NewHartfordPlus.com

When there are multiple needs for additional playing fields, which need gets met?

With a Public Hearing scheduled at this evening’s Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting for an expansion of the playing fields at the back of the Antolini School – price tag as yet unknown – and with a proposal for regional sports fields at RRDD#1, not to mention the Northwestern Regional # 7′s Football players whose numbers have grown to the point where the Gilbert-Northwestern Football co-op may not be an option for much longer, this may be the right time to call a moratorium on spending any more taxpayers’ money on the town’s recreational needs until a comprehensive needs assessment has been carried out.

Yes, I too have heard the argument that the town desperately needs more playing fields. This has been said by various Youth Sports representatives, by the Rec Commission members and by the town’s First Selectman whose years of volunteering as a coach have given him the inside track on the needs of Youth Sports. But thus far, this need for more sports fields has been anectodal, and not based on a concrete assessment of the actual numbers of New Hartford players, of the number of sports programs being offered and of how our existing field space is being utilized.

Recently, frustrated at the lack of concrete data to support this oft-repeated need for more playing fields, I obtained the Fall practice schedules of all the active sports teams in town, drew up maps of all town-owned properties with field space available to active sports and I wrote on each field space the days and hours it was being used for practices. And my findings? They were surprising: Some field space was not being utilized at all, while other field space was being used by small groups for only a few hours a week, while one park area, without any infrastructure to support active sports, was the most utilized by far. And these findings did not include the field space at Brown’s Corner, a town park that is now being used exclusively by active sports, since that field space is not used for practices, I was told. See the April 18, 2012 NewHartfordPlus article Practice Spaces Available For Active Sports On Town-Owned Land: Supply Vs. Demand.

I brought my findings to the Rec Commission and it was acknowledged that the field space is divvied up by the sports programs themselves, without any oversight from Rec. “Coaches usually pick the field space closest to their home!” Rec Commission member Dan Eddy confirmed. That’s OK for them to allocate the field space in this organic way, but when the town is being asked to fund more playing fields, then a more formal way of allocating field space is necessary.

Don’t get me wrong: If more field space is needed, then I will not begrudge funding it with taxpayers’ money. But that need must be supported by facts, not by urban legend.

This year’s town budget includes $25,000 for improvements to the Antolini field. Although no cost estimate has yet to be allocated by the First Selectman’s to his proposed expansion of the Antolini field area, that cost will no doubt be many times that figure. One has only to look at the $180,000 that was allocated in the past two town budgets to take care of the Brown’s Corner parking lot to understand that the Antolini field expansion will be much more costly. As far as the cost of field expansion, the only cost estimate available to me is a 1996 cost estimate to develop a sports complex at Brodie Park South; that estimate was for $283,000. The 1996 cost estimate for proposed soccer fields at Brodie Park South was presented to the Recreation Commission on November 6, 1996, by Rick Berneike. Download a copy of that cost estimate: 1996 Brodie Park South Sports Complex Cost Estimate (20).

Recreation Needs Assessment A La Barkhamsted

.
How to best carry out a Recreation Needs Assessment? I would use as a model the 2010 Recreation Needs Assessment carried out by Barkhamsted. The Board of Finance convened a Recreation Needs Committee which included the First Selectman, the Superintendent of Schools, the Director of Youth Soccer, and other heads of recreational organizations. According to the Recreation Needs Committee page of the Barkhamsted web site:

“In fall 2010, the Board of Finance requested that an informal study be performed to create a plan for recreational needs, essentially a “plan of development”. This plan was to include land, facilities, meeting space, or other needs for the various youth and adult recreation programs in town.

To accomplish that goal, a group was formed that included many of the leaders of the various recreational organizations in town. This committee met in December 2010 and January 2011 to respond to the Board of Finance request.”

The Barkhamsted Recreational Needs Committee came up with a Barkhamsted Recreational Needs White Paper which included the needs of Youth Sports, the local elementary school and the Seniors. Download a PDF of the Barkhamsted Recreational Needs White Paper: Barkhamsted Recreational Needs White Paper (19).

When There’s A Need…

.
The need for a Recreational needs assessment in New Hartford is clear: Without such an assessment New Hartford will continue to put its recreational funds towards projects that meet the needs of the “squeakiest wheels” without those being necessarily the most needed projects for the whole community. Before any more taxpayer money is allocated to any one interest group’s recreational needs, I for one will be asking: “Where is the New Hartford Recreational Needs White Paper?”

Maria Moore is the Editor of NewHartfordPlus.com, of which she is a principal. Maria is also a member of the New Hartford Board of Finance.

With over 1,000 registered dogs in New Hartford, a dog park might rank highly in a town-wide recreational needs assessment. Image from theparkdallas.org

Below is a copy of a letter that Maria Moore, Board of Finance member and NewHartfordPlus editor and reporter, sent to the First Selectman and to the Chairman of the Recreation Commission with a copy to the Chairman of the Board of Finance with a request for the town to solicit and receive input from the town’s insurance company on the additional insurance liability that the town will be assuming by allowing the Football program to use a town park after sunset with the conditions approved by Rec. Less than a year ago the request of adults to walk through a town park after sunset was denied by the Rec Commission based on the insurance company’s input that the night-time use might require the town to make improvements to the town’s parks and could possibly result in a substantial increase in the town’s insurance costs.  Maria asked that the letter be included in the “Correspondence” section of the Board of Selectmen meeting held this evening, June 26.

