Town Tribute July 17, 2017

Summer is in full swing and the Board of Selectman is weeks into the new fiscal budget year, which began July 1. We held a Town Meeting on Saturday, July 15 and the voters in attendance (about 30 folks) approved all of the agenda’s items unanimously. These included up to $10,000 to paint the exterior of the Senior Center, $43,000 for the ongoing replacement of docks (5 of them) at Town beach, $8,400 to replace the chain link fence at the basketball courts, the yearly $20,000 appropriation for Happy Acres to be used on non-capital repairs, $52,000 to the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) for a much-needed Ford F-350 pick-up truck, and also $9775 to the SVFD for repairs on Engine 5 and Tanker 8. These approved expenditures totaled $123,175 and that leaves $642,113 in the capitol non-recurring fund.

Referring to the Sherman Fire Department and Emergency Services, I can’t say enough about its members’ commitment to the safety and well-being of Sherman residents. And you can show your appreciation for these amazing people by purchasing tickets to the FIREMAN’S BALL, which will be held on, Saturday, August 5th at 6 pm on the Sherman Green. Scrumptious food, music, dancing, and neighborly nattering with a lot of fun folks all for a good cause! Please come out! This is a special 75th Anniversary Celebration and, again, it’s a wonderful way to show support and have some fun while you’re at it.

On Saturday, July 22 at 9 a.m. we are having a ribbon cutting ceremony for the repaired tennis courts at Veterans Field. The project appears to have come out looking great and the new courts will add a lot to the town’s character. The entire Board of Selectman is pleased and I know that a lot of local tennis players are overjoyed, too. Supporters of this project owe thanks to the Sherman’s Park and Recreation Commission for its steady commitment over the years to refurbishing the tennis courts, which were initially bequeathed to the town by the late Mary Hadlow. Ms. Hadlow, both in life and upon her passing, was a generous benefactor for many lovely matters in Sherman.

This is a critical time for the Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA) and the area’s economics as it seeks a replacement for Larry Marsicano who served exceptionally well as Executive Director for 14 years. Larry once said at an annual gathering of Candlewood Lake stakeholders and interested parties, “There are three primary threats to the lake: milfoil, zebra mussels, and politics.” It is my hope that politics doesn’t cloud the search for Larry’s replacement. Right now there is a small faction — many of the same people (and a few extra cronies) who advocated for herbicide to control milfoil (they were defeated but still persist) — that want to change the standard hiring practice of the CLA in order to favor hiring someone who better supports their agenda. This could have dire circumstances for the lake. For example, the new executive director might appease this group by being less eco-friendly than Larry was or the new executive director might not push for draw downs, which are effective in controlling both zebra mussels and milfoil. So it’s important for anyone concerned about the lake to stay current on the players involved in this hiring situation. Phyllis Schaer, CLA chairperson and lake volunteer extraordinaire, is a wonderful resource. Also, find out who your town’s CLA lake delegates are and ask them their opinion. And who should be concerned? Yes, lake residents and area business owners, but also every area homeowner. Along with being a recreational gem, Candlewood Lake is a vital gear in the economic engine for the five lake towns. There is a lot at stake here.

I had the good fortune of seeing the Broadway smash, Hamilton, two weeks ago. Along with exquisite entertainment, the show serves as a profound reminder of what a precious miracle our great country’s inception was. I followed the show with a lot of reading and refreshing about our country’s origin. It’s easy to take for granted the American way of life, our unique government, our rights, and our freedoms. But to examine the framework from which it all began – so much of it born of reasonable and passionate discussion measured with compromise — is valuable and makes one appreciate the United States of America even more.

Please feel free to contact me with questions and concerns. dlowe@townofshermanct.org and at 860 778 3394. Thanks!