The meeting will be held Feb. 9 5:30 p.m. at Addona’s Banquet Room, 72 Waterbury Road, Prospect, and feature two guest speakers.

Kristen Cicchetti, a nationally certified school psychologist who has worked in the Bristol public schools for the past 11 years, will address parents’ concerns about behavior and describe how to establish a behavior plan. Cicchetti has developed and coached a Positive Behavior Intervention and Support program in her pre-kindergarten through fifth grade building for the past three years. Take-home materials regarding practical problem solving strategies to manage tantrums, defiance, and other childhood transgressions will be available at the meeting.

Peter MacDonald, a second-grade teacher at Algonquin School and reading specialist, will discuss early literacy and comprehension. MacDonald will provide information for guiding parents who want to help prepare their children for reading success and present an overview of the Readers’-Writers’ Workshop Project implemented by the Region 16 school district.
The event will include dinner. This event is free, however, a $5 donation would be appreciated. All preschool parents, teachers and community providers are encouraged to attend.

To register for the meeting, visit www.region16ct.org. For more information about the collaborative and upcoming events, e-mail Annette Shelbrack at r16prek@region16ct.org.

The Prospect Planning and Zoning Commissioned denied two special permits for a farm stand off of Straitsville Road Wednesday night. Whitney, seen above, and Christopher Caporaso, who operate a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) on the site, applied for the permits. –FILE PHOTO

PROSPECT — The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously this week to deny two special permits for a farm stand off of Straitsville Road on the corner of Porter Hill Road.

At the Feb. 1 meeting, commission members cited a dangerous traffic situation coming out of the property’s driveway as their main reason for denying the application.

According to expert testimony presented during the public hearing last month, the line of sight coming out of the proposed parking lot is 125 feet, which is less than the 150 feet required in Prospect’s zoning regulations.

Tony Cretella of Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Services testified at the public hearing that the short sight line would mean that cars going slightly over the speed limit would not have time to stop before hitting another car coming out of the driveway.

Besides the sight line, the commission also cited testimony from a real estate appraiser contending that the proposed farm stand would lower property values for surrounding properties and negatively impact the character of the neighborhood.

Commissioners also mentioned that the farm owners have not complied with their original special permit, which required the construction of a fence or other barrier to screen between the farm and a neighboring property.

“They have not kept up their end of the bargain,” Commission Chair Gil Graveline said.

The 1.7 acre property is owned by Whitney and Christopher Caporaso. The couple operates a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) on the site, wherein members purchase a share of the farm pre-season and pick up a box of produce each week during the growing season. Some of those members picked up their shares on the farm until Land Use Inspector Bill Donovan issued a cease-and-desist order in August. The town asserts that the Caporasos violated their special permit issued in 2008 which specified that produce would be taken off-site for sale.

The cease-and-desist order prompted the Caporasos to apply for a new special permit and an amendment to their original special permit to allow for retail sales on their farm.

The commission’s denial of the special permit means the Caporasos will continue their fight against the Zoning Board of Appeal’s October ruling to uphold the cease-and-desist order in court. The Caporasos argue that their CSA does not qualify as retail sales since CSA members assume the risks inherent in the agricultural process.

Whitney Caporaso could not be reached for comment as of this post.

According to Donovan, the town’s lawyer is finalizing paperwork to submit to Waterbury Superior Court before the case will be heard. The court has not yet set a date for a hearing.

State Sen. Joesph Crisco (D-17)

State Sen. Joesph Crisco (D-17)

• Encourage economic development.
• Improve education with a focus on early childhood development. Crisco said he wanted to create more opportunities for communities to invest in education without imposing a larger financial burden. “You don’t want to mandate impositions upon local communities that they can’t afford, so you have to find some balance,” Crisco said.
• Review child sex abuse reporting laws in light of the child molestation case at Penn State University. “I believe that’s going to be an important issue this year,” Crisco said.
• Continue to crusade to bring insurance to the residents of Connecticut as chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Crisco said he hopes to continue improving the diagnoses and coverage of breast cancer and put the final pieces in place for the federally-mandated insurance exchange to go into effect in 2014.
• Make sure there is full disclosure for remediation sites. “We want to make sure all the Is are dotted for full disclosure,” Crisco said.

