Board of Education - Cornwall, Connecticut
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Cornwall Town Report 2012-2013 2 3 WELCOME Ivy June Lupine Hermann-Botto Logan Mitchell Hern Izel Lynn Palafox Fallyn Kira Ward Source: Town Clerk records Cover photo: Courtesy of Cornwall Historical Society 4 5 FOND ADIEU, SALUTE Nancy Ashton Asmund A. Boyum Arthur H. Brean Rose A. Burgdorf Halbert Cliff Bethia Currie Stephen S. Garney Ralph Gold Robert Miner Ives Terry J. Mazurkewicz Jerome Mazurkewicz John Nuese Marc Simont Scoville D. Soule Gloria T. Wagner Sam Mar Wee Wendy E. Weil 6 Table of Contents General Government Town Officials, Board and Commissions Abstract of Town Meeting Votes Board of Selectmen Five-Year Capital Plan FY 2013-2017 Board of Finance Animal Control Officer Assessor Board of Assessment Appeals Building Inspector Hammond Beach Highway NW Council of Governments Park and Recreation Registrar of Voters Social Services Transfer Station (report) 8-10 7 11 12 13 9 14 15 16 17 18 19 20-22 23 24 25 Education Board of Education CCS Principal’s Report Roster of Teachers for School Year 2012-2013 Region #1 Report Cornwall Child Center 26 27-28 29 30-33 34 Public Safety and Sanitation Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department CVFD list of participants Torrington Area Health Transfer Station (hours and general information) 35 36 37-38 see back cover Land Use Cornwall Agricultural Commission Cornwall Conservation Commission Cornwall Conservation Trust Cornwall Inland and Wetlands Cornwall Planning & Zoning Cornwall ZBA Northwest Conservation District 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 Departments and Organizations Cornwall Committee for Seniors Cornwall Emergency Response Team (CERT) Cornwall Energy Task Force Cornwall Historical Society Cornwall Housing Corp & Cornwall Elderly Housing Cornwall Library Housatonic River Commission 46 47 48 49 50 51-53 54 7 Departments and Organizations (cont) Housatonic Youth Service Bureau Northwest Corner Chore Service Women’s Support Services 55 56 57-58 Financial Management’s Discussion and Analysis Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes Tax Collector’s Report 58-64 65 66 TOWN MEETING VOTES—AN ABSTRACT Annual Town Meeting Held October 26, 2012 Voted: To receive reports of the officers, boards and commissions having reports to make. Voted: To adopt the Five Year Capital Plan for the Town of Cornwall as recommended by the Board of Finance and the Board of Selectmen. Voted: To amend the ordinance regarding Subdivision Exemption for Affordable Housing adopted May 18, 2007 in two respects: 1) To change the name of Cornwall Housing Trust where used in paragraphs 1,2 and 3 to the Cornwall Housing Corporation: and 2) To add after the Cornwall Housing Corporation in paragraphs 1,2 and 3 the Cornwall Elderly Housing Corporation. Annual Budget Town Meeting Held May 17, 2013 Voted: To reduce the proposed budget by $1,000 from $6,149,434 to $6,148,434. Voted: To adopt the proposed budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 in the amount of $6,148,434, as amended. Town Officials, Members of Boards and Commissions 8 Agricultural Advisory Commission Garrick Dinneen CHM William Dinneen, Jr. Denny Frost Chris Hopkins Allyn Hurlburt III Wendy Kennedy Ted Larson Donna Larson Marissa Larson Priscilla Mauro Gordon M. Ridgway Brian Saccardi Susan Saccardi Lynn Scoville Hunt Williams Board of Selectmen FIRST SELECTMAN: Gordon M. Ridgway ‘13 SELECTMEN: Kenneth C. Baird ‘13 Richard Bramley ‘13 CLERK: Joyce Hart Tel. 672-4959. FAX 672-4068 cwlselectmen@optonline.net Board of Assessment Appeals Charles L. Gold ‘13 CHM Roger L. Kane ’15 Natverlal Patel ‘15 Animal Control Officer Bradford Hedden 672-2917 Asst. Jack Malahan 672-6230 Building Code Appeals David Williamson 672-4959 Assessor Barbara Bigos, 672-2703 OFFICE HOURS: Wed 9-12 & 1-4 Tues & Thurs, 1-3:30 Building Official Paul Prindle 672-0711 HOURS: 8:00—9:00 am Board of Education CHM Rebecca Hurlburt ‘15 Tracy Gray ‘15 Philip W. Hart ‘13 Irene Hurlburt ‘13 SEC Thomas Levine ’15 Rachel Matsudaria ‘13 CLERK: Susan Gingert 672-2939 REP. TO HVRHS BOARD: Philip W. Hart ‘14 Board of Finance Wm. Earl Brecher ‘15 Thomas C. Bechtle ‘13 CHM Vacancy ‘17 Sally F. Hart ‘13 Celia Senzer ‘17 John LaPorta ‘15 ALTERNATES: J.W.Preston ‘13 Maureen E. Donahue ‘13 CLERK: Barbara Herbst Cornwall Grange #32 Trust Fund Vacancy ‘15 William Dinneen, Jr. ‘13 Susan Saccardi ‘14 Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department PRES: Joyce Hart, CHIEF: Earle Tyler Rescue Capt. Neal Kosciusko, (For a list of volunteers see p.19) Demolition Officer Paul Prindle, 672-0711 HOURS: 8:00-9:00 am Fire Marshal Stanley MacMillan, 364-0909 Deputy : Steve Heaney Historian Position Open Civil Preparedness Coordinator Nevton Dunn Marc D. Simont, asst. John Bevans, asst. Housatonic River Commission Philip W. Hart ‘14 Barton Jones ‘16 Highway Department FOREMAN : James Vanicky CREW: : Cornwall Committee for Seniors Peter Kalmes ‘16 Michele Gorat ‘13 Chair: Jane Prentice ‘14 Lucy Kling ‘15 Margaret Haske ‘17 Robert Potter ‘17 Mary Dzenutis ‘16 Conservation Commission Graham Underwood ‘14 Joseph Markow ‘14 Patrick Mulberry ‘15 Brian Thomas ‘15 Kim Herkimer ‘13 Heidi Kunnick‘13 John A. Malahan, Jr. Allyn H. Hurlburt III Fred Scoville II Town Garage: 672-6230 Inland Wetlands and Water Courses Agency CHM D. Stevenson Hedden ‘13 William J. Hurlburt ‘13 Adam Fischer ‘13 Andrew MacDavid ‘13 Roger Kane ‘13 ALTERNATES: Jeff Lynch ’13 Debbie Bennett ‘13 9 Judge of Probate Diane Blick 860-824-7012 LITCHFIELD HILLS PROBATE COURT, DISTRICT 24 Justices of the Peace ‘17 Kenneth C. Baird Dave Cadwell Gordon Scott Cady Hendon Chubb Nita Colgate Margaret Cooley Mark Hampson Allen G. Herkimer II Judith A. Herkimer Carl Hermann Lisa Lansing James A. Levy John Miller Phyllis Nauts Priscilla Pavel Marie Prentice Ann M. Schillinger Julia Mary Scott Pauline Sobotka Katherine West Phillip Rollin West Barbara S. Yohe Land Use Administration Karen Griswold-Nelson Administrator ZEO and Clerk HOURS: Tues. & Thurs 9 to 12 860-672-4957 See Planning & Zoning, Zoning Board of Appeals and Inland Wet lands Agency Municipal Agent On Aging Jill E. Gibbons, 672-2603 HOURS: Friday 9 – 4. Food Pantry - see page 34 Economic Development Commission Melissa Andrews ‘15 Mark Hampson ‘13 Richard Bramley ‘13 Carol Lugar ‘13 Todd Piker, CHM ‘14 David Dolinsky ‘14 Fred Scoville, III ‘14 Priscilla Pavel ‘15 Janet Carlson Sanders ‘15 2013 ACO Report Well, it seems as though the cat really did come back the very next year, 25 of them to be exact. Some were in litters, but some chose to go it alone. Dogs followed in a close second, with 14, one rescued from a well on River Road, thankfully to a keen eared walker. Three bears made their reemergence rather publicly with one that preferred a garage, seven raccoons (one at CCS ) and two coyotes. Rounding out the year are the single calls, one skunk, one porcupine, one snapping turtle (stuck at the town hall), one snake found in a parlor caught and released unharmed (and I don’t like snakes), one bat caught and released and one squirrel (that left on its own). Several dog bite incidents occurred, one to the ACO. All canines were licensed and up to date on shots. Thank you to responsible owners! Vera Dineen is still very willing to trade a piece of paper and a lovely tag for the fee of registering your dog, aged six months or older, if you have not already done so. Remember, if your dog doesn’t jingle when it mingles, it’s not legal. Respectfully submitted, Brad Hedden, ACO 10 Town Office Hours Monday - Thursday 9 to noon and 1 to 4 PM unless otherwise noted Park and Recreation Commission Kenneth Considine ‘15 Erin Hedden ‘15 Bridget R. Lynch ‘15 Stephen Saccardi ‘13 CHM Patrick Elias. ‘13 Johan Winsser ‘15 Brian Mollica ‘11 Ron Laigle Jr. ‘13 ALTERNATES: Vacancy ’15 Vacancy ’13 DIRECTOR: Rebecca Hurlburt 672-4071 Mon & Wed 9-12 Hammond Beach DIRECTOR: Tammy Decker Planning and Zoning Commission Stephen Saccardi ’13 Josh Tyson ‘17 CHM David Colbert ‘13 James LaPorta ‘15 Jill Cutler ‘17 Heidi Kearns ‘15 ALTERNATES: Vacancy ’17 Anna Timell ’15 Annie Kosciusko’13 Social Services Administrator Jill E. Gibbons, 672-2603. Recycling Coordinator Steve O’Neil 672-4079. Registrars of Voters Republican Virginia B. Potter, ‘15 Democrat Jayne W. Ridgway, ‘15 672-6191 or 672-0279 respectively. Sydney M. Kaye Fund Advisory Committee Vacancy ‘15 Lisa Lansing ‘13 Virginia Potter ‘14 Sanitary Transfer Station Manager Steve O’Neil Assistant Ted Larson Furnace Brook Road (672-4079. Tax Collector Jean Bouteiller ‘13, 672-2705 Monday 1-4 Wednesday 9-12 / 1-4 Civic Organizations Torrington Area Health District Representative Charles L. Gold ‘13 489-0436. Town Clerk Vera L. Dinneen ’14 672-2709 Town Office Hours For additional information see back cover Cornwall Child Center Cream Hill Road, West Cornwall DIRECTOR: Amy C. Bresson 672-6989 Cornwall Historical Society 7 Pine Street, Cornwall Village PRESIDENT: Barbara Gold HOURS: Memorial Day to Labor Day: Wed., 1 to 4 pm and Sat, 10 am to 4 pm. Otherwise, by appointment, call 672-0505 ASSISTANT TOWN CLERKS: Cheryl Evans Karen Griswold-Nelson Kayla Johnson Julieanne Russ Treasurer John F. Green ‘13 Finance Office Barbara Herbst, 672-2707. Mon/Thurs 9:00-5:00 Tues/Wed 8:30-12:30 Zoning Board of Appeals Nancy Calhoun ‘15 Ann M. Schillinger ‘13 Priscilla Pavel ‘17 Betty Spence ‘15 CHM Virginia Potter ‘13 Amy Worthington-Cady ’17 ALTERNATES: Fred Scoville ‘14 Vacancy ’18, Don Bardot ’16 Zoning Enforcement Officer See Land Use Administrator p.9 Cornwall Housing Corporation PRESIDENT: Maggie Cooley Cornwall Free Library 30 Pine Street, Cornwall Village DIRECTOR: Margaret Haske Hare HOURS Tues, Thurs, Fri, 10 am to 5 pm. Wed. Noon to 7. Sat 10 am to 2 pm. Hughes Memorial Library Lower River Road, West Cornwall PRESIDENT: Jerome Doolittle 672-6374 HOURS Friday, 4 to 7 pm; Saturday 9:30 am to 12:30 pm For more civic organizations, go to www.cornwallct.org 11 Board of Selectmen The Board of Selectmen enjoyed a productive if somewhat wet year. The Board met 33 times with water issues playing a prominent role in this year’s events. The Housatonic River was in the news as the Housatonic River Commission is seeking to insure its protection through Wild and Scenic designation. River access and recreation issues also were important during the past year. The Board agreed to form a task force to study the ecology of Cream Hill Lake. An advisory committee of residents was appointed for Hammond Beach. The beach’s entrance was considerably improved with a new gate and stone wall by John Laporta. The wet summer of 2012 delayed the road sealing projects of the highway department. The major reconstruction of Great Hill Road was completed in the fall and the Board extends its gratitude to Roger Kane for his project management. The project cost $690,000 of which the town received reimbursement of $512,000 by Federal and State grants. The Board of Selectmen also commends the Highway Department for their service in keeping the town roads safe during flooding and winter storm conditions. The Highway Department purchased a large surplus all wheel drive plow truck to help with big snow storms. The Emergency Management Department participated with the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department in a June hurricane drill. Hurricane Sandy was easier on Cornwall than the previous year’s storms Irene and Alfred in large part because of good planning and readiness. Also, plans are now underway to improve radio communications, install a new generator at the West Cornwall firehouse and improve a fire fighting water supply for Cornwall Bridge. The Selectmen’s office also participated in security upgrades at Cornwall Consolidated School in response to the tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary School. The transfer station received new equipment and an award for recycling electronics. Well done! Other grants have continued to pay for business renovations with the Façade Programs. Tourist directional signs were installed near the village centers to aid visitors. Approval of solar powered “Your Speed” signs for West Cornwall and Cornwall Bridge has been obtained from Connecticut Department of Transportation. The signs should be up in the fall. The Board again thanks the many volunteers who work tirelessly to make Cornwall the active and special town that it is. We also thank our office personnel who keep the town running and our Board clerk, Joyce Hart, who keeps the Selectmen’s office in order, when she is not out on rescues with the ambulance squad. Respectfully submitted, First Selectman Gordon M. Ridgway Selectman Richard Bramley Selectman K.C. Baird 12 Board of Finance 2012–2013 Annual Report This year the board lost a great leader and friend when Ralph Gold succumbed to cancer in the spring. Ralph had chaired the Board of Finance for decades, and under his steadfast and intelligent leadership, the board accomplished its goals in a workmanlike, timely manner. He will be greatly missed by all those who had the pleasure of working with him over the years. Other members of the board this year were John LaPorta (vice chairman), Sally Hart, Tom Bechtle, Celia Senzer, Earl Brecher, and alternates Jack Preston and Maureen Donahue. Barbara Herbst continued in her dual role of clerk to the Board of Finance and Town of Cornwall Finance Director. In addition to the loss of Ralph Gold, the board will undergo further change in the current fiscal year, as Tom Bechtle and Sally Hart, who have both completed 12-years of work on the board, have opted not to seek re-election. Continued frugality marked the board’s endeavors this year. The budgets of both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education came in just below the previous year’s levels. Assuming no increase in the proposed Region One budget (which at this writing remains unapproved by the voters), an overall town budget was approved unanimously at the May town budget meeting. The 2013–2014 budget reflects two particularly bright spots for Cornwall taxpayers: (1) although capital spending is maintained at previously planned levels, no monies from the undesignated fund balance were used to balance the budget, as has often been the case in recent years; and (2) the mill rate has been lowered to 14.5, which will result in a small savings for the typical taxpayer. A thank-you is due to all of the Cornwall boards and commissions for their efforts to rein in costs for the coming fiscal year, and to our tax collector, Jean Bouteiller, whose dedicated work has kept collections near the 100% mark. Our fiscal health, as documented in the audit included in this report, remains exceptional in this continued period of economic uncertainty. 