NewHartfordPlus.com

The following Letter to the Editor from Steve Tuxbury was received by NewHartfordPlus yesterday afternoon, March 4.

Dear Editor,

I also was at Town Hall attempting to hear Mrs. Hornish present on Smart Growth, I was not able to stay beyond the 1.5 Hours I waited for the arrival of Rep Sharkey. I totally agree with Mr. Fitzgerald that Mrs. Hornish’s Performance at this meeting was poor. Mrs. Hornish’s attempts to answer questions from the audience were questionable at best, she had no answers and was corrected several times by people you would think support her. I do not know how anyone could interpret this meeting any other way, but a poor performance. If this meeting was any kind of indication of Mrs. Hornish’s abilities it’s no surprise, the state is in Financial Trouble.

Steve Tuxbury

Steve Tuxbury was recently elected Vice Chairman of the town’s Republican Town Committee.

Looking Forward: Please…  Due Process or Do Process!

It has now been nearly seven or eight weeks since “Road Crew Gate” wherein claims of malfeasance and chicanery down at the ol’ Town Garage lead to newsprint, electronic (including New Hartford Plus), and televised reports of missing money, and misappropriations of Town Funds, and apparently led to one of our own employees sent packing on an unpaid leave while the State Police Major Crime Squad investigated allegations of wrongdoing.

In the intervening time the recently installed Board of Selectmen in Town appointed one of their own as interim boss man to assess, oversee, and ostensibly run the Town Crew in the absence of a regular foreman. I’m not sure if the current Majority Selectman voted on the matter himself but I will admit that at first blush in my mind it seemed a pretty good idea.

Now, February 2010 is a thing of the past, yet the temporary assignment has been extended while further negotiations involved in finding a replacement for Mr. Gresczyk as interim Super’ drag on.

My question is: Have they fired the first guy yet? Charged him or her with a crime? Or just sent him packing in disgrace without so much as a ‘by your leave’?

Seriously, I’ve inquired of the First Selectman as to the status of this mess, and have received the usual coy but polite; “I can’t talk about that”.

Well then, who can?

Are we now too tied up with arguing about teachers and budgets to care that the Major Crime Squad was on this? I mean, someone knocks off a pizza joint on Rt. 44 and you get a police dog, a squad car, and a suspect in custody in 3 hours. Come on man!

So, in the meantime, the Majority Selectman has already publically thrown everyone in government since his last term of office under whatever busses that might have been available regarding the deplorable condition of the roads, equipment, and supplies, so that is off his to-do list. But how about some real answers as to what the offence is alleged to be, who the players are, and what does it mean to us?

The suspense is killing me!

Well, not really! But it does seem that if they could figure out who shot Abe Lincoln in less than 14 hours, the cops ought to be able to nail this one down one way or another in eight weeks. We aren’t talking about art theft from the Louvre.

I realize that the long winter might be getting under everyone’s skin, mine included, so if I sound a bit testy it’s just the weather. But I mean, really, this entire sordid matter has effectively ruined one man’s career, allowed for the public denouncing of previous administrations’ ‘failures’ without regard to real facts or data, only opinion and heresay, and left yet another stone unturned to distract from the real business at hand. Whatever that may be.

Mr. Jerram needs to finish this and move on or at least provide the public with real answers as to “wat-up wit-dat!” We have a right to know and the longer this lingers on the deeper the stain that will be left as a memory.

The Town Crew has been snapped around like a bullwhip for the last two years. We have spent a fortune on lawyers regarding our DPW employees. We now have an alleged crime at the house of pain we call the Town Garage. The craziness, if there, needs to be cut out. The craziness of politics or pettiness, if there, needs to be cut out as well.

Give everyone the due process we deserve, or cut the cord and move on.

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

The entrance to the Highway Department during a recent snowfall. Photo: Maria Moore

We received the following Letter To The Editor From Rep. Annie Hornish in response to Jim Fitzgerald’s letter, On Political Priorities And On Reporting Them which we posted on March 2.

Dear NewHartfordPlus Readers,

There were some inaccuracies in RTC (Republican Town Committee) Chair Jim Fitzgerald’s recent letter to NewHartfordPlus that I would like to address.

