The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 31, 2009

Wallingford: Given some sort of stimulus package, any town would have difficulties figuring out which item on a wish list should be done next. A “shovel-ready” list doesn’t necessarily reflect any sort of priority ranking, of course.

State/Local: probate courts up for reforms. It is time. They’ve been working on changes for some time. The last administrator was in with the last attempt, and I think he got frustrated when the legislature refused to act. This time, there’s a fiscal issue.

State/Local: Congratulations to judicial nominees. It is so much better for individuals to announce their wish to serve as a judge and to be vetted by the official panel than for judgeships to be rewards for serving in the legislature or being a commissioner of a governor of the right party.

Meriden: Can’t do much better than read to your children.

Area: Shelters take a count. Capacity.

Wallingford: Catholic Schools Week. Sounds fine and there’s nothing better than dictionaries and thesauruses. But why would anyone care to wear pajamas to school?

Cheshire: DMV headquarters moving out of Waterbury to Cheshire and Wethersfield. I somehow missed the move out of Wethersfield 9 years back. Why would anyone move the place? It has to be more trouble than it’s worth!

Wallingford: Town and DEP working out zoning issues and utilities limitations regarding conservation districts. Seems like an odd sort of discrepancy.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan 30, 2009

Meriden: (and anywhere else, presumably) Property taxes due. Until the revolution, taxes remain due quarterly on real estate.

Wallingford: Paraprofessionals achieve that medical coverage they’ve been working for. Wonder why it ever became such an issue for this group?

Wallingford: Zandri wants to have PZC and ZBA members elected. Although this is done in 112 communities, per story, one really does not hear much about these elections and in fact they get little coverage. Why? Because it’s hard to put together a platform on the matter and the issues are often technical. The posts are too often given to people who are developers or builders, and this colors how everyone reacts to their decisions. Perhaps instead of electing them, we should all make a point of finding disinterested volunteers.

Meriden: Conservation Commission rejects development of the Cathole Mountain property.

The Editor's Notepod, Thurs., Jan 29, 2009

Southington: going forward in the police budget with a third captain. Who knows if that’s really a good idea? There’s supposed to be a reorganization plan. Have we seen it?

Region: Interesting results of the snow storms, five so far, which have generated school closings and parking bans. Tickets are plentiful; so are concerns about running school into July.

Southington/Cheshire: Congratulations to all those honored at the 80th annual meeting, including lawmakers Zalaski and Aresimowicz, William Della Vecchia, Youth Services Award winners Theo Smigelski and Jon Crevier.

Meriden: It’s a little hard to see how the irrigation system replacement at the Hunter Course can be down graded without impairing what it needs to do. If individual sprinkler heads can be controlled, it makes sense to do so, unless someone thinks it’s a better plan to send a worker out to turn each one on and off every day.

Cheshire: It’s very nice that Milone and McBroom have completed a study of the artificial turf. But they install the stuff, yes? I hope the DEP gets its study done pronto, but it seems to be still “planning” its work.

Meriden: Residents need to see a picture of the planned divisions and land-use of the NRG site.

Southington: The committee considering the future of the public library is a useful tool for determining how to move forward with this institution.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan 28, 2009

Meriden/State: Gaffey situation. This whole situation is really very sloppy. I hope he can get this cleared up and that he can then set up some rules and procedures so it stops occurring. His constituents deserve better.

Municipal governments: Everyone is now talking pay freezes, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s easier at the top to agree to, of course, but a lot of public employees are reasonably well-paid and can weather a couple of percent less than anticipated.

Wallingford: Indications that the erstwhile Mortgage Lenders building may become something different, thanks I guess to the fairly free-spending ML planners in eco-friendly accoutrements. Owners expect tenants, which is a good thing.

Meriden: Another animal story, which we always hate to read, but there were some rescued and their owner has taken the moment to try to provide the ambulance service with animal rescue masks, which saved one of the dogs.

