The Planning & Zoning Commission recently sponsored a public information session to provide an overview of affordable housing in Hampton, and an update on efforts to comply with Connecticut General Statute 8-30j, which requires towns to develop plans to accommodate income limited residents every five years. Residents in attendance who spoke echoed the results of the town-wide survey, with 60% of participants supportive of affordable housing opportunities, particularly for seniors and young families.

Town Planner John Guszkowski’s presentation answered the question – What is Affordable Housing – by defining eligibility, by using examples of affordable housing in similar Connecticut towns, and by identifying current and potential compliant housing in Hampton. Income limited residents are defined as individuals who earn 80% less than the area’s median income. Affordable housing allows those residents to find suitable housing opportunities without spending more than 30% of their income on housing costs. This can be accomplished by providing opportunities for those who qualify for USDA or CHFA mortgages, or rental assistance for low income families and disabled and elderly residents, accessory dwellings and cottages, which our current regulations already allow, accessory apartments and duplexes, and naturally-occurring affordable housing, which converts a large home into two to four units.

Currently, 94% of the town’s dwellings are single family units, with only 1.8% deemed “affordable”. However, 30% of Hampton’s households are considered “cost burdened”, spending over 30% of their income on housing. Another relevant statistic is the town’s growing number of senior citizens, many of whom would like to “down-size” costs and living space.

Guszkowski’s presentation dispelled some of the myths surrounding affordable housing and its impact on small towns. Many homeowners fear that the worth of their property will be reduced, yet there is no evidence to support the notion that property values diminish in towns where affordable housing opportunities exist. A second concern is school burden, though there are fewer school-aged children living in multi-family dwellings than in single-family homes in rural areas. Refuting the third claim, that the character of the community will be destroyed with increased affordable housing, Guszkowski explained that developers are not eager to develop areas where public infrastructure is limited.

At this point, the PZC is exploring a series of policies and tasks to set a realistic goal. Potential actions include:

• redevelop old, large houses as multi-family dwellings
• offer tax credits for income-restricting accessory apartments
• promote CHFA/USDA mortgage assistance
• consider multi-family dwellings along Route 6
• examine incentive housing
• utilize town-owned land
• streamline the special permit process
• make housing someone’s job (staff or committee)

Hampton’s ultimate goal is to comply with the State mandate, implement a road map, facilitate community conversations, and establish a level of public and commission involvement.  In the next few weeks, a plan will be developed for public review.

                                   “Old age ain’t no place for sissies”—Bette Davis

This column is intended to give our growing senior population pertinent info that you may or may not know about. Fact is more than 10,000 “boomers” turn 65 years old every day. We hope to provide some valuable nuggets that you can use or pass on.

Did you know?

…that Meals on Wheels are offered through the Quinebaug Valley Senior Center in Brooklyn.

What a good resource when shopping and cooking can be problematic for any reason!  Once a week, on Mondays, from 11:30AM to 12:30PM, you can pick up five Frozen Meals which includes one quart of milk, whole wheat bread, and fruit cups. (Suggested donation of $3 per meal.) You must order by the Wednesday before by calling Quinebaug Valley Senior Center at 860-774-1243, to register and to get answers to your questions.

 and Did You Know?

Dial-A-Ride is a service available to seniors 60 and over.  For Hampton seniors, and persons with disabilities, transportation can be scheduled to their appointments with two days’ notice. You can arrange for rides to your appointments and other errands in the Putnam-Danielson area. Dial-A-Ride provides these services Monday – Friday.  The cost is $3. To schedule a ride, call the Dial-A-Ride dispatcher at 860.456.1462 by 4:00 PM.  Call two business days before you’d like a ride. Persons 60 years of age and older and persons with disabilities have priority scheduling. Rides for the general public are scheduled on an as-available basis. Operation of Dial-A-Ride requires the grouping of rides, if at all possible, according to destination. Dial-A-Ride is not a taxi service.

Hampton Seniors Club Luncheon

Wednesday June 23, 2021, from 12-3:30PM

Connecticut is opening up and we can all venture out more safely and comfortably. We are fortunate to have StoneHurst of Hampton Valley gift us with another opportunity to gather at their lovely venue. The Black Dog Bar & Grill will be donating a complete backyard feast along with their services and cash bar. The June Senior’s luncheon is on Wednesday, June 23^rd—the 4^th Wednesday of the month (not the usual 2^nd) at noon. We will be asking for $10 per person to go into the Hampton Seniors Club general fund for future activities. There will be limited outdoor seating and hopefully an abundance of sunshine. Please RSVP no later than June 15^th to hamptonseniorclub@gmail.com or Lisa Grady at 860.428.9565.

Please mask where/when appropriate. For more information, questions or concerns, feel free to contact Co-Chairs Lisa Grady at 860.428.9565 or Janice Leitch at 860.455.1488 or email us at hamptonseniorclub@gmail.com

Andrea Kaye, Seniors Vision Committee Member

The Hampton Hill Garage is one of those institutions, like the General Store and the Little River Grange, that is part of Hampton’s identity. The difference – the business has consistently survived the test of time, continuously serving the community for a century.