The Smart Growth and MORE Commission initiatives are about saving towns money through various methods of regionalization, not about increasing costs. MORE Commission Chair Rep. Brendan Sharkey is the expert and as such, was the best person to speak on this issue, not me. And he did. Mr. Fitzgerald’s concerns would likely have been addressed if he had stayed for Rep. Sharkey’s presentation (Mr. Fitzgerald left minutes before Rep. Sharkey was scheduled to arrive).

Further, I held an additional Smart Growth meeting with Rep. Sharkey in East Granby last Thursday for those town leaders (New Hartford, Barkhamsted, and East Granby) who had to leave that night.

Regarding “Legislators for Animal Advocacy”: this is a bi-partisan initiative. My co-chair is a Republican from Greenwich, and our group is growing in numbers quickly. As far as the importance of animal advocacy, please consider the wisdom of Gandhi, who said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how its animals are treated.” How we treat the powerless (and this applies to both humans and animals) is arguably the best indicator of our character. In good times and especially in bad times, there will be opportunists who, left unchecked, would oppress the vulnerable. In this economic crisis, we’re seeing this happening, with proposals that would harm vulnerable human populations, as well as proposals that would weaken animal welfare and environmental laws. I make no apologies for blocking the efforts of these opportunists to the best of my abilities.

As many know, a Republican challenger (who happens to be a neighbor of mine in Granby) was recently announced. I trust that my challenger and I will run campaigns that are disciplined and respectful. It’s in the best interest of the people to keep politics clean, civil, and focused on the issues.

Sincerely,
Annie (Rep. Hornish)

Annie Hornish represents the 62nd district which includes Barkhamsted, East Granby, Granby and New Hartford.  Rep. Hornish is a Democrat.  To learn more about Rep. Hornish or to contact her, please visit her News Blog on the House Democrats of CT website.

Also read: Alison Murdock’s Letter to the Editor in response to Jim’s letter which we posted yesterday, March 3.  Alison also attended the Smart Growth meeting, as did Paul Mahoney who attached his perspective on the events of that meeting as a comment to Alison’s letter.

The following Letter to the Editor from Susan Boucher was received by NHPlus yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, March 2:

Dear Maria,

First and foremost, I would like to thank you for the NewHartfordPlus publication.  My family and I have also lived in New Hartford for more than 20 years.  Along with the many incredible resources New Hartford boasts, we are the fortunate benefactors of an excellent public school system.  After twelve years at home, raising our family, I decided to reenter the work force.  When I was hired to work as an educator in New Hartford I felt extremely fortunate.  I have taught in New Hartford for the past 14 years.  Currently, I am co-president of the NHEA, New Hartford Education Association. Your publication is a very convenient way for members of the community to stay informed.

In response to the recent newspaper articles and comments made at the Board of Education budget meeting, I have attached an informative publication to provide community members with information regarding our current teachers’ contract. It was written when we negotiated our last contract, and it explains our salary schedule relative to salary schedules across the state. During past negotiations it came to light that New Hartford had a reputation of having the “ability” but not the “willingness” to pay its teachers. As a resident, I was appalled that our town had that reputation. As a teacher, I was astounded when a judge confirmed it during arbitration. So you see that with any tough decision, there is a mountain of history that needs to be considered before accepting misleading figures at face value. I hope that this brochure will provide sufficient information regarding our current contract.

Board of Finance chairman, Ben Witte, in reference to the Waste Water Treatment Plant, was quoted as saying that “everyone voted they will accept this new expenditure. That’s something we all signed up for, it’s outside the budget.” I concur with Ben and would add that likewise, our contract is something that everyone voted on and thus too is outside the budget. However, there is a question on the table for the BOE: Will they consider the budget saving proposals without teachers agreeing to a wage freeze?  It is hard to understand how proposals that save money in the budget, without impacting people or programs, would be ignored. A Board of Finance member has been quoted reporting that the “teachers are not playing fair.  They need to get into the game”.  We are playing fair. And we are looking for creative ways to save money in the educational budget. In fact, a letter to the Board from our membership proposed several ideas that were not read into the minutes in their entirety. The first recommendation, an early retirement incentive, saves money over the long term as well as maintaining the non-tenured positions. Our second proposal includes figures attained by a quick poll of our membership in order to determine its merit in savings. Members were asked if they would elect a stipend if it were offered in lieu of their current insurance package. The following savings are quoted from our letter to the Board. “The BOE could save approximately $85,000 more by offering the retirement incentive rather than laying off early-career teachers . . . Nearly $70,000 would be saved in the Board of Education’s budget if these five teachers elected to take the incentive instead of insurance.”
So I must ask: how can $155,000 in savings be ignored?

