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12/28/2021 01:23 PMHere’s a look at some of the stories making news in Branford in 2021:
January
Local first responders return for second doses of the new COVID-19 vaccination, after receiving their first dose in December, at the East Shore District Health Department (ESDHD) clinic set up at Branford High School (BHS).
ESDHD, in partnership with Branford, North Branford, East Haven, Guilford, and Madison, announces plans to conduct COVID-19 vaccination clinics for seniors 75 years and older. Volunteers are needed to help staff clinics, assist seniors in the Federal Vaccine Administration and Management System (VAMS), and provide transportation. Branford will hold clinics at the Community House/Canoe Brook Senior Center.
Connecticut’s Phase 1B COVID-19 vaccine roll-out begins Jan. 18 with residents 75 and older scheduling VAMS appointments. As supply increases, ages 64 to 74 and 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions can receive the vaccine.
An emaciated pit bull is abandoned overnight outside Branford Community House on Jan. 23. Lincoln is taken in by the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter with medical and other needs supported by community fundraisers.
Branford’s Community Forest Commission (CFC), with the Department of Public Works (DPW), reports 55 trees planted on town property in 2020, over the annual average of 50. The 55 trees will sequester 422 tons of carbon over their lifetime, equal to a year of carbon from 80 typical passenger vehicles.
With extensive debate and a 14-13 vote, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) narrowly approves the three-year teachers’ contract signed between the Board of Education (BOE) and Branford Education Association (BEA).
At the Board of Selectmen (BOS) virtual meeting Jan. 20, an apparent communications rift among some of the appointed commissioners of Branford Housing Authority (BHA), which oversees Parkside Village 1 and 2, comes to light. The BOS will have the BHA convene a public meeting where commissioners can work toward resolution.
The BOS learns from First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove the property owner of the former Atlantic Wire factory site doesn’t intend to further cover seven large debris piles at this time, following hydroseeding in early December 2020. The news follows the RTM’s Dec. 16 vote to send a non-binding request to 1 Church St. LLC of Branford to further cover piles of demolished materials on the Meadow Street lot.
On Jan. 25, the James Blackstone Library presents a new lecture series, “Awakening to Change.” The series will host the virtual talks with Branford Community Foundation support.
Ongoing litigation between plaintiff Metro Star Capital, LLC of Milford and defendant 1 Church St. LCC regarding developing the former Atlantic Wire site is granted a continuance to a new court date in October 2021, at the plaintiff’s request.
On Jan. 28, in three separate incidents, police nab two suspects in stolen vehicles, while a third suspect in a stolen vehicle gets away. Police continue to urge residents to lock their vehicles and take their keys.
The Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) opens a public hearing Jan. 14 to rezone land for a mixed-use Marina Village Planned Development District (PDD) at 61, 65-71, 67 and 73 Goodsell Point Road. 15 dwellings are proposed for the R-3 (residential) parcel’s 4.11 acres, with 3 existing houses. Some area residents raise concerns about additional traffic and safety. The hearing is continued to Jan. 28, when it is further continued to Feb. 18.
The PZC approves three applications to develop Mariners Landing, a 147-unit, residential/commercial complex on the Branford River at 60 Maple Street. Set on 11.25 acres, it will build out the remainder of the Anchor Reef PDD.
February
As of Feb. 11, Branford’s rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (adjusted for population) is ranked 43 out of Connecticut’s 169 towns, on a scale ranking the highest rate at 1 and lowest at 169.
Branford Fire Department (BFD) healthcare professionals are among those answering an urgent call for volunteers to increase the pool of qualified COVID-19 vaccinators, as the state’s phased immunization plan ramps up. Online training, testing and a hands-on training session is required. Training sessions include three rolling out this month at Branford Fire Headquarters.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) notifies Branford the Route 146/Limewood Avenue seawall replacement project will be halted due to cofferdam installation issues created by field conditions. As of May 31, all construction staging and temporary traffic lights will be removed. Work will resume in September 2021 with a new completion date of May 2022.
On Feb. 13, a 22-year-old Branford woman is struck and killed in Branford by an Amtrak Acela train. Branford police assist Amtrak police. The incident is classified as trespassing on Amtrak property.
Enterprise Builders (Norwalk) is selected to oversee project management of the $2,895,000 Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter renovation/expansion project.
Branford Education Hall of Fame (BEHF) postpones its 2021 BEHF induction dinner to 2022 due to the pandemic.
Regional Water Authority (RWA) police report an increase in criminals posing as utility employees in Connecticut to gain access to homes to steal money or property. Residents are asked to stay vigilant and always ask for identification.
By submitting a petition carrying nearly 400 signatures and airing more than 30 public comments during a special BOE meeting Feb. 24, parents call for the BOE and Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez to produce a time frame to reopen schools five days a week for full, in-person learning. Since September 2020, the district’s followed a hybrid model of two days in person, three days remote. Hernandez will convene a community forum to help create a more clearly defined timeline and plan.
