Community News

First Selectman Matt Riiska has a punch list of things that he wants to complete before he hands over town administration to his successor, and creating a fire district is at the top. 

“The Board of Finance has tasked us to create a fire district,” said Riiska. “I’ve been collecting information on that. I think the Board of Finance is looking at ways to generate funds from sources other than the municipal budget.”

In Connecticut, fire districts are special taxing entities and primarily levy property taxes to fund their operations and services, which usually include fire protection. They can levy taxes on real property within the district. 

Fire districts can also tax personal property located within their boundaries and create special assessments on a portion of the cost of public works such as drains, sewers, sidewalks, curbs or gutters and upon properties specifically benefited by such projects.

Fire District levies and the details of their collection are outlined in the district’s local ordinances. Their taxes are separate from town taxes, and taxpayers often receive separate bills from each entity.

Riiska said Norfolk has about a half dozen properties currently not taxed that might be affected. “Some are large,” he said. “It will take an ordinance, and the state statutes require a lot of components. I have been talking to other towns, looking at how they handle it.” Ordinances require public hearings and town meeting votes before they can be enacted.

He said that neighboring Canaan, formed in 1902, nine years before the town’s fire department was formed, has a fire district that has nothing to do with fire protection. It is mostly concerned with town sewers, streetlights and sidewalks. 

“Ours would be for emergency services—fire and ambulance,” he said. “I have been meeting with the assessor. We would have to create a mill rate for everyone within the borders of the community because everyone uses emergency services.” 

The creation of a Fire District would transfer support of the emergency services to the new taxing entity and remove it from the municipal budget. There several fire districts in Northwest Connecticut, including in Barkhamsted, Canaan, Litchfield, New Hartford (which recently reduced its number of districts from three to two) and Winchester.

Still dismayed by bids coming in a million dollars higher than expected, the Fire House Building Committee is slated to meet Thursday, August 14, to discuss alternate plans for the building it hopes to put up on Shepard Road.

An agenda and other meeting details will be posted here when available.

“Between now and then we will have the information that the architect and construction management team are compiling,” said First Selectman Matt Riiska. “Newfield Construction had to meet with all the low bidders to make sure they have bid correctly, and I have sent committee members an update on where we are and what is going on. They are aware of everything. We’re looking at alternatives. It’s not going to be easy, but we will make it happen.”

Town officials will close access to through traffic on Old Colony Road within the next three weeks. First Selectman Matt Riiska said the closure will be completed when the road foreman returns from vacation and signage is in hand.

Many motorists use the steep, narrow town road as a bypass rather than waiting in line for the lights to change on Route 44 on either end of a major DOT road project just west of town. The multi-year project is replacing a deteriorating retaining wall on the north side of the road, at the same time modestly increasing the width of the road. Work should be complete in September 2026.

Last year, the state closed the eastbound lane and installed temporary lights. The lights detain motorists by at least two minutes, and it often takes two or even three tries to make it through the narrow passage that locals call “the chute.” 

To avoid delay, motorists often detour over Old Colony between routes 272 and 44. This concerns residents, the crew at the town garage and construction workers at the new affordable housing complex. 

“People don’t slow down, and the visibility is not good,” said First Selectman Matt Riiska.  

Riiska said signage and barricades will be installed on the Route 44 end informing motorists that Old Colony is closed, as well as on the Route 272 end.

He noted that the state will soon be working on top of the ridge off Old Colony Road. “When they are not working there, they will put cones out to block the road to through traffic,” he said.

GPS is one reason that motorists are using Old Colony, according to Amy Hare, project manager for the DOT, explaining that Waze or Google Maps see the detour taken repeatedly and then incorporate it into their recommendations.

Hare tried to report the road was closed at the beginning of the project, but to no avail.

The Fire Department said it can work with the closures if the barricades can removed by hand in case of emergencies. “We may have to use Old Colony to respond to emergencies if the traffic at the light is super backed up,” wrote Fire Chief Brian Hutchins.

