News & Updates

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 11/18/24

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting tonight (Thursday) in Mallory Town Hall at 7pm. The meeting is in person but also transmitted via Zoom and a link is included on the agenda which can be found on the Town website.  The agenda has a few new items including the consideration of a “burn ordinance” at the request of the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department. Currently, due to the persistent dry conditions, there is a ban on any open burning and the BOS will be considering an ordinance on behalf of the SVFD to add some teeth to the enforcement efforts toward this.

Also on the agenda is a presentation by the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC) who is nearing the final process on a land purchase to add significant acreage to the Strauss Preserve, located at the end of Edmunds Road. The agenda also features a discussion about the State’s new tax exemption for disabled veterans. We will also be opening the bids on a new heating boiler for Mallory Town Hall to meet that capital need. The entire agenda is available to be seen on the Town website.

Speaking of the SVFD, they will be selling Christmas trees in front of the firehouse on Route 39 all day starting on November 29 and 30. They will also sell them, if there are any remaining, on December 6, 7, and 8. $80 a tree. Can’t beat that!  Also, as a reminder, the SVFD Breakfast with Santa will be held on Sunday, December 15 from 8 to 11am. It’s always nice when Santa takes time from his hectic schedule to stop in and see us in Sherman!  Plus, the pancakes are delicious. Kids under 5 are free, by the way. 

The Sherman Church will present an interesting live music event on Saturday, December 7, at 7 pm at the Sherman Church located at 6 Church Road. The Indie Rock band Astronauto, featuring John Velsor and Richie Arriaga, will perform.  Astronauto is well established in the Long Island music scene and will bring its spiritual and Christian set to the Sherman Church. The band will also encourage and offer young people time to step up to an open mic. Middle-schoolers in particular are encouraged to come sing or play at the open mic, but all ages are welcome. Sign up for the open mic will be upon entering. This event is free and all are welcome.

Speaking of December 7 in Sherman, there will be several other social events. The Sherman Veterans will hold their annual dinner and the Sherman Library will kick off the holiday season with its annual winter gala later that evening. The next day, Sunday, December 8, will be the tree lighting (5pm) at the Sherman Historical Society and after that the holiday season is officially in full swing. My role in the tree lighting will be acting as crossing guard to make sure all attendees receive safe passage there and back across busy Route 37. Doing this always offers an opportunity for me to say “hi” to the citizens of Sherman. I’m grateful for that. And I’m always grateful when I survive unhurt…..cars need to slow down! 

In the midst of all the merriment, let’s also remember and take a moment to contemplate Pearl Harbor, which was attacked on December 7, 1941. That is one of the profoundly “hard days” in American history and we should never forget to pay homage to those who died and served there. 

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 11/11/24

I’m writing this on Veterans Day and earlier today many Sherman veterans from all branches of service met at the Sherman School for a program celebrating veterans. Alvin Tuck, United States Army, gave a terrific message as keynote speaker and a gymnasium full of Sherman students learned a great deal about what it means to be a military veteran. I’m so proud of the way our Sherman School, as event host, responds to Veterans Day to honor these special people. And then there’s the Sherman band and singers who were, as always, absolutely amazing beyond their years. Great music!

On Saturday, November 16, the Sherman Scouts will hold their “Stuff the Gazebo” event in front of the Sherman IGA. From 10am to Noon, the Sherman Scouts will be collecting food and household items to donate to the Sherman Social Services food pantry. You will probably see a sign for this in the coming days at the IGA and elsewhere round town, and it will list the types of items they are most looking for. Even if you can give just a little it helps and goes to a needful place. 

Our Sherman Senior Community Center committee meets this week as we parse through and pare down options for the new building, which is slated to be built near the community gardens on Colonial Field. The committee’s goal is to be able to present plans and a price to the public after the first of the year prior to an eventual referendum on the plan. No referendum date, as of yet, has been set. Although I can’t, right now, go into details, we have been blessed with two significant donations towards this new Senior Center. We truly appreciate that and are happy to name aspects of the building to honor those who donate if they wish it so. Nearly everyone who uses or has any experience with our current Senior Center facility agrees that a new Senior Center would be a plus for the Town. In addition, the new building would serve in some respects as a community building for all ages. It would also include a new social services office. More to come on this project. 

Though small yet significant, another capital project being lined up, is the restoration of the Scout House. For those who don’t know, the Scout House is the little white “one-room schoolhouse” building next to the Sherman Playhouse. It was constructed in 1827 and it’s getting in poor shape. We recently approved money for a structural engineer who has assessed the building and is drawing up plans. From these plans we will derive bid specs for the much-needed restoration work, put the project out to bid, ask for funding in a Town Meeting from the taxpayers, and then, if successful, go from there. Absolutely nothing about the building is being changed. But the building’s structure – especially the roof and walls – are to be straightened and strengthened.  It will also receive proper painting and some other tidying up. All pertinent Town boards and commissions, including the Historic District Commission, will be included in the approval when and if the time for that comes along.  

Once again, I need to express gratitude for our Sherman Volunteer Fire Department who, in these unusually dry conditions, have been under more pressure than ever to answer emergency calls. Our SVFD women and men have lately been mustering for call after call, many of them joint efforts with other Towns.  When you get a chance, give them a hearty “thank you” or if you are so inclined, you can be extra generous at donation time to the SVFD. They are an outstanding group of folks and are extremely valuable to Sherman!   

I love this time of year. The leaves have dropped, unmasking the forest, letting autumn’s low glow pour though as one tromps over the withered bracken. (I wrote that line for a special Sherman citizen and a Robert Frost fan. She knows who she is!)    

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 11/04/2024

Our Annual Town Meeting was held on Saturday, October 26 in Charter Hall. In that meeting, as we always do, we presented The Annual Report which is the product of our annual audit. Our treasurer, Andrea Maloney, presented most of the financial news and Sherman continues to remain in fine financial health. The high points include our general fund balance (surplus; “rainy day” fund) which sits at $5.6 million and our capital non-recurring fund is at $1.8 million. These are important numbers as we examine a list of upcoming capital projects including a possible new Senior Center, the possible boat dock expansion in the Town Park, and, of course, our recently approved Sherman School renovation project.  

The pickleball courts up at Volunteer Field are now completed and ready for action. Let the games begin. This particular project was one of the most efficient and trouble-free capital projects that I have seen in Sherman. Our Board of Selectmen was asked around a year ago by numerous Sherman pickleball players if Sherman could provide more courts to satisfy the demand for playing space. We reacted and acted about as fast as a municipality can and the result are these new courts which were mostly paid for by the State in a STEAP (Small Town Economic Assistance Program) grant ($240,000) that my office procured. A big thank you to our Park and Rec Commission for its help and encouragement and also for all that Public Works did to make this happen on time and within budget. A ribbon cutting ceremony is being planned.

 Early voting was very popular here in Sherman and one could call it a big success. Of course, we haven’t paid for it yet, and that bill for all of the hours by the many poll workers and registrars will be a big one.  But that’s the way of things now and it certainly is nice to have some flexibility for when a person can vote. For us, 1162 people voted early. On top of that, there are nearly 200 absentee voters. Tomorrow is Tuesday, the official voting day, and we’ll just have to see how busy it is.  

I worry sometimes that presenting honest, reasonable points-of-view is growing more and more impossible, or “out-of-style” when it pertains to the important issues that affect us all. It seems as I watch the news that a necessary trust in peoples’ attention spans along with a trust in their sense of ethics is frequently lacking. Instead, only the most desperate and “end-of-the-world” statements see the light of day. Especially in national politics. Things are positioned only “this way” or “that way”, in black and white, when in fact, almost all important issues exist in some sort of gray area. I’m purposefully not offering any specific examples – you can think of your own – but my comments stem from watching the events of this boorish presidential campaign and its trickle-down effect into state and local politics that eventually pours into a flood of social media nastiness.  I’m writing on Monday, and tomorrow, the election season is over. Possibly, when you read this, we will have chosen our next president. No matter what is decided, I fervently hope for the sake of solving our great country’s problems that our pundits someday return to a more reasonable and thoughtful way of discourse.

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 10/28/24

Early voting has been busy in Sherman. I’m presently writing this column on Monday, October 28 and there have been more than 560 voters so far. In addition, there are 200-plus absentee ballots that have been cast. So, with almost another week left of voting, more than 750 of our 2646 registered voters have cast their ballots. That’s approximately 28% of our total registered voters. Voting continues through Sunday, November 3 at Mallory Town Hall. On Tuesday, November 5, from 6am to 8am we vote at Charter Hall. 

There is currently a ban on all burning and that will remain until rain returns. The risk for fire is high so please don’t consider doing any of the fall burning that you might be accustomed to doing until notified otherwise by our Fire Marshall. This weekend, our Sherman Volunteer Fire Department served along several other fire crews to fight a serious ground fire in Dover Plains, NY. Our SVFD folks have been busy with a wide array of calls lately at all hours of the day. They are a super dedicated group and we are grateful for their service.   

The Sherman School’s SPTO is holding its Annual Harvest Festival this year on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 12 to 4pm on the Sherman School playground and also in the cafeteria. All are welcome. There are games and fun for the kids, interesting craft booths, food, and music. This is always a terrific event and I thank the SPTO for holding it every year.

