Latest news with #JeffSchmidt
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Springwater Township navigates resignation of another CAO
For the second time in recent months, the Township of Springwater is searching for a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), following the departure of interim CAO Doug Herron. In a statement to CTV News Wednesday afternoon, township officials confirmed Herron had left the role 'to pursue other interests.' The Township said the recruitment process for a permanent CAO remains a top priority. 'Our ongoing search for a permanent Chief Administrative Officer reflects our commitment to strategic growth and effective service delivery to our community,' noted Renee Ainsworth with the Township. Related Articles >>Springwater CAO steps down, heads to Barrie amid boundary dispute talks>>Springwater outlines interim plan to fill role of CAO>>Springwater Township to consider opposition to strong mayor powers Doug Herron Doug Herron is the interim CAO of the Township of Springwater (Courtesy: Township of Springwater). Herron had been appointed to the interim role in January, following the sudden resignation of former CAO Jeff Schmidt in December. Schmidt's exit came during a sensitive period as Springwater prepared for potential boundary negotiations with the City of Barrie. Schmidt accepted a position as Barrie's general manager of community and corporate services. In the weeks that followed, council brought in Herron on as interim CAO, along with Greg Bedard as interim deputy CAO. Herron brought more than two decades of experience to the role, primarily from his time with the Town of Wasaga Beach. Now, Herron's departure marks another chapter in what has become a revolving door at Springwater's top administrative position. 'While transitions can present challenges, they are essential for achieving our long-term objectives and fulfilling our commitment to the residents of Springwater,' the Township's statement continued. No further details were provided about the reasons for Herron's resignation.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Family-owned CT hardware store for sale after 100 years. ‘It's home,' longtime customers say
Schmidt's & Serafine's Inc. True Value has roots in Waterbury going back 100 years. Now, the long-time family business is up for sale. Company president and co-owner Jeff Schmidt, 71, has worked at the hardware store for more than 50 years and has been part of the ownership for two decades. He is one of five co-owners who have decided to put the business up for sale. 'The decision is tough because it's a family business and we have no next generation that wants to be involved for various reasons,' Schmidt said. 'It's very tough. It's been 100 years for us and we've been at this location since 1958. The history is huge, and it's been a hard decision.' Jeff Schmidt's great-grandfather, Charles H. Schmidt, opened up a hardware store in 1925 at 825 North Main St. in Waterbury with his sons Ellsworth Schmidt and Charles Schmidt Jr., Jeff's father. The business was open for about 10 years before closing during The Great Depression. Charles Schmidt Jr. reopened a hardware store in Old North Square in Waterbury and, in the 1950s, opened a second location in the Waterville section of the city. At that time, the Serafine family operated a hardware store in Waterbury. The three stores combined at the current 464 Chase Ave. location and called it Schmidt's & Serafine's. 'We grew up in the neighborhood in Waterbury, in the Bucks Hill neighborhood, where there were seven houses in a row and were all related. Most of us worked at the store,' said Jeff Schmidt, who started working at the store in the early 1970s. 'My grandfather would take the van, and everyone would come down in one vehicle and when we closed, we would all go home in the van together. We worked from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. then. It was always a tight family thing.' Jeff Schmidt took over the business after his father Charles died nine years ago. There is still a family feel to the business. He works with his cousin, Lee Schmidt, who works in the power equipment and repair department. Jeff's sister Beverly still works part-time at the store. 'I'm 71 and I would like to spend a little time off playing golf once a week instead of three times a year,' said Jeff Schmidt, who lives in Plymouth. 'The retail business is difficult, and you need youth to drive it. … Someone could make a good living here with a little youth.' Jeff Schmidt has two sons. Ian is a physician's assistant in New Jersey and Jeffrey is the owner of Waterbury restaurant Hindsight BBQ on Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury. One of Lee's children is a teacher in Waterbury and the other works for Eversource. Jeff Schmidt said the 7,920-square-foot property is for sale and the goal is for it to remain a hardware store, thinking about his 24 employees, 16 of which are full-time. 'There's a lot of family tradition and most of the employees will tell you they become part of the family and that's why I'm trying to watch out for them too,' Jeff Schmidt said. Lee Schmidt admitted that being in a family business can be challenging at times. 'There are so many different opinions and views, but it worked out with my father and my brother, Beverly and my uncle Charlie. As kids, we worked at the business and that kind of thing is gone now. We don't have the next generation that wants to do that. It's not for everybody. It was a whole different mentality back in the day,' Lee Schmidt said. Jeff Schmidt said the business has also been hurt by the raise in minimum wage. He used to hire four or five high school students but only has one. 'We are a typical hardware store with a lawn and garden section with power equipment,' Schmidt said. 'We tend to know our customers by name, and many of them have been with us a long time.' Lee Schmidt said it's just time to sell. 'I'm just getting tired, and we've been doing this for so many years,' Lee Schmidt said. 'The family environment is what has set us apart. 'We try to treat everyone the way we would like to be treated. We try to do that the best we can even when we can't please everyone.' According to Schmidt said Schmidt's & Serafine's is the last remaining family-owned hardware store in the city. Schmidt said the industry has changed a lot over the years with large box stores, tractor supplies and the biggest of them all, Amazon, for online shopping. 'It's the personal touch that keeps me coming back all of these years,' said Thomas Desantis, a lifelong customer of the hardware store. Desantis, 75, started visiting the store with his parents in the 1950s. He lives down the street and has purchased power equipment, tractors, chainsaws, leaf blowers among other items throughout the years. 'It's a niche. It's home,' Desantis said. 'Every year when I come down to buy a Christmas tree, you are welcome. It's kind of like going to your favorite restaurant and everybody knows you. That's how it is here. … They load up my car for me. That's the difference between a place like this and Home Depot and Lowe's.' Joe Stofko, of Waterbury, has been shopping at the store since 1968. 'The people here keep me coming back. They have always been really well stocked in just about everything,' Stofko said. 'I have bought everything here from screws to barbecues. … It's convenient, prices are competitive with anyone else and they've always treated me right here.' Dwayne Preston of Waterbury, a 27-year employee at Schmidt's & Serafine's, said customer service is what keeps customers coming back. 'When they come in, we take care of them. That's why we have a lot of faithful old-timers that are still coming in,' Preston said. John Giudice, also of Waterbury, is a 40-year employee who proudly remembers his first day when he started at the job on July 9, 1984. 'It's personal. When a customer walks in you actually wait on them,' Giudice said. 'You don't go down five aisles and not talk to them. We practically take them down the aisle and right to the product. 'The job is convenient because I'm only five minutes from home,' he added. 'I've learned a lot being here. Anything you want to know about fertilizer I can tell you everything you need to know. If you have any questions about plants, I can help. I'm pretty knowledgeable and if you stick with something you learn it. That's why I'm still here.' Schmidt's & Serafine's Inc. True Value is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