June 26, 2012

Dan Jerram, First Selectman, Board of Selectmen
John Maschi, Chairman, Recreation Commission
Ben Witte, Chairman, Board of Finance

Gentlemen:

As a member of the Board of Finance and as a town taxpayer, I am writing to express my concern at the additional insurance liability the town is being exposed to by the Recreation Commission allowing the use of a town park after sunset for an extended period of time. This is in direct conflict with the input of the town’s insurance company which the Rec Commission solicited in July, 2011. According to the July 2011 Rec minutes, the input the Rec Commission received was the following:

“…after consulting with the Town Hall, the Police Department, and the town’s Insurance Consultant the liability exposure to the town is too great. The Insurance Consultant emailed the First Selectman’s office after our conversation that it was their opinion that the town not agree to keep the park open after dark. This could possibly represent a change in hazard which could require a physical inspection by the insuring carrier. An inspection could reveal possible liability hazards which might include lighting of the path down to the lake as well as paving. The Consultant also stated that the town’s policy is on a 3 year premium rate freeze and a change in hazard could jeopardize this…”

Based on the input received, John Maschi, Chairman of the Rec Commission concluded:

“…if we do not follow through on potential recommendations of loss control, rate hikes could be a significant amount of money that would have an impact on all residents. John summed up the discussion that the Commission is charged with acting on behalf of all residents and after hearing input from Town officials and representatives, the Commission would be irresponsible to ignore their professional input. Park hours remain dawn to dusk.”

During that same meeting, First Selectman Dan Jerram is quoted as saying:

“Dan Jerram said that legal counsel is also not in favor of extending the park hours. He states that by doing this we stand to lose so much more.”

A group of adults had asked Rec for permission to walk through the park (Brodie Park North) after sunset and based on the input quoted above, that group’s request was denied.

Parking along Niles Road at approx. 6:30 p.m. as dusk falls during Football practice in August, 2011. Photo: NewHartfordPlus archives

However, beginning in August 2011 through mid-November 2011 the Football program, with its 130 participants, was holding practices at a town park (Brodie Park South) until at least 8 p.m. on an uneven field with rocks sticking out through the surface. The group’s 50-75 cars overwhelmed the 12-car parking lot at that park and created a dangerous traffic and parking situation during the 3 /2 months it was there.

During the 2011 Football season, the Rec Commission claimed that they had asked Football to move to another, more appropriate location but that the Football program had refused to move and that the Rec Commission had not received the necessary support from the town’s officials to enforce their decision to have Football move. I doubt whether the Rec Commission’s inability to enforce its park rules would have been a defense had the town been sued; fortunately, no incidents resulted in a lawsuit [against the town].

For the 2012 Football season, however, the Rec Commission has formally approved the Football practices at the same town park (Brodie Park South). The 130-150 participants, all under the age of 14, are being allowed to practice from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the same unimproved space. After sunset, they are being allowed to use private lights powered by their own generators until 7:45 p.m., with the field needing to be cleared by 8 p.m.

Sunset in Connecticut during the coming Football season (week beginning August 5 through week beginning November 11) is as follows:

• Week of August 5: sunset is at 8:05 p.m.
• Week of August 19: sunset is at 7:45 p.m.
• Week of September 2: sunset is at 7:25 p.m.
• Week of September 16: sunset is at 7:01 p.m.
• Week of September 30: sunset is at 6:33 p.m.
• Week of October 14: sunset is at 6:10 p.m.
• Week of October 28: sunset is at 5:46 p.m.
• Week of November 11: sunset is at 4:35 p.m. (daylight savings ended)

By their second week of practice, the Football program’s 130-150 participants will already be in a town park after sunset and will be using their private lights to conduct practices. As part of this use, there will be 75+ cars regularly congregating at a site with 12 approved parking places, with the Recreation Commission’s approval to park inside the park on the grass and outside the park on an unlit country road with parents charged to monitor the children and adults moving to and from their vehicles and on the field.

These park users won’t be there to walk in the park; they will be watching young children practicing Football, a very dangerous activity, taking place after sunset in our town park.

The insurance liability that taxpayers are being asked to assume to allow the Football program to hold practices in a town park after dark is beyond anything that we have ever assumed for any other recreational group. This is an excessive risk and one we should not be asked to assume since Football practices can be scheduled at other town-owned properties with the necessary infrastructure already in place to support the needs of the program and with practices ending before sunset, as other active sports programs in town.

Before Football practices begin, I ask that the First Selectman and the Rec Commission solicit and receive our insurance company’s input on Football’s use of our town park after sunset as approved by Rec. The input must be in writing since the additional liability may result in an increase in our insurance costs, something we all want to avoid.

Thank you,

Maria Moore
Town Hill Road
New Hartford

Football practice at Brodie Park South at approximately 6:30 p.m. as dusk falls in August, 2011. Photo: NewHartfordPlus archives

Note: The times of sunset in Connecticut are from the Hunting and Trapping Field Guide section of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection website.

See also: The June 22 NewHartfordPlus article examining the uneven application of the town’s park rules by the Recreation Commission.

We received the following Letter to the Editor from Dan Eddy regarding Denton Butler’s “Where Does All The Money Go?” illustration which Denton had submitted with his letter to the Board of Finance on April 11. Dan’s letter should have been posted on May 25, the day we received it, but because of a mix-up on our part it is being posted today. Sorry for the delay, Dan.

Tax season is over and I was just catching up on your letter section. I found Denton’s letter and have a short comment.

As part of my business I prepare over 300 individual tax returns and 80 small business returns.

I am not sure Denton’s figures properly represent the tax situation as outlined. No one likes paying taxes but I think the raw data needs to be accurate to allow individuals to form opinions and questions.

The social security tax on wages of $62,400 is $3,869, and if an individual lives to age 62 they can start getting this back at probably around $15,000 a year so this really isn’t a tax but forced savings.

The Medicare amount is $905 and again if you live to normal retirement age you will get this back, so again we have a forced savings situation.

The federal income tax calculated at the highest possible rate, single, no exemptions, only a standard deduction is $9,419, less the $400 federal stimulus credit for working people, net 9,014.

