WALLINGFORD LEGAL NOTICE - CAUCUS TO ENDORSE CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE OF WALLINGFORD

TO: ENROLLED MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF THE TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT 

Pursuant to the rules of the Democratic Party and the state election laws, you are hereby notified that District [caucuses] will be held on January 11th at 7 P.M. at Dag Hammarskjold Middle School, 106 Pond Hill Road, Wallingford [Voting Districts 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 9] and at James Moran Middle School, 14 Hope Hill Road, Wallingford [Voting Districts 5 – 6 – 7 – 8] to endorse candidates for election to the Democratic Town Committee and to transact such other business as may be proper to come before said caucus.

“Any resident of [this] Voting District whose name appears on the last completed Democratic enrollment list may have his or her name placed on the ballot at [this] caucus by filing with the Democratic Registrar of Voters not less than five [5] days prior to the caucus a signed statement that he or she desires to have his or her name to appear on the ballot. Any such resident may also have his or her name placed in nomination from the floor at the caucus itself.”

SECTION 3 CALCULATION OF TOWN COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP; EACH VOTING DISTRICT SHALL HAVE ONE [1] MEMBER FOR EVERY SEVENTYFIVE [75] REGISTERED DEMOCRATS RESIDING IN THE DISTRICT AS OF THE LAST PRINTED LIST IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER PRIOR TO THE TOWN COMMITTEE CAUCUS FOR THE ELECTION OF NEW TOWN COMMITTEE. IF THE BALANCE OF REGISTERED IN THE DISTRICT IS THIRTY- EIGHT [38] OR MORE, SAID DISTRICT WILL BE ENTITLED TO AN ADDITIONAL MEMBER.

DATED AT WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, THE 28TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2011.

Democratic Town Committee of Wallingford By Vincent A. Avallone, Chairperson 1 Ashford Court, Wallingford, CT 06492

Lyman Hall and Sheehan bands still in running for Pepsi grant

As published in the Record Journal, Tuesday December 27, 2011

By Melissa Chicker
Record-Journal staff

WALLINGFORD — The marching bands at Sheehan and Lyman Hall high schools have teamed together to encourage the community to vote in a contest that could result in a $50,000 grant for new uniforms.

“Combining our efforts gets more people of the community involved,” Sheehan band director David Giardina said. “We thought if we combine the two schools in this competition, we will get a lot more votes and give us a better chance to win the grant.”

The schools are competing as one against 322 other groups around the country in a contest sponsored by the Pepsi Refresh Project, which gives away millions of dollars each month. The top 10 groups in the competition that ends on Saturday will receive $50,000.

“Grants are for wide-reaching ideas and with groups and organizations putting in significant time and effort,” officials said on the Pepsi Refresh Project website.

The grant would go toward about 125 uniforms for each of the two marching bands. Each new uniform costs at least $500, setting a steep total price of up to $140,000.

Uniforms, said Giardina, typically last 10 to 13 years. Sheehan’s uniforms are between 15 and 17 years old.

The Sheehan and Lyman Hall bands were in second place Monday — they have been among the top five the entire time, including some time at No. 1. Giardina believes the effort to get out the word is the key.

“We spread the word through our band parents’ organization and throughout the schools,” he said. “Word has spread quickly and I think this is why we have been so successful so far.” The competition began Dec. 1, and both band groups have been working since the start to urge people to log onto the site and cast their vote. Supporters have passed out fliers at Stop & Shop on weekends, created a Facebook page and sent emails to family and friends.

“The schools have always been rivals, and while it’s good to have a rivalry, this is a great way to foster the community spirit and work together for a common goal,” said Heidi Belcourt, co-president of the Sheehan Music Parents Association.

Voters can vote up to three times per day until Saturday.

2010 Dickinson dinner would have been illegal

State agency issues ruling on canceled event

As published in the Record Journal, Monday December 19, 2011

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD — The State Elections Enforcement Commission has ruled that a $40-per-ticket dinner planned for February 2010 in honor of Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. would have been a violation of state election laws, but because the event was ultimately canceled, no action will be taken.

In a decision dated Dec. 14, commission Chairman Stephen F. Cashman wrote that “as planned, the event, had it occurred, would have violated General Statute 9-609(b) as a ‘testimonial event.’ ” Because the event was ultimately postponed indefinitely, the commission ruled that no laws had been violated.

According to state statute: “No testimonial affair shall be held for a candidate, or for an individual who holds any such office during the term of such office, except to raise funds on his behalf for purposes authorized in this chapter. A testimonial affair which is held by an organization duly organized for charitable purposes shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.”

