Dust off your dancin’ shoes and come to the Pavilion at Town Hall for a night of honky tonk with Ken Atkins and the Turnpike Allstars. Bring chairs or a blanket, your beverages and treats, for a party with plenty of space for dancing and singing along. The Turnpike Allstars band specializes in country and country swing, with plenty of “twang” to go around!  Ken Atkins is the principal vocalist and guitarist. Band members are Bob Oxenhorn, bass, Corey Dolinsky, steel guitar, Tom Trombley, drums, and Paul “Swampy” Davis, harmonica.  The band is popular throughout New England and was last seen in Hampton at a Memorial Day chicken barbecue. Music starts at 7PM, admission is free, no reservations needed. Parking is available at the Community Center and the Town Hall. Rain date: July 11.

For more information, contact  Juan Arriola at 860-455-016.

This summer’s lawn concert at The Fletch will be on Wednesday, July 14, (rain date: July 21). The free concert begins at 6:30PM on the lawn of Fletcher Memorial Library. This year’s featured group is Still Pickin’, a bluegrass trio that plays bluegrass, and selected contemporary and original music, plus some old fashioned country tunes. The group aims to “provide your favorite style of music that is no longer readily available on radio” and their program includes humorous stories and audience participation.

This talented trio consists of lead singer Dennis Sheridan, who plays guitar, mandolin and fiddle, Patricia MacDonald on bass, and Jim Shapely, banjo and dobro player. All three share in the vocals and all have long been a part of the Connecticut music scene. They have performed throughout New England and are looking forward to appearing this year at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival. This year’s concert is once again made possible by a gift from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

Although the library building will be closed during the performance, the audience is invited to picnic on the grounds before the show, and sanitary facilities will be in place, also made possible by our sponsor. For more information, contact the library at fletchermemoriallibrary@gmail.com or 860 455-1086.

Summers were different in the 60’s. Kids ventured out-of-doors right after breakfast and stayed outside till dark, coming inside only when called for lunch, dinner, and bedtime. Bicycles and horses traveled on trails and on roads, exploration of forests and fields was a daily adventure, hide-and-seek, an evening’s neighborhood game, fireflies and shooting stars were nightly entertainment. There were no swimming pools – we swam in rivers and ponds: rivers with their sluggish summer currents and slippery rocks, always cold and refreshing; ponds with their sandy shores and streams of warmth, their turtles and frogs and fish — sharing the water with pond life was part of the fun.

One of the most frequented ponds was the Miller’s on Old Kings Highway. Those familiar with this bucolic place might imagine that its beauty allured us; but it was actually because Nancy Miller taught lessons there. This is where most of us learned to swim.  A 1960 Willimantic Chronicle article titled “Swimming Instructions Under Way” announced “Miss Miller resumed her instructions in swimming today…Lessons will be given each day Monday through Friday for two weeks. She will have a beginning and intermediate group, taking ages 5 through 13, with one group meeting from 9:30 to 10:30 and the other 10:30 to 11:30.” Posted on the “Hampton Remembers the 2^nd Half of the 20^th Century” page, the article prompted many memories:

I learned to swim from Nancy. Margaret Loew

She taught me to swim and dive and Miller’s pond was our swimming place. Christine Schenk

I too remember a few lessons with her. Dave Halbach

I learned to swim there. Alma Pearl Graham

I learned to swim there also! Shirley Scarpino

I saw Nancy this past fall and we talked about all the swimmers she taught over many years. The pond is a beauty spot in town as well as a source of happy memories, including ice skating! Debbie Moshier

That’s how I learned to swim! Mark Davis

Me too. I took lessons from her. So did my brother Bill Pearl. Joanne Page

My brother and I took those classes. Judy Lavoie Osborn

I too learned to swim from Nancy. Jennifer Burr Peterson

Me too! Neal Moon

I remember Nancy and her swim lessons very well! I swam for many years in what we called “Miller’s Pond”, my family lived next door.  Judith Schenk Bird

Nancy remembers us, too:

It all started because I took swimming for gym at Windham High School and earned my Junior and Senior Life Saving badges. I proudly sewed them on my black, one-piece, modest swim suits and decided I would see if I could earn some money teaching kids to swim and not be afraid of water. I knew everything about our pond and how deep it was and where the cold springs were when swimming underwater. I knew you had to belly flop off the dock as the water in front of it was not deep enough for a real dive. I learned this the hard way when an out-of-state friend took a real dive and hit her head on the bottom. She came up bleeding on her head and we had to take her to the doctor for stitches.

