Adam Mayer, left, was hired last April by the town of Salisbury to manage the new Boat Launch Monitoring Program at the East Twin Lake marina.
“It’s a great group effort within this town, and everyone’s on the same page.”
– Bill Littauer, president of the Lake Wononscopomuc Association
SALISBURY — Lake association and town officials worked furiously in 2024 to address invasive hydrilla’s looming threat to lakes’ ecosystems, their management budgets and the local economy.
Of primary concern to the Twin Lakes Association last year was the discovery of the aggressive aquatic invader’s further spread in East Twin Lake as well as a projected 10-fold increase in lake management costs for 2025 and beyond.
“Everyone is scared to death about these expenses,” Grant Bogle, president of the TLA, said during the budget portion of the association’s annual meeting last August. “But here is the unfortunate news. It doesn’t go down next year or the year after that.”
The bulk of the responsibility for funding lake management, estimated at $350,000 in 2025, falls to the TLA, although the town of Salisbury is poised to contribute $100,000 for lake management which includes the cost of boat launch monitors at the marina. Other funding sources include fundraising and potential grants through the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Scare triggered rapid response
A noxious, fast-growing variant of hydrilla verticillata, referred to as the Connecticut River variant, was discovered in the summer of 2023 near O’Hara’s Landing Marina on East Twin and in the shallow waters north of the state boat launch, making it the first lake in the state known to become infected with the non-native plant.
The TLA, now entering its third year in the ongoing battle with the wicked water weed, immediately assembled a coalition of scientific and environmental advisers to address the threat.
The scare triggered a rapid response from other lake groups. The Lake Wononscopomuc Association, which oversees Lakeville Lake, issued a moratorium at the Town Grove boat launch which remains in effect until further notice.
Mt. Riga Inc. also played it safe by closing its Ostrander beach and campsites in 2024 until preventative measures were in place.
Last summer the TLA made sweeping changes to how it plans to safeguard water quality at East Twin and control hydrilla’s further spread. Those measures included boat inspections at O’Hara’s Landing Marina, blocking off passage under the Isola Bella Bridge and reverting the state boat launch to its initial mandate of providing access only to nonmotorized car-top watercraft.
In July, the first application of a slow-release herbicide, SonarOne, was applied at the marina and continued at three-week intervals throughout the summer, targeting hydrilla beds in the vicinity of the marina and in the north cove.
During this time, the TLA’s lake consultant, George Knocklein of Northeast Aquatic Research continued to document spread of hydrilla outside the approved treatment area.
In August, SonarOne was applied, with state approval, to the expanded treatment area in the marina and along the shoreline to the state boat launch.
In October, about 50 stakeholders attended a forum at the Town Grove during which Lake Wononscopomuc President Bill Littauer and TLA’s Bogle fielded questions and shared information and resources.
“It’s a great group effort within this town, and everybody is on the same page,” said Littauer.
Also last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targeted several field research demonstration sites where it tested various herbicides at coves and marinas along the Connecticut River impacted by dense infestations, the results of which have yet to be released.
With cautious optimism, federal, state and local officials working on managing hydrilla in the Connecticut River said they are starting to see encouraging signs.
The results of that testing, they said, will benefit not only the clogged coves and tributaries along the Connecticut River, but also other lakes, ponds and rivers throughout the state.
‘Far-reaching implications’
Attacking infestations with herbicides is only half the battle. Stopping reinfestations and spread to other waterbodies is key, said state environmentalists.
Public awareness is key to keeping hydrilla from spreading or reinfecting a waterbody because the wicked water weed can easily be transported from one lake or pond to another via unsuspecting boaters or owners of recreational watercraft.
For that reason, DEEP’s “Clean, Drain and Dry” program has been touted as a critical management component.
Looking to 2025, state environmentalists plan to spend the peak hydrilla growth period surveying 94 state-owned boat launches throughout Connecticut in search of hydrilla, according to Jeremiah Foley, assistant scientist and biological control specialist with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station/Office of Aquatic Invasive Species.
