Mailed free to requesting homes in Eastford, Pomfret & Woodstock Vol. VI, No. 34 Complimentary to homes by request (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Voters approve $21M budget at the polls “Character is the basis NEW SPENDING PLAN INCLUDES 0.5-MILL INCREASE of happiness and happi- ness the sanction of BY JACK MELTZER think it was a budget that takes care of the needs last year’s budget. One of the things that we were character.” VILLAGER STAFF WRITER of the town and the town government. We tried to able to do is we put more than $6,000 into our line WOODSTOCK — On Tuesday, May 17, residents be frugal in putting together the budget, and I item for Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment voted by paper ballot, 352-286, to approve the $21.15 think that we accomplished that.” Group (TEEG), which is for people we use for million budget, which sets the tax rate at 18.42 The Board of Finance approved the voted budg- social services, and fuel assistance, specifically for mills, a 0.5-mil increase over last fiscal year. et after the referendum. Woodstock residents. That was good.” INSIDE The budget includes both the general govern- It was a 12.6 percent voter turnout at the polls The budget line item for TEEG is usually $7,000, ment budget at $5.45 million, and the education Tuesday. A total of 638 votes were cast, with nine with an added $6,339 that will go specifically go to A8 — OPINION budget at $15.69 million. The fiscal 2011 general absentee ballots. fuel. A12 — SPORTS government budget was $5,412,494. Woodstock’s Walker said there were a couple of things that “I think we proposed a fair budget,” Board of fiscal 2012 budget is $5,458,063, which is a $45,569 were actually added to the budget after the most Finance member George McCoy said. “A lot of B1 — HOT SPOT increase from last year. recent Board of Finance meeting. people are on very fixed budgets, and the economy B3 — CALENDAR “We’re happy with the fact that the budget “They gave us nearly $18,500 more to put in the passed,” said First Selectman Alan Walker. “I budget, because we came in at $27,000 ahead over Please Read BUDGET, page A10 B4 — OBITS B5 — RELIGION LOCAL Girl Scouts donate to Windy Acres GIFT HELPS FEED CATS, PAY VET BILLS BY JACK MELTZER on Thursday, May 12. earned for that.” VILLAGER STAFF WRITER According to Troop Gronski said that Troop WOODTOCK — Thanks to Leader Melany Gronski, of 65057 was a new troop and 15 second-grade girls in Woodstock, the Troop decid- that this year the troop Woodstock Girl Scout ed to donate to Windy Acres decided that the year was Brownie Troop 65057, some as part of a community going to be about helping hungry felines at Pound service project in which the those in need. Animals Worth Saving girls were going to collect “We made a list of all of (PAWS) at Windy Acres money,loose change and wet the things and people that Florist and Greenhouse will cat food from Woodstock needed help,” said Gronski. have their appetites satiated Elementary School and then “Some of the people they for the time being. delivered it to Windy Acres. brought up were ‘lonely peo- File photos ‘Art is everywhere The troop donated wet cat “One of the girls at the tag ple,’ ‘sick people,’ animals. and anywhere, art food and nearly $83 that they sale collected $9 on her own We then voted on what area, had been collecting at by selling some of her and who they wanted to help Above, last year’s Staff Sergeant Joseph E. Phaneuf II Memorial is for anyone and Woodstock Elementary items,” said Gronski. “She Road Race starts at the Ivy Glenn Memorial. Below, Isaac Budd School since March to PAWS used some of the money she takes a shower in the rain provided by the Eastford everyone’ Please Read GIRL SCOUTS, page A10 Independent Fire Company at last year’s Heritage Day. This Page A3 year’s event is slated for Saturday, June 11. SPORTS Parade, road race highlighting Heritage Day Berkowicz enjoying BY JACK MELTZER success at all levels VILLAGER STAFF WRITER EASTFORD — On Page A12 Saturday, June 11, Eastford will celebrate its 300th anniversary with an EVERDAY ECOLOGIST annual celebration and a parade beginning at 11:30 a.m. that will coincide PAGE A5 with its Heritage Day cele- Courtesy photo bration. OPINION “The 300th Anniversary The roof of the volunteer firehouse on Route 169, which was the first to receive the 9-kW solar of the Settlement of GET YOUR photovoltaic panels last week. Eastford Parade,” will POINT ACROSS start at the intersection of PAGE A8 John Perry Road, and Old Colony Road, and make a WHAT TO DO Woodstock goes solar loop proceeding north on Old Colony