Our family has a special relationship with the Hampton Hill Garage; my grandfather, Robert McDermott, was the proprietor from June 10, 1926 until his death in 1958, originally leasing the “Garage Main Building. One car stall in adjoining building. Stand. Two Gas Pumps. Electric lights, water and use of yard” for a fee of $50 in monthly installments for the property which is now on Old Route 6 West, and what was then, Highway 6. This was prior to the construction of the new section of Route 6 which circumvented the village as so many large vehicles found it too difficult to climb, or descend, Hampton Hill, particularly in the snow.  The three-year lease between my grandfather and Walter Hoffman placed restrictions on both from “going into the garage business” within ten miles and ten years without mutual consent, and granted  “the privilege of buying real estate, house, garage and all other buildings and land adjoining for the stipulated sum of $10,000 at any time while holding the lease.” One year after signing, on July 21, 1927, my grandfather purchased the property. He and my grandmother would remain in the home, where my mother and my uncle were born, for the rest of their lives.

“My husband Bob McDermott came to Hampton from Providence and worked for Walter Hoffman who owned the garage…At the time he started, the building was just an old barn – this new garage was built in 1935 and added onto later. In 1926 there were still lots of horses around town but as they became scarce, the need for blacksmiths lessened and those who knew that trade became garage mechanics. George Huling, the son of the blacksmith Greene Huling, worked in the garage for my husband.”

Anna McDermott, from Alison Davis’ “Hampton Remembers”

The Hampton Hill Garage repaired and sold vehicles and gasoline. In the decades of records that hold receipts, orders, correspondences, I find the legal notice “for a license to establish a gasoline service station, garage, new and used car dealers business.” Most bills are indecipherable – what could possibly cost .04? – but there are legible bills listing the cost of a belt at $1.05, a distributor cap for .96, tires for farm and town equipment  $5.50 each, repair of a radiator for $1.50. There are receipts for supplies – 10 lbs. of galvanized nails for $1 — and though I never found the price of a gallon of gas, Danielson Oil filled the pumps for $12. An electric bill of $11.06, a monthly fee of $3.75 for telephone service for the number 649-13, and an additional $3.60 for toll and telegram services. Membership dues for the Connecticut Automotive Trades Association in 1943 were $5 annually with an extra $5 for a “war service fund contribution”. A letter dated March 9, 1938 from resident Ted Fuller explained that a Ford dealer in New Jersey was offering $318 for his car and asked “if you can do anything for me along these lines?” The answer was apparently “yes” because a week later, a second letter stipulated, “We want a maroon convertible sedan, with white wall tires and leather upholstery. I will write you further to confirm when I can send you a check for $500. In the meantime, of course, do what you want with the old car.”

The Garage must have been one of the town’s largest employers, with a few full, and many part-time employees.  Among the ledgers, I find their withholding documents.  Some names are familiar to many of us – Barney Pawlikowski, Arthur Navin, Peter Chick, the Edwards, the Russells, the Fries.  There’s a story that the other employees encouraged Charlie Fox to ask Peggy Marcus on a date; and the rest is history.

What the records don’t reveal, but remembrances do, is that the Garage was a hang-out for the local menfolk. Old photographs show lots of them there, dressed in suits and ties and hats. Only my grandfather is wearing work clothes.  Someone once explained to me that it’s because the men stopped on their way to work, and on their way home.  The Garage as a gathering place for sharing and disseminating the town’s news has been consistent throughout the years, with neighbors visiting for a spell, or for hours. I’m not sure what amenities the place offered, other than a pot-bellied stove, but there was a soap box for everyone, and all were invited to voice their opinions.

“The Garage was a social center. On stormy days different ones who were supposed to have gone to work but on account of the weather conditions didn’t go, had their lunches all put up so they came to the garage and stayed all day till it closed at night. There were a couple of chairs near a big stove so they would sit around there and talk and talk.”

Anna McDermott, from “Hampton Remembers”

On August 4, 1958, shortly after my grandfather’s death, Don Hoffman became the proprietor, working six days a week and ten hours a day when his business first opened. Don’s son, Bill, was eleven-years-old at the time and learned the very first day how to pump gas into a vehicle, check the oil and refill as necessary, and wash the windshield. On Saturday night, his dad would hand him a ten dollar bill.

The Garage continued under the Hoffman’s management until 1969 as a full service Shell station, selling cars, fixing them, and pumping gasoline into their tanks. According to Bill, in the beginning gas was .29 a gallon, with Danielson Oil delivering to the regular and premium pumps.  The lift was in front of the original building, which was later expanded after an existing shed was moved to a Main Street home where it still stands today. After the building was enlarged, the lift was inside and three vehicles could fit in the garage at a time, as well as buses, tractors, and other farm equipment. There was no plumbing; water from an outside spigot would be used to fill a bucket, and the outhouse, though no longer in use, is still behind the garage. There was a small office inside the garage with a roll top desk, and a green-bottled coke would be yours for inserting a dime into the circle on the front of the machine. It was still a social center, with neighbors gathering around the pot-bellied coal stove inside, and outside – sitting on the low stonewall that separated the garage from the McDermott’s house — sharing the news of the town. Diane Becker remembers running over to the garage to tell her dad that she was pregnant!  And Barney Pawlikowski, the town’s legendary jack-of-all-trades, was still a fixture; there was always something for him to fix, and he talked with everyone while he worked.

