Groton Open Space Association

GOSA Describes Its “Public Interest” Character

GROTON–Addressing the GOSA annual membership meeting Oct. 13, 2005, President Priscilla Pratt characterized the organization as a “public interest group” with the mission of protecting important open space and recreation areas for the common good.

The packed meeting was held at the Latham-Chester Store in Noank. The get-together also included a presentation on “Haley Farm as a Working Farm,” put on by three men who had worked there in the 30s and 40s and by Sidney Van Zandt, GOSA’s first president.

Ms. Pratt said, “We first proved the value and popularity of natural resource protection 35 years ago when we were instrumental in the establishment of the Haley Farm as a state park, and 31 years ago when we were active in the establishment of Bluff Point Coastal Reserve.”

She said the goal of GOSA’s continuing efforts is to protect the environment and to enhance the “quality of life for all citizens.”

She rejected the label “special interest group” that some critics have used against GOSA.

“All GOSA people are volunteers and no one receives a salary,” she said. “We are a 501 c(3) non-profit organization and completely funded by donations.” She noted that GOSA expenses are heavy because in addition to funding the annual mowing of fields at Haley Farm State Park, the organization pays for environmental experts to testify at land-use commission hearings and hires “lawyers when we have to–as a last resort–utilize the legal system to maintain our positions with strength.”

The term “special interest group,” normally used to describe organizations that stand to profit financially from certain public projects or policies, has been applied by several town officials to the non-profit GOSA, either by name or by implication. Most recently, this occurred at a Town Council meeting July 19, 2005.

Ms. Pratt reviewed GOSA’s activities in the year just ended. These included achieving a ground-breaking agreement with Downes-Patterson Corp., a developer, to protect public drinking water; continuing a 2 1/2-year legal battle, now before the Appellate Court in Hartford, to acquire the 75-acre Merritt Property–between the top of Fort Hill and Fishtown Road–for use as public open space; and challenging in Superior Court a site plan for a senior condo development on the 160-acre Watrous Property, an action that still is pending.

Other issues of concern to GOSA outlined by the president include town plans to build a “temporary” Fitch High School parking lot on a 35-acre parcel adjoining the high school. The land was purchased in part with funds from an open space-conservation-recreation bond referendum that was passed by voters in 1988. In addition, Ms. Pratt said GOSA continues to wait for action from the town Planning Department on promises to come up with a definition of buildable land and to authorize land-use commissions to hire independent expert consultants, with developers paying the bills.

Ms. Pratt noted that Downes-Patterson’s Great Brook development originally was envisioned as comprising 104 housing lots, but now has been reduced to 54. The development takes its name from nearby Great Brook, the main conduit of public drinking water from the Ledyard Reservoir to the Groton Reservoir. GOSA has worked out agreements providing for $75,000 in payments by the developer for water testing for 5-7 years into the future; non-clearing easements and covenants that will create natural barriers to runoff from houses; and restrictions that will apply to residents regarding such matters as car washing and use of pesticides and herbicides.

She expressed GOSA’s thanks to Attorney Mark Kepple, of Stonington, who worked for GOSA pro bono in negotiations for the agreement; to Attorney Tim Bates, who represented Downes-Patterson; to environmental consultant Sigrun Gadwa of Cheshire who worked out testing procedures and other environmental protections; and to Nancy Klotz, president of Downes-Patterson, “for her cooperation and willingness as a developer to be so sensitive to the need to protect watershed properties.”

Ms. Pratt said GOSA was disappointed that the Town of Groton has chosen not to become a grantee of the Great Brook easements but said she hoped that “the town planning staff and the town council will be more sensitive, in the future, and more cooperative, with sincere citizens’ and developers’ efforts to protect our water supply.”

“The Story of Haley Farm as a Working Farm” followed Ms. Pratt’s presentation. The story was told by several men with intimate knowledge of the dairy farm, which became a state park in 1970, in large part because of work by GOSA. The men were:

–Don Schoonmaker, who grew up on the farm. Don’s grandfather, Frank, and his father, Eli, ran the farm for Caleb Haley and his son, Samuel.

–Don’s cousin, Richard Patterson, who began to work for Don’s grandfather while still in grade school.

–Vernon Schaefer, a friend of Don, who worked in the mid and late 1940s for George Beckwith, the last person to run Haley Farm.

Among the highlights of the presentation were memories of morning milk runs on days that started at 4:30 a.m. These runs wound through Noank; West Mystic; Mystic, including some stops over the bascule bridge; past the Baptist Church; down Fishtown Road and back to Noank. The price of the raw, unpasteurized milk was $1 for 8 quarts.

Mr. Schoonmaker recalled an incident in the mid to late 1930s. A family dog, curled up on the seat of a tractor in a barn, was surprised when Sam Haley entered the barn in a business suit and reached an arm to the seat, unaware that the dog was there. The dog bit into the sleeve of Mr. Haley’s suit coat and ripped it away from shoulder seams. The shaken Mr. Haley left the barn, marched to the house and informed Frank Schoonmaker that he’d have to get rid of the dog.

Frank Schoonmaker thought a couple of minutes and then said, “Suppose you had been an ill-intentioned person who had wanted to steal the tractor. The dog would have protected it.”

Mr. Haley replied, “You’re right. Keep the dog, and I’ll stay out of the barn.”

Mr. Patterson, seeing a picture of Palmer Cove at the edge of the farm, recalled his ice boating experiences. He said he reached great speeds for short periods but created a lengthy walk back because he couldn’t tack. He also remembered feeling a special cold on one morning milk run and finding out later that the temperature had dropped to minus 32 degrees. He said that Beebe Cove froze over that day and that he skated on the Cove. He said “some kids” skated all the way on the Mystic River to the railroad bridge.

Mr. Schaefer said he worked at the farm between 1945 and 1949, around the “end of the Haley Farm era.” He said the farm couldn’t pay its way in an era of pasteurized milk and that its soil was too shallow and rocky to allow much plowing. He said that after leaving the farm, he went into the Army. On getting out of the military, he went back to see the Beckwiths but found the farm no longer was operating and the Beckwiths were gone. The new residents “didn’t even know them,” he said.

The three men’s lively presentation, illustrated by photos projected onto a screen by Ms. Van Zandt, was videotaped by Terri Roper for broadcast on local television at times to be announced. The GOSA website, among other sources, will carry the times.