Community News

The Planning and Zoning Commission acted last week to approve a dog park on Westside Drive. Residents had presented hours of testimony and submitted 66 letters both supporting and objecting to the controversial park.

The Planning and Zoning Commission was guided by its regulations, which allow special permits for passive recreation facilities, according to PZC Chairman Thomas Fahsbender. 

“We attempted to balance the interests of the applicants and the concerns of neighbors,” he said, explaining that conditions were imposed. Interested persons can view the documents at Town Hall and on this site. Among the conditions were increased setbacks around the park and restrictions on signage to reduce its visual impact. Hours of operation were set for 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Discussion lasted more than two hours before the commission was content that it had devised conditions that “were appropriate and fair.”

“We took it very seriously,” Fahsbender said. “We had to make our best judgment. I feel the commission did a good job in taking everything into consideration.”

In December 2022 the Town Website Committee had a brilliant idea. We decided we would ask residents to submit photographs that illustrated what made Norfolk special to them.

Well, we received a flood of entries, more than 220, demonstrating that many citizens are acutely aware of the glories of their surroundings. Galleries of the photos can be accessed by clicking here.

The “My Norfolk” Photo Contest filled our coffers with beautiful images and challenged our judges, local photographers Savage Frieze, Katherine Griswold, Christopher Keyes, Christopher Little and Babs Perkins, to select only six—one winner and five runners-up.

The judges did two rounds of selection, unanimously choosing six finalists. These were then painstakingly ranked after an hour of debate.

Long-time resident Elizabeth Hilpman emerged victorious. Her picture of a perfect summer day at Tobey Pond seems to epitomize the essence of Norfolk life.

“I couldn’t believe it when I got the email saying I had won,” she said this week. “We had house guests that day and we were taking them around town to show them different sites. It was one of those beautiful perfect afternoons—not too hot, not too cold, not too humid—just one of those opportunities that come along.”

While she takes many pictures, she termed this shot “serendipitous.” She owns a high-quality Nikon digital camera, but that afternoon she had only her iPhone with her, a device she finds herself using more and more.

Sean Iceton, a transplanted Brit, was more deliberate in his pursuit of what became the second-place picture. The craftsman, who creates design-built carpentry and cabinetry, studied design in England. He says his photography is strictly “amateur,” a way to shrug off life’s tensions.

On the day he found the barn and stone wall on Ashpohtag Road, he was indulging in a relaxing walk with his camera. “I was just struck by the light,” he said. “It was kind of overcast so the colors weren’t washed out the way they would have been in bright light. It was just a nice, old barn and I was very taken with the stone wall because I have built stone walls around town.”

Making the image “pop” is a splash of autumn-red vine twining across the top of lichen-grey stone wall. That detail was what initially drew his eye to the scene. 

Bill Ticineto, who is also a designer, took his spectacular third-place picture from the top of Beech Hill on a freezing winter morning. He was hiking in Barbour Woods in an area he frequents, when he came upon a scene of sparkling beauty, with traceries of ice forming along the branches of beech saplings.

“I do have a nice digital camera with a great macro lens that I used for my other submission of tulips in the snow. Where but Norfolk do you see tulips growing in the snow? But that morning, all I had was my iPhone. I tend to take it along in case I see something.”

The couple, originally from California, have lived in town for six years now and Ticineto has recently joined the Conservation Commission. “The town is so interesting,” he said. “it is just beautiful, and it has a lot of art, music, writing. We feel so at home here.”

Chef Tom Daly also finds relaxation in his amateur photography and is sometimes intentional in seeking images, such as the one he took for his fourth-place submission. “I don’t usually carry my camera around with me, but I knew it was going to be a full moon, so I had driven around a little bit looking for a shot.”

What he found on that early-spring evening was a peaceful composition of a gnarled old tree, silhouetted in a graceful sweep against the twilight and a rising moon. The scene was shot near Husky Meadows Farm. “I had been up there before,” Daly said. “I actually took it out of my car window.”

Daly termed himself “a lifetime Norfolk resident,” but put a fine point to it by recognizing that he is not a native. “I didn’t get here until I was three,” he said wryly.

Taking fifth place was Daniel Girolamo, who took a panoramic image of Wood Creek at sunset on an autumn evening. This image, too, was taken with a phone. 

“I just do it as a hobby,” he said, “although people tell me I have a good eye.”

Currently a custodiam, he has lived in Norfolk two-and-a-half years, drawn here by the town’s affordable housing. “I have a great apartment and the people here are wonderful. And there are a lot of cultural events.”

Daniel Wuri, a medical technician, is, again, a hobbyist but shares his photos with friends through postings on his Facebook page. He, too, resorted to his phone to take his pastoral picture of a snow-covered field on Mountain Road one crisp evening. “I took this picture with an iPhone 10,” he said, adding that he has just upgraded to an iPhone 14 Plus. “There is quite a bit of difference in the quality of pictures you get,” he reported. 

