AGENDA - WALLINGFORD TOWN COUNCIL

TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
Town Council Chambers

February 22, 2011

6:30 P.M

AGENDA

1. Opening Prayer – The Reverend Dean Warburton, First Congregational Church

2. Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

3. Consent Agenda

3a. Consider and Approve Tax Refunds (#551 - #576) totaling $23,772.51
Acct. # 001-1000-010-1170 - Tax Collector

3b. Consider and Approve Request for use of Parade Grounds by Yalesville/Wallingford Lions Club Inc. on Saturday, September 10, 2011 from approximately 9:00 A.M. to Noon – Mayor

3c. Acceptance of Donation and Appropriation in the Amount of $259 to Youth
and Social Services Special Fund Donations Acct # 213-1042-070-7010 and to Expenditures Acct # 213-3070-600-6000 – Youth and Social Services

3d. Acceptance of Federal/State Highway Safety Grant and Appropriation in the Amount of $2,122 to Revenue Highway Safety Acct # 001-1050-050-5883 and to Police Overtime Acct # 001-2005-101-1400 – Police Chief

3e. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $1,450 to Self-Insurance Claims Acct # 001-1603-800-8280 from Contingency #001-7060-800-3190 – Town Attorney

3f. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $10,000 to Purchased Professional Services-Negotiations Acct # 001-1300-9002-00 from Contingency-General Acct # 001-7060-800-3190-00 – Mayor

3g. Budget Amendment in the Amount of $3,000 to Maintenance Structures & Improvements Acct # 431-8640-651 from Transportation Equipment Acct# 433-9012-392 – Water Division

3h. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the Amount of $40,000 to Injuries and Damages Acct # 431-8920-925 from Employee Pension & Benefits Acct # 431-8920-926 -Water Division

3i. Consider and Approve job description revision for position of Stock Supervisor-Electric Division/Personnel

3j. Approve with regret the resignation of Tom Vitali from the Vo-Ag Building Committee effective immediately – Chairman Robert F. Parisi

3k. Approve with regret the resignation of Fred Monahan as a Commissioner of the Wallingford Housing Authority effective immediately – Chairman Robert F. Parisi

3l. Approve minutes of Regular Town Council meeting of February 8, 2011

4. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

5. Executive Session pursuant to §1-200 (6) (D) of the Connecticut General Statutes with regard to strategy and negotiations with respect to Collective Bargaining – Board of Education

6. Discussion and Possible Action regarding UPSEU, Local 424, Unit 18B, Computer Techs Union, effective July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2013– Board of Education

7. Discussion and Possible Action regarding UPSEU, Local 424, Unit 31, Clerical Union, effective October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2013– Board of Education

8. Discussion and Possible Action regarding UPSEU, Local 424, Unit 18, Management Union, effective July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2013– Board of Education

9. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER

10. Discussion and possible action on soliciting audit(s) and recommendation(s) relative to municipal telephone services – Councilor Craig C. Fishbein

11. Discussion and possible action on making the tax assessor's field cards available online – Councilor Craig C. Fishbein

12. 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

13. Executive Session pursuant to §1-200 (6) (B) of the Connecticut General Statutes pending litigation, Nucor v. Town of Wallingford – Director Public Utilities

14. Consider and Approve a Budget Amendment in the Amount of $60,000 to Outside Services Acct # 923 from Retained Earnings as discussed in Executive Session - Director Public Utilities

15. Discussion and action regarding selection of firm to conduct the Town’s audit - Comptroller

GOVERNOR MALLOY TO HOLD SERIES OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS ACROSS CONNECTICUT

(HARTFORD, CT) – Over the next seven weeks, Governor Dannel P. Malloy will hold a series of 17 town hall-style meetings across the state. These meetings will allow the Governor to discuss the state’s pressing economic and budgetary issues face-to-face with state residents, while listening to their own thoughts and suggestions, as well.

Beginning February 21 in Bridgeport and culminating in Danbury on April 6, Governor Malloy’s town hall series will reach all sections of the state, will be open to the public, and will provide residents with the ability to meet with the Governor in a way that will be unprecedented in recent state history.

“It really is my preference to be out there, talking with people in the flesh, hearing their thoughts and communicating in a civil manner that will bring out the best and most productive changes benefitting the State of Connecticut,” Governor Malloy said. “It’s important that we have a chance to talk about some of the changes I’m proposing to help create new jobs and get our state’s fiscal house in order, and I want to hear what people think.”

The Governor held similarly styled constituent meetings during his time as mayor of the City of Stamford and he said he would like to continue meeting with residents in a similar fashion. He is scheduled to deliver his proposed budget to a joint session of the Connecticut General Assembly on Wednesday.

