Council Considers Bringing Projects to February Vote
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Property of the Watertown Historical Society t-3 W watertownhistoricalsociety.org i-l c r; Timely Coverage Of News In The Fastest Growing Community In Litehfkld County Vol. 40 No. 51 SUBSCRIPTION PRICE N2.00PER YEAR Car. Ri.P.S. PRICE 30 CENTS Dec. 19, 1985 Council Considers Bringing Projects To February Vote After almost 45 minutes of a first batch, of seven it hopes to reconstructing French Street under debate on' which capital im- take, to a referendum vote in a federal and state Urban Systems. provements, projects, should get im- February. Program. The state hopes to begin mediate attention and. •funding—.and Headlining the potential $1.6 first-phase construction on the $3.7 which could wait—the Town Coun- million shopping list will be million project this summer. cil Monday night finally settled on $400,000i as the town's share for - Two other big jobs—the installa- tion of water and sewer lines in a A SPACIOUS BUSINESS: AREA greets customers when they come portion of French, and supplying up to the tellers" 'windows at the new Thomaston Savings Bank, office water to the Grandview and Circuit on Main Street, which officially opened for business Monday. (Valuckas. Street Parking, Skating Avenues area—will hinge on Photo) • whether the Water and Sewer Authority can quickly come up Regulations In Effect with a user benefit formula to plug into the as yet undetermined, ap- Thomaston Savings Opens With the official start of the Vehicles parked m violation can propriation amounts. winter season just dajs away, be removed by a commercial tow- residents are reminded the winter ing service through authorization of Two referenda, to come up with, New Main Street Office parking regulations and ice skating the police. The owner of the vehi- $268,400 for Grandview and Cir- •.. • The Thomaston Savings Bank new conference and closing room, rules on town ponds are in effect. cle will be at risk, and all expenses cult, water have been .defeated, opened its new office at 565 Main for complete privacy at meetings According to the town ordinance w ill be the owner's responsibilit>. while a $566,000 appropriation for St., replacing the adjacent former and mortgage transactions." adopted in No\ ember, 1978, In lieu of towing, the police are the French Street: utilities also has structure which will be demolish- Mr. O'Rourke said the institution owners and operators of vehicles empowered to tag the vehicle for gone down in recent months. ed to make room, for additional is "particularly proud of another may not park on any town road or a fine of S5, which must be paid The Council said if the state parking space. new meeting room, which will be street from 12 midnight through 7 within 72 hours. Fines are doubl- needs an answer by February on George O'Rourke,* Thomaston available to the general public. It a.m. from the period Dec. 1 to ed for each offense after 72 hours. what the town's intentions are Savings president, said, "We are has its own outside entrance, and April 1. (Continued on page 2) regarding French, .the Water and delighted with the new facility and is fully accessible to the handicap- Sewer: • Authority must have its believe it will give the people of ped." ""'ducks in, a row," said' Council Watertown the very best in. state- He said "these facilities may be GOP Chairman Gordon, James, for of-the-art banking service and. con- spanking new, but our depositors the Council's next regular meeting venience." are going to find the same, prompt, Jan. 6. The two-story building was professional service offered by the A delay by the state of another designed in traditional, brick, ap- same friendly staff they know. month or so whould give the'Coun- propriate to its surroundings. Dou- "We invite our depositors, and cil and authority a little more ble the size of the old branch, the all our other Watertown friends, to breathing room. new office provides two drive-up come by soon and inspect our new Democrat, Councilman Ronald • lanes, as well as an after-hours Watertown home," Mr. O'Rourke D'Amico, who also is an authority- walk-up window. concluded. member,, said, the water and sewer "Inside," Mr. O'Rourke con- • The building was designed bj board likely would have to tinued, "we have installed six. teller Watertown architect Steve schedule a special meeting to ham- stations. These should mean shorter Whitaker of the firm Stein, Sapack mer out a formula, since it. won't lines, a benefit for everyone. & Ames. P. Francini and Co. were formally meet again until after the "We also have added a special the general contractors. (Continued, on page 2) Town Jaycees Residents Level Several Reviving Their .. Sallies At Town Council Service-Awards-. The public participation portion of Monda; night's Town Council SPEAKING HIS MIND at Monday night's Town