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  • Rocky Hill Democrats Honor AG Tong and other public servants

    Rocky Hill Democrats Honor AG Tong and other public servants

    Rocky Hill Democrats met in June to honor Democratic changemakers and community servants within Rocky Hill and the State of Connecticut.

    Connecticut Attorney General William Tong receives the Billiy Ciatto Award

    a man in a suit speaks into a microphone

    Attorney General William Tong was the keynote speaker. He urged everyone in the room to fight against the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. Tong also shared a story of why he remains hopeful. “Let me tell you in this difficult moment what gives me hope. What gives me hope is I walked in here and Joe Cohelo pulled me aside. He said, ‘I remember your parents ran a restaurant on the Silas Deane Highway, and I remember you, as a little kid, working in the kitchens, working side by side with your parents.’ 

    “Growing up in a Chinese restaurant isn’t easy. It’s not easy to watch your parents work seven days a week, twelve to fifteen hours a day. It’s not easy to watch them sacrifice so much, and to see them suffer. And it’s not easy when, in sixth grade, when business starts to go the wrong direction, and when your parents do the only thing they can do: they call their children off the bench. Friday, Saturday, nights and weekends, I was in that restaurant working side by side with my parents in that hot Chinese restaurant. But in one generation I went from that hot restaurant in Wethersfield to being the Attorney General of the state of Connecticut. That is the enduring strength and beauty of our country.”

    Other award winners included:

    Democrat of the year: Allan Smith

    Allan Smith is a candidate for mayor of Rocky Hill. Allan is a long time resident, vice chair of the Rocky Hill Democratic Town Committee, and member of Rocky Hill’s Affordable Housing Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Economic Development Commission. Allan was recognized for his tireless community service and passion for improving the town.

    Town Service Award: Recipients Joe Cohelo, Sandi Kelly and Ken Goldberg between them share more than a century of service to town boards, commissions, and advisory bodies. 

    Unsung Heroes: Residents and community servants Shilpa Gohil and Maria Librio Judge were recognized for their long term public service. Shilpa and Maria have embodied public service through philanthropic work and volunteering. 

    Young Democrat of the Year: Logan Prentiss was recognized for his service in the National Guard and his focus on supporting Democratic campaigns. 

    three men and a woman hold awards and smile at the camera in front of a blue backdrop
    a young man smiles, a blond woman prepares to hand him an award
  • RH community garden plans: carry in water, for now

    RH community garden plans: carry in water, for now

    On June 24, 2025, Rocky Hill’s Land Acquisition and Farmland Preservation committee met to discuss the community gardens, which are planned to launch in the spring of 2026. Committee members discussed the plan to provide water at the gardens, and the layout for garden plots. 

    Water for the gardens

    Director of Public Works Steve Sopalek provided an update on the effort to bring water to the community garden site. The town explored two scenarios: providing water from the drilled well that is already on site, and providing water through connecting to the public water system. 

    Well option

    The well was tested and was deemed “clean” and usable for watering plants. To use the well, the barn would be connected to electricity and a pump installed in the well, for an estimated cost of $15,000. To get an additional cistern and annual testing for the well would be an additional $35,000 – $40,000. Steve Sopalek remarked that the town lacks data on capacity of the well: how many people could use it?

    MDC option

    The town could alternatively connect the barn to public water through MDC. An assessment would be $350,000 and an estimated additional $15,000 would be spent on installation. Sopalek said that the assessment fee could possibly be waived.

    After reviewing the options, town manager Ray Carpentino said, “It sounds like people will have to bring their own water for a while.” While no final decision was made, Steve Sopalek said, “it’s probably a couple years out.”

    Evolving plans for garden plots

    In the last session, the committee agreed to move the community garden plots to the west side of the property. The committee will ask a town engineer revise the original plans for two possible layouts: one where the plots are 10ft x 20ft, and another where they are 15ft x 15ft. 

    The committee also continued to explore what design should be used for raised beds. Committee member Lisa Gilbert is exploring a potential donation of raised beds by a local construction company. The town would need to provide soil for these beds. At least some of the material could come from the town’s leaf mulch, has has been tested as “clean” and useable.

    The committee is considering creating twelve 3ft x 8ft beds. These beds would rest on the ground and be several feet deep to facilitate root growth and easier access.

    The committee will next meet on July 22.