The BOE recommends a $60,287,964 budget for 2021-’22, an annual increase of 2.48 percent or $1,459,002. The budget will undergo Board of Finance (BOF) review.
The PZC approves a zoning change allowing mixed-use Marina Village PDD on Goodsell Point Road.
March
Branford police issue an animal cruelty arrest warrant for a New Haven resident who confessed to abandoning an emaciated pit bull outside the Community House Jan. 23. The dog, Lincoln, has recovered since being taken in by the Cosgrove Animal Shelter.
On March 4, hikers find the body of an adult male along a Stony Creek hiking trail near the Guilford town line. Branford police cordon off approaches on Route 146 during the investigation. On March 5, a 27-year-old New Haven man is identified as the victim. His death is ruled a suicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Due to a rise in clients, effective March 6, Branford Food Pantry (BFP) adds extra hours other Saturday morning, in addition to regular Tuesday and Friday morning hours. BFP provides free supplemental groceries for individuals, seniors and families.
On March 10, at a special BOE meeting, an accelerated plan to return Branford students to full-in person learning is shared. The phased-in return anticipates all grades back to full, in-person learning by April 5.
Branford’s Clean Energy Ad Hoc Committee announces the Business Energy Efficiency (BEE) program, a joint effort with the Peoples Action for Clean Energy, Eversource, and United Illuminating/Southern Connecticut Gas. BEE offers businesses energy and financial savings and contributes to Connecticut energy goals.
On March 10, Democratic RTM Minority Leader Tom Brockett and Second Selectman Ray Dunbar announced they will run for Branford first and second selectman, respectively, in the November 2021 municipal election. The GOP does not have an announcement as yet, but plans to nominate current First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove for re-election, said GOP committee leader Ray Ingraham. Party nominations are held in July in election years.
On March 17, the BOE commits to providing a mechanism for parents to continue to address communication-related issues that can help improve the district. The BOE’s Communication Committee will be the vehicle for this mechanism.
Branford comes through a full year of COVID-19. The most devastating impact, the loss of loved ones from COVID-related deaths, stands at 59 lives lost as of March 11. More than 7,760 have died statewide.
On March 29, the BOF unanimously recommends a 2021-’22 town budget of $120,773,315, which would nudge the mill rate to 29.52 mills. Next, the RTM, which makes the final budget vote, will begin its review of the BOF’s recommended budget.
Developer Beacon Communities of Massachusetts receives approval of low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC), which will allow the process to move forward to redevelop Parkside Village I as a 67-unit, multi-age housing development guided by Connecticut affordable housing statute (§ 8-30g). Project construction should begin toward the end of 2021, according to Beacon. BHA oversees Parkside Village 1 and 2, currently low-income housing for Branford seniors and adults with disabilities.
Following Governor Ned Lamont’s announcement accelerating the state’s vaccine rollout by expanding eligibility to additional age groups, several key updates are added. The next phase of the roll out, which expands eligibility to individuals aged 45 to 54, becomes open for scheduling March 19. Those 16 and older will also begin ahead of schedule, with eligibility to begin scheduling for a vaccine appointment starting April 5.
April
On April 1, with 4 of 5 members voting in the affirmative but “under protest,” the PZC unanimously approves a resolution containing court-ordered modifications to its previously approved, § 8-30g governed-Parkside Village 1 redevelopment site plan and coastal site plan.
A seawall and wharf repair project with a four-month construction window, anticipated to kick off April 1, will close down access to the Branford Point town dock area through the end of July, the Town of Branford Engineering Office announces.
The PZC approves special exceptions requested by Ceres Farm Brewery for a brewery operation with a public tasting room at 101 and 115 North Branford Road. An unused farmhouse and outbuildings will be demolished for the operation, which will become Branford’s fourth craft brewery site.
After suspending pre-K in the 2020-’21 school year due to the pandemic, BPS announces pre-K registration is now open for 2021-’22 school year.
Continuing a Thanksgiving/Christmas 2020 holiday meal program initiated by East Haven attorney Andrew Amendola and community contributors, Branford’s Parthenon Diner-Restaurant hosts free Easter dinners for Branford military veterans, elderly residents, or in-need community members.
Branford introduces the Solar for All initiative, an opportunity for residents to reduce utility bills, produce their own energy, and help make a cleaner environment. The nationally recognized program, financed through a public-private partnership, offers affordable rooftop solar and energy efficient upgrades.
U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D3) visits Main Street April 8, check in with small business owners working to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic. The House Appropriations Committee chair was eager to learn if the work undertaken in Washington D.C. to assist small businesses, such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established by the CARES Act, is making an impact here. Most business owners say they were assisted by the efforts. Home Restaurant owner Jared Schulefand says legislative changes including allowing alcohol as take-out has helped, but staffing remains an issue due to federally supplemented unemployment.
Vox Church breaks ground April 11 at its new, 27,000-square foot anchor location at 131 Commercial Parkway. It will serve as a central hub for Vox’s nine locations across Connecticut and Massachusetts.
