Kent celebrates eighth graders
Students in Kent marked the end of middle school June 12. They received diplomas as teachers, family members and friend watched the commencement.
Ruth Epstein
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The Cornwall-based Housatonic Valley Association has named Timothy B. Abbott as its new executive director. He succeeds Lynn Werner, who retired on July 1.
Provided
CORNWALL — Following a six-month national search, the Board of Directors of the Housatonic Valley Association has selected Timothy B. Abbott, a well-known conservation leader in the region, as its new executive director.
Abbott, 57, succeeds Lynn Werner, who retired on July 1 after 42 years with the Cornwall Bridge-based organization and 30 years as its executive director.
Abbott, who has been a resident of North Canaan since 2002, has focused on conservation leadership for 27 years in western Connecticut and eastern New York, with national and regional nonprofits, including 17 years at HVA, where he most recently served as conservation director.
James H. Maloney, search committee chair and president of the HVA board of directors, said Abbott was selected from a field of about 60 applicants from all over New England and one from the West Coast.
“We actually narrowed the field down to Tim and one other. Tim became the clear choice when it became clear that no one had a stronger background,” said Maloney. He noted that the process of utilizing a formal search committee “was done deliberately, looking at the highest standards.”
The committee, he said, narrowed candidates down to a dozen, and from that, five were selected for interviews, then the field was narrowed down to two, Abbott and one other. “The board really did think over this decision very carefully,” Maloney explained. “We are convinced that Tim is the strongest candidate and the best candidate for us.”
The HVA Board of Directors, said Maloney, is highly confident that Tim will make a “dramatic and substantial contribution” to the wellbeing of the tri-state Housatonic River Watershed as HVA’s new leader.
“It is going to be an exciting time working with Tim and making, we hope, very significant progress. He has huge experience in environmental conservation and in the work that an organization like HVA does. He also has a tremendous network of people that he knows in the community at large. It’s a great and unique combination of professional skills and personal relationships that are so valuable.”
Referring to the overwhelming response from applicants, Maloney said HVA is a very well-regarded organization in the environmental community. “It’s not a position that comes up very often, so there was a lot of pent-up interest.”
Abbott said he is grateful that, in the end, the board was enthusiastic about his candidacy. “Now there is no question in their minds. They had a chance to kick the tires,” he said of the search committee’s full vetting and national search.
“It allowed the board to think hard about what they want in Lynn’s successor, and for the organization, and it has allowed me to present a strong case for my vision of HVA, said Abbott. “I am very grateful that in the end, the board was enthusiastic about my candidacy.”
Land protection work began with the Nature Conservancy
Abbott is a well-known and respected conservation leader who grew up in Dutchess County, New York, and began his land protection work with The Nature Conservancy in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.
He is an appointed member of Connecticut’s Natural Heritage, Open Space and Land Acquisition Review Board and a member of the Steering Committee of The Nature Conservancy’s Staying Connected Initiative.
During his long tenure with HVA, Abbott championed the federal Highlands Conservation Act, and he represents HVA as Connecticut’s nonprofit member of the four-state Highlands Steering Committee.
A skilled fundraiser, effective advocate and creative problem solver, Abbott created and led HVA’s Litchfield Hills Greenprint Collaborative, an innovative regional conservation partnership among northwest Connecticut’s land trust community. He holds an M.A. in International Development from Clark University and a B.A. in English from Haverford College. He was the winner of a J. William Fulbright Scholarship in 1997.
Abbott said this is a time of tremendous opportunity for HVA and conservation urgency for the region. “The climate crisis is a paramount concern, and HVA’s Follow the Forest and Clean, Cold & Connected conservation programs represent vital and effective ways to make an impact at local and regional scales.”
He noted that he is excited to work closely with his HVA colleagues, its board, supporters and conservation partners to advance these and other conservation initiatives across the watershed and beyond.
“I have been working in conservation within this tri-state region and focused on this geographical region since 1995. I have institutional knowledge and fully recognize the conservation goals. I am ready for this level of leadership.”
Vast watershed impacts tri-state region
The 1,248-million-acre Housatonic River watershed encompasses parts of 83 communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York and contributes 11% of the fresh water that enters Long Island Sound. It includes habitats as ecologically diverse as fens and seepage swamps, extensively forested uplands and a tidal estuary.
Some of its villages have fewer than 2,000 people, while more densely populated areas and significant cities include Danbury, Waterbury and Pittsfield. The intersection of human communities with natural ones is at the core of HVA’s work and the organization specializes in strategic, collaborative conservation action with a wide range of partners.
“HVA’s strategic plan for climate adaptation and resilience,” said Abbott, “recognizes the need to adapt bridges and culverts to accommodate both increased water flow and wildlife, to protect and connect forest habitat and allow for safer wildlife passage between them, to enhance riparian area and wetland conservation and to ensure that everyone has access to nature, wherever they live in the watershed.”
HVA has always been solution-oriented, said Abbott, “and that will serve us well as we and our conservation partners advance this vital work.