Governor Malloy’s town hall meeting schedule is as follows:


BRIDGEPORT
February 21, 7-8 PM
City Hall Annex Auditorium
999 Broad Street

TORRINGTON
February 24, 7-8 PM
City Hall Auditorium
140 Main Street

NEW LONDON
March 2, 7-8 PM
Jennings Elementary School
50 Mercer Street

WATERBURY
March 8, 7-8 PM
Veteran’s Memorial Hall
235 Grand Street

NORWICH
March 9, 7-8 PM
City Hall, 3rd Floor
100 Broadway

BRISTOL
March 14, 7-8 PM
City Council Chambers
111 North Main Street

MERIDEN
March 15
Time & Location TBD

MIDDLETOWN
March 16, 7-8 PM
Common Council Room
245 DeKoven Drive

HARTFORD
March 21
Time & Location TBD

STAMFORD
March 22, 7-8 PM
Government Center
4th Floor Cafeteria
888 Washington Boulevard

NEW HAVEN
March 23, 7-8 PM
Aldermanic Chambers
165 Church Street

GREENWICH
March 28, 7-8 PM
Town Hall Meeting Room
299 Greenwich Avenue

MANCHESTER
March 29, 7-8 PM
Lincoln Center Hearing Room
494 Main Street

WINDHAM
March 30, 7-8 PM
Town Hall Auditorium
979 Main Street

NORWALK
April 4
Time & Location TBD

NEW BRITAIN
April 5
Time & Location TBD

DANBURY
April 6
Time & Location TBD

###

For Immediate Release: February 15, 2011
Contact: David Bednarz
David.Bednarz@ct.gov
860-524-7315 (office)
860-770-9792 (cell)

Twitter: @GovMalloyOffice
Facebook: Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy

WALLINGFORD - Parking Ban in Effect UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

As originally posted on the Town of Wallingford Website:

Under the Municipal Parking Ordinance, the Chief of Police is authorized to declare a parking ban to facilitate the removal of snow and maintain the safe flow of traffic on town streets.

Due to excessive snow and the need to widen Town roads, the PARKING BAN WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT INDEFINITELY.

It is important to note that the parking ban will remain in effect until it is publicly lifted and NOT when the snow is removed from any particular street location.

IMPORTANT:   Vehicles found to be in violation of the parking ban will be ticketed and towed.

---

The Citizen Mike Show – A discussion with Democrat Town Councilor, Vincent Testa

The Citizen Mike Show is on each night at 9PM except Sundays on Comcast channel 18 and on U-Verse channel 99.

The February 3rd episode, featuring his discussion with Democrat Town Councilor Vincent Testa, is now available on demand. I have it cross posted here and it is available on the WPAA VideoAlive page.

The episode presents Vincent Testa, Democrat Town Councilor and the topics discussed were Wallingford's Grand List and its decline this year for the first time in over 25 years, the mill rate and taxes here in Wallingford. Also discussed was the recent revaluation and the proposed Board of Education budget among other topics such as planning and zoning and ordinances.

It is a MUST watch for anyone that would like more information on all of the details on these topics.

Again – I HIGHLY recommend the Citizen Mike Show as “must see TV.”

FROM WALLINGFORD - Grand List consequences

As published in the Record Journal, Sunday February 13, 2011

          by Jason Zandri      

Changes in area Grand Lists were recently outlined in a story in the Record Journal. Meriden showed slight growth in 2009 of 0.31 percent which was their best year since 2007. In Cheshire the increase was 0.52 percent. Southington finished up 1.17 percent.

A recent article in the New Haven Register outlined that even the City of New Haven showed a respectable 2.97 percent increase over 2009.
Things may not be back to 2007 levels but they are better than they were last year.

Here in Wallingford the Grand List went down 3.04 percent over 2009, the first decline in 25 years. (2008 to 2009 was effectively a wash at just a slight uptick.) Mayor Dickinson was quoted in the paper saying “This isn’t a rainy day — it’s a rainy decade.”

No it’s not.

2008 and the start of 2009 — sure, I can agree with that. It seemed as if the rain was never going to end. Times were the worst they have been since the Great Depression; “were” being the operative word.

Yes, unemployment is still sitting at 9 percent and that only counts the people collecting. The real number of unemployed / underemployed is 16 percent. These still are high rates but they are improved from the worst of it.

I am not suggesting that everyone go out and do the Snoopy dance. It is not going to be sunshine, rainbows, and dogs and cats living together in harmony forevermore. Certainly not right away.

Just like the winter we’re experiencing currently, it is still here and who knows how long the snow is going to stick around. Even after it’s gone there will be a ton to clean up. Repairs will continue into the summer.

Having said all that, the corner has been turned. To keep looking back is a waste of energy and shows a lack of proper direction. Also, continually having a downbeat outlook often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what is our plan? We have great schools, competitive taxes and the lowest electric rates in New England. It’s the same tune we’ve been singing for the past quarter century. So why are we experiencing additional contraction in our Grand List? Can’t the general public hear us singing our siren song anymore?

Take another look at the numbers above. Our downdraft in the Grand List is pretty significant especially when you consider it has occurred AFTER everyone else has clearly begun their respective, slight recoveries.

When you consider that and the fact that we have things to offer that other towns cannot you have to ask yourself “isn’t it time we took another look at our playbook”?

Wallingford does many smart things and they have worked well for years. I wouldn’t suggest changing anything that still works. There are clearly things that no longer work the way they used to and we do need to look at changing up our game.

We are competing with the likes of Cheshire, Meriden and North Haven for new residents and businesses and the tax dollars (and the tax costs) that come with them.

We need to be proactively going after them, courting them if you will.
We can’t rely on old standbys anymore of “our taxes are low and we have the best electric rates.”

Our taxes are lower but the disparity isn’t what it once was and the same is true of our electric rates; they are cheaper but not as much cheaper as they once were.

These things alone are clearly not enough to entice new families and businesses to make Wallingford their home.