13 14 2013 Assessor’s Annual Report Barbara Bigos, Assessor JoAnne Dodge, Assistant The Assessor’s office has been quiet this year. We have been completing small projects that were put on hold during the property revaluation that was completed last year. Our Grand List had a slight decrease of .018%. Although we had a decrease, it was good when compared to many Connecticut towns. Our mill rate decreased from 14.6 to 14.5 and that is great for the taxpayer! How fortunate all of you are that you get to live in this wonderful community! 15 16 17 Hammond Beach The Hammond Beach 2013 was a great success. We saw some changes and new additions to the facility and a number of new families on our waterfront. Most prominent was the 2 loads of beach sand generously donated by Jim Hayward. A new ping pong table adorns our beach due to the hard work of Marci Silverman. The kids love it and have enjoyed some spirited games. We purchased a new runner rug for the dock and it looks great! The summer swim program led by Gordon Brown and assistant Olivia Scott was an enormous success. We don't keep an official score at meets but the Cornwall Swim Team enjoyed a winning season regardless! The swimming lessons were lightly attended. We would love to encourage more participation in this free program provided by the town. We ran our first annual 'smores night at the lake. We made a fire pit and kept the beach open an extra 2 hours for families to enjoy dinner and then 'smores. We had an excellent turn out and hope to repeat it several times next summer. Perhaps the biggest news is that there is a newly formed Hammond Beach Commission, created to provide support for the beach. We will be meeting throughout the year and look forward to bringing more programs and events to the lake next season! See you on the water in June!! Tammy Decker 18 Cornwall Highway Department The Highway Department, staffed by four men, has been very busy with seasonal maintenance obligations along with the challenging weather that presents itself in various forms throughout the year along the roughly 62 miles of road. Our past winter consisted of 21 events equaling 55 inches of snow with the unpaved roads being the most problematic. To assist our four main plow trucks, should one encounter a breakdown, we found the opportunity to purchase from the Town of Salisbury a used Walters Sno-Fighter truck capable of handling the worst winter can offer. It also has side mounted plow to move snow banks back which was also much needed and in all saved thousands towards the alternative and will last us many years. Many paving projects have been completed in areas of town and our goal is to involve a process called reclamation which pulverizes the surface down to a depth of 10 inches. It is then rolled and graded followed by new pavement. Currently the budget allows for 900 tons of asphalt or the equivalent of one half mile of road covered. Our goal next year is to do extensive work on Dibble Hill, Pierce Lane and the north end of Cream Hill Road. The recent heavy rains have caused considerable damage primarily on the steep edges of unpaved roads. We continue to address these areas. Our tree removal program has made great progress in gaining ground on our dead or dying trees. With the help of local arborist Root Tree Service we’ve been able to see a reduction in storm related problems and will continue an aggressive effort towards the problems fallen trees create. A reminder of the posted speed limits and always be alert for those using the roads for other purposes. Respectfully submitted, Jim Vanicky Highway Foreman 19 NW Council of Governments The Northwestern Connecticut Council of Governments (NWCCOG) is comprised of nine member towns - Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, North Canaan, Roxbury, Salisbury, Sharon, Warren and Washington. The NWCCOG’s Board is made up of the first selectman from each member town. The NWCCOG provides a regional forum for information exchange and cooperation on issues of mutual concern to member communities and delivers technical assistance and information services to the towns. The Council meets on the first Thursday of the month except in August and November. This fiscal year, NWCCOG submitted a grant application to the Federal government for rail improvements and to the State government for shared regional economic development services. Funding for Pre-disaster Natural Hazard Mitigation Planning was secured from FEMA. The NWCCOG worked with Geer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, as it has for the past several years, to apply for and secure a Conn. Department of Transportation grant for an elderly and disabled transportation program. The NWCCOG, in cooperation with LHCEO and the Northwestern Conn. Economic Development Corporation, assisted in the completion of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to serve as a strategic plan for investments in economic development for the 20 town region. The CEDS includes significant data and analysis and an “action agenda” to support agriculture, workforce development, manufacturing, tourism, and small businesses. During the 2013 legislative session, NWCCOG members met with local State legislators to review proposed legislation. NWCCOG members, in cooperation with the Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials (LHCEO), urged local legislators to take action on a number of issues important to the two Regions. NWCCOG also helped to facilitate local and regional participation in the State’s Plan of Conservation Development and Locational Guide Map. Two Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days were held – one in October at the Torrington Waste Treatment Plant and the other in June at the Canaan Town Garage- co-sponsored by LHCEO. Vehicles from around the Northwest Corner arrived at the sites to properly dispose of common household hazardous materials. The NWCCOG continued to provide staff support to the Housatonic River Commission and the Northwestern Conn. Regional Housing Council. The NWCCOG also continued to provide financial services to the Northwest Corner Fuel Bank, the NWCT Regional Planning Collaborative and the Foundation for Community Health’s Prescription Assistance Program. The NWCCOG continues to cooperate with LHCEO, the Northwestern Ct./Litchfield Hills Public Safety Task Force and the State in emergency operations planning for the member towns. Respectfully submitted, Jocelyn Ayer 20 CORNWALL PARK & RECREATION “A community that plays together stays together.” While reviewing the Park & Rec year (from July, 2012 through June, 2013) it is clear that the Commission is working hard to bring fresh, new ideas to the Town of Cornwall! There were several events and trips that were added to our “roster” this past year, as well as all of the old time-tested events and programs. We encourage you to visit the website: cornwallparkrec.org, where you can find dates of evens, team listings & schedules, photographs and other information. We welcome suggestions – what programs are we NOT offering that you wish we did? What would you like to know when you go to our website? Becky Hurlburt, the Park & Rec Director, has office hours at the Town Hall on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 9:00 to 12:00 and the phone number there is 860-672-4071. Email address is prcornwall@gmail.com Before we go through the calendar, last year we had a desire to do more for the Cornwall Seniors, and to take families on trips out of town, to get to events that they might not go to without a group. One of the trip this year was to the New Britain Museum of Art. July 2012, we start our Park & Rec year with the annual July Fest & Community Picnic for a change was held on the green across from the Town Hall in Cornwall Village and co-hosted with The Cornwall Association, with labor donated by the upcoming 8th grade class (who raise funds for their class trip), a busy and happy event with good food and friends. New at the event this year was a road race, bike decorating and whiffle ball games including a visit from the Volunteer Fire Dept to cool everyone down. In August there is the annual trip to Lake Compounce to enjoy the amusement and water parks at a discounted “group” rate. In the summer, we offered the Twister Baseball camps and Challenger Soccer camps, which have become traditions. There was Summer Baseball for the 13-16 year-old boys, in the Colonial League. Soccer in the fall is one of the busiest seasons, with many kids from 1st through 6th grades on the rosters – Coed, Boys and Girls. Cornwall participates in the Northwest Soccer League, and we host a professional British Trainer who works with all of the children on their technical skills. Karate continues to be a favorite program in Cornwall, offered to families, with participants of all ages. Karate lessons take place in the CCS gym on Wednesday evenings. Tai-Chi in the CCS gathering Room is also available as a Park & Rec “discipline”. 21 In October, Park & Rec holds its beloved annual Halloween Party at the Town Hall where Cornwall families are invited to enjoy the soups, salads, beverages and “Halloween goodies” donated by the locals. The SkiDaddle program, generously made possible by Mohawk Mountain Ski Area, is a terrific bonus for Cornwall's youngest skiers. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade CCS students receive a free hour-long lesson for six consecutive Thursdays, giving them an incredible introduction to skiing. Skating is another winter choice, Park & Rec offers weekly ice time a The Schmidt Rink at The Hotchkiss School, on Saturday evenings in January and February. All Cornwall residents are invited to skate and this has become a very popular tradition. New this February, families were invited to snow tube at Butternut Ski Resort. Fun was had by all and many said please offer again next year. Basketball is the longest season from December through mid-March. For 2nd through 6th grade boys and girls, we compete well in the Northwest Basketball League. In March we host the Championship Tournament for the League, using CCS gym from sun-up until sundown! Also in January we held our first annual 3 on 3 basketball tournament which was well attended and everyone is looking forward to doing it again Jan. 2014. In the spring, baseball is offered to both boys and girls, but only the boys accept the invitation to play. This year we combined with Kent Boys. We were able to field two teams and had a successful season. There is a co-ed younger age group for Baseball, but unfortunately there are never enough for Softball. Cornwall, Kent, Lakeville and Sharon Park & Recs hosted a Spring Social for the Seniors, and we had a terrific luncheon at the Grove in Lakeville. Sticking with tradition, we ended our year with an end-of-the-school-year Beach Party at the Cream Hill Lake Association, where Skip Koscuisko cheerfully cooked locally grown burgers for the crowd, and the Cornwall Agricultural Society served special sundaes. Also this year's trip to Yankee Stadium saw the Yankees lose to the Minnesota Twins, but that did not dampen our spirits. Cornwall is extremely lucky to have all of these events and sports – a small town with tons of character and energy. At the CCS gym, there are also evenings that are dedicated to Basketball and Volleyball for adult players, if you are looking for extra exercise and camaraderie. Please thank and appreciate your volunteer coaches and Commission members as often as possible, because without them we could not have these Park & 22 Rec gifts. The Park & Rec Commission members – Ken Considine, Ron Laigle, Erin Hedden, Bridget Lynch, Brian Mollica, Stephen Saccardi, Fred Thaler & Johan Wissner – work behind the scenes for all of these efforts. We would also like to recgonize Terry Burke as a friend of Cornwall Park & Rec for all his valuable contributions. Please support all of our volunteers and offer suggestions so that we can all grow together as a recreational community. Thank you – Pat Elias, Chair 23 REGISTRARS