The Editor's Notepod, Mon. Feb. 28, 2011

With Response Insurance preparing to leave the old International building in Meriden, it is appropriate to consider whether the effort to attract businesses through tax credits is worthwhile. While it is intriguing to see that some businesses have the right to negotiate their municipal taxes while others (corporate as well as private residents) do not, a basic inequity, it’s also true that without the incentives and the reduced taxes produced thereby, such properties would likely have remained vacant and producing no city revenue.

Nobody’s going to really root for new taxes, and Connecticut Governor Malloy’s budget, with its variety of taxes, is being “ripped” by critics. But it remains the case that the taxes people seem to hate the most are the ones which affect themselves.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Feb. 27, 2011

New Haven’s Gun Docket which aims to keep guns off the streets and young people out of gun-based trouble. Basically, the program works with parolees and probationers with information designed to keep from returning to the criminal justice system, and accepts cases from the Meriden Judicial District as well.

If you ever wondered what makes traffic signals run and how they work and who’s in charge of them, the R-J has provided an in-depth look at systems in Meriden and Wallingford. There’s a whole lot more to this business than most people ever imagined.

Meriden’s Children First is hosting a series of school budget workshops. If you’re interested in understanding this process, make sure you get to the first at Hanover School this Wednesday evening.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Feb. 26, 2011

Voters in Connecticut, according to a poll, oppose taxes and are going to be happiest if someone else (mainly the state employee) bears the burden of reductions in spending. We all benefit from state services, just as we all pay for it and it makes sense to share the burden evenly, but Malloy may have a hard time convincing people.

Thanks to a judge’s decision, the American Legion Building in Wallingford will remain standing. It will probably be sold – if any buyer for the building can be found before the whole thing falls down.

Those phosphorous standards for wastewater are going to be expensive to achieve in Meriden, Wallingford, Southington and Cheshire, but the result will be improved quality of life in rivers and in the Sound.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Feb. 25, 2011

Southington’s new town manager is taking the technology bull by the horns and planning a number of updates and increases in the computer inter-connectedness. Brumback’s push in this direction should be good for both citizens in search of information and town employees trying to assist them.

The decision about which Southington departments move to North Center School, once it’s renovated, has been made. We hope the majority on the use committee is correct and foot traffic downtown will not be much affected.

Meriden engineers and planners are working with fire officials, public works and others to make sure that new subdivision regs., the first in 40 years, dovetail with needs in various departments. This is a good step to take and timely, too.

Wallingford’s Cleaves Ag-Tech Center is teaching students that animal care takes no holidays, even on weekends or snow days. This is a good reality check for anyone who wants to work with these creatures when they become adults.

In Meriden, Platt High School’s asbestos remediation over February vacation is just one more reminder of why we all wish we’d never heard of the flame retardant substance. As an ingredient in tiles and as insulation, it continues to provide a high profile problem.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 24, 2011

As several Wallingford councilors opine, there’s plenty wrong with the way binding arbitration works, but some of the alternatives are pretty awful as well, witness Wisconsin. The process assumes a consistent upward momentum and prosperity, and it cannot be put into reverse, so continues like some juggernaut incapable of being halted and gathering speed all the time.

Students from Meriden's Wilcox Tech went to Hartford to testify against the folding in of vo-tech s schools into local school systems. The issue is not so much the folding as that of keeping the vo-tech schools’ salient differences from the town schools, admissions policies, behavior rules, etc.

Connecticut’s miserable performance on administering food stamps is a demonstration of how attrition of workers weakens state administration but also of how the inflexibility of employment contracts accelerates expenses.

Connecticut unemployment compensation is another aspect of state government based on continued upward movement. The combination of taxes and wage base rules assumes only brief downturns, and, like other issues, needs amendment.

Democrats in Meriden contemplating reasons for loss in Senate race. There are several possible scenarios, a combination of which were enough trouble to produce defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 23, 2011

It is good to hear so positively from parents of the 12 Wallingford students on a trip to Italy that the trip was never presented in any way as a school-sanctioned trip. Under the circumstances, the letter dispatched to those parents last week denying liability was little more than the inevitable “cover your behind” note, sent a good deal too late.

Positive indications for Meriden public housing in Gov. Malloy’s record and in his budget. We hope they can be made to materialize.