If our town is to grow and prosper we must move forward proactively; we will not be able to continue to do it as we have in the past. The game has changed and if we are to keep playing we need to roll with the change and tackle it head on.

AGENDA – WALLINGFORD TOWN COUNCIL

TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Town Council Chambers

February 8, 2011

6:30 P.M

AGENDA

1. Opening Prayer – Deacon Eugene Riotte, Most Holy Trinity church

2. Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

3. Consent Agenda

3a. Consider and Approve Tax Refunds (#537 - #550) totaling $20,520.36 Acct. # 001-1000-010-1170 - Tax Collector

3b. Approval of Merit Increases for two employees - Personnel

3c. Consider and Approve a bid Waiver Request for Capital Region Education Council (CREC) Raising Reader’s Program in the Amount of $7,220 – Youth & Social Services

3d. Acceptance and Appropriation of Donation to Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Enhancement in the amount of $500 to Donations Acct # 302-1045-040-4052 and to Trail Enhancement Acct # 302-1403-816-3052 – Town Engineer

3e. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $45,000 to Materials & Supplies Acct # 001-5015-401-4100 from Contingency-General Purpose Acct # 001-7060-800-3190 – Public Works

3f. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $45,000 to Overtime Acct # 001-5015-101-1400 from Contingency-General Purpose Acct # 001-7060-800-3190 – Public Works

3g. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $10,000 to Purchase Professional Services-Tree Contract Acct # 001-5015-901-9023 from Contingency- General Purpose Acct # 001-7060-800-3190 – Public Works

3h. Approve minutes of Regular Town Council meeting of January 25, 2010

3i. Approve minutes of Regular Town Council meeting of January 11, 2010

3j. Approve minutes of Special Joint Town Council meeting with Planning & Zoning of December 20, 2010

3k. Approve minutes of Regular Town Council meeting of December 14, 2010

4. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

5. Request report from Public Works with regard to snow removal/snow plowing – Councilor LeTourneau

6. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER

7. Report regarding selection of a firm to conduct a municipal audit for FY 2011, 2012 and 2013 - Comptroller

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 to discuss pending litigation Lubee v.Town Council pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes §1-200 (6) (B)

10. Executive Session pursuant to §1-200 (6) (B) of the Connecticut General Statutes regarding strategy and negotiations with respect to the pending workers’ compensation matter of Delfino v. Town of Wallingford – Town Attorney

11. Motion to Consider and approve a settlement of the pending workers’ compensation matter of Delfino v. Town of Wallingford as discussed in Executive Session – Town Attorney

Parking bans in Meriden and Wallingford still in effect

This was posted online on the Record Journal website

Police in Meriden and Wallingford said early Monday parking bans in both municipalities are still in effect until further notice.

Public Works crews in both communities worked over the weekend to widen streets and clear snow in advance of a storm predicted to hit Tuesday into Wednesday.

Both municipalities have issued dozens of parking violation tickets as the snow began to pile up from several storms earlier in the month. Residents risk a ticket and having their vehicles towed at their own expense if they park on the street with the bans in place.

LARSON, CT & MA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION DISCUSS HIGH SPEED RAIL IN NORTHEAST

From a press release from U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01)

For Immediate Release: January 28, 2011
Contact:

For Larson/ Paul Mounds: 860-278-8888
For Shuster/ Jeff Urbanchuk: 202-225-2431
For DeLauro/Kaelan Richards: 202-225-3661
For Courtney/Josh Zembik: 202-225-2076
For Murphy/Kristen Bossi: 202 225-4476
For Olver/Elizabeth Murphy: 202-225-5335

LARSON, CT & MA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HOST HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ON RAIL ISSUES TO DISCUSS HIGH SPEED RAIL IN NORTHEAST

Hartford, CT- Continuing their commitment to have high speed rail in Connecticut and New England become a reality, U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, and members of the Connecticut and Massachusetts congressional delegations hosted a series of meetings today to discuss the issue with the chief House lawmaker in charge of national rail issues. Republican Congressman Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, visited Hartford to learn more about the ongoing efforts to have high speed rail service in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast region.

The meeting at Union Station included Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy, as well as presentations from Amtrak and state transportation officials from across New England. Yesterday, Congressman Shuster participated in a House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure field hearing at Grand Central Terminal in New York City on developing true high-speed passenger rail service in the Northeast.

“I am pleased to welcome Congressman Shuster to Connecticut to learn more about our goal to make this region a high-speed rail corridor. I firmly believe there is an important need for a targeted focus on high speed rail in the Northeast and New England corridors. We have made great strides in our goal of making the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line a reality, with critical investments from both the federal and state levels. Even with those investments, there is more progress to be made,” said Congressman Larson, who serves as Co-Chair of the House Northeast Rail Caucus. “President Obama echoed the importance of high speed rail in his State of the Union address, with a focus on decreasing travel time and congestion on our roads, and enhancing overall economic growth in our communities. This is an issue important to Democrats and Republicans alike, and it will take continual coordination and partnerships on local, state and federal levels by all to move this initiative forward. I am confident after today’s meetings that we will accomplish our goal.”