If I buy into Denton’s argument that these are all taxes the total is only 13,824. ($4,774 of which will be returned upon retirement)

His state income tax is $2,420, he forgot to take advantage of the $500 property tax credit.

True “Federal and State income tax” figures at the highest possible tax rates are $2,562 less than Denton projected.

His gas tax, (Fed. 18.4 cents, State 25 cents) $828 represents 1,908 gallons, at 20mpg is 38,160 miles, more than twice the national average for an individual.

His sales tax $898 represents $14,976 in sales taxable items. Seems high when you consider his housing costs, insurances, utilities, gas for his car, most food products, many clothing items, are not subject to sales tax. Just what did he spend $14,900 on that was subject to tax. Lots of meals out?

Now if you justify the mileage and large sales tax item by saying he is married with kids, BOTH his federal and state income taxes would be much lower.

I did not check his other figures for accuracy. It is to easy to bash people about taxes, without thinking about all we get for our money.

Let’s at least be accurate with our numbers when we gripe.

Dan Eddy
New Hartford

Dan Eddy, a long-time New Hartford resident, is an accountant.

The New Hartford House in New Hartford Center earlier today, June 3, 2011. Photo: Maria Moore

We obtained a copy of Denton Butler’s letter to the Board of Finance members which he sent to them on April 11, the day before the BOF members met and settled on a 0.92% tax increase for the Budget for the 2011-12 Fiscal Year:

TO: Board Of Finance
FROM: D. E. Butler
DATE: April 11, 2011

I would like to ask every member of the BOF, every proponent of the budget (as it stands), as well as those who oppose the budget, to contemplate this statement: Not once during the current budget making process, regardless of the entity that submitted a budget, did you hear any of the following:

“We should consider this alternative approach” – “We propose to attempt the following.” – “We have a novel idea that will lead to a reduction in the cost of doing business.” “We’re willing to sustain our current costs, at the very least (or) rollback costs to lessen the burden placed on the taxpayer.”

Instead we heard:

“Our children will be denied.” “We can only retain the best by paying the most.” “There’s no way we can cut costs.” “How much longer can we attempt to have a zero based budget.” “The potential for educational cuts that will dramatically impact next year’s program.”

I think the emotional based responses came to the forefront rather than the reality of … how much longer can your family and mine afford to sustain a model that calls for tax increases ad infinitum? I think that ship has sailed.

I recently prepared a tax burden analysis. (See below.) It is an over-simplification and it under reports the demands of the current New Hartford taxpayer. Simply stated, it’s oppressive. Knowing that the State budget as well as the Federal government will put additional tax burden on taxpayers – the question is simple – When are you going to say NO and when are you going to say I want to see your plan for alternative approaches that yield the same results or better at no increase in cost? For those of you, who are working stiffs, isn’t that what the business that you work for, the business that must compete, has demanded every year? Isn’t that what you do with your own household budget?

BTW – Since preparing my tax analysis: Gas has gone from $3.33 per gallon to $3.93 and with it the gross receipts tax has gone from $.19 cents per gallon to $.23 cents per gallon (and it will be adjusted upward next month). At the same time the surcharge on electricity, which took effect Jan 1, 2011, brings taxes and fees (non-electric costs on your electricity to 38% of your bill.) Food and other purchased goods are skyrocketing in cost. Just ask the shopper in your family.

Now for the part that I consider an abrogation of the BOF duty. Please don’t insult the taxpayer’s intelligence with a bogus tax collection rate, versus the real collection rate and the excess collection over the state’s requirements for a reserve.

History will show the actual collection rate for the past 10 years (source New Hartford Tax Collector) exceeds your estimates annually. Accordingly, we have had more taxes collected each year than is required to sustain the budget, resulting in over-taxation, but less credited so that the BOF can use it to lessen the subsequent year’s tax increase. This specifically allows agencies to continue to increase their budgets and then subsequently the cost to taxpayers.

To quote Einstein: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”
So, if you decide to give in to the urge for an increase this year keep this in mind – things aren’t getting better; nobody’s tax burden has been lessened and you’ve set the stage for business as usual next tax season. However, in my opinion, you will not have morally or ethically done your job, even though you may have met statutory requirements. Further, I promise to be an even bigger pain in your backside next year. Trust me, neither my neighbors nor I will be looking for a ZERO budget. Like Wal-Mart, it’s rollback time.

Bud Butler

‘Where Does All The Money Go’ Presentation

Denton Butler illustrated for the BOF members how a $62,000 income is reduced by taxes at the Federal, state and local level, to an after-tax income of $35.065.95 from which housing, transportation, food, child-related expenses, insurance, retirement savings must be deducted. A powerful – and sobering – illustration.

Download Denton’s 11-page presentation: Where Does All The Money Go? by Denton Butler (216).

Below are two compelling pages of the illustration, pages 9 and 10:

Many Thanks to Denton Butler for providing the answer to a question asked many times in the NewHartfordPlus Crew’s home.

Commentary By Chris Jones

I was perusing the pages of NH+ this morning and was intrigued by the article on journalism. I enjoyed it.

A note in the subtext of that piece said that at a recent meeting of the BOS (Board of Selectmen) there was, and I suppose has been, conversations regarding how best to utilize funds received from the action taken by the Town against CRRA (Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority) to recover monies charged to the Town and the other 70 members of the Mid-Conn Project post the failure of ENRON and the loss of $250,000,000.00 in what was to be proven an illegal loan disguised as an energy transaction with ENRON by CRRA.

That, as ancient history, leads us to today where in our local government is now drooling over monies once pilfered from us, and now found, and I suppose, considered a ‘windfall’. Truth be told that cash is NOT a windfall by any stretch of the imagination.

