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Salisbury approves $21.6 million budget, cuts mill rate to 9.8
Patrick L. Sullivan
May 20, 2026
Salisbury Town Hall
File photo
SALISBURY – Voters unanimously approved Salisbury’s $21.6 million combined municipal and education budget at a town meeting last week, paving the way for a lower property tax rate in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Following the town meeting on May 13, the Board of Finance met and set the new mill rate at 9.8, down from the current 11.0 rate and among the lowest in Connecticut.
For homeowners, the lower mill rate will reduce annual property taxes. A home with a market value of $750,000 would see its tax bill fall from about $5,775 under the previous 11.0 mill rate to about $5,145 under the new 9.8 rate — a savings of roughly $630 annually.
Comptroller Joe Cleaveland said the lower rate was made possible due to several factors, including the recent revaluation that increased the value of the grand list, growth in the town’s surplus funds, and the decision to reduce the amount of reserves held.
At the town meeting, 22 people attended in person and seven online. All agenda items passed unanimously, 29-0.
The approved $21,630,267 spending plan includes a municipal budget of $9,617,825, an increase of $412,723, or 4.4%.
The Salisbury Central School budget was set at $7,213,515, an increase of $316,367, or 4.59%.
The Region One assessment, which primarily covers the cost of educating Salisbury students at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, totals $4,798,927, an increase of $17,834 or 0.37%.
Total education spending is $12,012,442, an increase of $334,201 or 2.86%.
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Cornwall approves town budget, sets mill rate
Caitlin Hanlon
May 20, 2026
Cornwall Town Hall
File photo
CORNWALL – Voters approved the town’s 2026-27 proposed budget during a seven-minute town meeting Friday, May 15, before the Board of Finance set the mill rate at 16.62, a 4.13% increase from the current 15.96 rate.
For a homeowner, that increase will mean annual property taxes of about $5,817 on a home assessed at $350,000, compared with roughly $5,586 today — an increase of about $231.
The approved budget totals $8,924,433, a 6% increase over the current $8,417,014 plan.
Just 11 residents attended the seven-minute budget meeting, moderated by the Rev. Scott Cady. No public comments were offered before the budget moved forward to the Board of Finance for final action on the mill rate.
First Selectman Gordon M. Ridgway said the budget process began in January and credited town boards and commissions with keeping spending requests in check.
“We appreciate the boards and commissions keeping their budgets realistic,” Ridgway said. “Both the selectmen and the Board of Education were able to bring their increases down.”
Still, he said, rising costs made a tax increase unavoidable.
Ridgway said health insurance represented one of the largest increases affecting both municipal and education budgets. Additional cost increases included oil and electricity.
The Board of Selectmen also approved increased funding for several regional social service organizations, including Greenwoods Counseling Services, Housatonic Youth Service Bureau, Northwest Corner Chore Service, the Susan B. Anthony Project and Project SAGE.
“We’re giving people support in trying times,” Ridgway said.
During the meeting, Chairman Joe Pryor said the town’s grand list increased by 1.5%, helping offset some budget pressures.
“That brought us some breathing room,” Pryor said.
With a new mill rate of 16.62, the board voted to use $225,000 from undesignated funds toward next year’s budget. Cornwall is scheduled to undergo a town-wide property revaluation next year.
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Memorial Day parades, ceremonies planned across Northwest Connecticut
Lakeville Journal
May 20, 2026
Veterans of the armed forces prepare a large flag to be raised in Sharon May 26, 2025.
Mia Barnes
Town and Village Event Guide
Monday, May 25, 2026
Communities across northwest Connecticut will mark Memorial Day with parades, ceremonies and tributes honoring members of the armed forces who died in service to the country.
Residents throughout the region are expected to gather Monday in their respective towns for longstanding traditions that bring together veterans, local officials, emergency responders, marching groups and community organizations in remembrance and reflection.
Cornwall
Cornwall’s Memorial Day observances will begin at 9 a.m. with a commemorative service at North Cornwall Cemetery led by resident Virginia Gold, whose family roots in Cornwall date back more than 200 years. Organizers are asking volunteers to bring flowers to decorate graves.
At 10 a.m., the Seaman’s Memorial Ceremony will take place at the Covered Bridge, followed by a parade and ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. on the Town Green. A carnival will be held after the ceremony on the grounds of the United Church of Christ will follow the ceremony.
After the parade, seventh grade students from Cornwall Consolidated School will deliver a special presentation honoring Robin (Robert) Starr, a formerly enslaved Revolutionary War veteran who received the Badge of Military Merit, an early precursor to the Purple Heart.
Kent
Kent’s Memorial Day parade will begin at Kent Central School at 9:30 a.m. and will travel up Bridge Street, through the St. Andrew’s Church cemetery and to the Veterans Monument in front of the historic Swift House. The procession will travel back to the Civil War monument at the intersection of Route 341 and Route 7 before traveling north on Route 7 to the World War I monument at the Kent Memorial Library, the Community House and the Congregational Church cemetery.
