EYE ON TOWN GOVERNMENT
New Fire Truck and Three-Bay Garage Considered by Board of Finance
By Susan MacEachron
A new fire truck and a three-bay garage for the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD) were the focus of the Board of Finance meeting on Aug. 18.
NVFD members have made several presentations to the Board of Finance (BOF) over the past year explaining the need for a new tanker truck. They have debated the pros and cons of a used truck versus a new truck. It was determined that a new truck was the best investment and they reviewed bids from six manufacturers. E-ONE was the low bidder at $1,252,490 and the shortest delivery time at 33 months.
The BOF approved the purchase of the fire truck and appropriated $250,000 towards the acquisition. The town had set aside approximately $262,000 with the fire truck purchase in mind. The expenditure must now be approved by town residents, and the fire truck will be on the agenda at the town meeting on Sept. 2.
When the truck is ready for delivery, the remainder of the purchase price will be due. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal has recommended a federal grant of $885,000 for the truck. His request for funding must go through the Senate Appropriations Committee. With the lead time between the order and the delivery date there is time for the funding approval to wend its way through Congress, although there is no guarantee it will be approved.
First Selectman Henry Tirrell, standing in for Firehouse Building Committee Chair Barry Roseman, presented the committee’s plan to construct the three-bay garage while the contractors are on site. The garage was part of the original site plan, but construction was deferred to save costs. In a subsequent conversation with Roseman, he noted that successful fund raising over the past year has made him optimistic that the long-term financing needed for the firehouse and the garage will be less than the $4 million the town residents have approved. BOF Chair Michael Sconyers made a motion to allocate $125,000 to cover the foundation and slab for the garage but put off to a future meeting approving funding to construct the structure.
Firehouse, Bridges Occupy Selectmen
By Avice Meehan
The Board of Selectmen, meeting Aug. 5, received a proposal from the Firehouse Committee and the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD) to restore funding for a planned three-bay garage that was cut from the project in order to bring costs down. The board ultimately approved bringing the matter before a special town meeting on Sept. 2. (See
related story, page 16.)
Other matters addressed at the meeting included the timing of various bridge repair projects around town, the planned removal of a tree located outside the U.S. Post Office on Station Place, and the appointment of Matt Klimkosky to represent Norfolk on the Aquarion Water Authority Board. The board also approved a resolution supporting the $399,000 grant request submitted to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) by the Rails to Trails Committee and agreed to support a grant proposal from the United Church of Christ to the State Historic Preservation Office for restoration of the meeting house windows. (See related story, page 16.)
The original garage carried an estimated price tag of $800,000 but Newfield Construction, which is managing the project, rethought the design and the new estimate is closer to $350,000, according to Barry Roseman, committee chair. Accompanying Roseman to the meeting were NVFD President Paul Padua, Fire Chief Brian Hutchins and Assistant Chiefs Matt Ludwig and Steve Hutchins.
Roseman explained that the cost of the NVFD garage would not increase the town’s share of the project cost because it would be covered by higher-than-expected donations and additional fundraising. As of early August, private donors had contributed $3.4 million toward the total $10.3 million price tag for the new firehouse, roughly $400,000 more than anticipated. The town approved borrowing of up to $4 million and Roseman said he hopes to lower that number of $3.5 million.
“We would really like to add it back and the best way to do it is in the middle of the project,” said Roseman. The garage would enable the department to house a number of smaller vehicles, including the traffic and emergency management trailers. In addition, it would supplement storage lost in the construction of the new building, including space for traffic cones and barriers, bulky equipment and materials used to deal with hazardous materials.
As to timing, Roseman said he hoped the town would give the garage a green light so that the foundation could be poured and other work completed while final estimates were developed. Electric and gas lines have already been run as far as the planned location of the garage and NVFD leaders said they planned to recycle as much equipment as they could, including a heating unit.
“It is a big number, but in the scheme of things, it’s not a big number,” said Selectman Sandy Evans., who joined with First Selectman Henry Tirrell and Selectman Leo F. Colwell, Jr. in agreeing to bring the matter before a special town meeting.
Tirrell, in his report to the board, discussed the pending removal of a tree outside the post office and efforts by DEEP to clear an obstruction from Wood Creek near the entrance to Haystack Mountain State Park. (See related stories further on)
Tirrell reported that progress is being made on several bridge replacement projects. The reconstruction of the bridges at Old Goshen and Smith roads will go out to bid this fall with the hope that a single contractor would manage both projects over a two-year period. The estimated cost of each is approximately $4 million with work at Old Goshen Road expected to start April 1, 2027. The town will be fully reimbursed for the costs of both bridges by the state Department of Transportation but will need to borrow funds in the interim.
Meanwhile, Tirrell said construction of the new bridge at the intersection of Mountain and Westside roads has hit a snag because of the need to fabricate a bracket to hold a water main. The design was awaiting approval and then manufacture, meaning that it might not be complete until October. The smaller bridge on Mountain Road, which traverses a stream that feeds Tobey Pond, will be the town’s responsibility but any plans must be approved by DEEP’s Fisheries Division and enable free passage of aquat-ic life. Cardinal Engineering is developing a report. Tirrell said he had submitted a grant proposal to the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, which funds projects that support fisheries and restoration or preservation of brook trout habitat.
New Culverts Approved, Bond Released
By Avice Meehan
The Inland Wetlands Agency approved replacement of two culverts on property off Westside Road by the Sugarbush Partnership at its Aug. 3 meeting. The request, submitted by Susannah Wood, had been the subject of an informal discussion at the July meeting.
The culverts, installed many years ago, connect a dirt road that passes up over Swift Hill and provides necessary emergency access to two parcels owned by the partnership that total approximately 150 acres. Wood said the new culverts, which are located about 50 feet apart from each other, would be made of aluminum and of the same diameter as the existing culverts, which are failing. She said any material excavated would be stored on the property and replaced.
