The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Mar. 31, 2010

Southington: the Legion is helping those at home, coping with the absence of loved ones in the service away on deployment. “Psychological first aid” is an important step in keeping the home front strong and supportive in difficult times.

Meriden: The Board of Ethics, will, we hope, shelve suggestions which would allow confidential or private treatment of complaints or potential complaints. The main point of the ethics process is not so much to keep some public official from casting vote on a particular subject but to make sure that everyone knows what interests and what relationships exist which might affect those votes. This should not embarrass anyone.

Plans in Meriden, Wallingford, and Cheshire to clean up the Quinnipiac River. This isn’t complicated chemistry, it’s people with bags and gloves and whatever else is needed to pick up the junk that other people have tossed carelessly into the waterway.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Mar. 30, 2010

Wallingford: contract for community and mental health services goes to MidState and away from the VNA. We are happy for MidState, sad for the VNA, and left with a little wonder over the imperative always to get the lowest prices.

So there are “earmarks” requested which would help Meriden, Wallingford and Southington quite substantially with pending projects. As students of government, we deplore the fact that grants are allocated in this hit or miss fashion, but as local citizens, we applaud the fact that much needed cash may be headed in our direction.

Cheshire residents, or up to 150 of them, anyway, can receive a free energy audit from CL&P thanks to a federal grant and the Energy Efficiency Fund. No catch – but you have to ask for it.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Mar. 29, 2010

Area: sunny weather on Sunday which drew folks outdoors to local trails, including our reporter to the Bluff Head path section of the Mattabessett Trail. The views are as fine as can be and an excellent cure for spring fever.

Meriden: after plucking the low hanging fruit, in terms of energy efficiency, the city is going after something higher and will do so with the aid of an energy technology consultant. This seems a reasonable plan.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Mar. 28, 2010

Wallingford: The issue of complaints against town administrators and their occasional subsequent grievances through their own organizations. Dickinson is right, of course: there is no set rule for judging when enough is too much. It’s also hard to tell without being there whether particular complaints indicate some underlying problem, or not.

Wallingford: The farm stand which is encountering difficulties on Leigus Road is proposed for the same location as the mosque. An underlying difficulty may be resentment over the Mortgage Lenders debacle, but the situation seems unfair to the guy who wants to run a farm stand.

State: The judicial branch is about to start posting its court case statistics on line. This will be a great convenience for many, and also will score an important step for open government.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Mar. 27, 2010

Meriden: an honest-to-god lease for tenants in the old hospital. Congratulations: this is really an excellent piece of news, though it may not be quite time yet to bring out the champagne.

Cheshire: efforts to raise the local initiative money to satisfy the funding conditions for an artificial turf field are making good progress. A fundraiser with many participants is set for this coming Thursday.

Congratulations to the new Class M state champion boys basketball team at Wallingford's Sheehan High School – and, of course, to their coach, Joe Gaetano, who sacrificed his moustache in tribute to the victory.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Mar. 26, 2010

Meriden: city plans to do all dispatches (adding the medical calls) with its in-house dispatch office. There is some state incentive to unify all emergency calls, and we will see whether the change is justified by the results.

Given the record of inaction after acquisition on a few other properties, it’s probably just as well that the town of Wallingford doesn’t have any interest in 91 S. Main St., for which the municipality is said to have no use.

Southington: the right moves were taken to make the process of redistricting middle and elementary schools as seamless as possible. Now that the board has accepted the plan, it will be interesting to see if any troubles arise.

State: the eight judicial nominations form a fine red herring to generate partisan sniping, but they are nothing but a symbolic expense – you can’t not hire prison guards either.

Wallingford: more information on the ballistics report about bullets heading into a Durham neighborhood.

Meriden: word is out concerning Phase 3 of the linear trail, including some which would run near Harbor Brook. Well, providing flood control isn’t compromised (and there’s no reason it should) why not?

Southington: well, the hopes for trimming town health insurance costs result in no savings, but do apparently avoid a 1.5 percent increase in insurance.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Mar. 25, 2010

Meriden: the change in leadership in the WTP of Meriden suggests the sort of cleansing rituals which tend to bedevil ideological groups in a search for purity. It’s natural enough – and if it isn’t done, as Democrats rarely do, the party becomes inclusive, and hence rather vague in ideology.

