By: Maria Moore

The Business Council has scheduled a triple-play of events for its growing membership ~ at last count 85 businesses! ~ that will be sure to meet their diverse needs. So pack your briefcase and follow this “road map” to embark on a fun and informative trip.

Tuesday, May 18, 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.: Morning Mingler at Passiflora’s, 526 Main Street in New Hartford

Make your first stop on Tuesday morning at Passiflora’s on Main Street in New Hartford center. This is a great opportunity to introduce your business to other business owners and find out more about their businesses, too. Bring plenty of business cards and be ready to give a capsule introduction of your business in one minute or less, but don’t worry: there’ll be plenty of complimentary tea and coffee to get you energized, thanks to our hostess, Karen Tyson.

This Morning Mingler is open to all business owners and professionals. RSVP’s required, deadline is today, May 15.  Email nhbusinesscouncil@yahoo.com or call 860-238-7142.

Tuesday, May 18, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.: Zoning Informational Meeting, Sessions Conference Room at Town Hall, 530 Main Street in New Hartford

Immediately following the Morning Mingler walk next door to the Town Hall for an informational meeting on the draft zoning regulations. Rista Malanca, the town’s Interim Zoning Officer has kindly agreed to meet with members of the Business Council to answer their questions regarding the new zoning regulations that are nearing completion and will soon be adopted by New Hartford. If you have input or requests on any of the regulations, please be sure to bring them to the meeting in writing and submit them into Rista.

Please be sure to review the draft zoning regulations before the meeting so that you may familiarize yourself with the new regulations and bring your specific questions for Rista to answer. The draft regulations are available online on the Planning and Zoning section of the town website; they are posted in their entirety and also individually by article. You may also obtain a paper copy of the draft zoning regulations by contacting Rista Malanca in the Land Use office at 860-379-7677. There is a $10 charge for the paper copy.

This meeting with Rista is specifically for business owners and professionals who may have questions about how the new zoning regulations may impact their business operation. The Planning and Zoning Commission is in the process of scheduling a Public Input Forum on May 26 for all residents to give their input on the draft zoning regulations; please see our May 14 article Zoning Regulations: Public Input Forum Planned For May 26.

Wednesday, June 2, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: Jungle Safari Year-End Gathering at Ski Sundown on Ratlum Road in New Hartford

The traditional Year-End Banquet held by the Business Council every June has been replaced this year by a Jungle Safari Year-End Gathering at Ski Sundown. So on Wednesday, June 2, forget about your ties and high-heeled shoes and reach for your khakis and pith helmets (aka “safari hats”) to dress for the occasion ~ “but only if you’re game” as the jungle safari flyer says.

The Safari Gathering will have music, door prizes and, of course, food. There will also be a mini expo. of local businesses. The New Hartford Business Council Scholarship will also be awarded to this year’s scholarship recipient who is not being required to attend in safari gear!

Please RSVP before May 22 via email at nhbusinesscouncil@yahoo.com. If you are not a member of the New Hartford Business Council, for a small donation you too can attend and have a “roaring” time!

If you would like to participate in the mini business expo. at the Safari Gathering,  please contact Ron Miller of Ace Marketing at ronm331@yahoo.com.

Many Thanks: To Deb Kuszaj of Blue Sky Foods and Susan Wacht of GeminEye Images for planning this Safari right here in New Hartford!

Check Out: the New Hartford Business Council’s Facebook page for the updates on the Business Council.

By: Maria Moore

The New Hartford Republican Town Committee held a Candidate Night this past Thursday evening and the Senior Center was filled to capacity with Republicans and invited guests eager to hear what the candidates had to say.  Candidates at the meeting are in the running for state and national seats.  Following in the order of their appearance, are the candidates who presented at the meeting:

Rob Simmons, Candidate for US Senate:

Rob simmons

Rob Simmons, a former Congressman and the first Business Advocate to be appointed in Connecticut, talked negatively about the government’s new healthcare legislation.  He also asked rhetorically: “How much has the stimulus done for you?” And answered “Zero!” to his own question.  He emphasized that his immigrant grandfather hadn’t come to the United States for a handout, but rather for the opportunity to do well in his new country.  He also criticized his Democratic rival, Attorney Richard Blumental as being unfriendly to small business.  As a candidate, he said, he brings the ability to win at a grassroots level.

Mr. Simmons answered the following questions from the audience:

• The closing of Gitmo (Guantanamo Bay detention camp):  ”I don’t support the closing of Gitmo and bringing the criminals to the US.”
• Repealing the LLC tax: “The $250,tax where they hit you with a tax before you make a nickel” Mr. Simmons  called “Disgraceful.”

Linda McMahon, Candidate for US Senate

Linda McMahon

Linda McMahon, who, together with her husband, ran the successful company World Wrestling Entertainment for 29 years, spoke about taking control of the national debt “the way you run your household.”  She said we need to stop spending instead of raising taxes to cover our spending.  In our government, she said: “let’s at least break even.” She also said the way to make the country business friendly is for the government to create the climate, and then people will create the jobs.