So how to get parents and kids to know the swimming program was in effect? I was always pretty good with new ideas and I had an idea to get some publicity in the local papers. Eleanor Moon, organist for the Congregational Church and a stringer for the Hartford Courant, was always looking for feature stories and maybe a picture to go with the story. I called her and she agreed to write an article about the new swim program in Hampton and I think that is what started the ball rolling. My brother, George, who worked for the Willimantic Chronicle, put me in touch with a reporter there who also wrote a story about the swim program. After that it was word of mouth and I had no problem having all the students I could manage. I don’t know how many kids learned to swim and hopefully develop a lifelong love for water and swimming because of those fun summer classes.

In those days, every little girl wore a bathing cap and of course came to lessons with it on and wearing a swim suit. I remember walking down Main Street in Willimantic and cute little girls with long hair and dresses on would stop me and say “hello”! It was always a puzzle to figure out who it was without a bathing cap! The program was a huge success for three or four summers, and I earned money to help with my college expenses at UConn.

I saw Nancy, after so many years, at the last Fall Festival, and she has the same youthful, positive energy, and I understood why we all remember her so well and so fondly. I can’t remember much about being five but I remember the back float lesson: “in, out and over”. Of course, as kids, we were interested in the pond and swimming, and probably didn’t pay much attention to the surroundings. These would include the tall, sweeping evergreens framing the pond, the Little River steps away, the home that nestles in between old apple trees, and the beautiful red barn at the water’s edge that completes this Currier and Ives picture.

George Miller, who also grew up on the property, has provided us with information on the barn:

The barn was built in June 1943 for perpetuity. With World War II raging in the Atlantic and Pacific, one neighbor asked if we were building a bomb shelter. The foundation was dug by hand by Richard Kimball and Bernie Edwards, old Hampton residents. Minimum wage in 1942 was 40 cents per hour – Kimball got 50 cents because he was an accomplished stone mason. Kimball built the fantastic double faced foundation with odd stones purchased in Brooklyn – eight feet tall on the road side. My father, George W. Miller, noticed an advertisement in the Willimantic Chronicle that an old mill on Bridge Street, Willimantic was being torn down and Austroski Demolition Company was selling the wooden floor timbers. The floor timbers were purchased and delivered by Austroski and set in place by a huge crane. The main carrying beam runs the entire mid-section of the barn. The rest of the barn was built by Chic Johnson and George Huling, local carpenters.  During the Millers 35 year ownership, the barn housed goats, cows, horses, pigs and poultry. In 1946, the barn housed 2000 chickens for market. This barn will stand for perpetuity the way it was constructed.

Current owners, the Newcombes, attest to the sturdiness of the barn; they too have been instrumental in maintaining its integrity. The first project was to reinforce one of the barn’s original posts after noticing that it was bowed. A metal piece was attached to the post and tightened with a turn buckle, remedying the threat of collapse. The second project was resurfacing the cellar floor, where animals were housed and where moisture caused mold to begin to grow on the barn’s beams. The dirt was dug out by hand and replaced with five tons of crushed stone, a drainage pipe for water to flow to the pond was installed and a cement floor was poured. The most recent project was Mike Chapel’s construction of a retaining wall along the pond and a cobble-stone ramp to the barn. Though no longer sheltering livestock, the Newcombes use the barn for storage and as a garage. The barn also houses a pump for the pond’s aeration system.