‘An essential partner’ for NW Corner land trusts
John Landon, committee chair for the Salisbury Association Land Trust, said he feels Abbott is “the perfect choice” to lead HVA and advance its goals.
“I have known Tim for many years. Over that time, he has been razor focused on preserving the important ecosystems in the Northwest Corner and beyond. He has always been available to assist local land trusts in identifying the most important parcels in need of protection and then helping secure necessary funding,” said Landon, who noted that Abbott’sstrong connections with state and federal agencies has frequently helped overcome bureaucratic obstacles.
“He can be very persuasive in a friendly, non-confrontational way that advances the region’s conservation objectives. Without Tim’s help,” said Landon, “the Salisbury Association Land Trust would not have been able to protect several important parcels.
Shelley Harms, co-president of the Norfolk Land Trust, executive director of Cornwall Conservation Trust and Conservation Director of the Salisbury Association, said she is thrilled to hear about Abbott’s appointment.
“Tim is an essential partner for the land trusts of the Northwest Corner. His relationships with the state and other important funders brigs grant dollars to our area for land conservation,” said Harmes. “He has a deep understanding of the ecology and the history and the economy of our towns and the Housatonic River Watershed.”
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On June 23, Governor Ned Lamont (D) vetoed a contentious bill that would have significantly altered state policy on affordable housing; responses from local municipal leadership and housing advocates have run the gamut from gratified to frustrated.
“I’m disappointed by the result and I’m just disappointed by the process,” said State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64), positing that Lamont’s decision was influenced by naysayers who refused to find middle ground.
“Middle ground isn’t a glade in the forest that you suddenly come across,” she said. “Middle ground is something that you work at energetically.”
The bill in question was one of the most high-profile bills to be passed during the recently closed session, with the CT Mirror describing it as “the most significant piece of housing legislation to cross [Lamont’s] desk since he became governor in 2019.”
After being passed in early June, the bill was left in limbo for weeks as Lamont weighed outcry from a contingent of municipal leaders, reportedly particularly in Fairfield County, who claimed it would strip autonomy from town governments and interfere with zoning discretion.
Known as House Bill 5002, the omnibus proposed law called for a number of policy reforms regarding affordable housing, among which were the “fair share” housing and “Work, Live, Ride” models which saw large-scale pushback from Republicans and even drew a few nays from a handful of center-leaning Democrat lawmakers.
The “fair share” framework provides incentives for communities to install a minimum number of affordable housing units, while “Work, Live, Ride” prioritizes certain infrastructure improvement funding opportunities for towns that build affordable housing near public transit stations.
After Lamont’s veto, for which the Governor cited local autonomy as a primary reason, state Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding (R-30) issued a statement that referred to the bill as “anti-local control legislation,” saying that “our towns and cities deserve a seat at the table – not a mandate from Hartford.”
Several of the Northwest Hills Council of Government’s first selectmen have similarly voiced concern that the legislators who crafted the bill are out of touch with the needs of small towns, and that the approaches to affordable housing that it calls for would divert much-needed funding away from their towns, many of which don’t have any access to public transport options.
Proponents of the bill have repeatedly claimed that the strategies outlined are for planning purposes rather than mandates, and that other types of funding will not be replaced by housing-focused grants.
At the June meeting of the COG, Betsy Gara, executive director of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns, argued housing plans should be developed by the COG and its members themselves rather than have a “flawed methodology” foisted on the towns.”
COG Chair and New Hartford First Selectman Daniel Jerram agreed, as did Kent First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer, who advanced that an “economic development piece” needs to accompany housing legislation in small towns: “Are we going to send our middle-income residents to Danbury for jobs?”
Lindenmayer was pleased at Lamont’s decision to veto the bill. Speaking at the July 2 BOS meeting, Lindenmayer described the bill as stripping municipalities’ power to govern their downtowns. “I think the Governor recognized it could be done in a better way,” he said.
Back at the COG meeting, Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway took a different stance, stating that any push towards housing reform that would allow more people to live in town is welcome – and the need is urgent. He mentioned that there were five graduates from Cornwall Central School’s eighth grade this year, and he knew of more families who wanted to move to town but couldn’t because of housing costs.
In an interview after the veto, Ridgway doubled down that housing needed to stay front and center in legislators’ minds: “It’s critical to these towns that we keep working on this and not pretending it isn’t real.”
For his part — “We keep plugging away at it,” he said.
Horn similarly advocated for tenacity amongst housing advocates and urged lawmakers to try to find common ground as the bill comes back around, which it is expected to happen in the fall or spring. “Like any difficult piece of legislation,” she said, “you’re not going to suddenly discover nirvana.”
She added that though she had voted against an earlier iteration of “Work, Live, Ride,” fearing that her constituents would miss out on essential funding opportunities, housing leaders in the Northwest Corner had ameliorated those concerns regarding the newest version of the bill.