OF VOTERS This is the first year the Registrars have been asked to provide a page about their year’s work. Since much of our work is not visible in public (Your office is where? Upstairs, in the Town Hall.), we will report some general information. What do we do? In general we register voters: make lists that must be kept up to date regarding names, legal addresses, party affiliations, etc. These lists are used in elections, to make sure that residents may each vote privately and without influence. Since nothing is simple having to do with government, a binder, holding 445 pages, with an index of 104 pages, contains the regulations and requirements needed to maintain voter lists and run elections. Generally the language is cumbersome and extremely detailed. However, the Secretary of the State’s office provides training sessions for moderators of elections, and instructions and support for registrars, who then oversee poll workers. What did we do in this last year? Much has to do with numbers. We added 69 new voters, removed 87 no longer living in Cornwall, and recorded 64 changes (address, party, etc.). On June 30, Cornwall’s registry of 977 included 393 Democrats, 187 Republicans, 390 Unaffiliated, and 7 Other. The 948 voters listed ten years ago are not much fewer, but they represented different parties: in 2003 there were 289 Democrats, 249 Republicans, 399 Unaffiliated, and 11 Other. During years when issues were contested, voter turnout would be high, especially for Presidential elections. In 2012, 85.4% of those registered participated: 629 for Barack Obama and 250 for Mitt Romney. In general, for off-year elections, percentages range from 35% to 70%. Referendum votes for Region One school budgets average 20% of registered voters; a few property owners (tax payers) also avail themselves of the option of voting for questions involving funding. How and where do the registrars keep records of voters? In years past all records were kept by hand on file cards, and the registration cards are still kept after their information is entered into the State system. With the evolution of the computer and digital machines, records are kept by the Secretary of the State, with registrars from all the Connecticut towns entering their voter information. This is a secure dedicated system with access by password only to ROV offices. Are Registrars of Voters and elections workers paid? Yes. We really are administrators of elections. To keep us honest, statute requires that there be a Republican and a Democrat to provide an even balance, who swear to be impartial regarding any election or party. How are votes counted? Tabulators electronically read the paper ballots, and at the close of polls print out vote totals. Absentee ballots are read in the same way. However, if needed for any reason such as a write-in vote, there is a separate slot in the ballot box for those ballots to be hand counted. What is best about our job? We like knowing we are part of the effective system our country has for choosing its representatives and directing policies. In Cornwall, it’s a good day when lots of townspeople come in to vote. Jayne W. Ridgway Virginia B. Potter 24 25 TRANSFER STATION REPORT 2012 / 2013 Another year where our recycling efforts have proven successful. This with an overall increase in the quantity / tonnage of recyclable and redeemable materials toted to our facility. This public diligence manifesting in a decrease in the tonnage of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Obviously, a good thing! Additionally, your / our efforts have pumped a respectable $6,250 (from the redemption of deposit bottles and recyclable metal) into the coffers of the town's General Fund and one or two local, not-for-profit agencies. Also, for the record, this past year saw the Transfer Station come in roughly $7,000 under budget. This, in part to the negotiation of a "long term" contract with CRRA. Major highlights of this past year were the replacement of two pivotal pieces of Transfer Station equipment. One being a new Wastequip model 255HD compactor to the purpose of squishing Cornwall's MSW (municipal solid waste). The other, a new Wastequip model 6030HD vertical baler for the compaction and processing of corrugated cardboard. Please observe the 5 mile an hour speed limit and use caution when entering the facility. Safety is paramount. Remember to continue to REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE and if you have yet to start a compost pile for your kitchen scraps, please do so. Many thanks for your continuing effort on behalf of our common cause! Respectfully Submitted, S. O'Neil 26 Board of Education The Board of Education THANKS its teachers and staff for their incredible dedication to Cornwall's children and their education. The daily stimulation and rigorous planning, teaching and follow through are deeply appreciated. This Board met almost every month this year and we diligently discussed policies, negotiations, the budget, declining enrollment, and most particularly security. We will miss Ralph Gold as the patient, careful Board of Finance leader that he was. Gratitude to Tracy Gray, Phil Hart, Irene Hurlburt, Tom Levine and Rachel Matsudaira for their volunteer efforts in constant support of the families of Cornwall as the children receive their education. And thanks to the Central Office of Region One, for all of their hard work. This photograph, of the full cast & crew from Honk, Jr. should say it all . . . Cornwall Consolidated School is a very special place! Respectfully submitted, Becky Hurlburt, Board Chair 27 Cornwall Consolidated School Michael Croft, Principal Dear Cornwall Friends, Our children continue to thrive at CCS. This year’s graduating class was made up of 11 young people whom we send off confidently into the wider world. Members of the class of 2013 were Blake Buckley, Gunnar Carlson, Cami Caruso, Ciara Hurlburt, Jacob Johnson, Alea Laigle, Kailyn Reilly, Rebecca Ridgway, Jacob Shpur, Caleb Thompson, and Katya Winsser. The hum of productivity, discussion, “brain sweat”, and fun filled our classrooms. Teachers made substantial progress in implementing the Common Core State Standards in language arts and math. Interdisciplinary and mixed-grade projects abounded. First graders and middle schoolers studied African animals and cultures while third graders studied biology and computers at the same time. Our staff modeled the skills and attitudes necessary to be collaborative professionals and lifelong learners. Our music and art programs continued to be highlights, as students produced excellent work in a number of areas. Our instrumental and vocal musicians, under the guidance of Alicia SimonettiShpur, demonstrated their skills at winter and spring concerts and lunchtime “brown bag” concerts. Some of our top performers were part of selective recitals and festivals. Our band and chorus took home top prize from the Music in the Parks festival in May. Mrs. S., Miss Roby, and Miss Krueger directed the successful school musical, Honk, Jr. Art teacher Diane Dupuis guided students in executing their artistic visions. The new printmaking press, purchased after years of slowly-building funds from Art @ the Dump, helped students produce beautiful pieces in a new medium. Beautiful student work was on display in school (constantly) and at shows at the National Iron Bank, the Wish House, and elsewhere. At our small school, we need most of the children to participate in order for extracurricular programs to be thrive. Many students participated in the musical, three seasons of sports teams, the Quiz Bowl team, and more. The boys basketball and baseball teams and the girls softball team were comprised of students from both Cornwall and Falls Village, with the basketball team using a final-minute comeback to capture the Region One tournament championship. In addition to our core work in the classroom, our students benefit from many experiences outside the norm. These include field trips that show students how the disciplines they study are manifest in the broader world. Students traveled to the state capitol, farms and historic sites of Cornwall, Nature’s Classroom, the Sharon Audubon, the Peabody Museum, off-site dramatic performances, Hammonasset State Park, Weir Farm National Historic Site, many points of interest in Washington, D.C., and more. The town of Cornwall continues to support CCS. Our extremely active and productive PTA provided several worthy experiences for students, including artist-in-residence Anne Cubberly, who helped students produce sculptures for Art @ the Dump, the National 28 Theater of the Deaf, and the Connecticut Ballet. The Cornwall Consolidated School Fund for Excellence organized a digital photography workshop for eighth graders and provided grants and guidance for eighth grade Explorations projects, an independent study experience in which students are paired with mentors in an area of interest, write a grant proposal, and create a product to present publicly. The CCSFE also brought Taylor Mali as a poet-in-residence and organized several after-school enrichment workshops on topics ranging from drawing animals to robotics. Our community support certainly does not end there. The Cornwall Library, various Cornwall businesses, the Region One Arts Fund, the Region One Athletic Fund, and countless giving individuals contribute to the quality of our children’s experience. Our building is in excellent shape and stands at the ready if it is needed as a shelter. Improvements in heating control and insulation were achieved this year. School security captured our attention this year. We performed multiple security assessments, employed a security consultant, and improved the safety of students by making many changes to our practices and by installing cameras, monitors, and emergency-alert buttons. Tradition and innovation exist in harmony at CCS. Events of long history, such as the Walk-a-Thon, our ski program, and the ritual gifts from eighth graders to seventh graders on graduation day, tie our students with the past. Recent developments include the implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a system of encouraging and teaching good student behavior and responding to poor behavior; and classroom sets of iPads. We welcomed one new staff member, school psychologist/counselor Karen Lindstrom and celebrated and mourned the retirement of another: Carol White, school psychologist/counselor for 20 years in Region One, retired in June. Another staff member passed a major milestone in 2012: Buffie Clarke, CCS Special Education teacher, has taught in Region One for 25 years. On behalf of the students and staff of Cornwall Consolidated School, thank you for supporting and challenging our young people as you do. With appreciation, Michael Croft 29 Cornwall Consolidated School Faculty & Staff 2012 – 2013 Name Binkowski, Cathy Boucher, Aaron Brown, Tom Bruehl, Martha Burdick, Bonnie Clarke, Elizabeth Collins, Patricia Croft, Michael Dupuis, Diane Forbes, Amanda Geyselaers, Brigitte Geyselaers, Phillip Gingert, Susan Grant, Annie Hanley, Jane Hanna, Jandi Kesl, Carol Krueger, Danielle Lindstrom, Karen Masi, Patricia Massucci, Linda Munson, Laura Nelson, Victoria Pramuka, Kristi Roby, Tara Rovezzi, Patricia Samson, Joyce Selino, Peter Simonetti-Shpur, Alicia Stiewing, Candise Vincent, William Watson, Sarah West, Katherine White, Carol Whiteside, Carla Position Grade 4 P.E. & Health Custodian Nurse Grade 1 Special Ed. (Gr. K-8) Paraprofessional Principal Art Teacher Assistant, Kindergarten Recess/Lunch Aide Custodian (part-time) Board Clerk Grade 3 World Language/Spanish Speech Pathologist Teachers Assistant, Gr. 3 & 4 Math, Gr. 6-8 School Psychologist Paraprofessional Title One Reading Teacher Assistant, Gr. 1 & 2 Technology Coordinator/Library Media Grade 5 Language Arts, Gr. 6-8 Administrative Assistant Grade 2 Head Custodian Music Kindergarten Social Studies, Gr. 6-8 Paraprofessional Science, Gr. 6-8 School Psychologist Teachers Assistant, Library 30 Regional School District #1 Annual Report June 1, 2013 As the 2012-2013 school year draws to a close, we begin to reflect upon our many achievements throughout the region. It is always a challenge to enumerate these accomplishments, in that there is so much happening in each of our seven schools; hence, I will attempt to highlight some of our major accomplishments. Students, staff and faculty returned with great enthusiasm to well-organized openings throughout the district. The year commenced with the hiring of Principal Florence Budge in Kent. Salisbury Board of Education hired Lisa Carter as interim principal, and Lee H. Kellogg Board hired interim principal, Jennifer Law. Both interims were subsequently appointed as principals of their respective schools commencing July 1, 2013. Teachers and students found this to be one of the smoothest openings ever with an extraordinary new administrative team at work throughout the entire region. Our smooth opening was interrupted by Hurricane Sandy with the loss of two school days in late October. We were more fortunate than most in regard to damage and power outages from downed trees. We appreciate the emergency response teams in each of our towns that aided with communications, clean-up and restoration of power to our buildings. Like last year October has been a challenging weather month. Six teachers celebrated 25 years of service