Wallingford: It would be interesting, possibly, to know the philosophy involved in a Town Council decision to approve or not approve a renegotiated contract worked out by the school board with any of the unions with which it deals. Is it about money, or is it about unions, or is it about turf?

Wallingford: The trial about the American Legion Building is put off again. Maybe if it can be put off long enough, the case will be forgotten entirely, or, alternatively, the building will fall down, mooting the issues.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Mar. 24, 2010

Cheshire: Good turnout for the education forum concerning Chapman closing issue, which is not surprising. By and large, residents expect elected representatives to do the work of budgeting until they perceive a threat to something they value.

Wallingford: Blue Trail Range. So the Durham report on ballistics relies on the previous report (without further on-site study) and makes an apparent error of direction about the other nearby range. So we get nowhere.

Cheshire: the documents seem to show a serious breakdown both on an individual level and on a labor management level. So the question is, how can this be fixed? The answers probably won’t please everyone.

Meriden: it would appear that asking for RFPs in the matter of administering the city’s self-insured program for employees is the logical step to take. One hopes the whole system does not become too fragmented this way.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Mar. 23, 2010

Wallingford: Public housing tenants are forming a council the main goal of which is to win a say in how the authority is operated. We find the organization particularly welcome and we will be most interested in seeing how their interests are translated into action.

Cheshire: so where does this dispute between the chief and the lieutenant go and how is it to be resolved? How is it different from the complaints of the union with the chief’s management style?

Cheshire: if the board of education becomes tied up over the budget, it’s a little hard to see how it would be better for the superintendent’s budget to be transmitted as the official document. That in itself would then become a chip on the board to be considered in the political arrangement.

State: minimum education standard lawsuit revived. It is really a legislative job to even out state funding, but how can that be done in a democracy? Problem of the disparate and independent cities remains.

Southington: seven charter changes approved, but four are sent back. An interesting notion raised about whether an elected board should fill its own vacancies or have them filled by the council.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Mar. 22, 2010

National: health care reform is passed by the House. Not a single Republican could be moved to vote for it. All but one of the Democratic members from New England (which has entirely Democratic representation) voted yes for this signal event in American history.

Cheshire: demonstration of what women wore a century or so ago and how and why they wore it is instructive to people today for the perspective these garments can offer on modes of thought and behavior.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Mar. 21, 2010

State: Pratt & Whitney’s CFO, Gregory Hayes, blasted the state in the WSJ (where else?) over anti-business climate. The level of whining from a company which earns almost all its money from federally-financed contracts is kind of absurd. There’s no reason why any company, given the profit imperative, should appreciate a participation in the general welfare of society, but they need to be made to do so all the same.

Area: census forms have arrived here and there, and they’re not scams. The information sought is necessary for administrative fairness.

Meriden/Wallingford/Southington: it would make sense for there to be a rationalization of the way tuition payments and costs are handled by school districts and by regional facilities, by the vo-ag programs and by the tech school system. It’s hard to see why there shouldn’t be a single tuition price per year, the same in each district and unit, so that people can go where they want to school.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Mar. 20, 2010

Meriden: It’s good to have Councilor Brian Daniels at work on the downtown plans, and he is certainly correct about getting everyone on the same page. And it rather looks as if they are on different pages, too, since the housing authority, having been turned down on Hope grants to tear down the high rises, now is thinking about gutting them and turning them over to the private market – which wasn’t part of the transit hub plan.

Cheshire/Wallingford and doubtless everywhere else: Presentation by group hoping to reduce misuse of steroids offers insights into what drives this product. By all accounts, the less someone uses steroids, the better: look at the side effects!

Berlin: the firing of a cook over violation of policy on food purchase poses an interesting situation. It sounds as if the decision to break the rules was quite deliberate, but the rules are arbitrary enough to look as if they were established to be challenged.

