The Northwest Corner of Connecticut has more than a normal number of well-known artists. Some know each other, some don’t; some work together on feature films or television programs, others never cross professional paths with their peers.
A fundraising Zoom event for the Cornwall, Conn., public library on Jan. 9 will bring together three disparate artists in one combination film screening and live interview.
Laurie Simmons is a respected artist whose work often includes dolls and ventriloquist dummies. In 2006, the Cornwall resident made a short film featuring the dolls and dummies; The Alvin Ailey II Dancers, an arm of the famed modern dance company that features newer dancers; and the actress Meryl Streep, who is, well, Meryl Streep and, among other things, an area resident.
Streep sings and performs in “The Music of Regret,” a film made by Simmons (who also wrote all the song lyrics) that explores “love, interpersonal dynamics, problems with neighbors, and of course, regret,” according to the press release sent out by the Cornwall Library.
That’s a lot of information to digest about a 40-minute film and a 90-minute fundraiser. To help viewers unpack it all, the screening of the film will be followed by a conversation between Simmons and her daughter, Lena Dunham, an actor/director/writer who is known for her HBO television series, “Girls.”
Dunham’s father and Simmons’ husband (just to add another layer of complexity) is the painter Carroll Dunham. He will not take part in this particular fundraiser; neither will Cyrus Grace Dunham, Lena’s sibling, who was also in “Girls.”
The screening and interview will be on Zoom on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Viewers can send questions in during the post-film conversation. The cost is $20 per household/computer screen. This is a benefit for the Cornwall Library in Cornwall, Conn., but residents of all towns are welcome to participate.
To register, go to the “events/programs” page at www. CornwallLibrary.org.
SALISBURY — At a special meeting Thursday, May 15, the Board of Selectmen tabled the issue of approving a permit for traffic rerouting on Route 112 Friday and Saturday, June 27 to 28.
Lime Rock Park is hosting a weekend of NASCAR events. In anticipation of a large crowd, estimated between 12,000 at 15,000 in attendance, LRP has asked to have one-way traffic on Route 112 (Lime Rock Road) from Route 7 to White Hollow Road and the main track entrance between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and again between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on both days.
Tom Burke, Director of Facility Safety at Lime Rock Park, told the selectmen that this option was chosen because it does not involve detours on local roads. At their regular monthly meeting Monday, May 5, the selectmen had expressed dismay and concern at an earlier proposal to route traffic over narrow and windy Brinton Hill Road.
Burke said there will be at least two electronic variable message boards used and traditional “hard” signs.
And there will be state troopers deployed to assist motorists.
Public comment was negative. Victor Jermack said the entire idea seemed unreasonable to him, and Michael Klemens, who chairs the Planning and Zoning Commission, voiced concern about what he called “programmatic creep” at the track.
Sarah Wolf, who lives on White Hollow Road, wanted to know how people in the neighborhood were supposed to go about their usual business during the periods of one-way traffic on Route 112.
First Selectman Curtis Rand asked if the track’s representatives had been in touch with the neighbors. Burke said no, because they are waiting on final approval before informing the neighbors.
“That’s a lot of pressure on me,” Rand replied, adding he is wary of signing off on the plan without much input from the public.
He also asked why he has to sign off on the plan at all, since the traffic disruptions take place on a state highway. He said he was going to call the state Department of Transportation and ask the same question.
Selectman Kitty Kiefer pointed out that there is another event Thursday, June 26, that the selectmen could not discuss because it was not on the special meeting agenda. By state law special meeting agendas cannot be modified, whereas regularly scheduled meeting agendas may be amended at the start of a meeting.
The Lime Rock Park website lists the Thursday event as a “Pit Stop Party and Hauler Parade” at the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, with details to come.
Selectman Chris Williams said that while it doesn’t help the immediate situation, the town and track need to consider the town’s infrastructure, or lack thereof, when planning events that draw large crowds.
Ultimately the selectmen agreed to table the matter and resume at another special meeting. Rand said he was going to consult the town attorney in the interim.
The selectmen will have another special meeting Wednesday, May 21, at 2 p.m.
FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Finance will hold a public hearing on the proposed spending plans for 2025-26 Wednesday May 21, 6:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services Center and on Zoom.
First Selectman Dave Barger will present the municipal plan and Board of Education Chair Pat Mechare will handle the plan for the Lee H. Kellogg School.
SALISBURY — The spending plans for the town and Salisbury Central School were approved unanimously at a town meeting Wednesday, May 14. The vote was 26-0 on both budget items.
The Board of Finance will set the 2025-26 mill rate after a special meeting Wednesday, May 21, at noon.
The municipal budget for 2025-26 has a bottom line of $9,205,102, an increase of $575,530 or 6.7%.
The budget for Salisbury Central School is for $6,897,148, an increase of $361,209 or 5.53%.
The Region One budget passed at a referendum vote May 6. The town’s Region One assessment is $4,781,093, an increase of $373,080 or 8.46%.
Total town education spending is therefore $11,678,241, an increase of $734,289 or 6.71%.
At the public hearing April 30, Finance chair Pari Farood said it is likely that there will be no mill rate change if the budget proposals were approved. The Salisbury mill rate is currently 11.0.
NORTH CANAAN — The Board of Finance accepted spending proposals for the town and school at its regular meeting May 14.
The meeting was held immediately after a three-minute public hearing on the budgets. One resident spoke to ask about the selectmen’s salary line. This matter was also discussed by the finance board members in their meeting.
In the original 2025-26 municipal spending proposal, the first selectman’s salary was reduced to $6,500, matching the salary of the second and third selectmen.
The Board of Finance requested that line of the budget be reinstated to its 2024-25 amount, which totaled $37,000: $30,500 for First Selectman Brian Ohler and $6,500 for Selectman Craig Whiting. Selectman Jesse Bunce turned down his salary last year, but this year he requested to be paid the same as Whiting.
When the 2025-26 budget was modified after the finance board’s request, the first selectmen’s salary was set at $24,000 and the three selectmen’s salaries totaled $37,000 to match 2024-25.
At the May 14 meeting, Board of Finance Member Christian Allyn made a motion to add $4,000 more to the first selectman’s salary.
There was no second to the motion, “So therefore the motion is dead,” said Chairman Doug Humes.
Allyn voted against the motion to accept the municipal budget, but the motion carried 4-1.
The town spending plan shows a bottom line of $3,239,732, a reduction of $3,204, or -0.1% from last year’s budget.
The NCES spending plan totals $4,767,136.46, an increase of $231,023.76, or 5.09%, compared to last year.
A Town Meeting to vote on the budgets will be held Wednesday, May 21, at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.
Residents will also vote on a two-year $TK contract for the resident trooper.