Foley, who is a member of the Twin Lakes Association’s coalition of consulting experts, said the survey will include launches at lakes and ponds. He explained that it is likely that hydrilla is lurking in other lakes but has not yet been detected.
The scientist had warned in a May 2024 article of Invasive Plant Science and Management that the “discovery of Hydrilla verticillata and its subspecies lithuanica in the Connecticut River and the breadth of the current infestation represent a significant ecological invasion event with potentially far-reaching implications.”
Alec Linden
A residence approved for construction more than two years ago was back before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 13 for proposed tree thinning along the ridgeline, visible at the top center of the image.
KENT – Horizon-line developments continue to be a prickly issue in Kent, with three applications for projects located on Kent’s ridges and hills dominating a three-hour meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission last week.
Since 2005, Kent has specifically regulated proposals for projects that may impact views of the region’s mainly forested ridgetops, which many residents consider a key aspect of the town’s rural character.
The applications reviewed Thursday, Aug. 13, concerned two existing homes within the Horizon-Line Overlay District. A third involved a plan to subdivide a wooded hillside property below a ridge between Beardsley Road and Lake Waramaug to allow for construction of a new residence.
A contentious tone was set early in the meeting, when resident Matthew Winter cautioned the Commission about hilltop developments, pointing to a construction project on Kenmont Road, approved in June 2024, that has disrupted the tree line atop a steep incline visible from Route 7 and Cobble Road.
“The development should not have been approved, in my opinion, and the ridgeline is now permanently scarred,” said Winter, who is a former chair of Kent’ P&Z commission.
Winter was referring to the development of a five-bedroom home, pool and pool house currently being built at the end of a 1,200-foot driveway accessed from 135 Kenmont Road. That project was back on Thursday night’s agenda, but the discussion regarding what property owner Jessica Goldvarg described as unintentional tree removal during construction, was relatively uncontroversial.
Several commissioners noted the obvious impact viewed from Cobble Road and the surrounding area, and Goldvarg, who is an architect, expressed her regret at the situation. She presented a planting plan to fill in the thinned area, which was generally well received by P&Z, though commissioners requested the addition of conifers to thicken the tree cover.
Goldvarg was asked to return before the commission on Aug. 20 with an updated plan.
Another application to extend the first floor and part of the second story of a home on Gorham Road was approved without much debate as commissioners agreed there would be no impact to the horizon-line.
A proposal to establish a residential plot on a prominent ridge in Kent Hollow provoked more conversation.
The plans call for carving out a 5.4-acre parcel from a 45-acre lot that climbs the hillside to the east of Beardsley Road in Kent Hollow. The property currently supports a commercial maple sugaring operation and a single-family home with two barns on 3.8 acres. The remaining land is held by the Kent Land Trust under a conservation easement, but the terms of the easement allow for the construction of a residence, which would go on the 5.4 acre plot.
The project was first proposed to P&Z last month, when Commissioners asked the applicant, land owner Mary Avery Larned, to perform visibility tests to determine if a new structure would affect views of the ridge from elsewhere in Kent Hollow.
Larned returned to the Aug. 13 meeting with data and drone footage from “balloon tests” she performed, where balloons were placed at 35 feet, which is the maximum allowed building height in Kent, at the site of proposed construction. Larned reported that the balloons sat between 25 and 35 feet below the top of the dense canopy, and were impossible to locate from any of the surveyed public road vantage points in Kent Hollow.
Commissioners expressed their appreciation for Larned’s diligence, but had remaining doubts for the proposed location.
“It’s nice to always count on trees as a buffer,” said commissioner Darrell Cherniske, “but for our analysis, based on our regulations and the map that we use, we don’t take trees into account when determining impact.”
“If the amount of clearing occurred up on that ridge to allow for a house, a pool, a garage and a septic system, you better believe you would see those balloons,” he added. Other commissioners asked what the site would look like from the surrounding area in the winter when the foliage is gone.
