www.southingtoncitizen.com
Volume 18, Number 36
Friday, September 3, 2021
Some local Catholics want St. Thomas saved from demolition By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
Catholics from St. Thomas Church and other town parishes who met Monday night said they’re working to prevent a consolidation plan that could mean the demolition of the St.Thomas building on Bristol Street.
About 60 people came to the pavilion at the Southington Drive-In, many signing a letter that will be sent to the Hartford Archdiocese opposing the closure of St. Thomas Church. The last regular Mass at the building was held this month with a final Mass to be celebrated in September.
Mike Fasulo, a parishioner and one of the organizers of Monday’s event, said the church has meaning to many in town and that consolidation shouldn’t mean the church’s destruction. “If we did nothing, I’d regret it for the rest of my life,” Fasulo said Monday.
Local Catholics met Monday night at the Southington Drive In to consider options for the reopening of St. Thomas Church, one of five parishes in town. Jesse Buchanan, Record-Journal
See Church, A2
Masks, no remote learning this fall
SOUTHINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
Promotions, hiring plan help keep ranks full
By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
Public school students return to in-person learning this month, wearing masks at least until the end of September.
By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
Police department leaders have made a host of hires and promotions as a result of a flurry of retirements. Last week, the Board of Police Commissioners promoted two officers and a sergeant to fill vacant leadership poPatrolman Matthew Hammell has been promoted to sergeant at the sitions. Police leaders have been working to keep the department close to its full complement of 70 officers. Since there’s a lag between hiring a police recruit and being able to put that person on patrol, Town Manager Mark Sciota and police Chief Jack Daly agreed to begin hiring before all the anticipated retirements have happened. There have been seven retirements this summer. Daly anticipates an additional two in December and another possible departure in May.
Southington Police Department.
“It’s a challenge,” Daly said. ‘We do what we have to do...It means sometimes guys get ordered into work, sometimes guys get ordered to work overtime.”
New leaders
Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
The newly-promoted officers replaced long-serving members of the department. However, police leaders were optimistic about the changes. “We lost a lot of years of experience, but we believe the people we promoted will step right in and do a phenomenal job,” Daly said. “We have a really, really good department.”
During its meeting, the police board approved promotions of officers Chad Butler and Matthew Hammell to Board members Steve Kalkowski and sergeant. The board also promoted Nathan Boislard, a sergeant, to master James Sinclair said the retirements sergeant.
See Police, A4
School officials say the policies, such as a mask requirement and no option for remote learning unless a student is being quarantined, are required by state directives. Classes began Sept. 2. Teachers returned Aug. 25. Superintendent of Schools Steve Madancy recently released information on the upcoming school year with a message that reiterated what Board of Education members said earlier this month about state mask requirements. When parents and residents See School, A3