Area: birds of prey. It sounds as if sporadic reports of bird attacks are vastly exaggerated. Clearly, nobody should mess with hawks and their kin, but they’re in more danger from us than we from them.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Mar. 19, 2010

Meriden: what could be a very nasty argument about what constitutes a budget looms between school board and council. It’s easy to understand both the council’s wish to have back any school money which is “extra” and the board’s wish to use that same cash — knowing the problems facing the next budget — to spend it quickly on items assuredly needed next year.

Cheshire: A brinksmanship issue over the possible plan to close the Chapman School if the budget is cut? Stay tuned for the next installment.

Southington: nitty-gritty of budgetary constraints is clear when discussion starts about an $8,000 difference in the gasoline line item for the parks department.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Mar. 18, 2010

Southington: retirement best wishes go to Gaston, who has spent nine years as a canine member of the police force. At 11 years, this hard-working officer, with 100 arrest assists to his credit, is resting at home, a status he has certainly earned.

Meriden: single stream recycling is on the way. Logistically and economically, it’s cheaper to have the sorting done by new machinery than to try and do it all during the collection process. The city needs to institute a major push to increase the recycling efforts by residents.

Meriden: the city’s commercial billboard operation is getting underway. CBS Outdoor will build on the site near the Animal Shelter and the terms appear favorable. Advertising policies would appear to rule out the sort of offensive material which has worried some folks.

Wallingford: the Town Council has turned down a measure which would have legislated methods of dealing with dog attacks. Since the authority exists already, a new rule would add essentially very little, and could actually complicate matters.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Mar. 17, 2010

Wallingford: $O$ group formed to support school system and taking the long view about possible cuts. They’re facing a tough opponent, if he may so be termed, in Mayor Dickinson, who’s pretty wily when it comes to exerting himself in the name of economy and donning the Teflon suit against slings and arrows.

Meriden: Mayor Rohde has asked MEDCO to help with a new marketing campaign for the city. It seems like a sensible and forward-thinking idea and we hope it moves forward.
Wallingford Public Library’s teen photo editing contest, inspired by the recent Teen Tech Week activities and materials. It’s a good way to involve patrons in challenging activities.

Wallingford: it is a pity that the childish behavior of some student (or students) has forced the school administration to treat all Lyman Hall students as fractious infants. Signing in to use the toilets is a juvenile requirement to have to obey, and the sooner the miscreant fesses up to his or her misdeeds, the better for everyone else.

Southington: A narrow – 18-foot – road seems to be an obstacle to the sports complex planned for Smoron Road. Back to the drawing board, we guess, since any sort of high-use access road would just need more space to accommodate reasonably anticipated usage.

Meriden: It’s the little questions which seem to draw the heat. The senior center has suggested requesting the seniors who use the bus services to stores and other locations for voluntary contributions. The key word is voluntary – which in this case fits the bill. But even were it not, many seniors who can do so would cheerfully pay something for the convenience of being driven to a place they must go.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Mar. 16, 2010

Wallingford: Roof raised over razed barn on the Johnson Mansion. If the town really wants to save older structures – and this is not the moment, probably to mention the American Legion Building – it would be good to allocate the kinds of funds such projects require.

Wallingford: the business of notifying non-tenured teachers they may not have their contracts renewed is kind of brutal, although surely, given the budget process so far and the fact that teachers are likely to know their own particular status, it is not a surprise announcement.

State: Rep. Larson makes a good point in the UTC case. Why should UTC expect our state delegation to lobby for contracts for them if they plan to give Connecticut the bird?

Meriden: Modest sums to be allocated to Friends of Falcon Field, as similar sums are allocated to other non-profits to help volunteer maintenance at various city facilities. It seems a reasonable way of proceeding.

Cheshire: it looks as if school system and town are squaring up for a face-off. IT’s a dangerous game.

State: sales tax law for internet sales. If the US Supreme Court has already ruled that taxes cannot be levied without a physical presence, we’re all barking up the wrong tax tree. Tax on purchasers doesn’t work very well either. But that case, if it prohibits state sales taxes, is pernicious and wrong.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Mar. 15, 2010

Kidsmarathon, a program in many schools, including Southington, which hopes to raise the awareness of childhood obesity. There are differing approaches, but it’s an excellent idea.