I have been beleaguered by calls and messages from residents of all political stripes over the aggressive onslaught of political signs that Sherman suffered over the weekend. There sprouted a horde of them! Most of them are on State property (right-of-ways) and the State sent out a directive three weeks ago about “no political signs on State property” but I think that directive in practice became somewhat overwhelming for our state DOT. They are not removing them anymore. I understand. 

And while I consider all political signs not on private property to be litter, I am not removing them either as I don’t want any members of the political party of which I am not a member to accuse me of being biased. This recent barrage were mostly signs from the political party of which I am not a member.  It’ll all be over in a week. Thank goodness! When I last ran for First Selectman there were no political signs on roadways from my side. And it’ll be that way again when I run in 2025. I absolutely loathe them on public property and am weary of how these signs pollute our beautiful Town. 

Don’t forget to check out the websites of these two places in Sherman: The JCC and the Sherman Library. Both host an array of fascinating programs and events. We are blessed to have them. Along with interesting presentations on a variety of topics, the Library has had several arts shows that display the ample local talent in the area. The JCC also features a fine lineup of programs and, of course, is known locally as a splendid music venue. Every weekend showcases high grade musical talent from around the area and every Thursday night is “Open Mic” night. Feel free and come by on Thursdays to do a couple songs or read some poetry. If you’re not ready for that, just sit back and enjoy the talent that performs at this fun evening at the JCC.  

The only thing worse than political signs along public property – and it’s really a tie – are my Minnesota Vikings losing. It’s been two losses in a row now. Ugh! 

* * * NO OPEN BURNING IN THE TOWN OF SHERMAN UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE * * *

As a result of a prolonged lack of precipitation coupled with an abundance dry fuel on the ground brought on by the fall season, our local risk of wildfire is at an extremely high level. As such there will be no open burning in the town of Sherman until further notice.  Smokers - please dispose of cigarette butts in a fire safe container not on the ground or out of your car window.

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 10/21/24

The Board of Selectmen will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting tonight, Thursday at 7pm. This meeting will be held in Charter Hall. It will be available to view on ZOOM and a link is provided on the agenda which is posted on the Town website. Among other items, there will be a reviews of ongoing capital projects (and potential capital projects) such as the reclamation of the Scout House, a possible new heating burner for Mallory Town Hall, the pickleball courts, the proposed new Senior Center, and the additional docks down at the Town Beach. 

On Saturday, October 26 in Charter Hall at 10am we will hold the Annual Town Meeting. At this meeting we go over the auditor’s report and the Annual Report. It’s a good opportunity to learn and ask questions about Sherman’s financial health and plans for the future.

The Annual Halloween Bash is on for Saturday, October 26 from 4pm to 7pm in front of Mallory Town Hall on Carol Havens Way and in front of the Playhouse. This is a wonderful event for the kids with numerous spooky booths set up from various Sherman organizations for trick-or-treating opportunities. A big THANK YOU to Barbara Richardson for putting this all together. Happy Halloween!

I am going to describe a situation that, unfortunately, I have witnessed too many times on our local roadways. It goes like this: Driver 1 is driving down the byway. Driver 2 comes up behind, gets impatient at Driver 1’s speed, and decides (passing lane or not) to pass Driver 1. Driver 3 suddenly comes from the opposite direction and is unfairly on a collision course with Driver 2. Driver 1, for some stubborn reason, speeds up to, I guess, “Teach Driver 2 a lesson” and makes it challenging for Driver 2 to pass. Driver 3 inexplicably maintains the same speed and stubbornly continues straight at Driver 2. Miraculously, Driver 2 gets around Driver 1 and they miss tragedy by seconds. This time. 

Please don’t be a character in the above scenario.  Please, especially, don’t be Driver 2. That’s the real culprit here. But if you see a Driver 2, let him or her carry on with their impatient ways. We can only hope that Driver 2 learns to eventually behave better on the roadways. Meanwhile, you stay safe!

Here’s a favorite quote from the inspirational Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”  

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 10/14/24

The State DOT sent out a directive that they will remove political signs, or any signs, placed on the State’s right-of-way on its highways. The DOT crews have been removing some of the signs recently. This is understandable in most cases although there is often a fine line between what the State’s right-of-way is and what is abutting private property. A few sign removal mistakes have happened, but to my knowledge they were rectified. Except where private property signs have been removed (human error, not prejudice for one candidate or the other I am confidant in sharing), I commend the spirit of this. I am supportive of the State DOT as they have been helpful and friendly to Sherman in maintaining our State roads.   

Speaking of the State DOT, our Sherman School beat out all the other Connecticut schools for a “naming of the plow” contest. The students of Sherman School came up with “Fast and Flurrious” and now a new DOT snowplow trucks has a name! Last week, I had the pleasure, along with our State elected officials and members of our Board of Education, to attend the ceremony. Big congratulations to our excellent students for coming up with such a fun and creative (and winning!) name for the truck and plow. 

Absentee ballots for the November 5 General Election can be picked up at the Town Clerk’s office during regular Town Hall business hours. Information on all aspects concerning voting in the General Election can be found under the “registrars” section on the Town website. Early voting for the General Election begins on Monday, October 21 with further details (days, times, etc.) available, as I stated, on the Town website.

Just to clear up a couple of rumors, no, our YOUR SPEED signs do not give out tickets. Nor do they record anything private on the cars that go past them. The only data they record is frequency of cars and the speed of cars in general. In other words, we are able to see a chart showing how many cars and the average speed of cars over a chosen duration of time. But no specific information of cars or drivers, and no automatic computerized tickets.  

A reminder, as I do from time-to-time, to sign on if you haven’t already to the Town-wide message service, NIXLE. It’s easy to do. Simply text our zip code (06784) to the number 888777. And you’re on!

I’m remiss in not mentioning this in an earlier column, but we regret the loss of Ann Smith Chiaramonte who passed away on September 13. Ann volunteered on our Zoning Board of Appeals and also on the Board of Assessment Appeals along with being active in Sherman on many fronts. Ann possessed a sparkling personality and expressed herself with humor, grace, and wise insight. We miss her greatly. 

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 10/07/24

The Sherman voters passed an historic referendum regarding the renovation and repair of the Sherman School facility last Saturday, October 5, by a vote of 961 YES to 505 NO. This vote count was almost the mirror opposite of last year’s vote on the same issue. Despite what some people have said, however, there is a lot of difference between last year’s plan and the one proposed at the October 5 vote. I supported it and I’m pleased with the outcome and also happy that, no matter what the result was, it was a definitive result. Obviously there is a strong desire by Sherman taxpayers to make the Sherman School facility whole again. Now comes the work. 

What is next for this project? The School Building Committee will be working on issuing a request for proposals for a Construction Manager, our architects and engineers will continue to refine plans in a period of Design Development, and my Board and I will be working with our town Treasurer to prepare the financing needs. This work will continue at least through December. We are also in contact with the State about our next steps and coordinating with our elected officials in Hartford. Stayed tuned for more on this, but after last Saturday’s firm directive from the taxpayers, rest assured that it’s forward ho.

On other fronts, just when I need something to smile about, it seems the Sherman Scouts do something amazing. Sherman Troop 48 is pitching in for Hurricane Helene relief for the communities devastated by that terrible natural event. They are collecting nonperishable items and also monetary donations for those in need. Items can be dropped off in the plastic bin outside of the Scout House and you can also reach out to Scout leaders, Dan O’Connell or Kristin Stephens, to arrange collection. (Desirable items include: Pasta, Sauce, Canned Goods, Soap, Toothpaste, and other Personal Hygiene Products, and also First Aid products.) Checks can be made to Troop 48 and dropped off at the Webster Bank here in town. 

Last Saturday – a busy day in Sherman – also featured Farm Day and it was a huge success. People by the many strolled in all afternoon and enjoyed Happy Acres Farm that David Jellen keeps up so well. It’s plain to see that this will be an annual event going forward. And who knows what else we might do up at Happy Acres. This is a town-owned property, a resource managed beautifully by our farmer David Jellen, and we will be looking for other public uses of this great treasure.  

No season is more sense-inspiring to me than the fall and we are moving into the heart of it. The colors changing, the crisp air, the stark sun, and stagy shadows “brings me back”, to use the words of the recently deceased Kris Kristofferson, “to something I lost somewhere, somehow along the way.” Love the fall!   

WARNING

ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING

REFERENDUM

October 5, 2024

The electors and taxpayers of the Town of Sherman are hereby warned and notified to meet in the Sherman Emergency Services Facility on Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. of said day to decide by voting machine the following question:

QUESTION 1:      “SHALL THE TOWN OF SHERMAN APPROPRIATE $42,800,000 TO RENOVATE AS NEW SHERMAN SCHOOL INCLUSIVE OF ITS CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE AND AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS OR NOTES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $32,075,000 TO FINANCE THE APPROPRIATION, OR ANY LESSER AMOUNT NECESSARY AFTER DEDUCTING GRANTS TO BE RECEIVED FOR THE PROJECT?”

                                                                                                           YES                         NO

There will be no voter registration after October 4, 2024.  Dated at Sherman, Connecticut, this 3rd day of September, 2024.