A quiet section of Branford’s Main Street is suddenly ripped with terrifying gunfire shortly before noon on Tuesday, April 13. Citizens in the line of fire scramble for shelter in nearby homes and businesses as shots continue to ring out. Within 90 seconds of the first 911 call at 12:03 p.m., responding police officers are on Main Street near the Richlin shopping plaza, where they instantly come under heavy fire. Startled witnesses watch their local police officers first take cover behind cruisers barraged by bullets, then engage in a firefight with a shooter gunning for them from a second-floor window at 241 Main Street. One citizen, a local liquor store owner, is hit with a bullet, causing a non-life threating injury; he is later removed by ambulance. The fierce gun battle between police and the shooter finally slows with the arrival of the SWAT BearCat armored vehicle on the scene at approximately 1:30 p.m., followed about an hour later by repeated police attempts to contact the gunman by bullhorn, with no response. With the situation still unstable, terrified residents and customers who could not be safely evacuated due to the threat continue to be locked down to shelter in place for several more hours. State police close down the approach to Branford at Exit 53 and law enforcement and first responder vehicles continue to barricade approaches to the area. After nearly seven hours of uncertainty and threat, Branford’s crisis finally ends when officers breach 241 Main Street at 6 p.m. Inside, police find the gunman, later identified as 38-year-old Matthew Walker, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as later confirmed by autopsy of the State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Eyewitnesses John Chambers, Ken Orsene, and Dean Bernat talk with The Sound about their experiences during the April 13 active shooter incident. Chambers, owner of Shelley’s Garden Center, was pinned outside and in the line of fire as gunfire broke out two buildings away, coming from a second-floor apartment window. Chambers sheltered behind haybales in his front lot as bullets flew past and called 911 to report shots being fired. Chambers also called out to responding police officers to alert them to the location of the shooter, as they were immediately fired upon when arriving. Orsene, a Branford resident, described sheltering inside Richlin’s, where he had entered moments earlier, then calling out to people in the parking lot to take shelter as the shots continued ahead of police arriving. Bernat, a North Harbor Street resident, was working at home when he heard the incredibly loud sound of what he later learned was gunfire starting up a few doors away. He was evacuated from his home by police during the event.
A recovery assistance fundraiser is set up for Ashwin Patel, owner of Shoreline Wine & Spirits, 181 Main Street. Patel sustained a gunshot wound during the April 13 active shooter incident on Main Street. Patel was struck by a bullet while he was outside at a neighboring business, Pepe’s Service Station, 171 Main Street. He was brought into the station while Branford police and fire emergency personnel coordinated a safe removal by ambulance during the active shooter incident.
A COVID-19 issue arising this month causes the grant of a continuance of an October 2021 court date to November 2021, in the ongoing Atlantic Wire site litigation between Metro Star Capital, LLC and 1 Church St. LCC.
Branford’s annual Earth Day citizen clean up with eco-friendly information tables is held on the green.
Cosgrove Animal Shelter project manager Enterprise Builders develops “value engineering” solutions for the town to address some rising project costs. The town accepts between $200,000 to $300,000 of the solutions, allowing documents to be published for competitive project package bidding on April 22.
As an Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA, Branford plants two new trees on the green on Arbor Day, April 30. The town’s tree-planting program adds between 40 to 50 new trees annually.
Bill Van Wilgen and his team donate landscaping muscle, talent, and remaining balance of 100 native- and pollinator-friendly plantings to help DPW put the finishing touches on upgrades to Foote Riverside Park, which began last fall. The property is overlooked by the homestead where Van Wilgen’s Garden Center got its start 100 years ago.
On April 23, 10 years of hopes and dreams are realized as state and local officials help Legacy Theatre Connecticut co-founders Keely Baisden Knudsen and Stephanie Stiefel Williams cut the grand opening ribbon. The renovated, state-of-the art Legacy honors the design of the 1903 building last known as the Stony Creek Puppet House at 128 Thimble Island Road.
May
With a new start date of May 3, work to repair and replace the seawall and sections of timber at Branford Point’s Town dock begins one month later than originally planned, but the town will still hold the contractor to the original completion timeline of four months from the intended April 1 start.
On May 5, a 2-1 party line vote of the GOP-dominated BOS seats a new BHA appointee, Robert Imperato (R), and is met with some controversy. Imperato fills the expired five-year-term of BHA Chair Tacie Lowe, endorsed by the town’s Democratic Nominating Committee. BHA oversees senior/adults with disabilities low-income housing at Parkside Villages 1 and 2. As BHA chair, Lowe was working to comply with a 2016 (amended 2019) site development agreement between BHA and developer Beacon Communities to redevelop Parkside Village 1 as affordable housing under § 8-30g.
On May, 8, with ceremonies on the Branford Green, the 2nd Co. Governor’s Foot Guard reenacts Powder House Day and commemorates the 246th observance its Charter Grant. The company moved from New Haven to the Branford Armory in 2009.
