Your Choices For The Top Valley Stories Of 2019

Back in early December, I asked you to vote for the top Valley stories of 2019.

Here are the stories you chose, out of the 19 stories I nominated.

Please note that this poll was conducted before the news of Ansonia’s horrific homicide and missing child case. I anticipate some people saying that was the ​“story” of the year, but I would not have included something like that on a list such as this.

In a related note, the stories below received far less clicks than the actual ​“most-read” stories of the year. The top five most-read stories of 2019 were all negative stories about crime, crashes and death, so I opted not to itemize them in a list this year.

Happy New Year!

STORIES OF THE YEAR, AS CHOSEN BY READERS

5. ​‘No Fire School’ Ned

While campaigning for governor, Ned Lamont said he would secure funding for a volunteer fire training facility in Beacon Falls. But he still hasn’t added the LONG-DELAYED item to the agenda of the state’s bonding commission, frustrating local firefighters and politicians.

Click here for a story.

4. Derby-Ansonia School Regionalization Report Released/Developer Wants To Build In Derby (TIE)

In November, a committee of folks from Derby and Ansonia received a consultant’s report outling all the ways the city’s two school districts could be turned into one — or not. The committee will spend the first half of 2020 analyzing the report and getting additional questions answered.

Meanwhile, in November, the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission formally received an application from a developer to build more than 200 market-rate apartments off Main Street in the redevelopment zone. It’s the most serious proposal for the area after a decade of false starts.

The commission will start reviewing the proposal in January.

3. Big Y Closes In Ansonia/Opens In Derby

In November, Big Y opened a beautiful new store at 656 New Haven Ave. (Route 34) in Derby.

It’s a great thing for Derby — and the neighboring businesses that had been without an anchor tenant since Walmart closed.

But Derby’s gain was Ansonia’s loss, as Big Y opted to close there, creating a hole in a very much re-emerging downtown Ansonia.

2. Derby’s financial problems

Credit rating downgrade (again), previously double booking revenue, larger than expected insurance claims, a tax hike, a sewer rate increase on top of a WPCA capital improvement payment, and an 8‑point recovery plan to try to straighten it all out: no matter from which angle you chose to look, it simply wasn’t a great year to be a taxpayer in Derby — and it could have been worse.

1. Timm Willis Named Fire Marshal In Seymour

A few years back I was at The Dew Drop Inn in Derby, probably at a time of day frowned upon by society at large.

A guy at the bar was solving the world’s problems and generally blabbing when he started talking about a construction job in Seymour where the fire marshal had to do an inspection.

I don’t remember it word-for-word, but the guy said the marshal was Timm Willis (then Seymour’s deputy marshal) and the advice from the guy’s friend was to do everything by the book because Willis would break chops.

I know I’m not supposed to share my opinion, so cover your eyes if you’re easily offended.

In my opinion, there are two positions in local government where you want to hear complaints about ​“being by the book:” building inspector and fire marshal.

Those positions are dictated by safety — not by back slapping or helping out the local contractor because he’s a good guy.

Willis was promoted to Seymour Fire Marshal in March after the retirement of his mentor, Paul Wetowitz. You can read my story here.

I included Willis’ appointment at the very bottom of my 19 suggested ​“top local stories of 2019” post from back in early December.

Yet people sought out the hard-to-find entry just to vote for Willis.

Who says nice guys finish last?

Editor’s Note:

Happy New Year, Valley, and thanks for putting up with me for 10 years.