Author: Kathryn Boughton

Residents are reminded that a town meeting will be held at Botelle School Monday, October 6, at 7:00 p.m. to vote on additional funding to build a new firehouse.

While final figures are still being developed, townspeople will be asked to approve a maximum amount of $10.4 million for building with the amount to be borrowing at a maximum at $4 million.

Members of the Fire House Committee are confident that the final cost for the building will be less than the $10.4 million requested, but the sum provides a buffer against any contingency. Similarly, it is expected that the $4 million authorization for borrowing will be more than is needed.

First Selectman Matt Riiska said the bond counsel he consulted this week recommended that the town take out a bond anticipation loan to use during construction. The town would borrow against the sum to pay bills incurred during construction, with formal bonding to be completed at the end of the project.

He said there is no way of knowing what interest rates will be in 18 months when the bond is finalized. It is hoped that the town can pay back the money over a period of 25 years.

—Kathryn Boughton

An accident on Saturday has added yet another Norfolk bridge to the roster needing construction work. A truck from Mountainside treatment center in Canaan hit an older bridge on Ashpohtag Road, knocking the stone wall along the eastern side askew. 

The other bridge wall is untouched.

With only six weeks to go as first selectman, Matt Riiska was unfazed by the accident despite having dealt with a number of bridge disasters during his years in office. This bridge will be paid for by Mountainside’s insurance company and, because the contractor will not have to touch the stream bed, state and federal environmental groups will not be involved.

“We don’t know what caused the accident,” he said. “They are very apologetic and are accepting responsibility. The culvert is fine, so we don’t have to touch the water.”

The bridge, which dates from the first decades of the 20th century, has cut stone in the barrier walls. Riiska said the stone wall will be taken apart and moved back into place. Work is expected to start soon.

At present, the road is open with a Jersey barrier in place to protect motorists.

Three other bridges await construction. Quotes for replacement of the Mountain Road bridge will be opened Oct. 9. The state has agreed to pay for all costs of its construction. Work on two South Norfolk bridges washed out by flash floods in 2023 will not begin until next year.

—Kathryn Boughton

The Board of Selectmen Friday morning approved a resolution recommending an increase in the appropriation and bond authorization for the new fire house from $9.3 million to $10.4 million and the amount to be financed by the town from $3.5 million to $4 million.

A town meeting date was set for Monday, October 6, at 7:00 p.m. at Botelle School to take action on the resolution.

The cost of the fire house increased by about $1 million this spring. The town went out to bid almost simultaneously with the Trump administration’s announcement of a tariff on brass that made contractors leery of rising costs for the material. 

The Fire House Committee went back to the drawing board and revamped the proposed plan, eliminating much-desired items such as a hose-drying tower and a rooftop ventilation monitor.

With Inland Wetlands Agency and Planning and Zoning Commission approvals for the modified plan, the town sought new bids, which were opened Tuesday. The new bids reduced the cost by $429,000 with the possibility of further cuts when all figures are complete and the firefighters further review different options. 

First Selectman Matt Riiska said the electrical and fire alarm system must be rebid yet again because the low bidder withdrew his offer.

Riiska is on the record as wanting to restore the hose tower to the plan, which is estimated to cost about $500,000. “It’s a possibility, but we’re continuing to work on getting the cost for the project down,” he said. “Our goal is to get the cost down below $10 million.”

The Fire House Committee is slated to meet Monday, September 29, to review the bids and discuss construction plans and finances.

—Kathryn Boughton

An informational meeting at the Norfolk Hub Thursday evening described the economic and social benefits towns can derive from creating designated cultural districts.

The meeting was called by a group of residents intrigued by the idea of creating a cultural district to promote Norfolk’s undeniable assets, such as its elegant and active library, the Yale School of Art and Music, the Norfolk Historical Society, Infinity Hall and the Connecticut-Asia Cultural Center to increase tourism.

Kim Parsons Whitaker, a community development specialist with the Office of Arts, said, the state’s Cultural District program, established in 2019, is growing. “Why should you establish one?” she asked. “It’s a comprehensive effort to promote and encourage tourism that strengthens the distinctive character of a community. … Your plan declares your intention of where you want to be in 10 years.” 

The State is encouraging towns to establish the districts, which are defined as walkable, compact areas of artistic and cultural activity that are easy for visitors to recognize and are special places where community members congregate. To date 11 Connecticut communities have established districts, and several others have applied to the Connecticut Office of the Arts to form one or are considering an application. 

At present, the State does not provide financial support but does help with forming and promoting them. Towns are free to explore different sources for any revenue needed, either through municipal funding or by establishing a private organization.

State Representative Maria Horn, chairman of the House Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, said arts and culture drive tourism, underpinning a large part of Connecticut’s economy. Indeed, tourism is a $12.8 billion industry in Connecticut, accounting for 54,000 jobs and Horn said state funding for the Cultural District program will be a topic of “serious discussion” for the finance committee.

Rista Malanca, director of economic and community development for the Northwest Hills Council of Governments, informed the audience that cultural districts fit in the COG’s vision of a “Modern New England,” a network of small towns that share a set of values. 

