Government/Town

Suffield Town Hall Renovation Plans Continue

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It’s been a long, hard-working endeavor to find a workable plan for the needed Town Hall improvements, but First Selectman Melissa Mack is leading the effort to proceed with the only plan she now feels is appropriate to pursue. A Request for Proposals (RFP) based on this plan was being carefully edited at press time and was expected to be published by the end of February. The present chapter in Town Hall history passed a key point on October 8, 2015. By then, appraisals of the precarious condition of aging Town Hall infrastructure, along with space needs studies, had coalesced into a plan for renovations and improvements to the building, including a state-required expansion of the Town Clerk’s records vault. On October 8, 2015 at Suffield Middle School 2,247 voters — an extraordinary turnout — voted, by 65 percent, to approve a proposed bonded appropriation of $5.13 million for the Town Hall project. Since then, a number of concepts for the Town Hall have been studied, some of which, involving significant expansion of the old building and two concepts for entirely new buildings, cost as much as double the approved amount.

Editorial

It’s a Great Day for the Irish!

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Having grown up in Hungary Hill in Springfield, I developed great pride in my Irish heritage. Hungary Hill was named because of the immigrants who came from the west coast of Ireland during the great potato famine. Not long after the famine, an epidemic of tuberculosis struck the same area causing more immigration to the United States. Many of the new settlers found their way from County Kerry to the Hill which was fondly called “Home of the Irish.”

The pride that the Irish have in their country is overwhelming. Many countries have invaded Ireland but the Irish always fought back and succeeded.

Editorial

How much is that puppy in the window?

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  One of the interesting tools I use when writing or evaluating other people’s writing is software that measures readability. If writing is too complex, say college level, it may be too difficult for middle or high school students to read. If it’s too simple, then adults may not think the content is for them.   The major ingredients of difficult writing are long words, sentences and paragraphs.   In general, writing should be at the ninth grade level to reach 50 percent of adults.

Editorial

Should I Change My Name Too?

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I have a Google alert set up for my last name. I seldom see alerts, either because there are not a lot of Colstons around, or because they are not doing anything newsworthy. The last big flurry of alerts led me to follow the football career of Marquis Colston (maybe a relative)? Last year I started to see alerts for “Countering Colston.” It’s a nonprofit organization in England, dedicated to decolonizing the city of Bristol, and specifically campaigning against the celebration of Edward Colston (definitely a relative). My dad, who died when I was eight, told me stories about the amazing Edward Colston, and all the wonderful things he did to benefit the people of Bristol.

Government/Town

Highway Garage Plan Chosen

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At their meeting on February 13, the Suffield Board of Selectmen took a significant step in their effort to move the Highway Garage operation away from Ffyler Place. They voted to enter negotiations with one of the three proposals for a new highway garage that have been studied in recent months. All three proposals were discussed at the meeting, and new presentations about two of them were heard. In prior years, the Town had considered a proposal to buy the existing Moosehead Logging headquarters building on Austin Street, adapted for use as the highway garage. This plan was first considered in 2015 and was approved by the Selectmen and the Board of Finance in 2016, but did not go forward.

Homepage Featured

A Class Act!

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When I hear the term “a life well lived,” I often wonder what the speaker means by those words. When I think of Mary Anne Zak, who turned 90 a few days ago, I don’t have to wonder; all who know her can attest to her life, well lived—and it’s not over yet! This is no eulogy. Mary Anne may be best known today for her column in the Observer, but long-time residents of Suffield will remember that she was for many years, a teacher of English at Suffield High School. A long and happy teaching career such as Mary Anne’s often defines a life—and although she had other equally important careers, such as mother and wife and community leader, she remains an educator at heart.

Homepage Featured

Observer Accepting Scholarship Applications

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The Suffield Observer Board of Directors will sponsor two scholarships to Suffield residents who will be entering an accredited two or four-year college in September. The two scholarships are in memory of Samuel S. Fuller, the founder of the paper, and Robert O. Y. Warren, a former chairman of the board. Each $1,000 scholarship can be applied for by contacting the guidance department at Suffield High School or Suffield Academy, by requesting a form from the Observer office or online at https://thesuffieldobserver.com/scholarship-information/. The Samuel S. Fuller Scholarship is open to any Suffield resident who plans on studying journalism or communications and has a background of community service. The applicant is required to write a 500-700 word essay or give a five-minute presentation in an electronic medium about something he or she loves to do, bringing to life the applicant’s enthusiasm, emotion and passion for the topic.