The elegant edifice that Alice Eldridge gifted to the town as a gymnasium in 1892 is suffering the ravages of time. Although the building on Maple Avenue, now Norfolk’s Town Hall, is still distinguished by Victorian-era flourishes that make it unique among the region’s municipal buildings, its side staircase is badly deteriorated. 

First Selectman Matt Riiska hopes to repair it before he leaves office this November. “We will get work going on the stairs soon,” he promised this week. “We have a local mason who is willing to take on the job and he will work with the public works department to lift off the [heavier] stones.”

Because of its age, getting matching materials was an issue, but Riiska has an ace up his sleeve—when the state dismantled a bridge several years ago, it offered state municipalities the brownstone that was being removed. Riiska ended up with a treasure trove of the material stored at the town’s transfer station.

“Some of it was cut, but most of it is not,” he said, adding that he is working with the mason to figure out how to integrate it into the new staircase. 

He said the brick used in the stairs is no longer available except by special order. “It was Perth Amboy Roman brick, which is narrower and has little flecks of iron in it,” he explained. “It was popular at the turn of the 19th century, but not now. We don’t need enough of it to justify a special order so we will blend in the brick we have with the brownstone.”

Riiska noted that the town, with Yankee frugality, saves everything. “We have granite curbing, slate, whatever. Some people even try to buy it from us,” he said.

Rebidding four contracts for plumbing, electrical, mechanicals and painting for the new firehouse reduced the cost by $421,525, but still requires the Firehouse Committee to make further cuts of more than half a million dollars. 

“It’s painful,” said First Selectman Matt Riiska. “We are still looking at things we can trim.”

The first bids were substantially higher than estimates previously given to the Firehouse Committee. After months of eliminating desirable but non-essential items, the committee had pared the cost down to $8.3 million, with another million-plus in “soft costs” that might or might not be used. But uncertainty in the marketplace resulting from tariffs threatened by the Trump administration boosted the cost to $9.38 million without any contingency funding factored in.

The next round of cutting will slash items more deeply desired by the firefighters, possibly eliminating features such as a garage for miscellaneous apparatus, the ventilation system at the top of the building and the tower for drying equipment after fires.

“We still have a long way to go [to reach the town-approved level of $9.5 million],” Riiska said, “but we remain focused on getting a project completed that is functional, esthetically pleasing and that will meet the needs of the firefighters and the town.”

He has yet to hear back from Firehouse Committee members but has talked with both the architect and the construction management firm asking them to sharpen their pencils.

He is baffled by some of the figures in the bids submitted. Plumbing, for instance, was reduced by $233,400 in the second bid, leaving it only slightly above the original estimate. The economic uncertainty emanating from Washington has contractors scrambling to cover their anticipated costs, but Riiska fears there is also an element of greed. “They have to increase their costs to cover the tariffs, but maybe they just add a little more for themselves,” he said.

He conjectured that the town can find future economies. “We can probably get a local contractor to build the three-bay garage for half the bid price because no state and federal grants would be used,” he said. Accepting government money requires that workers be paid prevailing union wages.

The Connecticut Department of Labor publishes prevailing wage rates annually, which include both an hourly base rate and fringe benefits. Electricians, for instance, would earn between $53.32 and $75.17 per hour, while a general laborer could expect $40 an hour. 

As of Jul 17, 2025, the average hourly pay for a licensed plumber in Connecticut is $33.96 an hour. 

The Conservation Commission last week sent a letter to First Selectman Matt Riiska objecting to the removal of about 200 trees along Winchester Road, which is classified as a scenic highway.

“Yes, it’s a scenic road,” said Riiska this week, “but cutting trees is part of maintenance. We did cut trees, but 95 percent of them were dead and posed safety issues for people. Others were in the way of a big tree that had to come down.”

