January

Beginning the year with a bang, the controversial possibility of floating zones became a subject of discussion. The proposal was to include two main floating zone districts in town; the first was the R-80 Residential Floating District with permitted uses. The second was CIP Commercial Floating district.

The Deep River Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) saw dozens of residents speak in opposition of the floating zone proposal. Ultimately floating zones did not become a thing in the town of Deep River in 2019

Deep River Elementary School piloted the Choose Love program developed by Sandy Hook parent Scarlett Lewis, who lost her young son Jesse in the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in 2012. The Choose Love program brought social and emotional learning into the school curriculum for students in grades k-12 focusing on ways parents, teachers, and entire school districts and communities could come together and focus on not only academic success, but the four core character values of courage, gratitude, forgiveness, and compassion to cultivate optimism, resilience, and personal responsibility.

Valley Regional High School students took a virtual trip to Mars thanks to the donation of $12,995 from UTC Aerospace System to the Region 4 School District to provide funding for the purchase of 32 virtual reality equipment for classroom instruction. The equipment came with accompanying lesson plans and content for STEM focused programs used in the science, tech-ed, math, and engineering classrooms.

Newly elected State Representative Christine Palm (D-36) was sworn into office.

February

After 13 years in the district, Superintendent of Region 4 Schools Dr. Ruth Levy announced her retirement.

Palm scheduled listening sessions in Deep River to give her constituents a chance to share their concerns and learn what she faced in Hartford.

Luck drove the quick response of the Deep River Fire Department in a rescue involving a pick-up truck, its driver, icy conditions, and a stream. The accident occurred across Elm Street/Route 80 from the Deep River Fire Department; the truck plunged into the Deep River behind the vacant parking lot.

March

After the news of Levy’s retirement in February, a request for proposals from search consulting firms to help locate a new school leader were put out in March.

Deep River Fire Department celebrated nine new volunteer members. Fire Chief Tim Lee went to the town for help to outfit the newcomers with the necessary safety equipment.

After 30 years of dedicated work, Linda Hall and Donna May, who helped provide kids in Chester, Deep River, and Essex with a solid foundation at the CDE Preschool, announced their retirement and the close of CDE.

A new animal control officer started in Chester, Deep River, and Essex: Caitlyn Sikora.

The Region 4 Board of Education selected a new principal for John Winthrop Middle School: Matthew Espinosa, who was the principal at Tuttle Elementary School in East Haven.

Bennett’s Books became a non-profit.

The PZC unanimously approved an application for special permit submitted by Janice Liscinsky to operate her dog training business The Perfect Pup.

April

Selectman Bill Burdick made the tough decision to resign from the Board of Selectman and Jim Olson was sworn in to take the open Republican seat on the board.

May

Horse farm owners met to talk about uniting, taxes, zoning, and state statutes that affect their businesses. It was the beginning of a large discussion about the horse tax in town.

Westbrook resident John Waldron’s proposal for a brewery and brew pub to be opened at 6 Winter Avenue in Deep River was officially approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission.

The 2019-’20 Region 4 Board of Education budget was voted on and of the 814 ballots cast, 460 were “Yes,” with 354 “No” votes. While the measure was supported in Deep River and Essex, it drew strong opposition in Chester.

In Essex, 231 of the town’s 5,233 registered voters (4.4 percent) voted on the Region 4 budget, with 203 “Yes” votes and “28” No votes. In Deep River, 239 of the 3,268 registered voters (7.3 percent) voted, with 128 “Yes” votes and 111 “No” votes. Registered voters (12.9 percent) voted, with 129 “Yes” votes and 215 “No” votes. Even though Chester voted down the Region 4 budget, the overall count from all three towns voted “Yes,” so the $20,572,675 budget, which represented a $519,994 or 2.59 percent increase over the previous year, was approved.

The Nest coffee shop on Main Street opened with the mission to make a difference in the lives of young people whose emotional and intellectual challenges make it hard for them to find both satisfactory employment and meaningful social interaction.

