I’m talking about the borough budget, not the town budget. The borough budget passed unanimously this week. Only one resident, Clifford Walker, showed up for the vote Tuesday evening at Town Hall South, and he cast his vote with the Borough Board of Burgesses. Cliff is the husband of borough treasurer Marie Walker and father of borough clerk Darlene Spencer, so there wasn’t much doubt about how he would vote. The borough budget is up 10 percent next year but the total tax rate is only 1.03 mills, and most of the $172,635 budget is used for fire hydrants, street lighting, and sidewalk repair in the center of town.

Don’t forget to put nonperishable food items next to your mailbox by 10 am on Saturday for volunteers to pick up for the annual letter carriers food drive. The food will be delivered to the food pantries in Newtown for distribution to those in need during the summer months.

The new Goodwill collection site at the town’s transfer station on Ethan Allen Road had only been open for an hour on Wednesday and already five residents had dropped off donations. A Goodwill attendant is at the donation site to accept contributions of clothing and household items during all the hours that the recycling center is open. Unlike unattended collection sites, donors will be able to get receipts for tax-deductible contributions from the attendant. The donated items are sold in Goodwill stores and the revenue raised supports job training programs for persons on welfare.

Former Newtown resident Andrew Zboray was profiled in the Monadnock Ledger recently for his work as a park ranger at Monadnock State Park in Vermont. Andy, 31, worked his way up from doing volunteer trail maintenance to being named assistant manager of the park. Andy’s mother, Mary Zboray Ramsey, who lives on Prospect Drive in Newtown, says the mountain is one of the most hiked in the world. Andy helps keep computerized track of the many thousands who tromp its trails and overfill its parking lots year round. His close-up observations are part of the documented body of evidence concerning the mountain’s present and future condition and its continuing availability to the public. Andy has hiked every trail, thoroughly explored the unblazed wilds in between, and participated in many rescues.

Thomas Ward will lead the survivors’ lap when the Bethel Relay For Life steps off at 7 pm on Friday, May 12, to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The Newtown teenager is recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his leg and uses a cane, but he is an inspiration for those who are battling cancer. The walk-a-thon will continue all night until 7 am on Saturday.

The ladies auxiliary of the Sandy Hook fire company is holding a Mother’s Day plant and flower sale on Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm at the main fire station on Riverside Road. Proceeds will be used to fund fire company projects.

 High school pals Jim Shpunt and Dave Charney will both reach milestones in their lives next week when they celebrate their 50th birthdays. Dave will turn 50 on Sunday, while Jim celebrates the big 5-0 on Monday.

 Congratulations to Newtown resident Shauna Lee-Carmichael who this week was awarded the Accounting Award from the Accounting Department at Western Connecticut State University. The award goes to the student who exhibits scholastic excellence, enthusiasm, dedication, and potential success in the accounting field. She accepted the award Tuesday night.

Shauna graduates this spring and her husband, Steve Carmichael, a.k.a. the Connecticut Tree Doctor, is reportedly very proud.

 Congratulations also to Newtown resident Harvey Sellner who was awarded the Abraham Gordon Award from Rotary District 7980 this past weekend at the annual conference in Providence, R.I. The award is given out each year to a Rotarian from southern Connecticut who takes part in humanitarian efforts. In Harvey’s case, it was his humanitarian work in Ghana and Venezuela where he is using state-of-the-art water purifiers to provide citizens with clean drinking water. Harvey is president of the WHT Foundation, which stands for World Health through Technology.

Town workmen have been busy in recent weeks modernizing the interior of Town Hall South. The town’s social services department, which is now housed in cramped quarters behind the stage of the Alexandria Room in Edmond Town Hall, will be moving into refurbished quarters in Town Hall South.

Workmen are busy constructing a new state road salt storage shed at Fairfield Hills. The high-ceilinged storage shed now under construction near Fairfield Hills’ former sewage treatment plant will serve as a regional storage depot.

Everyone who enjoyed the May Fair put on by the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, which now occupies the former buildings of Newtown Montessori School, might be happy to note that the school is holding another event this weekend in Danbury. An evening of chamber music, featuring The Adaskin String Trio, is planned for Friday, May 12, starting at 6:30 pm at the First Congregational Church of Danbury. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and $20 for a family, with proceeds going to benefit the Waldorf school in Newtown.

Speaking of raising money, the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 12, is holding a flea market/tag sale Saturday, May 13, to raise funds to send the troop to the National Jamboree. The event will be held at the American Legion on 60 County Street in Norwalk, across from Norwalk High School, from 9 am to 5 pm.

Jim Osborne was glad to see some visitors during his recent hospitalization at Yale-New Haven, especially his good friends Dr Bob Grossman, Mike Snyder, and John Martocci. But the three arrived before visiting hours, so they ran into a little interference from the nurses on duty. A desk nurse reported to Jim’s private duty nurse that three men were trying to get in to see him early. “One of them says he’s a doctor,” the nurse said, “but he doesn’t look like a doctor to me.” The trio did eventually get to see Jim in spite of Dr Bob.

Margot and Bob Hall were in the airport in Atlanta, on their way back from visiting their daughter near Jacksonville, Fla., on Monday when they found themselves in the same waiting area with Jerry and Kaaren Valenta, who also were changing planes there on their way back from Florida. The couples found it hard to believe that they were returning home to weather in the 90s – hotter than what they had left behind.

That’s it for everyone’s comings and goings this week, but no matter temperature is – here or in Florida – be sure to…

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