sixty plus years, Charlie. Calling hours for Joan will be held on Sunday, April 30, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM with a service at 3:00 PM in the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Southington, CT 06489. Burial will be on Monday, May 1, 2023 at 12:00 PM at the Connecticut State Veteran’s Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest with her husband, Charles. Charles will be receiving his military honors at that time. For directions or to leave an online condolence, please visit www. dellavecchiasouthington. com.

Donations can be made to Joan’s favorite charity the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 or online at www.stjude.org.

PLAINVILLE - Janice Whiteley, 84, of Plainville, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at LiveWell in Plantsville.

Family and friends may gather in celebration of Janice’s life on Friday, April 14, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. at Plainville Funeral Home, 81 Broad St., Plainville. Words of remembrance will be shared at 6:30 p.m. She will be laid to rest privately at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, R.I. To share online expressions of sympathy, please visit www. PlainvilleFuneralHome. com

Mentoring

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the 119-year-old national youth mentoring organization.

Based in Hartford, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut offers life-changing programs to at-risk children in all of the state’s 169 municipalities. Learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters by visiting ctbigs.org.

Janice Whiteley

Notices

From

“It removes a layer of eyeballs on it that is important,” he said concerning the repeal of the notification requirement.

Legal notices from all the towns and cities in Connecticut are currently available online at mypublicnotices.com. Municipalities are

also not prohibited from posting notices on their own websites in addition newspapers.

“Notices should be on a town’s website,” he said.

“They should be anywhere and everywhere we can put them.”

State Rep. Craig Fishbein, RWallingford, introduced the latest bill. When the requirement to publish was first passed decades ago, Fish-

bein agrees that it did help hold government accountable. With the decline in circulation and publication schedule of certain newspapers, he said it no longer performs that function.

“Clearly I think we recognize that newspaper circulation is down. If the intent is to get notice to the general public that they should have notice of, if newspapers are a medium that isn’t being used as widespread as (during) the original statute, then perhaps it’s appropriate to look at other vehicles,” he said. “It’s unfortunate but it’sa symptom of the times.”

“The dissemination of news has certainly changed over the many years,” Fishbein said. “I think that the current statute is antiquated.”

The bill drew opposition, however, during a legislative hearing from leaders in the newspaper industry who raised concerns about transparency and public access to information.

“Requiring public notices to be posted in newspapers helps ensure that the public has access to important information about government activities and decisions, and that government agencies are transparent and accountable,” wrote Mike

DeLuca, publisher of Hearst Connecticut Media Group and president of the Connecticut Daily Newspapers Association, in public comment. “It is imperative these notices are published by a credible and independent body.”

There is no provision in the bill for monitoring or enforcing that municipalities comply in posting legal notices to their websites. The bill simply states: “That section 1-2 of the general statutes be amended to authorize municipalities to post legal notices on municipal Internet web sites in lieu of publication in a newspaper.”

State Rep. Mary Mushinsky, D-Wallingford, said in an interview she supports leaving the current legal notice requirement in place. There are still people who don’t get their news or information online and who depend on printed information, she said. “There are some people out there, they do not have computer access. That group would get left out if we stopped the requirement,” Mushinsky said. She also saw the notification requirement as providing revenue to local newspapers that have faced challenging years.

“It does help the newspapers stay in business, to report local news, which is very important. I’d like to keep them afloat if I can,” Mushinsky said.

Bids, hearings and foreclosures

Recent notices in the RecordJournal include bid invitations from Southington schools and the town of Wallingford for work such as HVAC repair, custodial services and clerical services.

Meetings in Southington and Cheshire were also posted as well as items that were approved at previous planning meetings in Southington.

Probate issues, such as the sale of an estate and the notification of creditors, are also published. Towns and cities pay for such postings. In the previous fiscal year, Southington paid just over $40,000 for legal notices from a $160 million budget. Cheshire spent about $20,000 in the last fiscal year for legal notices. The town’s budget was about $120 million.

Captive clients or providing a service?