State Rep. Len Greene (R-105)

State Rep. Len Greene (R-105)

• Get the budget under control
• Increase penalties for vandalism and theft of public memorials. Perpetrators would have to pay for the repair or replacement of the item in question. “I really think that we need to do a better job protecting those,” Greene said.
• Improve storm preparation and response to mitigate damage and decrease impact. Greene said he would listen to testimony at public hearings before backing a specific play, but would be more inclined to support an incentives package for completing restoration on time rather than fines. “The basic premise of setting specific goals is important for the state,” Greene said. “There are a lot of different moving parts to this.”

State Rep. David Labriola (R-131)

State Rep. David Labriola (R-131)

• Establish an enterprise zone around the Oxford airport. Businesses would get special tax breaks from the state as an incentive to move to the area around the airport. “That enterprise zone at the airport will create jobs and be a tremendous boon to our region’s economy by attracting businesses to the area around the airport,” Labriola said. “We’re hopeful that we can do it this year.”
• Oppose Election Day voter registration. “I believe it’s a recipe for fraud and corruption,” Labriola said. If voters could register on Election Day, Labriola said nothing would prevent them from going to several towns the same day or say they’re somebody that they really aren’t. “History has shown that elections are tainted when you have these Election Day registration,” Labriola said.
• “When it comes to the budget, I’m going to be advocating on behalf of spending cuts and fighting any tax increases,” Labriola said.
• Oppose the movement for a national popular vote. Labriola said the movement is ill-conceived. “It would dilute the impact that a small state like Connecticut would have in the Electoral College and the presidential election system,” Labriola said.

State Rep. Vickie Nardello (D-89)

State Rep. vickie Narello (R-89)

• Improving the utility’s storm response and implementation of benchmarks for utility performance.
• Look at the accountability of utilities and the possibility of reimbursing individuals when there is lost revenues because of extended outages. Nardello said she is waiting for Connecticut utility’s response to preliminary suggestions by Feb. 1.  Under consideration are changes to staffing, tree trimming, accountability, and how utilities communicate with municipalities. As chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, Nardello said storm preparedness and utility issues will take up most of her time next session.

State Sen. Joan Hartley (D-15) and state Rep. Rosa Rebimbas (R-70) could not be reached for comment as of press time.

The Waterbury Superior Court ruled that the town of Prospect can clean up this property on Clark Hill Road if owner Peter Thomas doesn't clean it up by March 1.

PROSPECT — After years of asking nicely, the town is ready to forcefully clean up one of the “worst blighted” properties in town.

In a ruling Jan. 5, the Waterbury Superior Court gave the town of Prospect the go-ahead to enter the property at 96 Clark Hill Road and remove abandoned vehicles and other detritus.

Property owner Peter Thomas, 66, has until March 1 to remove furniture, car parts, and other debris before town workers or contractors can come in and start cleaning up, according to Land Use Inspector Bill Donovan. The town has to give Thomas 48 hours notice before entering his property. Once the junk is removed, the town can charge Thomas for the cost and place a lien on his property if he doesn’t pay.

“In general, I think it was pretty fair all the way around. I am in violation of the zoning code. The town has given me plenty of time,” said Thomas, who has lived on the two-acre property since 1985.

Thomas, who represented himself during the legal proceedings, said he intended to comply with three cease-and-desist orders the town issued him beginning in 2004, but it’s been difficult. In the past, he said, he wanted to put up a plastic shed to store items but the town’s regulations won’t allow it.

Retired from Uniroyal after 30 years, Thomas works part-time to put his two children through college.

“What the town considers junk I consider a source of income.  … I’m struggling any which way I can to put them through school,” Thomas said.

Weather-permitting, Thomas hopes to clean up most of the items before the town comes in.

