Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/author/shirley-murtha/page/5/)
The firm Buckhurst Fish and Jacquemart (BFJ) was selected by the Granby Board of Selectmen on Oct. 7 to consult with the Granby Center Advisory Committee to help determine the best direction to take in updating the center.
This past month, Oct. 12 to be exact, was World Migratory Bird Day. Although it will be well past peak migration by the time you read this, there surely will still be some stragglers and maybe even some murmuration along the Connecticut River. Established in 2006 by the Smithsonian Institution, this day was developed to bring attention to the fact that many migratory bird populations were declining at an alarming rate.
At the Aug. 5 Granby Board of Selectmen meeting, Paul Williamson from Key Capture Energy (KCE) presented information about the company’s proposal to install a battery energy storage facility at 100 Salmon Brook Street. On Aug. 7, Williamson and a team from KCE conducted an open house in the senior center to answer questions from residents regarding the proposal.
To create more specific autonomous areas of control and enhance daily communication, Town Manager Mike Walsh recently announced a reorganization of the Public Works Department. Existing employees were interviewed and subsequently promoted to supervisory positions. The new positions will also provide more training and promotional opportunities.
Senator Lisa Seminara of Avon, Senator John Kissel of Enfield and Representative Mark Anderson of Granby appeared in the town hall meeting room on June 26 to report on some of the proposals passed in the recently concluded State of Connecticut legislative session.
A previous Drummer article introduced readers to the Bennett family, the new owners of Lost Acres Orchard. Since acquiring the farm in April 2023, they have done a wonderful job maintaining many of its familiar aspects while introducing some new personal touches. As the Agricultural Commission began its plans for this year’s Open Farm Day, it was only natural to invite the Bennetts to continue the tradition of the orchard’s participation in the event. They enthusiastically agreed to do so.
When First Selectman Mark Fiorentino was asked if the 2024 Granby Memorial Day parade was still a go, considering the heavy rain that morning, he replied, “They didn’t stop fighting for our freedom just because it was raining; showing up is the least we can do.”
Half-way through the school year, Granby Memorial High School junior Ben Lavigne was appointed the second student representative to the Board of Selectmen, joining senior Chas Orluk in reporting scholastic and sports news from the school.
Bluebirds are being welcomed all over town this spring! Whether it has anything to do with climate change, it seems that there are more than usual appearing in our backyards. In addition to having difficulty contending with killing winter temperatures, another factor in their dwindling numbers in our area during the past several decades is that house wrens, tree swallows, alien house sparrows and starlings have crowded the gentle blues out of nearly all available nesting places.
On April 27, Holcomb Farm Tree Trail members and master gardeners Barry Avery and Eric Lukingbeal led a group of interested folks on a walk that culminated with the planting of a tree in honor of Arbor Day 2024.