Many residents worked for the Hoffmans, among them George White, Dave Demontigny, and Dickie Gervais. He was a race car driver, and some of us remember rooting for him at the Waterford tracks. In Hampton “his antics on his motorcycle and with his 1956 T-bird made him our own Fonzie”, Louis Chatey recalled.  Though Dickie broke his leg once, he came to work with a full cast, Bill said, and the injury was not the result of vehicular antics. It happened when he was playing baseball with other men in town at the field on Lenny’s Lane. For all his “cool”, he was a very warm person. And like “Ray!” Pawlikowski and “Mr. Wade!” he was popular with the neighborhood children. Whenever my brother saw him he would run toward him on two-year-old legs. Fast. But Dickie was faster. He always sprinted across to stop him from running onto our well-traveled street.

Jimmy Rodriguez was the next proprietor, running the operation for over 30 years, from 1969 until the business moved to its new and current location on Route 6 in 2000. Jimmy worked for my grandfather when he was young and remembered the old wrecker with the hand crank, so frequently used to tow vehicles up Hampton Hill. A painting of the original Hampton Hill Garage hangs in the lobby of the new building, along with the iconic picture of Jimmy, his father Jim, and his son John, the photograph, and the faces, so familiar to most of us.  It was very much a family enterprise. Jimmy’s father was waiting at the window, ready to pump gasoline as soon as a customer pulled into the station. He was always looking out the window. I remember coming home from school, to an empty house, and never worrying. “Old Mr. Rodriguez” had his eye on everything, and I felt safe. John, who runs the garage now, learned everything from his father.

There were other young men who worked at the garage – Frank Becker, Ralph Scarpino, Gil Bourquin, Todd Morrisette.  And it remained the place to congregate. Women would stop in and say “hello”, though they didn’t linger the way the men did, gathering around that pot-bellied stove, and later a coal heater, to talk of the news and of politics.  Another consistency – Barney Pawlikowki. The Rodriguez’s first job was putting condensers and points in Barney’s van, John recalls. They charged $5.43 for parts and labor, and Barney warned, “You’re never gonna make it charging that kind of money.” Imagine!

A few months ago, that iconic photograph of the Rodriguezes, originally published in The Willimantic Chronicle, reappeared on the “Hampton Remembers the 2^nd Half of the 20^th Century” page, inspiring memories, and praise.

“They lived in town and worked in town,” Louise Russell recalled. “Always friendly and willing to help you if needed”. ..“The tradition lives on with John and Michael,” Dave Halbach wrote. “I have been a satisfied customer of theirs for years”… And this from Janet Robertson: “I always felt safe after they fixed our cars.”

That’s a consistent commonality, too:  trustworthiness.  Professionalism, dependability, dedication, friendliness and trustworthiness. In the letters in the old files in my attic, the conversations with the Hoffman family, the testaments of today’s customers who rely on the Rodriguez’s — trust.

Dayna McDermott

Almost everyone knows Dale Demontigny – from her involvement in town with the Fire Department, the Ambulance Corps, the Little River Grange, or from living her whole life in Hampton. The daughter of legendary volunteers Arthur and Helen Pearl, she has many friends and relatives here.  And we know her as someone who is kind, friendly, responsible, intelligent, generous, gentle, calm, and above all, humble. Thus it was her family’s suggestion, in the absence of celebratory gatherings, that the town newspaper recognize Dale as she retires after 42 years from a long and illustrious career in nursing. It’s an honor.

Dale’s interest in the medical field began when she joined the Ambulance Corps at the age of sixteen. Her volunteerism included serving as secretary and treasurer for the Corps, and as a member of Day Kimball’s third graduating class, she became an Emergency Medical Technician in 1975. Her experiences as an EMT led her to consider a career in nursing, and she enrolled in the two year program at Mohegan Community College, now Three Rivers, graduating in May of 1979.

In September of 1979, Dale started working at Windham Hospital. Her first assignment was on the Greer Wing, the post-surgical floor. She then trained for the Operating Room, participating in a two year certification program at the hospital. She served as a scrub nurse the first year, which Dale explains as the role of a technician. She then served as a patient advocate, preparing all materials, equipment, and information for the patients and the surgeons. In her last position as charge nurse, she managed the department, preparing for the daily schedule and planning for future scheduled surgeries. Dale has worked in the department for 35 years.

