Portland...  On the Move |
Issue 75 ~ News from your Town Hall ~ April 2000
Come Meet the Quarries; Ship Wreck in Portland’s History? |
Passover – April 19 Passover commemorates the freeing of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. It is celebrated with the seder, a special meal featuring a reading of the Passover story from a book called the Haggadah (Ha-Ga-do). Some of the foods have special symbolic meaning. For example, Jews dip a spring vegetable, representing rebirth, into salt water, which represents the tears of the slaves. Bitter herbs are a reminder of the misery of slavery.Charoses (khah-ROH-ses) – a mixture of apples, nuts, wine and cinnamon – represents the mortar the slaves used to make bricks. Earth Day – April 22 Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wis.), who wanted to increase the awareness of the need to protect our environment. About 20 million Americans participated in rallies, environmental demonstration, and other activities on the first Earth Day in 1970, called the "First Environmental Teach-in." Today, communities throughout the world hold special events on this day.This year’s celebration in the nation’s capitol will be chaired by actor Leonardo DiCaprio and feature performances by top entertainers on a solar-powered stage. EarthFair 2000 on the Mall will have hundreds of interactive exhibits. |
Please Note! On Friday, April 21, 2000, the Town Hall will be closed in observance of Good Friday. Also, the Town Hall will close at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, April 26, for the Quarterly Employees Meeting. Easter Sunday – April 23 Easter , the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Christ, has roots in an ancient tradition. "Eastra" was the ancient Saxons’ pagan goddess of spring. Her name was adapted by early missionaries, as were many pagan customs, into the Christian holiday. But the precise timing of Easter was not set until A.D. 325, when Emperor Constantine decreed it be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first new moon after the vernal equinox. Thus, its date may fall in a 35-day range from March 22 to April 25. |
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You Are Invited To A Sediment-al Journey To tour the brownstone Quarries and riverfront property.Maybe dig up some new ideas Carve out some overall concepts and sling them over to the Senior Center Where we can chisel them Into rock-solid ideas throwing out all rubble. This is no block party. We expect ledge-endary results. All ideas welcome, from pebbles to mountains, craggy or hewn smooth. We won’t stop trying Until we hit rock-bottom. Date: Saturday, April 8 Time: Self directed quarry tour 9AM to noon Discussion groups, Senior Center, 12:30 - 2:30 PM (see article, next page) Quarry Focus Day The brownstone quarries are patiently waiting for Portlanders to know and appreciate their worth. On Quarry Focus Day, Saturday, April 8th from 9 AM until 2:30 PM, interested residents will have the opportunity to visit the quarries and related riverfront property recently acquired by the Town. The purpose is to share their impressions of the quarries, together with their ideas about quarry and riverfront use. John Monroe, a consultant from the National Rivers & Trails Assistance Project, will be present. For nearly 300 years, the quarries provided high quality brownstone for the construction of elegant mansions and public buildings as near as Main Street and as far away as San Francisco and London, England. They are presently in the process of acquiring National Historic Landmark designation and new prominence in Portland’s recreational, educational and economic future. During the morning (9:00 AM to noon) of Quarry Focus Day, people are invited to visit eight sites around the quarries and along the riverfront. Maps will be provided for self-guided tours with helpers stationed along the way to answer questions. This will be held rain or shine, so participants should dress appropriately. From 12:30 to 2:30 PM, events will move indoors to the Senior Center for a sharing of ideas. Six discussion stations will be set up, covering:
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At each station, discussion will be held to solicit ideas from residents about each topic. All comments will be collected to become part of the charrette, a formal planning process, tentatively scheduled for mid-June. Participants can pick and choose the discussions in which to participate. During the two hour period, participants could take part in five discussions groups For those unable to take the morning tour, displays and information related to the property will be available at the Senior Center. All Portland residents are invited, urged, to take part in Quarry Focus Day. Because the morning tour is self-guided and the afternoon discussions are self-selected, participants can spend as much or as little time as they choose, beginning and ending their participation according to their own schedules. The future of the quarries is in the hands of Portland residents. Come and learn. Share with us, so that the brownstone quarries will be as great a part of Portland’s future as they were in Portland’s past. Meeting area to be announced. Looking for a Phone Number? Whenever you need the telephone number of a particular department within a Town, just consult the Blue Pages in the phone book. Also known as the Government and Municipal Guide, the blue pages offer a complete list of Town, City, County, State and U.S. Government Departments and Agencies in your area. Free of charge! So, before you call information, reach for your phone book first. Are Showers a Weekend Phenomenon? The old saying – that a clear, sunny day after two rainy ones must be a Monday – is not far off the mark. Meteorologists from Arizona State University have found that Saturdays tend to be the rainiest days of the week, with Sundays above average, while Mondays are the least rainy. They believe the culprit responsible for the deviations from the averages is air pollution. Weekday traffic and factory operations send particles into the air that, over a five-day period, build up and induce rain by Saturday. By Monday, the skies have had a chance to clear after two days of reduced pollution, making for a lesser likelihood of rain. |
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Help Your Child Breathe Easy According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, one in ten children suffers from asthma. You can learn to spot an asthma attack by watching for one or more of these tell-tale symptoms:
Board of Selectmen’s Meeting Schedule for the month:: Wednesday, April 12 All regular meetings are held at the Portland Public Library in the Mary Flood room at 7:30 PM
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Recycling at Work Setting up a recycling program at work – for papers, cans, bottles, etc. – can be a wonderful way to commemorate Earth Day. Here are some suggestions from the city of East Baton Rouge’s Recycling Office in Louisiana on how to get started:
Ask participants to purchase items that are recyclable. Don’t buy disposables when you have a choice.