Education: the built in tension, specifically in Cheshire and Meriden but everywhere in the state really, pits the economy against specific groups. Those who resent any permanent government – even schools, cops and firefighters – us the union contracts to flog public employees. It’s a flawed system.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Mar. 14, 2010

Meriden: the map showing division of lands at the NRG site. Maps are maps, of course, but the portion reserved for open spaces looks drawn out and attenuated, as if it were not usable anyway, while the land potentially developed seems compact. Even if nothing happens in a lifetime, the division so far seems ample.

Southington: that $100,000 mistake regarding school maintenance would be trivial in any other year, as it is a small amount compared to the whole budget of the town or the school system. But there’s a signal crossed somewhere, since maintenance isn’t something to be ignored.

Meriden: the decades-old bond regarding a sidewalk on Bronson Ave., near the former VMMC, is handy for completing projects. But transforming $2,500 into $11,000 seems a little odd. If there are many of these items hanging around, they should be invoked with some sense of proportion.

Wallingford: it’s no wonder there are fewer farms in Connecticut, as more and more of the state becomes suburban neighborhoods. When one considers what urban homeowners must put up with constantly, without any redress, it seems odd that a neighborhood would have an issue with farming. So long as it is agricultural in nature, why object?

State: UTC plans to move as many jobs as possible out of Connecticut and out of the US. Thanks, UTC: it’s a real patriotic firm.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Mar. 13, 2010

Meriden: it does seem a shame that successful crime detection and prevention should lead to a union grievance, but it seems like more of a strategy in a tough budget year than anything else, aimed at the slow attrition.

Wallingford: Sophomores at Sheehan and schools elsewhere have finally finished the CAPTs, the Connecticut Academic Performance Tests. Although they cut terrifically into instruction time, they do nothing for students’ knowledge or grades but allow high officials to announce that insufficient progress is being made and that punitive steps will be taken.

State: the transportation plan as presented last week at a business breakfast in Meriden. The New Haven Springfield line in good working order with two complete tracks is simply a sensible step.

Tolls on the Connecticut interstates highways: a scheme with a differential for out-of-state drivers or vehicles raises some issues, but the idea needs open and honest discussion.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Mar. 12, 2010

Cheshire: the continued silence about the suspension of police union president Kerry Deegan remains an unpleasant blemish on the town’s public image. No matter what the charge, it’s better to have it out in the open, because secrecy magnifies it all.

Wallingford schools are set to go greener, electrically speaking. With the help of an energy audit and federal and state stimulus aid and grants, the system might be able to save as much as half a million dollars a year.

Meriden has hired Rhode Island law firm, Rossi Law Offices, to chase delinquent motor vehicle taxes. Totaling around $2.5 million presently, any amount will certainly help the local budget.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Mar. 11, 2010

Southington: Town Councilor John Barry has suggested closing the north end of Mount Vernon Road as a way of easing the Lake Compounce expansion, a project unlikely to be funded, as once hoped, by the state. It’s a lot larger a piece of road than Choate sought unsuccessfully to close in Wallingford last year, and Choate was willing to pay.

Wallingford: the mentoring program which is bringing together elementary-age students with adults and high school kids. After a loss of state funding, the program owes its current existence to the enterprise and effort of Rob Woytowich of the Ulbrich Boys & Girls Club and a small grant from United Way.

Wallingford: it’s tough to believe that it has been impossible to settle the fate of the former American Legion Building without an actual trial, but then, the council couldn’t manage to reach an agreement for many years either.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Mar. 10, 2010

Meriden: MidState is beginning to do robotic surgery, which certainly seems to be a technological advance.

Wallingford: it’s an interesting fact that so many of the town’s Spanish-speaking community, served by SCOW, are from the same area of Mexico. The circumstance provides an excellent opportunity to provide passport services via the Consulate on Wheels.

Wallingford: we do not suggest that there’s any choice about it, but we’ve certainly come to a pretty pass in this country when we have to evacuate a whole school like Lyman Hall because some girl (presumably) wrote threatening graffiti in the girls’ toilet.