“As Chairman of the Railroads Subcommittee, I believe development in American high speed rail isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue; it’s a matter of securing America’s future prosperity,” said Congressman Bill Shuster (R-PA-09). “High speed rail is essential to our nation’s transportation future and our best hope for easing the pressure on our congested highways and airspace. The Northeast Corridor must be the focus our efforts, but we must also invest in connecting routes like the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line, which are critical to growing ridership and increasing connectivity to our passenger rail system.”

Congressman Shuster added, “I am pleased to have been able to join with my friend and colleague Congressman John Larson and members of the Connecticut and Massachusetts delegation today to discuss the promising future of high speed rail in Connecticut with Governor Malloy. I look forward to working with John as a leader in passenger rail in the House of Representatives.”

“The Northeast Corridor represents the best opportunity for true high-speed rail in our country, and the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line is a critical component of that corridor. Building this line will help to create jobs, dramatically reduce traffic, and expand opportunities for economic development,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03). “I believe these and other investments in critical infrastructure projects, including by leveraging private investment, will create good middle class jobs and restore our long-term prosperity.”
"Improving our local railways and transportation hubs is an important targeted investment and an engine of growth for our local economy," said Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02). "Especially in the crowded northeast corridor, reducing congestion and improving the long-term stability of our infrastructure are critical for business and commerce. These meetings and Congressman Shuster’s visit are important steps as we continue to work toward those goals.”
Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-05) said, “As long as people in Connecticut have no choice but to stay stuck in their cars, our economy and quality of life will continue to suffer. We’ve taken the first important steps toward an expanded and modernized rail network, but we need committed partners at both the state and federal level to make that vision a reality.”

“The Northeast is one of the most densely populated areas of the country and building a modern rail network is key to minimizing congestion and maintaining economic competitiveness,” Massachusetts Congressman John Olver, Co-Chair of the Northeast Rail Caucus, said. “Today’s meeting demonstrates our strong regional commitment to working together to support the expansion of passenger and freight opportunities.”

###

_________________________
Paul H. Mounds Jr.
Press Secretary
U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01)
221 Main Street, 2nd Floor
Hartford, CT 06106
Office (860) 278-8888
Fax (860) 278-2111
http://www.larson.house.gov/

Become a fan of Congressman Larson on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RepJohnLarson
Follow Congressman Larson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RepJohnLarson

Kick off of the Wallingford Fireworks Fund fundraising efforts

I wanted to drop this note to everyone to express my personal thanks for your support in 2010 and your generous donations towards the 2010 Wallingford fireworks show.

Those efforts last year have allowed us to fully organize into the Wallingford Fireworks Fund which is now a recognized 501 (C) (3) organization as designated by the IRS. Our Tax ID number is 27-2576599 (retroactive back to May 10, 2010).

As I am sure you're aware, the fireworks show is going to continue to go forward unfunded by the town of Wallingford. As such, we are again going to ramp up efforts to collect donations from residents and businesses for this year's event so that the show might continue to go on.

Our advertising rates for our 2011 program guide along with the rates for formal sponsorship of the 2011 event at varying levels are available online.

The 2011 Sponsor Book will be handed out at ALL fundraising events (after first printing, on or about March 15th), this includes the annual dinner fundraiser, the March Madness collections (which continue through April) and any other events we'll be having until the July 4th fireworks show. (If there are still copies remaining for Celebrate Wallingford 2011 we'll hand them out there as well).

As of today we formally have three major fundraising events planned and a possibility for two others.

On Friday March 18th we are holding the Wallingford Fireworks Dinner Fundraiser at the Stillwood Inn.

On Saturday April 2nd we are holding a family movie fundraising event at the Holiday Cinemas

On Friday May 6th we are holding the Wallingford Fireworks Concert Fundraiser at the Stillwood Inn (tentatively scheduled to play - Bluzberry Pi and 42nd Street; we are also trying to schedule a 3rd group).

We are hopeful for any support we might receive for 2011. If you have any capacity and / or desire to continue to help us with the efforts in keeping this grand Wallingford family tradition alive please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

If you wish to donate, you can drop a note to us with your donation or head to our website at http://wallingfordfireworks.org/ and donate via PayPal directly to us all right online.

Thank you again for your past support and our ongoing efforts.

Jason Zandri
President – Wallingford Fireworks Fund
http://www.wallingfordfireworks.org/

The rumors are true – I am running for Town Council in November

I have had a number of people approach me about this over the past couple of weeks as the topic of who will be running for Town Council has been brought up at various meetings and at some public events.

Despite having the responsibility of getting to work daily in New York City (and I’ll tell you – with the snow storms recently that IS a challenge), balancing my home life with my family and some of the other projects I am working on, I have approached the Wallingford Democrat Town Committee and the chairman regarding my desire to run for Town Council this November.

The committee has to still decide who that are going to nominate – there are three councilors present that I expect will be seeking the committee’s nomination and there are others that are still coming forward with their interest in running for Town Council and Board of Education but I did send along my letter of intent to seek the domination of the committee. (I am the district leader of District 4).

With that being said, I want to clarify a couple of points way in advance of any rhetoric that might rear its ugly head.

As far as my efforts go with the Wallingford Fireworks Fund and anything that happens to get spun up with regard to action on a playscape for Kendrick Park – those things are totally separate and non-political at least as far as I am concerned and I intend to keep it that way. In fact, it is my intention to not begin any real campaigning of any type until AFTER July 4th so that should at least address the Wallingford Fireworks Fund part of the equation.