 Carol L. Havens

 Town Clerk of Sherman CT

***IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TOWN OF SHERMAN

REFERENDUM TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024***

THIS REFERENDUM WILL BE HELD IN THE SHERMAN EMERGENCY SERVICES FACILITY.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM?

 1. Registered voters of the Town of Sherman.  (There will be no voter registration

after October 4, 2024.)      

2. Property owners who are U.S. citizens, 18 years of age or older and who have

property assessed at $1,000 or more on the last-completed Grand List of the Town of Sherman.  (The last-completed Grand List of the Town of Sherman is

October 1, 2023.)

ABSENTEE VOTING IN THE REFERENDUM.

 1. Absentee ballots will be available beginning Tuesday, September 24, 2024 thru Friday, October 4, 2024 during regular office hours at the Sherman Town Clerk’s Office.  The Town Clerk’s Office will also be open on Saturday, September 28, 2024 to issue absentee ballots from 9 am to 12 noon.

2.  Absentee ballots must be picked up at the Town Clerk’s Office during

regular office hours.  They cannot be mailed out by the Town Clerk.  You

may designate certain people to pick up a ballot for you if you cannot do

so yourself.  Contact the Town Clerk’s Office for details. 

From the Desk of Selectman Joel Bruzinski

This coming Saturday, October 5th is the referendum for the proposed Sherman School renovation.  I am pleased to be able to write that the proposed renovation plan and the corresponding bonding package has the unanimous, bi-partisan support of the entire Board of Selectman as well as the Town Treasurer.

Over the past several weeks you may have seen informative columns written by First Selectman Don Lowe and Selectman Bob Ostrosky regarding the proposed renovation and the associated tax implications.  Both Don and Bob have done an excellent job in laying out the circumstances at the Sherman School that necessitate this renovation, the various paths and plans that were considered, the renovation plan that the School Building Committee ultimately settled on and the bonding package details for that plan. If you have not read these columns, I would urge you to visit the Board of Selectman page on the Town Website where they are all archived.  I would like to reiterate the impact that this proposal has on your taxes will max out at just $40 per $100,000.00 of your property’s assessed value for each of the next 8 years after which that annual, cumulative increase will then reverse and start to decrease.  The bonding projections, as presented, assume no growth to the grand list (revenue), giving the Sherman voters a realistic and conservative view of what this project will cost them both as a town and individually.  These proposed bonding impacts are also posted on the Town Website on a banner right at the top of the home page.

An aspect of this proposed renovation that has not been given much “air-time” is perhaps the most important one of all: security.  To be clear, our current school facility meets today’s necessary requirements for security standards.  However, the proposed renovation represents a profoundly significant upgrade to the safety and security of the Sherman School's staff and children. As required by statute, a school renovation must place the latest and best security criteria codified by the State’s School Safety Infrastructure Council as a central component of its design.  This full renovation that I'm asking you to approve achieves a much more comprehensive level of security for a building originally designed long before the present threat levels were conceived of.  

My vision of Sherman is not one of a town that is content with a “good enough” approach to a secure school but rather one that pursues a comprehensive, robust and lasting security solution for our school community.  The recent tragic event at Apalachee High School in Georgia highlighted the difference a “what we can do” approach made over a basic “what we are required to do” approach.  That terrible morning a new technology that the school had just voluntarily implemented was credited with very likely saving lives by drastically improving the speed and accuracy of the law enforcement response.  Let that sink in – it is likely that children went home to their parents that day because the community had chosen to do more than meet the required minimum school security standards.  Even though my children have aged out of the Sherman School, I take the security of that facility no less seriously than if they were still there today.  I am hopeful that our collective sentiment as a community is the same.  Every faculty member, child and their families deserve the peace of mind in knowing Sherman is doing its absolute best to provide the safest and most secure educational environment.  While there are many positive aspects of the proposed Sherman School renovation I will be voting for on Saturday, a significant increase to facility security will be a top one driving my “Yes” vote.

The physical and environmental situation at the Sherman School is challenged.  Built as numerous independent projects and renovations over the years, the infrastructure and supporting systems are complex, disconnected, and beginning to fail.  This is simply the reality that we are facing as a town, and I, like many individuals and professional firms, have spent numerous hours walking through the school looking for ways to stop the bleeding with worthwhile near-term fixes.  Unfortunately, while there are many ways to start a fix-as-you-go approach, the complexity of the patched together mechanicals and physical structures make simple repairs difficult and costly.   An example is the closed K-wing which is one source of the significant environmental challenge at the school (the odor of which can be detected once you walk in the front door of the building).   A  knock down or disconnect of the k-wing might be considered an easy solution, but unfortunately the fire suppression system for the entire facility is at the far end of the k-wing which would require a complete replacement, relocation, and reconnection with other failing mechanicals.  So now a knock down of the k-wing suddenly turns into a complex infrastructure project costing millions.   There are many similar situations throughout the facility. 

Most citizens are aware that there have been numerous evaluations on remediation options and none of them are low cost or minimally disruptive.  I encourage everyone to view all of this information on our Town website (www.townofshermanct.org under the Government link at the top of the home page and in the Boards and Commissions section).   

As we approach the October 5th referendum on this proposed renovate-to-new option, I would like to state I am appreciative of the “no voters” from the first referendum last fall, as a second look at this has lowered the original cost, further shrunk the building footprint, and allowed for special legislation at the state level to be passed to raise our reimbursement to 30%. A big thank you to our State Representative Pat Callahan and State Senator Steve Harding for their leadership on this!

I do believe the taxpayer burden from this project is significant. Fortunately, as a town, we are in a very good fiscal situation. The last few editions of the Board of Selectmen (who also act as the Board of Finance) have successfully lowered taxes, increased our surplus to an all-time high, proactively addressed town infrastructure issues with our capital plan, and successfully obtained grants to minimize spending where appropriate (i.e. STEAP).  If approved, this project would add an approximate annual 2% increase each year for the budget years 2025-26 through 2030-31 (please see the analysis on the town website as it gives significant details and examples of impacts on ranges of assessed value).   The analysis provided contains a very conservative contribution from our General Fund Balance ($500K) which helps lessen the impact. The analysis does not include any potential increases in the grand list or additional general fund balance contributions, which could also help mitigate the impact.  All future mitigation options are decisions that will need to be made on a year-by-year basis by the Board of Selectmen in office at that time.

I do want to be clear that any project of this size has risks.  All options that were reviewed, including new construction, repairing over time, and the current proposed renovate-as-new contain challenges and potential risks.  The project has contingency built in and will need the highest level of oversight by the Building Committee and Town Officials to ensure it stays on plan and on budget.

The journey to where we are today as a community has been a long one.   There have been numerous thought-provoking ideas and analyses on potential paths forward.  I see and hear the passion in so many voices and I believe all have contributed to getting us to this point.  It is important we respect our fellow citizens' opinions no matter how much we disagree with them, and maintain a civil approach to addressing all of our Town and School challenges. I believe we need a functioning school facility in our town, and the proposed option presented in the October 5th referendum presents the best path forward to achieve that.  Please vote on October 5th as the most important part of any referendum regardless of the outcome is participation by all!  As Thomas Jefferson stated a long time ago “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”

Please see the link to the right for the chart containing the Approved Potential Tax Impact for proposed Sherman School Renovation.

On this coming Saturday, September 14, in Charter Hall at 9:30am we are holding a Town Forum for citizens to learn more about the upcoming Oct. 5 referendum vote for the Sherman School. The focus of the meeting will be primarily on the project’s financial aspects, particularly how the bonding will affect your taxes. However, questions on the plan itself from a construction/design point-of-view along with any other questions and concerns will be welcomed too. As a companion piece to this meeting, last week we sent out to Sherman taxpayers via NIXLE two charts outlining the tax impact of the plan. These charts can also be found on the Town website. 

I do encourage you to learn as much as you can about the Sherman School renovation/repair project. If you’re still stuck in “NO mode” ask yourself what other solution works for you. As I wrote last week, we will be asked to repair this building’s infrastructure as it is state and federal law to house students in a safe, properly functioning building. We can do this in a way wherein we have control of the expenses and work timeline (the plan presented), or we can let the situation be the boss and pay as we go on a series of expensive emergency repairs over the course of eight to ten years. That will be much more costly than the proposed current plan. 

Maybe you believe the naysayers who claim educational paradigms are changing to remote learning (no other school is preparing that way – why Sherman?) or if you believe that only students with high standardized test scores deserve a properly functioning school (our students, by the way, actually test quite high for a school of our size) or if you believe that the student population will be zero in 20 years (I’d hate to roll the dice on that prediction). These are not, quite frankly, very good reasons to keep from fixing a broken school. And Sherman fixes what it owns. For you who are still on the fence, give these financial numbers your close attention and see what this project will actually cost you as a taxpayer. I think you will be surprised, and possibly, pleased.   

It was gratifying and much appreciated to see the Sherman Church congregation honor our first responders and members of the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) at last Sunday’s service. How wonderful of the church to recognize the service provided to us by the SVFD. When this year is over, the SVFD will have answered almost (and maybe more than) 500 calls. Since there are only 365 days in a year, it’s easy to see how busy these responders are. They answer all types of calls, some of them not critical and, yet, others when the people are having the worst day of their lives. In addition to the calls that interrupt their days, the SVFD members are in weekly meetings and on-going trainings to stay certified and on top of their game. It’s a lot of hours for each member and I am always in awe of each member’s dedication.

