Property of the Watertown Historical Society watertownhistoricalsociety.org Timely Coverage Of News In The Fastest Growing Community In Litch field County SUBSCRIPTION PRICE '10.00 PER YEAR Town Meeting March 29 On Sewer Line Extension The Town Council voted along Democrat Joseph Cuttitta stipu- party lines Monday night in set- lating the Candee Hill extension ting a town meeting to appropri- would not be considered a prece- Principals' Assn. ate $22,335 for a sewer line ex- dent, and all further general tension across Straits Turnpike benefit sewer projects would be (Route 63), frozen until a policy is formulat- The meeting will be held ed, Monday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the high school library. The amended resolution Wins Arbitration passed by a 6-3 vote, The six Democrats favored Council members had no trou- the resolution taking SI 7,500 ble unanimously agreeing to a from the sewer extension fund, resolution calling for the state and $4,835 from the general fund to pay for an approximate 385- Department of Transportation Appeal On Contract foot extension from Candee Hill and General Assembly to Road. "urge" reconstruction of Route The Watertown Principals As- 63 Into Middlebury proceed as The line would service a new sociation has won its case in the scheduled in 1982, and another Mills Warns Further Cuts , arbitration settlement of a new restaurant planning to open in portion of the road and Route 73 the former house on the Daveluy two-year contract, offsetting the be given the "highest priority pact's rejection by the Town property adjacent to Westbury possible" for reconstruction. In Education Budget Ford, Burger King Restaurants Council a few weeks ago. also is expected to construct an The Council said the condition The arbitration ruling gives eatery at the intersection site. of "several" state roads in town Could Curtail Programs administrators and teachers a is "extremelypoor." split in their bids for favored sta- Council members have been at Other votes had the Council.1 The chairman of the Board of odds over what types of sewer crease of $758,556, or 8,6 per- tus through new contracts. A ••Authorizing Town Manager Education has cautioned further three-man panel March 1 sided service constitute "general reductions in its $9,5 million cent, over fiscal1981-82. James Troup to execute neces- Mr. Mills noted about with the Board of Education and benefit," There are no firm sary documents with the First budget for 1982-83 will mean a *„„» me nu nrm sary documents with the Firs cutback in programs and possi- $620,000 of the boost, or approxi- against the teaching force in a guidelines nor policies developed Federal Savings & Loan Asgeeia- ble layoffs, mately 82 percent, is attributed majority of Issues in a new two- by the Council and Water and tion so the town's administrative to salary increases from continu- year pact. Sewer Authority addressing the —-employee« s can participate in a "We have already cut original ing contracts, or new ones work- Citing six factors ranging from problem. deferred compensation plan. requests by three quarters of a ed out through binding arbitra- million dollars," said Chairman prior negotiations to cost of liv- Republican Norman Stephen, -Approving the forwarding of tion, ing changes, a three*person pa- who with his two,; partyr, col- John Mills in a written statement a town manager memo to the released this week. He noted the "This leaves only $138,556, or nel handling the WPA-Board leagues' voted against the town Public Buildings Committee, pact concluded its deliberations meeting resolution, said the Board is supporting unanimously 18 percent of the increase for all asking it to begin considering the figure sent to the Town other cost increases including, Feb. 23, and held an executive project to him did not appear to factors concerning the feasibility have any general benefit. council. but not limited to, insurance ben- session March 2 in Watertown to of another fire substation, reach its decision. The Council okayed by an 8-1 "Any further cuts will result in efits, maintenance, book sup- vote an amendment authored by -Tabling to April 5 discussion plies, and all other aspects of Hartford Atty, Susan E, Hal- the loss and/or curtailment of perin chaired the panel, which « ------«, (Continued on ppaga e 2) programs and the loss of person- school operation," he continued, nel." Mr. Mills said the "net im- included Atty. Victor Muschell pact" of the budget actually is representing local and regional The Board pared School Su- Boards of Education, and Atty. Concerned Taxpayers perintendent Dr. Richard C. reduced to an increase of $257,556, or 2,9 percent, more Gerald H. Braffman, represent- Briggs' budget by about $90,000 ing the principals' interests, Meet Sunday Afternoon from his request