Southington’s Board of Finance is going through budget requests with its usual care and deliberation, asking questions all the way. We anticipate the shape of what emerges.

Low turnout certainly had something to do with Tom Bruenn’s loss to Len Suzio in the special Senate election Tuesday (Meriden, Cheshire, Middlefield, Middletown), but in any case, congratulations to Len and may his service in the Senate be successful for us all.

Wallingford’s Town Council has voted 5 to 4 to approve three union contracts affecting workers in the school system, all three with modest wage increases. It makes a certain amount of sense to do the approval and avoid the inevitable and expensive appeal process.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues. Feb. 22, 2011

It’s evidently not too early to be thinking about this fall’s Wallingford mayoral contest, and Councilor Vincent Testa Jr. has been thinking hard about challenging Mayor William Dickinson this November. It will be interesting to see how this potential contest develops.

Southington’s budget proposals, now ready for public input and discussion, are a bit unusual, with schools receiving a much smaller percentage growth than general government. We wonder how this play out.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon. Feb. 21, 2011

Marketing Southington as a destination has at least two big assets, Mt. Southington and Lake Compounce. There are many more draws which can be ingeniously and delightfully added to the mix.

Congratulations to Southington’s Sikh congregation, now celebrating the completion of a temple. And a bravo as well to Gov. Dannel Malloy for making a point of showing up in support of the group.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Feb. 20, 2011

Wallingford Public Library is on a mission to spread the word about its recently expanded online resources, and its potential to become your new go-to search engine. This town facility is many things to many people.

Meriden's Hanover School hosted its second annual multicultural fair last week, celebrating diversity. Principal Miguel Cardona was impressed, and even Antarctica’s population was well-represented by miniature penguins on display.

Kudos to Bob Giddings of Cheshire who has set up an array of solar panels sufficient to generate more than his domestic needs, at least on a sunny day. The price he paid, however, does demonstrate the distance we have to go before such panels play a significant role in the majority or even a substantial minority of Connecticut homes.

It is so urgently time to get all the facts about whatever is or isn’t going on at the Wallingford Housing Authority out into public view and let them be frankly discussed without acrimony. It is important to be fair and balanced in discussions and consideration.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Feb. 19, 2011

A field trip to Italy seems not have been approved by Wallingford school board, and a letter went out to parents making it plain that there would be no liability of the board if anything goes wrong. Since the trip is next week, the letter probably caused a bit of a stir.

Basic to the question of reinstating tolls on Connecticut roads is whether they would impact federal transportation funds, and the rules need to be cleared up, since ending tolls (despite the horrible crash) had some impetus from the rules on federal funding and something to do with the fact that I-95 is no longer called “the Connecticut Turnpike.” Before enacting anything, there’s a basic question.

Proposed cuts to the Community Development Block Grants may trim as much as 7 percent from the block grant. This will force Meriden officials to make sensitive cuts.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Feb. 18, 2011

Meriden, Wallingford, Southington and Cheshire are all going to have to take the next step in water pollution control, which is the removal of phosphorus from the effluent released by each town. This is going to be expensive, and technology must be examined, bid, and added to each town’s system.

Gov. Malloy’s proposals include one to turn Vo-tech schools, including Meriden's Wilcox, over to the towns in which they are located, along with whatever budgetary amounts the state currently allots. It is unclear where this will leave the focus of these schools.

Another Malloy proposal maintains state support for renovation of schools but reduces it for new construction. This is good for Southington and Meriden systems which are both planning renovation.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 17, 2011

Perhaps that whole North Center School plan involving sale, renovation, rental, buyback, options, and transfer of departments from one space to another is just too complicated to debate. Sounds like deciding who moves ad who says is one for the Southington's town manager, so why not give Garry Brumback a month or two to figure out what’s what and leave the decision to him?

Florida’s CEO governor has cancelled plans for a high speed rail connection between Tampa and Orlando, saying it’s too expensive. That means that the federal moneys involved may be available for others, perhaps Connecticut.

Crews in Meriden have been loading up snow and trucking it off and away from downtown streets, notably Crown, West Main, and Colony. It’s a pity that snow removal isn’t as easy as snowfall!

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 16, 2011

Resignations will definitely change the outlook at the Wallingford Housing Authority. It remains to be seen exactly what motivated them and what other consequences may ensue.

