Town/Govt

New town manager selected

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John D. Ward of Vernon has been appointed as Granby’s new town manager, effective July 13. Ward will replace William F. Smith, Jr. who retired after 39 years.Ward has served as chief administrative officer for the Town of Vernon since January 2009. His responsibilities were very much the same as a town manager except he reported to the mayor and not a council or board of selectmen. He previously served on the Vernon Town Council and Board of Education. He was a practicing attorney from 199 […]

Town/Govt

Wilhelm Farm awarded U.S.D.A. grant

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By Shirley MurthaThe Wilhelm Farm on Rte. 189 in North Granby has been awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture for the period March 1, 2017 through September 30, 2019. The official title of the project is Wilhelm Farm: Demonstrations of Silvopasture and Other Agroforestry Systems. The NRCS demonstrations will include web pages, videos, fact sheets and onsite activities. They will be used by a […]

Town/Govt

YOU ARE NEEDED

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A Granby resident is needed to fill a vacancy on the Agricultural Commission. If you are interested in this position, call the Democratic Town Committee Chairman Jim Lofink at 860-810-0274, Republican Town Committee Chairman Mark Neumann at 860-978-4808, or the town manager at 860-844-5300. […]

Town/Govt

Let’s Golf!

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It’s time for the 2017 Joseph B. Nilsen Memorial Golf Tournament. Join the Granby and Bradley Regional Chambers of Commerce for another fun-filled day on a great course for a great cause at Crestview Country Club, 281 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam, Mass., on Monday, June 5, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Registration Includes: putting green, 18 holes of golf, greens fees and golf cart, social hour, deluxe dinner buffet, contests and raffle prizes. Fees are $600 for a foursome, $750 for a f […]

Town/Govt

BOE looks to the future

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By Kim BeckerPressure is mounting on the schools and Town in light of the revenue shortfall facing the State. Governor Malloy’s revised budget demands almost $4 million from Granby, including cuts to the ECS and shifting the cost of the State’s contributions to the teachers’ pension fund to municipalities. Though the Town passed a budget last month, deep funding cuts will make it difficult to maintain services. The Board of Education and the school administration ha […]

Town/Govt

Two Granby Democratic Town Commitee Scholarships in 2017!

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By Jim LofinkThe Granby Democratic Town Committee (DTC) would like to thank Congressman John Larson for supporting it in offering a second $1,000 scholarship to recognize a Granby student who best exemplifies the DTC mission of making Granby a better community, and has demonstrated engagement in the political process.This year, the DTC increased it’s annual scholarship from $500 to $1,000 due to increased community support. With Congressman Larson’s support this year, DTC will offer […]

Town/Govt

2017 Granby revaluation underway

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By Susan Altieri, CCMA, IIAssessorThe Town of Granby is in the process of beginning state mandated revaluation for October 1. State law now requires all municipalities to conduct a revaluation every five years. Revaluation is the equalization of property values by estimating the current market value of all properties in town. Its purpose is to value all property by the same standards at the same point in time.The town has hired Vision Government Solutions to assist the Assessor’s office wi […]

Town/Govt

Town Manager highlights probable cuts in budget

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By Shirley MurthaAt the March 6 Board of Selectmen meeting, Town Manager Bill Smith reiterated his concern that services will need to be cut to adhere to the Board of Finance’s directive for no increases in town operations for the upcoming fiscal year. In addition to a minimum of money expected from the state, the state is asking Granby to provide $1,514,998 to support the teachers retirement fund. This will have a serious impact on the budget. With other state revenue cuts, it would chang […]

Town/Govt

Ethics exploratory committee seeks input

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A group of citizens is seeking input from the community regarding establishing an ethics committee for the town of Granby. It has posted a survey on its website: www.granbytaxpayers.orgAn article in last month’s Drummer asked for participation, but there has been a relatively small response. The majority, 69 percent of respondents, answered “yes.” Comments included, “thank you for this” and “pleased if there were a forum to pose inquiries on legitimate topics […]

Town/Govt

LAFD: It’s brush fire season!

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By Tim RickisDid you know that Forest/Wildfire season is upon us? Lost Acres Fire Department wants to keep you safe during brush fire season. Because leaves and grass have not greened yet, there is an abundance of dried-out and exposed materials that are ideal for wildfires. It’s also when residents begin yard cleanup, cookouts and campfires, all of which can easily ignite the dried leaves, twigs and grass.Granby requires a permit from the Open Burning Official for open burning, and there […]