SEYMOUR — Chatfield-LoPresti School could soon be powered by solar panels and the deteriorating curbs along a potion of Route 67 are in line for a facelift.
Those topics and more were discussed during the Board of Selectmen’s virtual meeting on Tuesday (March 2).
Here’s a quick round-up:
Granite vs Concrete:
Town Engineer Bryan Nesteriak was back before the board gauging their input on whether they’d like to see concrete or granite curbs installed from the area near Stop & Shop to just past Walgreens, as part of a $7 million state project calling for “spot improvements” along Route 67. Nesteriak also inquired whether the board wanted to go with more aesthetically-pleasing lighting, as opposed to a more basic model.
Going for granite was a no-brainer for the selectmen, as Nesteriak said the lifespan for granite is about 50 to 100 years compared to about 15 years for concrete.
Nesteriak said the project, expected to get underway this summer, will be funded 80 percent by the federal government and 20 percent by the state. However, if the town wanted to make some aesthetic upgrades, it’d be on the hook for them.
Upgrading to granite curbing will cost in the mid-$20,000 range, Nesteriak said.
As for lighting, the board opted to go with a standard model the state will choose, as opposed to spending $40,000 out-of-pocket for a fancier, gas-lantern style lantern.
Selectman Trish Danka said she’s known to be “a little frugal,” especially during her time heading up the Board of Finance, but believed spending more for nicer lighting in that area would’ve been a smart move.
“I don’t find it to be that cost prohibitive,” she said. “We should be forward- thinking in getting aesthetically-pleasing lighting. It’s a main (road) way for a lot of vehicles in town. If it were $300,000 or $500,000 I would absolutely not consider it. But this is about beautifying the town- where we get to make some decisions in the process-and I don’t want to have regrets later.”
Unfortunately for Danka, her fellow board members said while nicer lighting would be nice, it’s just not worth the extra money.
“It’s a very small area where the decorative lights will be, and it’s not a draw to town,” said Selectman Bob Findley. “I’d rather take the money and address other eyesores versus spending it on the lights.”
Powered by the Sun:
The board heard a brief proposal to potentially bring solar panels to Chatfield-LoPresti School. Administrative Assistant Rory Burke explained the town signed an energy savings performance contract in 2018 with ACI Energy, but CLS was not included at that time. The contract has since been expanded to include the elementary school, which in part would feature installation of a grid of solar panels on a plot of land near the school on Skokorat Street.
Burke said the project would be funded through energy savings, and as an added benefit, would reduce the town’s carbon footprint. With CLS’ existing geothermal system, coupled with solar panels, Burke said the school would be generating all the electricity it uses.
The board is expected to get more project details at its next meeting.
In Other News:
As part of First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis’ plan to up Seymour’s social media game, she plans to spotlight a different town business each week (or month) on the town’s Facebook page. The effort is geared to bring positive attention to Seymour’s many unique shops downtown, in the industrial park and elsewhere. From Tickled Pink’s unique treasures to Emery Wilson Scale’s whale of an effort in building scales to weight killer whales and even aircraft, Drugonis is excited to brag about all that Seymour businesses have to offer.