In the Cheshire home invasion murder trial proceedings, remember, once again, that attorneys have to take whatever legal and responsible steps are possible in the defense of their clients. It is the American way.

It would seem possible, somehow, for the state of Connecticut to compensate at least some of the businesses to be affected by elimination of exemptions with other tax treatments. But while there seems little justification for these exemptions, their removal will certainly make issues.

Southington officials are considering putting the town’s $12 million rainy day fund into more productive investments to improve income from the money. That makes sense, if care is taken to safeguard the reality that it’s the public’s money.

Possibility that Southington middle school kids will be able to obtain breakfasts at schools as early as April if details can be worked out. Kids learn better on stomachs full of nutritious food.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues. Feb. 15, 2011

Nobody wants to pay more taxes of any kind, and become exercised at Gov. Malloy’s proposals. But nobody wants to lose services, either. Anyone have a better plan? If you examine the tax increases Malloy has proposed for Connecticut, you can only wonder why some of the exemptions exist in the first place.

Southington is going to educate on the need for no sump pumping into sewers and do that thoroughly before “dropping fines” on people.

Sec. of State’s plan for fixing Connecticut election issues seems effectively low-key, and hence workable. She also mentioned making absentee balloting easier and also discussed the early voting, as in Oregon and North Carolina.

Interesting issue regarding notions of using existing camera equipment to capture cars running red lights at intersections in Meriden and elsewhere, and it might help to change the nature of violations so that they impact the vehicle, not the driver.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon. Feb. 14, 2011

Connecticut residents can look forward to today’s expected announcement regarding the Secretary of the State’s ideas to fix election problems as demonstrated in Bridgeport last November.

Southington’s “Giving Back Girls,” sixth graders who have baked cupcakes, cookies, brownies and other treats and will sell their goods at appropriate venues where that little extra baking is appreciated. Money realized at the sales goes to Southington Community Services.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Feb. 13, 2011

It certainly makes sense that various departments and concerned administrators of Meriden have submitted lists of capital projects which, at some point, they believe should be funded by the city – though the total $144.33 million covering six years is a little daunting. Don’t panic, residents, there will be no more than $4.77 million bonded this year, although the difficult process will be selecting which projects to move forward.

Connecticut State Rep. John Kissel is proposing opening the HOV lanes which were built at huge expense to encourage ridesharing on interstates in and out of Hartford to all traffic. It’s unlikely the change would end gridlock but would rather more likely encourage more people to use the highways.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Feb. 12, 2011

It’s a little difficult to see why Wallingford faces an either/or choice: either cut services or raise taxes. Funding a budget is a question every municipality has to face at one time or another and Wallingford, having been prudently governed is in a better position to do than most; some combination of tax and cut can certainly be worked out.

That uproar over Connecticut license plate revelations (Gov. Rell awarded numerous plates to outgoing officials, a well-known practice) is pretty ridiculous. For one thing, plates should never have been made private information anyway. For another, the reason anyone has a particular plate is to assure recognition. For another, since governors have been handing out available low number plates for decades, shouldn’t such numbers at least be public, just as a check on the abuse of power?

Cheshire’s school system, thanks to expectations of low increases in the budget from the town, is considering “pay to play” fees for students for all athletics. Besides making us wary of unintentional discriminations, even in a relatively affluent community, it is adding to fees already in place (is that insult to injury?) and undermining the concept of free, public schools.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Feb. 11, 2011

It’s not yet clear what period of time that sum of $30,000 in unreturned books covers in Southington – or, now that they’re taking a look at the issue, how it compares with other school systems. Kids will lose books, despite their parents’ best efforts, and unless there is a serious and unusual problem, there’s no point really in becoming too upset about it – it’s not as if textbooks were one of the major expenses of any school board.

The Connecticut General Assembly is considering a bill creating a registry for all guns in the state. While we thoroughly approve of gun control and strongly support efforts to keep lethal weapons of any kind out of the hands of people who are unsafe, we find it hard to imagine any measure more likely to trigger serious opposition from every 2nd amendment proponent than a universal registry. Why not just buy guns from people instead?

