Churches

Copper Hill Methodist Church Events

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In the East Granby countryside, across from the Copper Hill Golf Course, around the corner from a residential area, stands a white building nearly 200 years old, with a big bell beside it. This building is the home of the Copper Hill United Methodist Church. Inside, on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., a rebirth is taking place. Children vie with each other to find a seat for the Children’s Moment led by JoAnne Jones, wife of the Rev. Dr. Kelvin Jones. Mrs. Jones is the church organist and music director.

History

WWI – On The Home Front

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The Suffield Historical Society will meet on Tuesday, April 24 at the Suffield Senior Center at 7:00 p.m. and will host Bill Sullivans’ American Studies class from Suffield Academy. This year, his students have been investigating what life was like on the home front in Suffield 100 years ago during WWI. How did this global event propel our community into the modern era? The public is welcome to attend all Society meetings.

Government/Town

Suffield Police Conversations

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This event is being held with funding from an Enhancement Grant from the Connecticut State Department of Education, Division of Family and Student Support Services Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education, and contributions from the Greater Suffield Interfaith Council

Suffield Observations

Orange in a Blue State

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Connecticut’s a funny state. It’s the third smallest state in the nation, but it has 169 municipalities. To contrast, our neighbor Rhode Island has 39. Complicating matters is that each one of those Connecticut cities and towns believes itself to be an entity unto itself. Even towns that share a border, like, say, Suffield and Windsor Locks, consider the other to be so different as to be another state.

Government/Town

Amiel P. Zak Community Room Opens at SPD

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On May 12, 2017, the Suffield Police Department was proud to be a recipient of an Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund grant. The grant award of $20,000 was allocated to create and enhance the community and training room. We recognized that, at the time to present, viable community spaces to bring town residents and town services were extremely limited. In support of the efforts of the Town of Suffield and the Suffield Police Department to conduct increased outreach to residents, community members, and members of civic organizations, this generous funding was applied to upgrade the technology and facilities. The Police Department strives to interact and bring in the community in keeping with the founder of modern day policing, Sir Robert Peel’s principle that “Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police…” These enhancements also provided for a professional training environment for Suffield’s police officers and staff.

Government/Town

Household Hazardous Waste Day Canceled

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The Household Hazardous Waste Day originally scheduled for April 14, 2018 has been cancelled. The Town is planning to hold hazardous waste collection days every other year going forward. This will net a savings of $18,000 from the annual landfill operating budget. Town residents have some alternative disposal options for items that are frequently dropped off at hazardous waste day. All types of fluorescent lightbulbs can be brought to the Town landfill at 2715 Mountain Road any Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The landfill also collects used batteries.

Government/Town

Assessor Reminder

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The Assessor would like to remind elderly and disabled homeowners that the filing period for the state and local benefit program will end on Tuesday, May 15. Any current recipient of the benefits who has received a letter from the Assessor’s office must reapply no later than May 15 in order to continue to receive the benefit. New applicants must also file an application by that date. This year’s maximum income allowed is $35,300 if single and $43,000 if married. Proof of income for 2017 is needed.

Government/Town

What is the Undesignated Fund Balance?

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The undesignated fund balance is sometimes referred to as the Town’s “Rainy Day Fund.” It represents the amount of the Town’s general revenues in excess of expenses since the town’s inception almost 350 years ago. The undesignated fund balance goes up or down every year based on the difference between the annual revenues and expenses. Revenues include property taxes as well as other sources of revenue such as state aid and user fees. Expenses are not only the annual operating expenses of the schools, police, fire and other departments, but also our debt service and capital spending. For the past fiscal year, the Town ran a deficit of $624K, which reduced the undesignated fund balance.

First Selectman’s Update

First Selectman’s Update

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It seems impossible that a year has passed since the 2017-18 budget was approved, especially since the State of Connecticut continues to slash the aid expected in our current budget. Yet here we are, presenting the 2018-19 budget. Budgets always face a unique set of challenges and this year includes the following:

• $276,618 (+15%) increase estimated in employee health insurance

• $105,174 increase over the Town’s regular contribution to employee pension plan per the Board of Finance’s decision to decrease annual return assumptions from 7.25% to 6.75%

• $273,903 (+1.7%) increase in Fire and Police “catch-up” pay due to settled union contracts from multiple prior years

These items alone account for an increase of $655,695 or 4.16% over last year. Also affecting costs is the 4-2 schedule that Police and Dispatch follow per their union contracts. This provides for 4 work days, 2 off and salary commensurate with a 7-day period.

Food for Thought

Food For Thought

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“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”
– Douglas Adams

Letter to the Editor

The Solution Is Complicated

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My concern with the theme of the article [Beth Chafetz’s March Editorial No. No. Not Again] is that the crux of the argument centered on the tools that were used, rather than the root cause. If we continue down this argument road, we need to also speak about the use of automobiles/trucks, chemicals that can be used to create bombs and other items that can be used for violence. Instead, we need to shift the discussion to the mental makeup of those doing these unspeakable deeds so that we can stop the violence at the source.

Government/Town

Know Your Probate Court

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This article is intended to help residents of Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, East Granby and Suffield who live in the Tobacco Valley Probate Court district become more informed about our probate court system. Our Chief Clerk Laurie Roberts is one of the most experienced in the state; she is available to assist you. Laurie is supported by three other staff: Clerk Louis Taylor, and Assistant Clerks Pam Griffin and Erin Keena. Together they work to answer procedural questions from the public, process petitions, schedule hearings, coordinate with other referring courts, prepare notices and decrees, calendar required reports, organize each case file, input data into the central computer system, undertake initial reviews of financial reports and tax returns and keep the Judge updated on all files. It is a tremendous responsibility that is assigned to our staff.

Government/Town

FECS Kicks Off “Keep Me Safe”

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At a morning unveiling ceremony on February 20, the Foundation for Exceptional Children of Suffield (FECS) and the Suffield Police Department kicked off a valuable new community initiative. The newly refurbished meeting room at SPD was packed with enthusiastic supporters to celebrate Project Keep Me Safe. The project’s community awareness efforts, special training programs and carefully designed new identification cards will help police and other responders communicate with individuals who have special needs. The focus is on those with autism spectrum disorder, but others helped could include those with deafness, and perhaps Alzheimer’s. With the training and the ID cards, a potentially difficult encounter can become a comfortable and efficiently concluded situation.

Government/Town

More than Just Dog Wardens

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Suffield has two part-time animal control officers, who also provide services to East Granby. Mark Blackaby, a long-time Suffield resident, has been on the job for almost three years; he covers the 10 to 2 half-shift, and Ryan Selig, from Windsor, was hired last year; he works 2 to 6. Both have other jobs: Blackaby as a lawyer and Selig as a dog trainer. Both say they took the animal control job because they like the work. The animal control function is part of the Suffield Police Department, and the animal control officers, armed and equipped for the job, are trained and certified for their position.

Letter to the Editor

Capital Project Ignored

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I’ve been following the progress of utilizing the building and property of the former Bridge Street School. It’s accurate to say that there is no progress when there should be. I want to know why the First Selectman is evading to affect the result of a referendum. A proposal in 2012 to sell off the property was voted down 4 to 1. Next, town residents convened around developing this valuable town asset into a Community and Cultural Center for Suffield.