The $140,000.00 (or so) that was returned to the Town of New Hartford after a nearly 5-year court battle is not the property of our Government but rather the monies belong to the taxpayers of our Town. It was derived from ill-gotten means and represents an over-taxation by a quasi-public agency. It is not a gift from Heaven.

Our Town leaders should consider only one use for those funds and that is to be applied fairly and squarely towards our annual budget and make some modest effort to reduce the mill rate, thereby returning the monies to the rightful owners, the people of the Town. Unfortunately, we have seen too much of Government spending in all forms of late and, while the economy continues to reel from the “Great Recession” it would be nice if budgets could be balanced and taxes contained.

Don’t worry, nobody expects anyone to hold their breaths. But collectively our local Government should be seeking ways to spend less and tax even less.

Listen, I understand that the cash all goes into one big pot anyway, but for once, when effort returns benefit shouldn’t that benefit be given back to the people? That is to say I get it, roads still need to be paved and plowed and the kids need great schools. I’m OK with that. But before our BOS or BOF start salivating over the possibilities that go along with a huge chunk of cash they should remember that it is not the Government’s money. It’s ours. Yours!

All politics being local politics, the right thing for our leaders to do is to lead and govern. That does not always require spending.

Wanna get reelected? Lower taxes… Oh, and don’t lend money to creeps like ENRON.

Chris Jones, a long-time resident of New Hartford, is a former selectman of the town.

Disclosure: Chris Jones was on the Board of Selectmen during the Baxter administration when the town’s selectmen filed a lawsuit against CRRA in what was described as a “David vs. Goliath” battle to recover funds that CRRA had over-charged its member towns in an effort to cover its losses due to a loan it had made to ENRON before that company’s collapse in 2001. Chris worked tirelessly on behalf of the town even after he had left office to help win the lawsuit which resulted in the $147,833 settlement from CRRA which is the subject of this commentary.

Dear Editor of NewHartfordPlus,

I have read comments criticizing NH Plus about its political leanings and I just read your recent letter explaining your position on the topic. I am following up on my comments to you last week about the subject. I’ve been involved in New Hartford politics for nearly all of the 40 years that I’ve lived here and here’s what I’ve learned about the news media. Who ever owns the medium, calls the shots. No realistic reader/listener really expects the news media be unbiased. What they print or say (in the case of radio/TV), where they place articles – above/below the fold, on page 1 or 21, which photos they use, all reflect the opinions of the owner of the medium. Fox is Fox, NPR is NPR, the Republican American is what it is and the Hartford Courant is what it is (I’m not sure anymore what that is.) You have every right to report what you want to report. I think it is admirable that you are willing to print different points of view as well as criticisms of your reporting. Having served in public office in many different roles here, I know that it is very uncomfortable, even irritating, to hear or read criticisms of your activities. It used to be, when town meetings were well attended, that those criticisms would be directed to the First Selectman’s face as well as in print. And many times, those criticisms are worth considering since they come from your constituents, your voters. From my experience, a wise public official keeps the press and therefore, the public, informed. More information leads to understanding and a good working relationship. Less information leads to speculation.

I enjoy reading New Hartford Plus. Thanks for publishing it.

Anita Baxter
Steele Road

Anita Baxter is a long-time resident of New Hartford who was First Selectwoman in New Harford from 1981 through 1987.  Anita is a member of the Democratic Town Committee.

An early-morning view from the Route 219 bridge across the Farmington River looking westward towards Winsted. Photo from the NewHartfordPlus archives

This Letter To Our Readers is from Maria Moore who edits this hyperlocal news website, and provides 99% of the copy and photos published on NewHartfordPlus:

Dear Readers and Visitors of NewHartfordPlus:

I recently had occasion to be chatting with a former selectman of New Hartford who well remembers when Hubie Callahan was First Selectman in town from the 1950s through the 1970s.  I asked that selectman what was the biggest diffference between the way the town was governed then and the way it is governed today and the answer came without hesitation:  ”Back then, you ran as a party member to be elected, and once in office you set aside your political party and you worked for the good of the whole town.”   This selectman was talking about 40 years ago and we all know that time has a way of mellowing the past, but his comment made me think that there really is a different way of doing business in Town Hall.

As an unaffiliated voter, it didn’t even cross my mind to ask what First Selectman Callahan’s political party might have been.  It’s just not important!  For me, it’s not what political party sits in the First Selectman’s Office that’s important ~ it’s what the person sitting in that office does that’s all-important.  Actions speak louder than words, and you’ll know where a person’s interest lies by watching their actions, not by listening to their words, especially when it concerns politicians.

I started to attend meetings of different boards and commissions at Town Hall because I wanted to educate myself about the actions coming out of Town Hall and about those persons responsible for those actions (aka decisions of the boards and commissions).  As some of you may know, this was back in January of 2009 and I had come fresh from a meeting with the First Selectman at the time that I requested to understand the reasoning behind why I had been told that Town Hall was operating on a 4-day schedule to provide better service to the town.  Towards the end of that meeting, I remember Earl MacInnes crossing his arms, staring at me and asking me: “What exactly is it that you want, ma’am?”  Everything for Earl seemed to come back to: “What can I personally gain out of this?”  The general opinion at that time was that Earl closed on Fridays because he didn’t want to have to work 5 days a week, but I attended meetings, and had many conversations with Earl, the Town Hall staff and with many residents before I decided to advocate for a 5-day work week because I felt that would provide the best service for the town, something which eventually came about under the present administration.  Had the question about the Town Hall hours of operation not been asked of the present First Selectman when he was a candidate in the Town Hall Forum and had his response in favor of a 5-day work week at Town Hall not been made available by NewHartfordPlus on YouTube together with the rest of the video footage of that forum, one can only speculate what the Town Hall hours of operation today would be.  Personally, I look to see if there are any similar actions that might point to an answer and this is what I see:  the town’s Highway Department is on a 4-day work week this year, something the First Selectman agreed to without first bringing it up for discussion with the Board of Selectmen.  And yet, last year when First Selectman Earl MacInnes brought up the request of the Highway Department to go on a 4-day work week at the April 6, 2009 Board of Selectmen meeting, doubts about the wisdom of a 4-day work week were voiced by Roy Litchfield, a member of the Board of Finance and by Denton Butler, a member of the Building Oversight Committee for the wastewater treatment plant; please see my follow-up article on May 20, Road Crew Can Have 4-Day Work Week Unless Notified Otherwise By The Town.  When I asked the First Selectman’s Office at the end of May of this year about the road crew’s work schedule, I was told it was the same as last year’s, 4 days per week, with one crew working on Friday once Brodie Summer Camp was running.