and two others were honored for 35 years of service. In addition to this celebration, we welcomed seven new teachers to our regional schools this year. They were supported through a relatively new State required program called “TEAM” (Teacher Education and Mentoring). Under the direction of our Assistant Superintendent, many of our teachers worked this past summer in the content areas of: mathematics, science, language arts and social studies to develop and revise curriculum. Numeracy and literacy were the focus as regionally we are aligning curricula to the State adopted Common Core State Standards. We are indeed fortunate to have incredibly dedicated faculty and staff working for the greater good of students and our schools. On average regionally, eighty-eight percent of our faculty have a masters or advanced degree. The Federal No Child Left Behind Act requires all educators to be highly qualified. Annually, initiatives and goals are established by administrators in our schools along with their faculties; regional initiatives this year were as follows: To improve student achievement as evidenced by multiple data sources such as local, regional, state, and national assessments with benchmarks established by each school through the implementation of Scientifically Research Based Instruction (SRBI), Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS), and Common Core State Standards To revise regional teacher and school leader evaluation plans To promote active citizenship within and among faculty, staff and students using the following indicators: positive behavior intervention support, school spirit, self- 31 management, increased involvement, communication, respect, outreach, and leadership (building developmental assessments and systematic responsibilities to at-risk youth). To implement a “guaranteed and viable curriculum” tied to comprehensive formative and summative assessments utilizing “best” instructional practices – for example: Regional Grade Level Meeting – focused on Common Core Standards Strategies for Intervention Framework for Teaching Regional Assessments Aligned to Common Core State Standards Principals, working with their faculties, developed building goals that supported the regional initiatives, and each faculty member then developed their professional goals to accomplish the building goals. This coordination allows us to provide professional development in an efficient and effective manner. We recognized the value of teacher and leader development and offered multiple workshop and conference opportunities to support continuous growth and development. Professional development this year supported initiatives such as “Teacher Evaluation Plan Revisions/ Input”, “Seminar Programs”, now in its third year for not only freshmen, but inclusive of sophomores and juniors, as well. Ongoing teacher development also included “Scientifically Research Based Interventions “and “Positive Behavior Intervention & Support”, as well as “Technology”. Grade level meetings continued to focus on the new Common Core State Standards and the development of regional formative and summative assessments. Research has shown that significant improvement cannot occur without quality and ongoing teacher development. In addition to the completion of a new teacher evaluation plan, with a twenty-six member committee comprised of all administrators and representative teachers from each school, we have maintained our commitment to address the new Common Core State Standards and student achievement. Academically, throughout the region our students continue to excel on the State standardized test; however, we continue to analyze results to focus our work in areas of need with continuous improvement as a constant in every school. All of the Region One schools met “Adequate Yearly Progress” as defined by the State. We continue to outperform State benchmarks on the Connecticut Mastery Test and our high school grade 10 CAPT test at both the State Goal and Proficient levels. Our high school students have been accepted at outstanding colleges and universities this spring, such as: American International College, American University, Brown, Cornell, Endicott, Franklin Pierce, Harvard, Michigan State, Skidmore, University of Connecticut, Southern Connecticut State University, and University of Tampa just to name a few. Acceptance in these outstanding institutions reflects the quality of our students in a broader global community. Our high school students continue to benefit from our communities’ generosity. A relatively new scholarship, The Margaret Derwin Scholarship, was established last year through the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. The student selected for this scholarship will receive support up to $5,000 for a national or overseas summer community service program and up to $25,000 for tuition and associated costs of attending the college of their choice for each of their four years. This $105,000 Margaret Derwin Scholarship will change the life of a student. A second scholarship, that has impacted our visual arts program at Housatonic Valley Regional High School has been The Contemporary Visual Arts Scholarship which was established in 2004, to promote continued education in a chosen discipline within the spectrum of visual art. This scholarship consists of four annual payments of $10,000 and is administered by the 32 Foundation for Contemporary Art, Inc., a not for profit charitable organization. We continue to be awed by the support we receive from community members, with the high school offering some 138 scholarships for our seniors, totaling well over $100,000 annually. With the cost of higher education, these scholarships have a profound impact on the likelihood of students continuing their education. Programmatically, our elementary students continue to benefit from such regional events as Regional Chorus and Band, Grade 4 Arts Day, Math & Science Day, musical theatre, athletics, camps, and Geography and Quiz Bowl competitions. Due to the geographical vastness of our region, we feel it is essential to pull students together, as they will be classmates at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. In addition, our elementary students benefit from field trip experiences to such places as Washington, D.C., Montreal, local and state museums, Connecticut State Capitol, theater experiences, which serve to enhance their school experience. Our high school students visited China and experienced lifetime memories, as well as new understandings of the culture of China. These opportunities provide extracurricular experiences that enrich the lives of our children. As we attempt to educate the “whole” child this comprehensive programming continues to be essential. Financial needs have caused our schools to create long-range plans for capital projects. While the economy seems even brighter than last year, we continue to be conservative in addressing the building needs in each school. Sound fiscal planning and monitoring by our business manager and seven principals have served us well. Cornwall has completed painting and power washing, drainage work and insulation work to improve energy efficiency. North Canaan replaced windows and some doors along with plumbing repairs, tile floor replacement and interior painting. Lee H. Kellogg completed extensive painting of the exterior and small roof repairs, as needed. Kent completed exterior painting and upgraded to a computerized system to control room temperatures. Salisbury had no major projects last summer; however, they will continue with their maintenance and repair plans and look to future work to replace windows. Planned summer work completed at Sharon Center included replacement of lockers, carpet, cleaning of the air handling system and roof replacement. At Housatonic Valley Regional High School, the district completed a sloped roof replacement project in the summer of 2012, and American Disabilities Act compliance issues will begin to be addressed in the summer of 2013. All schools addressed security upgrades and school safety plans as a result of the tragedy in Newtown. The 21st Century Fund, an endowment fund through Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, planned and hosted along with the Regional Board of Education the opening of the Mahoney-Hewat Science and Technology Center. The Region One Board has been an active supporter and partner in the finance and support of this worthy school – community partnership. We wish to thank all involved with the Science Technology building as this work would not have been accomplished without the help of the “21st Century Committee” and the “Action Committee”, and all other supporting committees throughout the past six years. This exciting project affords our students and community members with enhanced science, mathematics and technology opportunities. The Board of Education has assumed full responsibility for this building with an established Science Technology Advisory Committee to provide general oversight. In addition, I would be remiss not to mention our outstanding custodial staffs throughout our region who maintain our buildings and grounds on a daily basis, especially after the interesting weather we experienced this year. Careful planning and 33 ongoing maintenance of our buildings protect the major investments that our communities have made in all facilities. The Central Office successfully negotiated two certified contracts and three non-certified contracts this school year. We have a new administrative contract collective bargaining unit in Regional School District #1 which is currently in negotiations. Generally, the Business Office continues to support the needs of regional schools when necessary, or when requested to do so. In closing, it is ever important that we remain focused on the needs of our students throughout the region while dealing with declining student enrollment. We have been monitoring and reporting enrollment projections that will continue declining if those predictions remain accurate. It has been an exciting year from our educational perspective; our dedicated and talented staff, faculties and administrators continue to work toward success for all children. We remain very appreciative of the contributions made by our community volunteers and our Boards of Education in maintaining our seven schools as the treasures that they truly are. Respectfully, Patricia Chamberlain 34 Cornwall Child Center Annual Report July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013 This past fiscal year has been one of steady growth. The Summer program of 2012 hosted a fun filled 8 week “camp” for ages 3 ½ - 8 years which 20 families utilized. It was also the first year that the center offered a Toddler program. This program was open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week and ran at an average of 75% capacity. The Toddler families were thrilled that this option was available for the Summer. The Town of Cornwall provided $33,500 for operating costs and the Annual Appeal brought in $8,850.00. In addition, the center received $12,500 in major gift donations. This income was an increase of about $4,500 from the last fiscal year. The United Way of NW Connecticut approved an allocation of $3,270.40 for the calendar year of Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013. This fund is used to offer scholarships to families in need. In October of 2012, the center had an event called Beer Brats and Bluegrass which brought in approximately $7,500 and the annual Winter Social in March of 2013 brought in an additional $16,000. Additional money was contributed to the Stephen Frost scholarship fund from a pancake breakfast hosted by the United Church of Christ and a Hair-Cut-A-Thon hosted by D&C Housatonic Hair Works. In June of 2012, we installed a new, much needed, Toddler playground for the youngest enrolled. This was supported through grant money received including money from the Cornwall Foundation. In September of 2012, the hours of operation were extended to 7:30-5:00 and an annual registration fee went into place. The overall tuition income was approximately $12,000 more than budgeted with a projection of income staying steady at the same amount for 2013/2014. One teacher left the center in June but all others remain in place, providing the continuity that the children and families count on. The atmosphere is professional and positive. The After School Kids Klub for grades K-4th grade, is being held at the Cornwall Consolidated School. Tracy Gray continues to be our lead teacher with the assistance of Stephanie Sherman, who is majoring in Early Childhood Education at Northwestern Community College. We thank those of you that are on the board for your continued support and dedication to this center and we continue to be grateful for those who volunteer at the center and those who attend and support our fundraisers. We would not be where we are today without the community that “stands behind us”. Sincerely, Amy C. Bresson Director 35 Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department The Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department had another busy year with a wide variety of calls from searching for lost hikers on mountains to rescuing soggy boaters in the Housatonic River. The Department made good use of its equipment and training. Members participated in many training