www.towntimes.com
Volume 26, Number 6
Friday, May 8, 2020
Residents call out selectman for possible ethics violation
SPOTLIGHT ON RSD13
Veteran social worker is an advocate for students
By Everett Bishop Town Times
Durham residents had their voices heard at a recent Board of Selectman meeting citing a possible ethics violation of Selectman John Szewczyk.
By Bronwyn Commins Special to Town Times
Remember when you were in middle school and everything was awful? OK, not everything, but most things. Consumed by the fear of not fitting in, failing a test, looking stupid in front of other people, or wearing the wrong outfit, progression through those days was confined within a haze of worry and self-doubt. It’s a miracle we made it through, but we did, most likely because we found some safe space in that
At the Monday, April 27 meeting, residents took their opportunity to speak during public comment. Social worker Kathy Bottini divides her time between Strong School and Coginchaug Regional High School.
school building where we could come up for air and breathe in the reassurance that we were OK, and everything else would be okay too. For me, it was the school cafeteria before the morning bell,
when it was still quiet, and I could have a conversation with my friends: a quick boost of acceptance before the daily onset of apprehension and anxiety. Everyone needs that safe space.
Resident Kristina Talbert-Slagle said that Szewczyk had violated town ethics by not recusing himself from a vote concerning the sale of town property to Szewczyk himself at a April 16 meeting. “He voted to accept his bid and his vote was the tiebreaking vote to award the property to him,” said Talbert-Slagle. “He also stated on
See Bottini, A9
See Selectman, A9
Schools closed for remainder of academic year Gov. Ned Lamont will order K-12 schools throughout Connecticut to stay closed for the remainder of the academic year because of the health threat posed by COVID-19. In making this decision, Lamont be-
comes the 40th governor in the nation to decide that it is not safe for schools to reopen.
but given the current circumstances and to protect everyone’s safety, it has become clear that it’s just not possible,” Lamont said Tuesday morning.
“I know how important it is for so many students and teachers to finish out the school year, and I was hold- No decision has been made yet about whether summer school and ing out hope – particularly for high school seniors – that we’d at least be camps will be allowed to convene. able to complete the final few weeks,
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This announcement – recommended by the panel the governor appointed to explore how best to reopen schools and businesses – is sure to complicate efforts to restart the economy since many employees rely on schools for childcare while they work. See Schools, A7
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