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities has supported the repeal. Kevin Maloney, CCM’s communications director, said local governments spend millions of dollars every year publishing documents in newspapers, saying publications have had municipalities as “captive clients” for years because of the notification requirement. “In the 21st century, the quickest, most transparent and cost-effective way to get information to the most amounts of residents is via the internet. The internet is where people shop, communicate, do their banking, and share general information,” Maloney said.

R256090 R256089

See Notices, A15

Notices

VanDeHoef said publication in a physical newspaper provides a level of permanence that doesn’t exist online. That’s a legal protection for towns and cities since postings in the newspaper can prove legal notices were promulgated.

“Our position is that it’s not an onerous expense, that the towns and cities are getting a service,” VanDeHoef said. “The internet doesn’t provide confidence that something being printed in the newspaper does.”

VanDeHoef said a recent court case involving Fenwick, a small borough of Old Saybrook with just 50 residents, has limited applicability to most other cities and towns.

In March, a Connecticut appeals court ruled that putting a notice in the Middletown Press wasn’t enough for Fenwick. The borough’s zoning board

passed a policy banning certain short-term rentals, which was challenged by residents saying the move wasn’t properly noticed.

The Middletown Press has no subscribers in the borough and The Hartford Courant has five.

“We recognize that the newspaper industry has undergone significant changes since the legislature first imposed the obligation on municipalities to publish notice in a newspaper with ‘substantial circulation,’ in that municipality,” the court’s opinion says. “We also are mindful, of course, that the widespread availability of access to the Internet may justify, from a public policy perspective, permitting a municipality to publish legal notices on its website.”

But, the decision says, it’s the job of the legislature to make that call. Since the ruling, the borough has opted to print notices in a free weekly publication, according to The Connecticut Mirror.

“The dogs were always something that was really important to J. Allen,” Pocock said.

He was glad to support Friends of Southington Animal Control. The foundation’s main work is training for police command staff but Pocock said Conaty and Sue Zabohonski of the friends group made a compelling case.

“After 25 years of being on the job, you have a soft spot for kids, old people and animals,” he said.

Salerno said tempered glass doors are an improvement over the cage doors currently at the kennels.

“It was becoming a safety issue, ” he said. “(Dogs) are stressed out Sometimes they would get injured.”

Fundraising

Conaty said the doors cost about $1,800 each. The friends group is looking to raise another $10,000 to replace half of the kennel doors. Her husband, a carpenter, is able to install them for free.

In addition to the doors, Conaty said her group wants to make improvements to the dog pound to allow it take in animals in the event of an emergency. That

would mean a generator for the building and training for volunteers to handle large numbers of animals.

“We would be able to take care of a lot of animals should the need arise in an emergency, ” Conaty said.

LEGAL NOTICE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT

On March 28, 2023, the Plainville Planning and Zoning Commission took the following actions:

APPROVED a Site Plan and Special Exception for the Town of Plainville to reconstruct a sanitary sewer pump station at 0 Shuttle Meadow Road in an R-11 Zone.

APPROVED a Special Exception for an Indoor Recreation Facility with conditions for Premier Cricket Academy at 86 Whiting Street in a GC Zone.

APPROVED a Zoning Text Amendment the existing regulation for Drive Through (Restaurants) Facilities for Town of Plainville.

APPROVED a Zoning Text Amendment to add the definition of Car Wash Facilities and permit Car Wash Facilities in a GC Zone for Fahey and Landolina, Attorneys, LLC.

APPROVED a Zone Map Amendment at 109 Park Street to change the zone from GC and R-10 to R for TMW Development.

APPROVED a Site Plan Revision for Kyle Bridgewater with conditions to construct a commercial garage at 291 Farmington Avenue in a GC Zone.

APPROVED a Site Plan for Tilcon, Inc. at 0 Loon Lake Road (New Britain Avenue frontage) to construct an entrance to access a quarry in a Q Zone.