Dale was involved in some “firsts” at Windham Hospital, including the first laser surgery.  She also served as the Laser Safety Officer for a while. She participated in the first laser tonsillectomy, and was part of the surgical team’s first laparoscopic cholecystectomy to remove gallbladders. These advancements made outpatient surgeries possible. Dale has been present for many Cesarean Sections, some emergent, her experiences at the hospital ranging from births to deaths. She has been involved in surgeries for numerous family members, friends, and neighbors. “I’m glad you’re here,” are familiar words and dear to her heart. During her tenure, she was the recipient of the hospital’s “Care Giver of the Year” award in 2002, and was awarded the “Nightingale Award” in 2015, nursing’s highest honor.

In the last few years, Windham Hospital has seen many changes, particularly in terms of trauma and vascular cases which are sent to Hartford. The Ob-Gyn department moved a few years ago. Then the Covid pandemic struck and stopped all scheduled surgeries with only on -call procedures performed. Perimeters were issued by the CDC, and the hospital needed to adhere to all recommendations in terms of procedures, such as cross-contamination protocols, and structural changes, like the use of negative pressure rooms. Administrators found other duties for staff to perform within the hospital while there were no surgeries. The hospital is starting to open up now, with staff returning to almost normal levels.

When asked what the most difficult aspect of her career was, without hesitation Dale answered:  “the hours.” She explained that the Operating Room is not a 9 to 5 job, and after working 40 hours a week, being “on call” can add hours to the work day as well as weekends.  “It pulls you away from family,” she laments.  The most rewarding aspect?  Hearing the words, “I recognize you!  You helped me!” She recalled one man who saw her working at the Fire Department’s Annual Ham and Bean Dinner and said, “I know you!” It’s a wonderful way to be remembered.

Plans for retirement are simple: projects in and around the house.  That “on call” designation never really allowed Dale to begin a large project because there was always the prospect of not being able to complete it. She’s looking forward to not having to rely on the clock to dictate her time. Dale is still a member of the Fire Department, serving for twenty years now, and this is her husband Dave’s 54^th year with the Fire Department, where he previously has served as Chief. She’s looking forward to spending time with him, too.

Congratulations, Dale, on your deserved retirement. Thank you for your service at our local hospital and with the Ambulance Corps, and your continued service with the Fire Department.  We look forward to a time when the current restrictions end, and we can congratulate you in person, hopefully at the Annual Ham and Bean Dinner, when we can proudly say — “I know you!”

We resided in nearby Canterbury until 2008. Having four weddings within 18 months, we became “empty nesters” very quickly. We decided to downsize and found a perfect “retirement” home in Hampton! At that time, it was our eighth move during 28 years of marriage, so it was certain that we would NEVER move again! Never say NEVER! God has a tremendous sense of humor!!!

In 2009, our oldest of four sons, married with no children yet, was in the military stationed in Alaska, also serving a tour in Afghanistan. He has served two tours in Afghanistan and one tour in Djibouti. In February, 2010, our second oldest son, his wife, and at that time two children, informed us that they were relocating to Kentucky. Our third son, his wife, and at that time one child, already lived in Kentucky. Our youngest son, his wife, and at that time two children, lived in nearby Woodstock, assuring us that they would be moving out of Connecticut, and not to let them hold us back from relocating. So the journey to Kentucky began.

I had never seen so much fencing in my entire life until my first visit to Kentucky! I saw it all in one day. Within the first 24 hours of arriving in Kentucky, driving by a nearby field, we saw the remains of a cow on her side after giving birth to a calf which was also remains. Welcome to Kentucky! We found a house in Carlisle, Nicholas County. In April of 2010, back in Hampton, we loaded a 26′ moving truck, a 5′ x8′ enclosed trailer, and one of our sons pick-up trucks. We had previously shipped my Honda Odyssey and 1970 classic pickup truck, which were also filled with some of our “treasures”!

Back to Kentucky! There were floods. I never saw such severe flooding in my just over a half of a century of life (at that time)! We saw houses with water up to the first floor windows and farms under deep water. Although we weren’t in our home yet, (we stayed with one of our sons for a couple of weeks), we were retrieving our mail daily. We lived about 25 minutes away from our sons. We were detoured going to the town where our new home was. Then the detour gave us another detour because of the vast flooding. The third time was the charm that got us there. The first Saturday in May is Kentucky Derby Day, and all the hype that accompanies it! The world stops for a day, all for a barely two minute horse race.

Many times I have said to myself, “once you have seen a horse or a cow, you’ve seen them all”. Wrong! They have great personalities! It is so amazing how you can put so many of God’s creatures in one pasture, and they all seem to get along, for the most part. Cows, horses, donkeys, and even chickens! By the way, I didn’t know the difference between a donkey, a mule, and a burro, until then. Do you? Why can’t human beings learn to get along like these animals? Above these animals, we have free will and intellect. I guess a lot of us just don’t know how to use it, or how to use it wisely! The residents in the house that we were about to move into were detained because of the flooding and heavy rains. While waiting, we traveled the countryside daily and found our way around so much better. The roads are narrow and many don’t have shoulders. What a savings for taxpayers!