As plants and algae have consumed so many of our swimming holes of the past, the Newcombes have been vigilant in maintaining the pond. With the help of Paulie Tumel, they first replaced the collapsed ceramic pipe with a plastic one that adjusts with the level of the water and allows it to flow to the Little River. In 2010, silt and vegetation were cleared from the pond, an aeration system was installed five years ago to help get rid of algae, and last year, the Newcombes obtained a permit to purchase grass-eating carp. Thus, the pond is still used by family members and friends. We’re grateful we’re among them. A few years ago we introduced our grandson, then seven months, to the pond where he spent a fascinated afternoon. We’ve returned every year since with him to swim, fish, catch frogs with his grandpa. His grandma feels compelled to sit and ponder the beauty that abounds at one of our town’s most pastoral spots:

July 25: The pond is brushed with aquatic life, a harmonious relationship evinced in the ease of concentric circles, slowing, widening, gently wrinkling the glassy surface. Insects skim, frogs splash, turtles glide, fish flicker, dart, singularly large, direct, schools of small, synchronized swimmers. Other sounds: thrump, chirp, whir; and those we strive to hear – the rustle of tassels, the ripple of water, or strive to feel: the pull of the fishing pole. The dark mirror holds summer’s lushness, reflections of the water’s rim, enormous leaves, puckered and scalloped, slim cascading blades of grass, distant trees forming dark clouds in the middle of the pond. Lilies light the black surface, sparkling white goblets floating on fleshy pads. The sand is soft, the water, currents of warm and cold. There is utter serenity here, even in the sudden – the abrupt tug on the lure, the plunk of a leaping frog, a locust piercing the stillness, the cold sluicing the water, a crow’s caw scratching the air.

Dayna McDermott

Time stood still in 1942 for a 7-year-old. The 4^th of July parade consisted of oxen, teams of horses and the Fire Department which was the 1927 LaFrance Pumper and Barney Pawlikowski.  Hampton was in a time warp with many dirt roads. Because of the war, there were no new cars. You knew everyone by his car. Hampton had many farms and more cows than people. I lived on Kings Highways which was a dirt road.

In September of 1942, I enrolled in the third grade, a class of six, at Bell School. Lois Richardson Woodward was the teacher for my first years in Hampton. Bell School had a big wood furnace, water from a spring at the edge of the swamp, and outhouses for boys and girls. One of the duties of the male members of the school board was to clean them once a month, and my father, Chairman of the board, participated. The remainder of my elementary education was at Center School, which had a hand pump outside for water and a wood furnace and the same toilet facilities.

The most outstanding event at Center School was in 1948 — a multi-town trip to Boston on a steam engine. Students from surrounding towns gathered at Hampton Station. It was a wonderful trip to visit the Constitution Ship, North Church, and Breeds Hill and Bunker Hill. That was my first trip on the Airline Trail on the steam train.

My second trip was in 1955. I was in the US Navy. My ship had docked in Boston. I took a thirty day leave during the month of August. The Hartford-New Haven train had been reduced to a one car trolley. I bought a round trip ticket to Willimantic. I asked the engineer to let me off in Hampton, but he said they had no station, so I got off in Pomfret. August 1955 brought us the famous hurricane and wiped out the bridge in Putnam, and so I am the last resident of Hampton who rode the Airline Trail Train.

George Miller

Thanks to the generous support of businesses and individuals here in Hampton, funds were raised to secure a fund matching grant from the Eastern Regional Tourism District for a collaborative project with six other towns (Columbia, Pomfret, Portland, Putnam, Thompson and Windham) to create fold out pocket maps of the Air Line Trail to be distributed at no charge in each of the towns.

These handy maps fold down to credit card size, and with a cardstock front and back, are durable and a perfect fit into a wallet or pocket.  One side depicts the Air Line Trail in its entirety along with historical information about the trail.  The flip side is Hampton specific, illustrating the Hampton section of the trail. It notes trail entrances and attractions and provides descriptions and photos of some of the trail highlights. Major attractions at Goodwin State Forest and Trail Wood are featured and beautiful photographs, which were generously donated by Pete Vertefeuille and Eleanor Linkkila, capture the essence of Hampton’s hidden gems of the Quiet Corner.

These maps are free and available at the Education Center located in the Pine Acres Homestead House on Potter Road and will be made available to local businesses who wish to have them available for customers. The remaining six towns who participated in this project will have their own town-specific maps available at no charge to trail users in their respective towns.