Ms. McMahon’s answers to questions asked by the audience:

• Asked if she has contributed to (Attorney Richard) Blumenthal’s campaign, she said she hasn’t, that in the past she has contributed to the Democrats because of personal and business relationships, but not to Blumenthal.
• Asked about her stance on Iran’s getting nuclear weapons, Ms. McMahon characterized the Iranian President, Ahmadinejad as ” a crazy man” and Iran as “a rogue nation.”  She said the US could shut down Iran with its own sanctions, without Russia and China.
• Asked about her stance on financial reform, Ms. McMahon said that we have enough agencies already, that there are financial measures already in place and that they just need to be used.  ”The SEC should step up to the plate!” She added.  Reggie Smith, a member of the town’s Board of Finance, asked her what she would do about the national debt and Ms. McMahon said that she would use all the money that’s been paid back to reduce the national debt.

Mark Boughton, Candidate for Governor

Mark Boughton

Mark Boughton, the Mayor of Danbury, spoke of his having been elected in a Democratic stronghold.   In his tenure as mayor, he said, Danbury has achieved the lowest property taxes in the state, the lowest water rates and the lowest crime rate.  He outlined his 3Rs of government: Revitalize the state’s economic development strategy, Redesign the state government, and Rethink the vision of what state government should be.

Mr. Boughton’s responses to questions from the audience:

• Asked how he would deal with the anti-business climate in the state, he said: “When I get a bill that’s anti-business, I will bring it right back to the local organizations.”
• Asked if he could be counted on to veto any anti-gun bills, he said: “I don’t own a gun ~ it’s a personal choice.  But I wouldn’t support any new (anti-gun) legislation.”  He went on to say: “To fix violence, you have to give them hope.   You need a very strong economy.”

Lt. Governor Michael Fedele, Candidate for Governor

Michael Fedele

The Lt. Governor said his family emigrated to the US looking for opportunity, something which he said he doesn’t believe is available to our childen.  He said: “We have to get people back to work.” And he said the governor has to be the one who creates jobs both here and abroad.  ”The next governor can’t be someone who needs on the job training, it has to be someone who knows the job.”  He then went on to highlight his own experience in business.

Questions answered by the candidate:

• Lt. Governor Fedele was asked whether he had a work for welfare program, he said that not too many people will be going back to the jobs they previously held and that there was a need for training programs at the community colleges.
• Alesia Kennerson, a Board of Finance member, said she agreed with a redirection in government but she wanted to know how that could be done smartly so as not to create another problem.  The Lt. Governor’s response was that they needed to look to technology, and do it through attrition and smart growth.
• First Selectman Dan Jerram asked how a small town can compete when the state has lots of incentives available only to large towns.  Lt. Governor Fedele said that it would have to be through transparency and by having small towns and large towns sitting at the same table.

Mark Zydanowicz, Candidate for the 1st Congressional District

Mark Zydanowicz

Mark Zydanowicz said that he has three special interest groups , his three children! He is the Marketing Director of Guida’s Dairy Products. He said that as part of his work he is talking to businesses every day. He said there’s a need for a fresh approach and that he believes in term limits. He said there’s a need for sustainable jobs, and for tax incentives. He also said that he would support the repeal of health care, that we: “Can’t fund it, and can’t support it.”

Mr. Zydanowicz gave the following answers to questions he was asked:

• He was asked what he felt about Arizona and the border issue in general and he answered: “When a rancher gets killed, we need to do something.”  He said we need to do a layered defense, that it needs to be part of national defense and needs to be taken seriously.
• Asked  if he was for renewable energy, Mr. Zydanowicz said he saw it as a way to lower the tax base, to have green companies in green areas of Connecticut.

Ann Brickley, Candidate for the 1st Congressional District

Ann Brickley

Ann Brickley, a former GE executive who works with businesses to improve performance, said she couldn’t sit on the sidelines and watch problems go unsolved. On unemployment, she said that excess government spending was not doing anything to promote jobs. On healthcare, she said the health care bill will only make the situation worse ~ it is throwing money at the system and not the problem. On energy and the environment, Ms. Brickley who is a Master Gardener, said it’s more sensible to pursue natural gas and responsible drilling.

Questions she answered included:

• Whether she had given thought to social security going broke in 2010 to which she answered that we need to start asking the tough questions and that she needs to study it some more.
• On the financial regulation Ms. Brickley said he strongly disagrees with it, that it puts the government in the position to decide who’s too big to fail.
• On health care reform, she said she is for repealing it.
• Asked her thoughts on keeping jobs in Connecticut, Ms. Brickley said she believes in free enterprise and that we need to support it.  She said to keep jobs here we need to be more productive and she supports educational training and developing the infrastructure.
• Asked about her thoughts on companies relying more on contractual workers who are seen as consumable and discrimination against older workers, Ms. Brickley said we need to invest in job training, in more innovation.
• Asked about her thoughts on No Child Left Behind, she said she was disappointed that we don’t get a better education in the US, that we need to support teachers more and get technology into the classrooms and increase the school day.

