The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 31, 2009

Meriden ended fiscal 2008-09 with a $1,400 surplus, not counting the $6 million rebate from the trash burning operation). That’s pretty remarkable, all things considered. The color-coded pie chart is informative if unsurprising, and kind of pretty also.

Southington: Parks Director Richard Egidio will retire on March 30, after using up all his accumulated vacation time. Best of luck to him and, again, all things considered, it was time.

5th District U.S. Rep. Murphy of Cheshire is making a gesture by sponsoring a bill which would put some more teeth into the “buy American” law. It’s an appreciated move, but one must really ask if it makes sense to require purchase of goods which are more costly than the "imported" alternatives.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Dec. 29, 2009

Meriden: the decision to use the park fund of Clarence Bradley for planning at City and Brookside is sensible, as is the need to include a general plan of improvements for all parks.

State: the arguing over who gets to make spending cuts in the state’s budget is so complicated by different versions of the deficit and by partisan positioning that it’s all becoming kind of a travesty.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Dec. 28, 2009

Wallingford: twitter account opens for members of the Senior Center, which is excellent for those who want it. It’s still good to remember that while there are many seniors who have missed out on the electronic revolution and are excited to learn, there are others who have spent years using it in the workplace and might be happy to give their computers a rest.

Meriden: facing the city is the high school replacement issue. While there are choices about how to proceed most economically and most effectively, there is no choice about whether the process must be undertaken. People should remember that there will not always be a recession afflicting us.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Dec. 27, 2009

The development of the Meriden Children’s Zone in an area of the city not far from the post office. Based on a model used in Harlem, the idea includes a tightly woven safety net for the benefit of neighborhood kids, and building community. Sounds good!

Southington looks forward to 2010 for several needed projects, including development of the former drive-in theater into recreational facilities, the opening of renewed South End School, and other exciting prospects.

Wallingford: mocktail recipes in the sixth edition issued by the Meriden and Wallingford Substance Abuse Council helps those who don’t drink to feel there is an alternative. The booklet is available free by mail and on-line at http://www.mawsac.org/

Upcoming meeting of the Southington Dog Park Association next week as members plan and dream for the future of the facility.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Dec. 26, 2009

The collection of 152 letters from Southington’s Captain Andrew Upson, who died in the Civil War, should be an interesting trove for those who want to understand our forbears better than they do.
It will be interesting to see how many subscribers U-verse develops in the area to watch meetings of local government. Meriden will be followed by Wallingford in this venture.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Dec. 25, 2009

Notepod wishes all readers the best salutations of the day in whatever terms are most welcome to the one who reades them.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 24, 2009

Meriden/Southington: both towns preparing, with state incentives, to go to a “no transfer system” so that emergency 911 calls do not have to be switched but can mobilize services directly.

Area: It was just great that those who wanted snow for the holiday still have it on the ground today, and that those who don’t want storms aren’t getting one . . . at least in our part of the nation.