[shorelinect]

Get the local papers for a while. Madison/Killingworth is the SOURCE; free on Thursday. I forgot Guilford's paper. They are published by Shoreline Publishing, 724 Post Road, Suite 202, PO Box 1010, Madison, CT 06443. The other is on Friday called the Shore View, 40 Sargent Dr., New Haven, CT 06511. Both are free Write them they may deliver for you for a few weeks. Remember the police section is antiseptic. Get your crime stats here or at the justice department website.

[shorelinect]

OUTOFCT maybe ticked off at the town for the following reasons a lot of people are. It has all been printed. The police force is in shambles:
2006-present
Cop 1 charges of larceny (will receive 34,000 police pension no matter what)
Cop 2 charges of solicitation of prostitues on duty, witness tampering, unlawful use of state data base, hanging out with a convicted felon on duty, etc
Cop 3 Ethical charges - interferring with state police investigation
Cop 4 Ethical charges - not informing higher ups of cop #2 activities
Three have been terminated in the last week.
Cop 5 is under closed door hearings as of now.
Cop 6 in 2003-04 was sleeping with a 17 year old police explorer in his cruiser and passing oxycoting scripts - terminated do not know criminal results but other towns had warrents for him
Police Commissioner receiving 84,000 a year part disability pay (uproar on that)

Town Building Inspector terminated for being unlicensed so was another town employee
Employee caught with hand in till, terminated and receiving pension

Athletic Director does not get approval to purchase equipment the Super of Schools suspends him; uproar. The Superindent, in my opinion was great, leaves we have a new one now

Students on steriods and alcohol at school get suspended. Parents in uproar that it will ruin their chances for their 1st choice college and fight suspensions.

All was in Shore Times and I can see why some have an axe to grind.

[KJ369]

PLD00:

I grew up in Madison and moved to Guilford when I was in HS. Granted this was 20 years ago, but I can tell you that Guilford was A LOT more down to earth than Madison.

Madison does have better beaches...I'll give that to them (Guilford's shoreline is mostly private). Guilford's town green is beautiful. Very "New England"...straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Schools are the same...both are great.

Knowing what I know about Montclair (very diverse, etc.) and based on my own personal experience, I would choose Guilford over Madison in a heart beat.

[PLD00]

Thanks so much to everyone for their feedback. The information has been very helpful to us. We appreciate the local paper helping us out with even more feedback! We will be heading up to take a look around very soon. Will post and let you know how we do.

[shorelinect]

Originally Posted by KJ369

PLD00:

I grew up in Madison and moved to Guilford when I was in HS. Granted this was 20 years ago, but I can tell you that Guilford was A LOT more down to earth than Madison.

Madison does have better beaches...I'll give that to them (Guilford's shoreline is mostly private). Guilford's town green is beautiful. Very "New England"...straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Schools are the same...both are great.

Knowing what I know about Montclair (very diverse, etc.) and based on my own personal experience, I would choose Guilford over Madison in a heart beat.

Agree, my wife lured me here. I wanted Guilford. You also have a tax base. We did not approve a mini golf course at the driving range because it would bring in undisirables! Such arrogance.

[PLD00]

We finally made it to the area about 2 weeks ago. Both towns are really pretty - even if it was freezing! The people were very friendly. At one point we were crossing the street with the kids - and someone was backing up in their car and didn't see us. When they finally did - the driver got out of her car and personally apologized to us. I asked my husband if he had paid her to do that to show how much nicer people are in the New England area as he has been telling me (this would have never happened in NJ!)

We met some students at a coffee shop in Madison who gave us directions and enthusiatically told us how great it was to grow up in Madison.

One weird thing happened. We visited the Guilford community center - and my husband went in and asked what kind of programs they had for kids - like basketball, etc.. The man at the counter said it was not that kind of community center - but that they were building a Y in Branford. Then we looked at the brochure we happened to pick up and saw there were tons of kids programs. Maybe this was the same person who recommended in a recent post to move to Madison instead of Guilford - because he was sick of all the yuppies moving to Guilford? Or perhaps, just a misunderstanding.

Anyway - we loved the town green in Guilford, and the beaches in Madison. Did not get to see the beach in Guilford. Checked out the Madison tennis club (we are big tennis people) which was very nice.

I think my husband is leaning toward Guilford - loves the town green and artsy culture (we have a graphic design business) - and that its supposedly a little more down to earth (yes?) and slightly more affordable. The schools seem very similar to each other in terms of scores. Can you go to the Madison beaches if you live in Guilford? But ultimatley we will have to return in the Spring to experience more and look at some houses.

Both seem like very nice places to live.

[activemom]

Glad you liked it! You can go to other town beaches except for during the summer time when each town charges to get into the beach. (This is a bizarre concept to me...I've lived in WA, NC, GA, SC, VA and have NEVER had to pay to go to a beach!) Every town sells beach passes for residents and the price is different for each town. I have been to the Madison beach in May and then again in Sept (before and after school is in session and they only check for passes in the summer.) My favorite beach is Hammonasset State park which requires a summer park pass and also to Chatfield Hollow park (a great swim beach on a small pond/lake perfect for toddlers!)

Look up Guilford Parks and Rec online...they have tons of children's programs.

[kristin1]

Bumping with a few more questions....

I have found few homes online that I would like to see - however, I noticed they are on a street that has a registered sex offender. All the Ct listing says is "federal conviction". It's a "green offense" on the familywatchdog.com website, which I think means it is not a crime against children. I called the Madison police Department tonight- the officer I spoke to said they don't have anymore info on the sex offender in question than I would have access to on my computer. Since there are only 3 in the town, I'd like to think the police would know a little more - maybe they are not legally allowed to divulge this info? Can someone pm me if they have any info on how I can find out more?

Also, how big of a deal is it to live north of the circle in either Guilford or Madison. A few people we've spoken to have told us that it's very undesirable to live "all the way up there". But since we took a bath on our current home, there is not much we can afford closer to 95. We'd really like to have some useable yard.

If anyone has a home they are looking to sell in the area, please PM me as well!

Thanks,
Kristin

[JayCT]

Kristen1 - I have never heard of it being "undesireable" to live in northern Guilford or Madison. In fact, I find it nicer there. It certainly is a pretty area and the homes are very nice. The person you talked to that said that was obviously giving you their opinion. If you can deal with living a little further out than by all means go for it. JMHO Jay

[kristin1]

Thanks Jay! I really like some homes in North Madison - I can't imagine they'd be more than 20 minutes away from "everything". It seems like a great deal to me - more land, less expensive, and you can still get the benefits of being a Madison Resident (read Surf Club). It's not like we'd be able to afford anything within walking distance to the beach anyway.

My husband and I were discussing how everything close to the center of town has "sloping" yards. We have seen about a dozen properties, and not one had much usable yard.

Jay - tried to give you rep points, but apparently I need to spread the love around before I can do that.