He said the trees were “not just randomly cut,” and that the arborist hired by the town had selected which trees were to be removed. 

Towns throughout the region have been forced to increase their budgets for tree removal in the past decade to deal with the dieback of ash, maple and beech trees. Ash trees have been virtually annihilated by the emerald ash borer, while beech trees are being killed by Beech Leaf Disease, which has rapidly spread across the state since 2019. Several factors are contributing to the decline and death of maple trees in Connecticut, including diseases, insect infestations and environmental stressors.

“We have three large maples on Lovers Lane that will have to be removed,” Riiska said, adding that his crew is cutting trees on that road work prior to roadwork being done. “We have a lot of older maples that are just shot, dead ash, and beech trees that are kind of hanging on.”

He is trying to encourage Eversource to remove a string of dead maples on Mountain Road before a storm brings them down across power lines. “The town crew and the people we hire can’t go near power lines,” he explained.

The scenic road ordinance calls for the preservation of overhanging trees. “But that can pose a problem,” he said. “People don’t get that—a couple of good storms and they are lying in the road. I enjoy nature, but beauty is one thing and safety is another.”

Weekend in Norfolk (WIN) is celebrating its 10th anniversary in August, with a town-wide salute to all aspects of community life that make Norfolk special.

The celebration kicks off Friday, August 1, and continues through Sunday, August 3, featuring old favorites and new additions, among them art shows and music, free yoga lessons, a pop-up bookstore, bocce and pickleball competitions, historical and garden tours, hiking challenges, events for children and lots more.

A highlight is the new Sidewalk Sunday, taking place from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Station Place. The streetwill bustle with energy as local organizations, artists and authors showcase their creations and share their passions. 

Music lovers can enjoy free performances all weekend—from Friday night’s concert on the Green, to multiple Saturday and Sunday performances at Robertson Plaza.

Immerse yourself in nature by joining a guided birding walk through Barbour Woods or dive into 90 years of climate history at Great Mountain Forest’s historic weather station. 

Stroll through Norfolk’s charming Historic District on a self-guided walking tour or take to the trails and experience the rugged beauty of the local landscape. 

Children will find plenty to engage them, from a West African music and dance workshop at the Norfolk Library to hands-on art and water play at Botelle School.

Step back in time Saturday and Sunday afternoon with the Norfolk Historical Society’s new exhibit, “A New Birth of Freedom: Norfolk in the Civil War.” History buffs can further enrich the experience with a guided tour of Center Cemetery led by Barry Webber, the Society’s executive director.

Fishing enthusiasts can join expert fisherman Doug McDevitt in fly fishing seminars for beginners and seasoned anglers alike on Saturday and Sunday. And nature lovers can also enjoy a Sunday stroll through two private gardens.

Cultural explorers should visit the Connecticut Asia Cultural Center Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for its annual festival, where visitors will find exhibits on Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, Christian and Incan cultures.

For the sports-minded, the Norfolk Recreation Committee has organized three pickleball tournaments, starting at 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning at Botelle School. Rackets will be available.

For details, of these and other events, including signup links and a printable schedule, go to the WIN website. An information center at 2 Station Place will be staffed from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Town officials will open four new bids for the proposed firehouse next Tuesday and hope to find that the price tag will be lower.

At first, the bids were to be submitted by today (Friday) but the schedule for publishing legal notices pushed the timeline back.

The Firehouse Committee was dismayed last week to receive a low bid of $9.38 million for the structure, without another million dollars-worth of soft costs being factored in. In May, a town meeting approved $9.5 million for all costs. 

Newfield Construction, the project managers, advised the town to rebid the plumbing, mechanicals, electrical and painting packages, all considered to be substantially higher than expected. 

“We’re continuing to talk to the architect and construction company and are cautiously optimistic that the price will go down,” said First Selectman Matt Riiska. “We will meet next week to go over the prices. We’re not giving up on this. Everyone is in the same boat with all the turmoil in Washington with the off-and-on-again tariffs and trade wars.”