Reporting on town politics used to be the assignment of newspaper reporters.  Nowadays, however, with the ranks of reporters decimated, one reporter may find themselves covering 3 or 4 different towns, and as a friend who is a reporter in Hartford County recently told me:  ”I don’t have time to FOI every single paper to write my articles.”  And when documents and information are not forthcoming, as is becoming more and more the case with our town’s First Selectman, overworked reporters with deadlines looming will report on easier pickings.  A great loss for the residents in the towns covered by my reporter friend in Hartford County, and a great loss for the residents of all towns in Litchfield County, including New Hartford.

So exactly which news media are reporting on our town’s politics?  Ranked by the number of reports, they are:

• NewHartfordPlus, with me as the sole reporter;
• The Republican-American, whose reporter Kari Banach covers at least two other towns in addition to New Hartford.  Please note the word ‘Republican’ in the name of that newspaper: It states clearly the political affiliation of that news source.
• The Register Citizen, which on June 15 hired a young reporter from Farmington to report on the Northwest Corner.  I’m looking forward to reading Jessie Sawyer’s first report on a political issue in New Hartford.
• Conspicuously absent from this list is the Hartford Courant, where a recent report identifying MDC land in New Hartford misidentified the town as New Hartland.  ”You know, somewhere out west of Hartford” I can just hear some editor saying.

Aggregators of news concerning New Hartford are:

• The Voy Forum, where Joe Gareis does an admirable job of updating the forum with news reports about New Hartford.  There are no links to news reports from NewHartfordPlus on the Voy Forum, although there are links to reports by other media on news which first appeared on NewHartfordPlus.  Such is the “free and open news forum” that a recent commentor to NewHartfordPlus said of that forum.*  I go back to my statement: you know someone by their actions, not their words.   A disclosure I feel is necessary here: Joe recently became a member of the Republican Town Committee; he was a member of the Republican Party at the time he provided his excellent reports and political pieces for NewHartfordPlus;
• New Hartford News Proboards, which is updated once in a while by Joan Auclair and by me.  Pity it’s not kept up-to-date, because visitors still go there for news of New Hartford, as is evidenced by the steady stream of readers who come to NewHartfordPlus from the New Hartford News Proboards.
• NewHartfordPlus, although I have an obsessive need to double-check the facts of any news report before linking to it on NewHartfordPlus ~ one reason I haven’t linked to Kari Banach’s July 13 piece New Hartford bridge to be closed till fall ~ many thanks to the friend of NewHartfordPlus who emailed me to make sure I’d seen the report; the first 3 lines of Kari’s report are available for free on the Republican-American website; the rest of the report is only available to paying subscribers.

Which, in a roundabout way brings me to the point of this letter.  I mentioned to the former selectman who reminisced about Hubie Callahan’s many years in office, that the same Republicans who were so eager to send me information before last year’s municipal elections now either seemed to have lost their voices (“I don’t want to get into trouble.” As a former Republican friend of NewHartfordPlus told me when I asked why he hadn’t responded to my request for info.), or they are happily attack anything I publish that’s not 100% cheerleading for the RTC.

“Are you being funded by public money?”  The former selectman asked me.

“No,” I answered.  ”I recently started working full-time hours again because we want to keep NewHartfordPlus unaffiliated and not have to answer to anyone on what we can and can’t report on.”

“Then tell them if they don’t like it, they don’t have to come to your website!”

Obviously, this selectman is no longer running for office, or I doubt he would have addressed those footsoldiers of one particular political organization in town so bluntly.  After all, this same selectman told me that the political wisdom in small towns has always been:

“The way you stay in office is not to say anything, don’t raise taxes and pave the roads.”

But I’m not in office and have no plans to run for office, and I believe that by not saying anything you are tacitly agreeing with the actions that are being done.  So, while my reporting on town politics has necessarily had to be scaled back now that I am working full time, I will continue to report on the politics of the town, whether or not all the information has been made available to me, and no matter the party affiliation of any of the people included in the report.  And if you don’t like it, with the greatest respect, I have provided the links, above, to all the other news sources available for New Hartford.  As always, I’ll continue reporting on the good news, and the not so good news, on Republicans and Democrats and any organization out there because they all, as a whole, make up New Hartford, the town that I consider “home.”

Best to all,

Maria Moore
Town Hill Road (the bottom part, as I’m quick to clarify!)

__________________________

*  This comment from “Westhillwillie” was not approved by Bob Moore, who handles the comments submitted to the website because Bob’s email to “Westhillwillie” was returned to him as undeliverable. If you’ve submitted a comment that has not been approved, please check to make sure that you provided a valid email address at which you can be contacted. Another reason for not approving comments is when Bob feels that subsequent comments from the same commentor on a report don’t add new information and would just degenerate into a back and forth; in those cases, he always emails the commentor and lets them know why their comment wasn’t approved.