If that should become political (and I am not necessarily expecting it to but you never know) it would be from any opponents bringing it up and not me – I am saying that here and now.

As far as Kendrick Park goes, as I had stated in prior discussions and newspaper articles “ “I know the ropes to help somebody, but I can’t lead it,” Zandri said.”

I have a number of issues I am going to be running on as part of my campaign platform but as I mentioned above, it is my intention to not begin any campaigning of any type until AFTER July 4th so I do plan to wait until after that date to list them or discuss them in any detail.

The sole purpose with communicating even this much information now is because the details are “leaking” and the nominations will probably occur sometime in March or April and the news will be out at that time anyway.

I also expect that upon receiving a nomination from the party that I would no longer be able to write my semi-monthly FROM WALLINGFORD column in the Record Journal so this also serves as a notice of sorts for that as well. I know many people enjoy reading my contributions to the paper there but if everything falls into place I would be expecting to have to let that go as well.

I’ll always be on the blog so you can read my input here and on Facebook as well.

As I make my comments to all of “it’s your town; get informed and get involved” I mean that in as many ways as possible and I practice what I preach.

I’ve done as much as I can with the free time I have and from my current position as “resident of Wallingford.”

If the voters will have me as such come November, I will continue those efforts and more by taking it up a notch as “Town Councilor”.

In the meantime, I will see you around town and on the Internet.

Thank you everyone for the encouragement and support.

Follow up from “FROM WALLINGFORD - Be a neighbor: clear a hydrant”

With the most recent storm that dumped a few additional inches on the ground and the potential of more for this upcoming week I thought it made sense to put my post back up.

FROM WALLINGFORD - Be a neighbor: clear a hydrant

If you can lend a hand, please – be proactive and clear your nearest fire hydrant.

FROM WALLINGFORD - Be a neighbor: clear a hydrant

As published in the Record Journal, Sunday January 16, 2011

by Jason Zandri

From Wallingford Fire Department IAFF Local 1326 on its Facebook page: “After the recent record breaking snow, most fire hydrants in town [are] covered with snow. The fire and water departments don’t have the resources to clear all the hydrants. Please take time out to clear the fire hydrants near your house. The time you spend now may save your life or your neighbor’s in [the] event of a fire. Don’t take the gamble; wintertime is the busiest time of the year for house fires.”

No one likes to clear more snow than they need to, especially in a winter like this one.

It takes just a few extra minutes to clear the fire hydrant on or near your property. I cleared the one on the corner down the road from my house after the last storm (one week ago) when I couldn’t even see it driving by. After Wednesday’s storm, if it’s still buried when I get home I’ll clear it again, as it is the closest one to my house. I know it’s there; the responding fire unit(s) may not. The last thing they need to be doing when responding to an emergency is to be searching to find a working source of water and then having to dig it out. Time is critical when battling a fire; spending time doing these tasks during a fire emergency adds to risk of injury or the possible loss of life.

We can have the discussion about whether or not this is already budgeted into the departments’ costs to clear all the hydrants in town after each storm or whether we are or aren’t getting value out of our taxes paid to the town.

You can’t put a price on safety or insurance.

You pay for auto insurance in case you have an accident. You may pay for more coverage for uninsured motorists because you don’t want to run the risk of getting sued out of everything you own in the event something bad occurs.

The same is true for your renter’s or homeowner’s insurance; you pay for these things “just in case.”

It costs nothing except a little extra labor to clear the snow from that hydrant.

Let’s make a New Year’s Resolution that’s easy to keep and makes for a better town — let’s try to be better neighbors in 2011. Even if we already are good neighbors, let’s take it up a notch. If you have never put a lot of active thought into it then it’s a great time to start. Neighborly things still occur, (my neighbor around the corner pushed me out of the snow when I got stuck the other day), but they seem to occur with a lot less frequency these days.

Some people don’t bother to clear their sidewalks in the winter (despite the ordinance that they must). In the autumn there are some that don’t bother clearing and bagging the leaves in their yard. These folks either blow leaves to the curb loose, or worse, they do nothing and let them blow all over the neighborhood. People park their cars in their driveway to a degree where they stick all the way out to the street and block the main sidewalk. These are just some examples — all minor things with none that is really life threatening.

The inability to put out a fire for lack of water supply is the exception to those points above — it’s a major thing and could be life threatening to both victims of a fire and would-be rescuers.
If you haven’t already, be a good neighbor; put the paper down, head up the street, and clear that hydrant.

I hope it never needs to be used for an emergency in your neighborhood but if it does you’ll be glad you made the effort.

Help the Fire Department – Clear the snow from the fire hydrants

From Wallingford Fire Department IAFF Local 1326

“After the recent record breaking snow, most fire hydrants in town after covered with snow. The fire and water depts. Don't have the resources to clear all the hydrants. Please take time out to clear the FIRE HYDRANTS near your house. The you spend now may save your life or your neighbors in an event of a fire. Don't take the gamble, wintertime is the busiest time of the year for house fires.”

Corner of Lincoln Drive and Atkinson Lane – DONE.

I know it’s tough shoveling even more snow after all the snow we’ve all had to clear already but at the time of a fire is no time for the fire department to be doing it.

Be proactive and clear your nearest fire hydrant.