Respectfully submitted, Matthew Weimer, Secretary, Plainville Planning and Zoning Commission. Dated at Plainville, CT this 31st day of March, 2023. R260312

LEGAL NOTICE

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT

The Zoning Board of Appeals of Plainville, Connecticut will hold a Public Hearing(s) on Monday April 10, 2023 at 7:30 PM to hear and consider the following application(s):

NEW BRITAIN AVENUE

Application #23-04-01, TNT Fireworks, Virginia Hightower, Florence, Alabama seeks a variance in accordance with Article 8, Administration, Section 8.06 Board of Appeal, Sub-section 1C to vary the Zoning Regulations on a temporary basis to operate a commercial operation, from June 20, 2023 to July 5, 2023, for the sale of fireworks, without the required site plan approval from the from the Planning and Zoning Commission for a property known as 282 New Britain Avenue

Plainville, Connecticut this 20th day of March 2023

Peter Autunno, Chairperson Plainville Zoning Board of Appeals R259929

STATE OF CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER PROTECTION

SOUTHINGTON LIQUOR PERMIT

Notice of Application

This is to give notice that I, RICHARD MCCLAIN 52 GLENWOOD RD BRANFORD, CT 06405

Have filed an application placarded 03/27/2023 with the Department of Consumer Protection for a RESTAURANT LIQUOR PERMIT for the sale of alcoholic liquor on the premises at 36 N MAIN ST SOUTHINGTON, CT 06489-2517

The business will be owned by: RICHARD MCCLAIN

Entertainment will consist of: No Live Entertainment

Objections must be filed by 05-08-2023

RICHARD MCCLAIN R259920

TOP CASH PAID For any Toyota any condition, running or not, crashed okay. Will take other makes and models. (203) 600-4431.

TOP CASH PAID

For Junk or unwanted vehicles, Toyota’s etc.

Please call Mike @ 203284-8562 8am-5pm.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (EMT)

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for EMT. Must possess a H.S. diploma or G.E.D., plus one (1) year of recent experience as an EMT Must be 18 years old and be a Connecticut or National Registry Certified EMT with CPR Certification and a valid State of Connecticut motor vehicle operator’s license. Starting wage $779.00 (weekly), plus an excellent fringe benefits package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone (203) 294-2080. The closing date will be the date of the 50th application or resume is received or April 14, 2023, whichever occurs first. EOE

OFFICE ASSISTANTPart- time. Apply in person to Century Tool, 260 Canal St., Milldale, CT 06467. 860-6216748.

PUBLIC WORKS MAINTAINERS

Town of Cheshire seeks qualified candidates for open FT positions. Must possess CDL to be considered. Current rate: $31.74/hr. Excellent benefits package. For more information on how to apply, see Town web site at www. cheshirect.org. Deadline to apply: 4/17/23. EEOE, M/F/D/V.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS

Needed for Southington/ Meriden/Berlin/Rocky Hill - Must be 21yrs or older and possess a driver’s license for at least 3yrs – Paid training to acquire CDL license and endorsements available –The opportunity to bring your children to work, No Childcare$$ - Contact Sheila at New Britain Transportation (860) 8280511 ext. 221 or visit us at, 257 Woodlawn Rd., Berlin, CT

MADAM ALEXANDER DOLLS - Merrythought Teddy Bear Collection. Call Dennis, 203 6417333.

1, 2, 3 CASH FOR YOUR ANTIQUES & JEWELRY - Call Todd Shamock at 203-494-1695.

ALWAYS BUYING CASH PAIDVintage Electronics, Musical Instruments, Amps, Ham Equipment, HiFi, Radios, CB, Guitars, Audio Equipment, Antiques. 860-707-9350

ALWAYS TOP CASHFor Your Grandma’s Costume Jewelry Stash. I’ll Come to You. Julie, 203-443-9602.

ANTIQUES - Always buying old; Toys, military, jewelry, art, watches, musical instruments, signs, arcade games, cameras, pre 1970 sports memorabilia, plus more. One item or entire estate contents. Call 860718-5132.