With two casts performing three shows each and rehearsals done in about half the time, BHS Performing Arts puts on a full-scale stage production of Broadway’s Little Shop of Horrors from May 12 to 16. Pandemic protocols limit live shows to audiences of 100; livestreaming tickets are also sold.
The RTM votes 24-5 to adopts a 2021-’22 town budget of $120,515,315, a 2.1 percent annual increase. The RTM reduced the BOF-recommended budget by $258,000.
Branford’s new 29.45 mill rate is set by unanimous vote of the BOF. Up 0.53 mills over the current rate, it equals an annual tax increase of 1.82 percent.
The BOF learns the estimated cost of the Cosgrove Animal Shelter project has just shot up by 60 percent, approximately $1.7 million from $2,895,000 to $4,595,000. The town notes lowest responsible bids opened earlier this month revealed a $3.8 million project construction cost, combined with the construction management fee of 3.5 percent of cost. While the pandemic has created a volatile construction market and skyrocketing materials and labor costs, the BOF holds off on a request to increase bonding for the project, asking the town to return with increase causes and scenarios to help foot extra costs.
For the second year, Branford Festival’s corporate board postpones the Branford Festival, planned for June, due to the pandemic. The board announces a live event, Festival at the Farm, will be held in August at Nuzzo’s Farm to fundraise for future Branford Festivals.
Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) Art Club students complete the new buildings first mural, based on Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. The work was partially undertaken as remote, off-site work due to the pandemic.
On May 31, Branford’s Memorial Day Parade steps off again on Main Street. The parade was not held in 2020 due to the pandemic.
June
The BOF learns the Cosgrove Animal Shelter project increase is partly due to a significant level of labor and material escalation costs across all trades, combined with Enterprise Builders’ findings that some needed items were not in the estimated, approved 2020 budget appropriation of $2.895 million. Most notably, the town added $311,000 for driveway widening/parking lot work.
A beautiful tribute coach Cathy McGuirk is evident June 7 as former players spanning 41 years of BHS Field Hockey (BHSFH) attend her funeral Mass. Outside BHS, current players raise field hockey sticks in salute as the procession passes.
Branford Lions Club, charted in 1951, celebrates its 70th anniversary.
After pausing pre-K for a year due to COVID-19, BPS announces sessions will resume in the 2021-’22 school year.
#BranfordPRIDE rainbow lights color Town Hall and Blackstone Library from June 11 to 13, celebrating Pride Month and commemorating five years since the Pulse Nightclub tragedy in Orlando, Florida.
ESDHD’s Climate Change Project’s online survey seeks input from residents.
Work continues on the modern roundabout project at Route 1/Route 22 at the town lines of Branford, North Branford and Guilford. DOT is on schedule for its Oct. 30 completion.
Leandro Ramirez, 13, creates the winning video in the BCTV/Keep Branford Healthy Youth PSA Contest. His video on the importance of teens getting their COVID vaccination airs on BCTV and town social media.
Gas and water company crews digging in downtown along Main Street throughout the summer are working to complete underground infrastructure upgrades, says Branford Town Engineer John Hoefferle. The work will continue over the coming months, with one-lane traffic at times.
Branford’s summer jazz series is canceled again due to the pandemic.
Weekly music is back on Branford Green Thursday nights, hosted by the town with Parks and Recreation. The series of local live band or D.J. performances will continue into early October. Publicly promoting a schedule of weekly free entertainment is hoped to help bring the community back together and more foot traffic to area businesses.
Blackstone Library, first opened in June 1896, will celebrate its 125th anniversary with events and programs through the year.
A push is on to slow down vehicles and promote safety among congested conditions and crowds created by seasonal customers of Indian Neck’s entertainment district. The effort is initiated by RTM members Carolyn Sires (R-5) and Tracy Everson (D-5). They gather a June 11 meeting with police, local business owners, and representatives.
As of June 17, more than 69 percent of Branford residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and more than 63 percent are fully vaccinated.
New roads are ahead for the 194 members of BHS Class of 2021. The class graduates outdoors at the school field June 18, after 15 months involving COVID-19 “stop signs, detours, pot holes, and speed bumps,” says BHS Principal Lee Panagoulias.
The Paws for Celebration soirée breaks a single-event fundraising record for Cosgrove Animal Shelter, raising some $300,000 for CosgroveSavingLives, which has already surpassed its $1 million goal to help finance the shelter project. To date, pledges top $1.4 million.
Limited tickets go on sale for the second annual Braffle—Branford Rotary’s Outrageous Restaurant Raffle. The program will assist 50 Branford restaurants and the Branford Counseling & Community Services (BCCS) Basic Needs program.
Shoreline Chamber of Commerce’s tourism committee’s new “Come to the Connecticut Shoreline” campaign launches to promote attractions, dining, and shopping in membership towns of Branford, Guilford, and North Branford.
BPS designs innovative summer learning experiences for students to assist with pandemic learning gaps. Enrollment of more than 500 far surpasses original estimates.