A mushroom cap with rainwater in it fascinated me. "Look, just like Who-ville!" I said to Bob...

... as he walked on with Murray and left me to snap images of the mushroom cap. Â Photo: Maria Moore

[Updated to correct Gwen's address and the information regarding her children's association with the camp; 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 8]

The following email was sent to the First Selectman, Dan Jerram, and was also forwarded to us for publication.

Mr. Jerram,

I am writing to express my overwhelming displeasure at what has been done to our summer camp at Brodie.

Dennis Minor has built up an impressive summer camp over the decade or more that he has been here.  Campers who started camp at age 5, went through the ranks to become CIT’s (and worked for 2-3 summers with no pay) in hopes of getting hired as Counselors, were very proud when they got hired. They put much effort into doing the best job possible for the good of the campers under their care. The Counselors’ community was a close and wonderful thing to watch. The campers benefited from the closeness and team work amongst the counselors.

Then a new administration comes into Town and basically rips the entire Camp apart: cutting the budget and the camp to shreds. All of those long-term counselors are cut out and a skeleton staff of 10 is put in place to run the camp and keep the campers safe. The morale of the Camp is so low, and all of the hard work that Dennis and all of his staff put into making Camp something we can all be proud of, is lost.

I think that whoever had a part in this very poor decision should be very ashamed of themselves. A gem of a program, cut to pieces. It is awful.

Sincerely,

Gwen Steadman
Town Hill Road

All three of the Steadman children have worked at Camp Brodie; the youngest child was not rehired for a counselor position this year.

At the end of th annual camp party last August, some of the counselors shared a few minutes together. Photo: Maria Moore

[The obituary for Bobbe Elmore has now been published; you may read it on the Register Citizen's Obituary section. Update added: 9:00 a.m., Thursday, June 3]

We received the following invitation to celebrate Bobbe (Barbara)  Elmore’s life from her son John.  Bobbe and her husband Russ lived in the house next to the Post Office on Main Street in New Hartford for 44 years, between 1962-2006.  Bobbe died on Monday night, May 24 at the age of 82.  Russ, aged  89, will be at the gathering, as will their daughters Susan and Nancy.

Dear family and friends,

You are warmly invited to join us in a grateful celebration of the life of Bobbe Elmore and of our ongoing love for her, this Saturday, June 5, at the United Congregational Church, (our childhood church!) high on the hill above Torrington, Ct. at 1622 Torringford Street. The doors will be open at 1:30 for a 2:00 p.m. gathering.

Not a funeral or religious service, we plan a joyous gathering together, a memorial of Bobbe: a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, cousin, aunt, great-aunt, and friend. You will be invited to share your memories, stories, and thoughts, if you’d like. Poems, prayers, blessings, songs, deep-hearted listening, and good wishes for the future will also be welcome!

Please sit down front. Be casual. Be friendly. Enjoy all, and each other! Afterwards, we will continue the celebration over light refreshments in the social hall.

Please email: susangelmore@gmail.com right away (if possible) and let us know who is coming. Children are welcome.

We look forward to sharing this special and tender time with you.

Russ and Bobbe Elmore in the sunporch of their home in New Hartford in April, 2006. Photo courtesy of John Elmore

We received the following Letter To The Editor from Denton Butler at 7:14 p.m. yesterday evening, May 26 while we were covering the Planning and Zoning Public Input Meeting on the draft zoning regulations; our report Board of Finance Sets Mill Rate, Discusses WPCA At May Meeting was published at 5:49 p.m. yesterday evening.
________________

Madam Editor:

You may recall a portion of an email exchange between us dated March 6, 2009, which in part I said:

“While I applaud your effort to act as a community blog, I continue to be perplexed by two observations: what you do is geared around a “feel good” sense for news – no harm no foul. Therefore, you are missing the “crux of the issues” in the stories you cover. Not that they should be sensationalized or attempt to cause consternation. … Maria, all is not as it is represented in bucolic New Hartford.”

In your recent appeal for funding, to use your own words:

“Our blow-by-blow news coverage of issues “we consider important” (my emphasis) is unequalled: our unaffiliated view on town politics and events which means sometimes I’ll speak up at meetings and ask the hard questions ~ mostly the ones which residents suggest I ask since they, for their own good reasons, feel they can’t ask publicly.

This is partially true. However, you selectively report what you’ve asked and what you’ve observed. With this in mind, I would ask why you’ve chosen not to report on the ongoing WPCA meetings and the challenges the WPCA has failed to address in a timely manner?

I have attended and actively participated in WPCA meetings for the past (19) months and I have become exceedingly concerned about the WPCA’s ability to execute against its charter in a timely manner. While the BOC has reported numerous of these issues in our WWTP Construction Reports, BOS and BOF meetings, you have chosen to minimize or exclude these issues from your coverage.

The challenges facing this WPCA are extensive and hold the potential for exceptional pass through costs to taxpayers and users alike. A sense of timing, urgency and organization are lacking. The unresolved issues facing the WPCA include:

• Development Of A (5) Year Business Plan
• A Need To Make Operations “Self-Sustaining”
• Preparation & Release Of RFP – For Selection Of An Operator
• Updated Ordinances, Rules & Regulations
• A User Financing Plan
• Remediation – Brook Street & Main Street – Engineering Analysis, Design & Construction (Assigned To BOC By BOS)
• Local Sewer District Adoption -As Approved By (DEP)
• Adoption of User Rate Schedule – Approved & Filed With DEP
• A Need To Get On The “Priority List”- A Prerequisite To Qualify For Clean Water Funds
• Examination Of USDA Funding Options – (If Any) – (Others) For Line Addition Program (Aquifer Protection)
• A Need To Fill-Out Its Membership With Doers
• A Hook-up Plan For Users Who Took A Pass When The Original Plant Was Constructed
• A Communication Plan To Take All Messages, Options, Ordinance Changes To Voters/Users, BOF,  BOS

During This Same (19) Month Period Additional Challenges Have Emerged:

• Compliance Reporting To Meet The USDA’s Conformance Letter
• Development Of A Grease Pit Inspection Program To Meet State Mandates

I urge you to bring focus to these issues in your reporting and earnestly request that the WPCA get its house in order – now.