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION

Screened Topsoil $25/ per yd; Sand-$18 per yd; Millings-$22 per yd; Screened Millings $30 per yd; $100 minimum delivery. No pickup truck service. Minimum 16 yd pickup at our yard. Call Jim @ 860-982-4819 for delivery

PREMIUM SCREENED TOPSOIL

$25/yard delivered, 3 yd, $100 min. delivery Call Jim 860-982-4819

. Top Soil . Compost . . Wood Chips . FOR SALE. Catering to small deliveries. Call Bob (203) 415-0723

FIREWOOD - Cut but not split. Free. You pick-up. 860-807-5110.

ANTIQUES WANTEDComic books, toys, adv. signs, military items, motorcyles, mini bikes, etc. All items considered, appraisal & estate sale services, incl. clean-outs. 40 years exp. Call or text, Gary at 203-237-4124.

BUYING ALL - Costume

Jewelry, Old Watches, Gold Jewelry, Silver Jewelry, Gold & Silver Coins, Sterling Flatware, In Any Condition.

Please Call Jude M. Dichele @ (203) 8681816.

BUYING MACHINIST

TOOLBOXES - Tools & tooling, contents of machine shops, home workshops and small lathes. Call anytime 860-985-5760

PREMIER ESTATE JEWELRY - Is interested in buying your fine jewelry, watches, coin collections, silver flatware, and costume jewelry. Call Bill, (203) 4942496.

GRASSY HILL AUCTIONS, - an Estate Sale, Liquidation, Attic & Basement Cleanout Company is Always Buying and providing services all over Connecticut. These are just a FEW of the things we are looking for: Antiques, Collectibles, Old/ Vintage Toys, Musical Instruments (Saxophones, Trumpets, Violins, Flutes, Clarinets, Trombone & SO MUCH MORE) Advertising Items, Wristwatches (Broken or Not), Pocket Watches, Tools (Machinist, Woodworking, & MORE) Doorstops, Clocks, Oil Paintings, Old Signs, Old Photographs, Old Postcards, Brewery Items, Hunting & Fishing, PEZ Dispensers, Costume Jewelry, Broken Jewelry, Gold & Silver Jewelry, Gold & Silver Coins, Military Items, Swords & Bayonets, Helmets & Patches, Medals & Uniforms, Pocket Knives, Lighters & Pipes, Fountain Pens, Mechanical Pencils, Fraternal Order Items, Religious Items, Industrial Items, Winchester Items, Sikorsky Items, Pratt & Whitney Items, Colt Items, Native American Items, Vintage Electronics, Slot Cars, Toy Trucks, Matchbox & Hotwheels, Barbie’s, Folk Art, Statues, Bronzes, Trains, Cameras, Mid Century Modern Furniture, Straight Razors, Shaving Items, Political Items, Comic Books, Sports Cards & Autographs…& THE LIST GOES ON! So please give us a call at your earliest convenience. Grassy Hill Auctions 203-868-1816 - Grassy HillAuctions.com

WANTED Individual firearms, collections & estates including military & related items.Federally licensed firearms dealer. Gunsmith, appraisals, Richard Pleines, (860) 663-2214.

BY OWNER - 488B Radmere Rd., Cheshire: 2 BRs, 1.5 BA. Finished bsm’t. $235,000 obo. 860.839.3707 or 860.655-8983.

FREE DOG

Yellow Labrador Retriever, 9yrs old. Very happy and loving. We’re moving. Please only reply if you’re interested. He needs lots of attention. Joe 475-301-2983 or Lorraine 203-508-0385.

GARY WODATCHDemolition Svs Sheds, pools, decks, garages, debris removal. Quick, courteous svc. All calls returned. Ins. #566326. Cell, 860-558-5430

ED’S JUNK REMOVAL (203) 494-1526

Fully ins. Free Estimate. Call Ed, we will take it to the dump for you!

