The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Dec. 5, 2009

Meriden: the preparations to disapprove the contract the school board made with the administrators in the school system is an interesting one, follows the path the Wallingford council took not long ago. Regardless of how you might feel about the contract as a contract, it does illustrate the problems of a system in which the Board of Education, which is a party to the union negotiations, is not answerable to taxpayers for the tax rates and does not set them, while the council, which sets rates, doesn’t deal directly with the union. It’s a problem.

Wallingford: without getting technical about it, it is hard to understand why, as a matter of principle, anyone should be surprised that Mayor Dickinson strongly supported efforts to defeat the seven charter proposals which were on the November ballot, some of which were apparently aimed at his own exercise of the powers of his office. Should he have supported them?

Let’s not become too en-mired in pushing numerical proportionality for minority teachers in school systems, particularly in Meriden. The issue, first and foremost, is to provide a welcoming and congenial atmosphere for every student who comes to the door; the numbers remain a goal but cannot be attained until graduates become available, and there is competition for new minority teachers with which the city is not necessarily able to prevail.

Southington: the delay in replacing a bridge on Old Mountain Road causes expensive and time-consuming delay in a number of daily school bus routes. It won’t be only buses which are inconvenienced.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Dec. 4, 2009

Wallingford: a case on appeal involving a murder raises the issue of required recording of all interrogations. Without regard to this case in particular, it is impossible to see why it isn’t a thoroughly sensible idea to mandate such recordings. As everyone knows, people can argue about anything, but without such recordings, there is no way apart from bruises to make a case.

Southington: a green payoff for Apple Valley Woodworks who have landed a substantial loan from the state to help finance the switch to more environmentally friendly processes.

Cheshire: students at the high school respond to efforts to continue awareness of genocide in Darfur. It is so easy to forget the carnage that continues in the world when we focus so intently on internal issues.

Meriden: work that has been done to bring Casa Boricua’s home up to code standards. It’s not a finished job yet, but people have come through for the agency, especially contractor Michael Ranno and builder Joseph Carabetta . . . and Joseph Luca who helped get things organized.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 3, 2009

Wallingford: for goodness sake, if the state – as it should – is going to regulate the potentially polluting activities and businesses within a watershed area (and what isn’t within some watershed area?) then it has to proceed in a proper way, all the Ts crossed, all the Is dotted.

Southington: since the special taxing district created by the legislature was vetoed last year and the project set back a year, it seems the climate has changed and that the developer of Greenwood Commons will need to find state grants instead of selling municipal bonds. While it’s a project well-worth doing, we are not holding our breath in this economy in the expectation of seeing it occur any time soon.

Wallingford: it will be interesting to see whether the dog ordinance and the zoning fines make it through the ordinance committee next Tuesday.

Area/Southington: the growing need for every consumer outlet to have an Internet presence. Sales toted up on Black Friday and Cyber Monday demonstrate this. It’s a challenge for everyone. Ten commandments of on-line shopping should be helpful to tyros.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Dec. 2, 2009

Cheshire: a prison will close to save state money. While we’re always happy to hear of a prison closure, if staff is redeployed rather than laid-off, how will the savings really happen?

Southington: it is to be hoped that the rules are being followed regarding executive sessions of the PZC. With interested parties knocking on the door, as it were, it’s important to follow all the rules.

Southington: the last two topics for charter revision were dismissed by the panel: the length of Board of Ed terms and the control of the Water Department. It’s something of a surprise that so little attention was paid to the two topics.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Dec. 1, 2009

Any group is certainly welcome to pray about the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission’s doings, and they no doubt need all the help they can get. Also, they are at liberty to invoke the Freedom of Information Law and to monitor events and meetings. In return, it would be useful for any group to be specific about how it hopes to change the rules in the middle of the game.

Wallingford: the PZC has eased its sign rules, following a regulation in Cheshire for intermittent signs (and excluding sandwich frames). There are, though, concerns about enforcement.

Wallingford: Carini Bowl arrests justified, and there is some sense to them. Better to try to avert similar arrests in the future.

Meriden’s World War II veterans received thanks for their service to their country, during a ceremony at Maloney High School Monday. It’s a portion of Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz’ statewide recognition program, one she arrived at when she realized how fast the nation is losing the fighters from this terrible war.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Nov. 30, 2009

Southington/Meriden and elsewhere: winter forecasts. Alas that the art of forecasting still remains mostly that. Between El Nino and predictions of blasts in the early part of December, we are all still left “out in the cold” as to what sort of winter to expect – just as human beings have been for the last several thousand years.

Wallingford: the Planning and Zoning Commission tonight reviews the rules on signs, considering both temporary and occasional signage and a particular rule for the downtown area. What do sign rules attempt to do and how many exceptions can be granted before the goal is missed altogether? How much of a role should the ever-varying economy play?

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Nov. 29, 2009

Meriden: Those who participated previously seem satisfied enough that the Salvation Army is the only group collecting at the Festival of Lights this year. At least everyone is being fairly polite about the decision, which is an understandable one, given the economy.

Meriden: the decision on what has been called Miles Place and has been the entryway to East Cemetery and has been treated as a city street for 60 years and which also apparently has a house thereon with an address seems a bit punctilious. It’s one thing to decide that the city doesn’t need to plough the street to save a few bucks; it’s another to remove a residence from what has been a city street to . . . what? An access road? It’s a difficulty.