Plan of Conservation and Development public session is April 21

Granby’s Plan of Conservation and Development Subcommittee will hold a Public Session on the latest draft of the plan on April 21, at 7 p.m., in the Granby Town Hall Meeting Room.A Plan of Conservation and Development is required by Section 8-23 of the General Statutes of Connecticut. The subcommittee has been working on the plan for the past two years and it is nearing completion of a final draft. Prior to making the final changes to the plan, the subcommittee would like to hear the publi […]

Lost Acres Fire Department cadet program

Do you like helping your community? Have you always wanted to ride in a fire truck and help put out a fire? Want the opportunity to make new friends within the town and the fire department? Wonder what a cadet is?As members of the LAFD cadet’s program, youths will train and serve alongside members of the fire department. Cadets will be trained to assist the firefighters with various support activities. Additionally, cadets will be trained in actual firefighting skills in controlled conditi […]

Granby Police Department promotion

​Granby Detective Steven Vernale was promoted to sergeant in a ceremony held at the Granby Police Department on Friday, February 19.Sergeant Vernale is a graduate of Holy Cross High School in Waterbury and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. He will earn his master’s degree this year. He has been a Granby Police Officer since December 2008 and a detective since 2014. He is a field training officer and an accident reconstructionist for the North Central […]

First look at DOT’s plans for the town center

​by Shirley MurthaIt has taken many years, but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel regarding the re-configuration of the two main intersections in Granby center. Director of Community Development Fran Armentano noted that this is the result of the ongoing complaints by residents who utilize these roads during the rush hour commutes. Although there are other problems, it is the long lines of traffic during rush hours that are most annoying. During peak times, traffic on Rte. 1 […]

Dates set for budget hearing and referendum

Public Hearing is April 11; Referendum is April 25The annual Budget Public Hearing will be held on Monday, April 11 at 7 p.m. in the GMHS auditorium.​Granby residents will vote on the Town Budget at the Budget Referendum on Monday, April 25, from noon to 8 p.m. at the Town Hall Meeting Room. Residents must bring a valid form of identification (photo ID preferred) to vote. If you are not registered to vote, but own property in Granby and are otherwise eligible to vote, you may receive a ballot […]

Town manager presents “below reasonable” budget

​Board Of Selectmen Report By Shirley MurthaTown Manager William Smith began his presentation of the proposed 2016-2017 budget by explaining the procedures and policies that are undertaken in developing the budget. These include computer modeling, audit reports, studies of debt management, internal controls and risk management, the town’s growth in economic development, and purchasing methods—especially with an eye to regional cost sharing.Smith showed a series of slides i […]

BOE acquiesces to 1 percent budget cut; Superintendent disappointed

By Kim BeckerThe Board of Education unanimously voted to cut two new certified teaching positions and the increased computer software assistance to meet the Board of Finance’s demand for a 1 percent decrease in the overall education budget.Superintendent of Granby Public Schools, Dr. Alan Addley, strenuously objected to the cut throughout the budget process. Addley originally gave BOE a budget with a .5 percent increase. He was told by the board to make the budget flat. The BOF then pushed […]

Town manager feeling the pinch as budget presentation draws near

by Shirley MurthaTown Manager Bill Smith will present the budget at the BOS meeting on March 7. He reported that it is becoming more and more difficult as the years go by to meet the Board of Finance guideline and still meet the goals and objectives of the Board of Selectmen to maintain the staffing and services that town residents expect. The BOF wants the BOS budget to come in at a 2.5 percent increase, which would result in a two percent increase in the mill rate, but to meet that guideline t […]

Three-board meeting kicks off annual budget process

By Shirley MurthaThe 2016-17 Granby budget process began with public reports by the boards of selectmen, education and finance at the annual three-board meeting, held on Jan. 25. After thanking the members and staffs of all the boards for their diligent efforts to try to keep increases at a minimum, First Selectman Scott Kuhnly introduced Ron Walther, chairman of the Board of Education, who presented that board’s preliminary budget.Walther said that after much deliberation, the board had s […]

Superintendent spars with BOF and BOE on 2017 budget

By Kim BeckerDeclaring a budget decrease of 1 percent for FY 2017 “disappointing”, superintendent Dr. Alan Addley, expressed concern to the Boards of Finance and Education that “maintaining the status quo is going backward.” He stated he had promised families that the school reconfiguration would not harm services or programs. He now feels that the 1 percent decrease “doesn’t keep the quality of the system.” Addley’s original budget called for a .5 […]