Finally, it seems the newspapers have not painted a very favorable picture of our New Hartford educators.  Our teachers are among the most committed, intelligent, caring professionals in the state. Year after year our children score at or near the top of all towns in the state.  In CONNECTICUT Magazine, March 2010 issue, we place first in Mastery Test scores for towns of populations of 3,500-6,500. Our teachers are an integral part of the backbone of our district. I worry that if we are portrayed in an unfavorable light by town board members, by community members and in the newspapers, it will undermine our educational system as a whole.  That would be a real detriment to our community.

Thank you for taking the time to read the attached publication. It will explain the realities of our current contract. Hopefully, it will shed some positive light with regard to a very difficult decision in a very difficult economic climate. We value our role in the New Hartford community and are committed to continuing to provide quality educational experiences.

Respectfully,

Susan N. Boucher
Grade 5, Antolini School
Co-President NHEA

Susan Boucher is the Co-President of the teachers’ union, the New Hartford Education Association.

Attachment: Susan included the leaflet, ’2008-2012 Teacher Settlement Contract ~ What Everyone Should Know About Our Teachers’ Contract Settlement’ published in 2008 by the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Philip O’Reilly.  Please click on the link below to download that document.

Students at Antolini School participate in an improvisation exercise as part of a theater program taught by Les Ober of the the WTCAE program in December 2009. Photo: Maria Moore

We received this Letter To The Editor this afternoon.  It is in response to Jim Fitzgerald’s Letter To The Editor which we posted yesterday, March 2.

Dear Editor,

Jim Fitzgerald’s description of the meeting that Annie Hornish recently hosted to discuss Smart Growth does not match my recollection at all. When it became apparent that Rep. Sharkey was going to be considerably delayed, Ms. Hornish suggested we make use of the idle time by discussing the issue amongst ourselves and preparing questions for him. She made it clear that she was not the expert and that she would defer to his knowledge about the subject. What he describes as a “Q&A on the State budget, taxes and spending”, I remember as a discussion among several attendees, off topic, which deteriorated into a rant about the imagined costs of “Smart Growth”. Fitgerald interprets Hornish’s declining to engage in the loaded debate as a “lack of attention to the real problems facing our communities and State”; this is a baseless accusation.

I do not believe, as Fitzgerald contends, that most of the attendees were more interested in this off-topic discussion and political posturing than they were in Smart Growth. If such was the case, why were they at this meeting? If they were there because it was an opportunity to confront Ms. Hornish and pursue their own agenda, they did a disservice to those of us who were there to further our knowledge.

Since I was not there to listen to uninformed speculation and complaints, I left before Rep Sharkey arrived. Therefore, I don’t know how the actual presentation went. Apparently neither does Mr. Fitzgerald. It would be interesting to know from other attendees what their perception was of this event.

Sincerely,

Alison Murdock

Alison Murdock chairs the town’s Conservation Commission

A view of the Farmington River during a snowfall taken from the river bank a little east from the Town Hall parking lot. Photo: Maria Moore

Commentary: By Maria Moore

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you’re able to spend time with those you love, if not in person, at least via electronic media.

Bob and I decided to give ourselves the day off from our 24/7 NewHartfordPlus duties, freeing him from his techie tasks, and me from my virtual pen. Our thought was: launch the K-9 Cute Dog Contest and then kick back. “Time enough to post the dog photos on the website later tonight,” we said to each other but, as you can see, easier said than done: as I cooked breakfast for us both (how many weeks has it been that he’s cooked breakfast while I toiled over my next article?), Bob was placing pictures of cute dogs in heart frames and posting them on NewHartfordPlus: my Valentine’s Day present!