Wallingford: new website up and running. Jason Zandri and Bob Gross both pleased. Dickinson says he hasn’t used it yet – but didn’t use the old site either. He uses the phone. I think readers will relish that particular comment from him!

Cheshire: Affordable Housing is hard to accept. Probably worth remembering that “affordable” is defined in relation to each town, by formula.

Southington: Att. Gen. Blumenthal has at least referred the chief issue to state’s attorney, though I’m not sure there’s much indication that prosecution is in order. But this situation needs to be clarified.

Cheshire: Science room at Chapman School prompts efforts to expand the idea. This is a really good plan.

Southington: Vandals. Cars ransacked and burned one after another? What sort of thing is this?

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan 27, 2009

Southington: Good news that the next stage of the Canal linear trail is second to top of the list of Central CT regional Planning Agency. Hope some of the other pending extensions do as well.

Wallingford: a 4.3 percent increase is characterized as “barebones.” Here’s another part of that interesting debate raised earlier over the need vs prudent issue on school budgets.

Meriden: if the Jack Barry Little League is considering a move away from that Britannia Street complex where the flooding has made such a problem, the city should rethink its plan to remediate that flooding. If the league is going to leave, is the drainage a problem? Can it be left to return to swamp?

Meriden: Good news that the postal service and its union employees seem to have worked out the kinks of the route shifts.

Meriden: Gorge linear trail will have solar-powered signs. Never heard of that before. I hope not only that they work but that they slow down the vandals as well as the traffic.

Wallingford: litter ordinance. Opinions vary. There’s no reason any responsible shop owner wouldn’t keep the area in front cleaned up . . . but if someone doesn’t, there’s a way to encourage compliance. Like the snow clearance law.

Cheshire: Owners wanting town to accept private roads, which would presumably mean obtaining help in rebuilding the said roads. That’s expensive. Like accepting the dams on “common property” which means really that no one is responsible.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan 26, 2009

Southington: No doubt the prospect of an investigation and the potential airing of less than pristine linen is something which would concern many Southington citizens. But NOT investigating and letting that linen, if it is soiled, fester in the darkness. Better have it out at once. And, with respect, the transitions from one chief to the next have not been exactly pleasant in Southington, have they!

Meriden: Rep. Chris Murphy talks to MidState and other hospitals about Obama administration health priorities. Which seem to include, #1, an electronic interconnection of health records. It’s a good idea, of course, but only a step.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 25, 2009

Wallingford/Southington: Vincent Testa suggests that packets of town business stuff should be e-mailed to councilors rather than delivered by town police officers. Some councilors in both towns still want things in print. I think they’ll need to get over it and learn to print out what they might want to keep in a print file.

Meriden: Ezzo building being examined by contractors. It’s apparently in pretty bad shape from the descriptions.

Southington: Respite Care, funded through the Disabilities, sounds like what was or is called adult daycare, and is a must for a lot of homes these days. Longer lifespans sort of create longer spans for folks with conditions which keep them in or require on-site care.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 24, 2009

Meriden/Local/State: calls for wage freezes. We’ve addressed this in part, and it certainly is an issue with public employees. It seems very difficult to take the sort of steps to control expenses that are available to private employers. No surprise that the head of the chamber – any chamber – is ready to call for freezes, as is the head of CBIA. Binding arbitration is anathema to business groups. Trouble is that there’s a lot of class anxiety in this situation which hasn’t been worked out well. Since in the legislature we have a union man in the speaker’s chair – Chris Donovan – we have a fantastic opportunity, given the economy, to take some steps. As a union man, Donovan is unlikely to do anything that is particularly unfair to the whole concept of unionism. As a representative of all the people, he needs to step up to the plate and control expenses.

Southington: Getting kids with some special physical needs onto skis seems like a good way to combine fun with help.

State: It seems like a darn good idea to me for the Knights of Columbus to suggest a national summit to mobilize volunteers.

