Kent residents pack town hall to air traffic camera proposal

Lower speed limits have been in place since April 2024 in the center of Kent.
Lynn Mellis Worthington
Lower speed limits have been in place since April 2024 in the center of Kent.
KENT — Residents packed a Town Hall meeting room last Friday, Nov. 22, to hear more about a proposed and controversial town ordinance that calls for the installation of two traffic cameras in the village center with the aim of decreasing speeding in town.
The two-hour public hearing, held on Nov. 22, offered more information on traffic monitoring studies done earlier this year that showed a high number of instances where drivers have exceeded the posted speed limit near the town center along Route 7.
On Monday, Nov. 25, the selectmen, who had planned to take the issue to a town meeting vote on Dec. 6, postponed the meeting until Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. Residents will be asked to vote on the proposal by paper ballot. If approved the cameras could be installed by springtime.
“People said they thought it was too quick,” said First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer after changing the date. “Changing the time to 6 p.m., people who come up from the city didn’t think they could make it in time. It also conflicts with the Messiah Sing-in and we wanted to be respectful of that. A lot of people are impassioned about making their voices heard.”
The approximately 50 people who crammed into the meeting room, and two dozen more on Zoom, had plenty to say about the ordinance. Some claim cameras are simply not needed, while others say such a move is long overdue, especially in the downtown area that is crowded on weekends and home to most businesses.
“I’m concerned about the atmosphere cameras create,” said Lianna Gantt. “Are we turning our town into a speed trap? It’s embarrassing really. It makes me question why we’re doing this at all.”
Andy Ocif, a retired state trooper, said he’s not a big fan of cameras and said it may be time the town considers hiring a second resident trooper. Others in the audience suggested speed bumps could help with enforcement.
Resident Diane Kite cautioned that the town should be careful that the town doesn’t get the reputation that “Big Brother” is watching.
Lindenmayer said cameras would help increase safety, not only for drivers but for pedestrians. He said Kent School officials previously contacted his office in support of the ordinance.
“We are blessed that no one has been injured or hurt so far. I want to keep it that way,” Lindenmayer said.
Resident State Trooper Vicky Donohoe said she can sit on Route 7 any day and observe cars going over 50 miles per hour. She said one-third of the ticketed violators live in Kent. Because of speeding on the state routes, Donohoe said there is little time to monitor traffic in other town locations.
Earlier this year, the speed limit through the village center was dropped to 25 mph on both Routes 7 and Route 341. As cars head south on Route 7 past Kent Greenhouse & Gardens, the speed limit was also decreased from 45 mph to 35 mph. As drivers come into town their speed is digitally displayed and posted signs remind them they are entering a 25 mph zone.
“Those signs make me slow down. It does work,” said resident Lee Ogden.
A number of residents, including Rufus de Rham, said it would be helpful first to see if cameras in other states make a difference. Data is limited in Connecticut as legislation giving municipalities the opportunity to install cameras was only passed a few years ago.
Residents in the town of Washington recently approved the installation of cameras.
“I’ve heard people say, ‘What are you doing in Kent?’” said de Rham. “I’d like to see updated data to see if people do get accustomed to lower speed limits.”
But resident Chris Garrity, who lives on North Main Street, said addressing the issue of speeding in Kent is long overdue and the number of speeders is increasing.
Traffic studies conducted by the town earlier this year in several locations on Route 7 near the village center, recorded more than 30,000 instances of drivers exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 10 mph.
Brandon Knox of Dacra Tech, whose company handles the processing of citations, addressed residents via Zoom. “There’s a lot of speeding going on in your town. There’s a mass amount of people going way faster than they should.”
The cameras detect and collect evidence of an alleged traffic violation by recording images that capture the time, date, plate and location of a motor vehicle that exceeds the speed limit by 10 miles per hour.
The alleged citation would have to be reviewed first by law enforcement personnel, perhaps Trooper Donohoe. A citation is then generated and sent to the vehicle owner. A fine of $50 plus a $15 processing fee would be imposed, with a small portion going to the company selected to generate and send out the infraction. A second offense would result in a $75 fine. There is also an appeal process for citizens.
Lindenmayer made clear that citations do not affect insurance rates or points on one’s license since no information is shared with other agencies.
Some in the audience questioned whether this was a way for the town to generate revenue, but Lindenmayer explained that any funds must be used for safety measures. He gave the examples of repainting crosswalks and paying state troopers for overtime.
And there are initial startup costs, he said. The purchase of two solar-generated cameras will cost $46,000.
Because so much data was presented during the hearing and for most, it was the first time seeing it, resident Lynn Harrington said the Dec. 6 meeting should be pushed back.
“There’s a lot of information to absorb and more information that is needed,” Harrington said. “This is critical for people to make an informed decision.”
Young artists express creativity at Canaan Arts Space’sgrand opening.
NORTH CANAAN — This past Sunday, July 27, Canaan Kids Artspace celebrated its grand opening party at the historical Colonial Theatre at 27 Railroad St.
The Canaan Kids Artspace is a nonprofit organization run by Executive Director and Founder Breetal Graves that aims to make art accessible to all children while also caring for the environment. The organization values creativity and hopes to push children towards self-discovery and exploration through their artwork.
At the grand opening, kids took part in activities like arts and crafts, face painting, curated music and games. The light drizzle stopped nobody from enjoying posing for live watercolor portraits, eating ice cream, or romping through a cardboard box maze.
In particular, the fog machine attached to the speakers was a big hit, prompting squeals of joy every time it went off.
