Greetings!
The Board of Selectmen Report follows up on topics we shared with you last month and things we've been working on and discussing since then. If you have a specific topic that you want to know more about, feel free to call 860-364-5789 or email me at
brent_c@sharon-ct.org.
What's Happened Since Our Last Newsletter-
Town Hall Technology Upgrade Planning
This past month, Meghan Flanagan spearheaded a third-party review of Town Hall technology and information systems and provided a report with findings and recommendations to our board. One of those recommendations was to form a volunteer technology committee to assist us with formulating a plan/path for technology upgrades and improvements. We agreed with the recommendation and will be reaching out to community members that have an interest in technology and cyber safety and wish to volunteer.
Speaking of technology- We'd also like to point out and thank Jill Drew and Meghan for their help and assistance with recent ZOOM meetings. We've had several important meetings, including a regional meeting with elected officials from Connecticut and New York to speak with Nuvance Health that could not have been accomplished properly without their help and equipment donations. That truly was how/why so many that couldn't attend these small meetings were able to watch and hear what was being said.
Town Hall Parking Lot Planning
WMC Consulting Engineers have visited and surveyed the Town Hall Parking Lot to assist with the Expansion Project. We hope to review WMC's findings at our next meeting and set a date for a discussion of options and opinions. This project is partially funded by a State of Connecticut Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant.
Sharon ARPA Advisory Committee
The ARPA Advisory Committee's next meeting is on December 1st at 6:30 pm. The committee attended our last Board meeting and requested that January 15, 2022, be set as the date that Initial Funding Applications be submitted. Anyone wishing to learn more is welcome to attend their December 1st meeting and ask any question(s) they may have.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Advisory Committee recently mailed an information card to all Sharon residents(cards are available in the Selectmen Office if you didn't receive one). And for those residents not currently in Sharon, up-to-date information is available online at sharoncovidrecovery.org.
Broadband Improvement
For the most recent updates, sign-up for the Sharon Connect Task Force Newsletter it contains everything you want to know about the broadband improvement efforts here in Sharon. Most recently, Sertex LLC was selected to assist us with broadband analysis and is currently working on that task.
Affordable Housing Steering Committee
The Affordable Housing Steering Committee had its first meeting on Monday, November 15, with assistance from Jocelyn Ayers of the Northwest Hills Council of Government to review the planning process and discuss what other Towns have done thus far to comply with this State mandate. Sharon's Town Affordable Housing Steering Committee members are Dale C. Jones, Larry Moskowitz, Pat Whelan, and Bob Whelan.
Things To Be Aware Of-
Community Lighting of the Menorah
Sunday, November 28th, 2021 @ 4:45 PM
Sharon Town Green
All are welcome.
Community Lighting of the Christmas Tree & Luminaries
Saturday, December 4th, 2021 @ 4:45 PM
Sharon Town Green
All are welcome.
Community "Memory Tree" at Town Hall
The Sharon Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary "Memory Tree" is up at Town Hall from November 29 through December 31, 2021. Visit the Selectmen Office to purchase your memory ornament.
Sharon Hospital
Several meetings and events were scheduled to discuss the recent news from Nuvance Health.
The first meeting was with local elected officials from both Connecticut and New York. That meeting was on Friday, November 5th at 1 pm. Residents are welcome to watch a recording of that ZOOM meeting. The meeting starts around minute 6 of the recording.
Sharon Energy & Environment Commission Solar Array Project
The Sharon Energy & Environment Commission (SEEC) is pursuing the opportunity to install a Solar Array at Sharon Center School via Connecticut Green Bank's "SolarMap" program. Work began on this project in December of 2020 and has continued throughout 2021. The timeline thus far has been:
- Project Development (December 2020/January 2021)
- Non-binding Letter of Intent from Towns (May 2021)
- Zero Emission Energy Credit (ZREC) bidding (Summer 2021)
- Contractor site review and walk-throughs (Fall 2021)
- Review of final proposals from contractors by CT Green Bank (Current)
In addition, there is also the question of feasibility and Town approval. SEEC members have reached out to and scheduled meetings with the Board of Education and Planning and Zoning to review/discuss the proposed site location and estimated savings over the 20 year proposed project period.
Speed Hump Request Update
As per our Town policy on Speed Hump petitions, we sent letters to the Sharon Town Road Crew, Fire Department, Ambulance. All had concerns but (again) as per Town policy, there will be a public discussion on this request when we can meet in large groups.
Town Information & Events
COVID-19-
COVID Information
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Road Work and Maintenance-
Road Work
- The Millerton Road end of Sharon Valley Road has been paved.
- Our road crew has paved sections of Carey Hill Road and patch-paved multiple roads the needed attention prior to winter.
Maintenance
- Culvert and drainage improvements have continued
- Leaf Blowing
- De-potholing gravel roads
Town Bridges
- The Sharon Valley Bridge on the Amenia Road end is the priority for stabilization in 2021/22. This is in preparation for the paving of Sharon Valley Road from the King Hill/Sharon Station intersection to Rt. 343 (Amenia Road) in 2022. We will plan a walk of the road with Sharon Valley residents to discuss plans and receive their feedback prior to paving next year.