Meriden: I wouldn’t care to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I could wish it were someone other than Joe Lieberman delivering the grant to the South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan 23, 2009

Meriden: Creation of a unity mural at Washington Middle School. I’ve never heard of the “Month of the Young Adolescent” before, but it sounds like a good idea.

Meriden: Castle Bank independence seems to have come to an end, which is kind of a shame but not too surprising. McGoldrick says he thinks customers will be in good hands, though, which is reassuring.

Southington: Weichsel? “Reports of my retirement have been greatly exaggerated.”

Meriden: We all need balance, and MidState is supplying the tools at a new balance center.

Wallingford: a grant from Uncle Sam $128,000 should bring Wallingford firefighters a new radio system later this year. After 20 years, this is a not-unreasonable move.

The Editor's Notepod, Thurs., Jan 22, 2009

Wallingford/Meriden: the owl found in a leg hold trap. I’d forgotten about these things. It’s hard to believe they’re still being used. Glad it wasn’t someone’s child. Can’t we ban them?

Southington: Weichsel’s possible retirement being suggested, even though he doesn’t care to discuss it much. If he’s in his mid-70s and has done the job for 43 years, one would think he’d at least consider the idea.

Meriden: Those rescued cats have been released for adoption. I hope people do step forward, now, and accept them without delay. It’s a big expense for the shelter.

Meriden: arrests made on the Berlin Turnpike in a prostitution ring. No one likes prostitution, but, given history, there will always be a demand for it.

Wallingford/Cheshire: the new generating equipment for a Waterbury power plant has been moving through the area. Would that it were moving to the plant on Cat Hole Mountain, as originally planned — which was an event of equal planning and care when equipment was brought in up there.

Wallingford: People should appreciate good neighbors like the Hernandezes who rescue feral cats and help them survive. All the same, there could be some work done to provide more neutering services for cats, so the incidence is reduced.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan 21, 2009

Meriden: School board asks 5.9 percent raise, which is not enough to keep current jobs funded, but too much to expect in terms of increase. Given the imperative increases of $1 million for health insurance, $1.3 million for contracted wages, and $3.5 million for out-of-district tuitions (which totals $5.8 million), there’s little room to negotiate before dropping personnel. On the other hand, what any private industry would do is to freeze the wages, saving all those jobs (or more of them) and minimizing increases. The tuitions are either for special education or Edison or both and mandated. Should the school board ask for what the needs of the system, as is, is, or make the sort of cuts the economy demands?

Meriden: Sounds as if the bus inspections were a routine sort of event and as if the violations alleged routine as well. It’s a logical sort of review.

Meriden: Council has taken a good and logical step in voting to add a liner to that very shaky drainage line under Britannia Street where there was flooding last summer. The $103,000 will be well spent.

Southington: Interesting move of the Aquifer Protection Zone to the east side of Queen Street. I’m not quite sure how that was accomplished, but it will save everyone lots of money, since businesses to the west, old industrial sites and storage and chemical uses, were located there.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan 20, 2009

Meriden/State: The investigation into Senator Gaffey should be pushed ahead so the chips may fall where they may, as he says. And for goodness sake, the Democrats and Republicans ought to get together and set up an ethics body so that they stop using infractions to beat each other over the head.

Meriden: We need to have a good deal more discussion of the plan for the un-damaged portion of Cathole Mountain before that plan of development is enacted.

Meriden: the Housing Authority has decided on an outside committee to help find a new executive director. That seems like a good idea, especially with the help of a screening firm. This is a hard job these days, since pub-lic housing has such a low priority nationally.

Southington: the surveillance camera at Crescent Lake proves its mettle by catching a truck plowing its way through the gate after being caught inside after lock-up.

Wallingford: with all these restaurants and other businesses indicating that they need parking (which is good to need, in this economy particularly) why not use the Wooding Caplan property, or some of it, to extend park-ing?

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan 19, 2009

Area: there are a lot of people who will be in Washington for the inauguration tomorrow. This is a fantastic moment in our history and it is wonderful that so many want to share in it.