The issue was brought to the SEEC by Democratic Town Committee Chairman Vincent Avallone, who said Tuesday, “The Republican Party should be grateful to me for filing the complaint because they would have been guilty of breaking the law if they held the party.” Avallone said that, before he filed the complaint, he sent a copy of the statute to Republican Town Committee Chairman Robert Prentice as a courtesy.

Prentice could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Dickinson said Tuesday he was aware of the decision, and that while he understood the rationale for the state’s wanting to keep track of money raised, he questioned its ability to say who can and cannot hold a social function.

“To say people can’t plan an event, there are bigger issues there,” he said. “You can tell people what they need to do with the money, but to tell them an event can’t be held seems to be overreaching.”

The statute was amended in the past legislative session to allow testimonials to raise money for “party committees” as of January 2012, but Cashman wrote, “The event planned for February of 2010, however, preceded this change in the law, so the law as previously written would apply to the testimonial that was the subject of this complaint.”

The event was scheduled to be held at Villa Capri on North Colony Road and was to include a buffet dinner , music by the Johnny Bass Band, speeches and dancing.

Republican organizers of the event said the money was to go the Wallingford Center for the Arts. Mary Ellen Kingsland-Eckels, director of the Wallingford Center for the Arts, has said that organizers of the event had contacted the organization about receiving profits from the dinner, but that the organization was still in the process of obtaining nonprofit status and would not have been eligible to receive the funds.

Republican Councilor Rosemary Rascati, who helped organize the aborted event, said she wasn’t aware of the recent SEEC ruling, but said the event had been canceled because organizers hadn’t gotten a clear answer as to its legality.

“We made the decision since we did not get an answer,” she said. “We thought it was best to cancel the party and return the money.”

Rascati said they had offers from other charitable organizations to participate in the event, “but we thought the best thing was to cancel it.”

Avallone said Tuesday that his decision to file a complaint was based on his belief that the mayor and his supporters should abide by the law as written.

“The purpose of the complaint was to emphasize the fact that no one is above the law, not even a sitting mayor in office for 28 years,” he said.

The complaint was originally filed Jan. 26, 2010, and Avallone said that he didn’t receive the ruling until Monday.

Rascati said there are no plans for any other events to honor Dickinson while he remains in office. “If and when [the mayor] retires, and we’re still around, we’ll have a party,” she said.

Special Town Council Meeting - Swearing In Ceremony

Special Town Council Meeting
Swearing In Ceremony
Monday, January 2. 2012  8:00 P.M.

AGENDA

1. Color Guards:
American Legion Shaw-Sinon Post #73
American Legion Siedlicki Post #187
VFW Major Raoul Lufbery #591
YEW Stanley Budleski Post #9965
AMVETS Post #83
Wallingford Elks Lodge #1365
Knights of Columbus
Edison Division Sea Cadet Corps
Dean DellaVecchio and the Lyman Hall High School Jazz Ensemble
Posting Colors — Past Commander Roy Cannon, American Legion Shaw-Sinon Post #73

2. Invocation — Reverend Anne Bracket, Yalesville United Methodist Church

3. Pledge of Allegiance — Lorraine Devaney, Public Celebrations Committee National Anthem - Dean DellaVecchio and the Lyman Hall High School Jazz Ensemble

4. Swearing in of Mayor William W. Dickinson, Jr. by Judge of Probate Phillip A. Wright, Jr.

5. Remarks by Mayor William W. Dickinson, Jr.

6. Swearing in of the Town Council by Judge Wright
Vincent Cervoni
Robert F. Parisi
Nick Economopoulis
Rosemary Rascati
Craig C. Fishbein
John J. Sullivan
Thomas Laffin
Jason Zandri
John LeTourneau

7. Roll Call Mayor William W. Dickinson, Jr.

8. Mayor Dickinson Presiding at Election of Town Council Chairman

9. Remarks by Town Council Chairman

10. Election of Town Council Vice-Chairman

11. Swearing in of the Board of Education by Judge Wright
Michael Brooder
Roxane M. McKay
Kathy Castelli
Chet Miller
John J. Cei, Jr.
Patrick Reynolds
Christine Mansfield
Michael J. Votto
Joseph Marrone

12. Appointment of Town Clerk and Swearing in by Judge Wright

13. Benediction - Reverend Anne Bracket, Yalesville United Methodist Church

14, Prepare to Retire Colors — Past Commander Roy Cannon, American Legion Post #73

15. God Bless America by Junior Vice Commander James Dunn, American Legion Shaw-Sinon Post #73