RACHEL RAVINA/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Berlin Councilman Zack Tyndall, left, resident Sara Hambury and Police Chief Arnold Downing gather for a photo after Monday’s Town Council meeting. Hambury took a moment to thank town officials for their support after a fire burned her garage on Grace Street on July 30.

By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer

(Sept. 26, 2019) Berlin resident Sara Hambury thanked town officials Monday night for their support as she continues to rebuild her garage after a fire in July.

“I still have exploded windows. I have burned trees. I have shattered glass. It looks like a fallout zone,” Hambury said during a Town Council meeting.

No one was injured in the fire on July 30 on Grace Street, but it revealed a serious parking problem in Berlin.

Hambury recalled a fire truck had to make a “five-point U-turn” to navigate around the cars parked on the narrow streets.

Hambury said in a previous interview that the streets were built nearly 100 years ago and were meant to accommodate carriages and early cars, not the larger models on the road today.

“If you need an ambulance, if you need a fire truck, resident liberties need to be put in place by those that handle our safety and security,” she said.

Hambury also expressed her gratitude to Berlin Police Chief Arnold Downing.

“He’s been at my house several times since the fire putting in place a sense of security for my family, and my neighbors, in relation to parking,” she said.

Hambury said she appreciated the parking restrictions on town residential streets that were implemented for recent special events including the Berlin Fiddlers Convention and Small Town Throw Down.

Drivers were prohibited from parking in certain areas.

Hambury also said she’s experienced cluttered streets.

“I’m as much to blame. I mean in the last seven weeks my construction crews, my tree guys, my mess has been expanded beyond the border of my property into the streets,” she said. “So I understand it is a challenge to keep the streets clear.”

Hambury said she had trees removed that were burned in the fire.

“Thankfully, July 30 was not a windy night, or Berlin would look significantly different,” she said.

Councilman Thom Gulyas suggested Hambury brainstorm ideas with her neighbors and bring them to Chief Downing and Planning Director Dave Engelhart.

“I’d love to make sure that you have your input heard,” Gulyas said.

Downing said there’s been adequate communication between the neighbors.

“We give them credit for being a good community,” Downing said.