Meriden: The Tradition Run attracted 200 people, Sunday morning in the snow. That’s really cool (no pun intended)!

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 18, 2009

Wallingford: let’s hear it for seniors who take to technology like Mrs. Graham. It’s a demo that one is only as old as one’s mental attitude.

State: Those two particular unfunded mandates don’t really seem like the worst possible case. There needs to be a distinction possible for 16 and 17 year olds, who have long been difficult for the law to handle; and in-school suspensions is so much more reasonable than sending away some kid who is acting up only so he can be thrown out. More worrisome than either of these is the potential cutting likely to be imposed, with no effort to make up any of the difference with new taxes.

Meriden: Congratulations to Daniel Brunet, Meriden Planning Commission alternate and GOP town Chairman on his appointment as Chair of the Regional Planning Commission.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan. 17, 2009

Southington: The overtime issue. Evidently, the manager thinks it's cheaper to pay overtime than to hire more people, and he may be right. But the Finance Board seems to think overtime "reckless," and the council is challenged to contain costs. It's a nasty situation, since so many department heads are part of the union. Someone ought to work something out here before it all explodes.

Area: The number of fire calls. Why does Meriden's fire department take medical calls while others do not? If a significant part of the increase is due to medicals, then there's one more argument for universal health care. That needn't be the routine work of the fire department, should it?

Wallingford: I love Dickinson's bit with the chess pieces. There's nothing like visual aids and a gimmick.

Meriden: David Reardon, Chair of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Commission, will abide by the Board of Ethics decision, demonstrating the value of calling upon such an entity before rather than after some action is called into question.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan 16, 2009

Wallingford: the ruckus over the town’s decision not to hand out free salt and sand to older residents. The framework in which this discussion arose will make the exchange personal. Don’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.

Meriden: Gaffey under investigation over PAC accounting. If there’s any question, it has to be cleared up.

State: Federal rule changing status of medical professionals dealing with sexual hot-button issues. I object in the first to the comment that the change protects professionals. In my opinion, a professional who lets a political issue interfere with the provision of service is not being professional. I trust this regulation will soon be beaten or suspended.

Area: Meriden is the only town which seems to be having real trouble with sidewalks, and the only one doing much about it. We’ve got more older residents who have some difficulty shoveling or paying someone else, and we’ve got more absentee landlords.

Wallingford: The bequest from Susan Juul is certainly welcome. I would think the town and the Dog Pound Trust should get together and have a little discussion about how to use the money. Does the Trust have a separate legal existence or is it simply a pocket of the Town? Classic trusts and estate situation.

The Editor's Notepod, Thurs., Jan 15, 2009

Meriden: you’ve got to hand it to the folks who own the Dunkin brand locally for enterprise. You also have to wonder what we did for breakfast before Dunkin. This will replace the one across the street, where the lease expires. I continue to wonder, given the traffic which often builds up around these outlets, if the rules are tough enough regarding traffic. Ultimately, as welcome as any development is in these parched times, one can wonder how many eateries are enough?

Area: expenses of a snowy winter. Each year is different, of course, but you’d think that after a couple of centuries of general experience and several decades of the more intensive 24/7/365 that we’d have figured out a less bumpy way of dealing with winter. The story also explains, though, why I saw a truck labeled “Salt Brine” spreading water on Hanover Street Wednesday.

Wallingford, Meriden: It is good that despite the concerns over liability and staffing and expenses local shelters are remaining open more hours during the cold snap.

State: Municipalities thinking about being authorized to impose other taxes to raise revenues as the state backs off. With due respect, this is backwards. What is the rationale for taxing hotels? They already pass on a 12% tax to guests. It’s all backwards. When the state backs off of funding legitimate municipal needs, it leaves the poorest towns to implement the most draconic strategies. It’s regressive de-taxification.

