Volume 19, Number 32
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
www.TownTimes.com
Friday, November 22, 2013
P&Z: Powder Ridge needs C.O.
The pavilion at Allyn Brook Park is fenced off to allow repairs to some rotting columns and rafters. In April, culvert construction will close Pickett Lane in this area for months.” |(Photo credit: Mark Dionne)
Construction to close Pickett Lane from spring to fall By Mark Dionne Town Times
Access to Korn Elementary School, Coginchaug Regional High School, District 13 Central Office, and Allyn Brook Park will be much more difficult from April to November of 2014, according to construction projections discussed at the Nov. 13 Board of Education meeting and the Nov. 18 Durham Board of Selectman meeting. Major construction repair to a culvert at Allyn Brook Park will close Pickett Lane during that time period. With Pickett Lane closed, buses, parents, students, and staff will only have access to the school facilities by way of Maiden Lane. “It has to be done. It is going to be inconvenient,” interim Superintendent of Schools Ernest Perlini said. “We have to deal with it, but it’s going to be better when it’s done.” In July, Gov. Dannel M a l l oy a n n o u n ce d a $500,000 STEAP grant for
Durham to help prevent flooding on Pickett Lane. The grant, which is the largest STEAP grant awarded, adds to STEAP grants previously awarded to Durham — $200,000 in 2010 and $150,000 in 2011 — for a total of $850,000 in state funds for Pickett Lane. T h e S m a l l Tow n ’s Economic Assistance Program is designed to help small towns with major projects. When the grant was originally awarded, both Malloy and Durham First Selectman Laura Francis, who lobbied for the grant, called the project a priority because of access to the schools and the emergency shelter at CRHS. The project will go out to bid in December with the construction, and the road closure, beginning in April. Noting the number of end-of-year activities at the schools, Perlini has asked the state to hold off on closing the road as long as possible. See Construction / Page 2
Planning and Zoning Commission members discuss subdivision variance requirements. |(Charles Kreutzkamp / The Town Times)
By Charles Kreutzkamp
forcement officer, who reported a “relatively quiet month.” Issues included unregThe Middlefield Planning and Zoning Commission istered vehicles on Oxford meeting Nov. 13 began with Drive and Ross Road and topa report from the zoning en- ics concerning Powder Ridge, Town Times
which is set to open Nov 29. Specifically, pond dredging at Powder Ridge was “not to the depth that they hoped” which the foreman reportedly said See P&Z / Page 4
Animal friends are not forgotten By Cindi Pietrzyk Special to Town Times
Lorna Finlayson has always been an animal lover. When she was younger she dabbled in showing her two dandie Dinmont terriers, Gypsy and Julie. They didn’t show at Madison Square Garden, but they enjoyed the local shows and did quite well. As she got older, she switched from owning dandies, which require quite a bit of grooming and care, and moved on to owning whippets. Her two were named Joker and Hart. See Friends / Page 2
Lorna Finlayson, with her good friend Carol Hagek, next to the memorial. | Photo by Charley Pietrzyk.