Laura McCabe

Dearest Auntie,

Now that Covid restrictions are lifting and we are slowly returning to social life (and under the charming influence of Bridgerton) might I suggest a monthly society column in our town newspaper, our own version of Lady Whistledown? I thought perhaps you, or one of your relatives or friends, could consider pursuing this possibility.

XOXO,

Gossip Girl

My Dear Neighbor:

Auntie Mac continues to be extremely flattered and pleasantly bewildered at the range and scope of Hamptonian tidbits her readers believe her to have hoarded away. She will, however, admit to being a regular invitee at the sorts of soirees, family events, and galas that so temptingly lend themselves to an occasionally indiscreet mention in a less-than-proper Society column. She recalls fondly, for example, a themed affair long ago in Reykjavik attended by several crowned heads of northern Europe, and, having opted to use the hostess’ powder room instead of the carved ice bidet, chanced upon an interaction between an internationally-recognized Duke and a parking valet and former reindeer herder that, under the circumstances, would have limited the Duke’s invitations to that summer’s Monte Carlo regatta, and certainly revoked the valet’s Certificate of Merit from the ASPCA.

My point—I assume, since my points these days seem elusive as Will o’ the Wisps—is that although Auntie Mac does hold to her bosom some of the more, shall we say, colorful town anecdotes past and present, it behooves her to let sleeping rumors lie, however delicious they may be. We remember, do we not, the scenes in which the Queen eagerly awaits the latest edition of the Bridgerton Tattler, or whatever it’s called, and she is, depending on its content, either smugly satisfied, or vexed to the point of vengeance. Far be it from Self to wish any type of repercussion caused by sharing whispered suppositions, subtle innuendos, or shadowy goings-on.

She will gladly, however, entertain the idea of publishing any and all Hampton Society News in alternate months, in the format reflecting the more genteel style of current media columns. She is not certain, but she feels reasonably confident that she will be able to rise to the level of self-satisfied preening that marks what would surely become her inferior competitors.

I therefore invite you, dear, and all who are interested, to submit society news to the Gazette, and Auntie Mac will attempt to do justice to engagements, birthday fetes, gallant achievements, and the birth of prize livestock—all worthy of celebration. She is, after all, YOUR Auntie Mac, and lives to fulfill your wishes.

Carol Ann Handy, 91, passed away on October 18, 2020 at her home in Hampton where she lived with her daughter Christine. Born in 1929, she was an avid reader and writer, completing several books of poetry, historical fiction and the children’s book, The Dragons of Rizvania, for which she is perhaps best known. She will be missed by all who knew her; our condolences to them. Donations in Carol’s name may be made to the National Baha’i Foundation.

Bethany Boucher, 34, passed away on November 2, 2020. Born on December 3, 1985, she was an advocate and caregiver to individuals with diverse abilities while working as a Program Coordinator at the Supportive Living Group of Danielson. Predeceased by her mother, Karen Boucher, she is survived by her father, Alan, her brother Benjamin, her grandmothers and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Our condolences to them all.

Barbara Pogmore, formerly of Hampton, passed away on January 24, 2021 at the age of 87. Born on June 6, 1933, she was active in the Little River Grange, entering the needlework crafts she created in Grange fairs and events throughout the state. Predeceased by her husband of 70 years, Fred, she is survived by her son, her daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Our condolences to all. Donations may be made to the Epilepsy Foundation.

Stuart Case, former long-time resident, passed away on January 27, 2021 at the age of 80. Born on November 12, 1941, Stuart graduated from Columbia University, received a master’s degree from The New School, a Juris Doctor degree from Western New England University, and was a writer, editor, and later in life practiced law. Stuart served on the Zoning Board of Appeals and as Probate Judge. Our condolences to his wife, Lenore, and their son, David.

Bernard Duffy passed away on March 18, 2021 in the 84^th year of his life. Born in Vermont on November 1, 1936, Mr. Duffy worked as an aerospace machinist. He is survived by his wife, Marion – our condolences to her and to their children and grandchildren.