Jerry Farrell, Jr., Candidate for Secretary of State

Jerry Farrell, Jr.

Jerry Farrell, Jr. who is currently the state Commissioner of Consumer Protection, said it’s very important to elect Republicans and that the Secretary of State is the keeper of all records. He said in his current position he has looked at how to make his department more efficient and less costly. As Secretary of State he would go from agency to agency to work with them to make their processes more efficient. Renewing licenses online is one example of such an efficiency.

Questions he answered included:

• Jim Fitzgerald, RTC Chairman, asked about the paper ballots and Mr. Farrell said we’re now invested in the system and we need to make sense of the paperwork, to make it simpler to process.
• Asked how long he has practiced law, Mr. Farrell said 11 years as a practicing attorney and that he won’t need an attorney to approve his qualifications.
• Asked about his feelings towarad ROVAC, he said he’d like to see questions answered more quickly, to try to give timely, consistent answers.

As Jim Fitzgerald was giving the closing statement to the meeting, he was informed that another candidate, Martha Dean had been able to make it to the meeting and she was given the opportunity to address the meeting.

Martha Dean, Candidate for Attorney General

Martha Dean

Martha Dean, a business owner who has actively practiced law for 22 years, said that the state is becoming so anti-business, our children are going to other states. She said it was meaningless to talk about jobs, that: “Jobs are like leaves on trees, they’re going to naturally occur if you have good soil.” She sees the need to be not only an economic one, but one of leadership ~ the need for a principled approach to life. She went through her platform which is built on three pillars, Freedom, Faith and Fortune: Freedom from undue oppression and government mandates; Faith ~ that Judeo-Christian values are the foundation of this country and that the separation of church and state was never meant to take religion out of public ceremonies, public places, or public things; Fortune ~ that taking money from those who have it and spreading it around only makes those who have it leave. Ms. Dean supports ending the improper involvement of government in businesses and Connecticut interfering with entrepreneurship, but rather to support their great ideas.

The meeting was brought to an end, and the candidates appeared well-pleased with the event. One candidate expressed it this way: “I’ve been to many such gatherings ~ this is an excellent one!”

Many Thanks: to the Republican Town Committee for bringing together such a professional Candidate Night, especially Jim Fitzgerald, Alesia Kennerson and Steve Tuxbury.

The Republican Town Committee drew a large attendance for its Candidate Night at its RTC Meeting on Thursday, April 29. Photo: Maria Moore

Following are the Community Calendar listings for today in New Hartford, CT:

Thursday, April 29, 2010:

• New Hartford Senior Center activities: at Senior Center, Town Hall, 530 Main St., New Hartford. Activities: Line dancing at 9:30 a.m.; Fitness at 10:45 a.m. ($2.50 per person, per class, includes a fitness card which is stamped for every class attended; Bingo at 1:00 p.m.; Yoga at 4:00 p.m. For more information please call Jean Barnicoat at 860-379-3980 between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.
• Thursday Night Gather With Friends: Well Being is your Birth Rite, No experience Necessary: with Brian and Marcey Hickey at 7:00 p.m. at Passiflora’s Cafe, 526 Main Street, New Hartford. Well being can be created by practicing the exercises which produce well being. Laughter is the simplest and most powerful exercise that all human beings can do to improve well being. Laughing is innate. It will be hilarious and fun for all! The Wonderful Benefits of Laughter Club are: Laughter, like humor, appears to enhance learning as it creates positive emotions which improve memory, feelings of self worth, self esteem and self confidence are enhanced, raises your endorphin level, further boosts the immune system, and many more. See ya There …… Ho Ho!, Ha Ha Ha! Event is FREE; A chef’s choice organic dinner will be served from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. For more information, please visit Passiflora’s website.
• Candidate Night at Republican Town Committee Meeting ~ Republicans/By invitation Only: at 7:00 p.m. in the Senior Center, Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford. For more information please see our April 28 article Candidate Night Slated…

Our Community Calendar section provides additional information about the events listed above and information on past, current and future events - a permanent record of events in New Hartford. Also check out our Community Bulletin Board where you can see posters and information on local groups and events.

…NHGrapevine…

“The state is getting rid of all the crosswalks through the center of town.”

First Selectman Dan Jerram told our editor, Maria Moore after the Business Council’s Tourism Brochure Committee meeting on Wednesday morning. Dan, Maria and Christine Hayward were continuing the discussion of how to attract visitors and new businesses to our town. Getting rid of the crosswalks, making the center of town less pedestrian-friendly is NOT going in the right direction, the three agreed, and Dan said he’s fighting the state to keep the crosswalk at the light from Bridge Street across Main Street to Central Avenue.

