02/23/12 Spaghetti Dinner At New Lebanon School In Byram

The New Lebanon School PTA will host its annual Spaghetti Dinner tomorrow, March 24, from 5 to 8 p.m., at New Lebanon School, 25 Mead Ave.

The evening will include a Pick-a-Prize drawing, two silent auctions and food from Burning Tree Country Club Chef and New Lebanon parent Michael Aguilar.

Cost is $12 adults, $5 children (ages 4-12) and seniors.

Limited seating.

First come, first served.

03/18/12 McKinney Terrace: Byram senior housing complex unveils refreshed, renovated space

PHOTO: From left, Paul Settelmeyer, distric 2 representative town meeting; U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn.; Bernadette Settelmeyer, commissioner of the housing authority; and Tony Johnson, executive director of Greenwich housing authority, at the grand opening ribbon cutting event of the reading room at McKinney Terrace, an affordable senior housing development

Reading room debuts at McKinney Terrace

Marie Lomiento has walked the halls of Byram's McKinney Terrace for nearly a quarter of a century, and now the 88-year-old woman has a new, quiet place to rest her legs.
Lomiento, who has lived in the McKinney Terrace senior housing complex -- formerly Byram School -- since it opened in 1988, was one of a couple dozen seniors, along with U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., on hand Sunday afternoon for the grand opening of the complex's new reading room.

"I love it," Lomiento said, smiling. "It's very pleasant."

Inside the welcoming room, which has polished hardwood floors, soft orange light falls onto powder blue and cream-colored walls. A comfortable leather couch rests in one corner of the space, and a few padded chairs sit on the opposite side of the room.

At the end of the reading room is a large window that looks out upon a set of old stone steps that no longer lead to a door.

Tony Johnson, executive director of the Greenwich Housing Authority, said the steps once led to the entrance of the Byram School building -- where the reading room is situated.
Until a few months ago, before renovation of the room began, the space had mostly been used for storage, Johnson said.

Read more: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Reading-room-debuts-at-McKinney-Terrace-3416597.php#ixzz1pvtHR1f8

02/29/12 VIEW: Approve Byram Pool planning funds

To the editor:

This letter is about the urgent need for a decent municipal swimming pool, a need that has been apparent for years. To be sure, there now is a pool in Byram, but it is shabby, accommodates only 40 in a town of 61,000, leaks water, and lacks adequate, sanitary restrooms.

Greenwich is the richest town in Connecticut and one of the richest towns in the United States. In the case of the swimming pool, a public-private partnership holds the promise of raising something like half of the needed funds from private sources. How can it be, then, that we don't yet have an acceptable modern facility? How could this disgraceful situation have been allowed to persist? How can it be that, at this late date, there appears to be opposition within the BET to approving funding for design work for a new pool, funding that has the support of the first selectman, who is not known as a big spender?

Well, no one will say that they oppose building a new pool. Yet there are ways of voicing support for a project, while actually standing in the way of its execution: "It's a great idea, but we can't afford it; it's a great idea, but the timing isn't right; it's a great idea, but we need more facts," etc. Some BET members seem to be masters of these lines of reasoning.

The new pool would be located in the most densely populated part of town, in the western part where people need it the most. As an additional benefit, it would take pressure off Tod's Point and relieve traffic congestion in Old Greenwich during the summer months. With private sources ready to pay for something like half and perhaps even more toward the project, how can anyone still stand in the way?

Message to BET: Get on with it!

Gerald A. Pollack
Old Greenwich