Towns to hold hearings and referendums

At its regular meeting on July 1, the State Board of Education approved the Norfolk-Colebrook Study Group’s plan for consolidating the towns’ primary schools under one roof and one regional district. Official notification reached the town clerks’ offices in both Norfolk and Colebrook on July 29.

In the wake of this decision, both towns will hold public hearings on the regionalization plan, as mandated by the State of Connecticut. The hearings, at which the study committee will present the approved plan, will be held on August 10 at 7 p.m. in Norfolk at the Botelle School and August 11 at 7 p.m. at the Colebrook Consolidated School in Colebrook.

Following the public hearing, the question will be put to referendum. Simultaneous referenda will be held in both towns on September 22 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will be asked whether a new regional district should be formed in accordance with the plan approved by the State Board of Education on July 1.

Registered voters may cast ballots, as well as taxpayers owning more than $1,000 of assessed property in either town, according to Norfolk’s town clerk, Linda Perkins. Absentee ballots are available from the town clerk’s office.

The Norfolk/Colebrook Regionalization Plan is available in its final version from Norfolk’s town clerk and on the town website, www.norfolkct.org.