Contribute to the …NHGrapevine… Let us know what you’ve heard - or seen - in town and we’ll add it to this listing, and also add it to the …NHGrapevine… section. So let’s hear what you’re hearing around town…

Tulips are in full bloom and appear to glow in the bright sunlight. Since we haven't seen too much bright sunlight in the last few days, this photo, taken last year at this time, is a reminder of how beautiful a sight that can be. Photo: NewHartfordPlus archives

Collinsville Baking Company Hosts First Morning Mingler

Local business owners came together this Wednesday morning, April 21, for an hour of camaraderie and an opportunity to highlight their business offerings all in the friendly setting of the Collinsville Baking Company. Bakery owner Greg Histed and his mom Vicki Swartwood had set out a large selection of baked goods and coffee and they graciously visited with their business guests as, helped by their staff, they also tended to the steady stream of customers making a morning stop at their local bakery.

In a quiet moment, our reporter asked Greg how he was feeling about his bakery’s move from Collinsville to Pine Meadow. “Everyone’s been just great!” He said. “They’ve all been so welcoming.” Asked about his customers, he said he’s added new customers from the area and most of his old customers don’t seem to mind driving out to his new location. Good bread, really good bread is worth going the extra mile or two, our reporter agreed.

The one hour allocated to the Mingler flew by as new business owners introduced themselves to those with longer established businesses in town, and those who hadn’t seen each other in a while caught up on the intervening months. And at the end, as all good networking occasions should provide, everyone stood in a friendly circle and had an opportunity to showcase their business offerings to others at the gathering. And then it was time to leave, most with a loaf of fresh bread, or baked goods, and a promise to return to Greg’s Collinsville Baking Company, that has fast become a favorite among those who appreciate great bread made by kind-hearted man.

This First New Hartford Business Council Morning Mingler was held at the Collinsville Baking Company in the Jeannine Building, Wickett Street in the Pine Meadow section of New Hartford.

The next NHBC Morning Mingler will be held at Passiflora Tea Room and Cafe, 526 Main Street on Tuesday, May 18 from 7:45 a.m. throuugh 9:00 a.m. All business owners and professionals are welcome to attend. RSVP by May 15 to nhbusinesscouncil@yahoo.com or by calling 860-238-7142.

Photos of Wednesday’s Morning Mingler courtesy of Phil Worley, Susan Wacht and Maria Moore (as attributed in the captions):

Greg Histed and his mom Vicki Swartwood visit with the Bakkers at the Morning Mingler which Greg and Vicki hosted at their Collinsville Baking Company in the Jeannine Building in the Pine Meadow section of New Hartford. Photo: Susan Wacht of GeminEye Images

Dawn Whalen of COMPUTER EXPLORERS and Co-President of the New Hartford Business Council gives a few updates to those present of upcoming Business Council events while Ron Miller of Ace Marketing looks on. Photo: Phil Worley

Susan Wacht (GeminEye Images) and Mary Ann Gunning (Chapin Park B&B) share a light moment together at the Morning Mingler on April 21. Photo: Phil Worley

(More photos ~ page 2)

Read the full story

[Updated on April 15 to correct Alesia Kennerson's place of work to Waterbury; my apologies for the error, Maria]

By: Maria Moore

In a lightly-attended Board of Selectmen meeting last night, Tuesday, April 13 the two Selectmen present, First Selectman Dan Jerram and Selectman Tom Klebart disposed of the agenda items in less than an hour before going into executive session with Board of Finance Chairman Ben Witte. The executive session item was listed as “re. Land Use Administrator” and no information was given before the executive session and no outcome was announced after the session ended.

The two selectmen were the only ones sitting at the conference table since Selectman Bruce Gresczyk was absent and Christine Hayward was on vacation, and the meeting was more a briefing by Dan on the agenda items than one requiring action. The complete agenda for the Selectmen’s meeting is added below; this report includes the following items:

Items #6,Central Ave. ~ Traffic Complaints/Concerns, and #8, Appointment of Legal Traffic Authority

Dan informed Tom that he had received a letter from Jim Steadman, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission expressing concern over the parking on Central Avenue and Bridge Street. P&Z said it feels the parking situation is causing Public Health, Safety and Welfare issues and needs to be addressed immediately. P&Z asked the selectmen to look into the parking situation and to take whatever action necessary to remedy it; a downloadable copy of the P&Z letter to the Selectmen is included at the end of this report.

Everyone present agreed that the traffic situation has gotten a lot worse since the old library building at 2 Central Avenue reopened and businesses had moved into it. Dan said that the concern was mostly for the on-the street parking on Central Avenue, a narrow road that connects Route 44 with Steele Road across Route 219. He said he’d watched the traffic from Frank Misiorski’s Corner House and he attributed part of the problem to the traffic turning from Route 44 into Central Avenue. “If there’s cars coming down Central Ave. they (the cars that had just made the turn from Route 44) have to stop and wait (for the other cars to complete coming down the road).” Those present at the meeting were all aware of the problem with that stretch of Central Avenue. Donna LaPlante, Town Clerk who was at the meeting, said that once when she had been driving down Central Avenue and there was a funeral at the Catholic Church (on the opposite side of the road from the old library building), people had parked on both sides of the narrow road.