Road, past the mile Staff Sergeant A CALENDAR BY JACK MELTZER already generating elec- Eastford Public Library, Joseph E. Phaneuf II OF AREA EVENTS VILLAGER STAFF WRITER tricity. west on Westford Road Memorial Road Race PAGE B3 WORK BEGINS WOODSTOCK — On “Our commission has past Eastford Elementary starting at the Ivy Glenn Wednesday, May 11, solar been hard at work during School, and south on John Memorial, and will benefit ON MUNICIPAL panel installation began the past year to bring solar Perry Road and finally the Connecticut National on four town municipal power to Woodstock,” said returning to the intersec- Guard Foundation. There SOLAR PANEL buildings, with the Chairman of the tion of Old Colony Road. is a $15 application fee to Volunteer Fire Station on Woodstock CT Green This is the first year participate in the run, and PROJECT Route 169 being the first to Team Jim Stratos. Heritage Day will incorpo- will begin at 8 a.m. receive the 9 kW solar pho- rate a parade. Also there will be a car tovoltaic panels that are Please Read SOLAR, page A11 There will also be a 3.1- Please Read HERITAGE, page A11 2 • Friday, May 20, 2011 WOODSTOCK VILLAGER Plastics Expo features VILLAGER ALMANAC products designed by students QUOTATION OF THE WEEK “We’re happy with the fact that the budget passed. I think it was a budget that takes care of DANIELSON — Five new products Foster Corporation Chip O’Lari, supply chain manager created by teams of students from Kelsey Carpenter, a graduate of at Bollore, Inc.; John Firlik, system the needs of the town and the town government. area high schools working with rep- Tourtellotte and participant in last design engineer at Spirol We tried to be frugal in putting together the budg- resentatives from local plastics com- year’s competition, felt there were Corporation; and Jeff Paul, presi- et, and I think that we accomplished that.” panies will be presented to a group of many benefits to her involvement in dent and CEO of Whitcraft LLC. Two judges at the 8th annual High School the Plastics Expo. “I learned a lot awards will be given – Judge’s Choice Plastics Expo on Friday, May 20, at about teamwork, the amount of and People’s Choice. - Woodstock First Selectman Alan Walker.,com- Quinebaug Valley Community effort it takes to be a member of a The public is invited to attend the menting on the passing of the fiscal 2012 budget College. company, and time management presentations by the five teams. The Over the past four months each skills. Being a part of a team event starts at 9 a.m. in the Robert at referendum this week. team has used imagination, ingenu- requires a lot of patience, coopera- Miller Auditorium at the Danielson ity, and innovation to develop a new tion, and leadership skills.” Because campus. For more information, con- product made of plastic material. she was one of the few seniors on her tact Nora Butts, College Career The competition has introduced stu- team, Carpenter took a leadership Pathways coordinator, at 860-412- OPEN TO CLOSE dents to plastics manufacturing and role. “I tried to keep us on task,” she 7295. the process of product development said. “When disagreement POMFRET from design, prototyping, and testing occurred, we all had to con- TOWN HALL to marketing and sales. The past verse and decide on a solution Monday, Tuesday, Thursday . 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. seven competitions have featured a to the problem.” She calls the NEWS BRIEFS Wednesday. 8:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. variety of unique and useful prod- experience a big accomplish- Friday . CLOSED ucts, some of which the students ment. LIBRARIES have sold at their schools. The Plastics Expo is spon- Abington Social Library Participating this year are the fol- sored by QVCC, its College YMCA Camp Woodstock to Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. 5-8p.m. lowing teams: Career Pathways program, Saturday . 10 a.m.-noon • H.H. Ellis Technical High School and the Quinebaug host Black Pond Biathlon Pomfret Public Library Tuesday . 10 a.m.-6 p.m. & Westminster Tool, Inc. Manufacturing Institute, WOODSTOCK — Dig out that bathing • Putnam High School & Putnam which provides programs Thursday. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. suit and tie up those running shoes Friday . 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Precision Molding, Inc. that prepare people to work in because on Saturday,June 4, YMCA Camp • Tourtellotte Memorial High the plastics and other manu- Saturday. 10 a.m.-2 p.m Woodstock will be holding its first annual POST OFFICES School & Gentex Optics, Inc.