Thrilled with the success of its first photo contest, the Town Website Committee is contemplating future competitions. It offered special thanks to the judges and to all who submitted photos.

Editor’s note: Another article by Kathryn Boughton on the photo contest appears on Berkshire Style; click here to read it.

The Farmers Market Committee has taken over stewardship of the gardens behind Botelle School. The gardens were designed to provide an agricultural learning space for children in the community. The committee will also be growing some produce there to supplement the offerings at the summer market.

Volunteers are already at work on a spring cleanup of the beds. Anyone interested in learning more or assisting in the project should contact Market Manager Angie Bolland, mailto:mailto:marketmaster@norfolkfarmersmarket.org. Follow on the market’s website, Facebook page or Instagram.

The Farmers Market will open Saturday, June 3, on the grounds of Town Hall, Maple Avenue.

The Board of Finance approved the $7,739,860 proposed municipal budget Tuesday night following a quick public hearing. It will now go to a May 8 Town Meeting. 

A referendum to vote on the $21,108,004 Region 7 School District budget is slated for May 2. Norfolk’s portion is $1,804,736.

Municipal services would cost $3,701,585, while the local elementary school budget is $2,418,457. If approved, the municipal budget would increase $149,000, but the anticipated mil rate would still drop from 27.84 to 27.79.

Board of Finance Chairman Michael Scoyers lauded the budget, praising the Selectmen for submitting a budget that reduces the mil rate even as they grapple with expensive projects. “I think [First Selectman Matt Riiska] has done a fantastic job,” he said, adding that the Board of Education also turned in a “seriously conservative budget.” 

Click to view the budget summary, budget income summary and budget by department.

Residents were not without questions and opinions, however. Susan MacEachron questioned the town’s debt service, which would increase by about $132,000 to a total of about a half-million dollars.

Riiska explained that the town is paying $56,000 as its portion of the recently rebuilt Mountain Road Bridge, for which it will receive a 50-percent state reimbursement. River Place bridge, still under construction, is included at $50,000 to cover interest costs until the project is complete, probably this fall. Both loans are at 2.25 percent interest. 

Eventually, the town will receive an 80 percent federal reimbursement of the cost of the River Place bridge.

Maple Avenue is the biggest project and is expected to cost the town $2.1 million. Riiska has secured a $500,000 STEAP grant to reduce the cost and budgeted a $124,000 debt payment. He predicted that the entire road will not be completed this year, however, because of extensive rehabilitation needed there following last November’s massive gas spill on Route 44.

“It’s going to be difficult. There is a lot involved and the window closes quickly for construction in Norfolk,” Riiska said. “That could jeopardize doing the whole job this year.”

He said Bond Council recommended a 30-year loan or bond at between 4 and 4.5 percent interest. Riiska reported, “I put in 4.5, so we are covered.”

The school roof replacement is estimated to cost $1.8 million. It will be financed at 4.5 percent interest. Riiska said the town looked at a school construction grant, which would reimburse 30 percent but would also require adhering to state labor standards. It would ultimately cost more. 

Discussion shifted to installation of fiber optic wires around town. Frontier has quoted the town $467,000 to extend coverage to less densely populated areas. There is $30,000 debt figure in the budget, but Riiska said negotiations are continuing. “Based on a half-million, I figured 15 years at 4.5 percent interest,” Riiska said. 

Phylis Bernard asked why the town would pay Frontier to install infrastructure for a service they will then charge for. “That’s a good question,” said Riiska. “We’re still negotiating and will say, ‘Give us another price and it has to include everyone, or we won’t sign up.’”

Bernard further asked about the $110,000 budgeted for tennis court refurbishment. Riiska said the courts are heavily used. “You would be amazed.” 

“It [the sum] looks like a state trooper to me,” she said, referring to the fact the fact that the town does not have a resident state trooper.

The Litchfield County Choral Union will present Felix Mendelssohn’s cantata “Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise)” Saturday, August 19, at 4:00 p.m. in the Concert Shed on the Stoeckle Estate. There will be a full orchestra.

The LCCU invites all former members and any interested new singers to join in performing this magnificent work.

The “Hymn of Praise” was the first work sung by the Choral Union at the venerable Music Shed in 1906.

The concert will be conducted by Jeffrey Douma, director of Yale Glee Club.  Rehearsals, under the direction of Associate Conductor Matthew Cramer, will be held every Monday evening starting June 5 from 7:30 to 10:00 PM in the Battell House at the Yale Summer Music School in Norfolk. 

The LCCU will be joined by additional choral groups and conducted by Maestro Douma during the final week of rehearsal with the Thursday and Friday rehearsals at Yale.  Transportation will be provided to the Yale rehearsals at no charge.

Musical scores will be provided free of charge and will be available at the first rehearsal in Norfolk.

There will be a $50 registration fee, $45 for families with more than one member and $20 for students.  This will help us cover the cost of the rehearsal accompanist. 