Goals have been established around this vision to create “intentional tourism to bring people here” with the COG providing guidance and technical assistance for downtown and village improvements.

Rachel Roth, owner of the Manor House Inn, concluded, “There is momentum and energy around [this concept]. The purpose of tonight was to discover the level of interest. No decision has been made yet, except to have a conversation.”

—Kathryn Boughton

About 50 area firefighters received free cancer screenings last week. Cancer survivor Daniel Wuori, a 43-year veteran of the Norfolk fire department, helped spearhead the event, which was through a partnership between the Litchfield County Firefighter Cancer Support Group and the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute.

The cost of the screenings was covered by donations from the Litchfield County fire companies and other benefactors, and the support group hopes to make cancer screenings part of firefighters’ annual physical exams.

Cancer is a growing concern for firefighters because of their repeated exposure to toxins embedded in modern materials and released when they are burned. Cases of firefighters developing cancer are well-documented, according to Dr. Peter Yu, physician-in-chief for Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute, who says the kinds of cancers firefighters develop are “across all kinds of cancers, but, for some cancers, like those of the bladder or the kidney, it’s doubled.”

A recent report by United Diagnostic Services indicated the dangers. It said that firefighters have a 14 percent greater chance of suffering cancer-related deaths than the rest of the U.S. population.

Last May, the state expanded its screening program, giving all firefighters, professional or volunteer, access to free cancer screenings every two years. Volunteer firefighters are eligible under the state’s Firefighters Cancer Relief Program if they have served for at least five years as an “interior structural firefighter” or in a similar role.

The Litchfield County Firefighter Cancer Support Group was formed last year by Wuori and fellow survivors Winsted Fire Chief John Field and retired Pleasant Valley Fire Chief Jim Shanley. It is open to all Litchfield County firefighters interested in sharing their cancer experiences.

—Kathryn Boughton

The Planning and Zoning Commission was asked Tuesday, September 9, for pre-application input about remediation efforts proposed for 24 Greenwoods Road West, a property owned by Love Simply, LLC. 

Benjamin Shiff, principal of the LLC, owns both that building and the former pizza shop at 32 Greenwoods Road West.

Shiff was cited in 2023 for changing the exterior of the building without getting a special permit. Efforts by land use officials since then to bring the building into compliance have been unsuccessful.

“If you are making exterior changes in the Village District, it has to be reviewed by the P&Z Commission,” Zoning Enforcement Office Stacey Sefcik said following the meeting. “That never happened and that’s where it started.”

Shiff was represented at Tuesday’s meeting by Jack Hollihan, who said he is a friend and landlord of Shiff and is trying to help him untangle the problem.

PZC Chairman Christopher Schaut said the issue before the commission Tuesday was solely what the prospective applicant wants to do and is separate from any enforcement action.

Hollihan said Shiff’s first efforts would be toward “restoration and remediation.” A later application would address what might be done with the ground floor of the building. 

He was advised to be specific about materials to be used in the remediation and to list only the scope of work expected to be accomplished in the first application.

—Kathryn Boughton

The Haystack Book Festival returns this weekend with four days of unmoderated conversations between writers and thinkers as well as  a formal lecture and a hike. The series begins this Saturday with two conversations, “Plato and the Tyrant,” at 2:00 p.m., and “Never Take the Rule of Law for Granted: China and the Dissident,” at 4:00 p.m., both at the Norfolk Library. 

Historian James Romm (“Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece’s Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece”) shares the stage with Frederic Hof (“Reaching for the Heights: The Inside Story of a Secret Attempt to Reach a Syrian-Israeli Peace”) talking about times when many have believed that democracy failed.

In the second conversation, Mark Clifford (“The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong King’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic”) and Jerome Cohen (“Eastward, Westward: A Life in Law”) sit with journalist Richard Hornik to discuss the rule of law and China. 

The series continues Friday, October 3, at 6:00 p.m. with the Brendan Gill Lecture. Betsy Lerner (“The Bridge Ladies”) will speak about her hit debut novel, “Shred Sisters,” a bittersweet story exploring the complexities of sisterhood, mental health, loss and love. 

Also on Friday, October 3, at 4:00 p.m., Jean Strouse (“Family Romance: John Singer Sargent and the Wertheimers”) and Susan Galassi (“Picasso’s Variations on the Masters”) talk about the relationship between the great artist and his closest patron.

At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 4, historian Hampton Sides (“The Wide, Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Voyage of Captain James Cook”) and Adam Higginbotham (“Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space”) discuss the spirit of exploration and facing adversity in the name of discovery.

They are followed at 1:00 p.m. by historians Dagmar Herzog, (“The Question of Unworthy Life: Eugenics and Germany’s Twentieth Century”) and Sophia Rosenfeld (“The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life”) who will offer complementary perspectives on shifts in values over individual freedoms and human interdependence.

At 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Caleb Smith (“Thoreau’s Axe: Distraction and Discipline in American Culture,”) talks with Jennifer Fleissner, (“Maladies of the Will: The American Novel and the Modernity Problem”) exploring the tension between individual agency and societal influence in American life. 