History Share-
Sharon, Connecticut had hydroelectric power via Mudge Pond as early as 1895! Hard to believe it but it is true. If you travel Silver Lake Shore Road and look to your left, you will see remnants of the dam in the present day. It was a neat operation, Benedict's Mill ground grains during the day and Sharon Electric Light Co. produced power for local electricity (lights) at night... using the same waterwheel!
Visit Sharon Historical Society and pick up Ed Kirby's book- Industrial Sharon. It's a fascinating read and has great, in-depth information on many topics just like this.
Below is a court case that highlights the impact this Mudge Pond dam and operations had on individuals & business owners like George E. Bierce soon after it was placed into operation.
GEORGE E. BIERCE vs THE SHARON ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY.
First Judicial District, Hartford, October Term, 1900.
Argued October 2nd — decided November 1st, 1900.
ACTION for an injunction and for damages on account of injuries to the plaintiff's premises claimed to have been caused by the wrongful raising and lowering of the waters of a certain pond, brought to the Superior Court in Litchfield County. Facts found and judgment rendered for the defendant, and appeal by the plaintiff for alleged errors in the rulings and findings of the court. No error.
The case is sufficiently stated in the opinion.
Samuel A. Herman and J. Henry Roraback, for the appellant (plaintiff).
Leonard J. Nickerson and Donald T. Warner, for the appellee (defendant).
Mudge Pond is a natural pond situated in the Town of Sharon. The plaintiff is the owner of certain lands bordering on that pond on its north and west sides. He is engaged in the business of keeping a boarding - house for summer boarders. The defendant is the owner of the land at the south end of the pond, with a dam thereon that controls the outflow of the waters of the pond.
The complaint charges that the defendant has so managed the outflow from the pond that at times the water has been held back till it was raised greatly higher than its ordinary or natural level so that the land of the plaintiff is overflowed and rendered useless; and that at other times the water has been drawn down till it was much lower than its ordinary or natural level so that large portions of the bottom of the pond were uncovered, which portions gave off noxious and disagreeable odors, and thereby created a nuisance; all of which things did damage to the plaintiff.
The answer of the defendant denied the matters set forth in the complaint, and for a second defense averred that
( 1 ) “The defendant, in December 1895, was, and ever since has been, the owner of the dam and a mill privilege at the outlet of said Mudge Pond, and then was and ever since has been the owner of, and entitled to the right to raise the waters in the said pond to the height of its said dam, and to draw all the waters from a said pond that will flow through the flume of the said dam.
( 2 ) Any and all acts of the defendant in raising and lowering the waters in said Mudge Pond were done in the exercise of its legal right as owner,” as is above set forth.
The plaintiff replied, denying this defense. These issues were found in favor of the defendant.
This finding decides that the defendant has not created any nuisance at all and that whatever it has done in and about the raising or lowering the water of the said pond it had the lawful right to do. Of course, this finding is conclusive against the plaintiff, unless errors were committed in the trial. In his appeal to this court, the plaintiff assigns numerous errors. Very much the larger part of these refers to the finding of facts and claims that the court committed error in respect to portions of the finding.
We have examined all these with care and deliberation. No one of them, so far as we can discover, presents a question that can be reviewed by this court. They all depend upon the credibility of witnesses and the weight to be given to the testimony.
Charles W. Rhynus was a witness for the plaintiff. It appears that the electric plant of the defendant was situated in a building that was formerly used exclusively as a grist mill, and was operated by the water from Mudge Pond. The witness had worked in the gristmill. He was asked this question:
“Prior to 1895 was the gristmill always in operation?"
He answered: “Yes.”
He was also asked to state the size of the water - wheel used at that time in the gristmill.
He answered: “Twenty-four inches.”
These questions were claimed, as it was stated, for the purpose of showing that more water was drawn from the pond since the electric plant had been in use than was drawn prior to that date.
At a later period of the trial, it was admitted by the defendant that more water was now drawn from the pond than was taken before the electric works were in use.
.
If it is granted that both these questions should have been allowed - and perhaps it is so — we think the plaintiff has suffered no injury.
It appeared in evidence that there was another pond, called Long Pond, situated about a mile northerly from Mudge Pond, the waters of which flowed naturally into Mudge Pond. There was a dam at the outlet of that pond which the defendant owned and controlled. The plaintiff when a witness on his own behalf, was asked if the defendant had drawn the waters of Long Pond into Mudge Pond. He answered that it had. This question and the answer were excluded on the objection of the defendant.
The question tended to raise an issue, not within the pleadings.
There is no error.
In this opinion, the other judges concurred.
*What is interesting about the issue that the plaintiff was having is- it still occurs in the present day but it's not because of the dam being discussed above, it's because there is a beaver dam at the southern end of Mudge Pond now and in certain years the water level does back-up and flood the Town Beach lawn area.