On June 28 the BOF unanimously supports appropriating $1.7 million for cost increases to the Cosgrove Animal Shelter project. Next, the RTM will vote on whether to finance the project’s revised cost of $4.595 million.
A June 29 ceremony at Branford Fire Headquarters swears in Firefighter Ian Canny, Deputy Chief of Safety and Administration John Cudgma, Deputy Fire Marshal Amanda Mark, Fire Marshal Robert Dobuzinsky, and Assistant Chief Gary Bloomquist.
After a year off due to COVID, Branford’s 2021 Fireworks display takes place June 26 at Foote Memorial Park.
July
For the month of July, Way Back Wednesdays, public events are added to the town’s weekly entertainment schedule on the green.
Branford Cultural Arts Alliance (BACA) opens a temporary summer Art Gallery July 1 inside the former Denali store at 1004 Main Street. Works from more than 40 area artists are for sale. Admission is free.
On July 6, Community Dining Room (CDR) kicks off seven weeks of free Summer Meal/Tuesday Night Take-Out and Activities in the CDR parking lot, 30 Harrison Ave.
Town Finance Director Jim Finch sends North Branford’s finance director an offer revising the Cosgrove Animal Shelter municipal use agreement’s capital expense provision, offering to reduce North Branford’s share of the project financing. The new arrangement would net out grants/outside funds raised for the project. The revised language would drop North Branford’s share of the project cost from $1.8 million to approximately $1.4 million over 15 years.
The Branford Republican convention unanimously backs incumbent First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove to run for a fifth consecutive term in the November 2021 municipal election, with current Selectwoman Angela Higgins as his running mate. Among the full slate, GOP candidates endorsed for the top of the ticket are Robert Imperato for tax collector, Lisa Arpin for town clerk, and Deborah Conklin for town treasurer.
Branford’s Democratic Town Committee holds its caucus and endorses a full slate of candidates for the 2021 municipal election. Leading the ticket is Tom Brockett for first selectman, Ray Dunbar for second selectman, Eileen Poulton Cimino for town clerk, Kurt Schwanfelder for treasurer, and Roberta Gill-Brooks for tax collector.
State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-98) announces the DOT will soon commence the process to create a management plan for coastal Route 146, a 13-mile state scenic roadway between Branford and Guilford.
With design planning well underway, Branford’s Main Street Reconstruction Project is gathering input from residents, businesses and other stakeholders. The full-depth construction project, currently pegged at $2.472 million, is targeted to begin in spring 2022 and finish in winter 2022.
With a unanimous vote of 27-0, the RTM supports fully financing the $4.595 million Cosgrove Animal Shelter project. The bottom line includes an additional $1.7 million in added costs that arose in May 2021.
In response to the COVID-19 Delta variant spread, ESDHD conducts pop-up Wellness Clinics/ Vaccination sites in Branford, North Branford, Guilford, Madison, and East Haven. The new ESDHD Public Health Mobile Clinic vehicle is also deployed to assist.
An update issued by Superintendent Hernandez outlines the start of the school year on Sept. 8 and COVID-19 protocols the district will follow, to date, for a return to full in-person learning. No option exists for voluntary remote instruction. Face coverings will be required. Student-athletes will receive additional information about interscholastic sports.
With 3,000 sold-out tickets, Branford Rotary’s second annual BRAFFLE provides $36,800 to BCCS Basic Needs program and infuses at least $7,500 infused into Branford’s restaurant economy, after 10 winners are drawn July 27.
Due to lumber material delays, work on the seawall and wharf at Branford Point cannot be completed by the July 29 deadline. Construction will be completed as materials become available. The dock will remain closed during construction.
August
U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro joins First Selectman Cosgrove and Town Engineer Hoefferle Aug. 6 to celebrate the House passage of $2.25 million for the full reconstruction of East Industrial Road, from Leetes Island Road to the southbound Interstate 95 exit ramps. The federal funds will help facilitate business expansion and job growth within a diverse business region, provide improved access to properties poised for development and redevelopment, said Cosgrove.
Branford Microfund, a local non-profit organization run by Branford volunteers and community leaders to help neighbors during difficult times, increases its interest-free loans to up to $3,000 due to a growing need.
Eight people in the water, escaping a 70-foot yacht on fire, are rescued by civilian boaters on Aug. 12 while marine units from U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Long Island Sound, BFD, and Guilford Fire Department race to the blaze located 5 to 7 miles from the Branford and Guilford harbors. Engulfed by fire, the boat is extinguished and sunk at the scene.
On Aug. 12, due to virus infection community cases increasing by 2-3 times in a matter of 2 weeks, together with the influx of the Delta variant and the lower-than-expected vaccination rates, ESDHD and its member towns of Branford, North Branford and East Haven “strongly recommend” wearing facial masks indoors at all public places, regardless of vaccination status.
Festival at the Farm raises funds for the 2022 Branford Festival and gives residents a chance to enjoy some of the fun normally experienced at the full festival, which was canceled for a second year due to COVID.