Bipartisan fireworks boosters take to Web

As printed in the Record Journal Tuesday, January 11, 2011

By Tiffany Diorio
Record-Journal staff
tdiorio@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2234

 

WALLINGFORD— After the Fourth of July fireworks were cut from the town budget a year ago, Democrat Jason Zandri and Republican Craig Fishbein took it upon themselves to bring them back.

They started the Wallingford Fireworks Fund, a nonprofit that accepts private donations. Zandri recently announced on his blog, http://zandri.net/Blog, that the team has opened a PayPal account so people can make donations online at www.wallingfordfireworks.org.

“One of the things that people had mentioned last year was if there was a way for people to donate online, so we wanted to make sure we got it this year,” Zandri, who works in information technology, said Monday.

He said that on the day he registered the account last week he received a $5 donation.

For this year’s fireworks, the fund has already collected $2,065.85, but with the goal increased to $40,000 from $30,000, they’ll need as many donations as possible.

“I don’t know how many people donate online these days, especially locally, but I think that they’ll do fine,” said Town Council Chairman Robert Parisi. “I believe they’ll make up the money.”

Although they now are accepting money online, they still intends to fundraise in front of stores such as Dunkin’ Donuts and Stop & Shop, as they did last year. They’re awaiting permission from the businesses.

Zandri says that the PayPal option gives people without cash to spare the ability to give.

“I’ll put a flier in their hand with the PayPal information, which gives them another opportunity to make a donation,” he said. Fishbein could not be reached for comment Monday.

Parisi, who has encouraged Zandri and Fishbein from the beginning, said he plans to help collect money for them.

“It’s a lot of work, but it can be done,” he said. Zandri said online donors get a receipt they can use when filing their tax returns.

The fundraising team will have a dinner similar to last year’s on March 18 as well as a concert fundraising night on May 6. Both will take place at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn on Route 5.

Tickets to the fundraisers will be available online, but they’re not available yet, as ticket prices have not been set. Zandri expects ticket sales to begin in February.

Parisi, a Republican, said he remembers going to the Wallingford fireworks with his nieces and nephews when they were toddlers and would like to see the tradition continue.

“The fireworks is a traditional event and it’s something Wallingford has always done,” he said.

Donation options available in support of the Wallingford Fireworks Fund

As we push forward with our 2011 fundraising campaign, we have setup our website http://wallingfordfireworks.org/ to collect donations directly via PayPal.

While there is always still the option to make your donations by mail (which saves us the administrative costs from the PayPal site) we did want to offer the donations online as a matter of convenience.

If you’d like to leverage the snail mail option you can do so by making your donation out and mailing it to:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492

We are still looking to do some donation collections around town in the spring but we did want to offer the online option as well.

As a reminder, we are now officially a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization; our tax id# is 27-2576599. If your company offers matching gift grants to donations you make to not for profit organizations please find out what is involved to get those additional donations to us – just ask your HR / benefits department to see if they do this and if we are a qualifying organization.

We are also in need of people that are willing to help out so if you have the free time and are willing to assist with the effort please let us know.

Wallingford Annual Christmas Tree Collection - Department of Public Works

As originally posted on the Town of Wallingford website:

Department of Public Works
203-294-2105

The Department of Public Works will begin the annual Collection of Natural Christmas Trees on Monday. January 10, 2011 in all sections of town. Residents must have trees placed by the curb no later than Sunday, January 9, 2011.

Trees must be clean of ornaments, bows, tinsel, etc. No plastic bags or wreaths will be picked up.

This is a one-time collection. If residents miss the collection deadline, trees may be taken to the Wallingford Compost Area at no charge.

Wallingford residents may recycle natural Christmas trees at the Compost Area adjacent to the Wallingford Recycling Center on John Street until January 15, 2011. All trees must be clean. Trees delivered to the Compost Area will be ground up and used for mulch.

The Wallingford Compost Area is open Monday, Thursday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until January 15, 2011. The Compost Area will be closed from January 16 through March 15, 2011.

AGENDA–WALLINGFORD TOWN COUNCIL

TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Town Council Chambers

January 11, 2011

6:30 P.M

AGENDA

1. Opening Prayer – Reverend Margaret Jay, First Congregational Church

2. Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

3. Consent Agenda

3a. Consider and Approve Tax Refunds (#486 - #508) totaling $13,428.24 Acct. # 001-1000-010-1170 - Tax Collector

3b. Consider and Approve the Appointment of James Seichter to the Planning and Zoning Commission as a regular member for a five-year term ending January 8, 2016 - Chairman Robert F. Parisi

3c. Consider and Approve the Appointment of Joe Rusczek to the Zoning Board of Appeals as an alternate for a three-year term ending January 8, 2014 - Chairman Robert F. Parisi

3d. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the amount of $5,000 to Fuel Crisis-Community Acct # 001-3070-600-6810 from Contingency- General Purpose Acct # 001-7060-800- 3190 - Mayor

3e. Acceptance of Donations for Youth and Social Services Special Fund Adopt A Family Program and Approval of Appropriation of $1,050 to Donations Acct # 213-1042-070- 7010 and to Expenditures Acct # 213-3070-600-6000 – Youth & Social Services

3f. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the amount of $150,000 to Distribution

Plant-Overhead Conductors Acct # 365 from Distribution Plant-Poles, Towers, Fixtures Acct # 364 – Electric Division