The procession will conclude at Town Hall, where most of the service will take place. The parade was organized by Parks and Recreation Director Matt Frasher and Brent Kallstrom, commander of Hall-Jennings American Legion Post 153 in Kent.
Participants are invited to the Kent Land Trust Community Field from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the KLT’s annual Community Conservation Picnic, which will feature live music, a barbecue lunch and activities for all ages.
Salisbury
Salisbury’s Memorial Day parade will begin in Lakeville at the Grove and pass the Scoville Memorial Library shortly after 10 a.m.
The parade will pause for a brief ceremony at the war memorial on the Green at the intersection of Routes 44 and 41 near the White Hart lawn, before continuing north along Route 41 to the cemetery, where the main ceremony will be held.
Most spectators traditionally gather in Salisbury village before following the parade procession to the cemetery.
First Selectman Curtis Rand said there is no rain date or alternate indoor location planned.
“Fingers crossed for a great event that recognizes the incredible sacrifices that were made to protect us and keep us free,” he said.
Falls Village
In Falls Village, the Memorial Day parade will line up at Lee H. Kellogg School at 9:30 a.m. and step off at 9:45 a.m.
The parade will proceed west along Main Street to the Town Green, where a ceremony featuring speakers and community recognitions will take place. In the event of rain, the ceremony will move indoors to the Center on Main, 103 Main St.
First Selectman Dave Barger encouraged residents to attend.
“Please join us for our Memorial Day parade and ceremony to honor those who have fallen in service to our country,” Barger said. “We will also be honoring citizens who have distinguished themselves as Volunteer of the Year and shown an involvement in community service.”
North Canaan
In North Canaan, the parade will begin at 10:30 a.m., with participants asked to line up by 10 a.m. at North Canaan Town Hall.
According to organizers, the parade route will proceed from Town Hall along Bragg Street, West Main Street and Granite Avenue before concluding at the Doughboy Memorial, where a remembrance ceremony will follow. The ceremony will include the presentation of the colors and a rifle salute.
Organizers said the event will feature veterans, marching groups, musicians, local organizations and community members in what has become one of the town’s longstanding Memorial Day traditions.
Residents are encouraged to wear red, white and blue. Last year, hundreds of spectators lined West Main Street for the parade and ceremony.
Sharon
Sharon’s Memorial Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday.
All marchers are asked to report by 9:30 a.m. to Autosport, located at 130 North Main St., or behind Sharon Center School. The parade will proceed down Main Street to the Veterans Memorial for a remembrance service.
Organizers are encouraging all veterans to participate, with rides available for those needing assistance. Civic organizations are also invited to march, and awards will be presented for best-decorated bicycles.
In the event of rain, activities will move to Sharon Center School.
The Sharon Historical Society is inviting residents to march with its members in the parade’s “250th” section.
For additional information, contact Sharon Town Hall at 860-364-5789 or Robert Loucks at 860-364-5814.
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Local nonprofits receive $283K in spring grants
Aly Morrissey
May 20, 2026
The Northwest CT Community Foundation (NCCF) announced its first round of grant funding this year, awarding $283,200 to local nonprofits through its spring discretionary grant cycle. The foundation awards grants to area nonprofits three times a year — in early spring, late June and November.
Among the local nonprofits to receive grants were the Kent Library Association, which was awarded $75,000; the Falls Village Day Care Center, which received $12,200; and the Salisbury-based Housatonic Child Care Center (HCCC), which received $10,000. Other local groups received awards of up to $10,000.
Kent Memorial Library received its NCCF grant through the Edwin M. Stone and Edith H. Stone Fund and the Khurshed Bhumgara Fund. The funding will support the library’s renovation and expansion project.
“Libraries are the heart of our communities, and we’re constantly looking to identify unmet needs and do everything we can to provide services to the broadest population possible,” said Library Director Sarah Marshall.
She said the project will address longstanding space limitations, which last underwent a major renovation more than three decades ago.
With the help of the grant, the library will increase its usable space by about 5,000 square feet. Marshall said the funding will help close a fundraising gap as the library continues its capital campaign with support from local donors and the broader community.
Meanwhile, HCCC received its NCCF grant through the Carlton D. Fyler and Jenny R. Fyler Fund to support general operating expenses.
HCCC Director Tonya Roussis said she is grateful for the grant.
“As you know, childcare is expensive, and operating a childcare center is increasingly costly as well,” she said. “The expenses we face continue to rise, so we’re always looking for outside support to help meet those needs without having to raise tuition, cut programs or reduce teacher benefits.”
Roussis added, “I don’t know what we would do without their support and if we didn’t get these grants.”
HCCC owns its own building, which comes with additional expenses including insurance, electricity, water and maintenance.
