Eye on Town Government

By Bridgette L. Rallo
The agenda for Norfolk’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) March 2 meeting included several issues that could have a substantial impact on town residents in the near and not-so-near future. Of most interest to residents with younger children is the ongoing discussion about a merger between Botelle Elementary School and Colebrook Elementary School.
While nothing has been decided yet, Botelle Superintendent George Coulter has agreed to try to find a consultant to determine if a consolidation of both schools is feasible and whether or not it would be cost effective. First Selectman Sue Dyer informed the BOS that Coulter’s first task is to determine which regional consulting firms perform this type of service and what it would cost the town to hire a consultant. An expenditure that exceeds $20,000 requires a vote by the Board of Finance.
“This is very, very involved,” Dyer explained. “It could take anywhere from two to five years to figure out. First we’d need to make sure that it’s possible and that it’s beneficial – that’s where the consultants come in – and then it would come down to governance, how the school would be governed. This is going to be a process.”
The Regional 7 School District is also exploring the option of adding Kindergarten through Grade 6 to its curriculum offerings.
Other items on the agenda included:
The first public hearing on the budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year will take place at Town Hall on April 26. According to Dyer, the budget is nearly completed but some figures are not available, because the legislature hasn’t produced a state budget yet. Governor Jodi Rell has proposed $45,000,000 in cuts to the statewide Aid to Municipalities program. “We may have to schedule a second budget hearing because we don’t know where we stand and the legislature doesn’t recess until May 12,” Dyer said.
Bids to repair Goshen East Street will be accepted this month. Funds for the project, that the Town of Goshen will manage, will come from stimulus monies allocated by the federal government last year. State authorities have waived the usual requirement for an independent inspector, which will allow each town’s Public Works Superintendent to inspect the job as it progresses. Public Works Superintendent John Allyn is slated to be Norfolk’s on-site representative.
Summer boaters who are used to bringing their out-of-area watercraft to Tobey Pond could be in for a surprise this year. In an effort to prevent the possible infiltration of the pond by non-native zebra mussels, town officials are looking at two options: banning boats on Tobey Pond completely or restricting watercraft use to town-provided boats that remain at the pond all summer. Currently, there is one town-owned boat kept at the pond for use by lifeguards.
The next meeting of the Board of Selectmen will be held on Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.