State/Wallingford: Deregulation being blamed for rising rates? I could have told you that years ago. What the separation of generation, transmission, and distribution means is that each entity gets to blame someone else. No wonder the rates go up. In defense of CL&P, though, it is fair to say that whenever it attempted to raise rates, before deregulation, every time consumer opposition would erupt way out of proportion to the raises sought, and it had all sorts of cockamamie charges and back-credits to add to its resulting bills.

Meriden: from early discussions at Board of Ed subcommittees, it’s easy to see that it is going to be a difficult year for setting spending requests and securing funding. We’re all going to try to remain civil, because we cannot remain uninvolved.

Cheshire: the affordable housing proposal. No one wants such people for neighbors, of course. It’s a telling point that some of the residents for “affordable housing” are town employees.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan 14, 2009

Meriden: the city prepares to sell space to improve the travel experience of every driver who goes up route 91. I suppose one shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, and I don’t drive 91 that much. But it’s repellant to have any billboards along the highways. Lady Bird Johnson would not be pleased. Are we this desperate? Billboards are distracting. And inappropriate.

Cheshire: Closing of Protocol Integrating Direct Marketing’s center in March, with a cost of 161 workers. That’s not news anyone wants to get.

Wallingford: The financial report doesn’t really seem that complicated. There’s a semantic argument going on, not for the first time I think, over the way some items are listed. It’s a good thing to do. And the town, of course, has posted the report?

Wallingford: debate over selection of clerk shows there’s more than one way to do these things. Brodinsky’s suggestion has the virtue of consistency . . . so long as the mayor of Wallingford remains more of a town manager than a politician. Also the discussion of districts and term lengths is interesting.

Southington: a developing squabble over a $200.000 grant which may or may not be used to turn a part of the former Southington Drive-In into a Southington Valley Midget Football League field — or something else, somewhere else. This is an unseemly argument over authority, and suggests another subject for the charter revision panel to address.

Cheshire: Bozzuto’s is planning a helipad, which basically is a healthy development for the town and the business.

Wallingford/Durham: So the latest twist in the Blue Trail Range saga is that Durham will conduct an independent study of the safety situation. It’s fine to say the study is limited to safety and won’t attempt to find out where the bullets really come from, but, for $21,000, isn’t that what the residents really need to know? If that can be established, some changes will be required at the range. If it can’t be, what reason is there to force the range to do anything?

Southington: Parking Authority still down a chair or so. Again, time to wonder if the independent authority of this body is necessary to continue.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan 13, 2009

Meriden/State: The notion of tax credits for corporations which offer scholarships to non-public schools has considerable interest. It raises red flags concerning the support for religious schools, and I don’t quite see how credits could be offered for, say, St. Stans. without offering them for Independent Day School. France, of course, pays for regular schools and religious schools completely via government dollars, but the church stays out of politics to a greater degree. Choice is also a good thing and all private schools are suffering.

Meriden: Ezzo building to come down. I spent a good many afternoons in there with the old duck pins, demonstrating my lack of bowling ability.

Southington: Town is calling in the state investigators. I think that’s the right choice. And how about suggesting that the chief of police report to the council and manager instead of to an independent board? A matter for the charter committee.

Meriden: High School plan. The notion of sending Platt kids to Maloney either before during or after one school is being redone sounds to me to be profligate of gasoline and good feeling.

Meriden: positive efforts and cooperation among the Council of Neighborhood Associations, the Police Department, the state (which has confirmed non-profit status for the CNA) and the City Council. It bodes well for the future.

Southington: I thought to have written the last comment on Solvents Recovery Systems when the settlement was announced, but the cumbersome nature of the process has now been compromised by the bankruptcy of a key player, namely the Tribune Co., owner of the Courant. Best laid plans don’t seem to do much better or worse than the sloppy old plans.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan 12, 2009

Southington: Jane Haze Memorial Pet Therapy Fund seems destined to cheer up the lives of a number of older residents at care centers. A very worthwhile activity, I think.