He pledged that the new firehouse will be built within the budget approved by the town.

Both the Democrats and Republicans caucused Thursday night, choosing candidates for the November municipal elections.

The caucuses brought few surprises as the anticipated slate of Henry Tirrell for first selectman and Leo Colwell for selectman was endorsed by the Democrats. No first selectman candidate came forward for the Republicans, but incumbent Selectman Sandy Evans will run again for a seat on the board.

The Republicans opted not to cross-endorse any Democratic candidates such as Town Clerk Deborah Nelson or Treasurer Chelsea DeWitt and did not nominate candidates of their own for those positions.

Incumbent Grant Mudge, and newcomer Bart Wenrich as an alternate, are the Democratic candidates for the Board of Finance. The Republicans will run incumbent Jeff Torrant for the board.

Incumbent Walter Godlewski is the Democratic candidate for the Board of Assessment Appeals, while the Republicans tapped incumbent Eric Gundlach to run for the board.

Incumbent John DeShazo and Jeremy Withnell were nominated by the Democrats to run for the Board of Education, while Donna Rubin, who is now serving out an unexpired term, will run for the Republicans. Michael Listori will also run for the GOP, in lieu of current member Janet Byrne. 

The Planning and Zoning Commission candidates are familiar faces from both parties. The Republicans will run incumbents Edward Barron and Marion Felton, with Sandra Anasoulis seeking an alternate’s seat, while the Democrats will field current members Christopher Schaut, Wiley Wood and Steve Landes.

For the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Republicans will run newcomer Ron Bombero for a regular seat and incumbent Alan Boucher as an alternate. The Democrats will field incumbents Christopher Peterson for a regular seat and Walter Godlewski as alternate.

The Firehouse Committee will go back to the drawing board to look for more ways to trim the plan for a new structure after bids came in about a million dollars higher than expected.

In May, taxpayers approved $9.5 million for the new firehouse, with about $1.2 million of that designated for soft costs. The lowest bid submitted for the firehouse this week was $9.38 million without the soft costs. All areas except flooring exceeded predictions offered by contractors in recent weeks.

Brian Grant, executive vice president of Newfield Construction, the project management team, said Thursday night that contractors’ uncertainty about the market caused them to bid 40 to 50 percent higher than expected following President Trump’s announcement this month of a 50 percent tariff on imported copper. 

The tariff hits particularly hard in three key areas: plumbing, mechanical and electrical. “The contractors don’t know what will happen and they own these numbers once they bid,” he said.

Newfield had already approached the bidders asking for suggestions that could save money, and Grant went through a list of those suggestions. Some would save as little as $7,500 and others would save much larger amounts. If all the suggestions were implemented—which cannot happen because the plan has already been approved by the Inland Wetlands Agency, the Planning and Zoning Commission and the public—another $1.3 million could be cut.

For example the committee could, delay landscaping and plantings, saving $60,000, or allow alternative materials for drainage, saving $40,000, but it cannot switch from the permeable paving approved by the Inland Wetlands Agency to asphalt. Other suggestions, such as eliminating radiant heating in the apparatus bay floors, would be detrimental to maintaining the condition of the expensive firetrucks.

Grant said that several bids came in electronically or were submitted after the closing date and could not be considered. He suggested that four of the bid packages be rejected because they are so far over the original estimates or because only one bid was submitted. These latecomers, some of whom submitted bids much closer to previous estimates, could then resubmit their proposals in the proper form.

First Selectman Matt Riiska admitted the bids were “quite a shocker,” but remained optimistic that the committee can deliver a quality firehouse within the funding approved by the town. The existing bids are good for 120 days, giving committee members time to finesse the project further.

“The job now is to get down the costs and look for other avenues for grants,” said Riiska. “Our main focus will be to not compromise on the main things we want.”