A day after the Aug. 9 death of Bozrah First Selectman Carl Zorn, Selectman Glenn Pianka called a special meeting of the Bozrah Board of Selectmen. Pianka was appointed to serve out the remainder of the term of first selectman with Jeremy Tarasevich of Fitchville Road to fill the vacant seat on the Board of Selectmen.

Pianka was first selectman of Bozrah from 2015 to 2019 when he lost to Zorn in the most recent election.

Pianka wrote recently in TWIB (This Week in Bozrah) about his friendship and how much he admired working with Zorn. He listed all the projects Zorn had done for the town of Bozrah:

“Carl was very instrumental in the Route 82 waterline design to address environmental issues, and the project has been installed up to the Elmbrook Village complex at Noble Hill Road. The Board of Selectmen will continue to pursue funding and completion of that waterline along Route 82 to the Montville town line.

“Carl became the first Chairman of the newly created Water Pollution Control Authority which became necessary when both water and sewer lines were extended and installed from Norwich into Bozrah to service the Elmbrook Village project.”

Zorn took pride in being a public servant and had an enduring love for nature as an avid beekeeper who sold his produce at the Bozrah farmer's market.

But his love for nature didn’t end with beekeeping. Zorn volunteered to become the Bozrah tree warden in 2019. He planted a historic oak seedling he received from the State of Connecticut at Riverwalk Park.

The tree continues to flourish, and Pianka promised he would install a plaque memorializing it.

Pianka, as he left office, said he left Zorn a nine-page report of all his plans and objectives. Zorn was honoring them, and Pianka has said he plans to pick up where they left off.

Zorn’s passing is a loss for Connecticut as whole but there are hopeful and bright things on the horizon for this small town that humbly stays tucked away in Connecticut’s southeastern side. Due to recent flooding, the county received a lot of money from the American Rescue Plan.

So a lot of plans are afoot to rebuild a stronger and tighter community.

It’s reported that Bozrah, Griswold, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lyme, North Stonington, Old Lyme, Preston, Salem, Groton Long Point Borough, Jewett City and Stonington Borough received more than $20 million combined while Norwich received almost $30 million.

Zorn died of cancer at age 63. A true pillar of the community, he had served as a member of the Board of Selectmen 10 years prior, and then won the first selectman seat in 2019. The Town of Bozrah was flying flags at half-staff in Zorn’s honor.

Brian Barganier is a touring comedian and writer from Salem.