Southington: Supermarket tries out a new scanning device so customers can scan as they shop. I suppose this will be popular, but it does rather remove yet another interface of human contact. The only time a shopper will interact with an employee is if he or she is audited — that is, their bags checked to make sure they’re not filching something. That’s not calculated to be a happy moment.

Area: the Saturday-to-Sunday snowstorm didn’t turn out as advertised. A good thing, in actuality, but a shame because of the hysteria with which a basically minor storm is greeted. Everyone rushes to the store, anticipating not being able to travel for days. Activities are cancelled, putting everyone to the expense of rescheduling. And then the snow is a piddle.

State: We offer a salute to Stamford Friends of Felines, who have found a place frequented by feral felines and are trapping them, neutering them, then placing adoptable cats, releasing the others. A good example for all.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 11, 2009

Meriden: The Hall Farm. It is natural enough for the owners of this 71.8 acre property to want to sell it. It is equally natural for the town to want to see it developed and for the neighbors to oppose the idea. Against the question of quality of life, which weighs toward the neighbors, is the dubious matter of preserving a fly in amber. So how is the best way to resolve such situations, also afflicting Meriden on Cathole Mountain and in the auto-auction situation off Murdock?

Meriden/Portugal/Rockport: The story of a letter in a bottle. Not your usual story, but a touching one.

State: The delay in the rather minor expansion of Shore Line East to New London, thanks to Amtrak’s delay in replacing 74,000 concrete ties.

Cheshire: Being warden of Manson Youth Institute — read Youth Prison — has to be one of the most thankless jobs in the state. Congratulations to her for sticking with it and attempting to make the place human.

Wallingford: Congratulations to Kirstey Neeman and her poster in the annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest.

Southington: Clearly, regardless of the pull and tug, making the Historical Society’s building accessible is an issue which must be faced, sooner or later.

Cheshire: The idea of recycling pregnancy clothing and equipment at the Hope Pregnancy Center. Like recycling ball gowns and winter coats, it’s a step toward reality and the recognition that everything each person uses must be brand-spanking new.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 10, 2009

Area: School closings. The schedule is very tight, and almost any lost day threatens the existing vacation schedule. Why not negotiate to get rid of some of the incidental holidays? Drop, say, Presidents’ Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Good Friday, MLK Day, most of which are not used for anything remotely approaching the observance of the significance of the holiday. Alternatively, drop the February week to begin with and move the April one back to mid-March. A third choice is to toughen up and hold school no matter what the weather.

Meriden: $1.8 million on the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program. I would think, if possible, that this money, all of it, would be best used to prevent residents who are currently being threatened with foreclosure keep up with their payments. I don’t know how this would work, but it seems to me this would stabilize things better than rehabilitating already-empty homes, or taking down Factory H, much though I support that idea.

Southington: I have the feeling that the town keeps at least some branches of local government on pretty short rations. Therefore, if they decide not to pay overtime, there’s not much chance people will stay and finish assignments on their own.

State: One becomes desperately tired of listening to the endless legal procedures in the Skakel/Moxley case. You know, the “Kennedy cousin.” I only know one thing about the case, regardless of who is the murderer: Skakel would never have been prosecuted if neither Skakel nor Moxley were persons of wealth and connections.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan 9, 2009

Southington: This situation with the chief is becoming more serious than just a squabble over reorganization and the naming of a non-union ranking officer. Or has that situation provoked further response? Seems to me that it’s time for the town’s governing authority to assert control over this situation and get some answers and clear the air, for the good of the community, the department and the chief.

Meriden: The poverty summit. Given the divided way in which so many particular issues are handled, traditionally, with all the usual rules and qualifications and so on, this is a good idea.

Wallingford: Rep. Mary Mushinsky and Sen. Martin Looney (who represents most of Hamden and part of New Haven) are now the most senior members of the legislature, a significant distinction and honor. Let’s hear it for experience and institutional wisdom, and not having to reinvent the wheel every two years.

Cheshire: collections being made for Meriden Shelter Now at Norton School. That’s a public-spirited move, and appreciated.

