KENT, Conn.—The Kent 250 Committee has decided to take part in Two Lights for Tomorrow, a nationwide initiative to begin the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America.
On the night of April 18-19, 1775, Sons of Liberty Paul Revere and William Dawes undertook their famous rides through the Massachusetts countryside to warn Minutemen that the British military was on the move. Revere and Dawes were informed of which route the British troops would follow by lights hung in the steeple of the Old North Church—”one if by land, two if by sea.”
Two Lights for Tomorrow uses the imagery of the Midnight Ride as a uniting call to action for citizens to celebrate the nation’s birthday in 2026. Towns are encouraged to combine the display of two lights in homes, churches and community sites. Everyone can participate.
Committee Chairman Matt Busse said that residents are also encouraged to join in a project for the common good. It was observed that the Kent town cleanup will happen during April and would be a natural project to fulfill that goal.
Andrew Rowand, committee member and site administrator for the Eric Sloane Museum, said he had conducted a lantern-making project with young people and believes he has enough materials left to “bring that into town for fun project.”
In other business, the committee discussed distributing oak saplings to residents in commemoration of the Charter Oak. The town is to receive a sapling started from the actual “scions of the Charter Oak.”
After the Charter Oak in Hartford fell in 1857, residents collected acorns and planted them, creating “Charter Oak scions.” The progeny of the scions were distributed across the state to mark civic occasions, including the bicentennial in 1976. UConn, the Friends of Putnam Memorial State Park and the Town of Redding are repeating the gesture this year.
Finally, the Kent committee decided on an Eric Sloane sketch of a bell to use for the town’s logo for the 250th anniversary. Rowand will seek permission from the artist’s family to use the artwork.
Cemetery Committee awards $41,500 contract
KENT, Conn.— The Cemetery Committee awarded a three-year $41,500 contract for mowing the town cemeteries to DuBray’s Outdoor Care during a special meeting on Wednesday, March 26.
Bids for the work ranged from a low of $23,675 to a high of $52,000. The committee has a budget of $50,000 for the work.
The low bid called for mowing 26 times during the season, less than the commission finds desirable. “We can’t take a chance on not having the quality of past years,” said Chairman Lori Schiesel.
The $52,000 bid was adjudged to be too high and the other two bids, which were only $1,600 apart, were weighed using other factors.
KVFD, Emergency Management Mediation Stalls
KENT, Conn.—An attempt to mediate the rift between the Kent Volunteer Fire Department and Emergency Management Director Matt Starr came to naught last week. First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer had called an executive session to discuss the issue, but representatives of the fire company failed to show up.
KVFD Fire Chief Alan Gawel said Starr had rejected the idea of meeting with the fire department’s entire leadership team that afternoon, preferring to meet only with Gawel and the Selectmen. Gawel would not accept that condition.
The Selectmen and Starr showed up for the meeting and waited for the firefighters for three minutes after the appointed hour before leaving the meeting.
Lindenmayer had no comment.
The issue has grown out of a longstanding schism between fire department personnel and the two most recent emergency management directors, both of whom were former firefighters.
Only Three Property Transfers in February
KENT, Conn.—Only three property transfers were recorded by the Town Clerk during February.
Robert and Carol Linn transferred property on Camp’s Flat Road to the Robert Linn Revocable Trust with Carol and Robert Linn as trustees.
Jean and Kurt Speck Jr. sold property on Kent Cornwall Road to Dylan Balfore for $440,000.
Carole Ann Godfrey sold property on Elizabeth Street to John Suess, Tracey Suess and Lawrence Reinhardt for $285,500.