Given some expectations, it’s not unreasonable that some of the houses Meriden acquired under Neighborhood Stabilization Funds over the last two years have been demolished, some sold, some on the market, and some being refurbished. That’s what happens.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 10, 2011

Reopening of the parks and recreation building in Wallingford has reopened, after concerns have been addressed. It will be good to get programs back to normal.

The kick-off of the 2011 Relay for Life in Southington, scheduled for June 10, was held this week with a celebratory dinner in honor of the 2010 effort, and to present this year’s theme for the event. We look forward to June 10 for the good the Relay accomplishes.

More money is going in Cheshire, Southington, Wallingford and Meriden for snow removal, setting budgets into the red. All the towns could probably very easily spend a good deal more than has already been moved, and for most of it there isn’t much choice.

Southington police have some major issues at their still-new headquarters on Lazy Lane. We hope the Building Maintenance Committee can work through the laundry list ASAP, as these would not appear to be trivial complaints.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 9, 2011

Looks as if Wallingford has a special problem with the snow congestion at and around Moses Y. Beach, as school buses and automobiles vie for parking and turning room. Surely, though, this can’t be the only impossible spot in town or in the area as this snow base steadfastly insists on being trucked away and not melted.

Meriden’s police department is buying the last three Crown Victorias ever, since they will no longer be manufactured. This purchase will buy the department some time, as well, to let the latest bugs be ironed out of other potential police vehicles.

The idea to paint murals on the big blank business walls facing the Southington Linear Trail as a way to counter graffiti seems to have attracted attention. We hope that it all works out as intended.

Republicans in the legislature are keen to begin closing Riverview Hospital in Middletown, the only state-run psychiatric hospital for children in New England. While cost considerations and other concerns may well dictate the closure of the facility, for pity’s sake, give the new commissioner a chance to look at this hospital with her newly named staff and make a recommendation, which is due by April 14.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues. Feb. 8, 2011

It is a positive result that the group home for girls on Thunderbird Drive, Southington, has managed to blend in reasonably well in the neighborhood. It is not positive that Rep. Sampson is introducing legislation to require hearings on locations for such homes, because that would result, essentially, in no homes being constructed.

It is ridiculous for Connecticut to be hanging on to the prohibition on Sunday sales of alcohol. If the change means trouble for mom-and-pop stores, which we have no reason to doubt, how about combining the repeal of the blue laws with some sort of compensatory benefit for those in harm’s way?

It is noted that counsel for defendants in the Cheshire home invasion case have filed a number of motions challenging, among other things, the impartiality of the judge and the venue of the trial. While this sort of thing tries everyone’s patience, we remind ourselves that in the United States, everyone, even people who seem obviously culpable on the evidence available to everyone, still are entitled to have the facts and the evidence tested by every tool that the law can devise.

Good thoughts for the Dainty Rubbish Service workers who spotted a kitten in the garbage compactor while on a run in Middletown this week. The lucky kitten is recuperating at the Meriden Humane Society.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon. Feb. 7, 2011

The loss of so many vintage cars in the collapse of a Quonset Hut in which they have been stored in Meriden is to be much regretted. Another casualty of this winter’s snow accumulation.

A member of the Southington police department who is teaching self-defense karate in a course geared for women of all ages. This is a useful set of skills for anyone to know, and it makes sense to spread this knowledge around.

A program at Wallingford’s Public Library (for the Waddling Ones) is designed to help caregivers and their young charges a chance to move and exercise. It’s a good way to socialize, too, and to escape the build-up of whatever it is that causes Cabin Fever.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Feb. 6, 2011

We are glad that in Meriden and other towns, the old post office motto continues to inspire mail carriers: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

It really doesn’t make much sense to count prisoners as residents of a community such as Cheshire where the prison is, since, for most purposes, they are not functioning residents of that community. Not the the situation is totally analagous, but are not members of the armed forces counted as residents of their home communities, not as residents of where their air force base happens to be?

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Feb. 5, 2011

Meanwhile, snow continues almost unmelted, so the lack of yield from Saturday’s storm was welcome indeed, giving public works folks in Meriden a chance to address some problems like uncleared handicap parking spots. There are limits to what can be expected or accomplished, so in addition to patience, a good thaw would be most welcome.

Defendants in the Cheshire home invasion trial of the second defendant are exercising some aggressiveness in filing motions in the progress of this case. Given the convictions of the first defendant, it’s not surprising that attorneys are seeking to explore whatever directions they can find in aid of their client; as defense counsel, this is their duty under the law.