Respectfully,

Denton Butler

May 26, 2010

Denton Butler, a long-time resident of New Hartford, is a member of the Building Oversight Committee of the wastewater treatment plant.

________________

To review our coverage of the wastewater treatment plant please check out the reports in our WWTP category below our masthead. Many thanks to Denton Butler for providing us with the BOC WWTP updates, all of which are included in the WWTP category.

To review our coverage of the WPCA please use our search feature (upper, right-hand side of our home page) and type in WPCA.

Our pending list of meeting reports which we have shared with Denton includes a report of the WPCA meeting of May 13 and a report of the Board of Selectmen meeting on May 25, both of which include coverage of the WPCA.

To reread our “mea culpa” for the lack of timeliness in our reporting in which ex-teacher “Mrs. Moore” gave us a grade of C-, please see our March 12 report In News Reporting, Timeliness Is Next To Range And Accuracy: A Teacher Grades NHPlus.

Note from NewhartfordPlus Crew:

Our sincere apologies to the many groups and individuals whose special interests we have not been able to cover in a timely way, if at all, due to our lack of time and our need to prioritize coverage.  We welcome press releases/news reports/commentaries/letters to the editor, all of which help us to redress this lack of coverage.  Please keep in mind that news reports submitted may be edited or added to so that they present as balanced a view of the subject matter as possible.

As we recently emailed Pat Casey, President of the New Hartford Historical Society:

“…If you know of a wealthy philanthropist just itching to support local news, please send them our way: they could even be ‘Publisher’…” (the ‘Publisher’ part said in a tongue-in-cheek manner, since any potential Publisher would need to support independent news coverage).

There seems to be a dearth of such philanthropists in town right now, so until one or more step up, we hope our readers will understand our continuing need to hold onto our day jobs while working on NHPlus as our avocation.

A photo showing the beginning of construction on the wastewater treatment plant in May 2009. Photo from NewHartfordPlus archives

Dear Editor:

The loss of our zoning officer KARL NILSEN leaves New Hartford residents with big shoes to fill. I have worked with Karl on many issues with my properties going back some 15 years or so. I have also worked with Karl as a member of the Inland Wetlands Commission. I have attended training and meetings on weekends and nights with Karl. Since knowing him, I have never found him to be anything but professional, knowledgeable and helpful with his extreme understanding and experience in his chosen field.

I am writing this letter because the man I’m talking about served this town for 25 years with dignity. I have talked with engineers, lawyers, surveyors, builders, and residents who have worked with Karl, and everyone had nothing but the utmost respect for this man. Whether or not these allegations are true, I cannot answer without ALL THE FACTS. Knowing Karl he will prove them to be false. The First Selectman has forced a man that many people could come to with questions to leave his position before he was ready. On top of that, he is also after his well-deserved pension without first being found guilty. As a taxpayer, I will remember how this was handled, as should we all come election time. If these allegations are proved to be unfounded, this town could be headed for a lawsuit. This unfortunate incident could have been avoided had this been found to be true first before taking action. I would also like to urge all taxpayers to get a copy of the budget before voting on May 4th to see exactly where your money is going.

Good luck Karl in your new endeavors,

Troy LaMere

Board of Finance Saturday workshop on March 13, when a number of Town Hall employees attended the meeting. Photo: Maria Moore

Looking Forward By Chris Jones

I was reading your story in NH+ regarding the recent admonishment and suspension of yet another Town employee, this time in the Land Use office, and wondering if the recent events are a sign of things to be or things that were.

With the Town DPW (Department of Public Works) now in the hands of a long-time employee of the Town crew, we once again find ourselves digging deep into our rather slim pickings of existing Town employees to manage through yet another crisis, this time in our Land Use office. It would seem our First Selectman, indeed all of our Selectmen, must find themselves scratching their heads and asking the question, “What is going on?”

I think there are some of us outside of Town Hall wondering the same.

Now the merits of this most recent upset not withstanding, it would appear to the casual observer that all is not well in the hallowed halls of ‘Investigation Central.’ Cryptic press releases from the First Selectman’s office stating “No Comment” allow for the mind to wander at times. Now it would appear that the crackdown is bordering on a pogrom.

Following on the NH+ article, you write that Town employees are now keeping logs of their comings and goings. This leads me to think it smacks of a tad too much managing.

I have said for years that we are very lucky to have the folks we do at Town Hall doing the work they do. Professional, competent and, for the most part, spot on. In most cases when you call Town Hall you get a friendly voice on the other end of the phone, and in my time very few requests or concerns have ever gone unanswered or unattended. All under the ever changing cast of characters that they serve, both in customers and the politicians.

Every two or so years the rolls change a bit. New bosses mean new ways of doing things, which all begets changes of other sorts as well.

Our former First Selectman paid too little attention to detail and perhaps created an atmosphere of worker independence that was unnecessary. Frankly, from my vantage point the Administrative Assistant was left to run the day to day of the Town on her own. But that’s just my opinion.

Now, with a giant thumb of control placed on the necks of the workers, duty logs are being kept to track employee movements as if they were requiring hall passes to use the lavs.

I can’t help but think that this level and type of scrutiny predicated on ‘insurance’ concerns would seem a little over the top. Again, to be fair, I’ve only read the NH+ accounting of this so if there is a grander, more meaningful plan to all of this then I’m sure our First Selectman will be the first to let us all know. We can always hope.