As I was making pancakes, with Murray, our Border Collie, draped over my feet ~ of course, he’d be doing this, even if the bacon wasn’t sizzling in the pan! ~ my thoughts turned to a younger age, when at least one of our four children (from 3 different relationships) was home and needed tending; from needing to have shoes tied, to needing a ride over to their friend’s, and later even to soothing a broken college-aged heart. It seemed a time of never-ending giving, and yet, now that it has slowed to a trickle, I look back and think: “I wish I could have given more.” More of my time, more understanding, more attention to their latest interest. But, as a working parent, it wasn’t always possible to find more to give.

And so from my vantage point as an empty nester, one who is out and about photographing and reporting on so many events where young couples are busily tending their children, I’d like to share the following poem which I found many years ago in an antiques store in Winsted. I hope it provides inspiration for you as you interact with children, as it has for me over the years, as a parent and as a public-school teacher. And hopefully, in the future, as a grandparent.

All my best, enjoy your children, and as I was reminded many years ago:

“You’re never too busy to give your child a hug!”

The above poem is from 1963; please substitute 'She' for 'He' every other line.

Looking Forward: Commentary by Chris Jones

As sure as the swallows returning to Capistrano, so too this time of year always brings the inevitable outcry and fervor of budgets and spending, in particular, School Budgets. Here in New Hartford and other Towns in the State we have the good fortune to be able to gnash our nails about two school budgets, one for our New Hartford System and one for Regional District #7.

Double your pleasure and double your fun.

Now, to make sure NH+ provides full disclosure I must tell you that I have the pleasure, and honor of not only producing 7 children, I’ve also had the great joy of sending them all through the New Hartford school system, and yes all the way through Regional #7.  In retrospect, I think I enjoyed producing them more than educating them, but I digress.

Back to business… Today is a different day, and as an aged, decrepit old man I now tend to look at things like spending on education, and other social programs with a more myopic view. Maybe I tend to trust less in the system than I once did. I’m not sure.

I am, however, sure that the New Hartford system has been blessed with great teachers (and a few duds here and there) and great staff. The renovations of New Hartford Elementary and Bakerville Schools have created super, physical plants that are both modern, and safe. Badly needed upgrades that allow for the maximum in learning. You know, getting the library reading room out of the kitchen sink at Bakerville was a really a good idea!

That behind us, we now face off once again with our annual “What’s the cost of running these institutions?” and the cost of employing people to teach and to protect our children.

The case can be made that an educated society is a Great Society. To that end, spending on education both in the primary and secondary systems we have is a must. But, like other governmental needs, at what cost? In our Town, as in most, nearly 75% of our tax dollars got to public education. A big bill to pay.

And again we find ourselves pondering the costs associated with managing the education of our young people and balancing those costs with the reality of what is affordable and what is absolute.

In my opinion, in a display of grand stupidity the local Board of Education in Town negotiated a teachers’ contract that provided a substantial increase in teachers’ pay at a time of impending global financial doom. A political disaster that put teachers and Town leaders at odds, not to mention the taxpaying public.

As I recall it was based on the need to bring our teachers’ compensation to a level of regional parity, and now the Town finds itself staring down the gunbarrel of either more increases or perhaps staffing reductions, continued deferred maintenance, or bigger class sizes. All of which someone will find problematic.

It’s just the way it is.

But sadly, now is not the time for more spending. Now is the time to revisit agreements made and formalized in contracts that, at this point, look to have no real foundation in modern reality. Now is the time when our teachers and the institutions they represent can make a real statement, a statement that education comes first, not those that educate.

The harshness of the real world view is that unemployment is rampant, job creation is at a standstill, and money is at a premium. To suggest otherwise is only to put our heads in the sand that obscures the reality of the moment. We are a long way from economic recovery in America, and something has to give.

Just as an example, the CEA (Connecticut Education Association) website reports that the Connecticut State Board of Education acknowledges that much of our State’s education funding is in dire straits. The need to reduce costs at the State level by shifting the costs of Charter Schools to local communities will create massive financial hardships and lead to lessening the quality of education and perhaps larger class sizes. There’s that class size thing again.