“The drone footage is beautiful,” Cherniske said. “Part of the reason that drone footage is beautiful is because as you swung around to the panorama,” which showed the pastoral expanse of Kent Hollow flanked by wooded ridges, “the majority of the hilltops are undeveloped.”
While this application is for a subdivision, and any construction plan will have to come back before the commission for additional review, project engineer George Johannesen of Allied Engineering said that a prospective buyer had asked experts to examine whether the proposed plot could support a six bedroom house with a pool house and pool.
“I would assume that when you sell that lot, you’re not going to have control over what they do,” said Cherniske.“And chances are, someone buying a lot at the end of a long driveway near a ridgeline… they’re going to max it out.”
Cherniske asked the applicant to consider a different location further down the hillside, but Larned said that would adversely impact the maple sugaring operation and present further zoning hurdles and issues with the conservation easement.
Land surveyor Gary Hock, who was also present at the Thursday meeting, said that the site is well suited for a residence as “it’s a natural plateau.” He also described it as “mid-slope” rather than on a ridgeline, which was supported by Johannesen’s data that even at maximum height, the top would remain 40 feet below the ridge and not impact the horizon line from any public road vantage point.
Cheniske said that the commission’s horizon-line map, which delineates ridgeline visibility from public roads at ground, not treetop level, shows the opposite. “If we wanted to feel good about approving this we would need our engineer to agree with [Johannesen] and essentially disprove the horizon-line map and say this house will definitely not stick above the ridge.”
The discussion was ultimately extended to next month’s regular meeting on September 10th to allow P&Z’s engineer to conduct an independent review.
D.H. Callahan
The Cornwall Music Bowl hosted its fourth summer concert on Saturday, Aug. 15. Musicians like Wilder Huckleberry, Sheridan Tekosky, Don Bracken and Graham Corrigan, left to right, took the stage before main act Ruby Leftstep closed out the night.
CORNWALL — As the sun began to set over Cornwall Bridge on Saturday, Aug. 15, joy and music filled the air. The joy emanated from a rambunctious pack of children running around like a flock of starlings in the evening sky. The music came from New Hartford’s own Ruby Leftstep. The cause for all the commotion? The Cornwall Music Bowl.
The name puzzles locals and out-of-towners alike. Most “music bowls” are grand amphitheaters with capacities in the thousands. Clearly, such a space does not exist in Cornwall, a town where a slow-moving tractor can cause a newsworthy traffic jam. But after walking through the tented patio area on the side of the Cornwall Market, you emerge at the bottom of an unmistakable bowl filled with music.
Directly behind the Market is a new stage so fresh you can still smell the saw cuts. In front of that stage sits an enthusiastic gathering of music fans on folding chairs and picnic benches, as well as on the grassy forum of the Music Bowl itself. It feels like a secret little community party, but everybody’s invited.
The idea for the Bowl came from Chris Sampson, a music industry veteran who worked on producing the Bonnaroo festivals with Superfly Entertainment. Now working at Spotify, Chris and his family moved to the area in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. When venues slowly started to reopen, Sampson grew frustrated with the trip down to New York City or over to New Haven just to see some of his favorite bands perform. So he resolved to bring them up to the Northwest Corner.
First, he built a little stage on his property in West Cornwall, where he invited friends to see live music in the woods. It went well, but the potential to share the musical magic was limited. Then, in 2025, Sampson teamed up with Will Schenk and Michael Cesari at the Cornwall Market.
When Schenk bought the Market, there was already a bowl shape that had been carved into the land. All they had to do was bring the music. Sampson and local musician Eddie Dahill of the band Ruby Leftstep started inviting local and city bands, including Matt Iwanusa of RIP Dunes. Iwanusa, who lives in Brooklyn, relishes the chance to come up to the Northwest Corner for a breath of our fresh air.