Roy Litchfield, Board of Finance member also at the meeting, asked what the original plan was when the proposal for the rehabbing of the old library building had been presented. Dan said that currently there were no parking requirements for businesses in the central village area, something that is being looked at by P&Z in their ongoing revision of the zoning regulations. Donna said that part of the original plan of improvement for Central Avenue was to consider making the road one-way. In 1995, she said, the recommendation had been to close Central Avenue to traffic. “Common sense has not prevailed,” Donna said, adding that there is currently plenty of parking in town, but people take the closest base during the bad weather and then don’t park elsewhere later. “We’re fortunate not to have had any accidents there.” Donna concluded. Dan agreed, saying there were no accidents, but that ticketing had occurred.

Alesia Kennerson, Board of Finance member who was at the meeting, said that she has a 10-minute walk from where she parks for free in Waterbury to her office. She added there could be assigned parking to balance the need to keep the center viable.

Our reporter, speaking as a resident asked whether short-term, the town might approach the Beekley Library to allow parking in the empty lot (where the old Foothills Trader building had been located) between the old library and the new. Dan said: “That land belongs to the library.” And our reporter agreed but added that the town made a large contribution to the library and might be able to ask them to help out.

Our reporter also asked about the status of the $250,000 STEAP grant that the town has for the realignment of the Central Avenue intersection. That grant has most recently been looked at by the town to help pay for sewer line repairs in that portion of Main Street. Dan said that it was still open how to best use that grant, that it was something the BOC (Building Oversight Committee of the Wastewater Treatment Plant) would be taking up again soon.

Dan said he’d appointed himself the Legal Traffic Authority, adding that he, the selectmen and the police could all be appointed to handle the traffic situation.

Tom asked: “In the short term, are you looking at making it one way?” To which Dan answered: “I’m looking exactly at what P&Z asked us to do: to assess the situation.”

The matter was kept on the agenda for a future board meeting.

A view looking down Central Avenue towards the center of New Hartford this past March. Photo: Maria Moore

Item #5: Industrial Park Washout

The washout area in the Industrial Park seen from Route 219

Dan updated Tom on the Industrial Park washout.  He said this (second) washout was located in front of the Inertia property where Hitchcock Chairs had once been located.  He said there’s a Cease and Correct order in place and that the town has to develop a plan of action.  The large tree in the Carter Street property had been removed and he has an engineering bid from Lenard Engineering for $15,000 and a bid from a soil scientist.  He said the Wetlands alone will be about $8,700.  He emphasized that the order to correct was under the condition of “if feasible” and he will be going back to Inland Wetlands (Commission) for what’s feasible to the Commission.

Tom asked about the first washout and Dan said the prices included both washouts.  He said the soil was starting to erode at the first washout location and the fix for that washout was not if feasible, it was something that had to be fixed.

For a downloadable copy of the Cease and Correct order: for the washout, please see our report on the March 23 BOS Meeting Summary.

Operations ~ Brown’s Corner Concerns

As part of the Operations Update which Dan provided on the various town projects going on right now (Item # 4: Sand and Salt Shed: “we’re getting it off the mark”; West Hill overlay: “bids will be opened on the 14th”) and various grants updates, Dan LaPlante, Planning and Zoning Commission member who was at the meeting, asked whether the dirt piles at Brown’s Corner needed to be fenced in and, hearing that it wasn’t part of the work being done right now, Dan LaPlante asked: “If something happened would the town be liable?”   Going on to add that kids have been riding their ATVs all around the sand piles.

Roy filled in the history for those who might not have known it: that the former First Selectman had called the insurance company and had reported the situation to them.  Dan Jerram said he would look into the insurance situation.

Our reporter asked whether there was a Cease and Correct order issued by Planning and Zoning for Brown’s Corner and Dan Jerram said there wasn’t, that he’d had only received a note from Rista (Malanca in the Land Use Office) about the silt fence and soil that had washed onto Pine Hill Road during the recent heavy rain.

Item #7: Appointment of Deputy Fire Marshall

Dan announced that at the request of Bill Baldwin, the town’s Fire Marshall, he has appointed Bill Baldwin, a firefighter, as Deputy Fire Marshall.

