Support for Anderson
Mark Anderson is dedicated to working for the citizens he represents and reaches out to those communities for their input and continues to provide information on current status of legislation and proposals.
He believes in common sense proposals that do not burden taxpayers such as the electric vehicle mandate when the state can barely generate enough low-cost electricity to supply homes and businesses,
As a friend and neighbor, we know he is a dedicated family member and truly respects others. He has enacted legislation on the Farmington River flow and proposed further methods to reduce human-bear conflicts. He successfully advocated to the state bond commission for a $2 million award for the Granby public safety communications systems that will allow for better coordination between police, ambulance and nearby towns.
Please vote for Mark. He is the person who will continue to support legislation to improve affordability, job growth and ensure the culture we desire in Granby.
Jim and Loretta English
Mark Anderson has done more than just represent his district. He has been a pivotal representative directly helping his constituents. Mark has always had a hands-on approach. Last year alone he wrote more than 30 bills, and he co-sponsored bills. One bill that Mark has crafted with Lisa Seminara is HB 53555, an act concerning the water resources of the upper Farmington Valley River. It’s to create safeguards for a more consistent water flow. This bill passed with a bipartisan vote and was signed into law by Governor Lamont.
In particular when it comes to Granby and surrounding towns, Mark comes to as many meetings as possible to be up to date on the goings on in his district. Mark is also very helpful with providing public information with regard to any projects that may interfere with the environment, health and any other concerns we have. Mark literally has had his boots on the ground and in the water and has a personal concern when it comes to many issues that we are facing in Connecticut and, of course, his district.
Mark Anderson has always had our backs and has tried very hard in the legislature to get things done. He is in an uphill battle because our state is a one-party rule and the other side of the aisle doesn’t like to cooperate with common sense, straight-forward laws to help and protect the people of Connecticut.
Connecticut isn’t in the greatest of shape with electric bills skyrocketing and another rate hike in September and possibly another in April of 2025. The Legislature is begging Governor Lamont to call a special session—to date no luck. Mark is a strong advocate for us because he knows that people are struggling and wants to help them, but as you can see the other side of the aisle refuses.
In this state and town, as you are feeling, we are over-taxed on all levels with a tremendous amount of money in surplus. Mark understands and has been working tirelessly to change this to make it so we can afford to live in Connecticut.
Mark Anderson has our vote and we hope he has yours as well. He will continue to work hard for all of us and inform us as well, to what is going on in legislature. He will love to hear from you, with any and all concerns you may have.
Robert Flanigan
Toni Flanigan
Bear Safety
Earlier this summer, Kyle Testerman, a wildlife biologist with Connecticut DEEP, discussed bear safety at a meeting in Simsbury. Testerman presented tips for keeping ourselves and the bears safe. A video of his talk is available through the Simsbury Community Media at youtube.com/watch?v=AtN-1azqEj8&t=162s
Testerman also mentioned BearWise.org as a helpful site with articles such as What bears do in June.
I am sharing this information with Drummer readers who may have missed this informative meeting.
Chris Klemmer
Library’s Book Sale
I am thrilled to announce that the Friends of the Granby Public Libraries’ (FOGPL) 41st annual book sale in July was a huge success, raising more than $13,350.
The book sale is by far the Friends’ largest fundraiser of the year, and all proceeds go toward helping fund both of Granby’s libraries. The success of the sale would not be possible without our super volunteers, the donation of items, our sponsors and the hundreds of people who came out every day during the three-day sale.
Planning and running the Friends’ book sale is a large undertaking, only made possible by our awesome volunteers. We had many new volunteers, along with the dedicated familiar faces, help out with everything, from collecting donations, sorting books and setting up the room, to running the three-day sale,and then the clean-up. This year, it took roughly 1,000 volunteer hours over a five-week period. If you multiply the number of hours by the minimum wage, the book sale would be in the red!
A big thank you for everyone who donated books, puzzles, games, comics, DVDs, CDs and records. We really appreciate your donations and your holding on to them until we start collecting in late June. While books make up most of the sales, many enjoy shopping for other items. Each year we receive unique items that make it a treasure hunt, since you never know what you will find. And thank you to the town of Granby for allowing us to continue conducting the sale and sorting at Holcomb Farm for a reasonable fee.
We give thanks for our sponsors, who also contribute and support the book sale.
Gold Sponsors: MLKR Law (Murphy, Laudati, Kiel and Rattigan), LLC and Coward Farms in Southwick, Mass. Silver Sponsors: Cori Gayle Confections and Judy Guarco, realtor with BHHS New England Properties. In-kind Service: Paine’s, Inc. On behalf of the Friends, thank you everyone for making our 41st annual used book sale a great success!
Brian Tomasino
President, Friends of the
Granby Public Libraries
Support for Becker
On Nov. 5, Granby voters can choose to send a woman with a strong voice and a demonstrated commitment to represent our town in the General Assembly. Kim Becker is my neighbor and friend and I wholeheartedly endorse her in the race for the 62nd State Representative District.
I first met Kim when she was volunteering for the Drummer and writing monthly articles about the Board of Education, on which I was serving. Kim came to every meeting, asked great questions, and wrote helpful, insightful articles. She took this volunteer job very seriously. I soon learned that when Kim takes on a task, she doesn’t do it half-way. Since then, Kim has chaired the Granby Education Foundation, joined the Granby Ambulance board, the Stony Hill Village board, and been appointed to the Commission on Aging.
Kim has put all of her energy into making Granby a better, more affordable, more enjoyable town. When she’s elected, Kim’s top priorities are to support our rural towns in ways that make them a great place to raise kids. She wants to dig into the education cost share formula to help relieve rural towns like Granby of the tax burden—she will work to fund schools appropriately in small rural towns that don’t have a big tax base. She will also work to help our small farms and small businesses thrive.
We need a strong voice in the state legislature. We need a person who has demonstrated her commitment to Granby, someone who will speak up for our farms and schools. That person is Kim Becker. I hope you will join me in voting for Kim on Nov. 5.
Lynn Guelzow
We have an important decision on Nov. 5 in choosing our representative for the 62nd district of Connecticut. Looking closely at the policies and positions of both candidates, I believe Kim Becker is the candidate with the clearest vision of the needs and interests of the people of our district. I serve on the Commission on Aging with Kim and have heard her speak with passion on the special-needs services necessary for the elderly in our community and the difficulties those living on fixed incomes face in downsizing to affordable housing. She further demonstrates her commitment by serving on the Stony Hill Village board, which oversees housing for elderly and disabled adults.
I have also gone door knocking with Kim and have seen her engaging with citizens, showing her passion and knowledge on issues such as relieving property tax burdens on the farming communities and assuring fair funding of public education through the Education Cost Sharing and Special needs program. She believes that making medical care, including mental health care, more accessible is paramount for the welfare of all our students and families. Kim’s support for the police, fire and ambulance departments is unwavering. Kim knows growth in the community is vital to our existence, but she also knows that this must be done in a balanced and responsible way that preserves the natural beauty of Granby that brought so many of us here.
I have seen Kim working endlessly for these issues to provide the best life possible for our district. This is why I give my full support for her victory on Nov. 5.
Lynette Simpson