Guests were given the choice to move between stations both inside and out, with different activities at each. While all stations were welcoming, the freedom given to each kid to choose their own interests and expression of self felt particularly in line with the mission of Canaan Kids Artspace.
Canaan Kids Artspace offers additional programs like an after school art club that gives kids age six through 10 more opportunities to manifest their creativity. More information can be found at canaanartspace.com.
From left, Eli Sher, Noah Sher and Samuel Leers examined scat samples and other interesting items from the animal kingdom at the David M. Hunt Library July 26.
FALLS VILLAGE — A toad stole the show at the David M. Hunt Library Saturday morning, July 26.
The occasion was a visit from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Elisa Black.
Black works at the Kellogg Environmental Center and Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby and puts on educational events at schools and libraries around the state.
This one was based on a children’s book, “Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here?” written and illustrated by Lindsay Barrett George.
In the book two children take a walk to a pond in search of blueberries and discover signs of eight different wild creatures that live in and around the pond.
Black had a couple of big canvas pieces covered with large colored circles spread out on the lawn. (It was reminiscent of a game of Twister.)
The children could recreate the pond walk, using props Black brought along, such as scat from different animals (some real, some replica), various hides and pelts, and bones, including skulls and jaws.
Black also had the tools of the wildlife spotter’s trade, such as magnifying glasses and wildlife and plant guidebooks.
The latter came in handy. The children were about to gather in a semicircle around Black, who was set to read the book to them.
But young Samuel Leers spotted something hopping in the grass.
It was a toad.
The toad allowed itself to be gathered by Samuel, and the group clustered together to admire it.
Black asked that the toad be put back down so it could be on its way.
The toad showed no inclination to escape to a quieter place.
Instead it hopped right into the center of the semicircle.
Black alertly put down the children’s book and grabbed a field guide instead.
The next several minutes were devoted to a discussion of toads, their general habits, and hopping ability as compared to frogs.
Eventually the toad declared “mission accomplished” and hopped away, and the regularly scheduled program resumed.
FALLS VILLAGE — Faced with complaints about the high cost of the town’s electric vehicle charger, First Selectman Dave Barger took on the process of lowering the price.
As of last week, the machine was set for $1.45 per kilowatt hour. Barger said on Thursday, July 24 that rate was set by the Board of Selectmen several years ago and has not been adjusted.
The town owns the charger, and Barger said the idea was always for the town to offer the service at a break-even price. That would be roughly $1 less, something between 45 and 49 cents per kilowatt hour.
Barger said as of Monday, July 28 that after working with the company that supplied the charger, Blink, the charger now costs 48 cents per kilowatt hour.
On July 19, Jordan Gainey recorded seven points, two assists and a rebound when the Phoenix Suns played the Portland Trailblazers in NBA Summer League.
“There were many days I’d be in on the hillside of South Kent just thinking, ‘Man, am I gonna make it?’” reflected Jordan Gainey.
In June, the South Kent School Class of 2021 alumnus signed an NBA Summer League contract with the Phoenix Suns.
The signing with Phoenix brought Gainey full circle. He grew up in Tucson, Arizona, before moving across the country for a post-graduate year with the Cardinals.
He played under Raphael Chillious, former South Kent basketball coach and athletic director, who transformed the program into a national powerhouse.
“I just knew one day if he got to the right place he had a chance,” said Chillious.Because he is such a good defender, smart player and really tough.”
Off the court, Chillious said Gainey was “really funny. But if you stood back from afar, you would think he was shy and quiet, but he’s not.”
While at South Kent, Gainey lived in the gym. He recalled spending hours memorizing his teammates’ moves nearly every day, for two semesters straight.
Gainey remembered practices with Chillious as some of the hardest of his career. The coach’s lessons remained with him through college.
“Be a coffee bean,” Gainey said. “Whenever things get hard and it gets hot, they do not break — they make coffee. It’s really being able to fight through adversity.”
Looking back, Gainey credited those countless hours in the South Kent gym for helping him fall in love with the game.
“He would always tell us, there are no cool jackets,” said Gainey. “You’ve got to be the one who does the dirty work, plays hard, and doesn’t care about looking cool — just getting the job done.”
Gainey graduated from South Kent School in 2021. He went on to play NCAA Division 1 basketball and made the Elite Eight twice with the University of Tennessee. This summer, he signed a Summer League deal with the Phoenix Suns.Provided
After his year in Kent, Gainey committed to the University of South Carolina Upstate. Two years later, he transferred to University of Tennessee to play for coach Rick Barnes as well as his father, Justin Gainey, assistant coach.
In his two seasons with Tennessee Gainey helped the Volunteers make back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA March Madness tournament in 2024 and 2025. This past tournament, he averaged 13 points off the bench and was a strong contender for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Among his college highlights is a buzzer beater against University of Illinois in December 2024 to keep the Volunteers’ undefeated 10-0 record alive.
His performances earned him a spot on the Suns’ Summer League team. Games were played in Las Vegas, where he vied against other top young prospects for an NBA contract.
“Vegas is a time, and it’s a great place to be,” said Gainey. “But when you’re here you got to treat it like a business trip... make the best impression on and off the court for anyone who could be watching.”
Gainey made the most of his opportunity. His best game came against the Portland Trailblazers in which he logged seven points, two assists and one rebound in 19 minutes of playing time.
Gainey’s NBA future is uncertain. He is competing against players who have spent similar hours in the gym and whose dream is to go pro.
But Gainey has spent a long time in the heat. Now, it’s time to make coffee.