Finally moving day came! We stopped at a local “Dairy Cheer” for lunch. The young man working there was very friendly. His deceased mother was also named Terri, and he has a brother with the same name as one of our sons. He and his brother helped us into the early hours of the next day to move in to our new abode! AND he is from the same “blink your eyes and you missed it” town that my husband is from in upstate New York!

Situated on a hill, with over nine acres, surrounded by “hollers” (small valleys), and scenery for 50 miles around, we could see clear to Maysville, Kentucky. (Actor George Clooney and the late Rosemary Clooney are from there). Our neighbors were horses and cows, which I loved! No room for idle gossip!!! Also, I never heard of fodder shocks until I lived in Kentucky – a cluster of dried corn stalks used for fall decorating!

Most people weren’t as friendly as I had imagined in terms of “southern hospitality”. They just couldn’t seem to think, or get, outside of their “box”. AND they didn’t take kindly to letting new people in. There were very few exceptions to this. We did meet a couple who lived about two miles away from us while we lived in Canterbury. Here we were almost 900 miles away from Canterbury, now living about five miles away from this couple in Kentucky! I never experienced a tornado warning before. We had many while living there. It can be very frightening. I certainly don’t miss them! Why don’t most houses have basements there???

During the five years in our ninth residence, and 35 years of marriage, we gained eight more grandchildren, bringing that total to thirteen! Six lived in Kentucky. We had the blessings of watching growing spurts, and having their company very often! In April 2015, we found a house in Paris, Bourbon County, our tenth residence, nearer to our Kentucky grandchildren. For three years we resided two miles away from one son and his family, and a half a mile away from another son and his family. Another grandchild added to the family brought us to fourteen grandchildren — eleven boys and three girls!

Our Connecticut son and family never left Connecticut. My heart has always been here in New England. We made a very difficult decision to move BACK to Connecticut in 2019. God opened every door for us to move back to our eleventh, and hopefully last, residence in Hampton! We received a purchase agreement on our Kentucky house, greater than it was worth, almost immediately after was listed. We came to Connecticut in April 2019, and looked at houses for a week. On the eighth day of looking, we made an offer on our present home. Late that night we received confirmation that our offer was accepted! Thankfully, I had most of my packing and moving sales done because I broke my wrist on Mother’s Day, 2019. I didn’t go to a doctor for two days, thinking it was only bruised. The bank didn’t require some of the things that we expected of them, which was a major blessing to us, expediting the transaction for all parties concerned! This house is exactly five miles away from the house we sold nine years prior to moving to Kentucky. Within five weeks we had closed on the house in Kentucky and we were literally moving in to our present abode! God opened every door! Upon arrival in Connecticut, we were warmly welcomed by family, friends, former neighbors, and new neighbors!

There were so many things we missed while living in Kentucky such as the foliage, the ocean, seafood, and PIZZA! New England has so much beauty and history to offer! We missed our fellowship with family and friends here. God planted us in Hampton with blessings above and beyond!! We love it here! There’s no place like “home”, friends, family and good FOOD!

Terri and Dale Warner

It would seem as though water is an essential ingredient in a garden.  It is the most photographed feature in all of the world’s most famous gardens, and often the reason to visit. We’re drawn to water. As one of the elements, and one of the requirements of plants, it is the garden’s most natural ornament, even when it employs plumbing, electricity and man-made materials. For those of us not fortunate enough to have a stream or a pond on our property, a water feature can be achieved with something as simple as a bird bath, or with some effort to install and maintain, a small pool.

This gardener will not give advice on installation, for I would never claim to have even a smidgeon of expertise. We installed one under the direction of Mike Chapel, who suggested we set it into the ground in the rain and mold the mud around the basin – it worked, miraculously, and it was fun — another one of those trade secrets he shared with amateurs like me. Nor is there room here for directions; there are entire library shelves dedicated to the topic and that’s my first piece of advice — procure a book on water gardening. This article will, instead, encourage gardeners to dip their proverbial toes into the water, starting with the initial step: setting, scale and style — interrelated questions all. Where the gardener wishes to place the water garden, its size, and degree of formality are decisions which depend on one another.

The first consideration is, of course, the pool’s placement. Whether the water garden is in the sun or the shade is largely dependent on the plants you want to use to embellish it. Often a water feature is the focal point of a flower garden where blossoms rim the water and water lilies, which require a lot of sunshine, flourish. Water contributes the quality of light into a dark space, like a brook or a vernal pool in the woodlands. The aura you wish to create determines the setting: a pool in a grove of trees provides a cool and intimate space; in the center of a sunny garden, the water becomes an island in a sea of flowers.

Whether the gardener is deciding on a sculpture to place on the lawn, or a flower to plant in the garden, proportion is always important. And whenever one is imposing something permanent onto the landscape, scale is especially crucial. Consider the area that accommodates a pond, or the expanse of forest lining a stream; the water garden must complement its environment without overwhelming it. If the water garden is near the house, the dimensions of the building will dictate the size. If it’s far away, it must blend with its surroundings, neither disappearing within, nor dominating, the landscape.