You’ve got to give Wallingford Mayor Dickinson high marks for invention, weaving The Lord of the Rings into his State of the Town speech, as he did at Ashlar Village this week. His continuing role as fighter for fiscal responsibility seems to be continuingly popular.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Feb. 4, 2011

Unitrin Inc., owner since 2009 of Response Insurance which has an office in former International building at 500 S. Broad St., Meriden, has decided to close the local operations. It’s too bad it isn’t a little more difficult to buy and sell businesses and put local communities into difficulties, but probably the business community would say once again that the state was being “unfriendly” to business.

The premise that teams of teachers need time to meet and discuss how their students are performing and learning, as teams in Meriden have just begun doing, is admirable. That the meetings seem driven by various standardized tests and rules requiring accountability on the basis of such tests which do individual students no good whatever, is not good at all, but unfortunately is necessary in today’s educational climate.

The down side of the North Center School plan in Southington is that although the sale, renovation and lease of the old former school are financed, the obviously necessary renovations to the town hall are not. But the voters have spoken, repeatedly, and financing is not going to happen any time soon.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 3, 2011

School roofs in Meriden, Wallingford, Cheshire and Southington, knock on wood, are in good shape and have been discussed and or inspected for snow-relate issues. It makes sense that school roofs should bear up, since the last we heard, safety standards for construction are considerably higher than the minimum required to support a roof – it’s one of the reasons school construction is expensive.

We note that First Connecticut Bancorp Inc., the parent of Farmington Bank, is planning to go public and convert from a mutual operation to a common stock company. This is probably great for some stakeholders, but it’s fair to wonder how this affects the average depositor.

Meriden Police Chief Jeffry Cossette is continuing to work on BP seeing reimbursement for Officer David Buck who was deployed as a National Guardsman to help clean up BP’s spill for three months last year. BP has come through for Southington, and we can see no difference in this case, so we continue to approve Cossette’s efforts.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 2, 2011

Everyone in Meriden, Wallingford, Southington and Cheshire has been waiting to see what could be worse than 30 inches of snow covering the ground and clogging the transportation arteries. Well, check out today’s freezing whatever-it-is, and you can easily answer that question.

In Southington, three-quarters of the liquor stores checked in the second round of compliance sting operations failed the test and sold to a minor. This is after police and Southington Town-wide Effort to Promote Success (STEPS) have visited every outlet in town and received appreciation. So what is it that is not being understood?

Finally, a sale of the 250 acres of Powder Ridge, under terms which require improvements and reopening of the ski area while providing reverter to the town of Middlefield if it doesn’t work out. It will be good to see the place in operation again, and we wish the Colorado company, Alpine Associates of Crested Butte, the best of luck.

Meriden used the reverse 911 call system for the first time this week to good effect. The message, to remove cars from the streets because of pending snow storm, worked and many fewer vehicles needed to be towed away, which is the point of the whole idea. And besides, using the call system is a vast improvement over driving around town with a bull horn.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues. Feb. 1, 2011

The hottest-selling items around central Connecticut are roof rakes, and there’s no reason quite yet to expect any slowdown, as the white stuff continues to descend and the temperatures, after whatever warming occurs during the present storm, drops back into the teens.

Falling or threatened roofs continue to be one of the undiscovered issues which follow unexpectedly heavy snow. What happened to the January thaw?
And, while you’re raking snow off your roof or dealing with quaking building supports, don’t forget your vehicle. No parking in the streets for the foreseeable future, as parking bans are enforced in Meriden, Southington, and Wallingford.

Garry Brumback spent his first day on the job as Southington’s new town manager helping to plan for a snowstorm today. Well, he’s used to disaster planning from his time along the Gulf Coast; we’re confident he can handle it.

Discussion of a bill to protect Connecticut municipalities from suit following injuries on public lands. There’s obviously room for improvement here, but there must also be compromise, too.

Meriden, Wallingford, Southington and Cheshire have all published their grand lists, and each is a little different, leading the prognosticators to see what can be read among the tea leaves.

As Meriden’s Deputy Chief David Bowen says, remember to clear the snow from your fire hydrant. In a fire emergency, every second can count.