MDC Abandonment Permit

To All Colebrook Residents:
Yesterday the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) approved the Metropolitan District’s (MDC) application to abandon its rights to use approximately 10 billion gallons of water stored between elevation 644 feet and 701 feet with in the Colebrook River Lake (aka Colebrook Reservoir). The MDC will still own the rights to 3.5 billion gallons of water stored behind the Colebrook River Dam. The permit was granted and is subject to many conditions identified in the Source Permit. The MDC , Save the Sound, and the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC) executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that commits the MDC to granting a conservation easement to the NCLC on 5,500 acres of open space land that surrounds Colebrook River Lake Reservoir. The question that I am sure you all have is what happens to the land? It will have an easement on it that will preserve and protect the land in perpetuity, the MDC will still own the land and has to own the land. In accordance the CT Gen Statute 12-76., the MDC will still be required to pay taxes on the land that they own in Colebrook, assessed at what would be its fair market value were it assessed as improved farmland. That is how the land is currently assessed “Improved Farmland”.
I am sure this news will raise a lot of questions. Before you call or send me an e-mail, please read the DPH Source Abandonment Permit. The Source Abandonment Permit contains a lot of detail and rationalizes why and the process that the DPH used to approve the MDC application.
Respectfully,
Chris Johnstone First Selectman

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Colebrook Associates Survey

In an effort to better serve the residents of Colebrook, the Colebrook Associates are looking to gather feedback from Colebrook residents. This link is to a short survey that we have created. link.edgepilot.com/s/5b7ab36a/ROZzLea9MUiKn0a-zxDbGA?u=https://forms.gle/41Akt3cvUn2U7UkJ7
Thanks in advance!
Todd Hiller – President
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Colebrook Trees

To All Colebrook Residents,
The emerald ash borer and the natural aging of our trees in Colebrook has taken a toll. In the past year or so, regardless of the weather, the trees along the sides of our roads have been dropping their limbs or just plain falling down. Add a wet heavy snow storm and some wind and the dynamics really change. In the past few weeks there have been so many limbs and trees involving power lines that I have lost count. My real concern is that many of the trees and limbs that have fallen have completely blocked the roads without notice. My worst fear is that a tree may hit a car or person and cause a collision or an injury. Our DPW folks have been diligent in trying to identify and cut as many trees that pose a problem. They have also been busy cleaning up debris that has fallen. Unfortunately it seems as though trees and limbs are falling faster than they clear them up. So far this year the Town has spent $73,000., on tree removal. This does not take into account the amount of trees that the DPW folks have taken down and removed. It is a huge expense and a subject that I am going to address at the Annual Budget Hearing on Thursday evening at 7:00PM.
As an example, in the last week, a limb fell and completely blocked Sandy Brook Road, the results of that weren’t good. This weekend on Saturday a tree uprooted and fell on the power lines on Smith Hill Road and on Sunday a tree uprooted and fell on the power lines on Deer Hill Road. In the last case the road was partially blocked by the trees creating a very dangerous situation. I might add that it isn’t just trees that are falling down. A week ago Sunday, a utility pole fell down bringing the wires with it completely blocking Schoolhouse Road. This wasn’t noticed right away as none of the residents lost power. The wires were still live, laying on the ground. Please remain away from downed live power lines.
So I ask for everyone’s help, if you see a dangerous tree or limb that needs to be taken down please call or send an e-mail to me at the Town Hall. If there are power lines involved, especially if they are live and arcing on the ground please call 911 and report the dangerous situation. In the meantime our DPW will continue to address the tree situation and work to keep our community safe.
In the Meantime… Every four years Eversource conducts vegetation management in the town. This year in conjunction with Lewis Tree they will once again be evaluating vegetation and trees that are a hazard to the power grid infra-structure. I have spoken to the Lewis Tree representative and our Eversource Liaison and they will be canvassing the neighborhoods for dangerous trees and vegetation in the town owned right of way. If they see a tree that needs to be trimmed or removed they will place a card at your residence advising you of the recommend action and asking for permission to remove the danger. I ask that you please give your permission. The more trees that we can get trimmed or removed helps avoid electrical power interruptions, dangerous situations that are created when a tree or limb falls into the roadway.
As always, please feel free to call me here at the Town Hall or send an e-mail.
Chris Johnstone
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New DPW Truck

On Tuesday morning FreightLiner of Hartford delivered a new Western Star plow truck to the Colebrook Department of Public Works. As you can see from the smiles on the faces of Ed Finn, Josh Jasmin, and Foreman Bill Jasmin, they are excited to have the new truck. This 2023, Western Star replaced the 2008 International which served the town for the past 15 years. Ed Finn, who is standing on the left, is ecstatic as the new truck has been assigned to him.

