Santorum Remains on the Ballot for April 24th Republican Presidential Preference Primary

Denise Merrill

Secretary of the State

Connecticut

- Press Release -

Merrill: Despite Exit from the Race, Santorum Remains on the Ballot for April 24^th Republican Presidential Preference Primary

Secretary of the State Reminds Republicans and Unaffiliated Voters that Deadlines to Register to Vote for Presidential Primary are Approaching Soon

Hartford:  Secretary of the State Denise Merrill today informed Connecticut Republican and unaffiliated voters that despite the suspension of his campaign, Republican Rick Santorum will remain on the ballot for the Republican Presidential Preference Primary to take place in Connecticut on Tuesday April 24, 2012 (Santorum can also still receive votes).  Since the deadline to withdraw from the race was March 19^th, ballots for the primary have already been printed for every town and there is no legal way to remove any one of the four candidates previously selected for the ballot by Secretary Merrill.  Secretary Merrill is also reminding Republican and unaffiliated voters that the deadlines to register to vote in time for the presidential preference primary are fast approaching, starting with next Thursday April 18, 2012, the deadline to register to vote for the primary by mail.  The final, in-person deadline to register to vote for the presidential preference primary is Monday April 23^rd at 12:00 p.m. noon at town or city hall. 

“We are closing in on the day Republicans in Connecticut get to decide who they want to be their presidential candidate,” said Secretary Merrill, Connecticut’s chief elections official.  “Republican voters will be going to the polls in a regional primary on April 24^th, along with voters in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island.  Unaffiliated voters can also participate in this primary if enroll with the Republican party by April 23^rd at noon.”

Polls will be open on April 24, 2012 from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for registered Republicans in Connecticut for the Presidential Preference Primary.  Voters can go online at www.sots.ct.gov to download voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, and find out where their polling place is located.  The four candidates to appear on the Republican Presidential Preference Primary ballot are: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum.

Av Harris
Director of Communications
Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill
(860) 509-6255 ofc
(860) 463-5939 cell
av.harris@ct.gov
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Wallingford Councilors start getting through to mayor on Web’s benefits

As published in the Record Journal on Thursday March 15, 2012

By Dan Ivers
Record-Journal staff
divers@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2275

WALLINGFORD - An influx of technologically-savvy town councilors may be pushing the town closer to embracing the Internet and other advancements.

Last week, Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. broke from his usual stance on technology when he allowed the town’s current operating budget to be posted on its website. The move came after public pressure from councilors, including Republican Craig Fishbein, who has advocated for greater transparency in the budget and tax collection processes.

At a Town Council meeting on Tuesday, Fishbein and a bipartisan group of councilors continued the push by asking Dickinson to make his upcoming budget proposal available online after it is released April 1. Dickinson resisted, but promised to weigh the benefits of the posting against the lost time it might create for town employees.

Technology Director Donald Rowe, summoned by the council to explain what posting the budget might require, said it would take about 10 minutes uploading an existing electronic copy.

The embrace of technology, or lack thereof, has long been an issue in town. Dickinson, a Republican in the midst of his 15th term, prefers to keep access to technology at a minimum in Town Hall, where internet access is available in offices only if required by state or federal law.

Dickinson could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but admitted at Tuesday’s meeting that he is in the minority on the issue.

“It’s got to meet a useful process. It’s got to meet a useful endeavor for the people,” he said. “I obviously do not march to the step of perhaps the rest of the world on this issue ... We don’t jump just because someone else does it. We take our time and think it through.”

Historically, his position has been divisive in town and on the council, but many current officials agree that support for advancements may be at an all time high, partially due to a group of councilors that openly questions the mayor’s resistance.

Democrat John Sullivan, who joined the council in 2009, said he believes the change is partially due to the addition of Fishbein and other Republicans, who may be more willing to challenge Dickinson than some of their fellow party members.

“I think we’re witnessing a real change in the so-called Republican paradigm,” he said. “We just have some people who are now used to working with technology either at home or through their jobs.”

The current group of Republicans also includes newly elected Thomas Laffin, who is the youngest member of the council at 32 and described himself as in favor of incorporating more technology into the town’s operations. He and Democrat Jason Zandri, a 42year-old information technology worker, replaced veteran councilors Vincent Testa and Jerry Farrell Jr. last year.

“I think there’s a way to advance everything,” said Laffin. “But it’s not going to ever happen at a council meeting. That (discussion) was a waste of time. It has to be done through education of the administration.”

While many councilors agreed that the town should go further with its use of the internet, they praised Dickinson for his willingness to post the operating budget to the town website. While councilors can look to pressure him, the decision is ultimately his, and some believe his cautious approach will be an asset moving forward.