Meriden: CT non-English speaking students doing well on language, but not on academics, where the gap is larger. It’s apparently due to tougher tests in CT, for which our schools and communities will be punished under No Child Left Behind. And now we will have budget trimming.

Meriden: Students and sidewalks. Oh boy! As a driver I am well aware that kids walk in the street a lot, and not just when it’s snowy. But there’s no doubt that snow exacerbates the situation. An occasional arrest for an un-shoveled sidewalk would therefore be in order. I guess that part of that job, for homeowners as well as businesses, would be to make it possible to access crosswalks, and the street, where appropriate.

Meriden: And more on sidewalks: how much does an average sidewalk cost per foot? Is it possible that one reason there are so many less-than excellent walks is the unknown cost of replacement? It’s done per city standards, so cutting corners is probably difficult, proper but expensive.

Cheshire: A 3.98 budget increase for schools would lead to a loss of 5 teaching and 10 support positions in the school system. And rather incredibly, Cheshire ranks 143 of 166 school districts in net per pupil expenditures. This is something of a demonstration that money isn’t everything.

Wallingford: Adults should appreciate the interest shown by students who attend the Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School in Hamden in keeping their school open and healthy. This — and the other issues regarding the funding of magnet schools — is worthy of careful address by the General Assembly.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Jan 8, 2009

Meriden: Congratulations to Chris Donovan, new Speaker of the House.

Meriden: Zoning decision reached on the animals up ion Brownstone. Sad but true, it’s not really the place for this sort of pet.

Southington: new charter panel gets off to a smooth start.

Wallingford/State: Whether she gets the nod or not, it’s cool that Obama may be considering Rosa DeLauro for the Cabinet.

Southington: At least one community restaurant has stepped forward to help those holding gift cards at a now-closed restaurant. In tough times, pain is inevitable — but it’s helpful when it’s eased.

Wallingford: A work party is scheduled to beautify the trails the Wallingford Land Trust maintains. It’s volunteer, which is the way such trails, from the Appalachian to the Metacomet, are normally maintained. Hard work, but satisfying.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan 7, 2009

Meriden: Cat story. A custody issue to be determined by a court. I thought the general impression was that no one could really be said to “own” a cat, yet here we are having the humane society having to spend its limited resources trying to terminate “parental” (?) “Catnerity” (?) rights to a couple of dozen felines. Very ironic.

Region: I understand and support the purpose of the environmental justice law, but I suspect it will merely result in the further delay, which is now almost indefinite, of construction of facilities which need to be built but which nobody wants. Is this a use that would fit a Brownfields project? And if so, perhaps we should stop worrying about cleaning Brownfields so thoroughly.

Wallingford: Electrical generation. Costs continue to rise, but Electric Division is thinking of joining a CMEEC project which would construct a number of small generators to reduce peak load costs. A good thing to consider, and proactive instead of passive.

Southington: Chaperones and nurses for Middle School dances to be eliminated, not only to avoid the nepotism, as per recent controversy, but also to save costs. So tell me, why is the town running dances for middle schoolers? Why is it even or has it ever been thought necessary to have a nurse?

Meriden: hearing over the future use of the Cathole Mountain land. I hope there is a lot said about this project before it is adopted.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan 6, 2009

Meriden: A broken water main Sunday morning spews millions of gallons into street, interrupts service. Now fixed. Not a long pipe, but a big, and old and cold.

State: CCM, representing almost all of state’s towns, agree on need for early decision on state budget, on expanded areas to explore local revenues, on bigger share of an increased state sales tax. Push on to regionalize services. Meriden won’t get much help there, since our closest neighbors, Wallingford and Southington, just don’t think any cooperation with Meriden is very exciting.

Wallingford: More on the Wallingford website. This is not a big expense, once the site is set up, nor is it difficult to maintain, if it’s done regularly. And it is a service.

Meriden: Planning for the use of Neighborhood Stabilization Program money, some $1.8 million. It seems fairly complex, but it’s welcome all the same.