Beverly Hosford, former long-time resident, passed away on May 1, 2021 at the age of 82. Born on May 19, 1938, she was a member of the Congregational Church and the Little River Grange. Predeceased by her son, Gregory, she is survived by her husband of 63 years, Ralph Hosford, her daughters, Carrie Molodich and Jessica Damon, her son, Bruce Hosford, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. Our condolences to them all.

A public hearing is scheduled for June 1 for town officials to present their proposals for the FY2021-22 municipal and elementary school budgets and to field questions and comments from taxpayers. The hearing will be held in the lower level of Town Hall at 7 pm. The final budget proposals will be adopted by the Board of Finance after the public hearing and decided at referendum.

The Regional District #11 budget will not be determined until approved by tri-town voters at referendum. The initial proposal of $6,523,372 was defeated on a vote of 216 – 265, passing only in Chaplin and failing in Scotland and in Hampton with a vote of 94-129.  A June 2 referendum will decide the second proposal, reduced to $6,507,420, though the school’s surplus was not applied to the Towns’ assessments to lower the impact on taxpayers, despite the superintendent’s recommendation.  At the board meeting on June 18, Superintendent Ken Henrici expressed his concern that the budget would be again defeated without this action. Though board members countered that the surplus could only be released and applied to the Towns’ assessments after taxpayer approval of the budget, Board of Finance Chairman Kathy Donahue produced RD#11 minutes at the meeting that refuted this claim. Reportedly, the school has over $500,000 in undesignated surplus funds.

At their May 20 meeting, the Board of Finance reviewed line items for all Town departments, approving the Board of Selectmen’s recommendations for a $1,760,772 budget, an $85,679, or 5.11%, increase over the current year. Considerable discussion last month on the salary for the Town Clerk’s Assistant, which increased from $2000 to $2,500 last year and to $6000 this year, resulted in transferring $1,150 from the salary line to Professional Expenses to pay for the assistant’s training. The Selectmen increased all line items for fuel and electricity by 5% as Town buildings are expected to re-open in the next fiscal year, and awarded a 2% cost-of-living increment for appointed employees. The Selectmen also restored money to most of the capital and non-recurring accounts which were not funded last year due to the uncertainty of the pandemic and its impact on the economy. The finance board also concurred with the Selectmen’s decision to double the amount in the Fire Department’s Volunteer Incentive line to $50,000, a step toward reducing the deficit that has accrued due to years of underfunding the account.

Though the Hampton Elementary School proposed a $2,118,230 budget, a $13,912, or .66%, increase over the current year, the Board of Finance voted to slash the request by $100,000. Chairman Donahue reviewed the anticipated $56,811 reduction in the town’s Education Cost Sharing Grant; the decrease in student enrollment, from, 90 to 72 students, reduces the Minimum Budget Requirement, the amount the State Department of Education imposes on school districts as a spending requirement. The loss of ECS funds and the lowered MBR could reduce the school’s budget by $270,000. While none of the members of the finance board supported that significant of a cut, after much deliberation, the board approved a $100,000 reduction of the school’s proposal with a 4-2 vote.

Discussion included reducing the school buses from three to two, a subject of the last several years as residents have complained of empty buses rolling through town. Though board members claim that combining the routes will increase the length of the bus rides substantially and deliver students home after dark, finance board member Diane Gagnon spent a week counting the number of students riding on the buses and reported that:  Bus A ranged from 14 to 17 students, Bus B from 5 to 6, and Bus C from 7 to 13.  Waivers for parents who provide transportation for their children and communal stops were also discussed. School officials estimate a savings of $54,900 if one bus is eliminated. A second suggestion was to reduce the hours of the art and physical education teachers, currently at two and a half and four days per week, and limiting those positions to providing instruction only in their respective fields rather than assisting in classrooms which are each staffed with a certified teacher and a full-time paraprofessional and receive the services of support staff. This measure could realize savings of $36,249, according to school officials. Finance board members also suggested applying grant monies to eligible educational programs and services.

Reportedly, Hampton’s per pupil cost of $26, 672 is the 8th highest in the state, while the town’s wealth rank is 122^nd. The instructional staff to student ratio at the elementary school is currently 3:1.

