Volume 17, Issue 26
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
Pep Band: Making noise for CRHS football
Friday, October 8, 2010
Middlefield selectmen dispute over Pogmore and Strickland properties By Chuck Corley Special to the Town Times
Photo by Karen Freelance Kean
Where there’s a team to support, Coginchaug High School Pep Band will be there (for home games, at least). Naturally, when the school got their first ever football team this year, Pep Band brushed off their trombones and clarinets one season earlier than they’re used to. Now sports fans don’t have to wait for basketball to listen to the tunes of the band. Read about how the Blue Devils did at their first home game on page 37.
Contention punctuated the Board of Selectmen’s meeting held on Oct. 4, with First Selectman Jon Brayshaw contending with fellow board member Mary Johnson and Lucy Petrella of the Board of Finance over a number of different issues. Of particular concern to Johnson and Petrella was Brayshaw’s desire to send a letter to Sal Monarca about the potential lease of an acre of the town’s Strickland property. In the letter, Brayshaw detailed a tentative leasing offer that would grant Monarca a 20-year lease at the cost of $20,000, with an additional $500 fee that Monarca would pay every year after leasing the property. It was not a firm offer, merely an attempt by
Brayshaw to see if Monarca was interested at all and receive a response on the matter. Petrella and Johnson both felt that the letter was premature, citing that the Planning and Zoning Commission is currently responsible for any issues regarding the land. Petrella suggested waiting on sending a letter until after the commission finishes studying the Strickland property, while Johnson stated that the letter should ask for Monarca to grant the zoning commission a site visit to his property. Brayshaw’s response was that the lease of the property can’t go through until after everything is approved by the commission and the town, anyway. He noted that
See Mfld. BOS, page 28
Learn what’s available to you locally at Durham Business Expo By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times The second annual Discover Durham Business Expo, sponsored by the Durham Economic Development Commission (EDC), will be held Saturday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Commercial Building on the Durham Fairgrounds. All activities and displays are free and open to the public. “This is a great community,” said EDC chairman Peter Cascini. “Why not support each other?” This is precisely the reason the Business Expo started last year, he explained. It became apparent that residents weren’t aware that
certain businesses existed in town, and worse — businesses weren’t aware of other local businesses. It was time to come together in a friendly, business-supporting environment, and time for residents to discover Durham businesses. The Business Expo is funded through paid sponsorships by the participants. Its mission is to show townspeople the breadth of goods and services available in Durham and to introduce businesses to each other. Town residents and busy small business owners will have a chance to see and experience the wide range of services and products available to them all in one place,
with one visit. This year, more than 40 businesses, artists, artisans and farmers are planning to participate. If you’ve ever wondered what Durham Manufacturing or Hobson & Motzer makes, the Expo is your chance to learn. The artists and artisans will have their creations for sale as will Deerfield Farm. There will be something of interest for both children and adults. Last year’s event drew scores to the Durham Firehouse, but the Commission noted that there was limited room there for the event to grow. The use of the Commercial Building was arranged through an agree-
ment between the town and the Durham Agricultural Fair Association. According to Cascini, the hope is that more members of the community will be able to attend this year having the event on a Saturday as opposed to a weekday. “All the feedback last year was positive, but there were suggestions to make it grow,” he said. Though Cascini said the event won’t fill the commercial building, “there is room to grow.” In fact, a possible addition to next year’s expo is running seminars geared toward supporting and helping small and/or local businesses. Visit the Business Expo and discover how to buy lo-
cally and support those who contribute to your town’s tax base. One final note Cascini mentioned is that the EDC was the only commission/board to give back to the town’s general fund last year with $1,600 of revenue from the Durham Business Expo.
In this issue ... Calendar ...........................4 Durham Briefs................14 Middlefield Briefs ..........15 Devil’s Advocate........17-24 Sports..........................37-39 Election question.......11-13