Wallingford: A final on the trash-to-energy plant deal, Covanta, CRRA and the Towns?

Southington: no final on the artificial turf issue. I hope they can come up with something definitive, although of course it is impossible to prove that crumb rubber is harmless.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan. 5, 2009

Wallingford: IHOP imminent opening draws 500 job apps for 100 positions. A sign of the economy, but we’re happy to have the IHOP.

Cheshire: world language classes drawing students whose families choose to pay for the non-profit service. I think it’s a good approach to the issue of languages, but I wish the public school system could be free to choose this sort of thing instead of constant teaching to the standardized tests.

State: We’re going to hear budget, budget, budget for months to come. I wish there were an approach which did not constantly pit partisan politics above real solutions.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 4, 2009

Wallingford: Board of Ed has hired a consultant to help replace Dale Wilson as superintendent. Given the history of the 2005 ouster of Ken Henrici and the flurry over David Erwin in 2006, this would seem to be a more than necessary step.

State: DEP is going to study the toxicity (or lack thereof) of artificial turf. Well, I hope it doesn’t take as long for the DEP to do the study as it did to decide to conduct one. But looking back, I kind of thought the DEP had de-cided last August to do this study.

Cheshire: Glad to learn that pet care centers can defy the economic odds. A lot of cats and dogs do wind up being dumped at the shelter or worse . . .

State: There’s a story of the lottery! Man’s last purchase brings his widow $6 million. Good for her, consulting with attorney and accountant before deciding how she wants her winnings. Good for the lottery business. But it’s bad for the state and the reliance on such a business for revenues. Any sane person knows that the chance of winning something like this is almost vanishingly small. Yet we and other papers regularly publish accounts of the winners. Doesn’t this grossly distort the probably outcome of buying tickets and keep the whole thing going?

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 3, 2009

State: Gas tax. I think we should cease and desist from calling the revenue problems the state may face in the next two or three fiscal years “deficits.” They are not deficits until the budget and the year to which it applies are finished. It is perfectly proper to observe that tax revenues from gas and other sources are down and that expenditures have not declined proportionally. Obviously, ways must either be found to increase revenues or to cut expenses or the state will run a deficit. Running a deficit may not be allowed by the state’s own rules, but it may be unavoidable — and it isn’t necessarily the end of the world. It should also be pointed out the anticipated problem amounts to whatever percent of the budget — about $17 billion — the potential shortfall involves.

Southington: Arts & Crafts is still without a home. As the story notes, the town has particular space needs. And a strong feeling, evidently, not to build a lot of new space, given the three votes against a new town hall. It’s too bad.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan 2, 2009

Wallingford: Jason Zandry sets up his own website providing information for Wallingford residents. This is a fine service and very public spirited effort. It seems to me, however, that it lets the town off the hook for actually making this sort of information public itself. Jason Zandry shouldn’t have to do this for the town.

Congress: very glad to read that our own representative in Congress, Chris Murphy, himself opposes the automatic pay hikes already set to take effect. Can he lead the charge to revoke them?

State: Report on re-introducing highway tools due this month. Given the economic climate, I find it hard to believe the report or anyone else will support new tolls of any sort — however prudent that might be. Biggest boondoggle, seems to me, are those HOV lanes. No one uses them, because we all ride alone. So require all trucks to use them.

Meriden: We bemoan the loss of the office manager at Literacy Volunteers. This program makes do with such a tiny public commitment and the sacrifice is so nobly borne.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Jan 1, 2009

Wallingford: Less black ink for Wallingford last fiscal year. Everything is relative, isn’t it? And yet I see our poll suggests electric customers not too unhappy with the rates.

Southington: pizzeria on wheels? It’s certainly a novel and catchy idea.

Southington: A pill collection day set up this year. Seems silly for a minute, but a lot of us keep old bill bottles around and are apt to flush them when we think about it — and that means there’s a lot that gets into the water, one way or another. Who knows what it does? So collecting is sensible.