Don Lowe First Selectman Column 03/02/2026
Last week’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting featured an update on the Sherman School renovation/repair project from two principles of Neufeld Construction, the firm managing the project. We learned, despite the challenges brought by the recent weather, that the work is on schedule and has not met any bad surprises. They are nearly reaching some important milestone markers like starting steel framing and finishing the concrete work. It’s a tight schedule, but so far, so good.
Among other BOS meeting items, we have decided to proceed with an electrical power upgrade for the Sherman Playhouse. This is a safety recommendation, and we will be taking this to a future Town Meeting. The expense will be approximately $15,000. This is yet another small but necessary capital project/upgrade in the same vein as rebuilding the stone wall along Taber Road south of Happy Acres (it has been broken for several years due to a car accident) and resurfacing our basketball courts in Veterans Field, which is cracked and in need of repair.
Now that we have recorded all of the town’s budgets, our BOS meets this Wednesday, March 4, for our first budget workshop. We meet at 7pm in Mallory Town Hall and this meeting is where we review all of the budgets and make decisions that form the overall budget you will vote on at the budget referendum on May 2. We will hold another workshop, if necessary, on Monday, March 9 at the same time and place. If we can’t get it done in those two meetings, then we will schedule more workshops until we do get it done.
Here’s a couple of important future events that you should get on your schedule: The Sherman Arts Commission and the Sherman Conservation Commission jointly sponsor the “Community Expo @ The Town Green” on May 2. It’s from 11am to 3pm and is on the same day as our budget referendum. This terrific event has grown each year and features information booths from a variety of Sherman organizations. Plus, there’s live music, food, and other fun stuff, especially for children.
Another cool event in commemoration of our country’s 250th Anniversary will be held at the Historical Society. It’s an educational exhibit and interactive self-guided tour of our town’s namesake, Roger Sherman. It’s an opportunity to learn what an important person Mr. Sherman was to our country’s formation along with learning many other facts about this fascinating man. The show will run on five successive Saturdays starting with June 13 and ending on July 11. Kudos to Sherman resident and historian extraordinaire, John Clio, for putting the entire show together. John did extensive research and then coordinated it all so that we may learn about the magnitude of the man whose name we so casually say as we tell someone where we live. Thanks, John!