This summer, the team decided to get serious about the project, officially naming it the Cornwall Music Bowl and getting a big assist from Ronnie Lianza of Chimney Rock Construction, who donated the stage. This year marks the first full summer of programming, and the shows are free. The project is funded by private donations, as well as financial and space support from the Cornwall Market. While the Market itself is closed during the events, Cesari is enthusiastic about the robust drink offerings and fresh oysters they fly in from Maine.
While the summer programming will close at the end of September, the group is looking into ways to keep the party going by hosting off-season concerts, movies and maybe even other types of performances.
See the rest of the schedule, and keep up with the project at cornwallmarket.com/cornwall-music-bowl.
Patrick L. Sullivan
The town’s plan to move the historic Lakeville Train Station has drawn support as a way to protect the building, while others question whether the benefits justify the use of funds.
SALISBURY — The Historic District Commission approved the town’s plan to move Lakeville’s historic train station building on Ethan Allen Street back 19 feet after a public hearing Wednesday, Aug. 12. If approved during a town vote, officials say the work could begin as early as this fall.
First Selectman Curtis Rand said the plan is to move the building back 19 feet, construct a new foundation and basement, and raise the building overall.
The project was suggested after the building’s roof continued to be hit by tall box trucks delivering supplies to the three restaurants on Ethan Allen Street.
“We’ve repaired it six times,” Rand said.
Concrete barriers were installed earlier this year as a temporary measure. “It’s an ugly solution,” Rand added.
But cosmetic issues are not the only challenges posed by the building’s current location. Additional problems revolve around public safety. Rand said the existing configuration of the train station, roadway and parking for the businesses create a “choke point.”
“You’ve got kids, bicycles, parking, traffic from the Grove. It’s kind of chaotic.”
Moving the station back “will let the area breathe,” Rand added.
The State Historic Preservation Office paid for two studies of the building. Rand said the station is generally “in good shape, but the basement is kind of tired.”
When updates are complete, Rand said, people will see three courses of brick, which was the original look of the building when it was first constructed in the 1880s. When possible, the contractor will use the original bricks.
Based on the SHPO studies, the project was put out to bid, with three project estimates coming in at $500,000, $611,000 and $618,000. Rand said the selectmen chose the $611,000 bid from Burlington Construction Company, a Torrington-based business the town has worked with before.
Rand said his next step will be to discuss financing the project with the Board of Finance. He said the town has money set aside for the move and renovations, but details need to be confirmed.
After that, the matter must go to a town meeting. Rand said Burlington Construction wants to start work this fall, so a town meeting will likely be called for early September.
In public comment, Nancy Van Deusen questioned the $611,00 cost, and suggested that adding plantings as barriers could mitigate the truck and traffic problems.
Commissioner Heidi Holler said she thought the plan was a good solution from the preservation standpoint.“A building in use is a better maintained building.”
Rand added that once the building is moved, SHPO will pay for a full restoration. Ultimately, the currently unoccupied building could be used as a town facility or by a nonprofit organization, Rand added.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the plan and a yet-to-be-scheduled town meeting will likely take place in September to determine next steps.
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Ruth Epstein
Sharon Town Hall
SHARON – As Sharon moves ahead with a major downtown sidewalk replacement project that will improve safety and walkability, 22 trees along the route have been identified as being in poor condition and recommended for removal.
The fate of the trees was a major focus of a public meeting Wednesday, Aug. 12, as town officials, residents, engineers and tree experts discussed the potential impact on the treescape.
The meeting marked the second gathering on the topic. An initial conversation held in January dealt with the type of materials to be used for the sidewalks, although no decision has been made on that matter.
Cardinal Engineering’s Ray Seelye, senior project manager for the sidewalk proposal, began by explaining its overall scope, which involves replacing 11,000 feet of bituminous asphalt that is in poor condition. The path stretches primarily from the shopping center along Route 41 to the intersection of Routes 4 and 343, taking in parts of West Main Street and other small sections along New Street, Hospital Hill and Cemetery Hill. They will mainly be 4-feet wide, as they are now.
“Some of the sidewalks have lots of cracks and damage from roots,” Seelye said. “They’re beyond their useful life. We will bring them up to current standards and ADA compliance to provide a safe pedestrian route throughout the town.”
