Falls Village proposes three ordinance changes

FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Selectmen recommended three ordinances to town meeting at the board’s special meeting Monday, Jan. 8.

The ordinances are: an update to the Raffle, Bazaar and Bingo ordinance, the canine ordinance, and the local bidder policy.

Per the first item, First Selectman Dave Barger said the existing law dates to 1988, but the relevant state law was changed in 2018. The new ordinance will bring the town into compliance.

During public comment, Lou Timolat said he sought two legal opinions on the Nov. 7 town meeting, which was held at the same time as the municipal election.

Timolat said the way the town meeting was held, with voters casting ballots in one part of Town Hall, separate from the municipal voting, was “a grave mistake.

“People were not permitted to participate in the proceedings of their own meeting.”

Timolat said he is not accusing anyone of wrongdoing, but he hopes the selectmen will come up with a policy to avoid a similar situation in the future.

The items voted on were the sale of the former firehouse for $300,000; a land swap between the town and the Falls Village Inn; and two appropriations for an engineering bill and a heat pump at Town Hall. They all passed easily.

Regarding the proposed solar power project at the Town Farm property, Barger said that as it stands, he does not see the town going forward with the existing proposal from electric utility Eversource. Barger said he would like to form a committee to look at the project in total and come up with a recommendation.

The selectmen (and the Board of Finance) held special meetings Jan. 8 because the regular date, Jan. 15, was the federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on the Plan of Conservation and Development Thursday, Jan. 25, on Zoom only. See the town website for log-in details.

Latest News

Robin Lee Roy

FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.

She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie A. Vreeland

SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.

At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rafael A. Porro

SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.

Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Roger D. Ovitt

TORRINGTON — Roger D. Ovitt, 91, of 35 Berry St. Torrington, died peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family.He was the husband of Barbara (Webb) Ovitt of Torrington.Roger was born June 28, 1934 in Amenia, New York, son of the late Ronald and Edna Lucy (King) Ovitt.

Roger had worked for 36 years as a crusher operator for the former Pfizer Corporation in Canaan. After retiring from Pfizer in 1992, Roger joined his brother, Brian, and began a new career as a house painter. Roger enjoyed this venture with his brother.He was an avid fisherman.Roger also loved to garden.He took great pride in the flowers and vegetables that he raised.

Keep ReadingShow less