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Mailed free to requesting homes in Eastford, Pomfret & Woodstock Vol. V, No. 19 Complimentary to homes by request (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] ‘The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.’ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 Helping HELO Haiti Rell proposes ACADEMY COALITION RAISING FUNDS FOR ORPHANAGE $18.91B budget BY MATT SANDERSON many state residents are witnessing VILLAGER STAFF WRITER a recession many have never experi- HARTFORD — Gov. M. Jodi Rell enced in their lifetimes is all too called on her political colleagues to real for Rell. A year after President “replace acrimony with accommo- Barack Obama announced a huge dation” during her final State of the stimulus package called the State address last Wednesday,Feb. 3, American Recovery and in the House Chamber of the State Reinvestment Act of 2009, it is now Capitol. Her proposed $18.91 billion an undeniable reality that in budget did not include any costly Connecticut, as seen by the trou- new initiatives, but rather, a reflec- bling economic disorganization tion of Connecticut’s dire financial that continues to fester at federal situation. level, all concerns need to stay with- In the wake of a 2009 fraught with in state boundaries. increasing unemployment num- Rell said her administration and bers, less revenue coming into state the Democratic-controlled coffers and a historic state budget Legislature need to put aside all deadlock that took until Sept. 1, 2009, to pass, the awareness that Turn To BUDGET, page A14 Courtesy photos Outdoor wood Orphans of HELO Haiti, an organization now being supported by the Academy Community Coalition for Haiti based out of Woodstock Academy. Though the HELO Haiti facilities were not directly impacted by the Jan. 12 earthquake, the organi- zation is taking in 20 new children left without parents by the disaster. BY RICH HOSFORD furnaces at issue VILLAGER STAFF WRITER WOODSTOCK — People WOMAN SAYS NEIGHBOR’S OWF around the world watched with horror as images came in show- CAUSES HEALTH PROBLEMS ing the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12 BY RICH HOSFORD from the furnace have been billow- of this year. In the days and VILLAGER STAFF WRITER ing into her yard and seeping into weeks after the disaster, millions THOMPSON — A North her home. She has had headaches, of dollars were raised by dona- Grosvenordale resident is tired of rashes and a racing heartbeat, tions from people looking for a breathing smoke. She is worried which she believes are caused by the way to help people on the ground. about the health problems she’s smoke from the furnace. A new community group started been experiencing from inhaling “The smoke comes into the house; at Woodstock Academy has been fumes, and she is concerned about I can smell the fumes,” Noyes- created to help some of the most what the smoke is doing to her chil- LeBlanc said. “Sometimes it smells vulnerable victims of this dren. like wood smoke, sometimes like tragedy and of Haiti’s history of Kathryn Noyes-LeBlanc is not something else. I know it is doing poverty, orphaned children. talking about cigarettes or cigars or damage because I can feel my heart The Academy Community any other kind of voluntary smok- racing and I feel the headaches com- Coalition for Haiti is looking for ing. What she is tired of is dealing ing on.” members to help raise money for with the smoke emitted from her The headaches and accelerated HELO Haiti, an orphanage in Courtesy photos neighbor’s outdoor wood-burning heartbeat, she said, come on only Haitian children of the HELO Haiti orphanage in Cayes, Haiti, take a moment from furnace (OWF). She says that for the Turn To ACADEMY, page A14 school to wave to a camera. past two or three winters, the fumes Turn To OWF’S, page A13 Farm offers community supported agriculture program RESIDENTS CAN BUY SHARES IN DEVON POINT’S CROPS BY RICH HOSFORD available. At Devon Point Farm, members VILLAGER STAFF WRITER will be invited to come to the farm to pick WOODSTOCK — Produce lovers, flower up their produce and flowers in person. enthusiasts and people who love fresh, For members who choose to buy produce locally and organically grown food have a shares, there will be 18 weeks, starting in new way to get their favorite veggies mid-June, of fresh vegetables for their while getting a chance to see, smell and table. The flowers will be available for 12 touch the rich soil where their food is weeks. grown. Patty Taylor, who owns the farm with The owners of Devon Point Farm at 93 her husband Erick, said the program is Pulpit Rock Road have announced