A push to pull organic food scraps from the town’s solid waste stream gets boost with a curbside collection pilot program in Short Beach.
As of Aug. 13, nearly 73 percent of eligible Branford residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 69 percent are fully vaccinated.
DOT’s construction of a modern roundabout at Route 1/Route 22 in Branford, North Branford and Guilford incurs area road closures and detours from Aug. 15 to 20.
Following extensive public comment and calls to “unmask our kids” on Aug. 18, the BOE votes to temporarily extend use of face coverings in school and to temporarily extend current district policies on health and safety protocols related to COVID-19 through Dec. 31, 2021. The vote extends an earlier district mask guideline following Gov. Lamont’s Executive Order 12a requiring face masks worn by anyone inside a school building, regardless of vaccination status, until Sept. 30, 2021.
Branford braces for a hard hit from Storm Henri Aug. 22, but the system loses its hurricane strength before arriving. Henri causes some localized flooding.
Superintendent Hernandez outlines reasons to look forward to the 2021-’22 school year, including some “major milestones” despite the challenges of the pandemic. Among them is WIS receiving its Certificate of Occupancy so that both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the new building will be open for grades 5 to 8 when school begins Sept. 8.
After 108 years in business, Myers Flowers closes in downtown Branford Aug. 14. Owner Lee-Ellen Magna retires after 40 years in the business her grandfather Charles Myers started in August 1913.
September
BPS welcome students to the first day of the 2021-’22 school year on Sept. 8.
DOT work resumes on the Route 146/Limewood Avenue seawall replacement project, complete with one-way, alternating traffic and temporary traffic lights. The project is scheduled to be completed on May 31, 2022.
After completing initial project work earlier this summer, DOT’s replacement of the Sybil Creek Bridge on Route 146 gets into gear. A completion date of Dec. 27, 2021 is scheduled.
Amazon is eying dormant property on Commercial Parkway near I-95 Exit 53 for a 98,000 square-foot facility to employ 100 as a deploy “last mile” van delivery center. Town staff initially meet with Amazon representatives to go over a preliminary plan, followed by a preliminary proposal presented to Branford’s Economic Development Commission (EDC). First Selectman Cosgrove says the preliminary discussions addressed questions and provided information that gave him, staff, and EDC members confidence in the conceptual plan. A formal application should be submitted next month.
Branford gathers to commemorate the bravery, courage, and sacrifices made following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Hundreds attend Branford’s 9/11 20th anniversary ceremonies on the green.
Police charge a 16-year-old Branford juvenile with carrying a dangerous weapon and several other serious charges, after responding to a report of a juvenile threatened with a handgun in the busy parking lot outside Branford Community House. Police determine the weapon was a BB gun.
On Sept. 16, supporters and town officials break ground for the renovation and expansion of the Cosgrove Animal Shelter. When the construction dust settles, the state-of-the art facility will finally match the caliber of exceptional services that have made the shelter a premier municipal program, says First Selectman Cosgrove.
A nighttime burglary in the Pawson Park area of town follows a report of a burglary and stolen vehicle from Pawson Park five days earlier. An extensive police investigation is underway.
Robert Imperato is unanimously elected to serve as permanent chair of the BHA. At the same meeting, Beacon Properties reports the complete move-out/relocation of residents of Building A, which will be the first building to be demolished to make way for the new Parkside development. Beacon, while still aiming for closing on the project in the fall and getting shovels in the ground by year’s end, is awaiting approval from CHFA to change the project profile to 100 percent affordable from 80 percent to secure more tax credit funds needed due to a gap in funding. BHA agreed to support the proposal to CHFA to change the project profile. If CHFA were to approve this change, it would necessarily come back to BHA for review and approval.
After a year off due to the pandemic, Friends of Blackstone Library relaunches its Fall Book Sale under the big tent on the green Sept. 30.
October
Due to unspecified disruptive input during past public meetings, the BOE endorses having a police officer attend future meetings, at the request of the board.
Applicant FSI Acquisitions LLC of Milford and owners 49 Commercial Parkway LLC and Hamilton Branford LLC of Clinton submit an Inlands Wetlands and Watercourses application as the first step toward receiving approval to construct a proposed Amazon “last mile” delivery center on Commercial Parkway. The Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) hears a preliminary overview October 14.
A team effort is underway to implement the safe removal and relocation of a very visible osprey nest atop a utility pole at the Aldi construction site, 1151 West Main Street/Route 1. RTM members Carolyn Sires (R-5) and Tracy Everson (D-5) create a collaboration with Giordano Construction of Branford, Eversource Energy, and raptor recovery group A Place Called Hope of Killingworth to develop the best path forward.
Superintendent Hernandez reports a safe and successful rollout for the first month of the new academic year and signs BPS is starting to “pivot toward post-pandemic.” Since the start of the school year, three superintendent check-in sessions have been held to connect with elementary, intermediate, and high school families.