Just a reminder that Farm Day will take place up at Happy Acres on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 11 to 3pm. Lots of cool activities for the kids, good food, art, music, tractors, pumpkins and cows. Farmer David Jellen is doing an amazing job up at the farm and you will see what that means when you visit on Farm Day. Also, the Sherman Town softball tournament is scheduled for Saturday, September 28. This is a fun-filled event and a chance to play a little softball when you join a team. All players are welcomed.

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 09/02/24

Labor Day weekend is now behind us and, basically, so is the summer of 2024. I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer.  As they say, your tan will fade but the memories go on forever. To me, there’s something in the air this time of year that prods, “Okay. Now it’s time to get serious.” And there are a lot of important things coming up. 

The October 5 referendum on the Sherman School renovation/repair project is at the forefront of serious upcoming matters. There are several important dates associated with this referendum.  First off, while the voting day is from 8am to 8pm at Charter Hall on Saturday October 5, Sherman taxpayers can also vote absentee starting Tuesday, September 24 thru Friday, October 4. Ballots can be picked up from 9am to noon, and 1pm to 4pm on Tuesday thru Friday of those dates at Mallory Town Hall in the Town Clerk’s office.  Also, we are opening the Town Clerk’s office on Saturday, September 28 from 9am to noon in order to better accommodate residents for absentee ballots. Remember that any Sherman property owner/taxpayer can vote in a referendum; it’s not limited to only registered voters like it is in an election of candidates. 

Other important dates related to the referendum are September 14 at 9:30am in Charter Hall for a Town informational forum on the project. Another Town informational forum on the project is scheduled for Tuesday, September 17 at 7pm via Zoom for another chance to learn more about the project prior to the vote. Lastly, there is a Town Meeting on September 21 at 10am in Charter Hall wherein we move the YES/NO school project question officially to referendum. That meeting will also provide another opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the project. 

All of the questions on the school project involving a repair only option, building a new school, and bussing a portion of our students (grades 5 thru 8) to area middle schools have been now been explored and answered. Each option is filled with lengthy timeframes and financial uncertainties and that’s why I urge you to support (vote Yes) the current option being proposed. This proposal features a manageable work timeline and a not-to-exceed cost with a well-supervised financing/bonding plan leveraged for the lowest possible taxpayer impact. In last week’s column I wrote what that impact is likely to be. Expect a mailer in your mail box in the coming days that outlines the cost and offers a formula so that you will know what this project means dollar-wise for your tax bill.  

In any case, our school’s infrastructure is failing on several fronts and one thing is guaranteed:  the State and Federal government mandate that students attend school in a safe environment. That includes proper heating, ventilation, plumbing, roofing, and general facility well-being. Sherman WILL be asked to fix what breaks and what is presently broken. We can do this in control of our work timeline (two years) and financing numbers, or we can be forced to piecemeal this work on demand over the course of many years at an unknown expense and repeated interruption of the educational process. Again, I urge you to vote for this plan.   

The Sherman Church is holding a service of thankfulness for all EMS/Fire first responders at this Sunday’s service, September 8 at 10am. The church will recognize the dedication of Sherman’s first responders all are welcome to attend. A special coffee hour will follow in the church’s Fellowship Hall.  

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 8/26/24

The Town Tribune’s August 15 issue had a wonderful article about the generous donation by Sherman resident, Alan Braverman, towards a cardiopulmonary assisted system. This device, called a LUCAS, performs chest compression for patients in cardiac arrest and is another invaluable tool in the SVFD’s life-saving kit. Mr. Braverman donated $18,000 for the LUCAS and we acknowledge his generosity. Sherman is full of amazing people. Let me also mention the efforts of our Al Burgasser who, in his own quiet way, provides this town with many rich musical experiences. Al, with a little help from his friends, put together the spectacular Sherman Opry Show which raised money for the Sherman Playhouse. He often entertains our Seniors on a volunteer basis and anyone present at the Town Beach pavilion this Sunday had a wonderful time with the resurrection of Cripple Creek, one of Al’s musical groups. 

The Sherman School got its year started this morning (I write this on Mondays) and we wish everyone at the school the very best. I’m grateful for the teachers and the administration for the fine education that they provide. It pleases me no end to see our middle schoolers leave Sherman and frequently become leaders both academically, athletically, and artistically in the high schools and colleges that they attend.    

Some people have asked me why I have been such a strong supporter this year of the school repair/renovation project. That’s an easy one to answer. First off, I have ALWAYS been a supporter of fixing our school facility. However, I have always been concerned, too, for the taxpayers as this repair/renovation effort moved forward, and we want no stone left unturned, no questions unanswered, while we complete this project to the best advantage of Sherman taxpayers.  Now the unanswered questions prior to last fall’s failed referendum are answered and it’s time to move forward. 

What’s different now? 1. The question of whether we can simply repair-as-we-go for less cost was answered in this winter’s thorough examination of the Friar Report. And we found that we cannot go that route without exposing taxpayers to huge expense over a period of many years. 2. The inclusion of the Board of Selectmen, and even more importantly our treasurer, in the process helped immensely to firm up funding and planning. This is a solid plan from design to financials. 3. The good fortune of getting a higher State reimbursement rate coupled with a less expensive overall plan is certainly a home run. 4. The alternative is grim and expensive. If this plan, slated to be completed in two years, fails we are probably left with repairing what breaks as we go along – a lengthy and intrusive process with an unknown price tag that will linger for a decade.  

What will this repair/renovation cost? Independent of any budget increases (taxes have actually decreased by 10% since 2018, but that’s not guaranteed in the future and we examine this project’s cost independent of future budget numbers) taxpayers are looking at a 2.3% increase solely from the project in the first year. For the next 5 years the increase is at or very close to 2%. Then it decreases to 1% for a year and then decreases incrementally from that point every year to the end of the 25-year bond. This means, in those early years, that taxpayers will pay from $35 to $39 dollars per every $100,000 of assessment. The numbers here can fluctuate, more towards the positive, but this scenario is the most conservative. It projects no growth in the Grand List (the Grand List has almost always increased – a good thing) and projects minimal use of general fund surplus ($500K over the course of 5 years).  You can take the math from there and base it on your own property assessment. 

The final determination, I think, aside from the money numbers is to how you personally feel about living in a Town whose school facility’s infrastructure is compromised. As I have written before, it’s always been “Sherman’s Way” to keep everything the Town owns in great shape. But really, it comes down to your personal feelings. Do you think a sub-par school facility affects, for example, your property values? The Town’s culture? What are your feelings about education in general? Is education important to you? Yes, there’s a lot to consider here besides finances. These are hard decisions. But we are a profoundly marvelous town! Sherman always has been. And we are ready for the challenge of this decision.   

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 08/19/24

Our region experienced extraordinary flash flooding on Sunday evening, and while Sherman was spared any significant damage, some of our neighboring towns suffered horrific property loss and road closures. More profoundly, two individuals lost their lives. In the midst of this tragedy our Sherman Volunteer Fire Department was called to service in Southbury and performed an amazing water rescue of more than 100 people stranded due to the fast rising waters. Their life-saving work was the product of the SVFD’s ongoing training, dedication, discipline, and modern equipment. All of Sherman is proud of how our emergency service volunteers serve this town. We are fortunate to have the SVFD!

The Historical Society held a fun gathering honoring the Old Store and gave a photography show and talk on how that business – which sold “pert near everything” -- transitioned into the IGA that we know and enjoy today. Our IGA is certainly the centerpiece of our business community and wouldn’t be so without the able management of Mike Luzi its proprietor. Mike not only runs a business that is crucial for the well-being of our lifestyle, but he is a strong supporter of about “everything” here in Sherman big and small. His goodwill towards a variety of organizations in Town knows no bounds and the IGA serves as an example of how important our business community is to us. So be sure to support him by shopping there and don’t forget to shop at all of the Sherman businesses so we can keep them here! Of yes, the Old Store is still in business (check the hours) and still full of interesting goods.

I’m hearing a lot of positive comments from Sherman citizens about the Sherman School restoration/repair project that we will hold a referendum vote for on Oct. 5. (Absentee ballots will be available prior from September 24 to Oct. 4 and can be picked up in the Town Clerk’s office at Mallory Town Hall.) In general, whether people have children in the school or not, they don’t want to own a home or property in a Town with a broken down school facility. They’d prefer to see it fixed and they see the value in doing so.   This is my feeling as well.

Different than the last vote, the building committee has done a full examination of any possibility of simply repairing what is wrong. I had hoped, actually, that we could possibly do it this way. We cannot. Or at least we cannot do it by any means that makes financial sense. It’s also six years of invasive building repairs that would be a hindrance to the educational process. So the plan we have, is really “the plan.” Another difference from the previous vote is that our financing plan is tighter and better planned making the tax impact less than the previous plan that was turned down in vote, And, of course, our dispensation for this project from the State is significantly higher this time around and that’s a real good thing for the tax impact. 