Although there were two “No” votes, the majority, which was approximately 75 votes, were “Yes” and the Deep River 2019-’20, $18,139,700 budget, which represented a $1,146,345 or 6.75 percent increase over last fiscal year’s budget, passed at a public hearing. Although the budget did increase spending, the mill rate remained unchanged at 29.42. The town decided to draw from its unappropriated town surplus general fund to balance the budget. The approved budget included $12,396,053 for education, an increase of $516,682 or 4.35 percent, with Deep River’s share of the 2019-’20 Region 4 budget accounting for $7,131,407, an increase of $447,829 or 6.70 percent. Town spending, including debt payments, was $5,743,647, an increase of $629,663 or 12.31 percent. McDonald said the biggest drivers to the increases in the town spending were employee benefits, which are up 14.5 percent.

June

Palm wrapped up her first legislative year.

After a decade’s hiatus, cheerleading was officially back at Valley Regional High School.

A round of applause erupted as the Chester, Deep River, Essex, and Region 4 Boards of Education appointed Brian White as their new superintendent of schools.

Levy gave her final graduation speech as superintendent of schools at Valley Regional High School’s graduation and seniors united one last time as the Class of 2019.

Horse farm owners were still at it, contesting the town’s horse tax. First Selectman Angus McDonald did research on the matter and found that of the 169 towns in Connecticut, only 30 exempt horses from personal property tax. Essex exempted all horses from personal property tax with a town ordinance approved in 2014. In the same year, the neighboring town of Killingworth unanimously approved a town ordinance that exempt all horses with a market value of $20,000 or less from property tax. McDonald said that he would like to draft an ordinance in Deep River that contains language that follows the example set by Killingworth. Selectmen Olson and Duane Gates agreed.

July

2019 marked the 66th anniversary of the Deep River Ancient Muster.

It was prime season for blueberry picking at Scott’s Connecticut Valley Orchards in Deep River. The wet spring season led to many plump berries.

August

After 28 years serving Deep River, Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO) Cathie Jefferson retired.

The horse tax was still being discussed.

The Incarnation Center celebrated its 90th anniversary.

The Deep River Park & Recreation Department celebrated its 50th birthday out on the lawn of the Deep River Historical Society’s Stone House.

The Deep River Fire Department used its animal rescue training for the first time while rescuing and administered oxygen to a dog and cat who suffered from smoke inhalation during a fire.

A town vote passed unanimously resulting in $359,846 in energy efficiency upgrades to the Deep River Elementary School, the Library, and the Town Hall.

Allison Sloane wanted to make it easy for those who wish to help the exotic birds and reptiles rescued by The Pandemonium Project so she opened a new thrift shop the Pandemonium Thrift Shop, the proceeds of which will all go to the 501(c)(3) non-profit.

September

Due to declining enrollment and fewer kids in the tri-town area, cub scout programs in Chester, Deep River, and Essex decided to join together and become a single cub scout pack: Tri-Town Cub Scouts Pack 13.

Two confirmed cases of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), including one fatality in East Lyme, resulted in the modification of sports and other activities at the John Winthrop Middle School and Valley Regional High School.

To clear up confusion about a discrepancy of more than $300,000 in the Region 4 Board of Education (BOE) accounts, the board held a workshop on the subject. The discrepancy was described as the result of improper bookkeeping rather than improper spending; public questions remained.

Families in Deep River gathered to celebrate their community through Deep River Family Day, though, due to mosquito fear, this year’s fireworks were postponed.

Business owner Colin Bennett and a crew of dedicated volunteers organized the first Deep River Pride Festival.

October

Tri-Town Youth Services teamed up with Connecticut State Trooper Kate Cummins to offer a free informational presentation to parents on social media trends and problematic adolescent online behaviors.

The Region 4 Board of Education Regional Supervision District Committee unanimously voted to create a Capital Reserve Fund to ensure that funds are managed in accordance with applicable state statutes.

Augusto “Gus” Lucarelli campaigned as an unaffiliated first selectman candidate against incumbent Democrat Angus McDonald.

November

Angus McDonald retained the first selectman seat with 777 votes to petitioning candidate Augusto Lucarelli’s 428 votes. When polls closed, 1,267 of Deep River’s 3,279 registered voters participated in the municipal elections.

Kate Sandmann was voted as Region 4 Board of Education new chairman.

December

Several residents showed up at regularly scheduled Board of Selectman meetings to discuss the appointment of an alternate on the PZC. Ultimately it was decided the matter should go to a town vote at a town meeting.

Controversy erupted over Valley Regional High School’s former Warriors’ logo of a Native American profile. A call to remove the Warriors name, as well as the prominent vestiges of the former logo, was met with a call by some to return the discontinued logo to the schools’ football helmets.