Author: Sue Frisch

Town officials are trying to build a new firehouse and are discussing formation of a fire district, but the two issues are not related. “The fire house committee has nothing to do with a fire district,” said First Selectman Matt Riiska. “Their task is the construction of the new firehouse; they have nothing to do with the creation of a fire district.”

The committee’s are focus solely on alternate plans for the building, hoping to erase a million-dollar gap between its budget and the last bids received.

Note: Edited 8/15/25, following the committee’s August 13th meeting.

—Sue Frisch

As of Monday, June 23, the temporary bridge over Hall Meadow Brook on Smith Road has opened, making emergency access to families on Smith and the south end of Old Goshen road several minutes faster. Once the lengthy process of getting state approval was complete, contractors, aided by the town crew, worked long hours to finish the job.

—Sue Frisch

An information session to explain the details of why the existing 50-year-old fire house needs to be replaced has been set for Thursday, April 24, at 6:00 p.m. at Botelle School. The meeting will also cover what’s included in the new firehouse and how much it will cost.

Members of the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department, the architect, First Selectman Matt Riiska and representatives from the fire house building committee will all be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

A vote to approve the fire house, including the plan for funding it, will take place in conjunction with the annual Town Meeting in May.

An information booklet about the new fire house is going out in the mail to everyone in town.To get the latest updates online, visit the town website at norfolkct.org and click on “New Fire House Updates” at the top of the home page.

—Sue Frisch

A Zoom information session on how to apply to become a homeowner of one of nine homes currently in process as part of the Litchfield County Affordable Homeownership Program will be held on April 10 at 7:30 p.m. Homes are being built in Cornwall, Norfolk and Washington, Conn. The first two new three-bedroom homes will be for sale on Perry Street in Lakeville. Click HERE to register for the Zoom meeting.

Click HERE to read more about the Litchfield County Affordable Homeownership Program.

—Sue Frisch

Talented writer/reporter wanted to report, write and produce a weekly town newsletter for the town of Norfolk, Connecticut.  Freelance position.

The mission of the Norfolk, Conn., weekly newsletter is to keep the citizens of the community well informed about significant events, the workings of town government, and any larger issues that town citizens may wish to follow.

Job Description

The Newsletter Editor is responsible for identifying relevant news items, attending and reporting on occasional town meetings and events, and writing succinct, accurate descriptions for the weekly newsletter and the town website, norfolkct.org.  The Editor also produces the newsletter by adding the week’s content to the website and sending it every Friday to subscribers (currently 550) via MailChimp.

The average newsletter contains a mix of about 10 articles along these lines:
3 to 4 event descriptions (selected from those written by the Events Editor)
3 to 4 community news articles 
1 or 2 occasional reported pieces in the series “How Our Town Works”
A list of the forthcoming week’s municipal meetings
A photograph may accompany one or more of the issue’s articles

The Newsletter Editor works with the town Website Committee to set strategy for the newsletter.  The newsletter is the communication of the town’s official website and, as such, articles must be unbiased, without identifying any one point of view; accuracy is vital.

Requirements:

Excellent writing skills
Demonstrated interest in investigative journalism, reporting
Attention to detail, copy editing skills
Reliable; able to meet deadlines consistently

The following are a plus:

Norfolk resident, familiar with Town Hall
Previous experience with WordPress and/or Mail Chimp
Ability to take photos to illustrate news stories

The Position:

This is a freelance position, requiring approximately 10 hours per week of time.  Compensation is a  monthly fee; the amount depends on skills and experience.

Interested?  If you’d like to see samples of past newsletters, please contact the webmaster here.  To apply for the position, please email cover letter, resume and writing samples to the same address.

—Webmaster

—Sue Frisch

The state Department of Transportation has released minutes for its 8/6/24 virtual public information meeting about the permanent replacement for the Smith Road bridge. Click here to read or download them.

—Sue Frisch

Congratulations to Assistant Town Clerk Deborah Nelson, who just passed her exam to become a Certified Connecticut Town Clerk. Nelson has been assisting Norfolk Town Clerk Linda Perkins while taking the required courses.

—Sue Frisch

The pet parade scheduled for tonight (Friday, 8/14) has been postponed due to bad weather. Watch for a new time to be announced.

—Sue Frisch

After answering a handful of questions, the Board of Finance approved the $9.1 million town budget proposed for the 2024/25 fiscal year. There will be a Town Meeting at Botelle School on Monday, May 13, at 7:00 p.m., for townspeople to vote on whether or not to accept the budget. A special meeting of the Board of Finance, to set the mill rate, will follow immediately.

Susan MacEachron

—Sue Frisch