The Sherman School is a vital part of Sherman’s culture and its value. When it’s broken, the Town is broken. Analogous would be, say, Candlewood Lake. If the lake became unusable for whatever reason, even the most landlocked Sherman resident would be profoundly affected. The lake, for example, represents over 30% of our gross local product and that includes property values.  So, like we tend to our lake (and emergency services, and Seniors, and our Library, etc.) we need to tend to our school. 

Speaking of the Lake, I had a wonderful meeting with the Candlewood Lake Authority heads including Sherman resident and Chairman, Martin O’Connor, and received an excellent report on the state of the lake. There are some wild rumors floating around about the water quality and weeds and other issues, but most are dripping with untruths. Please go on the CLA website and review the facts of what is happening on Candlewood Lake presently and the efforts to keep our lake in fine shape.  Thank you Martin for stepping up, and thank you CLA for your good work!

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 8/12/24

Sherman Summer Camp, over last week, was a great success this summer. The camp was well managed and full of fun activities and field trips for the young people who attended. Thank you, Park and Rec Commission. This year broke last year’s attendance record and last year was a record year. When I asked John Wrenn, Park and Recreations director, how many children attended he responded by informing me that the closing party took 840 slices of pizza to feed everyone! Maybe next year we will shoot for a 1000 slices. 

I’d like to remind you that Farm Day will taking place this year up at our treasurable Happy Acres Farm on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 11 to 3pm. All are welcome to this free event. There will be tractor rides, pumpkin picking, farm tours, an arts show, business booths, food, live music, and more! It’s been so nice to see this become an important event and a gathering place for our community. 

Our Special Board of Selectman (BOS) meeting last Tuesday to discuss and decide about a Sherman School project bonding plan was a success. We chose a strategy of two note issues with 25 year terms at a net borrowing amount of $31.9 million. All coordinating calculations such as Grand List growth were estimated at the most conservative (0%) projections. In actuality, we nearly always have Grand List growth and, when we do, that can be used to lower costs. But we decided not to anticipate that type of favorable outcome in our projections. 

I want a little more time to verify what the expected cost to taxpayers is before I report it in this column. I can tell you that we plan to use portions of our surplus in each years’ budgets to offset tax ramifications in the early years of this debt. We have seven well-managed and productive years of budgeting to thank for that surplus, along with unexpected Grand List growth during the covid years; now, we can leverage some of that surplus money to the tangible advantage of taxpayers. This is what “rainy day” funds (surplus) are designed for.     

All of the numbers, including the dollar amount in surplus, use of surplus, and the dollar-effect for taxpayers, will be part of the presentations for the Sherman School project. I will also include that info in this column in the coming weeks and also on our Town website.  On another note, I’m happy to report that our 2023/24 Town budget came “in the black” again. (Black is good; red is bad for budgets.)

The Sherman Opry is kicking up again after a few years of absence this Saturday night, August 17, at the Sherman Playhouse. Show starts at 8pm and features the most talented of local talent -- and there’s a lot of musical talent in this area. This is always an amazing event and the proceeds go towards the Sherman Playhouse. Don’t miss the fun!

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 08/05/24

The Fireman’s Ball, despite some intermittent rain, was a huge success and another terrific community event. Thank you Sherman Volunteer Fire Department for providing the fun! I know that it’s a lot of work and hustle to put it all together, but you folks always come through! The roast beef, by the way, was better than ever.

Somehow it is already August, which is a transitional month for students and their families. It’s also a transitional month for fish as they seek cooler deeper water to laze around in and become more finicky to catch.  But this isn’t supposed to be a fishing column so I’ll leave it at that. 

By the time you read this paper, Sherman should have a financing plan for the proposed Sherman School repair/renovation. We should know, or have a close idea, of what this plan, if approved, will cost the taxpayers. This will be broken down in such a way so that you’ll know the increase per every $1000 of assessment. 

Not to simplify too much, but when you vote on this in October, taxpayers have to decide if they are comfortable living in a Town with a school that has subpar infrastructure, or would they pay the extra tax dollars to live in a Town with a superbly functioning school facility. Sherman, in my nearly 25 years’ experience of living here, has always been a Town that keeps its working parts, its infrastructure, in good order. We fix what breaks in our buildings and vehicles. Our parks are well kept and neat. We stay vigilant, as much as financially possible, on road repairs. We protect our environment and maintain a Town often described by other towns’ residents as “beautiful”. There is recognizable pride in Sherman residents for how their Town is maintained and managed.  It’s always been that way.  

Sherman, on another front, has always been careful using taxpayers’ dollars. I’m proud of the way my Board of Selectmen has managed the Town’s finances; however, we are carrying on what other boards did before us. Being careful with taxpayers’ money is a Sherman tradition.  So all of this that makes Sherman “beautiful” is managed on a very prudent budget. 

And, now, over the next seven weeks, you are going to hear a plea to spend taxpayer money to right what is wrong with our school facility: To make a safe and well-functioning school for our young people, a school that we can once again be proud of.  Yes, we can all go back and forth ad nausea over how we got in this shape in the first place, but the horse, I’m afraid, is out of the barn. We can only learn from that and never repeat it. The school presently has numerous severe infrastructure issues some of which won’t hold out much longer.  

For me, I have decided that spending my taxpayer money to fix the Sherman School is worth it and I will be advocating for this plan.  But each voting taxpayer will have to decide for themselves: live in a Town with a poorly functioning school or spend the extra dollars to make it right. For me, I don’t want to live in a Town with a broken school. I don’t have any kids attending there anymore, but it doesn’t matter. To me, Sherman is not the type of Town to suffer along with a broken down school.  

Naturally, you’ll hear (if you choose to) in the upcoming Town forums and other informational venues detail after detail of the proposed plan. But the thesis of all of this, the crux of the matter, I think, is choosing what kind of Town you want to live in. I want to live in a Town with a good school. 

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 07/29/24

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) met last Thursday and discussed several agenda items but center stage was taken by the financing, long-term bonding, for the proposed Sherman School renovation/repair project. Barry Bernabe of Phoenix Advisors took us through several scenarios and clearly described the options and the process. The dollar amount that is proposed is about $29.5 million dollars and that debt will be for a term of 20 to 25 years. Borrowing money (bonding) is not an uncommon practice for municipalities and not foreign to Sherman either.  All of the previous school renovations, the library, the firehouse, and other capital items/projects have been paid for through bonding in Sherman. 

We will be holding a Special BOS Meeting on Tuesday evening August 6 at 7pm in Charter Hall. At that meeting we will be discussing and deciding on the terms of our bonding for the Sherman School project. After the completion of that, we will be able to put out to the public the bonding’s effect on an individual’s tax bill. All of this is in anticipation of an October 5 referendum. Leading up to that referendum will be Town forums and other instruments of communication to answer as many questions as possible about this renovation/repair of the Sherman School. 

I enjoyed meeting with the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC) leaders on Friday.  This meeting was set up by Bill McCann of our Sherman Conservation Commission and I thank him for that and also thank him for how proactive his commission is under his leadership. The NCLC, as you may know, now manages our Naromi Land Trust and is Connecticut’s largest land trust, controlling more than 13,000 acres of open land. These lands, protected from development and mostly open to the public for passive enjoyment, are critical for natural habitat to thrive. Also, and this is a national issue, preserving land is essential for establishing and maintaining a clean freshwater supply – something we never want to take for granted. 

On last report, there are still tickets available for the Fireman’s Ball which will be held on this Saturday, August 3. Doors open at 5. The Ball will be held on the Town property by the Town Green and features live music, dancing, an incredible roast beef dinner, door prizes, raffles, and just a nice old fashioned good time! All proceeds go towards our amazing Sherman Volunteer Fire Department who does so much for the Sherman community. 

Construction on our new pickleball courts is slated to begin in mid-August. These courts are up at Volunteer Field and are the result of a STEAP Grant application ($240,000) that we successfully applied for from my office. Sherman doesn’t receive much in the way of financial help from the State, so this is a nice boost to our local capital efforts. I may have to start playing pickle ball! 

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 07/22/24

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on this Thursday, July 25 at 7pm in Mallory Town Hall. The agenda is posted on the Town website and will also be sent out via NIXLE. Please note that the BOS is now using the Zoom meeting function and this meeting, and subsequent others, will be broadcast and recorded via Zoom. A link is provided on the agenda. Please note that the Zoom option is view-only and not interactive. If you wish to comment at the meeting you'll need to be in attendance. 

One of the main agenda items concerns the Sherman School renovation/repair and the financing of that project through bonding. It is hoped that the BOS will arrive at a choice between one of several bonding options and, from that point on, we can begin to inform the public of how much the school project will cost and how it will affect your tax bill. We will also be discussing updates on other Town capital projects including the new Town boat docks, the proposed new Sherman Senior/Community Center, and the pickle ball courts construction. 

Thank you to those who offered opinions on the YOUR SPEED signs and I can report that, so far, 100% of them were for keeping the signs. The people I had contact with over this issue all agreed that they helped in mitigating speed through Sherman. It’s not perfect, it’ll never be perfect, but the signs, according to these folks, help a lot. I agree with that assessment myself as I have seen the effect of drivers slowing down when their speed is indicated to them. I wish the signs weren’t necessary, but they do help with the difficult situation of getting people to drive more slowly and carefully through Town. 

