By Marcus Hatfield
Journal Inquirer
ENFIELD — The Town Council has voted to transfer an additional $1.6 million to pay for debris cleanup following October’s snowstorm, bringing the town’s total tab for the cleanup effort so far to $3.6 million.
The transfer, approved Monday, comes two weeks after the council set aside $2 million to pay the contractors it hired to collect storm debris — AshBritt Environmental and Science Applications International Corp.
By Marcus Hatfield
Journal Inquirer
ENFIELD — After a long study of early education in Enfield, a local group charged with improving education for young children will present its preliminary plan to do just that tonight.
The presentation, which is open to the public, will be held in the John F. Kennedy Middle School cafeteria at 5:30 p.m.
Rep. David Kiner, D-Enfield, right, accepts a gift Monday for his previous service on the Enfield Town Council. Former council members Clemence Dumont, second from left, and Jake Keller, third from left, also received gifts. Current council members pictured in the back row from left to right are Greg Stokes, Tom Kienzler, Carol Hall, Mayor Scott Kaupin, and Cynthia Mangini.
Historic building would have been home of probate court
By Marcus Hatfield
Journal Inquirer
ENFIELD — The town lost out last month on a federal grant that would have paid for work at the Hazardville Institute, which officials hoped would become the permanent home of the probate court.
On Oct. 21, the state announced awards totaling more than $12.3 million to 28 towns as part of the federal Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, but Enfield’s project was not on the list.
25th Reunion: Fermi High School, Class of 1986, will hold a 25th reunion at 7 p.m. Saturday at Chicago Sam’s on Elm Street. Bring your spouse or significant other, all are welcome. This will be a very informal get-together. It will be cash bar and food will be available for purchase. For more information email Christine Tornatore Romaniello.
AARP Chapter 3062 trips: On Dec. 4, Enfield AARP Chapter 3062 will offer a trip to the Stageloft Theatre in Sturbridge, Mass. to enjoy a modern classic, “A Christmas Story.” Feast on a meal of either an old-fashioned chicken pie or classic Yankee pot roast, potato, veggie, tea and coffee plus dessert. Leave at 10:15 a.m. Cost is $65. All trips depart from Bob’s commuter parking lot. For information and reservations, call Evelyn, 860-749-8798, or Stacia, 860-749-3714.
Concert: The Enfield Cultural Arts Commission will sponsor a holiday concert performed by “The Dan Kane Singers” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Enfield Congregational Church, South Road and Enfield Street. Admission is $7 in advance or $10 at the door. For tickets call 860-253-6420.
Screenings: The school system’s Special Education Department will offer screenings for children whose parents are concerned about their child’s development in the areas of speech and language, fine or gross motor skills, cognition, and behavioral or social skills. Screenings are available for children ages 3 to 5. For a screening referral call Julie Carroll, 860-253-6519.
Storm recovery efforts are underway. Clearing and removing debris is a major part of that effort, and the town’s contractor, AshBritt Environmental, will begin debris collection and removal on Saturday and will continue until Dec. 16.
Residents are asked to do the following:
1. Place storm-related vegetative debris (branches) at the curb as soon as possible.
2. Do not block any sidewalks with debris.
3. If it is not possible to safely place debris at the curb, place the debris close as possible to the house side of the sidewalk.
4. Any vegetative debris with a diameter of 8 inches or more must be less than 10 feet in length.
5. Do not place any debris on top of utilities (cable, phone, electrical, or storm drain boxes).
6. Please do not block your mail box with the debris.
7. Do not bag, bundle or place your debris in tipper barrels.
8. Please do not block the roadways with debris piles as emergency vehicles may need to enter and exit your area.
9. Do not park your vehicles on the streets during the time frame the debris is being collected.
10. Please drive carefully and slowly in areas with large debris piles.
Debris removal crews will NOT enter private property to collect or remove debris. All debris must be placed in piles at or near the curb within the public right-of-way, as described above. It is every home and business owner’s responsibility to bring the debris to the curb. Your cooperation will make operation proceed smoothly and ensure that the community recovers as quickly as possible.
This operation is ONLY for vegetative debris related to the storm. Do not attempt to place garbage or other household refuse with the disaster debris, as it will not be accepted. Because of strict federal guidelines for reimbursement, we ask residents not to place other materials at the curb.
For more information regarding the collection, call the Town Manager’s office at 860-253-6350 or the Department of Public Works at 860-763-7560 or visit the town’s website.
By Marcus Hatfield
Journal Inquirer
ENFIELD — With Thanksgiving just a week away, the town’s two major hunger organizations are looking for residents’ help so they can care for the needy for the holiday.
Linda K. Bridge, executive director of the Enfield Food Shelf, the local food pantry, said the October snowstorm crippled her group’s annual collection of turkeys for Thanksgiving. She said donations typically start in early November and that by this time last year she had at least 200 turkeys. As of late Wednesday morning, she had collected 62.
“I think that storm put a bit of a kink in everything. That’s why it’s such a last minute thing,” Bridge said, adding that the Food Shelf didn’t turn on its rented freezer trailer until Tuesday “because we had nothing to put in it.”
By Marcus Hatfield
Journal Inquirer
ENFIELD — Because of the October snowstorm, the school system has already spent half of its snow days, and the superintendent said that changes to the school calendar will be among the first issues the new Board of Education decides.
Schools were closed from Oct. 31 to Nov. 7 due to power outages and blocked roadways caused by the Oct. 29 nor’easter. Superintendent John Gallacher said Tuesday that means the school system has just five more days it can tack on to the end of the year because state law does not allow the school year to extend into July.
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