As with all features, proximity to the home plays an important role in the garden’s formality. In formal gardens, geometric shapes are employed – ovals and circles, rectangles and squares. The water garden’s edges are uniform and constructed of concrete, pavers or bricks, with the home influencing the materials,  as well as the size, style, and shape of the pool. They are sometimes raised, and often serve as the focal point of a formal garden – as seen in courtyards, and are very effective on decks where the wood provides the edging. And though the house necessarily places restrictions on the water garden’s style, size, materials, and plantings, you’ll visit it more frequently when it’s nearer your home. The further away from the house, the more natural the water garden. Informal pools nestle into their surroundings proportionately and are irregularly shaped, sometimes serpentine. Stones native to the environment form the margins, and plants are particularly important, as the informal pool is an extension of the garden, rather than the house.

The pool’s accessories are also dependent upon its type.  Since water, like fire, is mesmerizing and encourages contemplation, seating is a must, wrought iron chairs in a formal setting, a stone bench in a natural one. Lighting, with an emphasis on subtlety, is important if you wish to enjoy the water garden at night, especially if it’s near the house. A bridge crossing the water always enriches the scene, a decorative arched bridge, rustic planks, wooden decking across a large expanse, stepping stones across a smaller one — these especially must be part of an existing path, though all bridges should be segments of garden trails. And then there’s the alluring element of running water. With a waterfall for an informal garden, and a sculptured fountain for a formal one, circulating water provides a soothing rhythm, captivating movement, and a cooling quality. Scale is crucial — whether a fountain or a waterfall, the feature cannot over, or underwhelm, the pool. For those who find it too much of an expense in terms of installation and maintenance, the visual suggestion of running water may be simulated with a dry stream, a shallow trench filled with carefully placed river rocks meandering toward the water garden. The illusion is further enhanced with plants; plants, an essential ingredient in and around the water garden, are a topic for another time.

Though effort is required to develop and maintain its balanced ecosystem, the benefits of the water garden are worth the labor. With the naturalness of its presence and its attracting charm,  its entrancing reflections and the music of its fall, its gold fish and frogs, the birds that bathe there, the dragon flies skimming the surface, there is no place as simultaneously tranquil and alive as the water garden.

Dayna McDermott

Dear Auntie Mac,

I think Hampton should have a great big celebration once Covid is over and behind us!!! How would somebody go about arranging that?!?

Ready to Rock!

My Dear Neighbor:

Auntie Mac applauds your initiative (as well as your enthusiastic use of punctuation). A wonderful thing about Hamptonites is their readiness to complement nearly any occasion with a town-wide celebration of some sort—witness the Great Knotweed Eradication party of 2021 that happened just a few short weeks ago. The end of the pandemic is something that certainly everyone wishes to celebrate . . . and yet, prudence must be exercised, since we really don’t yet have a firm picture of what “over and behind us” truly means, do we?

Hampton does have a wonderful town-wide celebration every year—Memorial Day. Alas, this year it’s not possible to hold all the activities that make this an extra special occasion in our town. One would hope that next year the COVID bull will have been taken by the horns and wrestled to the dust with a red-ribboned sword stuck firmly between its . . . never mind; my time in Madrid was thankfully brief and I was graciously excused from sitting at the plaza de toros during my stay with Minister Ortega and his charming wife Claudia of Seville. In any case, I would heartily approve of you contacting the Selectmen and the Memorial Day Parade Committee and asking if perhaps next year could be an even grander affair, to not only honor those who have lost their lives defending our country, but to celebrate that we will all be able to do so together. And in lieu of merely asking others to plan and execute these changes, volunteer to help organize them, and make specific suggestions on what would be welcome additions to the day.  In the meantime, however, festivities need not be shoved with a sigh to the back of the armoire.  As restrictions ease, you will find that many town-wide events are creeping back onto the calendar, such as the successful Library book and bake sale of mid-May. These events offer a lovely way to begin to reconnect with your fellow residents, and in themselves are indeed celebratory.  You might also try coordinating small “neighborhood parties” that could possibly all happen simultaneously around town, with the same “Adieu, COVID” theme. Or simply host your own small gathering, using safety precautions appropriate to the size of your group and the current guidelines.

Auntie Mac admits that it is indeed tempting, as the pandemic spectre seems to be gradually fading into the mist, to rush back to previous behaviors with a vengeance. Much as we do not want to admit it, however, we are pioneers in this post-pandemic wilderness, our wagons laden with hope, venturing into a new landscape fraught with as-yet unseen obstacles and no small amount of peril. We must urge our oxen forward (oh dear–another bovine analogy. I don’t know what’s come over me) but with caution, and an appreciation of what the past has taught us.