Cheshire: Perhaps the majority doesn’t like the notion of teachers offering loan days as a concession, and perhaps there are legal issues. But where’s the need to get huffy about it and start calling the offer an insult. If the goal is building mutual sacrifice, the way to go is not to escalate the fighting words.

Southington: the sewer rates will rise about $60 a household this year as a 20 percent increase is approved. While it is to be understood that tradition plays a large role in how towns organize various accounts, it does seem a little odd that water and sewer systems, which are basic municipal services, should need to be any more self-sustaining as a matter of principle than garbage pick-up or the fire department.

Wallingford: with revaluation nearing completion, it’s time to start preparing residents for whatever shocks may be in store for them. Somewhat unusually, this year, values may drop, given the economy, which means that mill rates will need to rise to keep the tax revenues even with what they have been. That’s perfectly logical, but it will cause anguish all the same.

Cheshire: town council going into executive session not to discuss the police department situation but without the two men involved present is really a bad plan. If there’s a beef or a bone of contention, better to do it in public so that rumors don’t make the whole situation worse than it already is.

Southington: the easiest way to make major changes in departmental operations (as in the idea of eliminating the job of park director) is when the job is empty. But the problem is making sure the plan is efficient in terms of management, not just cheap.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Mar. 9, 2010

Southington: solar energy panels being installed on the fire department HQ can be expected to last many years with low maintenance and minimize use of the water heater on sunny days.

Meriden: “nearly all fires outside of designated campgrounds are illegal.” Not many of them on residential properties. One knows that burning leaves and/or garbage in the backyard has been illegal for decades. How often seriously does any particular household need to hold a celebratory bonfire? Or does the city’s rule apply to outdoor cooking with charcoal?

State: Alcohol sales on Sundays should be decided not on the basis of who complains the most – the shops near the borders feeling competition or the shops which will have to spend more on wages – nor on the notion of a few millions in tax revenue, but on the principle of the perpetuation of the Blue Laws, an essentially religion-based rule.

Southington: the council gave the public a chance to comment on the proposed charter changes, one of the steps along the way to deciding which changes, if any, will make it to the ballot next November.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Mar. 8, 2010

Meriden: profile of Councilor Brian Daniels reveals a committed and thorough public servant, and his work on the high school situation is to be appreciated. The Housing Authority is a place where some work and coordination could be very useful.

Southington: glad to learn there is a woodworking club at Kennedy Middle School. Time was – long time, we guess – that “shop,” which meant woodworking, split junior high school time with printing (hand-setting type) as a required course for boys only. Times have certainly changed, and for the better.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Mar. 7, 2010

Meriden: possibility that a change in policies may end the threat of termination over local dealership for General Motors, Alderman. We hope the good news comes through for the 85-year-old company.

State: we are pleased that Wallingford’s Jerry Farrell, Jr. is planning to participate in public financing this year as he seeks the office of Secretary of the State. While we don’t particularly agree with the premises of Judge Underhill in deciding the law unconstitutionally discriminated against minor parties, the legislature needs to fix whatever needs to be fixed to satisfy this jurist so that the program can continue.

Wallingford: while voters facing tax payments certainly appreciate any effort to keep the school budget under control, there is more to an individual town’s school system than often meets the eye or that can be described by the comparisons within the District Reference Group. If that becomes the standard for budgets, why not get rid of local boards altogether and let the state run the whole shebang. That way, it’ll all be the same.

State: all those people who are angry with the state for doubling the essentially reasonable fees for state park camping – where else can you stay the night for $22? – should ask themselves if they’d rather pay $11 more in income or sales or inheritance taxes.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Mar. 6, 2010

Meriden: Nothing wrong with gathering all the ideas available from local residents who may have good ideas about what to do with – how to develop, the various industrial remains which dot the city’s landscapes.

Cheshire: discontent between union officers and management staff on police force unlikely to improve following consultant report. Since a chief, by law, can’t be fired, and since the union has a contract and labor protections, a long stalemate seems likely. See Southington.

Southington: it’s time that Bradley Memorial became able to improve the reception and radio communications between ambulances and the emergency room. Fourteen years is too long to wait.