courses on a variety of subjects. An unusual incident was extinguishing a small fire in the basement of a house that had been struck by lightning during a May hail storm. The Department also responded to several other serious structure fires in Cornwall and nearby towns. The Department responded from Greenwich to Massachusetts to aid other departments. The rescue division responded to over 200 ambulance calls this year. Residents are reminded to have lists of medicines with their date of birth and family contacts on hand for emergencies. The Junior Department won a trophy for marching in the Kent Fireman’s Parade. Two more juniors have moved up to join the adult ranks. The Department is grateful for all the support it has received during this fiscal year. Now is a great time for residents to check their 911 numbers for visibility and change the batteries in their smoke detectors. Sincerely, Earle Tyler, Fire Chief 36 CVFD Officers Chief: Earle Tyler (fire, EMS) Assistant Chief: Jim Vanicky (fire) Captain, West Cornwall: Connie Hedden (fire, EMS) Captain, Cornwall Bridge: Fred Scoville (fire) Lieutenant, West Cornwall: Gordon Ridgway (fire) Lieutenant, Cornwall Bridge: Ralph Dzenutis (fire) EMS Captain: Zach Sawicki (fire, EMS) st EMS 1 Lieutenant: Skip Kosciusko(EMS) nd EMS 2 Lieutenant: Annie Kosciusko (EMS) rd EMS 3 Lieutenant: Executives President: Joyce Hart (EMS) Vice President: Fred Scoville (fire, EMS) Treasurer: Tom Barrett (EMS) Secretary: John Miller (exec.) Chaplain: Micki Nunn-Miller Responding Members Tom Barrett (EMS) Fred Bate III Marie Bate (EMS) Diane Beebe (fire police) John Bevans (fire police) Rocco Botto (EMS) Dave Cadwell (EMS) Michael Degreenia (fire police) Nevton Dunn (fire police) Ralph Dzenutis (fire) Patrick Elias (fire police) Adam Fischer (fire) Asa Goddard (EMS, fire police) Charles Gold (fire police) Ralph Gold (EMS) Mark Hampson (EMS) Joyce Hart (EMS) Steve Heaney (fire, EMS) Connie Hedden (fire, EMS) Steve Hedden (fire) Iris Hermann (EMS) Allyn Hurlburt III (EMS) Brian Hutchins (fire, EMS) Steven Hutchins (fire) Peter Kalmes (fire police) Chris Kesl (fire, EMS) Annie Kosciusko (fire, EMS) Lauren Kosciusko (fire, EMS) Skip Kosciusko (fire, EMS) Donna Larson (EMS) Ted Larson (fire) Patience Lindholm (EMS) Skip Lush (fire) Bill Lyon (fire) Rod MacNeil (fire) Ed Olsen (fire) Jack Preston (fire) Elizabeth Ridgway (EMS) Gordon Ridgway (fire) Jayne Ridgway (EMS) Will Russ (EMS) Brian Saccardi (EMS) Steve Saccardi (EMS) Mark Sager (fire police) Zach Sawicki (EMS) Fred Scoville (fire) Howard Stone (fire) Rick Stone (fire) Earl e Tyler (fire) Josh Tyson (fire) Jim Vanicky (fire) Patricia Vanicky Phill West (fire, EMS) Jim Whiteside (fire, EMS) Jonah Whiteside (EMS) Bob Whitford (fire) Don Whitford (fire) Hunt Williams (EMS) Dave Williamson (fire) Junior CVFD Derek Elias Ella Hampson Jake Hurlburt Sam Hurlburt Cian Kalmes Patrick Kennedy Treasurer Mary Kate Kosciusko (EMS) Mitch Kosciusko Zachary Larson Jamie Murphy 2nd Lt Ian Ridgway, 1st Lt Rebecca Ridgway Secretary Dean Saccardi Dan Tyson 37 TORRINGTON AREA HEALTH DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT: JULY 1, 2012 – JUNE 30, 2013 The TAHD served over 137, 000 people in twenty boroughs, cies and towns covering 611 square miles. James B. Rokos, Director of Health for the past 45 years, rered on June 30, 2013. Robert Rubbo was appointed the new Director of Health. The TAHD Community Health Program invesgated the following communicable diseases: 15 Campylobacteriosis, 12 Salmonellosis and 15 Giardiasis. TAHD nurses now use MAVEN, a secure electronic surveillance system that allows be4er collaboraon with the State of Conneccut Department of Public Health (DPH) and Foodborne Diseases Centers for Outbreak Response Enhancement (FoodCORE). TAHD nurses provided case management on 2 cases of tuberculosis and 4 cases of latent tuberculosis infecon. TAHD provided guidance to school nurses, daycares and community members on a variety of health issues. TAHD held 10 seasonal flu and pneumonia clinics where TAHD nurses administered 647 doses of flu vaccine, and 20 doses of pneumonia vaccine to local residents. 38 raccoons, bats, and other animals were submi4ed to the State Lab for Rabies tesng. Guidance on post exposure prophylaxis was provided. Ticks brought in by 87 residents were sent to the Conneccut Agricultural Experiment Staon to determine if they were posive for Lyme Disease bacteria. The TAHD Childhood Lead Poisoning Preven/on Program ensured that follow up care was provided for 54 children with elevated blood lead screening levels. 2 new children required extensive case management due to lead poisoning. TAHD also collaborated with the Lead Ac/on Medicaid Par/cipants (LAMPP) Program to assist property owners with lead abatement of their properes. 5 Properes with outstanding orders completed lead abatement. Sanitarians and nurses did 2 paral lead inspecons, and 2 epidemiological invesgaons to comply with State mandates. Abatement orders were issued for 2 properes. Educaonal sessions were held for area physicians and local child and family programs. Educaonal packets were distributed to group daycares. TAHD Healthy Homes Program conducted a total of 20 home inspecons ( 13 inial and 7 follow-up). The TAHD Immuniza/on Ac/on Program (IAP) works with local providers to ensure compliance with immunizaon laws among the pre-school populaon. The state online immunizaon registry connues to be a work in progress. Several private pediatric pracces have been brought online. The state is working with Allscripts, one of the larger Electronic Medical Records, in hopes that the immunizaon records will be downloaded directly into the state registry but this is taking longer than expected. TAHD IAP enters immunizaon histories for 4 pracces and searches for children who have le? the pediatrician of record. 4 Pracce site reviews have been completed (to review and account for federal vaccine provided to pracces). The TAHD Emergency Preparedness Program worked with community partners to provide emergency communicaon, ensure food and water safety, and community hygiene following Storms Sandy and Charlo4e. TAHD parcipated in two statewide drills and one local drill. As a result of the a?er acon reports, Staff has improved response capabilies. TAHD partnered with Charlo4e Hungerford Hospital to provide an educaonal seminar “Crical Awareness; Emergency sheltering & at risk individuals” for local public safety officials. TAHD connued as the Regional Public Health Advisor for all local health departments in Region 5 of the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS). Region 5 Emergency Support Funcon (ESF) # 8, Public Health and Medical Services has been 38 recognized by the Naonal Associaon of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its ability to respond to public health emergencies. Region 5 ESF #8 met the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevenon. PPHR is a criteria-based public health preparedness program that assesses local health department capacity to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies. TAHD joins a cohort of more than 300 local health departments across the country that have been disnguished for their agencies’ preparedness efforts through PPHR, either individually or as part of a region. The TAHD-Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Program partnered with the State Police Cadets to bring the MRC * B * READY school-age emergency preparedness program to a?er school sites sponsored by Educaon Connecon of Litchfield. Approximately 200 families were reached through this iniave. TAHD MRC successfully secured a NACCHO grant to expand the MRC * B * READY and MRC * B * FIT programs. MRC * B * FIT is a program designed to promote healthy acvity and nutrional choices in school age children. The TAHD MRC provided community CPR instrucon to 125 people in 6 communies. The TAHD MRC parcipated in 5 planned firefighter rehab acvies. Members trained and provided rehab at a large mul-jurisdiconal HAZMAT drill. In the summer of 2012, the TAHD MRC served as a host to an AmeriCorps team. The team performed trail remediaon work for community partners; the Norfolk Land Trust and the Appalachian Mountain Club Berkshire Trails Division in order to improve the access for emergency vehicles on heavily hiked trails throughout the region. The group also delivered the MRC * B * READY educaonal program to approx. 500 school age children enrolled in Educaon Connecon Summer School & Summer Camp Programs at mulple sites. The TAHD completed year 2 as the fiduciary agent for the Community Transforma/on Grant (CTG) Program for Litchfield County. The goal is to reduce chronic diseases by promong healthy lifestyles (tobacco free living, acve living, healthy eang, and quality prevenve services) by focusing on changes to policies and systems. A Litchfield County Community Needs Assessment was completed and is available online at www.tahd.org. In addion, 5 community teams were created in locaons of greatest need and Community Health Improvement Plans were developed for each, as well as for the county as a whole. The TAHD connued its partnering with Phoenix Labs for its Water Tes/ng Program. Phoenix Labs is a full service lab located in Manchester, Conneccut that offers a wide range of tesng of drinking water, wastewater, groundwater/landfills, storm water, soil and more. The TAHD connues to collect samples when requested, and offers free technical advice on any water tesng results. TAHD Environmental Health Program resulted in the following inspecons/licenses/permits: 1853 food inspecons, 657 temporary food permits, 90 new sepc systems, 115 repaired sepc systems, 180 private well permits, 85 private pool permits, 153 beauty salons & barber shops inspecons, 504 house addion permits, 182 soil tests, 39 subdivision lots, 100 public pools and beaches were inspected, and 34 daycare centers inspected. Records show that 1255 samples were submi4ed to the state lab for tesng of drinking water, beach and pool water, lead in water and paint, asbestos, food, sewage and volale organic compounds and pescides in water. Sanitarians invesgated 363 complaints of various public health concerns; 28 legal orders/voluntary compliances were issued for enforcement purposes. Robert Rubbo, MPH, Director of Health 39 Cornwall Agricultural Advisory Commission Another year has passed and the Cornwall Agricultural Advisory Commission has once again had a very successful year with fantastic support from the Cornwall community. In September we dedicated our 21st. Agricultural Fair to Hautboy Hill Farm and the Hurlburt family. In the midst of torrential downpours of rain, everyone stayed to the end and made the best of a very wet day. All of you are great! June, once again brought out the ice cream sundaes at the kick off to Summer picnic at Cream Hill Lake Association with Cornwall Park and Rec. This year the Ag. Commission gave out three agricultural scholarships. Marissa Larson, Brian Saccardi and Matt Matsudaira received five hundred dollars each to help with their college expenses. Applications can be picked up at the Housy guidance office or from any member of the commission. Thank you for your continued support! Members: Cilla Mauro Chris Hopkins Lynn Scoville Buddy Hurlburt Hunt Williams Ted Larson Marissa Larson Gordon Ridgway Brian Saccardi Donna Larson Wendy Kennedy Denny Frost Garrick Dinneen Susan Saccardi Bill Dinneen Respectfully Submitted, Bill Dinneen 40 41 Cornwall Conservation Trust, Inc. (www.cornwallconservationtrust.org ) Conservation Activities Cornwall Conservation Trust, Inc. (CCT) continued to work with the Cooley family to preserve 85 acres of farmland and forest at the end of Cherry Hill Road and obtained Connecticut and Federal grants to assist in funding the purchase of that land. CCT continued to work on conservation easements with Cornwall residents, including the Prud’homme family. CCT continued to work on trail maintenance and management plans for its preserves. Community Outreach Activities CCT improved its website (www.cornwallconservation trust.org) to be more interactive and include pictures of wildlife taken by Cornwall residents. CCT hosted a community picnic on Lower River Road to promote the Farmers Market, conservation of farmland and CCT’s conservation mission. Annual Meeting CCT's annual meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at Town Hall. CCT members and the public at large are all invited to hear Peter Del Tredici’s talk “Deeply Disturbed: the Emergent Forests of the Future”, and reception following Mr. Del Tredici’s talk. CCT Board Members Five CCT board members attended a governance and development training course offered by the Berkshire Taconic Foundation. The CCT Board of Directors are as follows: Kristen Bedell, Duke Besozzi, Jean Bouteiller, Lynn Cheney, Dody Clarke-Wolfe, Bart Jones, Ed Greene, Jeff Lynch, Rick Lynn, Pat Mulberry, Hector Prud'homme, Emilie Pryor, Jim Sheffield, Bonnie Vangilder, Larry Van Valkenburgh, Hunt Williams. Honorary Directors: Nev Dunn, Denny Frost. 