Forum on Kent, in Cornwall

CORNWALL  — An informational forum was held at the Cornwall Town Hall Saturday to give residents a better idea of the direction the town south of its borders is heading.

Speakers included Kent officials Ruth Epstein, first selectman, and Bruce Adams, selectman, who spoke candidly about both towns. They  stressed that despite Kent being flooded by visitors on the weekends, residents of Cornwall should not be afraid to travel south on Route 7.

Epstein opened the forum by speaking about the similarities and differences between Kent and Cornwall. The main difference between the two has been the rate of development found in downtown Kent compared to the still very rural town of Cornwall. Not to say that Kent will turn into a metropolis anytime soon; however, there have been additions to the town that have begun to separate it on a commercial level from its northern neighbors.

Epstein then went on to make a humorous distinction between the two towns: “Kent has sidewalks. As basic as that is, we find that people will want to visit us and that they appreciate them.�

Adams spoke fondly about his 10-year residency in Cornwall and some of the things he liked and disliked about the town during his stay. Among his favorites were Cornwall’s beautiful scenery and the friendly people. On the other hand, the then-under-enrolled Cornwall Consolidated School, at which he taught, was among his least favorite things.

“My son graduated with three other kids,� he said. “I think they went on a field trip to Quebec, all in a teacher’s car.�

Demographically, Cornwall is a small agricultural town compared to Kent, which is turning more commercial. Many claim that Kent is slowly being taken over by New Milford and it will only be a matter of time before the development will stretch further up the Route 7 corridor into Kent.

The biggest sources of income for Kent have been education and tourism due to, among other things, the many art galleries. There are three private schools in the town of Kent, which have helped the town financially through taxes.

Unfortunately, funding from Hartford has been inadequate, which has stalled some future development plans. Another growing problem for the town seems to be the fact that most of the young adults who live in Kent are moving out.

“It is hard for young people to stay in Kent because of a lack of job opportunities and housing prices,� said Epstein.

When asked whether Kent will become more like New Milford or stay true to its rural roots like Cornwall, Epstein admitted that the southern end of Kent is under threat; however, she said stringent zoning rules should keep the town from growing too rapidly.

Some future plans for the town were announced at the meeting, including a new cell phone tower, an expansion to the existing fire house and a grant to the historical society.

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