Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/author/shirley-murtha/page/11/)
Although she wasn’t born here, Holcomb Farm employee Michelle Dingivan’s childhood memories were set in Granby, for she was only three years old when her family moved here from Hluboka, Czechia. One of those early memories was a third-grade field trip to what was then the educational center at the Farm.
A pile of nearly 400 letters written by her family members and discovered when she was a teenager has been in the back of Rita Isaacson’s mind for the past several decades. It is one of many reasons why she has made the decision to step down as the Managing Editor of The Granby Drummer, which was announced in October’s issue.
Due to the importance of two topics under consideration, the Board of Selectmen and the Planning and Zoning Commission held a joint meeting on Sept. 19. To be discussed were the questions of whether there should be a town center study and which board or commission should study each of the components of the Granby Affordable Housing Plan.
After almost three hours of input and discussion among interested parties on Oct. 17, the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to approve a proposal that gives town-owned Holcomb Farm a long-term Granby Land Trust conservation easement and a path to sustainability.
The Town of Granby is governed by charter, carried out by a board of selectmen and a town manager as established in 1960.
Every fall, the Granby Board of Selectmen appoints a student representative from Granby Memorial High School to attend meetings and give updates on the happenings at the school. This year, that representative is junior Chas Orluk.
When she was growing up on Nantucket, Granby resident Catherine Slattery learned that being a girl had some disadvantages. She couldn’t work at or go to the Caddy Camp at the island golf club. “Boys Only” was the rule. That was always in the back of her mind, and, many years later, when she became one of the owners of the island’s Madaket Marine, she was determined to start a Captain’s camp for young women. Not only would this even the long-ago score, it would increase the talent pool from which she could draw staffing for the marina.
The Town of Granby has received a $453,000 grant for the installation of a pedestrian-friendly walking path along the perimeter of Salmon Brook Park.
In 2018, the Town constructed a sidewalk along Route 10/202 that continued a bit into the park. Fast forward a few years and the Parks and Recreation Board began thinking about extending the sidewalk.
During the public session discussion of the proposed Long-term Conservation and Sustainability Plan for Holcomb Farm on Oct. 17, some people presented personal memories and stories in their encouragement for approval of the plan. Their words added weight and were greatly appreciated by the many residents in the Town Hall meeting room.
Progress continues to be made in assigning projects to be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).