“He’s the mayor, and the town is in great shape,” said Laffin.

Sullivan also praised Dickinson for his relatively favorable response to the latest calls for a change in philosophy.

“We’ve moved the rock up the hill farther than we’ve ever moved it before at this point. At some point we’ve got to be satisfied with the direction we’re moving in,” he said.

Republican John Le-Tourneau said he did not believe that more support for advancements among Republicans would have any major influence over Dickinson’s approach.

“I see this as a bipartisan effort to do what we can to get the information out to the public,” he said. “It really is not politically driven.”

“We’ve moved the rock up the hill farther than we’ve ever moved it before at this point.”
—Town Councilor John Sullivan

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Sullivan

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Fishbein

AGENDA - TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING: TUESDAY APRIL 10, 2012

Town Council Chambers

TUESDAY

APRIL 10, 2012

6:30 P.M

AGENDA

Prayer by the Reverend Dee Ann Dodd, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

1. Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

2. Correspondence

3. Consent Agenda

3a. Consider and Approve Tax Refunds (#553 - #562) totaling $3,252.43 Acct. # 001-1000-010-1170 - Tax Collector

3b. Set a Public Hearing for April 24, 2012 at 7:00 P.M. for a 2012 Small Cities Community Block Grant – Grants Administrator

3c. Set a Public Hearing for April 24, 2012 at 7:15 P.M. to act on the repeal and replacement of  Chapter 122, Food Service Establishments, of the Code of the Town of Wallingford - Ordinance Committee Co-Chairmen

3d. Set a Public Hearing for April 24, 2012 at 7:30 P.M. to act the Repeal of Article I. “Drains” of Chapter 177, “Sewers” of the Code of the Town of Wallingford and to act on the adoption of an Ordinance concerning Sources of Inflow and Infiltration into the Sanitary Sewer System - Ordinance Committee Co-Chairmen

3e. Set a Public Hearing for April 24, 2012 at 7:45 P.M. to amend Chapter 43, Purchasing, of the Code of the Town of Wallingford by adding Section H(2)(j) to the Ordinance to address restrictions on employees contracting with the town to provide services - Ordinance Committee Co-Chairmen

3f. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the Amount of $4,725 to Miscellaneous General Expense Acct # 46100930 from Maintenance of Transmission and Collection Mains Acct # 46100673 – Sewer Division

3g. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $2,000 to Revenue- Recovery of Legal Fees – Miscellaneous Acct # 1009052-46300 and to Professional Services-Specialists–Corporation Counsel

3h. Approve Reappointments of John Smith as a Regular Member and Reverend Karen Cook as an Alternate Member to the Board of Ethics for three-year terms, effective immediately, expiring March 1, 2015 - Mayor

3i. Consider and Approve the Appointment of Robert Avery to the Board of Assessment Appeals, effective immediately, for a Term Expiring January 2015 – Robert F. Parisi, Chairman

3j. Consider and Approve the Appointment of Jeffrey Kohan to the Zoning Board of Appeals, effective immediately, for a Term Expiring January 8, 2015 – Robert F. Parisi, Chairman

3k. Consider and Approve the Reappointments of Joseph DaCunto, William Nolan and Timothy Wall as Constables for two-year terms Expiring January 8, 2014 – Robert F. Parisi, Chairman

3l. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the Amount of $1,395 to Promotional Expenses Acct # 10011050-55405from Office Expenses & Supplies Acct # 10011050-56100 - Economic Development Commission

3m. Consider and Approve minutes of Regular Town Council Meeting of February 28, 2012, 2012

4. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

5. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER

6. Discussion and Possible Action to establish and adopt a formal process for the selection of a vendor for the Wallingford Fireworks Celebration - Councilor Jason Zandri

7. Consider and Approve a Bid Waiver in the Amount of $12,000 for Preservation Grant with Adkins Printing – Town clerk

8. Executive Session pursuant to §1-200 (6)(D) of the Connecticut General Statutes with respect to the purchase, sale and/or leasing of property – Mayor

9. Executive Session pursuant to the Connecticut General Statutes §1-225 (f) and §1-200 (6)(B) to discuss the following cases:

1. Jacobowicz v. Scrubbin Bubbles, LLC, et al

2. Bear Industries, LLC v. Town of Wallingford

3. Saldamarco v. Town of Wallingford

10. Possible Action on Jacobowicz v. Scrubbin Bubbles, LLC, et al

11. Possible Action on Bear Industries, LLC v. Town of Wallingford

12. Possible Action on Saldamarco v. Town of Wallingford