To be sure, Mr. Jerram et. al. inherited a very messy situation upon their arrival in office but making matters worse by instituting draconian measures of unneeded disciplines will only serve to mess up things more. We the people want to know that our business of the Town is being conducted, but I suspect many of us would feel that those that are paid to conduct the business of the Town really don’t require a microscope for us to see every subtle nuance or movement in the conduct of their jobs.

I would also suspect an underpinning of discontent is either welling up or potentially welling up in a seismic wave of anxiety, and our government leaders should take stock that the management of our employees needs to be considered and considerate.

One can only hope that this pall of bad karma wafting over Town Hall is just a glitch, not a new way of management. The old way was bad enough.

Chris Jones, a long-time resident of New Hartford, is a former Selectman of the town. Chris’ Looking Forward commentaries appear regularly on NewHartfordPlus.

A view of the entrance to the Town Hall as seen from the parking lot. Photo: Maria Moore

Looking Forward: Commentary by Chris Jones

With all of the planning, protestations and delay that might accompany the rebuilding of something at the site of Ground Zero in New York City, our fair Town Center area seems to be caught in a time warp, some of which is good, some bad.

A welcome sign in New Hartford

Several years ago there were a couple of different plans put to paper for changes in the center of New Hartford to create a more pedestrian friendly environment. Modification to traffic flow, added walking areas and perhaps even a fix to the crosswalk lights at the intersection of Rte. 44 and Central Ave. (or is it Steele Rd. I always get them confused.) were all on the table as part of an enhanced plan to create more public parking for visitors and merchants alike.

Now, with several more years of inaction under our belts, it seems little has been done to see any of this come to fruition. Even now as the BOF (Board of Finance) and BOS (Board of Selectmen) swap ‘puts and takes’ in the budget process, monies always seem to go elsewhere rather than perhaps where they should go, or were intended to go.

Yes the sewer plant needs to be finished and yes we need to finish the Brown’s Corner project, but where’s the money coming from?

While there have been a number of very successful projects and improvements including the Land Trust’s management of the walking trail behind Town Hall, and the expanded municipal parking both at the river end of Bridge St. and behind the Catholic Church ~ they always seem to get the best parking while the Episcopalians still have to park on the street ~ the Downtown area still suffers from a lack of something.

I’m just not sure of what. Money, interest, or perhaps just plain determination.

The Garden Club has done a wonderful job of plantings, the façade improvements to a number of the downtown properties have made a big difference, and the sign kiosk at the corner of Rte. 219 and Rte. 44 is a simple but nice added touch. Just not sure you can really get a good look at what’s on there unless you are walking by, but I guess that’s the point. You really need to make walking in the Center area a little less like crossing the 405 at rush hour.

Visually, New Hartford Center has always been a beautiful place. If there was a way to get rid of the power and phone lines above ground that clog the eyes of the beholder, the impact would be stunning. Several nice building improvements including Town Hall have also made a huge difference in what was the Old Center and today.

And now with the long overdue, and what appears to be fabulous rehabbing of the old Library building, we have added yet another piece to the puzzle; however, in doing so additional parking, and local traffic will need to be allocated to those firms that fill the newly-renovated space.

Thru it all we have created a quilt of streets that serve as parking lots and parking lots that serve as streets. It is a maze. And the problem with that, for example, is there is now regular parking on Central Ave. that effectively blocks the northbound side of Central Ave. as you head into Downtown.

So, to recap, love what the owners did with the property, not crazy about the new parking on the street, and lose the power lines.

Having said that there is a ton of stuff going on in the Center. A ton! That’s the good news.

I’m quite sure that P&Z considered all this in its deliberations regarding the use of the Old Library. However, with the rest of all that is happening in the area, and coupled with a crossing walkway light that has to my knowledge never been fixed, several DOT planned designs to change the traffic flow at that intersection, and increased parking demands in general, New Hartford Center is still a crap shoot during peak traffic hours. Unfortunately that is still the bad news!

Having been out of the loop now for a number of years I’m not really sure what the plan is for the Center area, but I am sure that a plan is needed. Whatever may have been created as a pedestrian-friendly plan has likely lost whatever luster it may have had and it now sits a lonely stepchild to more pressing or politically expedient public works projects. However, with 13,000+ cars a day traversing the downtown intersections on Rte. 44 and growing, the Town Leaders need to put the Center, and the idea of “pedestrian- friendly” back on the front burner.

The consumption of parking by apartment tenants and visitors alike is still a problem. Some of the merchants downtown have taken matters into their own hands and even been forced to put out signs reminding parkers that 15 minutes is all you are allowed if you want to park in front of their stores.( I think it a bit cheeky but I try to be a good citizen and park elsewhere.) Regardless, traffic flow, parking, and pedestrian safety and ease may never really see a suitable fix, but I hope it will always be a part of the greater dialogue.

I also understand all too clearly that with money tight, budgets busted, and with the Town roads reeling after another good winter beating so they now feel more like riding a luge than driving on a real road, resources will have to go elsewhere.

As a lifelong South Ender I have always thought that our Town Center was, and is, a very special place. Real New England charm! I also am a firm believer that as goes the Center of our Town, so go we all.

So I suppose this pipe dream is just one other chore to add to the ever-growing list of things “to do”. But keeping a plan in place for the Center of Town and the expanding demands by all who enjoy it and utilize it and depend on its resources won’t cost much.

Just some thought. And God knows we have plenty of that at Town Hall.

Oh, and fix the crosswalk light.

Chris Jones, a long-time resident of New Hartford, is a former selectman of the town. Chris’ Looking Forward commentaries appear regularly on NewHartfordPlus.

A view looking down Central Avenue towards the center of New Hartford. 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