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Kent First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer will vacate the office in Town Hall following the upcoming November election.
Alec Linden
KENT — First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer has decided to step down from the position after completing one term.
Nearing two years in office, he sat down to decide whether or not he wished to stay. He factored in the progress he had made, along with the time requirements of the job, describing his busy days at the office and meetings going until 10 p.m. some nights. He thought the town would continue to progress without him, describing, “I think that rock is rolling a little bit downhill, and people would jump on it and make it their own.”
In an interview Wednesday, July 2, Lindenmayer cited the amount of time necessary to fulfill the town’s top position as his reason for not running for a second term, despite positive reception. In particular, he mentioned his desire to be more present for his family, especially his young grandson.
Elected as an unaffiliated candidate in 2023, Lindenmayer focused much of his attention on cultivating communication and transparency between the municipal government and the townspeople, all while he worked to create more affordable housing and propel economic development after Covid.
Lindenmayer touched many aspects of the town during his two-year term. In particular, he was proud of his efforts to develop affordable housing and make the town more appealing to younger generations.
He also mentioned he created the first Economic Development Committee in Kent. “Let’s figure out what we really need for the town; that’s from culture and education, arts to small manufacturing, or service industry,” he said when explaining its purpose.
Lindenmayer retired to Connecticut after serving as a member of the U.S. Navy and later specialized in defense intelligence and technical special operations.
He was recruited into the Navy by a former fraternity brother and was accepted into an intelligence training program and began doing work in special operations. He explained the main problem he solved was “how [to] use technology to track and trail people, and so on.”While he gained experience in more than 132 countries, in and out of service, he also met his wife while stationed in California, and they married in Kent, her hometown.
The family returned to Kent for their retirement and built a home. From there, Lindenmayer found purpose in serving the local community, from coaching to teaching and eventually becoming head of the school board. It was there that he was inspired to run for selectman, worried that the town was not moving away from Covid.
Looking forward to what comes next, Lindenmayer said the most important thing is his family. He explained his wife of 40 years had recently retired and that he now has a two-year-old grandson. Having been in the military for much of his children’s childhoods, he felt that it was even more important for him to be present in his grandchild’s life now.
In the end, Lindenmayer expressed he still wished to be involved in the town. He appreciated that his time as Kent selectman had allowed him to become a focal point for its townspeople, and had given him the opportunity to be available for their needs and even come to know them individually.
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Freedom rings at Eric Sloane
Jul 09, 2025
George Crawford of New York City rings the bell at the Eric Sloane Museum Saturday in recognition of the Fourth of July.
Ruth Epstein
KENT — For author and artist Eric Sloane, fireworks on the Fourth of July were reminders of noise and war, while bells were a symbol of peace and independence. So it is only fitting that at that time each year, the bell peals throughout the day at the Eric Sloane Museum.
On Saturday, July 5, the tradition of allowing guests to ring the bell atop the museum building continued. Curator and site manager Andrew Rowand, while showing the exhibit relating to Sloane and bells, explained Sloane had a fascination with early America and the fact that bells rang out in the city of Philadelphia when the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
So enthralled with the idea of bells, Sloane and Eric Hatch, who was the head of the Connecticut Historical Commission, called themselves the “committee of two Erics,” and campaigned to have bells around the nation ring at 2 p.m. or close to it each Fourth of July.
Their persistence led to a congressional resolution signed in June 1963, proclaiming that since the Liberty Bell had tolled on that momentous day to mark the birth of the country as free and independent, that anniversary should be appropriately observed each year by the ringing of bells. When President John F. Kennedy established National Bell Ringing Day, he said, “Let’s ring freedom bells.”
The idea was met with much appreciation and Sloane received many awards for the campaign. “It’s interesting to see how much impact he had on educating about colonial America,” said Rowand. The pair also wrote a book titled “A Celebration of Bells.”
Among the supporters was Connecticut Gov. John Dempsey. A bell given to him by Sloane and Hatch came back to the museum when the Dempseys’ daughter donated it last year. It is engraved “Let Freedom Ring” and contains the governor’s name, year and states “From the two Erics.”
Andrew Rowand, curator and site manager at Eric Sloane Museum in Kent, greets the guests whom came for the bell ringing on Saturday.Ruth Epstein
At 2 p.m. Saturday, Rowand welcomed the several guests who came out for the event, which he said always brings out people. He began by reading the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence. Then he invited people to keep ringing the bell for at least two minutes.
Nancy and Jonathan Kapstein of Woodbury came, saying it was the second time they’d attended. “I find it charming,” she said, while he said, “History brings us here.” They were pleased that their daughter and her family from New York City were on their way. When they arrived, their son-in-law Richard Crawford said their interest in American history is what attracted them to the event. His daughter Dulcie, 12, said, “It’s part of our history; it’s important.
Theresa Porter of New Britain was drawn to the site because she grew up reading Sloane’s books, merging them with the “Little House on the Prairie” series. She was looking forward to walking the museum’s grounds.
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