Volume 19, Number 38 Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
Year in review
www.TownTimes.com
Friday, December 28, 2012
Santa and elves at the library
By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times Wonder where the year went? We do, too. Especially considering how much happened in Durham and Middlefield in 2012. Here are the major headlines for your review.
JANUARY Powder Ridge update – Rick Sabatino, a member of the former Alpine Ridge group, was one of several parties that showed interest in purchasing the town-owned 246 acre ski area property. Middlefield First Selectman Jon Brayshaw said he was “cautiously optimistic” that something would develop for Powder Ridge, whether it was with Sabatino or someone else. Football player from Durham makes key bowl game TD - Durham native Graham Stewart was a freshman linebacker for the Florida Gators when he recovered a blocked punt and ran it back for a touchdown. The score broke open a tight 14-10 game and gave the Gators their margin of victory in the 24-17 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. Note: Stewart transferred to UConn in May. Officials ‘weed out the wheat from the chaff ’ regarding Powder Ridge interested parties – Middlefield Residents complained to the Board of Selectmen about certain matters being considered in executive session. First Selectman Jon Brayshaw assured the public that he, along with Town Planner Geoff Colegrove, Finance Director Joseph Geruch and the Board of Selectmen are trying to “weed out the wheat from the chaff ” regarding potential buyers for Powder Ridge. All-day kindergarten discussed at BOE – Initial talk of all-day kindergarten began at a January meeting of the Regional School District 13 Board of Education. Board members said they had been contacted by members of the public on the issue, and opinions ranged from thrilled at the opportunity to concerned about the potential expense.
FEBRUARY Middlefield revaluation leads to 10 percent drop in grand list – Middlefield home assessments went down during the 2011 state-mandated revaluation, which happens every five years. Newest Powder Ridge possibility Sean Hayes talks snowballs and restoration – Sean Hayes, the managing director of Brownstone Exploration and Discover Park, LLC in Portland, was the newest entry into the Powder Ridge Ski Area ownership sweepstakes. “I’m a specialist with a proven business model for taking distressed properties owned by municipalities and turning them into something everybody can be proud of,” he said. See Review, page 2
Submitted by Christine Michaud
Over 50 children and their families enjoyed a visit with Santa Claus at the Durham Public library recently. Santa was assisted by local “elves” Ivy and Claire Linden-Dionne, Shannon Carey and Tatiana Perez, who took photos, made notes for the elves at the North Pole, and handed out candy canes. In addition to sharing their Christmas wishes with Santa, children made Christmas tree ornaments, colored holiday pictures, and listened to Christmas stories.
In wake of Sandy Hook, BOE looks at safety issues By Mark Dionne Special to the Town Times “We don’t have a greater responsibility than the security of the children,” Board of Education chair Kerrie Flanagan told the BOE at a special meeting regarding school safety. “The sad truth of the matter is we’ll probably never be at 100 percent. It’s a journey and I think we’ll be on this road for a long time.”
The tension between the desire to provide safety for children and the impossibility of achieving complete safety ran through the somber meeting held Dec. 19, five days after the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. While no major decisions were made at the meeting, many safety issues were raised, some of which will likely change the way the schools are used and look.
Entrances and exits Procedures for being buzzed through the locked school doors were changed following Sandy Hook. “Everybody who is buzzed in to every building will be asked some questions,” Superintendent Sue Viccaro said. Cameras provide what Viccaro described as sometimes “limited visibility” to the
See Safety, page 7