of $9,654,675. than last year because the town An open meeting of all in- will receive an additional Atty. Muschell also was an ar- 4n ODen meptino nf all in Mr»* , Pon„ d contends there is The superintendent previously terested residents and taxpayers had reduced department recom- $501,000 in state education aid. biter in the Board-teachers dis- , concerned about rising taxes and waste in the town's budgets, and "As chairman, and speaking pute. believes savings can be effected mendations $682,450 from the municipal spending is scheduled $10.3 million asked for. for the Board, we consider this "We're very happy we won," for Sunday afternoon, March 21, He remarked that if a business- budget to be minimal and neces- commented Donald Mitchell, man were to run his business the The education budget as it Griffin School principal and at 2 o'clock in the Watertewn way the town's government is now stands represents an in- sary, if we are to continue to pro- High School auditorium. (Continued on page 2) chairman of the WPA. "We like run, he d soon be out of busi- \wuuuiiuetj on page 2) the contract, and felt the Board Local contractor John Pond, ness. Jr., organizer of the meeting, and principals had come to a fair has said through statements and It is hoped by the meeting's Watertown Native Wins conclusion," paid advertising that he is con- sponsor that a large enough The two sides had negotiated cemed about the unending in- meeting of people with like an agreement, but the pact was thinking will result in concrete I. V, Reporting Award rejected by the Council In a 5-2 crease in municipal costs, Forme_ _ _ r ifTow* _ _ n_ PriTime * _._ s ^ _reporte _, i _ . r "They're (officials) spending all proposals to be put forth to town The proceedings were broad- vote Jan. 18 for being "too cost- fathers for saving on expendi- Joseph Bergantino has won a ly." of our money without any con- DuPont-Columbia Award for a cast live over national public tures and taxes at the upcoming television. Some Council members op- cern of where it's coming from," budget hearings scheduled for 10-part series he developed for a he said. Miami television station in 1980, Currently a member of the "I- posed giving the kinds of raises next month. sought, did not like the disparity Mr, Bergantino, 30, received Team" investigative unit for WBZ, an NBC affiliate in Boston, between pay hikes for principals the television medium's equiva- and teachers, and felt there lent of the Pulitzer Prize at cere- Mr. Bergantino and three co- workers won the broadcast should be a "dosing of ranks" monies Feb. 11 at Columbia Uni- between the Board members versity. The presentation was award for their "Billion Dollar Ghetto" series for station themselves over contract figures. made by Max Robinson, an ABC- The Board had okayed the TV anchorman, WPLG-TV in Miami. The series centered on why a agreement by one vote. DE Success Is billion dollars in government aid Additional salary impacts were had failed to improve conditions estimated at about $30,000 the in the Miami ghetto. Four first year, and $33,400 for 1983- 'Accessory' To months in the making, it was 84, according to Richard Huot, Student Effort broadcast in October, 1980. school department business The son of Mr, and Mrs, Jo- manager, in January, Several members of Water- seph Bergantino, 145 Guernsey- Mr. Mitchell said the final town High School's Distributive town Road, Mr. Bergantino won agreement is about $700 less Education Clubs of America two Emmy Awards for the Miami than the contract sent to arbitra- (DECA) chapter picked up ABC affiliate, and in December, tion, but the town will have to awards at the March 4-5 District 1981, won an Emmy for WBZ on pay about $5,000 to $6,000 in le- Career Development Conference its In-depth investigative story gal fees for the arbitration pro- held In New Britain. on increasing crime in Vermont. cess, DECA President Maria The DuPont-Columbia honor The contract Itself is saving Church won first place in apparel was given to about 17 stations the town some money, Mr. Mit- accessories, an area in which nationwide, Mr. Bergantino chell said, because William Bir- Watertown did particularly well. said, and recognizes the "best cher has replaced the retired Liv- DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATION students from Watertown High Others placing from WHS were School placed well at the recent district regional conference in New work done in a year'' by stations. ingston Crowell as principal of Cecile Hamel, second; DeeDee A graduate of Sacred Heart Judson School, and has a lower Britain, Award winners seated left to right from the various categories Knight, third; Roberta Bessette, were DeeDee Knight, third; Maria Church, first; Cecile Hamel, sec- High School, Waterbury, and salary schedule at the moment.