The delivery team spent a couple of hours with Ed explaining the features of the truck which includes a new state of the art salt delivery system. The interior of the truck has a wraparound dash board with all of the controls ergonomically placed for ease of operation. The truck was ordered over a year ago and supply chain issues caused a delay in the delivery which resulted in our Department of Public Works having to wait for over a year. No one shed a tear when the old International departed for greener pastures. Ed spent the rest of the day getting familiar with the truck. I haven’t seen him since but I am sure he’s still smiling!

The old International is on the right…happy to see it go!

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Agreement between Regional School District No 7 BOE & Northwestern Teachers’ Association

TOWN OF COLEBROOK

Notice is hereby given that a signed copy of the Agreement between Regional School District No. 7 Board of Education and Northwestern Teachers’ Association of Regional School District No. 7 2023 – 2026 has been filed with the Town Clerk and is available for public inspection during regular office hours.

Notice is also hereby given that a signed copy of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Northwestern Administrators’ Association and The Board of Education of Regional School District No. 7 dated July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026 has been filed with the Town Clerk and is available for public inspection during regular office hours.

Dated at Colebrook, Connecticut this 22nd day of December, 2022.
Debra L. McKeon, MCTC

(Legal notice per 10-153d of the CGS, Agreement received 12/22/2022 – 30 days expires on 01/22/2023).

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HVAC referendum CCS Superintendent Letter

Hello Everyone,
I am sending out the letter that Robert Gilbert sent to the CCS Staff and Boards last evening.
Good Evening CCS Staff
I am very happy to report that the Town of Colebrook voted to approve our HVAC project at their referendum today. The vote was 100-46 in favor of the project. The dream of a new HVAC system has been discussed and debated for over 10 years, so tonight’s vote is a major step forward for our school to improve the heating, cooling and air quality for our school. . This project is now contingent on the District being awarded a grant from the State of Connecticut. We will be submitting our application with all required documents in the next few days and the state will inform us in January as to whether we have been awarded the grant. We will keep you informed along the way.
Many thanks goes to our Board of Education and Board Chair Andy Bakulski for their full support of this project as well as First Selectman Chris Johnstone and the Board of Selectmen for their full support. We also thank the Board of Finance and the voters of Colebrook for approving this project.
Have a great Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends.
Bob
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HVAC Referendum Vote Results

Good Morning Colebrook Residents,
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)….Coming soon to a school near you! I am pleased to announce the results of the Referendum for the Colebrook Consolidated School HVAC Referendum that was voted on yesterday, 22 November 2022. The voters of the Town of Colebrook approved a $1.8 HVAC project for school. This is subject to being awarded a grant that will limit the town’s share of the cost to $1 million or less and further approved the borrowing of up to $1 million for this purpose on terms satisfactory to the Boards of Selectman and Finance. There was a total of 146 votes cast, with 100 “yea” votes and 46 “nay” votes.
The school superintendent now has permission to submit all of the required documents for the grant to the State of Connecticut for review and hopefully we will know in January if the town has been awarded the grant.
I am very appreciative of all of the work that has gone into this project to move it forward. Upgrading the Mechanical Room, HVAC system and the electrical service has been a project discussed and worked on by the School Building Committee, the Board of Education and the Board of Finance for many years. I thank all of the past and current members of these boards for all of the help and thought that has gone into this project.
Respectfully,
Chris Johnstone , 1st Selectman
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Colebrook School Seeking Instruments

DO YOU HAVE ANY USED INSTRUMENTS JUST LYING AROUND THE HOUSE?

Colebrook Consolidated School has a thriving instrumental music program which is comprised of students from grades 4, 5, and 6. Some of our students use instruments which are rented through area music stores, and some of our students use Colebrook School owned instruments. At present, our school is in need of additional band instruments. We especially need flutes, alto saxophones, mallet instruments, and some low brass instruments.

If you, or someone that you know has a band instrument that is not being used, and would like to have it donated to Colebrook School, we would greatly appreciate it. We would accept a band instrument once we check the overall condition and playability of the instrument. For additional information please contact Mr. Valerio or Mrs. Driscoll at Colebrook School.

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Veterans Crisis Line – New Number

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Notice is hereby given that a signed copy of the Agreement between the Colebrook Board of Education and the Colebrook Teachers’ Association for the period of July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026, is on file at the Town Clerk’s Office for public inspection during regular office hours.

Dated at Colebrook, Connecticut, this 12th day of September, 2022.

Debra L. McKeon, Town Clerk

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