Volume 18, Issue 21
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
Friday, September 2, 2011
She came. She conquered. She left: Hurricane Irene
Above left, Ava Pitruzzello, Sophie Edson of Old Lyme, Cal Pitruzzello at 53 Day School Drive in Middlefield; Above right, Our Lady of the Leaves: a statue of the Virgin Mary in front of Notre Dame Church on Main Street in Durham is surrounded by some of the small branches that fell during Hurricane Irene. Photo at left by Amy A. Pitruzzello; at right by Sue VanDerzee
Complaints aired over new bus routes at BOE meeting By Mark Dionne Special to the Town Times
Last June, when the Board of Education (BOE) voted in favor of money-saving — bus routes with fewer stops — a member of the transportation study group said, “If you can get through one whole year... and take the backlash, the district will be better off for it.” Some of that backlash appeared at the BOE’s Aug. 24 meeting, the first meeting of the 2011-12 school year. The frequently emotional and occasionally contentious public comments lasted over an hour as parents listed numerous complaints about the new busing plan. Residents complained about unsafe walks, the
dropping of stops at several area day care facilities, longer rides and, in some cases, the lack of response from Regional School District 13’s (RSD13) central office. “It’s insulting to us that kids have to walk on dangerous roads,” said one parent, adding, “I’m very disappointed in this school district.” Most parents spoke about their specific stops: “They want me to walk him up a street where cars fly by.” “I’m not quite sure where the children are supposed to stand and wait for the bus.” Dolphin Days and the streets off of Stagecoach Road in Durham were the stops mentioned most often. Parents spoke about walks through areas where fatal ac-
cidents have occurred, and several raised the specter of kidnapping. The transportation line of the budget was cut by $40,000. Parents suggested alternatives to the board, including salary cuts, increasing class sizes and switching bus companies. Several parents said the savings was not worth the changes. “You need to find the $40,000,” said parent Jen Zettergren. BOE chair Tom Hennick began the meeting by saying, “We’ll be happy to listen to what you have to say, but we have to do it in an orderly fashion,” and several times had to request decorum at the meeting. One resident demanded to See BOE, page 3
Due to Hurricane Irene, the first day of school in District 13 has been pushed back to Sept. 6
Above, Hurricane Irene storm damage in Middlefield and in Durham, at left. See stories and more photos on the hurricane on page 8 and 22-23. Photos by Stephanie Wilcox and Elaine Chhabra