WINSTED — Should the Board of Selectmen, as the town’s Board of Finance, be able to review and approve contracts with non-union town employees?Selectman Karen Beadle believes so and proposed to the selectmen during their meeting on Sept. 6 that they look into the possibility.While the board took no action on Beadle’s idea during the meeting, Beadle talked briefly with Town Manager Dale Martin and Mayor Candy Perez about it.The non-union contracts for department supervisors specified salaries, work condidtions and benefits and were negotiated and executed by former Town Manager Wayne Dove.The contracts in question are for Chief of Police Robert Scannell, Director of Finance Henry Centrella, Department of Public Works Director James Rotondo, Administrative Assistant Laurie Bessette and Director of Purchasing Mark Douglass.“This is something we have discussed before and put on the back burner,” Beadle said. “I’m having a hard time understanding why this differs from any of the union contracts we have ratified. Logic tells me we should ratify these contracts [as the town’s Board of Finance], which has never happened.”Martin suggested that the selectmen take no action because the contracts have already been signed with each respective employee and remain in effect.“From what I understand, when [Dove] was here he looked at these contracts as the town manager’s responsibility,” Perez told Beadle. “If we go back even further, the contracts done prior to this Board of Selectmen, they were written by the town manager.”Martin suggested that he could talk to Town Attorney Kevin Nelligan about the differences between town union employees and non-union employees.Beadle agreed with Martin’s suggestion.“We definitely need some guidance on this,” Beadle said.
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The young GNH squad got valuable experience against a quality opponent in the season opener. In team totals, the Yellowjackets rushed for 208 yards and passed for 54 yards.
Woodland, coming off an undefeated regular season in 2025, took an early lead against GNH and ran up the score. Woodland's quarterback Evan Mastropietro threw two touchdowns and rushed for a third. Justin Pringle also completed a trifecta with a rushing touchdown, reception touchdown and an interception returned for a touchdown for Woodland.
The game was played at Van Why Field in Winsted on a partly cloudy afternoon. It was about 72 degrees at kick-off time.Woodland scored four unanswered touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of play, starting with a 10-yard run by Pringle, then a 59-yard interception return by Pringle, then a 15-yard rush by Colby Marsan and a 60-yard pass from Mastropietro to Ryan Kenney.
GNH got on the board late in the first quarter when Airyn Berube rushed to the right and broke away for a 56-yard dash to the end zone. GNH often used a jumbo package with a full house in the backfield -- a familiar setup for coach Scott Salius and one the team leaned on last season.
Woodland added to its total with a 55-yard QB sneak by Mastropietro to bring the score to 35-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Woodland scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter. First, Marsan capped off a long drive with a 2-yard run and then Pringle caught a 15-yard touchdown pass near the end of the half.
The Gilbert School marching band offered a preview of its seasonal routine at halftime, performing a steampunk‑inspired show centered around a large mechanical clock in midfield.
Due to the lopsided 49-7 score, the referees allowed the clock to run in the second half. After a scoreless third quarter, Woodland scored on the first play of the fourth quarter -- a 75-yard run by Daniel Keogh to bring the score to 56-7.
GNH strung together a long drive through the rest of the fourth quarter that brought the Yellowjackets right down to the goal line. As the clock expired, a last‑ditch throw hung over the end zone before the defense rose up for an interception.
Friday night football is coming to Falls Village for GNH's next game, which will be played at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The Yellowjackets are scheduled to host the Granby/Canton co-op team Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m
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