Also at the Aug. 3 meeting, Inland Wetlands voted to release a $10,000 erosion and sedimentation bond held by the town from the Foundation for Norfolk Living (FNL) in connection with the construction of the Haystack Woods affordable housing community. FNL President Kate Briggs Johnson made the request now that the construction has been completed. Stacey Sefcik, the agency’s enforcement officer, and chair Hartley Mead said they had visited the site and were satisfied with the work. “They have done a marvelous job,” said Mead. “It is a showcase and we were really tough on them.”
With some degree of frustration, Inland Wetlands postponed an informal discussion about plans by the town to spray invasive plants on town roads and several other locations. First Selectman Henry Tirrell was unable to attend the meeting because of a family commitment and Troy Lamere, the public works supervisor, had a conflict because of his role as a selectman in the Town of Winchester. A special meeting was eventually scheduled to include Lamere, as well as members of the Conservation Commission. (See related story page 16.) Sefcik said the proposed new fee structure would be placed on the agenda for the next special town meeting (see story page 16). She also reported issuing two determinations of no significant impact for projects at the Connecticut-Asia Cultural Center on Westside Road. These included a kitchen addition that was “only just” within the upland review area.
Inlands Wetlands Holds Special Meeting About Herbicide Spraying
By Susan MacEachron
The Inland Wetlands Agency held a meeting on Aug. 18 to discuss the proposal by Norfolk Road Superintendent Troy Lamere to spray herbicide along Norfolk roadsides to control vegetation growth around guardrails, signs and telephone posts. Members of the Conservation Commission joined the meeting. Lamere said the town’s mowing equipment had been out of service or inadequate this season, so roadside mowing is behind schedule. He proposed hiring TruGreen, a company that handles vegetation control for towns. Lamere invited Adrian Spence, representing TruGreen, to attend the meeting and answer questions about the chemicals being used and the process. Spence said that one employee drives the truck and a second employee operates the hose. He said it would take one or two days to complete and emphasized that the TruGreen employees have many years of experience. He said that the weed killer stays in the spot where sprayed and they keep a 10-foot buffer from any wetlands. If that amount of buffer is not available, they would forgo spraying the area. Spence said that typically one applications around Memorial Day is sufficient unless it’s a wet summer.
Conservation Commission member John Anderson had several questions and noted that the chemicals TruGreen uses are identified as not to be used in wetlands areas. What came to light at the meeting is that TruGreen recommends spraying in the spring for the greatest impact, and they cease spraying by the end of September. Lamere concluded that given this information it would be better to hold off for now and have a plan in place for next spring. Lamere said the cost for the service would be $3,900.
There was a question as to whether this was being proposed as a onetime effort to deal with invasive growth after the limited mowing schedule or if Lamere was proposing annual spraying. Lamere said he would like to hire the company on an annual basis. He noted that Winsted, where he is a selectman, uses spraying, but no one in attendance could recall it ever being done in Norfolk.
Becky Eaton, a Conservation Commission member, referenced the work done over the summer to map the invasives along Norfolk’s roads. She noted the significant progress that was accomplished with the dedication of a volunteer, Sophia Nathanson. The project got underway to advise the road crew where they should not be mowing since for certain invasives mowing will simply help to further their growth. It was agreed that further discussion was warranted, including conferring with neighboring towns about their experience with spraying.
Accessory Dwellings, Trees and Windows Discussed at P&Z
By Susan MacEachron
An accessory-dwelling unit (ADU) approval, a proposed change to the Les Renards bookstore windows and removal of the tree by the post office were the key items at the August 11 meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission. The proposed regulations regarding family compounds, junk and unregistered vehicles and a change to regulations governing ADUs continued to be discussed.
Les Renards bookstore owner, Tricia Deans, is moving across the street from the Arcanum building to the space next to the Hub, which was previously a hair salon. She presented her plan to replace the fixed front windows with windows that can be opened, citing the need for better air flow. She also wants to eliminate the mullions for an improved look from inside and out. Deans shared renderings with commission members, showing the existing windows and the proposed windows. After some discussion the commissioners determined that the window change was a renovation and not a remodeling and therefore did not require a special permit under the Village District review. The new windows were approved.
First Selectman Henry Tirrell and Norfolk Tree Warden Matt Klimkosky attended the meeting to inform P&Z of the plan to remove the Japanese Zelkova tree in front of the post office. Klimkosky noted that, as per Connecticut statues, the planned removal had been posted and a public hearing to discuss the matter would be held. Klimkosky said he anticipated that the removal would be contentious. The town is replacing the stretch of sidewalk that goes past the tree and Klimkosky is concerned that the work will damage the roots and cause the tree to fail. His plan is to remove the tree and excavate the roots. Tirrell said a replacement tree would be planted. Klimkosky noted that he thought it was a difficult location and would not recommend a honey locust, like the ones planted in front of the Berkshire Country Store and in Robertson Plaza. He did not suggest what type of tree might be planted. William and Deborah Couch described their plans to create an apartment in the second story of an existing garage at 132 Mountain Road at the public hearing portion of the meeting. They provided proof of approval from Torrington Area Health District and of notice to abutting property owners. Zoning Enforcement Officer Stacey Sefcik noted that the proposed ADU met all the regulation requirements. The plan was approved.
P&Z continued its discussion of new regulations regarding family compounds and camps as well as junk and unregistered vehicles, two unrelated matters and changes to existing regulations regarding ADUs. The discussion will be continued at the September meeting. Once the commissioners agree upon proposed regulation language there will be a public hearing for further input from Norfolk residents.
