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Volume 23, Number 30
Giving Garden estimates 800 lbs of food donated By Everett Bishop Town Times
The Durham-Middlefield Giving Garden ended its first season on a high, donating an estimated 800 pounds of produce to the Durham and Middlefield communities.
St. John said that the Giving Garden would continue to donate produce as long as the frost holds out. “Most of the things that we still have are sort of frost resistant for a little bit anyway, like the kale, the spinach,
BOE discusses election terms ahead of vote By Everett Bishop Town Times
RSD-13’s Board of Education discussed amending terms for board members, as well as the process by which they would be voted onto the board.
Produce from the garden has been given to both the Durham and Middlefield food banks and senior services, as well as Middletown soup kitchens. “It has been a good year,” said Giving Garden committee member Betsy St. John. “We have been very pleased at what we were able to produce and distribute in this first year.”
Friday, October 25, 2019
Produce is still growing strong well into October at the Durham/Middlefield Giving Garden. An estimated 800 pounds of produce has already been donated to both communities this year with more on the way. Photo by Everett Bishop, Town Times
the chard and we still have a few green tomatoes,” she said. “From now on, it’ll really just be some mixed bunches of greens.”
Tina Gossner, another garden committee member, said that the garden has “developed community.” See Garden, A17
The discussion, which took place at last week’s board of education meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 16, had board members split. While the town of Durham had adopted a town charter in 2006 mandating a fouryear term for board members with a vote that would be held at the polls, it was never enforced until now. On the other hand, Middlefield wished to continue voting for board members as they traditionally have: a three-year term for members that would be voted on at a town meeting.
However, according to board member Dr. Richard Andrew Taylor, “the board has the authority to make both towns the same election process.” Taylor said he had “issues” with the two towns having different processes for selecting board members. “My concern is that, moving forward there would be a perceived difference in the election, the members and their status on the board because of how many votes they received,” he said, referring to the difference in population between Durham and Middlefield. Taylor also objected the differences in term limits and he also raised issues with possible partisanship appearing in board meetings and elections in the future. See BOE, A8
Vietnam-era vets honored By Everett Bishop Town Times
Durham recently hosted a Vietnam-era Veterans Awards Ceremony at Coginchaug High School. The event was facilitated by Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, Veterans Affairs Commissioner Thomas Saadi and Durham First Selectman Laura Francis. State Sen. Christine Cohen and state Rep Noreen Kokoruda also attended.
“We are here to say thank you to a generation of heroes who served honorably and showed incredible resilience,” Bysiewicz said during the Oct. 15 event. “When you came home, you built very productive lives, raised beautiful families and contributed to this community and to our state in so many ways.” Some 40 veterans from Durham were honored at the event.
Before awards and citations were given, Bysiewicz asked veterans up to the podium to share stories with the audience. Elmer Clark, a Vietnam-era veteran, was stationed in Germany. “It was a great time to serve, I did get a little travel bug,” Clark said, recalling buying a used car and traveling around Europe. See Vets, A10
RSD-13's Board of Education met on Wednesday, Oct. 16 and held a discussion on a vote to amend Durham and Middlefield's election procedure and terms for board Photo by Everett Bishop, Town Times members.