Next week will be the last week of Sherman Summer Camp. And what a camp it’s been with more than 200 campers having signed up. Another record amount! The children have enjoyed the outdoor splendor of our parks, the lake, and went on cool field trips along with having fun with their friends and with the counselors. Bravo to the Parks and Recreation Commission for holding and organizing another successful camp.    

Tickets are going fast for The Fireman’s Ball to be held on Saturday, August 3. Starting at 5pm on the Town Green. Live music, great food, raffles, door prizes, and community communing with friends and neighbors! Get your tickets online at ShermanVFD.org! (“Community communing”…? I’m going to stick with it…) 

In the coming two months Sherman taxpayers will be offered a ton of information about the Sherman School repair/renovation project. It’s the main topic in Town.  If all goes as planned, we will vote on this on October 5 in a Town referendum. Sometimes, in some towns, these school facility decisions get dubbed as “people with children in the school” vs. “people without children in the school.”  I think that is an incorrect way of looking at it. In future columns I will be writing about this and illustrating that ALL taxpayers benefit when they live in a Town with a well-functioning school facility. However, I’ve run out of writing room for now. Keep enjoying this beautiful summer and appreciate every moment with your loved ones!

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 7/15/24 

Last week’s P&Z meeting, as billed, was a marathon, but a successful one. The Catholic Church’s site and building plan for a new chapel was approved. The Holy Trinity Church is such an important part of our Sherman life and it’s a relief that it will continue. The chapel itself is quant and tasteful, and will be a nice addition to Sherman’s infrastructure. Also approved were the new pickleball courts to be built up at Volunteer Field. Construction will start as soon as possible, probably in mid to late August.  

Just so you know, the YOUR SPEED signs that have enveloped the Route 37 entrances into Sherman were borrowed at no cost from the State so that we could try them out before purchasing them ourselves. The State DOT is collecting them this week so you won’t see these any more. However, at the July 25 Board of Selectman (BOS) meeting, we will decide if we want to purchase our own YOUR SPEED signs. We hope to receive some feedback on the signs that we had borrowed before we decide to buy our own. Personally, I am torn: I think they have helped reduce speed so I am inclined to buy our own. But I also feel that they are an eyesore and I wish they weren’t necessary. What do you think? 

We held a more than satisfactory School Building Committee Meeting last week and I am confident that Sherman is on the right track towards restoring our school facility. I could devote this whole column to what was presented, but instead I will direct you to both the Sherman School and the Town websites for specific info. Meanwhile I’ll try to encapsulate the high points in this column.

Basically, this entire process has been a comprehensive vetting of options and ideas to where we are faced with two options. And soon, we will narrow that to one option. Those two options are 1. Repair the school over a period of time and 2. Renovate and repair the current building. In a nutshell, to fix over time – and that period is 6 years – it will cost about $38.6 million (if we keep the K-wing), with a state reimbursement of, at its best scenario, of about 12.5%. Overall Town cost is at $33.7 million. Option # 2, to renovate as new, comes in at $42 million but has a State reimbursement of at least 30% bringing the Town’s cost to $29.5 million. This plan is complete in two years. The Board of Ed will be choosing between these two plans on July 23 and the BOS will ratify the BOE’s choice at its July 25 meeting. 

Also examined and presented were “build-new” costs. To build a new school on the present site is estimated to be nearly $48 million and to build new on a different site would cost more than $60 million. In addition, last month the BOE presented its findings with regard to changing Sherman School to a K thru 5th grade model. Financially, there is no advantage, and since there are many other drawbacks, that option will no longer be considered. We will remain, as I had hoped, a K thru 8 district. Much more will be presented on this subject, but this gets the ball rolling as we move forward. In the week following the July 25 BOS meeting, we will be offering concrete numbers as to what this project means to your tax bill.

On July 27 from 7 to 9pm at the Sherman Church, a Christian rock group called The Blameless Project will perform its brand of unique music and spread its good message. This should be a fun evening of music with a spiritual aspect. More details can be found on the church’s website: www.shermanchurch.org. Admission is free for this wonderful community event.

Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Fireman’s Ball to be held on Saturday, Aug 3 starting at 5pm!

Lastly, let me mention the weekend’s assassination attempt of our former president. To have the nation’s political process, people freely attending to listen to a candidate express him or herself, interrupted by violence is sad and disturbing.  Gun violence is all too frequent in our great nation and to see it played out so vividly is a reminder of how much work we have in front of us to stop gun violence. We also need to soften our political rhetoric and learn to solve problems together. I’m relieved Mr. Trump survived and is ok, and my heart goes out to the family of the man who was killed and to the others who were injured by this senseless act.  

Don Lowe First Selectman Column July 8, 2024

Sherman is moving into the new fiscal year and with that brings property taxes. As a reminder, Sherman Town Hall is open from 9am to 12pm and 1 to 4pm on Tuesday through Friday if you prefer to pay them in-person at the Tax Collector’s office. 

This Thursday night, July 11 at 7pm, is one of the busiest Planning and Zoning Commission agendas in years. Right now this meeting will be held as it usually is in Mallory Town Hall; however, if we decide to move it to Charter Hall for more elbow room, we will announce it via NIXLE. (If you haven’t yet signed up for NIXLE you can do so by texting our zip code 06782 to the number 888777. It’ll sign you up.) No decision has been made yet on the meeting’s location as I write this column on Monday.   

The agenda items at this meeting include a critical decision for our night-time Italian eatery in Sherman, which I hope goes well as our business community, small but mighty, is extremely important to our lifestyle here. Another agenda item is the pickleball courts and we hope for an approval so that we can get started with construction. 

Also on the agenda is a special permit concerning the new proposed boat docks in the Town Beach Park. The P&Z decision is just the beginning to this approval project as we also need approval from First Light and, ultimately, from FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) who controls Candlewood Lake decisions such as this. A special permit application and change for the new Holy Trinity church is also on the agenda. Many citizens have expressed interest in attending this meeting for that item. Lastly, there is a new application for a septic connection to an accessory building and an application for a special permit for the Sherman veteran’s memorial tree.  So pack a snack. This might take a while.

This would be a good time to offer my thanks to those who serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission for their dedication and commitment to Sherman. These individuals donate many volunteer hours on behalf of Sherman and serve our town expertly. When you look around and happen to notice what a beautiful and organized Town we live in, you can thank planning and zoning commissions through the ages for their fine work. I can’t think of a more diligent commission than the commission we have right now. Thanks, folks!

A Sherman School Building Committee meeting this week – old news by the time you read this – will have been held on Wednesday July 10. This is a comprehensive committee meeting and I will offer a report on that in my next column. What I can tell you right now is that this project is full-speed-ahead and, right now, all plans are for holding a referendum on the first Saturday in October. There is much to do to get ready for that but I’m confident with all stakeholders working together, we can do it.  

Be sure to buy your tickets to the Fireman’s Ball to be held on Saturday, Aug 3. Doors open at 5pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the SVFD website:  Sherman VFD.org. There will be live music, dancing, door prizes, raffles, and plenty of good fun with friends and neighbors. Oh yes, and the SVFD’s incomparable roast beef! Don’t miss this fun event! 

Please click on link below:

Sherman Property View (jfryan.net)

Don Lowe First Selectman Column July 1, 2024

I wish you all a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend as we celebrate another birthday of our great nation. Please be safe out there on the roadways and the water. 

I’m in the midst of returning back to Sherman from my upper midwest journey to Minnesota and North Dakota. I will be back in Sherman on July 3. I enjoyed an incredible Town reunion in my hometown of McHenry ND and saw old friends and classmates that I hadn’t seen, in some cases, for fifty years. I also caught up with my amazing siblings and other relatives. Speaking of catching up, I caught a ton of fish, too!

Some big meetings are on the horizon after the Fourth. On Wednesday, July 10 the school building committee, the Board of Ed, and the Board of Selectmen (all of whom are on the building committee), will meet at 7pm in the school library for a comprehensive meeting on the school renovation/repair project. On July 11, in Mallory Town Hall the planning and zoning commission will hold public hearings on the new pickleball courts and also on the new docks project at the Town beach park. That meeting also starts at 7pm.

Today marks the beginning of the new fiscal year and we will start with a new budget, the budget you citizens approved at the referendum in May. In one of the next columns, I will offer a look at how we managed last fiscal year’s budget. There won’t be any surprises as everything looks good.

Summer Camp is in full swing and it’s going great. I look forward to getting down there and watching the fun, games, and hustle/bustle of the kids enjoying our terrific lake and surroundings. Kudos to the Park and Recreation Commission for keeping things organized. 

Although my first extended time away from Sherman was super enjoyable, I can’t wait to be back in Sherman to enjoy all that our amazing town has to offer in the summer. Of course, the Fireman’s Ball is back, and we all look forward to attending that on Aug 3. Make sure you buy your tickets in advance! I’ll see ya around Town!

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 06/17/24

Last Friday, in front of a wonderful turnout in Charter Hall, we held a ceremony for Carol Havens, our Town Clerk, for whom we recognized for her 49 years of service to Sherman. When her term is up next fall it will be 50 years as our Town Clerk! (This, by the way, was not a retirement party as some thought it was.) We named the road in front of Mallory Town Hall for Carol and when you drive up you’ll see a sign identifying it as “Carol Havens Way”.