Council meeting is The Greater Watertown Jaycees meeting was put to appropriate use as several residents engaged the Anthony Fusco. standing, of Bunker Hill Road who requested the town organization has announced it is governing body in lively discussion for an hour. make road improvements to the thoroughfare between Straits Turnpike reviving its Distinguished Service The session featured an attempt by Republican Council Chairman Gor- and the Watcrbury line. The Council later decided to include an Award program,,, and. is asking for don James to'gavel to a halt statements allegedly made "out of order" engineering study on a referendum tentatively targeted for sometime the submittal of nominees. by Joseph Masi, Democrat chairman of the Planning and Zoning in February. Listening at left is Francis Carpenter, Republican state The DSA is given to a yoiing Commission, representative from the 76th District, and Felix Andarowski, right, of man or woman from 'the communi- Mr. Masi had 'taken umbrage with the Council's recent action requir- Hadley Street, Oakville. (Valuckas Photo) ty who has ""given noteworthy ser- ing the board, to be notified in writing when town, commissions wished „ vice to the community and family to consult with 'the town, attorney. The chairman said, according to state Because of 'the Wednesday Holidays without, compensation." statutes, zoning commissions are empowered to enforce zoning regula- Organizations, may nominate ' tions, and sometimes have to seek legal opinions. • •. for 'the Observance of - male or female candidates, as long He said he "applauded" the move to keep-legal expenses down, but • Christmas. & New,, Year's "Day, as- 'they meet, the requirements- the Council could not hinder 'the zoning board, from requesting legal ^. .. Early Deadlines outlined on 'the .nomination form,,. advice. •• • . Forms may be obtained by writing Mr. James .said, commissions had become "paranoid" when the Coun- . • • "Will Be Necessary For The • the Jaycees at P.O. Box. 303,,..': cil directive .was sent, out recently. He.said/the intent is not to prohibit ' • Town Times Issues of Dec. 24 and Dee. 31 Watertown, Ct. 06795, and, must Boards and commissions from, using the town attorney, but rather to be postmarked no later than, Friday, have a system, that keeps better track- of when he is used, and why. All News & Advertising Copy for the Dec, 24 Issue Must Be Dec, 27. Mr. James'said the town," charter prevents, 'the Council from Submitted No Later Than 4 p.m., Friday,'Dec 20th. All News 'The nominations will, be judged "witholding use" of the town attorney. ' ' "' " " & Advertising Copy"for the'Dec. 31 Issue Must Be Submitted • by a panel of three distinguished "I don't think'we (Concil) ever meant 'that recommendation to in- 'No' Later Than 4 p.m., Friday, Dec. 27th. • town citizens, who will determine terfere with the proper functioning of a board or commission," he added. • the winner, -The award .will be Democrat Councilman Ronald. D'Amico said, however, the written, ' The Town Times Office Wil. Be-Closed presented, at a banquet for nominees.' directive from the Council leadership caused a "furor" with the boards, * at a date .and place to 'be. announced. and. was much more restrictive than,-Mr. James* verbal interpretation. Tuesday & Wednesday,-Dec. 24 & 25, and. • More information can. be obtain- • , Coimnisson Has. Power Tncsday^ &.<Wednesday; Dec. 31. & Jan. 1. ed by contacting Jaycees President, "Zoning laws cannot be changed by whim,, nor by 'the body politic," ' ' - WeWWi You'All a Most,Happy, Safe - Henry McGough at 274-8874,, or Secretary John, Sklanka 'at, Mr. Masi said .in reference to the issue that has developed over the pro- . And Healthy- Holiday "Season, (Continued on page 2) •. 2,744834. • Property of the Watertown Historical Society Tiroes ' Ms" • Residents Level •the Christmas season. •' Democrat Councilman Charles watertownhistoricalsociety.orgIn a prepared statement, Mr. Natale said, he did "regret the looseness" ' Fisher also has been, a strong, pro- (Continued from page I) of his remarks., and. appreciates the 'work the businesses have done. He ponent, of fixing Bunker Hill. Resi- posed opening of Farmdale Road onto Barnes Road. He said the zon- dent Anthony Fusco, 192 Bunker 1 said more still can be accomplished in sprucing up the center, and, pro- ing within town has to be in conceit with 'the 1965 master plan, which posed the creation of a self-governing merchants panel and a business Hill,-spoke in favor of the study he called a "good, one." property tax. zone. ••' \ Monday night. William Brown and David Goulet of the Barnes-Farmdale Mr. Natale took. Mr. Agnew up on. his offer for a personally-conducted The engineering study money neighborhood urged the Council and planning commissioners to better tour of the area. had been, tabbud for a possible se- communicate with each other, and find a solution.