John Katz had perfect attendance at planning and zoning meetings.
A flat 6% state income tax was proposed 25 years ago by Gov. Lowell Weicker as one way of dealing with the state’s $2.4-billion budget deficit, the Feb. 14, 1991, Press reported.
The deficit and the slowed economy also prompted Weicker to propose cuts that would reduce Ridgefield’s state school aid by $1 million.
Despite the slow economy, Ridgefield’s $2 billion tax base had increased by 1.5% in the past year, Assessor Al Garzi reported. Garzi called the increase, which was bigger than the previous year’s, “a healthy number, especially compared to what’s going on across the state.”
Someone stole the American flag from the flagpole in front of town hall. “I just think it’s disgusting,” said First Selectman Sue Manning. “I think there are certain things which should be sacred and that’s one of them.”
A POW/MIA flag also on the pole had been tossed into nearby bushes.
Alex Santini, restaurateur, caterer and liquor store owner, died at the age of 76.
Charles Creamer, perfect attendance at ZBA.
A survey by The Press found town officials attended 91% of their meetings in 1990. Perfect attendance was registered by Sue Manning and Peter Yanity, selectmen; F. Paul “Fibber” Biagiotti, Barbara Polacek and Wayne Tinker, Parks and Recreation Commission; John Katz and Jeremy Wilmot, Planning and Zoning Commission; Charles Creamer, Zoning Board of Appeals; Joan Plock and Joseph Sweeney, Board of Education; Raymond Hastings and Treat Walker, Police Commission; and Jan Hogeboom and Patrick Reville, Board of Finance.
The RHS girls basketball team clinched its first-ever FCIAC East basketball title, beating Stamford. “These kids worked hard all year and they deserve it,” said coach Jim Muraski. The team included Flo Stueck, Keri O’Loughlin, Kathy Hoeft, Darcie Coleman, and Suzanne Mumby.
Writer Mark Salzman, who grew up in Ridgefield, had a new novel out, The Laughing Sutra, which The New York Times called “odd and beguiling.” Iron and Silk, his popular book about his experiences teaching in China, had just been made into a movie, starring Mr. Salzman himself.
50 years ago
The school board and the teachers agreed to a new, two-year salary schedule that provided a $350 increase in the first year and $250 in the second, the Feb. 17, 1966, Press reported. The new maximum salary would be $11,895 in the first year and $12,220 in the next, compared to the previous maximum of $11,400. The current starting pay was $5,300.
A scholarship at Ridgefield High School was established in the memory of Fred Grossfeld, a 19-year-old Ridgefield student at MIT who was found dead in Boston’s Charles River a week earlier. He had been missing since November, sparking a nationwide search. “The general opinion of police and others seems to be that Fred took his own life,” said Israel Grossfeld, his father. “I am absolutely certain that this could not be true. Fred was a victim of foul play.”
Alex Santini was pictured on the front page serving food at the Community Center’s Crystal Ball to Mrs. John O’Gorman Lane, Mrs. Donald Hawkins, Mrs. Joseph Milardo, and Dr. Lane.
Varian Fry of Farmingville Road was subject of a long feature in Parade, the Sunday newspaper supplement, about his work in World War II rescuing Jewish artists and writers, including Marc Chagall, from the Nazis. Fry was working on his seventh book, which was about the Trojan War.
Herbert Knortz was elected senior vice president of ITT, in addition to being comptroller of the corporation.
The 1966 American Motors Rambler was touted as being “the lowest-priced car made in the U.S.A.” in a Georgetown Motors ad that, alas, gave no prices. It did say the car got 24.5 miles per gallon, though. —J.S.
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