One more significant aspect to this road dedication: part of the perfect synergy of naming the road for Carol is that her husband, Addison Havens, a fine carpenter and now deceased for six years, built that splendid cupola on the Sherman Playhouse. So now Addison’s exceptional craftsmanship forever looks out across Carol’s roadway.

We are entering our first summer heatwave, and summer isn’t even officially here until Friday. We will open a cooling station at the Senior Center for anyone who needs cooling relief. If you or someone you know is suffering from the heat, please contact either my office or Sherman social services and let them know. We will help.

The Park and Recreation’s Summer Camp opens up on Monday, June 24 and lasts for the next six weeks. Participation in that camp has been burgeoning over the last few years and this year looks like no exception. Along with the lakeside day-to-day camp activities, there are also special day trips to fun places. 

Our regularly scheduled Board of Selectmen meeting will be held this Thursday, June 20 at 7pm in Mallory Town Hall. We have now purchased all of the machinery we need to broadcast these meetings via ZOOM; however, I don’t think we will quite ready to do that until July’s monthly meeting. Our ZOOM meetings, when we get everything lined up, will, at least initially, not be interactive for the public. They will simply be broadcasted on ZOOM wherein you can watch them from whatever location you are in. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot better. 

Last week I helped the Sherman Higher Education Fund (SHEF) Board of which I’m a board member, give out the awards that our organization sponsors. One of those is the Rose Bouton Award which is given to one sixth grader, one seventh grader, and two eighth graders in honor of Rose who was a longstanding member of SHEF. The award recipient exemplifies Rose’s lovely qualities of being kind, caring, and helpful. I felt bad because one of the recipients, sixth-grader Sophie Garcia, was not notified that she was, indeed, a recipient of the Rose Bouton Award. It wasn’t anyone’s fault that she wasn’t notified, just an honest mistake. But in light of her not getting to walk up the podium to receive her award, I will mention it here: HUGE CONGRATS Sophie Garcia for winning the Rose Bouton Award! SHEF is very proud of you!

As I noted in a previous column, I will be out-of-town to my home state of North Dakota from June 21 until July 2. Naturally, I will be checking – in between the fish I’m catching – texts and emails. I will return the messages as fast as I can. If I am unable to reel in your concerns, I’ll know who can. And, of course, if your concerns can wait a few days, well, there’s nothing wrong with that either. 

With the summer solstice upon us, we move into the “long days” of summer. Please be safe in your activities and take some time to appreciate your loved ones, your friends, and the many blessings around us. As the prolific writer Henry James once said, “Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; to me, those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”     

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 06/10/24

I look forward to attending the Sherman School graduation ceremony on Wednesday, June 12 at 6pm. This is always an uplifting evening as our Sherman young people officially advance into the next phase of their education. So much is debated with regard to the expense of education both from a municipal budget viewpoint and also from a personal perspective as students to look to advance in college and trade schools. But I’ve always enjoyed the following saying by Benjamin Franklin:  “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” 

We are holding a Town Meeting on Thursday, June 13 at 6:30 in Mallory Town Hall to approve two expenditures. One is to authorize a request not-to-exceed $50,000 from the capital non-recurring fund to finance a list of summer repairs for the Sherman School facility. The other is a not-to-exceed expense of $10,000 from the capital non-recurring fund for a storage shed. 

The storage shed is a reaction to a recent inspection from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) in which the Town was cited for a smattering of minor violations. The violations have almost all been abated but we are in need of a place to store certain industrial type items up here in Mallory Town Hall. The storage of them was part of the violation list. The inspection was our 7-to-10 year inspection and OSHA came simply because Sherman’s number came up. OSHA was created in 1970 by the Nixon administration for those who might be interested in such facts.

The Board of Selectmen’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting was moved up a week and will be held on Thursday, June 20 at 7pm in Mallory Town Hall. Also, our dedication and renaming of the roadway in front of Mallory Town Hall to “Carol Havens Way” celebration is this Friday, June 14 at 2pm. All are welcome!

The pickle ball courts were advanced last week by Planning and Zoning to a public hearing which will be held on Thursday, July 11 at 7pm at Mallory Town Hall. I am hopeful that a decision can be made that evening and that we will be cleared to begin constructing them. 

A big thanks to our Public Works crew for how beautiful Sherman looks. We truly live in a splendid Town!

The SVFD will be hosting a fundraising Boot Drive on June 9th, 2024, starting at 9:00 AM. The event will take place at the intersection of Route 37 and Route 39, in front of the Sherman School and the SVFD.

We will be collecting donations to support equipment upgrades for the ambulance, technical rescue equipment, and training for our members. We hope you will stop by on Sunday to support our efforts.

Please drive safely.

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 06/03/24

I am pleased to announce a special Sherman event to put on your calendar: On Friday, June 14 at 2pm in front of Mallory Town Hall we will name the roadway in front of the building “Carol Havens Way”. We will have a ceremony (at 2pm) outside near the Sherman Playhouse and the public is invited to attend. Carol has been our steadfast Town Clerk for 49 years and this roadway naming will commemorate her amazing dedication to Sherman. 

After the ceremony, refreshments will be served inside Mallory Town Hall. I have been fortunate to have worked with Carol and she is the consummate professional. She is not only profoundly helpful to mine and everyone’s work, but she is also good-natured about it all. This is a fitting tribute to a great person!

Summer, though not technically here, is indeed here. I can tell because the usual “summer problems” have arrived too.  First, we are having problems once again with people not picking up after their dogs. This simply galls me. It’s lazy and it’s arrogant to think that someone else will pick up the filth that your pet leaves behind. Most of the time it’s a crew person from Public Works that has to do this. And it’s not their job; it’s the job of the pet’s owner. Period. Our Public Works guys, who work hard to keep Sherman beautiful, sometimes get splattered with dog doo-doo when their weed whacker hits a pile of it. Yuck.  

Dogs are not allowed at the beach and at the beach park already. Do not bring them there. In the coming days we will make decisions on whether to ban dogs from the other parks. There are thousands of acres of open space in this Town to walk your dog on instead of the Town parks. There are also dog owners’ own yards and property. So maybe dogs just don’t belong in our parks where people have to step around (or in) the filthy dog doo-doo left behind. I love dogs (and miss ours dearly) and I love to see them around Town, but for goodness sakes, clean up after them. 

Also, I fielded several complaints about garbage at the beach over the weekend. Our Public Works crew did a great job of cleaning that all up and on Monday morning the beach area was pristine. The gate guards begin on this weekend and they will be only admitting those who have beach passes (residents). Usually littering lessens significantly when it’s only Sherman residents at the beach. Littering is also an inexplicably arrogant and careless act. I have no patience for it. 

The Sherman School 8th grade graduation ceremony is at 6pm on Wednesday, June 12. That date also marks the last day of school there and we wish all of the students a fun and safe summer vacation. Here in Town Hall we are proud of each and every one of our students and wish this year’s 8th grade class success as they make the big move into high school.

I also want to put it out there that I’ll be gone from Sherman from June 24 till July 3.  I’m in my seventh year as First Selectman and I have never actually taken any significant time off save for a couple of weekends and a day here and a day there. I’ll be attending an “all-class” reunion in my hometown of McHenry, North Dakota (pop. 64) and also sneaking in about five days of world class fishing. Try to behave yourselves when I’m gone. 

Don Lowe First Selectman Column    05/28/24

Sherman was in all of its glory last weekend with the Memorial Pay Parade and ceremony along with the Barn Sale, the Book Sale, and the Art Sale, all of which put on abundant display the richness of our life here. Since moving to Sherman 24 years ago, I have always felt profoundly fortunate to have landed here and raised my children in such a bountiful and beautiful place as Sherman is. Adding to the weekend’s positivity was the good news that no one was injured crossing Route 37 on route to the Barn Sale! 

Now it is back to business regarding the Town as we close out the fiscal year and get ready for the new one. As evidenced by last Thursday’s Board of Selectmen meeting, we have several critical capital projects to push forward. I’m happy to announce that the new Pickle Ball courts to be constructed up at Volunteer Field cleared the Wetlands Commission and after some review by Planning and Zoning next week, we will be closer to a start date (Maybe this summer?) on building them.  

Progress on the Sherman School renovation/repair is being made and there is hope for a new referendum on that in the first week of October. The proposed Sherman Senior Community Center is also making progress towards bringing that project to a referendum vote, probably in mid-spring of 2025. In addition, the new docks (and additional dock slips) is moving along too and we are almost ready to submit our necessary application to FERC (Federal Energy Regulation Commission) for that group controls these types of decisions regarding the lake. The outcome (yes/no) from FERC will determine our next and final steps on that project. 

Park and Rec’s summer camp starts on June 24 and continues through to August 2. As promised, we now have online sign-up for that and other Park and Rec programs. Beach passes can be picked up every Saturday with director John Wrenn at the Sherman School cafeteria (playground side of the building) from 9am to 12pm.  