3g. Consider and Approve a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to file an application for State financial assistance by the Town of Wallingford in an amount not to exceed $200,000 and to Execute an Assistance Agreement with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development to undertake the David Doherty Municipal Building Roof Replacement Project – State and Federal Program Administrator, Donald Roe

3h. Consider and Approve a Transfer of Ownership Agreement of a 1,500 kVA distribution transformer to Fastenal Company in the Amount of $1.00 and Special Quit Claim Deed Bill of Sale – Director, Public Utilities, George Adair

3i. Approve minutes of Regular Town Council meeting of November 9, 2010

4. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

5. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER

6. Discussion and Possible Action regarding appointment of Council Liaison to the Wallingford Housing Authority – Chairman Robert F. Parisi

7. Conduct at Public Hearing at 7:00 P.M. regarding Proposed Wallingford Project Solid Waste Participating Towns’ Reserve Fund Agreement with respect to the Covanta Trash Plant - Mayor

8. Consider and Approve Proposed Wallingford Project Solid Waste Participating Towns’ Reserve Fund Agreement with respect to the Covanta Trash Plant as discussed during Public Hearing - Mayor

9. 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

Blogs’ influence a matter of opinion

As printed in the Record Journal Monday, January 3, 2011

By Jesse Buchanan
Record-Journal staff
jbuchanan@record-journal.com  
(203) 317-2230

Two new blogs dedicated to Cheshire happenings have launched in the past few months, joining a number of blogs by area officials and residents.

Blogs are seen as an additional communication medium by some elected officials, as well as a way of drawing attention to projects. People such as Wallingford’s Jason Zandri have used blogs to muster support for community events, although not all blogs have been well-received by town officials.

Cheshire Board of Education member Anthony Perugini began his blog, http://tonyperuginilistens.blogspot.com , in November and has written primarily on education topics. Perugini, a Republican, was elected in 2009 and his blog’s name is based on former Town Councilor Tim White’s, timwhitelistens.blogspot.com.

Another blog, CT Curmudgeon, ctcurmudgeon.blogspot.com, began in early December. The identity of the “curmudgeon” is unknown, as the site contains anonymous opinions on state and Cheshire politics.

Cheshire Republican Town Vice Chairman Thomas Pinkham said blogs have been a mixed blessing in political campaigns.

“Sometimes they can help the message the party is trying to get out; sometimes it can hurt,” he said. While White’s blog allowed him to have greater contact with his constituents, Pinkham said the blog hasn’t always been successful.

“Has it hurt him at certain times? Sure,” Pinkham said, adding that the blog has been “mostly a positive thing.”

Former Meriden City Council Democrat Stephen T. Zerio began www.talk-meriden.blogspot.com in 2007, in part to indulge his interest in blogging. Zerio said the blog informed residents and provided him with space to talk about town issues not raised during meetings. After resigning from the council in 2007, Zerio continued the blog, although he said his intent isn’t to “backseat drive.”

“I kept it alive because, every now and again, I could make an observation,” he said. Zerio said he got some personal attacks in the comments on his blog, which he deleted.

“I got occasional attacks,” he said. “I controlled the comments, when there were comments.”

Zandri said his Wallingford blog, http://zandri.net/Blog, generally contains more news about events and town issues than opinion. He hopes to give attention to local issues that might not be covered by other media outlets.

“Sometimes they are not the types of stories that the newspaper might decide to cover,” he said of his blog subjects.

Zandri said his most successful effort was this year’s fundraising drive for the annual Wallingford fireworks show. He and Craig Fishbein, a Republican Town Council member, organized a fundraising drive to gather more than $30,000 to finance the annual Fourth of July fireworks display, which had been cut from the town’s budget.

Zandri also hopes his blog will get residents interested in local issues and voting in local elections.

Former Democratic Town Councilor Matt Altieri, a math teacher at Wallingford’s Sheehan High School, praised Zandri’s blog, which he said was informative and rarely negative.

“Generally, it’s about how to solve problems,” Altieri said.

White started his blog at the beginning of 2006. The Republican said the blog was intended to spark dialogue with constituents, but White has also found it helps hold other public officials accountable and has “brought public pressure to bear” in support of such issues as town pension reform.

Last August, Cheshire stopped offering pension plans to new non-union employees in an attempt to avoid high pension payouts. New employees will be enrolled in a deferred compensation plan in which the town will contribute up to 6 percent of the employees’ salary to a retirement account.

“That would never have happened without the blog,” White said. He estimated that the blog averaged 100 to 150 unique visitors per day in 2010. The blog wasn’t without critics, particularly among Democratic councilors. Altieri said anonymous comments helped perpetuate rumors and the blog focused on criticizing town officials such as Town Manager Michael Milone and Public Works Director Joseph Michelangelo.

White said his criticisms of town officials was intended to hold them accountable and the blog served as a record of statements and actions for residents to check. White defended anonymous comments, saying he preferred to “err on the side of letting people loose” rather than closely monitoring comments, although he has deleted offensive comments.

Altieri said White’s blog hasn’t helped discourse in town.

“I don’t think it’s helped in our specific situation,” Altieri said. “It spreads more things that are not true.”

Such blogs can also make officials wary of talking frankly with each other, Altieri said, in fear of private conversations appearing on the web.

“Then I can’t talk to you,” Altieri said.