The LCCU would like to create a roster prior to the first rehearsal.  Email Pat Niver at lccu.registrar@gmail.com. A registration form is attached that can be filled out and brought to the first rehearsal. 

A free Northwest Hills Council of Governments Household Hazardous Waste Collection is planned for Saturday June 10, 9:00 a.m. to noon, at the Falls Village Public Works Garage, 100 Railroad St. Norfolk is among the 12 towns eligible to participate in the collection. A ticket must be obtained by applying to Town Hall, 860-542-5829, and are available through June 9.

Brochures explaining the collection day are available at Town Hall.

The ticket must be shown upon entry. All those bringing items must store the materials in the rear area of the vehicle, not in passenger compartments. Only items to be removed by waste collection personnel should be in the rear area.

Household products are considered hazardous if they are toxic, flammable, reactive or corrosive. Examples of such products include pesticides, herbicides, oil-based paints, degreasers, household cleaners, paint thinners and gasoline.

For more information about what items can be disclosed of, click here.

The United Church of Christ will continue its experiment with an altered worship schedule Sunday, April 30. At 10:00 a.m., the Rev. Erick Olsen will host a gathering for coffee, prayer and conversation on a topical issue in the sanctuary.

The afternoon service will be held at 5:00 p.m. and combines a blend of ancient practices and new features in a format that, it is hoped, is welcoming for all. The afternoon service will feature the puppetry of Susan Aziz and friends and the music of the choir.

April is National Poetry Month, and the Norfolk Library is celebrating with a haiku contest. Send your best original spring-themed haiku by Monday, April 17, to thenorfolklibrary@gmail.com. As the library receives them, it will post the haikus on its social media.

The three favorites will be featured in the April 21 Night Owl for patrons to vote on an overall winner. The poet of the winning haiku will win a gift certificate to Arethusa Farm Dairy. 

For those unfamiliar with haiku, it is a Japanese poetic form that consists of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. 

First Selectman Matt Riiska declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning as the major snowstorm swept over Northwest Connecticut. This allows the town to take advantage of any service and funding that may become available through the state or the federal government.

Working with the local emergency management and the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), the town applied for assistance through the Region 5 Public Works Mutual Aid Plan. Wednesday morning public works crews from Watertown and Thomaston came to Norfolk with equipment and crews to assist in the cleanup.

“This was a great help,” said Riiska, expressing his gratitude for the assistance.

The Emergency Management Team was in place from early Tuesday morning until Wednesday night, monitoring the public works radios, tracking outages, monitoring Eversource activities, keeping track of road closures and keeping track road blockages from trees and down wires.

The Public Works crew was out from 1:00 a.m. Tuesday until 8:00 p.m. that night and then again from 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday until 6:00 p.m., but still the work is not complete. Riiska said the cleanup of downed trees and branches will continue for some time.

Norfolk residents convened Tuesday evening for the fourth gas spill update meeting since the Nov. 5 spill.

First Selectman Matt Riiska reported that the meeting was businesslike with the exception of a question from the floor regarding allowing the remediation company to start work on private property. “There was a comment from the floor regarding when the landowners will give permission for [cleanup crews] to get onto their properties” Riiska said. “Right now, it’s a case of trying to work through this to address everyone’s concerns. We are trying to move this along for everyone’s benefit.”

Another question from the audience was regarding offering alternative housing during the remediation process planned for this spring. Riiska responded, “The Town has worked with a number of residents over the past four months, locating and providing funding for alternative housing. We will continue to assist in any way we can.”  

The cleanup is the top priority for more than one reason. In addition to wanting to remove all environmental contaminants, the town has projects in the pipeline that will be delayed until the cleanup is complete. 

Concern was expressed that there has been little activity in recent weeks, but the audience was assured that testing and remediation continues, with much more to come in the spring. Riiska commented that this is far from over and he wants Norfolk residents to understand that there are still residents whose lives have been disrupted by this event.

Verdantas, the firm monitoring the movement of contaminants in water and soil, has submitted a plan to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). It has yet to be approved, but Riiska anticipates it will be. “The plan is to have all remediation done sometime in June, if not sooner.” he said, but expressed skepticism about that schedule. “With the construction season opening up, we will need to move quickly to have Verdantas plan approved by the DEEP.”

The extensive work planned by the town for Maple Avenue will be affected by reclamation efforts, which are now projected to affect a wider area than originally foreseen. Bids for the town’s project are being reviewed, but Riiska said he is discussing the issue with the town’s lawyer. Guerrera Construction, Inc., of Oxford, a firm the town has worked with in the past, is working with the state on the cleanup and Riiska believes it might be prudent to have the same firm work with the town as well. 

“The cleanup area is getting bigger, not because of contamination, but because of all of the infrastructure that will be corrected, particularly the storm water damaged system on Pettibone Lane and Maple Avenue. This will require more coordination than we had originally planned,” he said. “It makes sense to have one company do all the reconstruction work associated with the remediation process and the refurbishment of Maple Avenue.”