In New Hartford, our BOE and Super are mulling over staff reductions to balance budgets and once again the threat of larger class sizes looms large. But these are tough times, and tough times require moderation and adaptation to the way we do things. Put simply, the affordability of public education is a huge question mark, further punctuated by the teaching establishment itself.

I am quite sure that any public proclamation or opinion such as this will receive the crossed arms and stern looks from teachers, administrators and perhaps parents.  I can just see the looks, just like Mrs. Dimmick, my second grade teacher, who was always quick to remind her students that she “wasn’t teaching so we wouldn’t learn”. Mrs. Dimmick was quite the figure. She was pretty good a putting the fear of God in all of us. After all she could stuff an entire box of Kleenex up her sweater sleeve; God only knows what else she had up there!  But the point is that her amplitude of discipline was bounded by her insistence on learning, and there was never a point when anyone of my classmates ever thought to count how many kids were in our class.

So too, modern educators need to rethink the disciplines of teaching, and the disciplines of managing their business of teaching. It is, after all, a business. At times of distress the world needs to find common ground on just about everything. The sanctity of education must not be compromised by the squabbling over money but, at the same time, when money is just not there, someone has to take off the blindfold and read the tea leaves.

Teachers and administrators would do well in the simple learning that we the customers just can’t afford it all.  Spending to teach is a must, learning from the past is also a must.

And I guess the swallows will again return to roost.

A young family having fun on the ice skating rink at Chapin Park in Pine Meadow. Photo: Maria Moore

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

This Letter to the Editor was forwarded to us by Congressman John Larson.  He wrote the letter to the Middletown Press on the earthquake in Haiti and tax benefits available for those who donate to the relief efforts.  The letter was published by that newspaper this past Thursday, January 28.
______________

To the Editor:

On Jan. 12, a natural disaster of great consequence tragically struck the nation of Haiti. In all, the 7.0 magnitude earthquake has directly affected nearly 1/3 of Haiti’s population, causing tens of thousands of deaths and leaving more than 1.5 million people homeless.

This catastrophic event will have a lasting economic, environmental and cultural effect on the nation and its people. In the wake of this natural disaster, our nation has answered Haiti’s call for help and responded with an outpouring of generosity and compassion. More than $220 million has been donated by Americans to aid major relief organizations, such as the American Red Cross and Clinton/Bush Haiti Fund, in the humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

Understanding this importance, I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation that provides a tax incentive to Americans who make a donation to relief efforts in Haiti. Individuals who make charitable donations between January 11 and March 1 can claim the contributions on their 2009 tax return, instead of waiting to claim it on their 2010 return. The legislation passed the House last week, and President Obama signed it into law on Friday. The measure, I believe, will encourage more Americans to lend their support to organizations already on the ground who are providing the people of Haiti with food and medical treatment.

If you have any further questions about the legislation please contact my office at (860) 278-8888, and for up to date resources and a list of IRS registered organizations assisting in the relief efforts, please go to www.Larson.House.Gov.

Let’s continue to answer the call and serve as a beacon of hope for the people of Haiti.

John B. Larson

U.S. Congressman, Conn ~ 1st District

Looking Forward: Commentary by Chris Jones

I urge the Editor of NH+ to take a glance at the Sunday edition of the New York Times wherein our Town’s local restaurant, Chatterley’s, is highlighted and reviewed. The NY Times writer, Patricia Brooks visited our humble homeland last week and was greeted by the owners at Chatterley’s with a bountiful, albeit planned, menu of everyday New Hartford fare and, in doing so, fared very well.

Chatterley’s, long since known as a local fine/casual dining experience and “Pub” hub, was featured this week in a review that in my opinion spoke well of both our Town and the owners’ insistence that good food combined with good prices can always be found if you have the dare to look.

For those of us that have enjoyed Chatterley’s, and it’s home ‘The New Hartford House’ or former ‘Pink Hotel’ of old, it’s no surprise to think it fascinating that the New York Times might find it worth while to visit.

An eclectic mix of “local color” fused with the many out-of-towners that come to New Hartford to ski, fish, or perhaps just enjoy a good meal in an interesting and affordable atmosphere, Chatterley’s, and their owners, who are also the owners of The New Hartford House property, continue to be a mainstay in Town.