Your Auntie Mac

While assemblies for Memorial Day are cancelled this year, some “social distanced” events are planned. A link will be provided on the Town website for a virtual presentation of photographs of past parades and ceremonies, including so many of the veterans who are no longer with us, as well as some of their words of wisdom. A wreath will be displayed for individuals to pay respects at the Memorial at Town Hall, where the names of veterans will be listed. Everyone is also welcome to visit the bridge spanning the Little River on Hammond Hill, where the naval ceremony usually takes place, to continue the tradition of tossing some flowers into the water. At 9:30 in the morning, listen for “Taps” in the village, compliments of Neal Moon, who has been playing that bugle call for us ever since he first picked up a trumpet. And the Gazette is sponsoring the Annual Chicken Barbecue on a pre-order, take-out basis, with editorial board members who double as those wizards of the seniors’ luncheons preparing the salads and corn bread, and our Chairman’s famous chicken. (see ad for details)

“I remember many Memorial Days – that was a big day. In those days it was like an intramural day between the schools in town – races, sack races, tag races – everything went on, under the sponsorship of the American Legion. I remember those going in the morning, a big parade – everybody decorated their car up with bunting and everything else, and the Ladies Band used to play riding on Lester Burnham’s truck…I would guess that at least ninety-eight percent of the inhabitants of Hampton were at the center of town for a minimum of six hours during that day, or maybe longer. Picnic lunch, band concerts, in fact, I think the Ladies Aid sold lunch in the old chapel – it was a regular outing day.”

George Fuller, from “Hampton Remembers”

Today, most of the traditions from this turn-of-the-century remembrance remain. A parade featuring our soldiers, our veterans, the selectmen, the scouts, the historical society’s fife and drum corps, floats from organizations, children on bicycles, the school band, antique cars, fire trucks, tractors, horses — all representing our community – our spirit of volunteerism, our agricultural roots, our leaders, our heroes, our youth.  And then a ceremony, a gun-salute, Taps, a speech, awards and recognitions, prayers and songs, as we gather together to give thanks to those who have given their lives for ours.      

I think back over the years of all the Memorial Day parades that I attended. First, as a kid riding my bike in the parade. Loved that free ice cream at the General Store after the parade. Then I marched, playing my flute, in the parade. Loved that free ice cream at the General Store. Then I rode my horse, Major, in the parade for several years. He was gun shy and often reared at the sound of the rifles so I always had to ride him further down on 97 so he wouldn’t get out of hand. Loved that ice cream at the General. Some will remember years ago, after every parade and chicken barbecue, there was always a well-attended softball game. The single guys against the married men. It was always a bunch of fun! I was sad to see it fade away when it did, but all things come to an end. My daughter’s birthday fell on Memorial Day once when she was little so it became a tradition for me to go to my mom’s in the center of town and watch the parade and then have a cookout later at her house for family and friends that wanted to stop by. The door was open to all. Had many “drop-ins” visiting that day, which was always great. Today as a senior citizen, I watch the parade from my yard and sometimes see childhood friends, but always enjoy hearing the speeches as the town gathers to pay respect to those who died while serving their country. I do look forward to when the town can gather again for the next Memorial Day Parade.

Kathy Thompson

My favorite thing about Memorial Day was riding my horse with my friends in the parade. And Mr. Russell handing out ice cream. I was too young to appreciate the reason for the holiday at the time, but I always knew it was special.

Kristen Hoffman Hembree

Some of my fondest memories were washing and waxing up the fire trucks and being in the parade. Always a very proud moment, you felt like you really belonged to a special group. Of course, everyone congregating at Loew’s farm for the get together afterwards for burgers and ice cream.

Mike Vadnais

How many of our kids were scouts or on sports teams and marched in the parade, then got to meet Smokey the Bear?!? Good fun!

Robin Dupre

I have always looked forward to Memorial Day from the time I was a young child – the family reunions, BBQs, ball games, and of course our town parade which is probably Hampton’s most attended event. It’s the one time of year we get to reconnect with so many who have moved away, but always come back for our parade.

Diane Becker

The Memorial Day Parade was always the feature event of the Spring for our family. I’m pretty sure I marched when I was very little, rode my bike, played in the band, and many years rode my horse. I remember it was a trick to get ice cream and hustle back down Hampton Hill to get far enough away that the gun salute wouldn’t scare the horses.

Meghan Chapman Thompson

During one of the earlier parades I helped on, Charlie Halbach was driving his 1935 Packard in the parade as usual. I joined him by jumping in half way to the Town Hall. It was so fun, until the Packard conked out! I got out and started pushing it. Some others joined in until we reached Town Hall. Then it was just me pushing while Charlie steered the car into his driveway. We hot-footed back to the ceremony in time for the opening. Another Memorial Day that sticks out was early on as well. It rained a lot. Folks were waiting to see if it would let up. It didn’t. After much consideration, and the fact thunder could be heard, I had to make a call. Inside we’d have to go. Thank God for Walt Stone. He got help with setting up chairs in the Parish house. The place quickly was packed, the ceremony started, and the Parish Hill band came marching in. Great teamwork on everyone’s part!