IF YOU Mention This Ad SPRINGYard Clean-Ups Brush, branches, s torm damage

CustomColonial Painting.com Since ‘99

Lic’d 0630904 & Ins’d Senior Discount Warranty. Financing 860-306-0270

SPRING SPECIALSWhole House up to 5 rms. $269. 6’

DECKS & PORCHES

Give some new life to your old decks and porches. We can repair or replace stairs, deck boards, railings. We also construct new decks. HIC#647093 Insured. Call Bill for a free estimate, (203) 901-2136.

TEC ELECTRICAL Service LLC All Phases of Electrical Work. 24 hr. Emergency Service. Small Jobs Welcome. 203.237.2122

GUTTERS DON’T WORK

If they’re dirty! For gutter cleaning, Call Kevin (203) 440-3279 Fully ins. CT# 569127

JUNK REMOVAL

Hot Tub Removal, Furniture, appliances, entire contents of: homes, sheds, estates, attics, basements, garages & more.

*SPRING YARD Clean-ups* FREE ESTIMATES. LIC & INS.

DUMPSTER RENTALS 203-535-9817 860-575-8218

**JUNK REMOVAL** Appl’s, Furniture, Junk, Debris, etc WE CAN REMOVE ANYTHING Entire house to 1 item removed! FREE ESTIMATES

Sr. Citizen Discount LIC & INS. DUMPSTER RENTALS 203-535-9817 860-575-8218

OVER 28 YEARS EXP

Stonewalls, patios, sidewalks, chimneys, pool areas, fireplaces, fire pit steps, all types of masonry work. Free est. (860) 274-4893.

A-1 QUALITY POWERWASHING

Low Rates Call Dennis 203.630.0008

Specializing in tree removal, chipping & grinding. Call for free estimate. 203-945-1808.

GUTTERS PLUS 25+yrs. Exp. Call today for Free estimate. 203-440-3535 Ct. Reg. #578887

HOME DOCTOR - 48 yrs exp. Odd jobs & remodeling, former US Navy, 15 yrs, #640689, 203.427.7828.

Let Us BEAR

Your Junk! Junk Removal in CT

#1 CHEAP Sm. Yard Mowing. Spring Clean-Up. Light Hauling. Sr. & Veteran disc. 203.600.3836.

Mike’s Helping Hands.

JM Lawn Care Comm. & Res. Lawn Mowing, Spring Cleanup, Hedge Trimming, Tree Service, Mulch, any color. 860.796.8168

JT’S LANDSCAPING LLC - Spring CleanUps, we specialize in weeding all types of beds, mulching, top soil work, pruning hedges & shrubs, & all your landscape needs. Residential & commercial. Lic. #616311. Call today for free estimate, 203-213-6528.

GARY WODATCH

Hedge & tree trimming. Trim overgrown properties. Calls returned. #620397. 860.558.5430

ALEX EUROPEAN MASONRY - 30 yrs. exp. Patios, ret. walls, steps, brick, stone, chimneys. Lic#580443. 203-2320257 or 203-596-0652

PATIOS, WALKWAYS, Stonewalls, Steps, Concrete, Repairs, Etc. Free Ests. #0648556 203.808.6886 arnoldsmasonry.com

W. BOOBER MASONRYOver 35 Years Experience All Types of Masonry CT License #626708 (203) 235-4139

A pressureless house washing system can save you money, ask how! The Power-Washing Kings. House & roof washing, decks, patios, etc. Others Wash We Clean! 860.839.1000 thepowerwashing kings.com

POWER WASHING

Is Spring Cleaning on THE OUTSIDE FREE Estimates

#569127 Call Kevin 203-440-3279

POWERWASHING

Painting Int. & Ext. Gutters Cleaned Free Ests. Ins. Refs. Rodrigo, (203) 565-7745.

RT RELOCATION

Your moving and storage specialists. Call for a free estimate. 833-668-3978.

Insurance claim.storm damage.roofing.siding. gutter.chimney flashing. Office:203.754.3071

Cell:203.510.3830

Stormshieldct@gmail. com HIC.0664452