I recall the first Arts Festival in downtown when the senior owner, Mr. Paul Samele himself, wandered through the downtown crowd passing out tasty homemade treats welcoming all to the center. When others would close, Chatterley’s was open. The center piece of Light New Hartford, the home plate of many a “politico meeting,” and the only bar close to Town Hall and the Catholic Church. How can you beat that?

Chatterley’s has played host to sport legends and Washington elite. The blend of customers is as eclectic as the motif and menu. Not to mention one of the best burgers anywhere.  Always a first stop on any fundraising tour, Chatterley’s continues to provide countless gift certificates to nearly any charity that comes a-knockin’. Chatterley’s is a very special place. But what about our Town isn’t?

While the building itself represents the near epicenter of our Town, and houses the very successful Passiflora and Head Shoppe boutiques, Chatterley’s continues to be a local favorite. A sort of ‘love it or hate it’ place, and the establishment continues to gild the lily of any number of super restaurants and eateries our Town has to offer.

When you start to add up the good stuff on ‘restaurant row’ that is Route 44, with Portobello’s, the new Michel Angelo’s, the ever-popular Blue Sky Foods, Tonio’s Pizzeria, and of course the health-conscious and upbeat Passiflora, one can only wonder how such incredible competition can survive. But they all do.

Good for them and good for us.

In any event, all said of the many wonders of our Town, congratulations to Chatterly’s. We can only hope that each of our Town’s incredible and thoughtful food and beverage purveyors can get the same recognition. They all deserve it.

Once again, another blessing counted.

Editor’s Note: The New York Times review of Chatterley’s Restaurant was published on January 8 in the N.Y./Dining section of that newspaper.

Chatterley's Restaurant during a recent snowfall. Photo: Maria Moore

Chris Jones, a long-time resident of New Hartford, is a former selectman of the town. Chris’ Looking Forward commentaries appear regularly on NewHartfordPlus. We look forward to posting future commentaries, as they are penned by Chris.

Letter To The Editor:

On behalf of the New Hartford PTO, I would like to express my appreciation to all the students, staff, their families and members of the community who have participated in the Box Tops for Education program. The three New Hartford schools have received checks from Box Tops for Education totalling $962.80. These funds were deposited into the Student Activity Fund for each school to help to pay for field trips and other student functions. The Student Activity Fund is not supported by the school budget.

I would also like to thank Sue Deschaine, Michele Frye, Roxanne Helt and Wendi Swetz for their invaluable assistance in preparing the Box Tops submissions. We are currently collecting Box Tops for the next submission, which must be mailed by the end of February. The schools will receive checks for this submission in late April. If any readers purchase Box Tops products (a list of products can be found at www.boxtops4education.com) we would appreciate you taking a few moments of your time to clip the Box Tops coupon(s) and turn them in to any of the New Hartford Schools or drop them off to the collection boxes located at the town libraries, the Senior Center or Town Hall. Each coupon is worth 10 cents for our schools and together, we can make a difference, one dime at a time.

Thank you for your support,

Debbie Ventre
New Hartford PTO
Volunteer Coordinator, Box Tops for Education

For more information: About the Box Tops program, please visit the PTO’s Fundraising Programs page on the New Hartford Schools’ website.

The Box Tops For Education box in the entrance (from the parking lot) of the Beekley Library. Photo: Maria Moore

Many Thanks: To Debbie Ventre for her good humor and persistence in getting the job done!

Looking Forward: Commentary by Chris Jones

I heard an interesting statistic the other day. Perhaps as much anecdotal as true but I found it interesting nonetheless.

I was told by a fairly reliable source that the Town of New Hartford, population approximately 6800, which also has approximately 3500 residences and any number of good sized structures, has more fire apparatus than the City of Torrington, population approximately 30,000.

Now since my contributions to NH+ are really more of the opinion type, my facts or figures may be skewed or just plain wrong without impinging on the journalistic integrity that the editors of this publication or those perhaps of the New York Times might require. With that said my ‘statistic’ that I alluded to might not be exactly correct. What I do know however, is that New Hartford does have three separate and independent fire districts, each with their own independent taxing authority, and each with their own take on just how a fire company should be run.

