Bridges, Books and bugles...

Tomorrow you can stock up on summer reading at the VFW book sale... 9-3 at the former Grange hall on Route 169... then enjoy the Cornet Band concert at the Town Hall lawn starting at 6 p.m. The weather looks promising... hotter than blazes but most likely dry.

The work on Butts Bridge is slightly ahead of schedule. Current estimates are for the crossing to open up again around August 15, and for the entire project to be complete in the Fall. This beats the initial estimate of a Spring completion. 

We've upped the internet speed at the Town Hall. If we're fast enough we might experiment with video coverage of meetings. One step at a time...

Have a great weekend. I'm sure there's mowing in there somewhere now that's the moisture's back!

Brian Sear

Re-evaluating revaluation...

Traditionally, every five years the Town puts out requests for proposals to companies bidding on our required revaluation of properties, and chooses one to provide the services. Our last re-val was held in 2009 at a cost of $114,000.

For the past several months, towns from the Northeast Council of Governments have been looking into the cost savings of having one re-val company handle the revaluations for all 12 towns. The initial idea was for NECCOG itself to research forming a re-val company to provide this service. Then it was decided that putting the concept out to bid would be prudent.

The project was put out to bid and a contractor chosen by NECCOG towns. The cost savings in this arrangement for our Town is estimated to be more than $40,000 on our next re-val, scheduled for 2014. Such an arrangement has the added value that instead of the re-val company's involvement beginning at the start of the re-val year, the Town will have the re-val company's services throughout the 5-year contract period.

A resolution authorizing the Selectman to enter into this agreement on behalf of the Town will be discussed and acted on at next Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting, and if so moved, will be presented at a Town meeting.

Brian Sear

Community Room paint fest...

We need 3-4 able bodied folks to help paint the Community Room this Sunday. If you can help, please show up at noon.

Many work make light hands...

Brian Sear

Blow that horn...

Friends of Prudence Crandall are holding a free concert on Saturday July 24 on the Community Center lawn featuring the East Woodstock Cornet Band. Music begins at 6 p.m. Ice Cream, Sundaes, water and coffee will be for sale; funds benefit the Friends of Prudence Crandall Museum, Inc.

The East Woodstock Cornet Band has about 25 members ranging from school age to retirees. The band was founded in 1893 by a joint Resolution of the Connecticut House of Representatives. Jeff Kelleher, a Brooklyn Middle School band director, is the cornet band's current director.

Sounds like fun...

Brian Sear

Hot News...

Thanks to all who organized and participated in the Fourth of July activities. Several people have expressed interest in helping plan next year's event to include even more offerings. The best place to get started is to write a brief letter of interest to the Selectmen's office.

The State of Connecticut is the first in the nation to institute an Emergency Notification System (ENS). It's called "CTAlert", and it consists of a contact database that will be used to update citizens and businesses when emergency situations occur. It functioned quite well during the recent flooding emergency in Stonington, Mystic and Pawcatuck. To sign up to have emergency info from one or more location automatically sent to your home phone, cell phone, e-mail, Blackberry, etc., go to www.ctalert.gov.

The heat is supposed to taper off slightly this weekend, but the Governor still has asked for conservation of water until we get some rains back. I always watch Ed's ponds for a clue as to where we are on the Green. When the first rock shows it means we're starting to get low. When the second shows it's time to start thinking laundromat. We'll see...

Have a great weekend.

Brian Sear

Going Fourth...

The Fourth of July represents many milestones for different people. In addition to being the celebration of our nation's birth, in my family it represents the day my parents were married in 1942. We used to give our parents a hard time over this. “Why did you get married on the 4^th?  Were you trying to be grandstanders? Did you want to overshadow the historical meaning of the holiday?”

 The real reason has a historical basis, as many events related to the 4^th do. 1942 was the middle of wartime, and my parents worked in the war support effort, as did all of their friends and relatives. Companies were working three shifts a day, 7 days a week. The only day they could all gather and take part in the wedding together was July 4^th, , which they all had off.

 My father is 95 and this year I’m joining a family gathering to visit him and celebrate the holiday and that day long ago. It looks like Canterbury will have a grand parade and fun activities at Manship, and I thank all of those involved for planning another event that truly demonstrates how great it is to live and work in our Town. I’ll miss all of you.

Have great weekend and holiday.

Brian Sear

Prudent boating...

Today I attended the launching of the D.E.P. (Department of Environmental Protection) safety training craft "Prudence", named after our own Prudence Crandall. The soft hull boat will be used to spearhead education efforts on safe boating practices, which includes avoiding BWI (Boating While Intoxicated). The boat name derives from the fact that Prudence Crandall was a big proponent of education, and that D.E.P. is promoting "PRudent" boating.

Governor Rell initiated the launch, not with a traditional bottle of champagne, but a plastic water bottle decorated for the occasion. Photos are available in this website's gallery.

I was interested in why boats are traditionally called "she", and found the following on-line:

"According to Yarns of the Sea, Legends, Myths, and Superstitions: Although women were considered to bring bad luck at sea, mariners always use the pronoun "she" when referring to their ships. Whether its proper name is masculine, or whether it is a man o'war, a battleship, or a nuclear submarine, a ship is always referred to as "she."

This old tradition is thought to stem from the fact that in the Romance languages, the word for "ship" is always in the feminine. For this reason, Mediterranean sailors always referred to their ship as "she", and the practice was adopted over the centuries by their English-speaking counterparts."

Brian Sear

Approaching the Fourth...

This Saturday a huge yard sale will be held from 9-2 at the Finnish American Heritage Society on Route 169. Hot dogs, pulla, soda, coffee and snacks will be available to fortify you for shopping and haggling.

The Canterbury Historical Society is sponsoring a blood drive to be held in the Community Room this coming Monday from 12:30-5:15 p.m. Reserve a time by calling 1-800-REDCROSS.

The annual 4th of July parade will be held on July 3rd this year from 10-12 on Route 14, followed by a Family Fun Community Event at Manship Park from noon to 4 p.m. The committee has been working hard to make this extra special. Contact the Selectmen's office at 546-9693 or stop by the office to reserve a space in the parade.

Have a great weekend.

Brian Sear

Save the lilies...

One of the summer jobs of the Town Public Work crew is mowing the sides of Town roads. Typically, an area about 4 feet off the shoulder is cut to increase "sight distance", which increases the distance motorists can see and react to other traffic.

Several residents have requested that the Town not mow where Day Lilies are present. If you have an area of Day Lilies that you don't want cut, it is your responsibility to clearly mow and clean the area of tall grass and high weeds. This will clearly show that you wish these plants to be protected.

Then we can have beauty and safety at the same time!

If you have any questions on this, please call the Selectmen's office. 

Brian Sear

Town Meeting Ahead...

On Thursday, June 24, a Town Meeting will be held in the Community Room to discuss and vote on three proposed Ordinances: An Ordinance Relating to the Payment of Delinquent Payments in Excess of One Year of Motor Vehicle Taxes; n Ordinance Establishing an Agricultural Commission, and a Right to Farm Ordinance.

The first requires that payment of motor vehicle property taxes that exceed one year be paid only in cash or by certified check or money order. The second two resulted from proposals by the Canterbury Agricultural Study Committee. Details of the ORdinances are available in the Town Clerk's Office or on the Town Clerk Page of this website.

The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.

Brian Sear