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Public Works Working for You! by: Rosanne VecchittoJust about every division within the Public Works Department has been busy with projects. The following is a brief summary of activities that have been completed, and that are still on going: Highway Division – A reconstruction of Sage Hollow Road and Rose Hill Road was completed. Highway crews widened a section of Indian Hill Avenue, and made drainage improvements to Grove Street, Rose Hill Road, Grandview Terrace, and Middle Haddam Road. A new addition to the Town Garage is just about complete. Highway crews performed much of the work associated with the addition, including the site work. The addition is to provide an up-to-date vehicle maintenance area, and an area to store and maintain grounds maintenance equipment. Site improvements were performed by Highway crews at the Middle School, and Central School (new Town offices). Cleaning of the Brownstone Quarries has begun, and will continue. A new "Come On Over" wall was reconstructed, after the old one was taken down due to poor condition. Water Division – Water personnel have begun to install remote type water meters for all water customers. The new meters will help with the change to quarterly billing, which has started with the new water rates. Elderly residents who are on the Elderly Tax Relief Program, and use less than 1,500 cubic feet of water will be getting a $15.00 quarterly reduction from their water bill. We are getting closer to getting MDC water. The new storage tanks at the reservoir have been installed, and are going to be ready to paint by the spring. Sewer Division – The sewer expansion project in the Marlborough Street Area has been completed, and sewer hookups for residents have begun. Please notify the Public Works Department if you would like information on hooking up. An upgrade to the Water Pollution Control Facility is under construction, and a completion date is scheduled for December 2001. Over the next year, during construction, all septic haulers are asked to contact the Wastewater Treatment Plant prior to delivering septic loads. A program has been implemented for inspecting and cleaning sewer pipes. Vehicle Maintenance Division – Restoration work on some of the older dump trucks was completed. Engine replacements were also completed on two older dump trucks. Daily maintenance and general repair of all Town owned vehicles and equipment totals to approximately 90 pieces. Solid Waste Division - The program for separating high-grade white office paper continues to be very successful. The purchase of a large roll-off truck allows the division to take over contracted services, and seek more profitable markets for recyclable items. The annual appliance pickup was a success in 1999, and is scheduled for June of 2000. Building Maintenance Division - Building improvements included installation of new ceilings in Fire Company No. 1 and Fire Company No. 3, and a new fire alarm system at Fire Company No. 3. Installation of a new door at the Canine Control Facility. Roof repairs were made at the Youth Center, and floors were refurbished at the Senior Center. Building Maintenance duties include daily cleaning, routine maintenance and necessary repairs to all buildings, with exception of schools. Grounds Maintenance Division – Normal maintenance includes landscaping, mowing (approximately 90 acres weekly) at all building and schools, daily athletic field preparation (380 sporting events) for all Park & Recreation, B.O.E. and Leagues. Ground crews installed lighting at the Agogliati Field, softball improvements at Bransfield Park and Brownstone Park, and installed new landscaping in front of Valley View School.