“I’m going to do what I can. It’s hard and it’s expensive, and it’s a big problem for me,” said Thomas, who added he has a bad leg, and has had back operations.

Donovan said the junk on the property has gotten progressively worse over the past ten years, since he sent his first letter to Thomas in 2000. Thomas signed an agreement last year to remove all the waste by Aug.15, 2011. The deadline was extended twice due to an injury and Tropical Storm Irene, but a dumpster on the property was still empty as of Sept. 6, 2011, and the rest of the junk was unchanged, according to court documents.

In 2006, the town fined Thomas $1,800 for his violations. He will also have to pay $500 for the town’s legal costs.

“I don’t want to keep taking money from the poor man,” Donovan said. However, Donovan said he couldn’t keep ignoring the problem.

Whitney Miller-Caporaso, above, and her husband Christopher Caporaso are applying for two special permits to have a farm stand on their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) on Straitsville Road. The Planning and Zoning Commission issued a cease-and-desist order issued by for the couple to stop selling produce from their CSA last year, a decision upheld by the Zoning Board of Appeals. The couple is appealing the ZBA’s decision in court. -FILE PHOTO

PROSPECT — Traffic coming out of a proposed parking lot on Straitsville Road near Porter Hill Road would be dangerous, according to opponents of a proposed farm stand in Prospect.

The traffic issue was raised during the third public hearing, Jan. 20, on two special permits for a farm stand at 176 Straitsville Road.

Tony Cretella of Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Services testified that the line of sight from the proposed parking lot was 125 feet coming north, less than the 200 feet required in zoning regulations. If drivers drive the speed limit of 30 miles per hour, he said they would have time to stop before hitting a driver coming out of the lot. However, he said if drivers exceed the limit by five miles per hour, they would not have time to stop before colliding into someone pulling out of the driveway, he said.

“I think that upper driveway … is an accident waiting to happen,” Cretella said.

Maps provided by the owner of the 1.7 acre property, Whitney Caporaso, showed an over-200-foot line of sight from her driveway.

The proposed stand would be inside and existing barn, with parking outside for five cars, with additional parking further down the hill.

Much of the discussion from the Planning and Zoning Commission focused on the adequacy of that and other maps Caporaso has provided of the site.

“This is a really unacceptable drawing as far as I’m concerned,” said commissioner Jack Crumb.

Caporaso protested that she was doing the best job she could in providing the information the commission requested.

“This is really a lot of time and energy spent to put a few vegetables on a table,” she said.

Caporaso’s neighbors on Porter Hill Road have opposed the community supported agriculture (CSA) since the commission granted a special permit for the commercial farm and greenhouses in 2008. Caporaso originally planned to grow flowers to sell wholesale to a local retailer, but after that fell through, she started the CSA wherein she pre-sold shares of the crops to members each season. About 30 CSA members picked up their share of produce from the farm once a week.

In October, the Zoning Board of Appeals ruled that Caporaso and her husband were in violation of that special permit, which states no direct retail sales to the general public are allowed on the property.

The Caporasos have filed an appeal of that decision at Waterbury Superior Court, arguing that their CSA does not qualify as retail operation. That appeal is pending, but the Caporasos have indicated that they would drop the court appeal if the commission grants two special permits for the farm stand. The first permit would allow the farm stand and the second would amend the original special permit to reflect the current conditions of the CSA.

The commission has 65 days after the close of the public hearing Jan. 20 to render a decision.

A computer drawing shows a design for the new elementary school in Prospect. -CONTRIBUTED

BEACON FALLS — Weeks after voters in Prospect and Beacon Falls approved a school building project for Region 16 the “real work” is set to begin.

The Board of Education gave the go-ahead for Fletcher Thompson, an architectural firm, and Turner Construction, a construction management firm, to proceed with phase II of the project at its meeting Jan. 11.

“Now the real work begins,” Joseph Costa, a principal with Fletcher Thompson, told the board.

Fletcher Thompson and Turner Construction worked on the estimated $46.7 million, three-part project throughout its initial phase leading up to the December referendum. The firms will continue to work hand-in-hand with the school building committee, which meets every two weeks, on the project.

