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The Granby
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Published by Citizens for a Better Granby
Your hometown volunteer newspaper
Volume XLIV, No. 4 • December 2013
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Granby celebrates Heminway’s legacy by Alan Addley Superintendent of Schools After 32 years of public service to the Granby Board of Education, J. Callender (Cal) Heminway said farewell at his retirement gathering held on November 4th at the Board of Education office. Cal was joined for the ceremony by his wife, Sue, and other family members. During the hour-long ceremony, public officials and educational leaders from across the state paid tribute to the significant contributions that Cal has made to the Granby Public Schools and to public education in the state of Connecticut. A long-time Granby resident, Cal has devoted his life to public service and improving the quality of life for Granby citizens and students. Cal’s public service also includes work with the Granby Ambulance Association and the Granby Education Foundation. Cal has brought much leadership, expertise and representation to the Board of Education in areas such as public advocacy, town and school funding models, union contract negotiations, municipal health plans, strategic planning, school programs, and
board governance. Cal has been Granby’s voice at the state and national level, serving with the Capital Region Education Council (CREC), Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, CREC Foundation, Great Path Academy, State Teacher of the Year Committee, and numerous legislative committees. Granby Public Schools have undergone a transformation during his tenure. He has overseen the completion of new school buildings and renovation projects, the Salmon Brook Ecology Center and the new athletic field facility at the high school. The district has gone from possibly losing its accreditation to being one of the highest performing, most cost-effective and highly regarded school systems in the state. Recognitions during his tenure have included: a Federal Blue Ribbon School and School of Distinction (Kelly Lane Intermediate School); a Connecticut Vanguard School (Granby Memorial High School); a twotime Federal Blue Ribbon School and Connecticut Association of Schools’ Middle School of the Year (Granby Memorial Middle School); and Board of
Heminway cont’d. on p. 4
Granby Public Schools Alan Addley and Cal Heminway, who recently retired from the Board of Education. photo by Rita Isaacson
Handing over the reins Newly-elected First Selectman B. Scott Kuhnly (l.) receives the official BOS gavel from outgoing First Selectman John Adams. Kuhnly photo by Shirley Murtha
Newly elected officials sworn in November 18 by Shirley Murtha At a special swearing-in ceremony in the Town Hall meeting room on November 18, in his last official duty as First Selectman, John Adams noted that “we are celebrating not just the winners of an election, but Granby’s outstanding spirit of volunteerism.” After administering the oath to the new First Selectman B. Scott Kuhnly, the Board of Selectmen and all the other members of the boards and commissions, Adams recognized the members of the Athletic Fields and Special Projects Building Committee who received plaques for their outstand-
ing work. Town Clerk Karen Hazen then swore in Adams to his new position as Town Moderator, after which BOS member Sally King, State Representative Bill Simanski, and Town Manager Bill Smith paid tribute to Adams’ work ethic and accomplishments during the past 10 years. King noted that Adams’ tireless work with the Connecticut Resources and Recovery Authority had a major effect on the town’s budget and also helped other towns to navigate the complexity of dealing with trash. Simanski said that in his work at the Capitol he
BOS cont’d. on p. 4
Polly Hall 1917–2013 by Carol Laun
Board of Education elects new officers
The new Board of Education met for the first time on November 20 and welcomed newly-elected Melissa Migliaccio and newly-appointed Mark Fiorentino. Fiorentino was appointed as a result of Ed Ohannesian’s vacated seat following Ohannesian’s election to the Board of Selectman. The board unanimously elected Ron Walther as the chairman, Ben Perron as vice-chairman and Lynn Guelzow as secretary.
Polly Hall was a Granby treasure. She was actively involved in every aspect of community life—family, church, school, town, recreation, politics, history and was also a legendary quilter. In all of these areas, Polly was a leader. In her later years, she sometimes led from the side or from the back, but she still achieved what she wanted done.
A Granby native, Polly attended local schools and graduated from Simsbury High School. Reunions of the Class of 1934 were held yearly since 1996, as their class of 72 got smaller. Polly met her future husband, the late Bert Hall, in high school, when he noticed an attractive blonde and asked his brother to introduce him. Their marriage lasted 68 years and they raised four children in Granby.
Polly Hall cont’d. on p. 14
Inside:
Understanding mill rate Page 5
Granby Artists events Page 21
Land Trust Award Page 29
Holiday church services Page 33