Volume 19, Number 23 Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
www.TownTimes.com
Friday, September 14, 2012
BOE reviews goals, hears calendar complaints
Respect for those remembered
By Mark Dionne Special to the Town Times On Sept. 5 at Brewster School, the new-look Board of Education was gaveled to order for the first time by Kerrie Flanagan. Meetings had been run by the previous chair Tom Hennick for the last five years. Flanagan became chair by a BOE vote in July. The meeting was also the
first for Eileen Buckheit, of Durham, as a BOE member. Buckheit, nominated by the Democrats, won the seat over Eric Berens at a Durham town meeting in August. Flanagan gave a presentation of goals and objectives for the BOE. Among the stated goals was a closer partnership with the See BOE, next page
Which way to the Durham Fair?
Photo by Stephanie Wilcox
Members of the Middlefield Fire Department bow their heads during a moment of silence on 9/11 during Middlefield's Remembrance Ceremony. More photos from the Middlefield and Durham ceremonies on page 3.
Selectmen appoint deputy fire marshal in Middlefield By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times
look for a long-term solution to improve the water quality and weed problem at Lake Beseck. The Miller Road Bridge construction will most likely go out to bid in the winter and construction will start in the spring, according to Brayshaw. Currently, the construction documents are being printed and the town is hoping for a Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant from the state in the amount of $250,000. Brayshaw reported that the newly-formed Council of Government — Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Elected Officials — received a $786,000 grant to do See Mfld BOS, page 27
This wagon family was all smiles browsing through the craft tent at the 2011 Durham Fair. Turn to pages 11-17 for this year’s special Durham Fair section. Photo credit: Cheri Kelley
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Soon after the First Selectman was notified that the Town of Middlefield did not currently have a deputy fire marshal, which is required by state statute, the fire department went looking for one. At the Sept. 4 Board of Selectmen meeting, First Selectman Jon Brayshaw reported that in the process of finding one, they learned that several people were interested, yet no one currently lives in Middlefield who would meet the criteria of the deputy fire marshal. Selectman Ed Bailey reported that he spoke with Middlefield’s Fire Marshal
Stan Atwell who supported the idea of appointing Durham’s Deputy Fire Marshal John Handley. The selectmen also discussed the cost of taking the class to become qualified to be a deputy fire marshal, and they were in favor of having the town pay for one or two people to receive the training, and would leave it up to the fire department to pick those two. The board unanimously approved the appointment of Handley to the deputy fire marshal position. In other news, Brayshaw said a Water Quality Committee is meeting with the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection on a regular basis to