____________________

Board of Selectmen
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
5:30 PM
Town Hall

AGENDA

1.)Opportunity for Public Comment
2.)Operations Updates
Sewer plant financing
Budget Update
3.)Grant updates
4.)STEAP – sand/salt, ARRA- West Hill project
5.)Industrial Park Washout
6.)Central Ave – traffic complaints/concerns
7.)Appointment of Deputy Fire Marshal
8.)Appointment of Legal Traffic Authority
9.)Any Other Business to Come Before The Board
10.)Executive Session – re: Land Use Administrator

A view of the washout area from the Industrial Park road looking towards the two houses on Carter Street with Route 219 and Cottage Street in the background. Photo: Maria Moore

By: Maria Moore

Business Council Scholarship Available

The New Hartford Business Council is now accepting applications for its $1,000 annual scholarship, Attorney Norman “Skip” Rogers, a Business Council member and head of the Scholarship Committee, has announced. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a New Hartford resident who is graduating this year from high school and who has excelled in academics, athletics, and in community activities. “We like to see that the student has a strong record of community service.” Attorney Rogers emphasized.

The application deadline is Monday, May 3. Students interested in applying may download a copy of the application using the link below. They may also contact their school administrator, or they may call Attorney Rogers at 860-379-9600.

The scholarship is awarded at the Business Council’s Annual Year-End Banquet. Last year, the scholarship was awarded to Jack Traub during the Annual Banquet held at Chapin Park Bed & Breakfast. This year, the scholarship will be presented to the recipient at the Annual Banquet which will be held on June 2 at Ski Sundown.

Download the Scholarship Application: New Hartford Business Council Scholarship Application (89)

Last year's scholarship recipient, Jack Traub is seen here receiving the scholarship from Dawn Whalen and Bart Baxter, Co-Presidents of the Business Council, at the Year-End Annual Banquet held at Chapin Park Bed and Breakfast on June 10, 2009. Photo: Phil Worley

Tourism Brochure In The Works

Members of the Business Council’s Communications Committee have been hard at work on developing a tourism brochure which will market New Hartford and its businesses to other communities around the state and beyond.

Brochures and postcards from which various ideas for the New Hartford brochure are drawn. Photo: Susan Wacht

The idea for a tourism brochure is not new: Norma Richmond brought the brochure idea to Community Connections 5 years ago and then saw it put it aside as those members became more and more busy with producing the telephone directory.  Our reporter, a member of the Business Council brought the idea of a brochure up before the Economic Development Commission (EDC) last year; the EDC pursued it for a while and then also put it aside.  But when our reporter brought the idea up again at a recent Business Council meeting with the First Selectman, the idea seemed to gain traction.

The Business Council’s Communications Committee  has been meeting regularly with the goal of bringing the brochure to fruition.  The Committee that has been meeting at Town Hall  is made up of the following Business Council members: Gardner Graves of Realty Works, Deb Kuzjac of Blue Sky Foods, Susan Wacht of GeminEye Images, and our reporter, Maria Moore of NewHartfordPlus.  Other Committee members include: Norma Richmond of the EDC and Community Connections, Joan Auclair of Community Connections and Christine Hayward from the First Selectman’s Office.   Most recently, Phil Worley of the Canton Chamber of Commerce who is also a Community Connections member, attended a meeting.  Phil shared his experiences working with similar publications in Canton.

After meeting for one month the Committee members have already decided on a large, double-fold style brochure, a hand-drawn map of the town by a local artist, all within a retro, postcard theme.   On the agenda for their next meeting will be the content for the brochure and the space to be devoted to advertising.

There are plans to print approximately 20,000 copies of this tourism brochure and to distribute it around the state and beyond.  We will provide updates on the development of the brochure as more information becomes available.    In the meantime, if you have ideas or comments regarding the brochure, please contact any of the members of the Communications Committee.

Deb Kuszaj presents her concept for the brochure at the meeting of the Business Council's Communications Committee on Wednesday, March 31. Committee Chairman Gardner Graves listens attentively to Deb's presentation. Photo: Susan Wacht of GeminEye Images

Friend The Business Council on facebook.

The New Hartford Business Council now has a facebook page, thanks to Susan Wacht of GeminiEye Images. Susan, who is a member of the Business Council’s Board of Directors (previously the Steering Committee) recently set up the Business Council’s facebook page. The page contains photographs and meeting information, as well as providing a friendly place to spend a little time, whether you are a business owner or not.

Check out: The Business Council’s facebook page on the web and catch up with the New Hartford area business community.

By: Joanne Dahill, MarWin Farm & Anita Barden, Barden Farm, Farmers’ Market Organizers

With the arrival of spring, the market masters of the New Hartford Farmers Market would like to remind everyone that the market opens Friday, May 21 from 3:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on the Green in the Pine Meadow section of New Hartford.

We are changing the layout of the vendors this year to create a Friday evening Local-Food court. Customers will find our two bakers with lots of favorites to munch on. Joining us for the first time is Passiflora Restaurant offering organic, locally-sourced ready to eat food. The musicians and Chef will be located in the Local-Food court. We’re hoping our neighbors and friends make Fridays on the Green a weekly event.