The board approved a $2.3 million contract with Fletcher Thompson last week, along with a $45,000 allowance for the company to cover miscellaneous costs such as travel and mailings. As of the meeting, the contract with Turner Construction had not been finalized, but the company was given permission to start its work.

“We don’t anticipate any problems, and we feel the contract will be finalized shortly,” attorney Warren “Pete” Hess said.

The costs of the contracts will come out of the money approved for the project.

The project entails building a new elementary school in Prospect at 75 New Haven Road, a 49-acre parcel known as the Talmadge Hill Road property, to replace Community and Algonquin schools, major renovations to Laurel Ledge Elementary School in Beacon Falls, and converting Algonquin School in Prospect into the new district office. The project was approved at a Dec. 20 referendum, 1,239 to 1,084.

Costa explained that phase II of the project includes intensive design work, securing the necessary permits from the state and towns for the work ahead, along with more analysis of the site for the new school, including a traffic study.

“Now is the time for us to really roll up our sleeves,” Costa said.

The firm will also work on filing the necessary paperwork, by June 30, with the state for reimbursement. School officials anticipate to be reimbursed 68 percent of eligible costs of the project by the state.

Along with working to get the highest reimbursement rate on the three parts of the project, Costa said the firm will work on securing reimbursement from the state on the money spent to buy the Talmadge Hill Property. In October 2008, voters approved buying the land for $1.59 million.

Phase II will lead up to actual construction of the new school and renovations at Laurel Ledge, which are expected to begin in the spring of 2013. Work on the district office project is slated start in July of 2014.

As the project moves forward, members of the school board emphasized the importance of keeping the public informed through presentations at various stages of the project. Costa told the board there will be periodic public presentations.

Board chair Priscilla Cretella said the board wants an open discussion so everyone understands what is happening as the project unfolds.

“The whole thing here is communication,” she said.

The town of Prospect ended the 2010-11 fiscal year with a $502,000 surplus due to higher than expected revenues. FILE PHOTO

PROSPECT — The town closed out the 2010-11 fiscal year with a $502,000 surplus, according to Town Council Chair Tomas Galvin.

The town council signed off on the books for the previous fiscal year Tuesday night after adding $300,000 to the reserves.

“I’m very proud of this being that we were able to accomplish this in the worst economic period probably since the Depression,” Mayor Robert Chatfield said.

The prior fiscal year that ended in 2010 saw a surplus of $201,000, according to Galvin.

The town was able to close out the 2011 fiscal year with more money on its books despite unanticipated expenses from heavy snow storms last winter.

“We spent more money than we had on our budget, and we also had more revenues that we anticipated,” Galvin said.

The extra revenues came from the collection of back taxes and a surplus returned to the town from the Region 16 school district.

Chatfield added the town also collected on 102 percent of taxes due.

The town tax collector had a historic year in collecting back taxes from 2007 to 2009, collecting an extra $200,000 in old tax bills, according to Galvin. That includes $127,682 from one company in the industrial park, according to Chatfield. Region 16 refunded Prospect $146,000 in unused educational funds. That money will be deducted from Prospect’s next school payment.

“That combined with our overall frugal approach … allowed us to enjoy a surplus now going into this year,” Galvin said.

The extra revenues will go into the town’s surplus to use for unexpected expenses.

Some of the funds will probably go towards the cleanup costs of the October snow storm, Galvin said. According to Chatfield, when it’s all said and done the town will have spent between $350,000 and $450,000 on storm cleanup. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay 75 percent of that cost.

“That is the exact thing that the rainy day fund, I guess this would be a snowy day fund, exists for,” Galvin said.

Some money may also go towards expenses from Tropical Storm Irene, although Chatfield said that was not as expensive since there was no snow and fewer trees came down.

Chatfield said he hoped the surplus will improve the town’s bond rating and help them secure a lower interest rate for the Region 16 school building project, which is anticipated to come in under 2 percent.