A spate of damage to both Democratic and Republican political lawn signs in Short Beach, as well as a large Republican banner damaged in the east end of town, is reported during the week of Oct. 11.
Supply Pond is dropped three inches below normal levels to allow for required minor repair work to the dam. Volunteers help monitor the perimeter to rescue any fish and other non-mobile aquatic animals stranded above water.
Precipitous neighborhood flooding during extreme high tides leads to installing a temporary pumping station at the state’s Sybil Creek Bridge replacement project on Route 146. The flooding in Indian Neck’s Waverly Park Road area was being exacerbated by the upstream construction project, where a tide gate is being replaced.
Volunteers from St. John Bosco Parish make critical fixes to the Branford home of Coast Guard veteran Keith Brooks, in a one-day wave of support organized by Stamford-based non-profit HomeFront Inc.
Work is completed on schedule at the new modern roundabout at Route 1/Route 22 at the town lines of Branford, North Branford, and Guilford. The DOT project started work in August 2020.
November
Of 21,224 registered Branford voters, 8,216 vote on Nov. 2, a turnout of just over 38.7 percent.
Branford voters back Republican Jamie Cosgrove for a fifth consecutive term as first selectman, with running mate Angela Higgins elected as second selectwoman. The GOP’s impressive showing at the top of the ticket also includes winning back tax collector and town treasurer seats from the Democrats as well retaining a Republican town clerk. The GOP wins 19 of 30 RTM seats and takes 4 of 5 open BOE seats. Democrat Ray Dunbar is elected third selectman.
A steadily growing number of families seeking supplemental grocery assistance, coupled with news of rising costs for Thanksgiving dinner and supply shortages, has BFP doubling down to drive in Holiday Baskets donations and welcoming requests for baskets from any Branford resident in need. BFP needs to fill at least 250 baskets for Thanksgiving and another 250 for Christmas.
On Nov. 3, the Town and Parks and Recreation announce Branford’s Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting will return to Main Street and the Town Green on Nov. 27. It was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic, when a virtual tree lighting on the green was live-streamed.
Two early morning armed robberies are committed on East Main Street at Motel 6 and Shell Gas on Nov. 3. On Nov. 4, Branford police arrest a 15-year-old, with warrants for more juveniles sought in the crimes. Police say the juveniles drove into Branford on Nov. 3 in a vehicle carjacked days earlier in New Haven, at gun point. The juveniles are thought responsible for committing a string of five armed robberies along the shoreline stretching from Clinton to Norwalk.
The IWC’s Nov. 3 site walk and Nov. 4 continues its review of an application for a proposed Amazon “last mile” ecommerce delivery station on Commercial Parkway. The IWC requests some stormwater-related modifications to be reviewed at its next meeting Dec. 9.
An early morning fire on Nov. 6 severely damages the hardware store of Branford Building Supply, but does not impact business offices and accounting systems on the second floor of the Main Street business. The two-alarm fire consumed store inventory as it spread but was quickly knocked down once it was discovered by BFD, which received mutual aid from several area towns. The Giordano family says their business of four generations will continue operating its lumberyard, showroom and other businesses while working to restore the damaged store and building.
After two-year pandemic hiatus, Branford Veterans Parade Committee holds the Veterans Day Ceremony and Parade in downtown Branford.
A plaque commemorating Branford soldiers is installed during a public dedication at the new pollinator garden at Foote Memorial Park.
After a long pandemic delay, Branford’s new Archie Moore’s Bar & Restaurant opens Nov. 8 at 988 Main Street to a great response. Customers have eagerly awaited the opening since news of the eatery coming to Branford was first announced in late 2019.
In this centennial year of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (1921-2021) including special ceremonies at Arlington Cemetery on Nov. 11, Branford U.S. Navy veteran Thomas Spivey has a place in history as one who stood Honor Guard over the casket bringing home World War II’s Unknown Soldier.
At an effective rate of 1.707 percent, the town prices some $14.1 million in taxable refunding bonds through a negotiated sale underwritten by Piper Sandler. The refunding bonds will mature in 2032 and replace bonds issued in 2018. The sale will save the town $1,680,000 in debt service costs over the life of the bonds.
Some 190 Branford veterans and seniors register to pick up a free Thanksgiving dinner from the Parthenon Diner Restaurant, thanks to the return of a sponsorship program teaming local community contributors with diner owner John Sousoulas. The program is in its second year, organized by East Haven attorney/sponsor Andrew M. Amendola.
In just two minutes, an EF-0 tornado, with estimated maximum wind speeds of 85 miles per hour, tears a two-mile path through a northeastern section of Branford on Nov. 13, leaving uprooted and snapped trees and property damage in its path. The rare November tornado touches down at approximately 3:44 p.m. No injuries were reported, but power is out in the area.
Due to numerous requests, Branford extends its Solar for All program through Dec. 31.