If shopping locally is important to you, you’ll find plenty of great diversity on the Green. Here’s our list of vendors and a brief look at what they’ll be bringing:

Our Farmers and Food Vendors:

Anita Barden, one of the organizers of the New Hartford Farmers' Market

• Barden Farm - vegetables, herbs, honey & flowers;
• Beckwith Brook Farm - vegetables, fruits & perennials;
• Better Baking By Beth - baked goods;
• B’Udder Bar - goat soaps and lotions;
• Dineberg’s Localvore - sprouts and vegetables;
• Dandy Acres - perennials;
• Eaglewood Farms - USDA beef, pork & organic salmon;
• Grant & Skylar’s Happy Hens - grass ranged eggs;
• Gresczyk Farms - vegetables & eggs;
• MarWin Farm - organically grown vegetables, herbs & flowers;
• Passiflora - freshly made, locally-sourced ready to eat food;
• Planted Feather Farm & Bakery - baked goods;
• Sweet Pea Dairy - goat and cow cheeses;
• Sweetwind Farm - maple syrup products, herbs and flowers
• Tonn’s Orchard - fruits & vegetables

Our Artisans:

• Bethany Home Crafts - felted gifts
• Pine Meadow Co. - reclaimed garden carts
• Woolen It Be Nice - reclaimed knit clothing and gifts

Our Town Partners:

• New Hartford Business Council - promoting a variety of New Hartford Businesses;
• New Hartford Farmers Market Tent - where you’ll find NHFM gear for sale, as well as weekly activities for the kids;
• Non-Profit Tent - any New Hartford non-profit is welcome to apply for this space at the market. One organization per market, first come first served. Contact Joanne Dahill joanne@marwinfarm.com;
• NewHartfordPlus - this year going “free range” in their quest to bring the Farmers’ Market to the community and the community to the Farmers’ Market with their online coverage of  all the happenings at the market.

We look forward to another successful season!

To contact the Farmers’ Market: Please email Joanne Dahill at joanne@marwinfarm.com or email Anita Barden at bardenfarm@aol.com.

A stand of carrots on display at the MarWin Farm Stand this past June; the carrots became a symbol of the Farmers' Market which was on display all around town. Photo: Maria Moore

Ms. Carrot (aka Joanne Dahill) made a rare winter appearance at the Frozen Farmers' Market; shown with Ms. Carrot are Norma and Charlie Richmond who were faithful regulars at the Business Council table last season. Photo: Maria Moore

Commentary: Grading NewHartfordPlus by “Mrs. Moore”

As I’ve been covering more Board of Ed meetings recently, I’ve found myself slipping back into my “teacher mode,” something which all teachers, whether currently teaching or ex-teachers, as I am, will recognize: I find myself grading everything I report on, or don’t report on, or wish I had the time to report on. These grades are recorded in my mental gradebook, a fun game I play while I drive to work, or to my next news assignment for NewHartfordPlus, or as I listen to a carefully-prepared speech delivered by a resident on a topic that he or she feels passionate about. As any good teacher, I have a rubric in mind and carefully assess each important aspect of an assigned topic before totalling up the parts to reach a final grade. This morning, as I rest from an 18-hour work day on Thursday and catch my breath before another 18-hour work day on Saturday, I thought it would be fun to share one of my grading games in writing ~ “a busman’s holiday” for sure, but hey, as long as I’m having fun, it’s not illegal and I don’t get rapped on the knuckles too many times!  So here goes:

Topic: News Reporting on NewHartfordPlus:

Rubric:

• Is NewHartfordPlus providing coverage of the “news and events of New Hartford”?

Evaluation: A look at the range of news coverage included in the Latest Articles  section on the front page shows the following articles: Daily Calendar (a calendar of meetings, social events, a snippet of news reported in the grapevine; a report on the New Hartford Schools budget presentation to the Board of Finance; a press release from a local nonprofit, Community Connections about the new 2010 Telephone Directory recently mailed out to residents; a report on how the different department heads and team leaders at Town Hall saw their budgetary needs for the coming fiscal year; a News Updates on tax sale warrants issued by the town to delinquent taxpayers, plus a news update on a free dental clinic in Middletown (NOT local, but of interest to residents who might need the free dental care).

• Range of news covered: Excellent range for a three-day period: Grade: 95 (”A”)
• Accuracy of news covered: Readers are always ready to correct and clarify our news coverage, and we always step up and make those corrections. Egg on my face?  Great!  It means someone who knew better was inspired to share their knowledge with our readership!  Grade:  95% (”A”).

Wow! With a 100% average and only one more empty box left to fill in the rubric, I’m feeling pretty confident at acing this subject.  But wait: Imagine your sternest teacher looking up as she lays her red grading pen and frowning sternly your way as she asks: “What happened to the last criterion, Timeliness?”

• Timeliness: The facts don’t look good: The last report, which is yet unfinished, is of a Board of Finance meeting that was held this past Tuesday. And where’s the Regional #7 Board of Ed meeting report held on Wednesday night? And the Board of Selectmen meeting report held last night? Grade: 25% (”F!”) for the video clips of the Board of Finance meeting, which is still unfinished!

The grade: 95 + 95 + 25 = 215 divided by 3 = 72 (”C-“).