I truly appreciated the help provided by the Sherman Scout packs at the Memorial Day Parade and ceremony. Every time some seemingly small (and it wasn’t) last minute item was forgotten, they filled in with ample help. Really appreciated it! I also loved the free hotdogs that the Scouts helped provide. Also thanks to Mike at the IGA for them! Additionally, those hotdogs were also directly provided by a wonderful couple in Sherman who I promised not to name. But they know who they are and I can’t express my appreciation enough for what they continually do for Sherman. 

Yes, the weekend featured much of what makes Sherman amazing and I’m sure many of you attended barbeques and gatherings with friends. Drinks were had, food was eaten, and I’m sure you shared memories and laughter. Yet, there are those who gave their lives in military service in order that we may enjoy this wonderful country that we live in. Let us never forget them and let us always remember the families who have lost loved ones to war. That pain never goes away. If you know of such a family, reach out to them and let them know you are thinking of them.  I wish everyone a safe and happy summer! 

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 05/20/24

This coming weekend is a big one in Sherman. The Historical Society’s famous barn sale takes place on Saturday, starting at 9am. Since people come from all over the region and many aren’t used to the busy-ness of Route 37, I’ll be your crossing guard in the morning hours to make sure that everyone gets across without injury or incident. I look forward to it and it gives me an opportunity to say “hi” and “hello” to people I don’t often see. 

In addition to the Barn Sale, the Sherman Library is having its big Book Sale across the road at their lovely facility. Sometimes parking can be a challenge, especially in the early hours of both sales, so consider parking at the Sherman School – lots of room there – and walking over. Along with the two big sale events, the Old Store is also open for business and there are all kinds of cool things to buy in that place. Stopping in at the Old Store – located across from the Barn Sale -- is a must. 

Of course, on Sunday, at 1pm, is our Memorial Day Parade. Please come out and catch a Norman Rockwell-ish moment of Americana. The parade culminates at Veterans Field where we hold a brief but complete ceremony honoring those who gave their lives in military service to our amazing country. I’m so pleased to announce Alvin Tuck, a man I admire, as our ceremony’s guest speaker. 

Before all of the weekend fanfare, on Thursday night the Board of Selectmen will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting at 7pm in Mallory Town Hall. The meeting’s agenda is on the Town website. It features reports on some of the ongoing projects – pickle ball courts, proposed new Senior Center, Sherman School repair/renovation, and Town Beach docks – along with some administrative items such as setting the mill rate. The mill rate for the new fiscal (starting on July 1) will be 16.36. Last year’s mill rate was 17.82. It decreased this year because the revaluation of property increased. (I’ve explained that multiple times already; I’ll spare you this time.)

As I do from time-to-time, I like to remind people, if they haven’t yet done so, to sign up for NIXLE – a Town of Sherman text alert system. It’s so easy even I can do it: text our zip code (06784) to the number 888777. And you’re on! We often use NIXLE to announce upcoming meetings and events. We also use it during weather related events or to let people know about roadwork or repair. 

Here’s wishing you a fabulous (and safe!) Memorial Day Weekend. I hope to see you around Town this week at the Barn and Book sales and/or the Memorial Day Parade. Please, also, find time to give yourself a moment of pause for those military personnel who lost their lives in service of the country that we have the privilege to enjoy. That’s why we call it Memorial Day. 

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 05/13/24

I want to remind folks that our Memorial Day Parade will be held on Sunday, May 26. The parade steps off at 1pm and travels south on Route 39 and turns to the right when it reaches Route 37 and then proceeds to Veterans Field where we hold the Memorial Day ceremony that lasts for about thirty minutes. At the ceremony we plan to have the airplane “fly-over” along with all of the usual ceremonial rituals including a guest speaker, singers, state politicians, and free hotdogs.  I’m proud to announce that our parade Grand Marshal this year is Kathy Fazzone. 

The parade, as parades are, will be a happy and jubilant affair, but that does not belie the day’s true importance: to commemorate those military personnel who died in service of our great country. There is no “rain-day” for the Sherman Memorial Parade and if the weather is too imposing we will call it off that morning probably using the Town NIXLE messaging system. Route 39 N will be closed at 12:30 from Spring Lake Road into Sherman. Route 37 will be closed at 1pm until the parade passes. We hope for a sunny day and we hope to see you there!

We’ve had some good news on the Sherman School renovation/repair front. The state General Assembly voted to reimburse Sherman above the normal reimbursement rate (24%) and legislated a 30% reimbursement rate for school construction. For a project as potentially large as the Sherman school project, this is quite a savings. The school building committee meets again at 7pm on Thursday of this week and we will be pressing forward to hopefully bring forth an acceptable plan and hold a referendum on the revised plan in October. Much thanks to our State Senator Harding and Representative Callahan for their good efforts on our behalf. A special thanks to Board of Education member Tim Laughlin who persistently and persuasively shepherded this legislation through. Also, our former Senator, Julie Kushner, (redistricting placed her elsewhere) lent her voice of support and helped us for which we are grateful. 

Please visit our revised Town of Sherman website. This is a promise now fulfilled as we streamlined our info presentation and made items like Park and Rec registrations online and more user friendly. Also, it appears that the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department will be bringing back the Fireman’s Ball this year. The Ball will be held, like it always has been, on the first Saturday of August. 

For all practical purposes, summer seems to be here. The withered bracken from dell to knoll once again have miraculously turned green making spring vanish into the sunny summer days that turn us young again. At least it’s nice to think so!      

Information on Public Works chip sealing work scheduled for the week of May 13, 2024.

Sherman Department of Public Works would like to inform the public that chip sealing will begin the week of 5/13 on the following roads (weather dependent).  We kindly ask that you drive extra-carefully during and after the work.  
Hubbel Mountain
Fox Run
Partridge Trail
Brimsmade
Jericho South

Thank you!

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 05/06/24

Both the Town and the Sherman School budgets passed easily on last Saturday. The final count was Town Budget: 413 YES, 91 NO. School Budget: 343 YES, 159 NO. Thank you to the 500-plus citizens who voted. That looks like a small portion of our possible voters (around 20 %) – and it is -- but it’s actually almost double what we have been having in the past few years. I think holding the Town Organizations Expo in the Green that day helped matters as far as vote count. Big thanks to our registrars and our poll workers for another seamless referendum. They make it look easy and it’s not. 

Speaking of Saturday’s Town Expo, what a terrific success that was! Big thank-you to the Conservation Commission and the Commission for the Arts for hosting and organizing the whole event. Thank you Linda Hubbard, Lauren Weber, Denise Schlesinger, and Bill McCann for your leadership here. I’m sure I have left out many others who deserve thanks; but suffice to say, it was a wonderful Sherman event. We even had music! I hope we do this event every year.

We will hold a Town Meeting this Saturday, May 11 at 10am in Mallory Town Hall. The two main items are a capital request of $17,000 for HVAC and AC repair in the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department’s ESF Building. The other is a $135,000 capital request for roof repair at the Sherman School. Two other items are also on the agenda, both standard expenses that we approve every year for Happy Acres Farm. They are a $20,000 dispensation from cell tower revenue for farm related maintenance expenses and repairs for the new fiscal year, and $35,000 from the Happy Acres Restricted Fund to pay for the coming fiscal year of contracted services that maintain the farm.  

You may have noticed that we now have YOUR SPEED signs on Route 37 as drivers enter Sherman from either direction on that State highway. I was able to secure a permit from the State DOT that allows us to place these machines, which indicate a driver’s speed. We are hopeful that they will slow drivers down as they pass through the center of Sherman. They are computerized so we are able to quite easily gather statistics about average speeds and the amount of vehicles. Thanks to Selectman Joel Bruzinski and our Treasurer Andrea Maloney for identifying a program through UCONN and the DOT wherein we obtained these machines on loan at no cost. This means we get to use them for two months free and if people can’t stand them, then we won’t purchase them ourselves. However, if they seem to be helping and complaints are minimal, then we will expend the nearly $10,000 for the two units after our loaner period ends.  

Now that the budget is passed I just want to say how grateful I am to all entities that helped shaped the budget. Thank you Board of Education for your good work. Thank you to each organization for your thoughtful budgeting as we considered your requests. Thank you to our treasurer Andrea Maloney who did a splendid job of managing the budget process in conjunction with a property assessment revaluation. Huge thanks to my associate, Liz LaVia, who is our Town business manager extraordinaire. Liz is an absolute pleasure to work with and I can’t say enough about the how well she serves this town. Finally, I must say I am the luckiest First Selectman ever to have the two board members that I sit with – fellow Selectmen Bob Ostrosky and Joel Bruzinski. Both serve Sherman at a profoundly high level and I am most fortunate to be on the Board of Selectmen with them. They make this work easier and more enjoyable.   

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 04/29/2024

WARNIING

ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING

REFERENDUM

MAY 4, 2024

QUESTION 1:      

                                                                                                 YES                         NO

QUESTION 2:      

                                                                                                YES                         NO

                              Carol L. Havens

                        Town Clerk of Sherman CT

* * * IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TOWN OF SHERMAN * * *

REFERENDUM TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024

THIS REFERENDUM WILL BE HELD IN THE SHERMAN EMERGENCY SERVICES FACILITY.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM?

ABSENTEE VOTING IN THE REFERENDUM.

Don Lowe First Selectman Column 04/22/2024

At Charter Hall in the Emergency Services Facility