Selectman’s Corner

by Matt Riiska

We are four months into the Coronavirus and I want to thank everyone for their patience and diligence. It has not been easy, but it is good to see people wearing masks when in public and doing their best to practice social distancing. 

Tobey Pond has been open since June 13, and things are going well thanks to Jen and Liz Munch and our lifeguards. We all want to escape to Tobey on these hot summer days, but please adhere to the guidelines. Because the town hall has been open by appointment only, Linda Perkins has been dealing with the purchasing and distribution of Tobey Pond passes, transfer station passes and dog licenses, along with all of her other tasks via phone calls, emails and letters. Every attempt is being done to get your Tobey pass to you as soon as possible.

Since March, we have seen a big increase in two areas─the use of the transfer station and the requests to burn brush. Cleaning out our attics, garages and closets has turned into a hobby. Please review the guidelines for recycling and do so when possible. Last year we hauled 800 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) from our transfer station. At $82 per ton, this expense adds up quickly. MIRA, the organization that processes our MSW, will be increasing their fee to $92 per ton this year. It is imperative that we all get on the recycling bandwagon. Please review the available recycling info on the norfolkct.org website, located on the town clerk’s page or go online to the Conn. DEEP website for more information. We don’t have many options when it come to the per ton cost for the processing of our MSW, but we do have control over the amount we process. Thanks for doing your part.

Cleaning up your property and burning brush has also increased over the past few months. There are guidelines that need to be followed. Before you burn, contact the selectmen’s office for a burning permit. You will receive information regarding whom you need to contact before you burn, either during the week or on the weekend. The brush you burn is limited to three inches in diameter and there is no burning of construction materials. Burning of wet or green brush can cause a smoky condition. When you do burn, please be considerate of your neighbors.

I want to apologize for all of the construction going on. Waking up to beeping public works equipment repairing roads, driving through a cloud of dust on Route 44 as the water main gets replaced or driving down a dusty country road that has just been chip sealed is not fun, but these things have to be done. As the summer goes on the public works crew will be re-grading some of our dirt roads, chip sealing Loon Meadow Drive and parts of Doolittle and resurfacing parts of John Curtiss and Grantville Roads. Some of the big projects that are going on are the replacement of the water main on Route 44─which will take about two months─and the relining of the sewer lines. This is a large project and will take about a year. Please check the website for updates on all infrastructure projects.

I will keep this short because John Funchion told me that I was getting a little wordy. I will leave the novels to your favorite author as you enjoy your summer at Tobey or just relaxing in your favorite cool spot. 

Take care, stay healthy & enjoy the summer.