42 INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES AGENCY The Cornwall Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency held 11 regular meetings and one special site walk meetingsAtotalofifteenapplicationswerereviewedbytheAgency,oneapplicationstillinresponsetodamagetopropertyfromthestormsof2011,Applicationsincludedsix“PetitionsforDeclaratoryRulings”(PDR’s) or as commonly known as “use as of right” applications. The “Petitions” included pond and property and maintenanceandagriculturalactivities.Applicationsfor“RegulatedActivities”includedreviewoftwonewresidentialdriveways,onenewresidentialhomeandtwonewsubdivisions.Commissionmembersmetonsiteonce againinWestCornwall,onceagaintopartnerwiththeTownofCornwalltomoveaheadonthereplacementof thebridgeonLowerRiverRoad. In2012theAgencyrecommendationsforchangestothe“FeescheduleforPlanning&Zoning,ZoningBoardof Appeals and Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency applications” were adopted at Town meetings. The changes allow the Inland Wetlands Agency to have review fees for applications paid by the applicant were adopted.Inaddition,thefeesforvariouspermitting,bothregulatedanduseasofrightapplicationswereadjustedsoastoprovidethatregulatedactivitieswouldcoverrequiredstatefeesandPDRrulings,ifdeterminedto beasofright,wouldcarrynofee.TheAgency’sintenttoremovethefeeforPDR’swasdirectlyrelatedtothe Agency’s wishes that citizens seeking to undertake “as of right” activities, such as timber harvests and pond maintenance,wouldcomeforwardwithadequateinformationandunderstandingofprocessesthatwouldresult innoimpacttowetlandsandwatercourses.Asaresult,withthechangeintheordinance,theAgencyisseeing resultswiththesubmissionofbetterpreparedapplicationswithprovisionsthatnotonlyprotectwetlandsand watercoursesbutdownstreamneighborsaswell. The Agency, despite fewer applications due to less dramatic weather events and residential development, has notbeensilentonotherfronts.VolleysoflettershavebeenforwardedtotheStateofCT.SitingCouncilovertheir displeasureinthesubsequentapprovalofaDevelopmentandManagementplanfortheBellRoadExtensiontelecommunicationsfacilitythattheAgencyindswoefullyinadequateintermsofprotectionofwetlandsandwatercourses.TheAgencyhasalsobeenpro-activein“dogging”theStateofCTDEEPtoaddressthelackofsupervisionandinspectionofstateregulateddamsinCornwallandisactivelyseekinglegalinterventioninonesuch property. Chairman D. Stevenson Hedden, Vice-chairman Roger Kane, William Hurlburt, Adam Fischer and Andrew MacDavid remain as regular members on the Agency with Alternate members Deborah Bennett and Jeff Lynch. Both Deborah and Jeff, both with horticultural background, round out an active Agency with members rich in experience in agriculture, engineering, and well-grounded understanding and application of the current wetlands and watercourses regulations adopted for the protection of Cornwall’s water resources. Respectfully submitted, D. Stevenson Hedden 43 Planning & Zoning Commission The Planning & Zoning Commission held 12 regular meetings and the Village District subcommittee held two meetings for their preliminary work on crafting “village district” regulations for Cornwall Bridge and West Cornwall. The Commission also participated in a January 2013 combined meeting with the Cornwall Conservation Commission, the Economic Development Commission and the Board of Selectmen regarding goals and priorities for the upcoming year. Between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013, 27 zoning permit were issued including permits for three new singlefamily residences and one rebuild-reconfiguration of an existing historic residence. Permits were issued for four new agricultural structures ranging in scope from sugarhouses to large barns, two new in-ground swimming pools and two new accessory apartments within existing residences. The two new accessory apartments were approved with the submission of a site plan as now allowed under current regulations enacted in 2012. The balance of permits consisted of new accessory structures and additions and alterations to single family residences and existing accessory structures ranging from decks, screened porches to combat the notorious Cornwall bugs, and bump outs to walkway connectors. In addition, the Commission, through the public hearing process, approved two new detached accessory apartments, one special permit for the placement of an accessory structure outside of the buildable area, and two new home occupations: an in-home beauty salon, and an in-home baking business. The Commission also approved two new subdivision lots. As part of the Commission’s “planning” purview, regular meetings included time spent discussing changes to the Zoning and Subdivision regulations to continue to implement recommendations from the Plan of Conservation and Development, adopted in 2010. Topics included amending the Housatonic River Corridor regulations, dealing with abandoned or discontinued roads, and considering a form of “Village District” regulations to ease restrictions governing development in commercial zones. The Commission was very gratified to see the scale of the utilization by the public of its recently adopted revisions to the accessory apartment regulations. Planning can make a difference! Serving on the commission are Chairman David Colbert, regular members Jill Cutler, Heidi Kearns and James LaPorta. Alternate members Stephen Saccardi and Josh Tyson were moved to regular member positions. Anna Timell remains as an alternate member and longtime Zoner Annie Kosciusko rejoined the Commission as an alternate. Chairman and longtime member Patrick Hare resigned and the Commission wishes to acknowledge his many years of service to the Town and the Commission. Tom McGowan remains the Commission’s planning consultant, providing invaluable advice and support to the Commission in all of its functions. Karen Griswold Nelson remains as secretary and clerk to the Commission and the authorized Zoning Enforcement Officer. 44 ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS TheCornwallZoningBoardofAppeals,heldnoregularorspecialmeetingsintheyear 2012-2013 Despitealackofformalbusiness,ZBAmemberscontinuetobepro-activeintheircommunicationswiththeLandUseoficeregardinglanduseintheTownofCornwalland remainregularattendeesatotherLandUsecommissionandtownmeetings. Members of the Board are regular member Chairman Virginia Potter, vice chairman Pricilla Pavel, Nancy Calhoun, Ann Schillinger, Betty Spence and Amy WorthingtonCadyandalternatemembersDonaldBardotandFredScoville.TheZBAalsowishesto acknowledge the many years of faithful service from alternate member James Levy whosetermendedin2012. Respectfully submitted, Virginia Potter 45 The Northwest Conservation District (NCD) is a local environmental non-profit organization serving 34 municipalities in northwestern Connecticut. Our mission is to promote the conservation and wise use of natural resources through education and technical assistance services. TECHNICAL SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION This past year we assisted our towns’ land use commissions and staff with over 100 site development reviews covering hundreds of acres of land, ranging from agricultural and residential to commercial and urban settings. Each time we review and make recommendations on proposed land use changes, we are balancing development with protection of water and other sensitive resources. We provide practical science based solutions, using the latest technologies such as LID- Low Impact Development, to ensure that projects work with the landscape instead of against it. The need for our expertise in controlling erosion and managing storm water run-off continues to grow due to more recent and frequent and intense storms events. We also provide field inspections and consultation to local citizens seeking environmental information, referrals or technical assistance. On a daily basis, citizens call or visit us for solutions to environmental management issues. Our unique depth of expertise continues to serves local residents well in resolving many environmental problems. Our GIS Center provides many field surveys, maps and reports to support the acquisition of open space or solve environmental issues. Our GPS capacities are applied to trail mapping, wetlands projects, school improvement projects and asset management as well. GETTING RESULTS IN LAND PRESERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNING. Our projects this year include the completion of a rain garden and bioswale in Winchester to protect the water quality in the Still River Watershed and the construction of two stormwater wetlands to clean up runoff generated by a one hundred lot subdivision in Thomaston, CT. We are partnering with the City of Torrington in securing grant funding to construct a porous pavement municipal lot, which is currently eroding dirt and gravel into a nearby stream. We continue to make process in creating a wildlife habitat at Native Meadows on the Housatonic River in New Milford and partnering with the regional NRCS in providing soil and water quality protection assistance to the agricultural community in the 34 towns that we serve. EDUCATION AT AN EARLY AGE LEADS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE FUTURE Our support for the Envirothon Program continues to provide hands-on science for high school students. This year, as part of this natural resource based curriculum and field day completion, each team explored habitat management relating to the New England Cottontail. Local schools swept the statewide Field Day competition held at Sessions Woods in Burlington. First was Housatonic Valley Agriscience and second was Housatonic Regional High School. Other local environthon schools included Litchfield High, Hotchkiss, Marvelwood, Nonnewaug and Wamogo. Visit www.ctenvirothon.org for more info. EARTH DAY PLANT SALE, FISH AND PONDS This year marked the 31st Anniversary of our Annual Earth Day Plant Sale. Thanks to the efforts of many amazing volunteers, our four day event at the Goshen Fairgrounds resulted in thousands of native plants, evergreen seedlings, shrubs and perennials for Wildlife Habit planted by local gardeners. We also continue our bi-annual Trout Stocking Programs for the renewal of aquatic resources in local ponds and streams. OUR OUTREACH AND WEBSITE. The District publishes the “Voice of Conservation” newsletter bi-annually and continues to increase our capacity to communicate with our members and the public through our website, www.conservect.org/northwest. OUR RECOGNITION AND THANKS TO YOU Our year culminated in our District being awarded a 2013 Environmental Merit Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in recognition of our exceptional work and commitment to the environment. As stated by Sean Hayden the Executive Director of NCD, “Long standing partnerships working with municipalities has made NCD the trusted independent voice, recognized and respected for their abilities to solve environmental problems”. We, at NCD, share our pride in this award with all 34 communities that we serve. 46 2012/ 2013 Annual Report of the Cornwall Committee for Seniors After a several year hiatus the Committee on the Aging was reinstated in March of 2011 with a new name- the Cornwall Committee for Seniors. It has remained an advisory committee created to meet the needs of the aging in social, financial, medical and physical areas. A new senior survey was performed to provide a sounding board as to what issues seniors felt were important, as well as give guidance to the committee. This past year the committee has been active in promoting social activities with the monthly senior luncheons held at the Wandering Moose and the Cornwall General Store. With guest speakers from the Chore service, the Cornwall Elderly Housing Corporation and a musical duet as attractions, the luncheons have been a success with an average attendance of 20 seniors. Several committee members volunteered to provide transportation for seniors to the voting polls in November. Only one senior requested that assistance. The committee decided to enter the computer age with the creation of a web page, an e-mail address and a direct e-mail list to facilitate communication of events and ideas .With the generous help of Lazlo Gyorsok a beautiful web page was created on the cornwallct.org website under civic organizations. Becky Hurlburt from Parks and Recreation also generously shared her senior e-mail list with us which has been actively sending direct e-mails about events of interest. Parks and Recreation have been co-coordinating with the committee on bus trips to cultural destinations with a goal of four times a year. So far Cornwall seniors have enjoyed the Hartford Flower Show and the New Britain Museum of Art, with more trips in the future. These past two months several committee members assisted with the updating of the Northwest CARES guide, which will be a valuable tool for Cornwall seniors. Also, many area events related to health, housing and finances have been promoted by the committee in the form of flyers, direct e-mails and announcements at the senior luncheons. In all it has been a busy and fruitful year. I would like to thank past and present committee members for all of their energy and ideas; it is a privilege to serve with you. And I encourage all seniors, families and their caregivers to attend any of our meetings held the last Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Cornwall Library. Jane Prentice, Chair Committee Members; Mary Dzenutis, Robert Potter and Robert Judge. Michele Gorat, Margaret Haske, Lucy Kling, 47 Civilian Emergency Response Team I’m very pleased to report that we have a functioning and trained Civilian Emergency Response Team made up