And that’s the grade that Maria and Bob Moore of NewHartfordPlus would receive from “Mrs. Moore.” : “-C” NOT written in red ink ~ I never liked red for grading ~ with a note “Please see me at the end of class!”

When I was teaching, this is where my teaching really started, with that all-important note:  ”Please see me at the end of class!” Because once the standardized test score has been calculated, the good teachers sit down with their students and try to figure out what happened with that last criterion and strategize together on how to correct it.

In this case what happened is simple: Bob and I both work at our paying jobs so that we can afford to keep on living in our old, rambling farmhouse in New Hartford. Our work commitments are 1.5 FTEs (Full Time Equivalents, not Employees!), leaving only 0.5 FTE (20 hours per week) for NewHartfordPlus. For a 7-day per week operation, that’s 3 hours per day which doesn’t go very far, as anyone who’s employed a part-timer ~ or as those of us who work part-time ~ know.

As a teacher, I’d discuss how over-extended my student is and offer some possible solutions:  Cut down on the news coverage, or increase the time you can put into covering the wide range of news you now try to cover. “Let me see what I can do!” Is the sheepish answer I give myself as I close my mental gradebook, grab my reporter’s notebook and head down to Town Hall which will be closing soon at 12.

A Note To You, Our Reader: With an average of over 1,000 visits per day so far this month, and from the positive comments we receive from you about our news coverage on NewHartfordPlus ~ despite our “C-” grade from “Mrs. Moore,” we’d like to ask you to consider contributing financially to NewHartfordPlus so that we may continue to provide you with the same range and accuracy of reporting that you enjoy, while  striving to improve our timeliness.  So far today, we’ve already worked 3 hours on NewHartfordPlus, not counting the above commentary, and our workday is just beginning!

Please check out: Our Stakeholders section to see the many ways you can become a Stakeholder in NewHartfordPlus.  We welcome the support of individuals, non-profit organizations and businesses as we strive to maintain our news coverage on NewHartfordPlus free and accessible to all!

Ex-teacher Maria Moore during a 3-day whirlwind family reunion in Tuscany last spring during which she got to wander around Pisa for an afternoon with her brother Nick, who teaches in Germany. Photo: Nick La Faci

We received this Letter to the Editor at 5:56 a.m. this morning, Monday, March 8:

Dear Maria and fellow townspeople,

Throughout the school year our children are being recognized with P.A.W.S. standing for Personal Best, Act Responsibly, Work and Play Safely, and Show Respect.

I wish I could give some of these P.A.W.S. out to the adults and leaders of our town, perhaps if I reassign the letters I can.

Personal agenda: goes to all sides of the education negotiating process. Why is it all or nothing? Why can’t all parties involved, superintendant, teachers, other bargaining units, etc. meet somewhere in the middle? If everyone “could give a little” as our First Selectman stated at the last BOE meeting this whole mess would be non-existant. Teachers wouldn’t lose their jobs, our children’s class sizes could stay the same (a better learning and working environment), the teachers could still get some pay increase, just not the whole 6% or give up some of the benefits, then we wouldn’t have to waste money on unemployment and legal fees. Please, give up the all or nothing approach, no one wins that scenario, not in the short or long term.

Awful situation: goes to this annual budget process, which will not get any better in the future if we don’t change our thinking. The leaders of our town have to come up with another approach to raise revenue. Relying on the individual taxpayer and state funding is a passive approach. Leaders need to be proactive, immediately to bring in additional businesses that complement our towns’ vision and bring in desperately needed tax dollars. Not to mention justify the WWTP we are paying for.

Working randomly: goes to the BOF. Both the teachers contract and the WWTP were agreed to by the tax payers when they were proposed. I realize and appreciate your desire to have a 0% increase in all areas, but why ask the BOE for a 0% increase and on the other hand say the WWTP costs are outside the budget? They are both commitments we collectively made as a town. A little wiggle room to keep class sizes down is all I ask.

Share the responsibility: we are all to blame for this current situation, for too long many of us (myself included) have trusted our elected town officials to do what is right for us. We the tax payer have been busy doing our jobs, raising our kids, and all the other things we do when times are good. We assume our elected and paid officials are doing their jobs of representing us properly. In a better economy the majority of people avoid town politics and choose to ignore the little annoyances, but now our children’s education is being impacted, we can’t bury our heads anymore. This BOE budget issue went unrecognized by many last year, but woke us up this time around and unwillingly got us involved in this process.

Instead of the P.A.W.S. I just assigned to the adults of our town, I’d like to see each of us step up and earn the P.A.W.S. we ask our children to earn daily at school and at home. What happened in the past is done… we can learn from past experiences, apply what we learned and move forward wiser, kinder and more productively. Let’s all do our personal best and see what we can get accomplished.

Hopefully,
Maria Watkins

Maria Watkins is a resident of New Hartford with children in the New Hartford schools

A detail of the little school house at the entrance of the Ann Antolini School. Photo: Maria Moore