Sunday, October 5, the final day of the festival, brings “A Walk in the Woods” with Brian Donahue and Mike Zarfos at 8:00 a.m. GMF Executive Director Zarfos will lead a short field trip in Great Mountain Forest with author and conservationist Brian Donahue (“Slow Wood: Greener Building from Local Forests”) The hike is limited to 20 persons and registration is required.

Donahue will discuss his book at 11:00 a.m. at the library.

The final conversation will be Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. between Kevin West (“The Cook’s Garden: A Guide to Selecting, Growing, and Savoring the Tastiest Vegetables of Each Season”) and Sara B. Franklin (“The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America”). They will talk about our relationship with food and the masters who put it on our tables.

All discussions take place at the library. To register for the different conversations, go to norfolklibrary.org.  or https://www.haystackbookfestival.org.

—Kathryn Boughton

A move is afoot to form a state-designated Cultural District in Norfolk through the Connecticut Office of the Arts. An information session is planned for Thursday, Sept. 25, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Norfolk Hub.

The State is encouraging small towns to establish cultural districts, which are defined as walkable, compact areas that are easy for visitors to recognize. They are centers of artistic and economic cultural activities and special places where community members congregate. 

In Norfolk such attractions include the Norfolk Library, Norfolk Hub, the Music Shed, Connecticut-Asia Cultural Center, Norfolk Historical Society and Infinity Hall, as well as natural preserves such as Great Mountain and Aton Forests, conservation areas and farms. 

Independent artists, artisans, musicians and authors can be highlighted, as can events such as the Haystack Book Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Friday Nights on the Green, the Woodlands Academy and Weekend in Norfolk.

The concept began to form last year, when community members Sue Frisch and Tom Fahsbender discussed it with Rachel Roth from Manor House Inn. Roth then initiated conversations with other community collaborators, including Cheryl Heller, Gary Scheft, Jennifer Almquist, Robert Whipple and Dev Aujla, about supporting cultural initiatives in Norfolk.

After consulting with Steph Burr, executive director of the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council—who will conduct the briefing at the September 25th meeting—the group determined that establishing a cultural commission could be the most effective approach to building collaboration among community members, arts and conservation organizations as well as local businesses.

The initial session is an opportunity to learn more, share ideas and help shape the Cultural District proposal to be submitted to the state. All are invited to learn about the opportunity and contribute ideas. 

This initial meeting aims to generate community interest and broaden conversations around establishing a cultural commission, which would lead efforts to create a cultural district, the group said in a statement. “The goal is to honor Norfolk’s cultural heritage and environmental legacy while building a dynamic future in which preservation and progress are mutually beneficial,” said Roth.

—Kathryn Boughton

The revised plan for the new firehouse moved three steps closer to reality this week with approval from the Inland Wetlands Agency, the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Finance for needed changes.

All the changes resulted from higher-than-expected bids that forced the Fire House Committee to eliminate certain elements of the plan.

The IWA approved elimination of the planned board walk and its replacement with a gravel pathway, while Planning & Zoning gave its stamp of approval for eliminating the board walk, a hose-drying tower, a ventilation monitor on top of the building and a change of color for the garage doors. An auxiliary building will be built at a future date.

At the same time, the Board of Finance heard a request from First Selectman Matt Riiska to increase the spending cap for the firehouse to $10.4 million, with borrowing of $4 million. Both figures are expected to be high. 

He said Thursday that final figures depend on what the new round of bidding yields. “The new bids on structural steel, roofing, interior work and windows—anything associated with those features—will be reflected in the budget,” he said. “We are hopeful a half-million dollars will come out of the $10.4 million.”

“These figures give us good leeway,” Riiska said. “They will be more than we need.” 

Funds currently available for the project are $2.5 million through a state grant, $500,000 from town funds, $500,000 in Congressional discretionary funding, and an anticipated $3.1 million from a capital campaign.

The Board of Finance approved his request but made it clear that there would be no further increases. A town meeting vote originally okayed $9.3 million for the firehouse and $3.5 million in borrowing. 

Several contracts for major items such as steel are being rebid. Bids will be advertised Monday and are to be returned and opened Sept. 22. Riiska said there are details to attend to after that, but he hopes for a town meeting on Oct. 6 to get final approval for the increased spending.

During the Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting, P&Z member Jonathan Sanoff asked if the new firehouse “will still be something the department and town can be proud of.”

‘We have put every consideration into function,” said Riiska. “Everything used in the building is of good quality and as long-lasting as it can be.” 

With that said, he added that he hoped enough additional funding can be found to add back the hose-drying tower, which he considers an attractive architectural element.

—Kathryn Boughton

Tuesday night, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a bonding level of $64,000 for phase 1 landscaping at the Manor House country inn on Maple Avenue. 

Planning and zoning commissions require bonds from applicants to ensure that developers will complete required site improvements according to approved plans.

The P&Z had the option of having a third-party review of the figures presented by the inn’s owners but chose not to do that.

The landscaping would take place along Maple Avenue. The plan approved by the P&Z this spring called for trees and other plantings to shield the view of the inn’s parking lot from the street. 

—Kathryn Boughton