He said bond agencies like to see 5 percent of the town budget in surplus. For Prospect’s $6.9 million budget, 5 percent would be about $345,000.

No one was injured in the fire, said Fire Lt. P.J. Conway, the department’s public information officer. No one was at home at the time of the fire, he said.

The truck was plugged in because it has a block warmer, Conway said. The call came in about 2 a.m.

When firefighters arrived, the vehicle was fully engulfed, causing some damage to the siding of the house and electrical service on that side of the residence, he said.

It took about 10 to 15 minutes to put the fire out, Conway said, and firefighters used foam from its new truck, which worked well. Conway said according to Fire Marshal Keith Griffin the cause of the fire was due to an electrical problem to the block warmer to the pickup. The amount of damage was about $29,000, he said.

-Special to the Citizen’s News

Prospect resident Pat Vilardo addresses the Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday night during a hearing for two special permits for a farm stand on Straitsville Road. LARAINE WESCHLER

PROSPECT — Neighbors opposed to a farm stand on Straitsville Road told the Planning and Zoning Commission they would not be satisfied with any compromise that would allow customers to buy or pick up produce on the site.

“We already feel we have made a compromise. … This is wrong,” said Ann-Marie Santoro of 5 Porter Hill Road at a Jan. 4 public hearing on a special permit application to sell and display agricultural products at 176 Straitsville Road, on the corner of Porter Hill Road. The hearing was continued from a Nov. 7 meeting.

Residents of Porter Hill Road said the issue was emotional for them. They have opposed the 1.7 acre community supported agriculture (CSA) in the residential neighborhood since the commission granted a special permit for the commercial farm and greenhouses in 2008.

“Get it off the property. That’s all I want,” Carmen Santoro of 9 Porter Hill Road said.

The Caporasos had been running the CSA on their land wherein members bought shares of the farm pre-season and picked up a basket of produce once a week.

In October, the Zoning Board of Appeals ruled that Whitney and Christopher Caporaso were in violation of that special permit, which states no direct retail sales to the general public are allowed on the property.

The Caporasos have filed an appeal of that decision at Waterbury Superior Court, arguing that their CSA does not qualify as retail operation. That appeal is pending, but the Caporasos have indicated that they would drop the court appeal if the commission grants two special permits for the farm stand. The first permit would allow the farm stand and the second would amend the original special permit to reflect the current conditions of the CSA.

Whitney Caporaso said she wants to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and not cause any more problems. She said she has spent thousands of dollars to comply with zoning regulations and requests and simply wants her farm to be profitable. Without the ability to sell produce on her property, Caporaso said she can’t make enough money to earn a living.

Porter Hill Road neighbors, however, said the farm is an eyesore which degrades their quality of life and lowers their property values. They called the exit from Porter Hill Road onto Straitsville a “deathtrap” and argued the farm stand would increase traffic and make the area more dangerous.

Commission Chair Gil Graveline asked whether the Caporasos could limit their hours of operation so as not to coincide with periods of heavier traffic.

“I’m trying not to limit myself if someone wants to stop in,” Caporaso said, pointing out that most of her day is taken up with tending crops.

She requested hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but actual hours would vary depending on the time of year. She contended that traffic wouldn’t be a problem since it is unlikely that more than one or two cars will be there at any given time. She said there is room in the parking lot for cars to park, back out, turn around, and leave nose out.

“I don’t see us causing congestion,” Caporaso said.

Caporaso said there would be no permanent signs for the farm stand, which would be located inside an existing building. There would be two parking areas off of Straitsville Road, with space for five cars each, Caporaso said.

Commissioner Jack Crumb voiced concern that a proposed grass walkway between the two parking lots along the road would not be safe because it goes up a slope. Some of the grass walkway, which is about 12 feet wide, is in the town’s right-of-way.

Land Use Inspector Bill Donovan said the town’s property cuts well into that swath of grass, leaving only a foot between the property line and a stone wall.

“We really don’t want people walking out by the road,” Commissioner Gregory Ploski said.

After hearing the commission’s concerns, Caporaso drew a new walkway which would snake around the back of her property.