Now, since questioning the logic behind this certainly is in no way meant to impugn the integrity of the services or quality of these fire/rescue companies, I trust someone might just show if I needed to be uncorked from my car after slamming into a tree, or perhaps be willing to help me out in the event of a fire in my home. One can hope!

To be sure, the first-rate, first line of defense and care in our community that come from these very volunteers who spend many, many hours in training, and in doing, to protect and to serve, is very good. Whether it’s the cat in the tree or the unfortunate souls that have to deal with real trauma and hurt either through auto, home or accident, our brave men and women of the fire/rescue and ambulance services are friends indeed.

My question is: At what cost?

When I was running for the Board of Selectmen, post 9/11, the Town and the world were in a catatonic state of shock. Airplanes stopped flying, families gathered near to one another for comfort and safety, and we had watched in horror as giant buildings, once thought unsinkable, fell like twigs. We also watched in disbelief as firefighters, police, and medics, ordinary people all, did extra-ordinary things.

Once the tears and smoke cleared, the pride we all took in our first responders, everywhere, was palpable. Even here in New Hartford where we were touched in a very personal way by the terrorism that was 9/11. Those were dark days to be sure.

So hats off to those brave souls then, and now.

But again, my question is: Why do we need three fire districts with three fire chiefs, three tax collectors, redundancy of equipment, and perhaps the associated taxes paying for costs that might be eliminated or shared by all?

Not sure, but it does make for good debate.

Listen, I am very aware that the fire districts have been, and remain taboo when it comes to real public scrutiny. I get it. Kind of like the Teachers’ Lounge of my high school days. There are just some things you don’t mess with.

But at some point the expense of running these departments, and the associated fire district taxes required to do so, much like Litchfield County Dispatch (LCD), need to be held to the light of public debate. Yes, they all have public meetings to elect officials, and perhaps review their annual budgets, but if we as a Town took as much time dissecting these monolithic institutions as we do the Regional #7 operating budgets or why Jerram wasn’t changing ceiling tiles before he ran for First Selectman, I gotta think there would be some surprises.

I also know that these Departments have other revenue sources to offset expenses, and subsequent taxes to the community, but somehow that just doesn’t seem good enough.

As with many of our governmental institutions, the bureaucracy of the private fire districts needs to be more open and more open to trying to do things ‘another way.’ I’m not sure what that is but the question should be asked. It would seem now more than ever inter-department cooperation and collaboration should be paramount.

Having a fire department in Pine Meadow, roughly a 3 wood, and a pitching wedge away from The New Harford Fire District seems silly. Having a fire company in the South End of Town certainly makes sense in that the distances between Bakerville and the center of Town are massive when time is of the essence. So why not combine them all, with standardization of oversight, training, equipment, and cost?

In the end, all the taxpayers really want is to know that their safety and the safety of their families and homes are protected. When you are sitting behind the wheel of a car that has coiled up around you like a slinky, you probably don’t want to take a time out to get a quote to see who has the best price to extricate you.

Which is why I think we should probably look at this seriously, when time is not of the essence. For our little Town it just seems like a lot of ‘fire power’.

Which I am thankful to have.

New Hartford Fire Department on Route 219, New Hartford. Photo: Maria Moore

Chris Jones, a long-time resident of New Hartford, is a former selectman of the town. Chris’ Looking Forward commentaries appear regularly on NewHartfordPlus. We look forward to posting future commentaries, as they are penned by Chris.

By: Kate Rieger

One of the district objectives in the New Hartford Public Schools’ Strategic Plan states: “All students will increase their participation in meaningful service or citizenship activities in their community.” We at Antolini School encourage students to contribute to our community. Students have collected non-perishable food for the local food pantry, have sung carols at nursing homes, have planted bulbs, and participated in school beautification projects. They have raised money for several worthwhile causes, volunteered as reading buddies for younger students, sent holiday letters to students at the primary schools, worked with disabled students in Oak Hill School, and honored our veterans with a moving Veterans Day Program. They have made a real contribution to our community. And they have done so with our encouragement and by following the example set for them by the adults in their lives.