“It’s getting harder and harder every year because costs are rising and we want to keep costs low for our families,” she said.
Other groups to receive funding included the Cornwall Child Center, which was awarded $9,000; the David M. Hunt Library, $1,500; the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau, $5,000; Kent Affordable Housing, $10,000; and the North Canaan Education Foundation, $7,200.
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Intergenerational choir performance comes to Norfolk
Alec Linden
May 20, 2026
The Litchfield County Choral Union at rehearsal.
Provided
NORFOLK — The Litchfield County Choral Union will be joined by a younger generation of singers for a collaborative concert Friday, May 22, at the Battell Chapel.
Beginning at 7 p.m., the Torrington High School Select Chorus will perform alongside the 127-year old singing institution for a “high quality, high energy” program, according to LCCU President Felix Graham-Jones.
Graham-Jones said the event – a new addition to the group’s calendar this year – is meant to encourage a new generation of singers to get involved with the historic choir.
While the group’s member retention remains strong, he said, the choir’s next challenge is to attract new talent.
“I’m in my eighth decade, and I’m one of the young ones!” he said with a laugh. “We really need to be reaching into a younger demographic and building, building, building.”
He said he hopes to make the event a yearly fixture in the LCCU’s annual schedule, which centers around a summer performance in Norfolk’s historic Music Shed, a 1906 concert hall that is also used as a venue for the Yale University-hosted Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.
Friday evening’s performance will feature individual performances by each choir before culminating in a combined rendition of “Freedom Trilogy,” a piece written by renowned composer and choral conductor Paul Halley.
The piece was written for the acclaimed Farmington-based children’s choir Chorus Angelicus, founded by Halley in 1991.
“It’s a very clever piece of writing,” Graham-Jones said.
He explained it combines three sources – European plainsong, African chant, and the hymn “Amazing Grace” – into what he described as a “crowd-pleaser” for both singers and audience members alike.
“It’s absolutely rewarding to be involved,” he said of performing the work, “especially if you’ve got a bunch of energetic, young voices getting excited behind the African chant.”
The performance will be directed by LCCU Music Director Gabriel Löfvall, who also serves as the music director for the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford and the artistic director behind Chorus Angelicus.
Graham-Jones said Löfvall’s experience with the piece itself and working with youth choirs positions the upcoming collaboration well for success, and will set the groundwork for future collaborations with the younger choirs throughout the Northwest Corner.
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Blue Studio Dance marks third year with spring concert at HVRHS
Aly Morrissey
May 20, 2026
HVRHS senior Sydney Howe celebrates her final year with a solo performance May 16.
Aly Morrissey
LAKEVILLE – Blue Studio Dance marked its third year in business Saturday, May 16, with a spring concert at Housatonic Valley Regional High School featuring 115 dancers from towns across the region. Families and friends filled the auditorium to celebrate the culmination of a year of classes for dancers ages three and older.
“We’re really happy,” said co-founder Darcy Boynton after the concert. “Each year we learn so much and we’re always revising and changing how we do things to make it better.”
The concert featured a range of ages and dance styles, from fairytale ballet for the youngest dancers to tap, jazz, musical theater, ballet, contemporary and hip hop. The program also included student choreography and solos by high school seniors.
Boynton and co-founder Amber Cameron started Blue Studio Dance in 2023 to fill what they saw as a gap in dance opportunities in the community.
“So many good things in the world come from mothers wanting something for their children, looking around, not seeing it, and saying, ‘Well, I guess I have to do it myself,’” said Boynton, a mother of two.
“We wanted to build a place where kids could grow in all kinds of ways,” Boynton said, adding that the goal is to ensure Blue Studio remains welcoming to dancers of all commitment and skill levels.
Young dancers perform Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and theWolf,” narrated by David Bowie. Aly Morrissey
Boynton grew up dancing on the same property in the Gray Studio before the Blue Studio was built. Though she always knew she wanted to work with children and own her own business, she said it’s still surreal to see the community that has formed in just a short time.
“It blows my mind to look around and see the yard full of kids, parents and siblings playing in the grass while classes turn over, and all the busyness and excitement,” Boynton said.
“We wanted to create something that was community-based and creativity-driven,” she added.
Boynton’s eldest daughter, Remy, who participated in five Blue Studio classes this spring, said she feels natural on stage. Asked what it’s like to have a mother who runs a dance studio, Remy’s answer was effusive.
“It’s kind of like being famous,” she said, “Everybody at school is always asking, ‘What’s happening at the dance studio?’”
While the curtain has closed on the regular season, Blue Studio is turning to summer programming, including a three-week summer intensive for dancers ages nine and older, and a five-week visual arts camp with ROYGBIV founder and arts educator Ali DeProdocini.
For more information and to register, visit bluestudiodance.com.
Intermediate jazz dancers perform to “Don’t Take the Money” by the band Bleachers. Aly Morrissey
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