Attorney Jeffrey Tinley, representing alternate commission member Dave Santoro, argued that Caporaso’s site plan lacked sufficient detail. Santoro recused himself from the proceeding because he is a neighbor of the CSA.

“If this is an acceptable site plan, I don’t know what your regulations mean,” Tinley said. Although he couldn’t tell since there were no dimensions on the map, Tinley said the parking did not comply with regulations, that it doesn’t include proper landscaping, and that the Caporasos are not in compliance with their existing permit.

“I don’t think the applicant’s being respectful to the board,” Tinley said. “Your job is to protect neighbors. … This is simply the wrong application, the wrong place, and the wrong use.”

At least one neighbor supported the farm stand, and other Prospect residents have spoken in favor of it at past meetings.

Jim Osnato of 21 Coachlight Circle said he signed a petition against the Caporasos before he knew all the details about their farm. He said he was misinformed and regretted the decision.

“I personally don’t see nothing wrong with what they want to do,” Osnato said.

Caporaso granted the board a 15-day extension to render their decision on the application, after the commission said they needed more details on the site plan, including a scale and exact distances for the property line and parking lots. The public hearing was continued to Jan. 18 at 7:10 p.m.

An artistic rendering shows what Aria by Villa Rosa will look like once complete. -CONTRIBUTED

A ground breaking for a new banquet hall at the intersection of Murphy Road and Waterbury Road will be held early next year.

Joe Geloso Sr. and his son Joe Geloso Jr., owners of Villa Rosa in Waterbury, are moving their operation to Prospect and renaming it Aria by Villa Rosa.

The 30,000-square-foot banquet hall will have two separate large function rooms, each with its own cocktail room, terrace, patio, and garden for outdoor wedding ceremonies.

Workers are currently preparing the site at the intersection of Murphy Road and Waterbury Road and should start pouring the foundation in the next few weeks. The facility is expected to open in the spring of 2013.

Construction of public works garage

With help from a $200,000 grant from the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP), Prospect will be building a new public works garage next year.

The garage will house hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of heavy duty equipment and other equipment which is currently parked outside, according to Mayor Robert Chatfield.

Construction on the free-standing garage is expected to begin in April or May.

Difficult budget year ahead

Prospect faces another difficult task when it comes to the budget this year.

Last year, as many town budgets shot up, Prospect was able to lower its budget under Chatfield’s direction, thanks in part to some bonds the town had finished paying off.

This year, taxpayers may not be so lucky. Chatfield said bond payments and interest payments are less this year, but not that much less. He said he planned to ask department heads to hold their budgets flat and cut wherever they can.

However, the town will have to put some money into capital improvements, such as roads.

“They’re not like a bottle of wine. They do not improve with age,” Chatfield said.

New state senator

Joe Markley -CONTRIBUTED

Prospect will have a new state senator after the November 2012 elections when Prospect moves from the 15th to the 16th state Senatorial district.

Republican state Sen. Joe Markley currently represents the 16th District, which will include Southington, Wolcott and portions of Cheshire and Waterbury.

“I believe it’s a conservative community that appreciates small government and personal liberty and constitutional rights and constitutional limits and that’s what I believe in,” Markley said earlier this year about Prospect.

New ways to search for property information

Prospect will get an updated Geographic Information System program which will be available to the public early next year, according to Land Use Inspector William Donovan.

The program allows people to look at properties online, get basic information such as current owners and assessed value, and view maps of the property.

The upgraded system will be more informative with photographs of the house and an aerial view that includes surrounding properties, Donovan said.

“It’s to help the public obtain information on properties without always having to come in to town hall to do it,” Donovan said.

Regency continues expanding

Prospect’s gated 55 and older community is steadily growing, according to Donovan.

He said developer Toll Brothers has sold 141 of 366 units approved for Regency at Prospect, and 16 additional units are under contract.

“It shows us that people are still willing to move to Prospect,” Donovan said. “It’s been very good for the town.”

He said the town appreciates the long-term development.