A town meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 15 at 7PM, also in the lower level of Town Hall, to elect a representative to the RD#11 Board of Education, and to discuss the budget proposals, the 5-Year Plan, and “any and all business to come before the town.” The budgets will be decided at a referendum, tentatively scheduled for June 22.

The polls will be open from noon to 8PM on June 2, 2021 in the Community Room at Town Hall to decide the question “Shall the sum of $6,507,42.00 be appropriated for the operation and maintenance of the Regional District #11 Public School System for the July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 fiscal year?” Registered voters and citizens owning at least $1000 worth of property are eligible to vote in the referendum.

The Governor’s Executive Order has been extended for obtaining absentee ballots due to Covid, and the use of the secure deposit box located at the top of the ramp. Though Town Hall remains closed, absentee ballots are available up until the opening of the polls through the Office of the Town Clerk by calling 860-455-9132, ext. x201, or be contacting the Registrars of Voters.

The safety protocols used during last year’s election will remain in place: six-foot distance markers, masks, sanitizer, and disposable pencils will be available at the entrance to the polling place. All election officials have been fully vaccinated, and the voting booths will be continuously sanitized.

Dayna Arriola & Mary Oliver

Though several questions were raised during a recent meeting of the Board of Finance and a representative from Hometown Firefighter & EMS Services regarding a significant deficit in the Volunteer Fire Department’s Length of Service Award, the final, and perhaps most pressing one was: How can we explain this to the taxpayers?

Background

In fiscal year 2006-2007, the Board of Selectmen entered into a contract with the Volunteer Fire Company to provide a Length of Service Award Program to incentivize participation.  At the time it was acknowledged that most of the surrounding small towns offer some sort of compensation for volunteer first responders, such as tax abatements or life insurance policies, and that these plans are far less expensive than the cost of professional services.  The arrangement Town officials selected was an annuity plan, with members becoming vested after ten years of service with the department and earning $10 per month for every year of service to 30 years, with a maximum benefit of $300 month and an entitlement age of 65. At the time, the fire department had 36 members.

According to the Actuarial Report provided by Hometown Firefighter and EMS Services, which administers the plan, the Town’s contributions recommended by the Actuary ranged from approximately $30,000 to $50,000 annually. However, the Town’s actual contributions were significantly less. In 2007, for example, the first year of the plan, the recommended amount was $52,480 for a 10 year amortization and $32, 481 for 30 years. The Town, however, only contributed $6,077 that year, increasing to $17,656 in 2009, an amount that remained until 2016, when the Town contributed $24,256, though the recommendation that year was $34,748 – $62,210. Apparently, officials from the Fire Department received an annual actuarial report, yet not an invoice, while Town officials received an invoice, yet not the actuarial report which contained the recommended contributions.

Current Status

According to the actuarial report, because the Length of Service Award Program has not been properly funded, a deficit has compounded since its inception, resulting in a funded ratio of 11.9% of the accrued liability of $507, 234, with assets of $60,518 as of January 1, 2021. This leaves the Town with an unfunded liability of $446,716, a situation which Town officials were apprised of this last year. Currently, there are 21 active members in Hampton’s Volunteer Fire Company, 11 who qualify for full vesting with at least ten years of credited service.  There are also seven inactive members with credited past service of 11 to 30 years. Four members have reached entitlement age and are receiving monthly payments.

Recommendations

To rectify the deficit and properly fund the account, the actuarial report recommended an annual contribution ranging from $35,557 for a 30-year amortization of the remaining unfunded liability, to $62,978 for a 10-year amortization. These amounts do not include the annual plan service fee, currently $3,400 per year.

At the Board of Finance’s meeting on May 20, members affirmed the Selectmen’s recommendation of including $50,000, doubling the amount in the line item, for next year’s budget. The possibility of applying additional monies from the General Fund, which has a healthy balance, to reduce the unfunded liability will be determined after remaining questions are answered, a complete record is received, and legal advice is obtained.  “We’re in a financial position to solve the problem,” First Selectman Al Cahill said at the meeting, “but it needs to be solved correctly.”