Hot Button Issue Coming to Town Meeting September 8th

The Killingworth Board of Selectmen gave notice of a Special Town Meeting to be held in the All Purpose Room of the Killingworth Elementary School, 340 Route 81, Killingworth, CT on Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 7 p.m. to address the following: 

1.  To enact an outdoor wood burning furnace recommended by Planning & ZoningCommission and approved at the Board of Selectmen meeting on August 8, 2011.

2.  To re-appropriate remaining the $70,891.00 in fiscal year 2010/2011 Road Paving budget to the fiscal year 2011/2012

3.  To confirm the Selectman’s appointment of Richard W. Albrecht as the Killingworth representative to the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority for a term of 7/1/2011 – 6/30/2014.

4.  To transfer the balance of $23,213 from the pension exclusion potential line item in the reserve fund for capital and nonrecurring expenditures to the municipal employee pension plan.

5.  To authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a municipal solid waste management service contract with Connecticut Resource Recovery Authority (CRRA) for solid waste disposal services commencing 11/16/12 continuing until 6/30/2027.

6. To ratify the action of the Connecticut River Valley Council of Elected Officials (CRVC) to become a council of governments at their meeting of 7/27/11.

The proposed wood burning furnace ordinance is a hot button issue for many residents of Killingworth.   The proposed ordinance would regulate installation standards, proper fuel and months of operation. 

Killingworth is a highly wooded area and many residents choose to take advantage of that to heat their homes, particularly with gas and oil prices increasing rapidly.   Some residents are bothered by these furnaces because if they are not installed pursuant to regulations and if improper fuel is used they feel it emits pollutants.  While other residents and business owners feel that they should be able to heat their own homes by the method of their choosing. 

One such person is Scott Papoosha, owner of Running Brook Farms.  He uses his wood burning furnace to heat his equipment garage as well as the nursery on his property.  He uses only season firewood.  He feels that his furnace does not bother anyone and is a major benefit to his business. 

Longtime Killingworth resident and business owner, Robert Judge of Interstate Batteries just down the road from Running Brook Farms agrees with Scott.  He is not bothered by the use of the wood burning furnaces and feels that home and business owners should be free to heat their properties as they deem fit.