Board of Education Hears from Former Consolidation Facilitator

By Avice Meehan Jonathan Costa had one piece of advice for Norfolk as a whole, and specifically for members of the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen: speed is not your friend.  Costa acted as a facilitator in the unsuccessful 2015 effort to bring Botelle Elementary School and the Colebrook Consolidated School into […]

Selectmen Discuss School Consolidation and Town Projects

By Ruth Melville The major topic of discussion at the Board of Selectmen’s first meeting of the year was the possible consolidation of the Botelle and Colebrook elementary schools. A previous plan to consolidate the two schools was rejected by Colebrook voters in 2015. Representing Botelle School at the Jan. 8 meeting were John DeShazo, […]

Cold Night – Brief Meeting for Wetlands Agency

By Susan MacEachron The Inland Wetlands Agency (Wetlands) meeting on Jan. 6 began inauspiciously with agency members standing in the frigid town parking lot, locked out of Town Hall. The only person with a key, Wetlands Enforcement Officer Stacey Sefcik, was on vacation.  First Selectman Matt Riiska responded to a call for his assistance with […]

Board of Assessment Appeals Anticipates Busy Season

By Susan MacEachron Norfolk property owners who want to appeal the recent revaluation of their real estate, vehicle or personal property must file the completed application by 4p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20 at  Town Hall. No exceptions are made for applications filed after the deadline and the paperwork must include an original signature of the […]

Bridges Highlight Board of Finance Discussion

By Susan MacEachron At the Jan 14 Board of Finance (BoF) meeting, First Selectman Matt Riiska reported on the budget and the River Place financing.  He noted that he also continues to follow-up with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Smith Road temporary bridge.  Riiska […]

Eye on Town Government: Special Town Meeting Planned

By Avice Meehan The Board of Selectmen held an efficient meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 6, with much of the discussion focused on resolutions to be brought before a special town meeting that First Selectman Matt Riiska hoped to call on Nov. 20 (See related article, page XX.) Riiska walked his colleagues, Sandy Evans and Henry […]

Eye on Town Government: Board of Education Meets in November

The members of the Norfolk Board of Education received an update on the “State of the School” at the Nov. 12 meeting and tackled several different items. See related story, page XX. The board authorized Superintendent Mary Beth Iacobelli to negotiate another 5-year contract with All-Star Transportation while rejecting language sought by the state in […]

Eye on Town Government: Wetlands Approves Five Applications

By Avice Meehan The Inland Wetlands Agency gave the green light to five projects at its Nov. 7 meeting, including a request for new parking spaces at the Meadowbrook Senior Apartments until December. The agency declined to accept an application from the Confucian Study Association Inc., better known as the Connecticut-Asia Cultural Center, for permission […]

Eye on Town Goverment: P&Z Acts on Solar Panels, Maple Syrup and Parking

Chair plans to resign By Susan MacEachron  Meeting on Nov. 12, the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) approved installation of ground mounted solar panels, the expansion of an accessory building and a site plan modification to allow Meadowbrook to create four additional parking spaces. Short-term rentals were discussed without a conclusion as to what is […]

Eye on Town Goverment

Project Money In, Project money out at board of finance By Susan MacEachron The Board of Finance (BoF) discussed the changing of the guard in the town clerk’s office at its Oct. 8 meeting and heard an update on several ongoing infrastructure projects, including the good news that the promised $500,000 grant from the Connecticut […]