Town/Govt

Planning and Zoning Meeting

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Planning and Zoning meeting for June 9 2015 By Elaine Jones After accepting the Center Review Study Subcommittee’s report of an amendment to the Zoning Regulations Section 3.12.5 Comprehensive Granby Center Criteria, viewing three PowerPoint presentations showing maps of the Center area and the three zones that define it, and holding three public hearings to allow more input from residents, the Planning and Zoning Commission, by a 6-1 vote, approved the amendment to the Zoning Regulation […]

Town/Govt

BOE Rights Sinking Budget

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By Kim Becker Due to a huge increase in special education costs, the Board of Education has struggled this school year to meet a serious budget shortfall.  Over the past few months the Board has slowly managed to reduce the budget deficit with expenditure freezes in services and supplies.  Business Manager Harry Traver reported that a final reconciliation of special education forecasts to actual end of the year purchase orders showed a $92,000 reduction in outplacement costs. The fore […]

Town/Govt

12 students graduate from Granby Ambulance EMT program

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By Matt Heubner The Granby Ambulance Association congratulates this year’s EMT program graduates! These 12 students have dedicated the last five months to studying emergency medicine, which included observing and caring for patients in the St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Emergency Department, and spending dozens of hours assisting with patient care in the back of Granby’s ambulances. This year’s class included students from East Hartland, Granby, Simsbury, Somers, Stafford […]

Town/Govt

Vineyard special permit approved

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By Elaine Jones The application for a special permit to modify the existing permit for Lost Acres Vineyard was approved by a unanimous vote at the May 4 Planning and Zoning Commission regular meeting. Compromises were reached as Commission members debated the requests of Vineyard owners Michelle Niedermeyer and Kevin Riggott and the concerns of adjacent property owners Carol Day and John Jenkins. The most contentious concerns expressed at previous P&Z meetings included hours of operation, […]

Town/Govt

Racial profiling data determined to be flawed

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By Shirley Murtha At its April 20 meeting, the Board of Selectmen was asked by two residents (Gerald Ledger and Mark Migliaccio) to look into the Central Connecticut State University study indicating that Granby engaged in racial profiling in conducting traffic stops. Town Manager Bill Smith subsequently met with members of the university department who collected and evaluated the data, collected from October 2013 through October 2014. The discussion made it clear that some errors in compiling […]

Town/Govt

School District Faces Shortfall

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By Kim Becker Due to rising special needs costs, the district will need the town to forgive an estimated $129,000 for the current fiscal year. According to the statement of accounts presented to the Board of Education in March, the general fund forecast changed by $52,000 because of a revised special education cost forecast and a freeze in spending in substitutes, purchased services, conferences, supplies, books, and library books. The district also had several unanticipated expenses including […]

Town/Govt

P & Z – Vineyard Hearing

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Decision pending after second vineyard hearing  By Elaine Jones On April 14, the Planning and Zoning Commission continued the public hearing that began March 25, for the application by Michelle Niedermeyer and Kevin Riggott, owners of the Lost Acres Vineyard to modify and expand the existing Special Permit, issued by the P&Z on Dec. 9, 2008, for a farm store and the sale of wine under a farm-winery liquor permit. After listening to the comments of all residents in attendance, P& […]

Town/Govt

Republican of the year

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Paula Johnson named Republican of the year By Mark Neumann and Diane Hernsdorf Paula Johnson was recognized as Granby’s Republican of the Year at the 7th Senatorial District Lincoln Day Dinner on March 20. In her years of volunteer service to the citizens of Granby, Johnson has mentored 4-H Pony Club, been a director for the Community Fund, a member of the Commission on Aging, served as municipal Agent for the Elderly over a 10-year period, set up programs at the Senior Center, found r […]

Town/Govt

Registrar’s Office was busy place

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April was a busy month in the Registrars’ office preparing for the Town Budget Referendum, completing a High School Voter Registration Session, attending the Association’s spring conference, and finishing the Annual Canvass. Every year, registrars in each of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities are required by state statute to conduct a voter registration session in each of their public high schools. Granby registrars held their session on April 21 at GMHS. This is a wonderful opp […]

Town/Govt

Public Works

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Mattress Recycling ProgramEffective May 1, Granby will be part of the Connecticut Mattress Recycling Program. Recycling will be a seamless transition for residents of Granby. Mattresses and box springs will continue to be accepted at the Granby Transfer Station during hours of operation, be sent off for recycling just as they have been since July of 2012. The biggest change is that mattresses and box springs will be accepted free-of-charge. The state law now requires that a recycling fee be char […]