Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/author/shirley-murtha/page/20/)
North Granby residents Steve and Lorraine German have a summer home in the quiet town of Sandisfield, Mass. Steve’s grandfather owned the house, which passed down to his mother, and then to him.
Granby residents are probably aware that their annual tax bill is determined by the value that the Town Assessor places on their property. Seems like a simple job, right? Definitely not.
Representing the Kearns Community Center Steering Committee, Alicia Newton and Elliot Altomare presented the group’s proposal to the town at the July 16 Board of Selectmen meeting. To meet its mission statement, (“a place to connect, empower and sustain our community”), the committee has produced a proposal that is designed to succeed without tax support, meaning that the town would no longer be responsible for the cost of maintaining the building.
Susan Regan presented a three-pronged appeal to the Board of Selectmen during the Public Session of its July 16 meeting. Each of the requests has been made at prior times, but no satisfactory replies or actions have been rendered.
As far as Director of Human Services Sandra Yost is aware, this is the first year Granby has participated in the program designed by The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) to provide tax credits to businesses that make investments in qualifying community nonprofit programs by furnishing financial assistance, labor, materials or technical advice to aid in the physical improvement or rehabilitation of any part of the community. A minimum of $250 is required; the maximum donation is $250,000.
Scores of Granby residents and town hall staff gathered at Holcomb Farm’s North Barn to help former Community Development Director Fran Armentano celebrate his retirement.
David Deskis was recently appointed Granby’s new Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Director.
Police, fire, ambulance—these are the resources we think of as first responders in the case of an accident, fire or other emergency.
At the May 10 Board of Selectmen meeting, Town Manager John Ward recapped the history of the Requests for Proposals on 107 East Street, noting that the information gathering stages were complete. At this time, the board could accept the Hayes proposal, in which case a series of steps pursuant to the Granby town charter and to state law would follow, or it could reject the proposal, or take no action.
Town Manager John Ward received a letter on April 3 from resident Tom Vaughan withdrawing his proposal for an organic dairy farm to be developed at 107 East Street. He cited a lack of action from the Board of Selectmen and the fact that his family was being exposed to unpleasant comments and actions from town residents, both in person and on social media.