Area: reduction in assessment appeals seems to be a normal circumstance in non-revaluation years everywhere. It’s a shame that so much heat is generated every time revaluation takes place, as it tends to obscure the process.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Mar. 5, 2010

Southington: the fact that Alan DeBisschop, retired educator, to research and facilitate the redistricting process for the school system. There are no guarantees of smooth sailing and emotions can run high, but this addition to the process should help matters along.

Meriden: the proposed legislation regarding sober houses may not prove quite the remedy wished, but the wished-for remedy may not be possible. It is something which deserves some more attention and understanding.

Wallingford: it really seems unlikely that a single farm stand, no matter where its produce is grown, will pose a significant traffic hazard. If the zoning rules need amendment, the PZC should do so.

Southington: sounds as if the transfer station stickers are going to fly as residents pick them up well in advance of the required effective date. Still to be figured out is the possibility of charges.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Mar. 4, 2010

Southington: the glacial erratic wins, and that’s a good thing. The subdivision on Pleasant Street was approved with proviso that big rocks – 60 cu. ft. in this case – remain where they are as geologic features. Developer now asks to remove them. The rock stays, per PZC.

Cheshire: what good does it do to play hush-hush with a prominent police officer’s suspension, especially when there’s a big union/chief unrest going on and when the suspended officer is the president of the union? This is how to make talk get louder.

Meriden: Human Rights survey has some interesting results . . . they should be put together with a plan of action for the results to mean anything, but first it would seem that the questionnaire ought to get to more than 19 persons, most of whom are already workers in the social services network.

Wallingford: Housing Authority has enough issues without having commissioners show up and offer any comment whatever about the behavior of employees on the job. That’s the director’s responsibility, no matter what may have been expressed.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Mar. 3, 2010

Cheshire: It’s hard to feel much compassion for the defendants in the home invasion murder case and it is irritating to have to watch defense tactics which result in stalling and expenses and this and that. Never the less, this is the way our criminal defense system works and it is the best and fairest in the world.

Meriden: It is good that the buses with which students at Wilcox and other technical schools will be replaced. A school bus isn’t the epitome of luxury in the first place, and when they’re being driven with “issues” involving safety, they need to be replaced.

Southington: town’s insurance consultant has been receiving bids for various sorts of health insurance from various companies, pursuant to instructions. Bids seem not to be strictly comparable so far, and one wonders how comparisons are to be made.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Mar. 2, 2010

Meriden: Council voted to go the hybrid route, as expected, but not with complete unity. That’s to be expected, too, and no doubt the public will continue to hear about the single school option as well as the “do nothing” option.

Area: It seems sort of absurd that although every school in the area is spending several full days, as required, subjecting everyone to the CMTs and the CAPTs, and that somehow no results (which are of no benefit to individual students and do not impact their grades) are received until after school ends in June, three months or more from now.

Meriden (and other towns): one has to wonder at budget season each year, how things would be if school boards, instead of going hat in hand to councils, were given the authority to set their own tax rates. It could be a disaster, but it might also mean we stopped playing games about surpluses.

State: both large and smaller liquor outlets locally seem opposed to ending the ban on Sunday sales of alcohol, although there are border town shops which think it would be helpful and there are estimates of increased tax revenues (which assumes more sales). The matter should be debated.

State: Speaker Donovan wants to create a power authority in the state to purchase for small utilities. Why not go all the way and re-regulate electricity, both in generation and transmission? The deregulation seems not to have worked.

State: The economy, as explained by various politicians, is terrible and can only get worse. But you notice that no candidate suggests programs or services to cut. Donovan’s optimism may have some “rose tint” in the glasses, but it’s still a refreshing break from gloom and doom.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Mar. 1, 2010

Hands-on demonstration provided by Ben Stafford of the Children’s Museum in West Hartford to students at John Barry School in Meriden of how to build a bridge. It wasn’t the Brooklyn Bridge, of course, but perhaps there was a student among them who will mature into a famous structural engineer.

Southington: the new kids on the block – that’s goats, just so there’s no doubt – are pushing the limits for the goat herd in the neighborhood. When the next new arrival comes, the maximum will be reached. Are there residents who are interested in hosting a goat?