of people from Cornwall. Most of these CERT members have been trained by the State. The training was one night a week for 8 weeks and covered fire suppression, search and rescue, first aid, operating a temporary shelter, operating a warming shelter, radio communications, the chemistry of fire, etc. More people have joined CERT since the training. Now we have a small Army, a CERT Army, perhaps it’s a Fire Department Axillary. But it is a group of dedicated people ready to help their community during a disaster. These are those fine people: Wynne Kavanagh, Diane Beebe (also small animal rescue), Micky Nunn, Terry Burke, Raymond Burke, Celia Senzer, Charles Gold, Barbara Gold, Doug Weier, Hendon Chubb, Phyllis Nauts, Jose Sosa, Lisa Lansing, Madelyn Dahl, Martha Bruehl, Nancy Beavans, Nancy Dart, Richard Griggs, Tony Appio, Barbara Yohe, Charles Yohe and Doc Simont (Asst EMD, radios). These are the Fire Department members also serving CERT: Michael Degreenia, John Beavans (Asst EMD) Patrick Elias (Asst EMD), and Bill Lyons 48 Cornwall Energy Task Force Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Cornwall Energy Task Force supports our commitment to energy conservation and clean energy. We provide educational materials and public events, reports in local publications, and a consistent presence at town events to present innovative ideas. We review programs made possible by government (and government funded) organizations and make recommendations to selectmen, educators, businesses and residents. This year the Energy Task Force got down and dirty. We made a concerted effort to both help residents get baseline energy numbers and tighten up their homes with energy audits, and reduce the costs of home heating oil by forming a bargaining group, thinking it is fuelish to do the second without the first. We also promoted local food and home gardening. Home Energy Solutions Campaign: We reviewed CEEF approved contractors and chose CRI and PRZ. We had two information sessions and 2 on-site demonstrations to promote the program. PRZ serviced 8 homes in Cornwall and had an average annual savings of about $620 for the homeowners after a visit. These savings were gained by air sealing, duct sealing, lighting measures and water measures. CRI serviced 35 customers this campaign. Average savings were estimated at approximately $437 per year which was achieved through weatherization, installing CFL's and water saving measures, as well as duct sealing. The savings are based on fuel type and the customers’ usage. Customers who opt to install insulation will see higher annual energy savings. Since 2010, CRI has serviced 53 Cornwall residents. For both companies, further incentives and rebates were recommended in a customized report for the homeowner. The Cornwall Fuel Oil Group, our home heating oil co-op, grew rapidly our first year. Last winter we were able to obtain extremely competitive pricing for home heating oil for the 17 homes and church buildings that signed up. In 2013, we are more than doubling that number. Bantam Fuel provided the lowest and most qualified bid proposal with three pricing options. Each homeowner signs up for service individually with Bantam, while advising them that they are to receive the CFOG pricing. Bantam has also offered well-recommended service package options and can also provide propane deliveries. Talk to Rick or Barbara Wolkowitz if you are interested. Let’s Get Growing, our partnership with the Library, had a full program of demonstrations over the summer to foster good gardening practices. They covered planning, planting, problems and produce. Debby Bennett of Kent Greenhouse was the mastermind behind this with Herbalist Alicia North of North Star Botanicals to assist. She also brought in contractors and specialists for visiting lectures. We need more participation in this program and are developing the demonstrations as handouts that people can pick up in the Library. This will also help us promote gardening in the schools and other libraries. Already our school, CCS, has two similar boxes and beds going in full fruit and flower that we provided. Cornwall has been partnering with Sharon and Kent on a number of projects. We are still monitoring municipal and residential usages with the EPA Portfolio Manager. Sharon helped us with our home audit program. We have been linking our websites and strengthening the film series held monthly at the Kent School. Upcoming is a program to provide substantial discounts on solar panels due to the combined buying power of these three towns plus Warren. We will be enjoying more collaborative programming and campaign efforts in the future. Please visit us at the Ag. Fair in the Fall and the Memorial Day Fair in the Spring to update yourself on current issues, incentives and programs. Programs are announced and updated on our newly updated website http://www.cornwallctenergy.org/consistently by Nev Dunn. And come join us! We meet quarterly with subcommittees working in the interims. Advancing on a Sustainable Future with efficiency and creativity in the face of energy and environmental issues is challenging but that is also the fun! Respectfully submitted, Katherine Freygang, Cornwall Energy Task Force Chair 49 During the 2012-2013 year, the Cornwall Historical Society continued to present Cornwall’s story through exhibits and programs. The summer 2012 exhibit, Out of the Woods: The Story of Cornwall’s Forests, made possible by a grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council, received an Award of Merit from the Connecticut League of History Organizations. A free brochure, funded by a grant from the Cornwall Conservation Trust, summarized the exhibit and provided a map of Cornwall’s open spaces. The 2013 exhibit, Women’s Rights: Cornwall’s Radicals, Rebels and Reformers, with its accompanying brochure, is currently on display at 7 Pine Street. Funding for this exhibit came from the Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut, National Iron Bank, and Torrington Savings Bank Various presentations supplemented our forest exhibit, including a Walk in the Woods with Jean Bouteiller, an on-site history of Mohawk Ski Area, a forestry talk by Peter del Tredici, history of Yelping Hill with Jeremy Brecher, and a Family Day with activities provided by Sharon Audubon, Joe Brien and Amelia de Neergaard.. As we prepared for the 2013 exhibit, the Society showed Iron Jawed Angels, a film about the struggle for women’s suffrage, and presented a concert by Lorraine and Bennett Hammond. Executive Director/Curator Raechel Guest opened the summer’s Talk and Teas with an enriching explanation of the exhibit; Margaret and Deb Tyler organized an afternoon of hands-on activities from days past. Inventorying and cataloging items in the collection is an ongoing process, especially as we continue to receive objects and papers that tell the story of our town. The 2013 calendar, the fifth of our series, features 14 of Cornwall’s historic homes; our 2014 calendar is under production. We also look to maintain our inventory of publications and prepare new ones for publication. Executive Director/Curator Raechel Guest deserves high praise for her work on all areas of the Society’s interests. Her ability to mount an informative, eye-catching exhibit is confirmed by the CLHO award mentioned above. Especially helpful has been her training and guidance of summer interns who scanned much of our photograph collections and performed research for future exhibits. In addition to our hard-working Board members, volunteers are also important to our success; serving as docents, helping to mount exhibits, taking inventory are some of the services they provide. In May, we thanked Jean Bouteiller and Cara Weigold for their contributions to the Society and welcomed Terry Burke and Susan Saccardi to the Board of Directors. We are continually grateful for the generous financial support from the community; the response to our annual appeal and stay-at-home fundraiser supports 98% of our operating budget, so the importance of and appreciation for that response cannot be overstated. We were gratified to receive a grant from the Cornwall Foundation that allowed us to buy a first-class sound system that enhances our programs. Barbara Gold, President, Jeff Jacobson, Vice President John Green, Treasurer Roxana Laughlin, Secretary Jeremy Brecher Terry Burke Norman Dorsen Gail Jacobson Wynne Kavanagh Jim Longwell Ginny Potter Susan Saccardi Ann Schillinger Richard Schlesinger Connie Steuerwalt 50 CORNWALL HOUSING CORPORATION This year has been one of surprises for the CHC. In July we learned that we had not won a matching grant from the State for repairs to Kugeman Village, our 18-unit rental complex originally built with major State funding. This was a disappointment, as with the help of our trusty consultant, David Berto, we had put together a promising application in the measly one month between the announcement of the grant and its due date. Happily, the state made a brisk about-face, and we were told in the fall that the funds would be awarded after all. Many months of preparation have ensued, as the mills of government grind fine, but our hope is that by next year we will be able to report on a new roof and siding, new doors and windows, with many other incidental improvements. Our contribution of over 50% of the necessary funds was made possible by sale of the Bonney Brook site to CEHC, plus careful husbanding of replacement reserves over the years. In addition, we engaged Northeast Utilities in an extensive free upgrade of energy-saving features. Thanks to the CHC Board for their support and hard work towards these goals: Jane Bean, Ginni Block, Earl Brecher, Will Calhoun, Ella Clark, Cheryl Evans, Bill Fairbairn, Denny Frost, Wynne Kavanagh, Marie Prentice, Dusty Sandmeyer and Wayde Wolfe. Margaret Cooley CORNWALL ELDERLY HOUSING CORPORATION After months of planning and waiting for funds, construction began in Cornwall Bridge on Bonney Brook, 10 one-bedroom apartments offering affordable housing for independent seniors. Funding for the project came first from Cornwall donors, and allowed for the land to be purchased from Mrs. Bernice Merz. Further funding came from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), and Connecticut Light and Power (CLP). Beginning in October 2012, Haynes Construction started site work, battling against winter cold and a spring with more rain than anyone could have imagined. The results are; at the end of June, the handsome energy efficient two-story building standing ready for finishing details. Outdoor site mechanics, improvements and landscaping are on track to be installed over the summer and early fall, with an expected completion date of October 1, 2013. Board members of Cornwall Elderly Housing Corporation are: Jerry Blakey, Will Calhoun, Ella Clark, Margaret Cooley, Cheryl Evans, Denny Frost, Hanna Grossman, Tracy Hewat, Wynne Kavanagh, Patrick Mulberry, Marie Prentice. Cheryl Evans 51 52 53 54 HRC Annual Report 2012-2013 The Housatonic River Commission (HRC) held eleven regularly scheduled monthly meetings the past year. Meetings took place at 7:30 on the second Tuesday of each month at the Cornwall Consolidated School. The annual dues requested from each town remain at $350 per year. A key focal point for The Commission this year was our agreement to pursue the process of Wild and Scenic Act designation for the Housatonic through the National Park Service. Wild and Scenic consideration of our section of the Housatonic by the Department of the Interior in 1978 was actually the impetus for the formation of HRC. It was generally felt at that time that a Federal Act might be contradictory to our best local interests, and as a result HRC was formed by the seven towns along the banks of the 40 mile stretch studied by the National Park Service. In the course of the 35 years following, Wild and Scenic designation has clearly become an Act embracing local control and serving as an extra level of protection from potentially harmful projects such as energy developments, road expansions using federal funds and waterway alterations. in perpetuity. HRC has studied the issue at length and heard testimony from numerous watershed groups throughout New England who had nothing but positive input about their partnership with the Park Service. After careful consideration HRC decided this year to start the process toward designation and is currently developing a plan for sharing information and gauging public support. The Commission continues to monitor the PCB cleanup and remediation proposals for the River. HRC members are regular attendees of the CCC public meetings in Massachusetts where information is shared and comments are received about the cleanup process. The continued imminent status of the plan for “Rest of the River” (including all of Connecticut) finds HRC continuing to push for the EPA to fully explore alternative technologies that are both less disruptive than the standard dredging and covering, and more effective than “monitored natural recovery”. As always, land use developments within the Housatonic River Corridor remain a major component of our efforts. During the year, the Commission provided comments and suggestions on several proposed projects along the River, and were pleased to see enforcement agencies have agreed to many recommendations to protect the Housatonic from poorly designed projects that could negatively impact our valuable river resources. All towns are reminded to please be sure that the HRC is notified on any proposed project within the River Corridor. We welcome all citizens to come to our meetings and get involved in discussions about the river. As always we are very grateful for the support we have received from the member towns, local zoning officials and the Northwestern CT Council of Governments. 