Friday, July 5, 2019
www.towntimes.com
Volume 23, Number 14
Town considering L.E.D streetlights By Bailey Wright Town Times
Middlefield town boards are in the approval stages of a new streetlight contract with Tanko Lighting which would replace all town streetlights with L.E.D. ones. During its June 18 meeting, the Board of Selectmen voted to recommend the Board of Finance approve $232,379 in funding for the lighting replacement project. Sue Vanderzee waters plants at Middlefield's Giving Garden, behind the community center on Main Street, on June 14. Volunteers are welcome Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon. Photos by Bailey Wright, Town Times
Middlefield Giving Garden provides food for needy A “blank slate” of grass behind the community center on Main Street in Middlefield has been transformed over the last eight months into a place where community members can gather while working to provide organic produce to locals in need.
“We were just talking about what we could do on the lo-
First Selectman Ed Bailey said he anticipates the town meeting would happen before the end of July and if approved, the installation would be completed near the end of September. L.E.D. lights are a lightemitting diode that are energy efficient, durable and shockproof compared to glass bulb lamp types, according to the Edison Tech Center.
The Board of Finance is “They are brighter, it's a scheduled to meet on Thursday, July 11, at 7 p.m. See L.E.D., A8
Residents invited to get involved with BOE
By Bailey Wright Town Times
The Middlefield Giving Garden was conceived years ago by Coginchaug Area Transition, but the group only broke ground last fall. Transition is a group that works to foster resilient local communities in the face of rising energy prices, climate uncertainty and resource depletion.
The contract includes a rebate from Eversource of about $41,000, resulting in a net project cost of $191,139.
If the board approves the funding, action would go back to the Board of Selectmen to set a Special Town Meeting during which residents would have the final say.
By Bailey Wright Town Times
Kennedy King, 9, points to a growing pepper at Middlefield's Giving Garden.
cal level to get more people involved in the community and to help feed hungry people ... and we thought we'd have fun in the process,” said Jen Huddleston, who has organized the project.
Huddleston said she would love to see different generations interacting. “A lot of kids think that food comes from a grocery store,” she said. See Garden, A4
room to have more participation from town and I think it's a good opportunity,” Yamartino said.
Last September, the Regional School District 13 Board of Education voted to allow community members to participate as nonvoting members on most of its subcommittees. Several people have since been appointed, but there’s room for more.
For the BOE, it means a little less of a burden of work on an already stretchedthin board, as well as opportunities to more actively hear from people with different views and expertise.
Board member Bob Yamartino said there are still spots left for people to get involved, and as the board prepares for a new school year, it’s the perfect time to sign on.
“I really welcome viewpoints, different viewpoints, I don't want everyone to be exactly like me ... and I want them to have a say in how it goes,” Yamartino said.
“I think we have some
See BOE, A11