Enfield Things

Councilmember-elect Linda Allegro, second from left, at the Democrat's watch party, shortly after learning that she won District 1, unseating Republican Mayor Ken Nelson. To the immediate left is former State Rep. Bill Kiner, Councilmember Bob Cressotti, and former State Rep. David Kiner. Taking the photo is Board of Education member-elect Roberta 'Bobbie' Kiner. Enfield Democrats won Tuesday's election by a landslide, capturing an 8-3 Town Council supermajority in what appears to be a clear rejection of local Republican priorities. Democrats received about 63% of the vote in Town Council races and also won the school board. While Republicans may take some solace in the fact that their defeat came amid a statewide Democratic wave, there is evidence that Enfield voters were responding to specific local frustrations with Republican governance. That message may have been most evident in District 1. The Democrats considered this a Republican district, which was won by the D...

Phoenix Avenue may soon host the state’s new Park & Ride bus stop—but the road remains hostile to pedestrians. There’s no sidewalk on the east side, and the west side sidewalk (pictured) ends just short of Hazard Avenue—with no safe crossing in sight. On that same side, it also fails to reach South Road. I’m thankful for Enfield’s pedestrian crosswalks and walk signals, and for its efforts to create bike lanes and trails. But that doesn’t change one immutable fact about Enfield: This town is unsafe for bike riders and pedestrians. Phoenix Avenue is a perfect example—a road that’s about to take on new importance for our community. The state is apparently planning to relocate its Park & Ride to 90 Phoenix Avenue, near South Road, where there’s evidently a lot large enough to support this service. The Park & Ride connects residents to the state’s bus transit system. It has to move from Enfield Square because of the planned development project. It’s always been difficult to r...

Fermi -- aka Enfield Annex -- sports field We don't have local elections in Enfield. Sure, we go through the motions—candidates put up signs, pen the obligatory Patch profiles, and stuff our mailboxes with slogan cards. But we don't have debates or forums. Our appointed mayors fade into the background and run as individuals. It's disappointing. The community remains disconnected from the government at the most consequential time. Without election engagement, unpopular ideas can and will be adopted by the council majority—without sufficient public input. That has to change. This is the first in a series of posts I'll be writing on issues that should be part of this year's local campaign. I'll label each post "Election Issue" and present an argument.  Election Issue 1: Enfield's Transparency Problem The town insists it's open—except when it doesn't want to be. Take the $586,000 Fermi Pickleball Court project. It was approved just two months a...

  Amazon stock art image available on its news media resources page Amazon has purchased a Bacon Road site in Enfield approved for warehouse development, for $20 million, according to a town official. Public records confirm the sale. The transaction took place on April 23. Lauren Whitten, Enfield’s director of planning, informed the Planning and Zoning Commission of the sale of 35 Bacon Rd., at its regular meeting on April 24. "As far as we know, things are going to progress as they were approved," Whitten told commissioners during the meeting. ( See PZC YouTube April 24 at approximately 2:58) But it is not definitively clear how much land Amazon has acquired. Public records show “two parcels,” but do not specify whether the purchase covers the full 181-acre development area. Amazon and Winstanley Enterprises were not immediately available for comment. The site is where Winstanley Enterprises had proposed an 819,000-square-foot distribution warehouse. Amazon purchased the la...

Art generated by AI following author's prompt: Report locked in safe The Enfield Town Council is considering a consequential issue: outsourcing our public works trash removal service. However, the town has not released the consultant's report, which likely examines the pros and cons of such a move, even as the Council begins its budget deliberations. The town council authorized the hiring of the consultants in November, 2024. On April 7, 2025, the Town Council discussed the report in executive session. I submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for a report copy this week. The Town Manager's office responded that the report is still in draft format and is not eligible for public disclosure under the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act. I was also told: "The contract has not provided us a completion date at this time." That means the report could be withheld from the public indefinitely. Draft is not an automatic exemption This was my response: "My un...

  St. Martha's Pond, Enfield Conn. on Nov. 16, 2024. Impact of drought. If it keeps up water may disappear until the rains return.  

  Enfield School District suspension rates by year. Black suspension are consistently high. The sharp decline in suspensions in the 2020-21 school year was a result of school 2020 school year was a result of COVID-related school closings.  The Enfield Town Council is set to approve approximately $200,000 tonight for police equipment to support its armed guards—a decision already settled in previous debates. However, as we move forward, it's crucial that we examine the broader implications of this action and address some concerning trends within our community. Last year, 42 students were arrested in Enfield Public Schools, with incidents evenly distributed between JFK Middle School and Enfield High School. This data alone prompts a serious discussion, but when coupled with the suspension and expulsion statistics, it becomes even more alarming. Approximately 21% of Black students were suspended, compared to 13% of Hispanic students and more than 8% of white students. This patter...