FROM WALLINGFORD - Again: engage with the process

I thought I would start off my first “From Wallingford” for 2011 with a call to arms.

It was about this time last year when the school budget as proposed by the Board of Education was coming under scrutiny by the town administration, the council and parents alike for all the cuts and changes being proposed. For the first time in quite a while I saw many parents getting engaged and into the budget details, attending meetings, holding their own discussion groups with one another, and trying to raise additional awareness via email and Facebook.

Time passed, input was heard, decisions were made, some decisions were amended, people adjusted and things settled into the new fiscal year.

It was around that time that I watched conversations drop off online on Facebook which had over 800 members of which a good 50 were active daily.

I had made some comments there and in a prior “From Wallingford” piece about the need to stay engaged throughout if possible or at the minimum to pick back up when budget work began again. I am hopeful that some of those parents have been able to stay engaged and offer their input as it has never been more important. In times like these where budgets are tighter than ever, there has never been a time that it has been more important to be engaged with your local school board and with your local government.

There are pundits who will say “people have their chance to voice their concerns with their vote at election time” and I agree with that sentiment — but it is only a start.

You vote someone into office based on their character, their campaign, how well you know them and on how well they present themselves. No one can run a campaign knowing all that will come down the road. They can only run it based on how they assume they’d respond if certain situations come to pass. I don’t recall anyone running two years ago and indicating how they’d vote on cutting EMT services in the town if that decision needed to be made simply because few could predict we’d actual be in a place where we’d have to do that.

Voting at election time is not the end result of your involvement, it is the start.

The grand list is not expected to grow. Revaluations have been completed and how the disparity falls between residential, commercial and industrial remains to be seen. Everyone will be paying more but how much more and who pays the most remain to be seen.

More of the nice things to have will be cut from the budget; this is simply a given when you look at the critical services that are being scaled back like EMT coverage. The only thing that can be done to save these things that you like or want to have is to raise funds for them and keep them alive through public support like what was done last year with the efforts to save the fireworks display on July 4th.

There is talk from some residents who would like to see a playscape at Kendrick Park. There, too, just like Doolittle, if parents and neighbors feel it is something they want to see come to fruition they are going to have to solicit and fundraise and put some sweat equity in because there is no money in the budget for it.

It starts and ends with “the people,” in all cases. People’s desire to see something done, changed, or continued is based on your input and your level of influence and it has never been more badly needed than now.

2011 is a local election year; elections are in November but the time to get engaged is now.

It’s your town – get informed and get involved.

FROM WALLINGFORD - Downtown deadlock

This week’s FROM WALLINGFORD is written by my counterpart on the column - Stephen Knight

As Published in the Record Journal Sunday December 26, 2010

Well, for now, the Incentive Housing Zone for downtown Wallingford is off the table. Monday night, the Town Council deadlocked on the issue and the Planning and Zoning Commission postponed a vote on the plan. While support for the plan seemed to be building a year ago, it was clear that that support dissipated in the intervening months. While most of the opposition seemed to center around the need for more information, I think that there are three other factors that also figured into the resultant, lukewarm support.

First of all, major changes to existing regulations have to be driven by either 1) an actual proposal put forth by an entity with means to make the project actually happen, or, 2) a consensus among those most affected that the changes are in their best interest. Neither of those conditions was in evidence. The idea appears to have come to life because some of the social engineers in Hartford passed legislation offering financial incentives to consider development of this sort. Then financial incentives that got the town to the table in the first place were drastically reduced. That left little or no impetus for changes to be made, and what little momentum that did exist died.

Secondly, there are many in Wallingford skeptical of accepting state funds for an entirely local project, and I certainly share such skepticism. When the State of Connecticut offers money to local communities, it does so in order to induce compliance with whatever grand scheme it is that they are promoting. The proverbial “strings attached” to that funding has two results: 1) the town loses control over whatever the project is and 2) the completion of the project slows to a crawl. In this case, the money that the state is offering no doubt came with an enormous set of conditions, restrictions and impediments.

As illustration, I offer you the Christian Street bridge debacle of recent years. Do you recall how long that bridge took to replace? The Town had originally sought to work through the state’s local bridge program, but the project got so bogged down in red tape that the town administration finally threw up its hands, completed its own design and installed the bridge without any state assistance for hundreds of thousands less. In the present Incentive Housing Zone case, the question had to be asked: if we take the money, how much control over the area are we ceding to the bureaucracy in Hartford? Is it really worth it?

Lastly, the linchpin of this whole redevelopment idea is the commuter rail service that is supposed to be built over the next few years. Maybe no one brought this up in Monday’s meeting, but I am beginning to doubt if this operation will ever be built. The state is facing years of multibillion dollar deficits. And, to make the problem far worse, the federal government recently turned down Connecticut’s request for additional hundreds of millions of dollars to finance the project, leaving it for the state to bear the lion’s share of funding. In other words, no one in Hartford will say it, but I think this project is stalled. If that is indeed the case, a huge incentive for creating this special zone is gone.

I take a backseat to nobody in my support for downtown Wallingford and the creation of ways to keep it healthy and attractive. Perhaps sometime in the future, this Incentive Housing Zone will be revisited and the good effort of Town Planner Linda Bush will bring a different result. At present, however, the irony seems to be that the town’s best action was to take no action.