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Ship Wreck on the River Sylvester Gildersleeve & Doris Sherrow (In italics) The part of Portland known as Gildersleeve derives its name from Sylvester Gildersleeve, born on Indian Hill Avenue in 1795, and living until 1886. When he was 80, Gildersleeve decided to set down an account of his life. He had been a shipbuilder since the 18-teens, but he had also established other industries in the Gildersleeve area, including a mattress factory and a wagon shop. At one point in his memoires he mused, "I still feel a satisfaction in giving employment to men that want to work…" As March brings us spring, and maybe some freshets, and maybe some ice down the river, let’s listen to Gildersleeve’s account of an early spring near-tragedy, which took place down on the river’s edge, near the end of Indian Hill Avenue in 1801: At another time, there having been a heavy storm of rain in the spring of the year, that had broken up the ice in the river and had gone down, the River being then free from ice at this place, my father with my brother Jeremiah, Mr. John Pelton & Mr. John Button had on the early part of the day crossed this river, there being then no ice running in the River, for the purpose of settling with a Capt. Timothy Savage of Upper Middletown for whom they had built a vessel… Sylvester’s father was Philip Gildersleeve, who, with his wife Temperance, lived at 58 Indian Hill Avenue, which he had built in 1787. 20-year-old Jeremiah Gildersleeve was their oldest child. He built the house at 618 Main Street, but not until 1804. John Pelton lived in the house at 64 Indian Hill, having built it about 1799, and John Button lived in the house at 15 Indian Hill, which he had built in 1796. …and in attempting to return in the evening in their small rowboat, they were surrounded by the floating masses of ice, which soon crushed through their said boat and left them in the water among the broken ice. They then by a great effort turned over their broken boat and all of them got upon the bottom of it where they remained for a long time before they were rescued, which was at last accomplished by the wonderful courage and persistence of my Brother Henry, my brother-in-law Elizur Abbey with two other noble hearted men, Mr. Wm Norcott and Mr. Albert Savage, at the great peril of themselves… Henry Gildersleeve was only 16; and Elizur Abbey was married to Gildersleeve’s sister Betsey, who would have been 18 at this time. William Norcott lived in the little gambrel roofed house at 76 Indian Hill. Albert Savage may have come from Main Street—597 and 598 were Savage houses for many decades. …not withstanding the warnings of some others [underlining his own] that they were placing themselves in a very dangerous situation—but the call for help that was heard on the still night air was more powerful and the noble hearted and fearless men launched forth a Ship’s Yard Boat which was fortunately at hand and which better adapted to be forced through and over the floating masses of broken and surging perils of ice which were rapidly propelled down the River at the time. One wonders why Gildersleeve forcefully underlined "some others"—the gesture suggests long-lingering animosity for those who would discourage the rescue of a little boy’s father… All this time the wife and mother was in the hearing of these calls for help, having perfect control of her feelings— Gildersleeve’s mother, Temperance, was probably no stranger to trial by water. Her father, Captain James Gibbs who built the house at 513 Main Street, had been a sea-faring man. Her husband and his family had escaped over the Sound from the British attack of Long Island in 1776, and he and their sons had always worked in the boat building industry, where there was no small amount of risk. Well do I remember that terrible trying scene, altho some seventy-four years since, that fearful night and seeing my mother walking back and forth on the beach of the River with clasped hands and uplifted eyes; we can better imagine than express the troubled thoughts of those sad hours, and the joy and thankfulness we all felt at the final rescue of our friends.
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Keep Mice Away Mice are among the top culprits in many house fires because they chew on electrical wires inside the walls. Erie Insurance Company of Erie, Penn., recommends checking your home every spring for points where mice could enter, such as the edges of doors and windows; holes where pipes and utility lines enter; gaps at the roof and eaves; and ventilation openings for exhaust fans, air conditioning units, and dryers. Cover any openings with a rust-resistant fine wire mesh, because a mouse can enter a hole small enough for a pencil. The company also offers these additional tips: Cover garbage cans with tight-fitting lids. Pick up the fallen fruit and nuts from your trees every day. Keep wood piles away from the house.
The Public Works Department will be conducting its annual brush pickup beginning April 3rd. All brush must be at the curb no later than April 2nd. Brush should be put at the curbside with the larger end towards the road, but not to cause a site line hazard. Brush and limbs must be no larger than 4 inches at the base. Any material that is not brush, will not be picked up by the Town, i.e. building demolition, boards or old lumber. The Town will not accept any land clearing material. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Public Works at 342-6733.
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Kindergarten at Valley View By: Deborah H. B. Borton We have begun the Kindergarten registration process for children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2000. If you have a child who will be at least five years old on or before January 1, 2001, please call the school office at 342-3131 to register for the fall. There was a meeting for the parents of children who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall on March 30 at Valley View. Following that meeting, Dr. Deborah Borton, the Principal, met with each set of parents to discuss the issues, concerns, and dreams for their child. During that 30 minute meeting, she sought information and answered the many questions parents had, especially if this was their first child entering the public school system. Many fears or worries were addressed and put into perspective. Permission was also attained form the parents to talk with the local Nursery Schools to help in the transition between programs. This coming May, we invite the children to spend an hour at school, to see what a kindergarten classroom looks like, to meet some of the other children who will be their classmates, and to get a ride on the big yellow school bus. During late May and early June, children are assigned to classes, taking into consideration the information gathered during the conferences with parents. Class assignment letters are sent home at the beginning of July, so there is time for families to make arrangements for day care. There are very few school districts in the state or nation that have such an involved process. Many schools test children, but we have concerns about the validity of the scores for such young children. We also know 6 months is a large percentage of a young child’s life, and that much growth can happen over the summer prior to the kindergarten year. Therefore, we do not test children entering kindergarten. We take all comers and help them learn in many ways, developing programs appropriate for them. We always look forward to welcoming new families to Valley View and the next class of children into the school. The children entering Kindergarten in the fall will graduate from high school in 2013.
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