Through the Looking Glass

PorcFest and the Free State Project

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Several years ago a friend who supports the Libertarian Party invited me to come along to a weekend gathering of libertarians in New Hampshire. It was called the Porcupine Freedom Festival – PorcFest for short. It was, generally speaking, a happy gathering of people who shared the political view that less government would make life better. Its name derives from the mascot of the Libertarian Party, the porcupine. It was only the second or third time this event had taken place but there was a good crowd of about 100 people staying in a local motel or camping out in trailers and tents using the bathroom facilities provided by Rogers Campgrounds in Lancaster, NH.

Organizations

Conservancy Spring Programs

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Suffield Land Conservancy’s Annual Spring Programs are a wonderful opportunity to connect with the outdoors, discover wildflowers, explore the forests and uncover different species of birds that are right in your very own backyards. Open to the public, please join us for each of these outdoor adventures with your friends and family members. Annual Wildflower Hike will be held on Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m., rain or shine. Please meet at Sunrise Park where we will gather at the pavilion. Come discover over 30 beautiful spring wildflowers.

Organizations

Donations Sought For Soup Kitchen as Number of Guests Increases

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The Enfield Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen is once again beginning its Springtime Challenge, our principal fundraising drive that keeps our doors open. The Soup Kitchen is seeking monetary donations through April 30. Letters were recently mailed to past benefactors, and area schools and churches, in an effort to raise money and supply food items to enable Enfield Loaves & Fishes to feed the ever-increasing number of needy people in Enfield and surrounding towns. The Soup Kitchen, located at 28 Prospect Street, served 140,211 meals in 2017, including meals to hungry children and 108,115 snacks served to children participating in after school programs of Educational Resources for Children (ERfC). Another 46,259 meals were provided for home consumption in emergency situations.

Now and Then

Growing Up at 89

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Ordinarily I bypass the perpendicular pronoun. But wished happiness as I recently celebrated my 89th birthday, I thank in first person all happiness wishers! Their wishes came true! Judging by photo albums, all birthdays have been happy! The 18th was especially so.

Government/Town

Democratic Candidate Forum

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Democratic Town Committees from Suffield, Bloomfield, Windsor and Windsor Locks have joined forces to hold state office candidate forums this spring. Suffield will host the forum for the ten (or more) Democratic candidates for governor on Thursday, April 5 at 7p.m. in the auditorium at Suffield Middle School, 350 Mountain Road, Suffield. Each candidate will be given the opportunity to discuss his/her background and policy plans and to answer questions from the audience. The Bloomfield DTC will be hosting the forum for Democratic candidates for Attorney General, Secretary of the State, and Treasurer.

Organizations

Earth Day at Hilltop Farm

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The Girl Scouts of Suffield will be hosting an Earth Day celebration at Hilltop Farm on Sunday, April 22, 2018 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Girl Scouts and FOFAH invite families to three separate STEM based activities. Participants can come build, color, and fly their own kite. Learn how a kite uses air as lift to stay in flight. The second activity is geocaching. Use your phones to find the Geocache box hidden on the property.

Churches

First Church Events

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First Church of Christ, An Open and Affirming Church, is hosting the following events in April. All are welcome to attend. Worship on Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary- – All Are Welcome! April 1: Easter Sunday! 6 a.m. – Sunrise Community Service at Sunrise Park

10 a.m. – Easter Celebration Service

April 2, 9, 16 at 10 a.m.  – Qi Gong continues in the Chapel, $10 per class

April 3 at 10 a.m. – Prayer Shawl Ministry Meeting in the Ebenezer Gay Room

April 4, 11, 18 at 10 a.m. – Reformation Bible Study in the Ebenezer Gay Room

April 4 at noon – Communion Luncheon in the Ebenezer Gay Room

April 19 at 7 p.m. – Women’s Fellowship Intergenerational Game Night in Fellowship Hall

April 26 at 7 p.m. –Cabi Clothing Party in the Ebenezer Gay Room

April 28 at Revitalize CDC GreenNFit Springfield, MA.

Churches

WSCC Spring Rummage and Bake Sale

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The West Suffield Congregational Church will be holding its Spring Rummage Sale on Saturday April 28th from 9-2pm. Donations can be dropped off at the church April 24 – 27 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. or by appointment. The church is located at 1408 Mountain Rd, West Suffield. All items are taken with the exception of large household furniture or appliances. Call (860) 836-0660 with questions or to schedule a donation drop off.

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.