Council Packs Praise, Policy and Plenty of Paperwork Into One Night

FARMINGTON, Conn. — The Town Council’s June 9 meeting ran long, but no one left empty‑handed. 🎓🚔🎶

Salutes All Around

• Stephen A. Bliss Scholarship: Farmington High senior Diana Barroso collected the newly boosted $1,500 award. Her résumé already includes founding the Start With Hello Sandy Hook Promise Club, leading the Social Justice Club—fresh off a 2025 Challenge to Achievement Award—and a spot on the Board of Education’s Community Council for Equity. She heads to the University of Rhode Island for international law.
• Superintendent Kathleen Greeder: After 16 years in the district (and 17 more in Hartford plus a Greenwich stint), Greeder earned a retirement proclamation citing her role in delivering the new high school—always in matching four‑inch heels.
• Edward Clark: The First Church of Christ music director will retire 60 years to the day after he started. His tenure saw the 1969 Holtkamp pipe organ purchase and countless volunteer choir projects.
• Juneteenth: A town proclamation urged residents to join the mult‑town celebration on June 14 at Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center.
• Detective Alexa Hopkins: Named Exchange Club Officer of the Year after thwarting a $700,000 fraud scheme and joining a Homeland Security task force. Chief Jim Rio—back from retirement—got a surprise thank‑you as well.

Dollars, Dispatch and (Historic) Districts

• Historic District Expansion: By unanimous vote, the Elijah Lewis House (1790, 1 Mountain Spring Rd.) and Mary Barney Carey House (1926, 729 Farmington Ave.) joined the Farmington Historic District.
• Regional 911 Agreement: Farmington will absorb Avon’s police/fire/EMS dispatch—adding four Avon employees, state‑funded upgrades and an estimated $1 million in annual revenue across Farmington, Avon and long‑time partner Burlington.
• STEAP Grant: State Rep. Mike D’Amico confirmed a $1 million award for sweeping upgrades at Tunxis Mead Recreation Area (lights, dugouts, sidewalks, sound). He also touted an extra $2 million per year in ECS aid and clarified language so high‑school design costs remain reimbursable.
• Capital Purchases: Council approved two greens mowers ($89,635), a SmithCo fairway sprayer ($74,150), a Volvo L90H wheel loader ($276,800) and a $1.3 million paving contract with Tilcon CT.
• Contract Updates: A three‑year police union pact locks in 3 percent annual raises while capping future vacation‑time payouts. Town Manager Kathleen Blonsky received a new contract through 2029, a 3 percent raise and a $15,000 bonus “for exceeding goals.”

Committee Check‑Ins

• 1928 Building: Interior framing is up; KBE shaved three weeks off the schedule by recasting the old band‑room floor. Next meeting: June 24, 4:30 p.m.
• Fire Stations: Funding strategies with Silver & Associates continue on June 17, 9 a.m.
• Sidewalks: Condition inventory under way; public guidance due after the July 8 workshop.
• FHS Building: Punch list 98 percent complete; new tennis courts laid in April; next meeting June 18, 5 p.m.

Quick Votes & Routine Business

Minutes from May 13 were approved. Two alternate seats shifted hands (Rosha Asfar resigned; Michael Koster appointed). Council OK’d routine tax refunds, redistricting ordinance drafting and adjourned at 9:30 p.m.—but only after approving its own executive‑session pay raises.

Sponsor Note (with ❤️ and a wink)

Need a place to stash 60 years of choir sheet music—or those greens mowers we keep ordering? Trust Farmington Storage at 155 Scott Swamp Rd., Farmington, CT • 860‑777‑4001. Climate‑controlled units, friendly staff, and rumors of an underground espresso bar (fine, that last part is unverified). Store smarter, not harder—your heirloom pipe organ will thank you. 😉

— Jack Beckett ☕

I run on black coffee strong enough to resurface Mountain Spring Road. For the latest boards, budgets and backstage whispers, wander over to our clickable universe:

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Slide into our DMs on Twix (that’s @WeFarmington on the platform formerly known as Twitter). We read every note—except before that first mug of joe. ☕️🚀

About the Author

Jack Beckett is senior writer at The Farmington Mercury. When he isn’t decoding municipal jargon, he’s hunting for the town’s best cortado and muttering “Robert McKee would approve” under his breath.

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© 2025 The Farmington Mercury / Mercury Local
This article, “Farmington Council Honors Residents, Expands 911 Dispatch and Approves $1.4 M in Infrastructure,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY‑ND 4.0.

“Farmington Council Honors Residents, Expands 911 Dispatch and Approves $1.4 M in Infrastructure”