Every year individuals and community groups (Lions Club, American Legion, Karate Club, Women’s Club, PTO, State Police…) donate to needy families through the school. This year when the need seems greater, the community has responded accordingly with an overwhelming outpouring of support. Staff members have “adopted families” or contributed to a fund for students and families in need, civic organizations and individuals have contributed gift cards for distribution to families, and other local groups have donated toys and gifts as well as certificates from local stores. This year several parents decided to give gift cards to our families rather than give gifts to each other. All these contributions will be making the Holidays brighter for our children and our community.

Thank you to all who have provided material support for those in need, but more importantly ~ thank you for setting an example for our children. New Hartford is indeed a very special place to live!

Kate Rieger is the Principal of Ann Antolini School and she is a former First Selectwoman of New Hartford.

Setting an example: Dr. Philip O'Reilly, New Hartford Schools' Superintendent, delighting the children at Light New Hartford on December 6. Photo: Maria Moore

Do you have a stake in the local news coverage that NewHartfordPlus provides? Answer the questions below to find out:

• Do you enjoy reading the news about your community?

• Do you have family and friends living out of town that enjoy keeping up with what’s happening in town?

• Do you check out the Daily Community Calendar to see what meetings and events are going on in our community?

• Or do you, like some of our good friends, like to stop by on a weekly basis to catch up with what’s been going on in town?

If you answered “Yes” to any of the above, then you have a stake in the news coverage we provide. This service that you enjoy takes time and effort to pull together, and comes with a price tag, one which we have personally been covering.

We’re now asking everyone who benefits from the news service we provide to step up and become a Stakeholder in NewHartfordPlus. This is how it works:

First, set the value of the service to you:

1-3 visits per week = $2.50 per week (the cost of 1 latte) = $10 per month. This is the Stakeholder level.

4-7 visits per week = $5.00 per week (the cost of 2 lattes) = $20 per month. This is the Golden Stakeholder level.

Can This Really Work?

Yes, all it takes is for about 8% of our visitors to become Stakeholders in NewHartfordPlus, and our operating costs would be covered. Think of it this way:

If out of the 25,000+ visitors we receive each month:

100 become Stakeholders (each @ $10 per month) = $1,000 per month. (This accounts for 1,200 out of the total monthly visits);

25 become Golden Stakeholders (each at $25 per month) = $500 per month. (This accounts for another 700 visits per month).

The monthly income from the 125 Stakeholders projected above, who would account for about 2,000 visits out of the 25,000+ we receive each month, would be enough to cover the basic costs of running this website. The additional income from business advertising on NewHartfordPlus could then be used to pay additional reporters to provide coverage.  And we could even look at cutting back our main reporter’s workweek from 7 days a week to 5!

How To Become A Stakeholder:

Please make a monthly payment either by using the “Buy Us A Coffee” PayPal option on NewHartfordPlus or by mailing us a check or money order to: NewHartfordPlus, P.O. Box 667, New Hartford CT 06057.

Not Sure You Want To Become A Stakeholder?

You’re not sure you want to become a monthly Stakeholder?  If you enjoy reading a specific article, then please use the “Buy Us A Coffee” link on NewHartfordPlus to make a one-time contribution.  We’d much appreciate it.

The Amount of Local Coverage Depends On You!

There’s a lot of local news we’d like to cover and find that we just aren’t able to on our meager resources. Please help us bring you the kind of news coverage you enjoy.   And you never know who else is enjoying it too.  As Colin McEnroe recently said about NewHartfordPlus: “I’m impressed by the energy of this hyperlocal New Hartford site, but also by the way the look and feel of it seems to mirror the town.”

We’re looking forward to welcoming YOU as a Stakeholder on NewHartfordPlus!

Maria and Bob Moore
NewHartfordPlus
~linking our community~

Note: We will be listing all NewHartfordPlus Stakeholders in a special Stakeholders’ section.  If you prefer not to be listed by name, please let us know with your payment and we will include you in the listing as “Anonymous, Bakerville,” etc.

A vintage Christmas display at the Collinsville Antiques store. Photo: Maria Moore