The project received a grant from the Transportation Rural Improvement Program (TRIP) for $1.1 million. The total cost is estimated to be $2.1 million, with the remaining balance likely to be covered by the town.
Seelye said wherever the sidewalk crosses a driveway, repairs will be made, but they must meet ADA requirements.
Greg Beck of Bartlett Tree Experts said his company completed an initial inspection in April and graded the trees as good if they were healthy, fair if they had moderate structural defects, and poor if structural problems could not be abated.
Some trees, he said, can sustain impacts of construction and not be structurally affected. Others cannot and have to be removed.
During a follow-up visit in July, experts were most concerned with the honey locusts along Main Street. Four of them were the worst offenders of raising sidewalks, noting four of 18 are recommended for removal. Several audience members favored removing the tree nearest West Main Street, saying it blocks the stop sign and is responsible for many near-accidents.
Out of the total of 130 trees assessed, 22 are categorized as poor and recommended to be removed, said Allan Fenner of Bartlett Tree Experts. Eighty are rated good and 28 are rated fair.
During the meeting, Philip Barlow, a landscape architect from Third Act Connecticut – a statewide movement focused on climate and democracy – spoke about the various materials that could be used on the sidewalks, sharing pros and cons for each. He compared asphalt, concrete, pavers, stone dust and stamp concrete, among others. Asphalt is the least expensive and would cost around $450,000, while concrete would cost $780,000. The additional options could cost up to $1 million or more.
The engineers emphasized that they will install the material chosen by the town and Board of Selectmen and that they are not recommending one over another. An informal show of hands by those present showed there are mixed opinions for either asphalt or concrete.
Alec Linden
KENT – Town Hall is warning residents about a fraudulent email impersonating the Land Use Office and requesting payment.
According to an email sent out by the Town Clerk’s office on Aug. 12, the scam requests payment related to a Special Permit Application as well as an “Application Review and Approval Fee.”
The clerk noted that the scam may be particularly convincing because it lists the name of Karen Casey, the current Planning and Zoning Commission Chair, who took on the role in November.
The clerk urged anyone who receives the email not to respond in any way, including the “unsubscribe” button. Residents who receive the email are asked to contact the Land Use Office at landuseadmin@townofkentct.gov or 860-927-4625.
Kent uses a federally verified “.gov” domain for official email correspondence, so any communication purportedly from Town Hall that uses a different domain should be considered fraudulent.
Kent experienced similar email scams in November, when residents reported fraudulent messages claiming to be from the Land Use Office. Those messages also requested money for an “Application Review and Approval Fee,” which officials stated at the time does not exist.
Lakeville Journal
WEST CORNWALL — Jeff Rosati, 72, of West Cornwall, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2026.
Born in New Milford on January 18, 1954, Jeff was the devoted son of the late Kathren Valtrum.
After graduating from New Milford High School, he began his career with Eversource as a meter reader, dedicatedly serving the company for 42 years before retiring in 2014 as Chief Garage Mechanic.
In 1979, during a chance meeting while getting a haircut, Jeff met the love of his life, Bernetta (Marshall). Their love story was one for the record books, sharing a deeply devoted marriage of 45 years.
In 1983, Jeff and Bernetta found their forever home in Cornwall, building a life centered on hard work and quiet kindness.
In his retirement, “Little Jeffy” was happiest being outdoors or in his barn. He loved tinkering on projects, tending to his garden, and caring for his hummingbirds. A treasured friend who was always willing to lend a helping hand, he could often be found happily mowing the lawn or pulled over roadside on his beloved John Deere tractor catching up with neighbors.
Jeff will be profoundly missed by his loving wife, Bernetta; the Marshall family of Crane, Texas; and countless friends across Cornwall who held him dear.
A Graveside Service will be held at North Cornwall Cemetery, Rattlesnake Rd., West Cornwall, CT on Thursday August 20 at 11:00 a.m.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
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