Matt Riiska Takes a Bow

First Selectman Matt Riiska was recognized for eight years of service with a Sept. 6 program on the Village Green and a commendation from state Rep. Maria Horn (D) (left) and state Sen. Paul Honig (D) (at rear). The evening, organized by the Democratic Town Committee, included hot dogs, chips and homemade desserts, in addition […]

New Firehouse Vote Set for Oct. 6

The Board of Selectmen have called a special town meeting for Monday, Oct. 6, at 6:30 p.m. in the Botelle School Hall of Flags to increase the appropriation and borrowing limits for the town’s proposed new firehouse. Voters will be asked to approve a $10.4 million appropriation—up from the $9.3 million approved earlier in the […]

Eye on Town Government

Firehouse Costs, Traffic Calming on Selectmen’s Agenda By Ruth Melville The main topics up for discussion at the Sept. 2 special meeting of the Board of Selectmen were ongoing efforts to reduce the budget for the new firehouse and the possibility of setting up speed cameras in town. First Selectman Matt Riiska began with two […]

Eye on Town Government

Wetlands Approves Path Change By Susan MacEachron Swapping a boardwalk for a gravel path between City Meadow and the proposed new firehouse, elimination of a manmade pond and the installation of a drain pipe without a wetlands permit were the major matters addressed at the Inland Wetlands Agency meeting on Sept. 7. Inland Wetlands had […]

Eye on Town Government

Firehouse Changes Approved; October Hearing Scheduled By Susan MacEachron Long-standing violations at 24 Greenwoods Road West, proposed changes to the firehouse design and bonding the initial landscaping work at 69 Maple Ave. (the Manor House) were on a full agenda at the Sept. 9 meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission. There may finally be […]

Eye on Town Government

Board of Education Digs into Minutes, Goals School leadership praised for quick response By Avice Meehan The Botelle Board of Education quietly dropped the Pledge of Allegiance from the agenda of its Sept. 9 meeting but took up other housekeeping issues that generated a comparable amount of discussion. These included the amount of information that […]

Eye on Town Government

Change in System Stymies Town By Susan MacEachronThe town’s ongoing struggle to manage a new financial accounting system, the higher than estimated bids for construction of the new firehouse and interim financing for the reconstruction of three bridges were topics addressed by First Selectman Matt Riiska at the Sept. 9 Board of Finance (BoF) meeting. […]

Scouting the Past

Norfolk resident Daniel Moran, a junior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, identified a practical project as one of the requirements of achieving the rank of Eagle Scout: Assembling a team from Boy Scout Troop 22 to spruce up the older section of St. Mary’s Cemetery on North Street. Working under the guidance of Richard […]

Selectman’s Corner

Adding up the Numbers for Norfolk By Matt RiiskaAs my time as first selectman winds down, the projects go on. And on. The water main replacement project on Shepard Road has been completed, but the replacement work will continue Sunset Ridge and Sunset Hill. Other projects that are on the schedule are the Mountain Road […]

Meeting House Gets a Wash and Brush Up

What takes 20 gallons of primer, 35 gallons of paint and no fear of heights? That would be carefully sanding and repainting half of the iconic Church of Christ meeting house on the Norfolk Green. Last painted in 2004 by Carl Gabelmann and Todd Jessup, the east and south facades received a glow up from […]