55 P.O. Box 356, Falls Village, CT 06031 (860) 824-4720 www.hysb.org, info@hysb.org “ … supporting youth in a changing world.” Housatonic Youth Service Bureau 2013 Annual Report For the Town of Cornwall Established in 1991, the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau is a 501c3 nonprofit founded to respond to the needs of the children, youth and families living in the Region One School District. The towns we serve include North Canaan, Canaan, Salisbury/Lakeville, Sharon, Cornwall and Kent. The focus of the organization is to provide a variety of service options that promote the overall health and wellbeing of children, youth and families living in the Region One area. HYSB helps youth up to age 21 and their family. We offer individual and family clinical therapy, advocacy, prevention and referral services, enrichment programming, outreach and community events. Services are free and without income restrictions, an approach that creates an open-door policy for children and their parents to find help when they need it. This year has been busy: over the last school year, HYSB provided over 600 free hours (worth approximately $50,000+) of counseling for area children, youth and/or their family members. This represents a 41% increase in service hours from last year. Beyond this, we provided support in the areas of crisis intervention, ongoing case coordination and parent education. Our newly launched Youth in Philanthropy program, HYSB Internship Project and the Outdoor leadership Programs are going strong. Our longstanding F.Y.I. workshops continued to engage families each month, the “Empowering Young Women” project remained on its successful path, the annual Battle of the Bands brought out talented bands, we once again celebrated youth and young adult musicians at our annual Music Mountain event, and our Donald T. Warner Community Service Award recognized the incredible efforts of Lea Davies. All of our work would not be possible without your generous support. We remain deeply grateful to the Town of Salisbury for their continued fiscal support and look forward to working as partners to promote the overall health and wellbeing of children, youth and families living in the Town of Cornwall. Sincerely, Nicholas Pohl, MSW Executive Director SERVING YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES IN NORTH CANAAN, FALLS VILLAGE, SALISBURY, SHARON, CORNWALL AND KENT 56 Chore Service In the past year, the Chore Service helped 217 neighbors from Canaan, Cornwall, Falls Village, Kent, Norfolk, Salisbury and Sharon, providing 20,162 hours of help during that time. The 75 workers who cleaned, did yard work and errands, earned more than $290,000. Our Administrative Costs were 7.6% of our overall budget, allowing .92 cents of every donation dollar to go directly to helping our clients. In Cornwall, we provided 2,127 hours of non-medical help at home to 34 Cornwall families. And six Cornwall workers earned $30,750. One client wrote, “I feel that I will come to rely on you more and more. The fact that you are available relives much anxiety and gives me the hope that I’ll be able to stay in my home longer.” Our federal grant was cut by more than 15% this year and our state funds have been slow to come in, so we are grateful that the Town of Cornwall once again contributed to our mission to help seniors in our community remain in their homes, where they tell us they are happiest. On behalf of the clients, workers thank you! Heather Dinneen 57 Annual Report to Towns 2012-2013 Women's Support Services, Inc. (WSS), a non-profit organization, provides free and confidential services to those affected by domestic violence and abuse in the towns of Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon and surrounding areas. We provide crisis intervention and client centered services as well as violence prevention education. These services include a 24-hour confidential hotline, short-term safe shelter, referral to long-term shelter, individual counseling and safety planning, support groups for women and children, legal advocacy, transportation, information and referral. WSS staff is available to accompany persons to court, assist in obtaining financial assistance, housing, employment, clothing, daycare and other needs. In addition to providing direct services for victims of abuse, WSS is committed to violence prevention education and continues to offer free programs in the schools and communities we serve. From July 2012 through June 2013, WSS worked with 757 individuals (691 adults and 66 children), responded to 403 crisis contacts (phone calls and walk-ins) and provided 472 individual counseling sessions for persons in our service area. WSS provided short term shelter to 10 individuals and referred 10 individuals to long term or alternative shelter programs. During that period, 75 individuals (16 adults and 59 children) attended support group sessions totaling 552 contacts. WSS also provided clients with 999 units of information and referrals. Our community educator and staff were active in the schools and with community groups, reaching 5,343 participants. Through our car donation program, we were able to transfer ownership of 4 cars to local residents in need. Our Board of Directors continues to explore ways to help our clients. Ongoing fundraising efforts support our Client Emergency Fund which was created to help individuals with a variety of critical financial needs. These efforts have also led to the creation of a Legal Fund, to help clients access and pay for necessary legal costs and a Housing Fund, to help clients obtain safe and affordable housing. Our strategic planning committee continues to work on ways to address our client's needs. WSS provides ongoing violence prevention education throughout the Region #1 School District. Topics such as cyberbullying, bullying, healthy relationships, teen dating violence, self esteem, and others, have been well received in local schools. All curriculums are age appropriate and are available for children in pre-K through 12th grade. Community collaborations and partnerships are developed and existing relationships are strengthened in order to better serve the community. In addition, support and advocacy is provided to local victims of domestic violence at the Bantam Criminal Court in Bantam, CT. WSS receives approximately 40 percent of its funding from town, state and federal grants. Our active Board of Directors, staff and over 20 volunteers work to raise the remaining funds necessary to assure that the needs of victims of domestic violence and abuse in our communities are met effectively. This joint partnership of public and private support has enabled WSS to meet these needs locally- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for the past 30 years. Respectfully Submitted, Lori A. Rivenburgh, M.A. Executive Director Board of Directors (FY 12-13): Laura Werntz, Chair; Maria Horn, Vice Chair; Lana Morrison, Treasurer; Sara Joannides, Secretary; Candice Barker, Judith Crouch, Rita Delgado, Susan DeMelle, Mimi Estes, Lisa Foster, Katherine Freygang, Jodi Luby, Stephen McKibben, Marianne Ostendorf, Lynda Ott Jaeger, Rev. Richard Taber, Stephanie Thomas 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 PLEASE ABIDE BY THE 5 MPH SPEED LIMIT ON ENTERING & EXITING FACILITY. 67 FEES FOR BULKY WASTE – CASH ONLY BASIS - SEE ATTENDANT BEFORE DUMPING: No Bulky Waste on Sundays - Payment expected at time of dumping Mattress or box spring Appliances with CFC & HCFC gases Standard Pick-Up Truck-load Auto batteries Automobile tires Light truck tires up to size 825/20 Tires on rims add Shingles $30.00 each $13.00 $50.00 (pro-rated for partial loads) $5.00 and up $4.00 each $5.00 each $1.00 each $60.00 and up ELECTRONICS: SEE ATTENDANT BEFORE UNLOADING BULKY WASTE: Pay as you dump. THE TRANSFER STATION WILL ACCEPT (not on Sundays), "BULKY WASTE" UP TO 2.5 YARDS (a standard pickup load) PER RESIDENCE OR BUSINESS. ONLY NON-HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CAN BE DUMPED. THIS INCLUDES WOOD, FURNITURE, ETC. WASTE MUST BE IN SIZE AND SHAPE ACCEPTABLE TO THE TRANSFER STATION OPERATOR. DEMOLITION MATERIALS: Not accepted on Sundays Accepted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Limit one load per month per residence. Lumber must not be longer than 4' in length. For major amounts the rental of a dumpster is necessary. Shingles/ Sheetrock/Carpet: Make arrangements at Transfer Station prior to disposal. Check with attendant for rate information. SCRAP METAL: See attendant before unloading. Accepted on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. YARD WASTE: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection does not permit the disposal of yard wastes (i.e. leaves, grass clippings) at transfer stations. Please compost your yard waste, wreaths, plants, animal waste with your kitchen waste of fruit & vegetable peelings. Composting can reduce solid waste by 40%! BRUSH BURNING: Brush can be burned only with a permit and during low risk weather. Obtain permit beforehand at the Selectman's Office, 9:00 am – 12:00, 1:00 - 4:00 pm Monday -Thursday, 860-672-4959. BRUSH TO BRUSH DUMP: $25.00 a pick-up load; $50.00 dump-truck load; 5 yard maximum. Prior arrangement is needed to deliver brush to the brush dump at the gravel bank. Call Jim at the Highway Garage at 860-672-6230 Monday-Friday between 7:00 - 7:30 a.m. or 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Checks for fees charged may be mailed to Selectmen's Office, Town of Cornwall, P.O. Box 97, Cornwall, CT 06753. LOGS AND STUMPS : Too large to burn and not accepted at the brush dump. Call Supreme Industries in Harwinton at 485-0343 or Steve Leining in Sheffield, Massachusetts at (413) 528-8066 for removal or google other possible companies. FOR YOUR INFORMATION: Cornwall’s trash is hauled to Hartford to be burned in the CRRA MidConnecticut Project waste-to-energy facility. This facility generates electricity to power about 45,000 homes and sells that electricity into the power grid. The by-products of this process – ash and non-processable waste – end up in modern lined landfills, but trash-to-energy reduces by 90 percent the volume of material going into landfills. While Cornwall pays $69 per ton (in FY 2011) to bring trash to the trash-to-energy plant, it pays nothing to bring its recyclables to CRRA’s recycling facility. In fact, CRRA pays Cornwall for its recyclables. RECYCLE! Save Cornwall’s money! 68 CORNWALL TRANSFER STATION 24 Furnace Brook Road (route 4) - 860-672-4079 Tues., Thurs. & Sat.: 9:00 - 4:30 p.m. Sunday: 8:00 - 11:00 a.m. We can only accept garbage and trash generated IN THE TOWN OF CORNWALL with Transfer Sticker. Obtain Transfer Sticker from Transfer Station attendants. HOURS: RECYCLING: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection has mandated recycling. PLACE IN SEPARATE CONTAINERS: loose & rinsed: - in shed in container to the left milk cartons juice boxes (aseptic) metal cans clean aluminum foil glass jars (w/no lids) wax milk containers juice box containers (aseptic) plastic #1 through #7 (no bigger than three gallon size) bundled in brown bags or tied: - outside shed in container to left newspapers magazines catalogs corrugated cardboard - 3’x3’ & smaller loose: - in shed in container to right office paper junk paper cereal boxes shoebox cardboard cannot accept: as recyclables: (to be disposed of as household waste) Motor oil, pesticide, herbicide, antifreeze or other hazardous material containers Black plastic Plastic flower pots Unmarked plastic Lids, caps or screw tops Please rinse all containers for the attendant’s safety. Cardboard bigger than 3’ x 3’ is to be flattened and kept separate to be baled. -- on Sundays Household waste only / no bulk, or Construction and Demolition waste accepted -NOTE: Categories two and three below are accepted on a CASH OR CHECK ONLY BASIS. 1. METAL other than cans goes into the metal bin if space is available. 2. BULKY WASTE accepted only when space available - call first! 860-672-4079 Fees apply. Pay as you dump. 3. All Wood, plywood, pressboard goes into bulky waste. Fees apply. Pay as you dump. Bulky waste, woods, metal: Please reduce, cut, compact prior to dumping. Maximum length 4 feet. MISCELLANEOUS: Check with attendant. We accept for recycling and/or redistribution: Fluorescent light bulbs: compact and tube variety Rechargeable batteries: Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) Lithium Ion (Li-ion), small sealed lead (Pb) and Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable Batteries Polystyrene peanuts (the packing kind) Clean, used clothing in good condition can be placed in the large bin outside the gate Waste oil and antifreeze Eye glasses Food labels: Campbell’s, Franco American, Labels for Education Books Printer cartridges Electronics Paper egg cartons Redeemable glass and plastic bottles *** RECYCLABLES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***
