Money, other concerns in year past

FALLS VILLAGE — The town of Canaan (Falls Village) held its own during difficult times in 2009.

Concerns surfaced before and during the budget process about the security of the town’s funds — concerns that were mostly allayed when the town entered into agreements with local banks to guarantee the deposits.

The concerns were raised initially in December 2008 by auditor Mike Zemaitis, and sparked a controversy. But Zemaitis reported last month that there were “no reportable deficiencies� in the draft audit for 2008-09.

 Zemaitis added that the town has a balance in the unreserved fund of $805,000 — about 19 percent of the budget. “By anybody’s estimate that’s a healthy balance,â€� he said.

Most of the town’s money is insured by FDIC, and what isn’t insured is secured by agreements made with local banks during the last budget cycle.

The Falls Village Children’s Theater signed a contract with the town, allowing the rehabilitation of the building at 103 Main St. to move forward. Meanwhile, town-owned 107 Main St. remains on the rental market and has been used by various civic groups for one-off events.

Cell phone towers — at the new firehouse and at a site off Barnes Road — were the subject of considerable discussion in 2009, as opponents cited environmental, safety and aesthetic concerns, and representatives of telephone companies listened politely.

Sweet Williams bakery expanded, opening a retail operation in Salisbury. And the D.M. Hunt Library received a coveted four-star rating from Library Journal.

The Volunteer Fire Department got a new engine. Engine Number Nine has everything needed for a call in the first 15 or 20 minutes. It carries 1,000 gallons of water and has a pump that can handle 1,500 gallons per minute.

A generator can power any device a fire company is likely to need; the cab fits four; firefighters can get into their breathing gear from the seats, which shaves a few minutes off response time.

And in firefighting, every second counts. With Engine Number Nine responding, there is no longer a need to send people back for more gear.

But the new firehouse project is on hold for the moment, as the town waits to be reimbursed by the state for money already spent.

Falls Village got a front-row seat for the ongoing Route 7 bridge repair job — and had to deal with the detours when the bridge was closed. One closing coincided with one of Music Mountain’s busiest weekends; signs popped up like mushrooms after a summer rain, directing music lovers along a serpentine route.

Working with the Northwest Connecticut Planning Collaborative, the town investigated sites that might be suitable for construction of affordable housing. Unfortunately, one donated piece of land was deemed unsuitable for any significant development due to inadequate septic system potential.

And the Water Commission got the go-ahead to replace the water tanks on Beebe Hill Road (at a cost not to exceed $350,000). Members of the Board of Finance and auditor Zemaitis had some suggestions for the commission’s financial planning, including the adoption of an annual budget, the establishment of a capital plan and account, and the undertaking of an inventory of capital needs. These suggestions will be discussed at a future commission meeting.

The 2009 elections were uneventful, but Selectman Chuck Lewis, in addition to being re-elected, published his second book, “Cut Off: Colonel Jedediah Huntington’s 17th Continental (Connecticut) Regiment at the Battle of Long Island, Aug.  27,1776.â€�

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