that the intended for customers who want fresh, farm is now accepting members for an seasonal and locally grown produce for organically-grown vegetable and flower themselves, their families and their community supported agriculture (CSA) guests. All the vegetables at Devon Point program for the 2010 growing season. are grown without the use of synthetic A CSA program allows members to buy herbicides or pesticides and with healthy Courtesy photo shares of a farmer’s harvest before the farm practices, including compost, cover Alexandra Taylor, 3, walks with her calf Phoebe at Devon Point Farm in Woodstock. Devon Point has recent- growing season and then to either receive ly announced a community assisted agriculture program, allowing members to buy shares now in vegetables or collect fresh produce when it becomes Turn To DEVON POINT, page A15 and flowers to receive parts of the crop during the growing season. WE ARE YOUR NEW CHEVY DEALER FOR 10OVER 0 SOUTHBRIDGE-WEBSTER PRE-OWNED PUTNAM-WINDHAM ON-LINE KILLINGLY & DAYVILLE ARGILLCHEVY.COMARGILLCHEVY.COM CC 860-928-6591860-928-6591 800-927-6591800-927-6591 2 • Friday, February 12, 2010 WOODSTOCK VILLAGER Highway budgets keep up with season VILLAGER ALMANAC MATERIALS, OVERTIME NOT FULLY EXPENDED SO FAR QUOTATION OF THE WEEK BY RICH HOSFORD when a lot of storms fall over a weekend, was also less VILLAGER STAFF WRITER than half tapped by New Year’s, Beausoleil said. WOODSTOCK — With forecasts calling for an “I believe we are in better shape than last year, and last “Many people are aware of the earthquake, but they are approaching snowstorm for Wednesday, Feb. 10, highway year we didn’t expend the whole budget,” he said. not aware of the situation in which Haitians lived prior department and public works employees were preparing Beausoleil explained that the budget for snow removal to the earthquake. We are interested in a two-prong to hit the roads with sand, salt and plow. is the same each year for material and overtime. The rea- Not only were they ready to work, but, as it turns out, son, he said, is that it is not possible to predict snowfall, approached: We would like to assist in relief efforts, but they are backed up by adequate materials and funds. and increasing or decreasing the budget based on a partic- our primary effort is to help fund long-term solutions.” Leo Adams, Thompson director of public works, said ularly bad or good year or trends over a couple-year peri- his department came out of January with 10 percent of its od is not beneficial. Instead, the town looks at a longer his- sand and salt budget left over. This is a better situation tory. — Kate Fields, organizer of the Woodstock Academy than last year, he said, when he was out “way before this.” “We go by the formulas we have,” he said. “That is the Community Coalition for Haiti, which is raising funds to The reason is straightforward: Last year at this time, he only fair way to do it. That is more history than just know- said, the area had been hit by 53.5 inches. So far this year, ing what you did last year and guessing what you will get support the HELO orphanage in Cayes, Haiti only 38 inches of snow have fallen. Adams said he will the next year.” have to go to the finance committee to release funds for The formula seems to be a good one, because Beausoleil the rest of the year, but he isn’t worried about it. He also said that except for a couple of particularly bad years, his wasn’t worried about the potential storm coming this department usually falls within budget. OPEN TO CLOSE week. He was also not worried about the predictions for snow “We are all set to go,” he said when asked about the fore- earlier this week. POMFRET cast. “We have materials and the trucks ready to go. We’ll “The storm will be in the middle of week, so regular TOWN HALL take whatever it gives us.” working hours. It is not going to hurt us that bad,” he said. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday . 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Ben Schmidt, public works director in Eastford, said his “Material-wise, I hope we won’t have to purchase any Wednesday. 8:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. department is similarly in good shape. He said he has more. That would be great.” Friday . 8:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. $11,000 out of a starting budget of $41,000 remaining, In Woodstock, John Navarro, the town’s public works LIBRARIES which he called “about average,” for this time of year. director and highway facility foreman, said his depart- Abington Social Library “We are about right on,” he said.

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