Jo Freeman

I remember walking with the girl scouts in the parade. Watching the Veterans marching by. 4-H groups. I liked helping with the Grange Chicken BBQ. Afterwards.

Joanne Pearl Page

One of my best memories of a Memorial Day was when my Mom was in the Hampton Community Players and they did the production of “Ben Franklin in Paris” and were able to ride on the float for the parade. Mom had such fun! That whole experience was so memorable for her. Another favorite part, that makes me get choked up, is the riderless horse, with the boot backwards in the stirrups.

Becky Burell Gagne

Growing up in Hampton, Memorial Day was my favorite holiday. May dad was always in the Fire Department so riding in the fire truck was my favorite for a while. When I got a little older, marching with the cub scouts, or with the little league team was the highlight. I remember detailing our bikes and riding them being the highlight at some point. At those ages, I recall the service to be horribly boring as we did not understand what it was all about, but each year we learned a little more and began to respect the service for what it is meant to be. Once I was old enough to join the fire department, driving the forestry truck or one of the service trucks was by far the most fun for me and a few of my friends…I was hoping that there would be a parade this year so that my son could start his collection of memories of my favorite day of the year in Hampton.

Joey Ameer

My favorite parts were any that helped honor the ultimate sacrifice of all American veterans of all wars. I guess because I never served, I owed them an even larger debt of appreciation. I’ve played Taps every year since 4^th grade; that is the greatest honor I can give them. It has felt the same to me every time since then. That is how I can serve them.

Neal Moon

Like everyone, I have many wonderful memories of Memorial Day in Hampton – carrying flags or marching in the parade, the free ice cream. We always had a family eat-out and ended the day by visiting the cemeteries in town to remember relatives and friends that had passed. But I think the thing I’d like to contribute is this: Memorial Day left a lasting impression on me because it was a time to learn and be reminded about patriotism and service to our country and about gratitude. I have cherished memories of the whole town standing at the memorial and listening to Taps. It really brought home to me the sacrifices so many made for our country and that I had a debt to many people. It made me want to give back in everything I do – even if it’s only a little way. I felt back then (and still do today) so grateful for those sacrifices and being so proud to be from a town that does not forget.

Debbie Fuller

The Board of Finance has received the Town department budget requests for fiscal year 2021/22, though line item scrutiny has yet to take place. After a careful review of the municipal budget submitted by the Board of Selectmen, the finance board will schedule a Public Hearing for citizens’ questions and comments before final approval of the budget to be sent to voters.

The Regional District #11 Budget will be voted on at a May 4 tri-town referendum, though its impact on the town, per the assessment based on student enrollment, has not been released. Nor has the undesignated fund balance, from the current and previous fiscal year, been applied to the assessments.

The elementary school Board of Education will be presenting its proposal to the Board of Finance, which can approve it, or suggest reductions. The State imposed Minimum Budget Requirement has not yet been determined by the Department of Education, but taxpayers in previous years have forced the school’s budget to remain level, or reduced due to a decline in student population. Taxpayer approved school budgets have ranged from 0% increases to $120,000 decreases in the last decade.

The good news for the Government Budget is that the contract for emergency services with KB Ambulance, previously expected to rise from $51,600 to $110,000, has been negotiated at an increase of $2,000 for a total cost of $53,600. First Selectman Al Cahill explained that KB Ambulance completed the year with a $170,000 deficit due to a decrease in call volume, yet expects to use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to compensate for the revenue loss.

Less fortunate news is the deficit in the Fire Department’s Length of Service Award Program, which has been underfunded for a number of years, a shortage that has compounded since the program’s inception and has resulted in a funded ratio of approximately 11% of the accrued liability. Requested documentation has not yet been received, though a meeting scheduled with a program administrator should provide needed information. What is certain is the impact on this year’s budget.

The selectmen are recommending a 2% cost-of-living increment for appointed employees, such as the members of the road crew, though elected officials will not have a raise in the coming year. The minimum wage requirement, which increases to $13 per hour, seems to only impact those employed to work at the polls. Discussions on funding the Capital and Non-recurring Accounts such as Land Acquisition, which were frozen last year due to the costs associated with the pandemic, have not yet occurred.

There have been few discussions relative to department requests which remain more or less level with last year. However, questions were raised regarding the Town Clerk’s request for additional compensation for her assistant, which increased from $2,500 to $6,000 to reflect “actual hours worked”.  The line item has been overspent by more than $2000 thus far this fiscal year, with the assistant working seven hours per week, approximately half of the time the office is open, at a rate of $17.32 per hour. Though Town Hall has been closed for the entirety of the last year, the Town Clerk remains responsible for processing licenses, absentee ballots, and real estate transactions, which have risen dramatically over the course of this year. Other concerns raised were that Jarrett Toth, who has served as Assistant to the Town Clerk since February of 2020, has never been officially appointed by the Selectmen as required by Town ordinance, and has not taken steps toward State certification.  Historically, certified Town Clerks have been appointed as assistants to cover Hampton’s office in the Town Clerk’s absence.