On Nov. 15, BPS begins “Screen and Stay” COVID-19 guidance, first announced by Gov. Lamonton Nov. 4 as a schools protocol to provide temporary, immediate relief for families impacted by quarantine. BPS will allow those meeting protocol guidelines when coming into close contact of a COVID case to attend school while being monitored for symptoms over a 14-day period.
On Nov. 17, the BOE unanimously elects a new chair, Peter A. Berdon (R). Former chair John Prins (D), elected to the role in September 2020, makes the motion to elect Berdon, vice chair Ellen Michaels (D), and secretary Meredith Gaffney (D). No other nominations are made. Prins is thanked by Berdon and the BOE for his service as chair.
Due to collaboration started in October, a sturdy new pole, platform and osprey nesting box is installed at the Aldi construction site on West Main Street. The 40-foot pole is sunk 6 feet into a hilltop behind the incoming commercial development, about 400 to 500 yards away from an energized utility pole formally used by the osprey, which return in spring.
On Nov. 16, Branford’s newly elected BOS and administrative leaders are sworn in during a ceremony at the Community House. Branford-North Branford Judge of Probate Frank Forgione administers oaths of office. Newly elected members of the Board of Assessment Appeals and newly elected constables are also sworn in.
Members of the 2021-’23 RTM are sworn in Nov. 16 during an organizational meeting. The RTM elects Moderator Dennis Flanigan (R-5) and Clerk Donna Laich (D- 7). Earlier party caucuses select Ray Ingraham (R-5) as majority leader and Tracy Everson (D-5) as minority leader.
A November 2021 court date is further adjusted in the ongoing litigation between plaintiff Metro Star Capital, LLC and defendant 1 Church St. LCC with regard to developing the former Atlantic Wire site on Meadow Street. A trial management conference is set for April 20, 2022 with a courtside trial to commence May 3, 2022.
Branford’s Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting pulls record crowds to enjoy the event’s return on Saturday, Nov. 27.
BPD arrests a 17-year-old juvenile from Bristol, Connecticut in relation to a nighttime burglary that occurred in the Pawson Park area of town during the month of September, and are in the process of obtaining an additional arrest warrant for the same individual, who was linked to a burglary and stolen vehicle from Pawson Park five days earlier.
Two union contracts are considered and approved during the only business of a special meeting of the RTM Nov. 29. In addition to voting 18-0-7 to approve the contract between BOE and the Branford Administrators Organization (BOA), the RTM voted 24-0-1 to approve a contract between the Town of Branford and the Teamsters Local 443, Public Works/Highway Employees.
December
Branford Land Trust (BLT) announces a partnership purchasing a 20-acre section of the Medlyn Farm south of Route 146 along the Jarvis Creek salt marsh. BLT’s Jarvis Creek Farm fundraising campaign has already raised more than half of the $1.75 million goal. A community-wide fundraising effort is underway to raise the remaining $600,000.
For a second year, $10,000 will be given out in the form of 500 $20 gift cards to residents in need, just in time for Christmas, thanks to a grassroots effort started by East Haven attorney/sponsor Andrew Amendola and supported by local donors and Branford’s Parthenon Diner Restaurant.
On Dec. 9 the IWC unanimously approves, with some revisions and modifications, the inlands, wetlands, and watercourses site application for the proposed Amazon “last mile” ecommerce facility. Next, the PZC will receive applications for review.
In preparation for its pending review of applications for the proposed Amazon “last mile” ecommerce delivery station on Commercial Parkway, the PZC unanimously votes to put out a request for proposals (RFP) for traffic consulting services to complete a peer review of the traffic study submitted with the application.
On Dec. 12, Vox Church holds its first Sunday service at its newly constructed location at 131 Commercial Parkway. It’s the ninth Vox Church location to open in the North East and will serve as a central hub for the church in Connecticut.
BPS and BPD coordinate to ensure school safety Dec. 17, a day reportedly targeted by a social media TikTok “challenge” nationwide encouraging dangerous school disruption across the country. In Branford, the national post was reported to have been modified and reshared to specify BHS and WIS. Authorities investigated the report and found the post did not require further action. Both buildings had increased police presence for the day.
State Representative Robin Comey (D-102) announces the expected approval of a $750,000 state grant she secured for the Short Beach Historic District Traffic Calming Project.
Effective Dec. 24, Branford is enacting a 12-month moratorium on applications and approvals for recreational retail cannabis establishments in town. In addition, the PZC hears from Branford’s medical marijuana dispensary, Blue Point Wellness CT, which may want to apply obtain a hybrid retail license to include recreational sales.
A tremendous volunteer effort, capped by a remarkable single donation of $9,000 from Lockheed Martin, adds up to successful third year for Mark Hally’s Wreaths Across America Branford effort. On Dec. 18, volunteers lay 1,658 wreaths on Branford military graves.
An unsung town park space in the center of Branford is now vibrant with color and art, thanks to the recent installation of three triumphant sculptures by renowned Connecticut artist David Hayes, sponsored by BACA. The sculptures light up Tyler Park at the corner of Cedar Street and Main Street.