Monday, December 21, 2009

The WRA link to local news

I haven't been paying much attention to the WRA lately. I just don't find their website particularly user-friendly. But I did look at it this weekend and their "local" page seems chock full of Cheshire news today, including:

F&S Oil customers getting 30 cents on the dollar.

The schools' are looking for Teachers' Union concessions - I find this article particularly surprising. It was only last week that David Schrumm and I got an earful for suggesting shared pain among everyone.

Some discussion about the pool bubble and tonight's meeting.

I've changed the WRA link in the left column so that you are directed to the local news page, not the homepage.

Tim White

13 comments:

Breachway said...

Maybe they should have thought about this before the increase was approved. If they don't agree, lay off teachers-don't offer ANY extras for early retirement and do whatever else is necessary to make the union pay. Maybe Gerry will finally convince the BOE to take the gloves off with the teachers...I have a kid in CHS but enough is enough. Leake must feel like a real dope after his comments that the economy isnt that bad.

Anonymous said...

Wow, F&S customers really got screwed and also the State of Connecticut. They would have done a lot better had the Bowman's helped, but instead they made it difficult to sell the biodiesel plant at a fair price, and as a result the plant had to be abandoned.

Does anyone what the status of the plant is now? Do the Bowmans own it now? Is the town collecting any taxes? I think it had cost about $4,000,000, and that would have produced a pretty good amount of tax revenue.

Anonymous said...

4:05 Good question.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Tim White said...

5:43 I've heard the story to which you allude. But there's no way I'm letting you go there on this blog. Frankly, I have no idea if it's true. Furthermore... while I completely disagree with the way this liquidation has been handled by ownership (based on my understanding, it's very wrong)... there are a lot of good things that have happened for Cheshire by the same people. So I request that be kept in mind.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure someones widow would appreciate $150,000 that was owed to her husband by them

Tim White said...

6:56 If it was your comment that I deleted, then I encourage you to push on your assertion. I'm just uncomfortable letting that conversation happen because of (what I believe you'll understand are) obvious reasons. I'm fine discussing the issue of 30 cents on the dollar for prepayments (a major wrong, IMO)... but not on your other issue regarding a payable. I just feel as though - even if the story is 100% true - it is far too sensitive at this moment.

Anonymous said...

Ok, if you are ok with a young family risking their home to forclosure because resident millionaires will not pay their bills than that's fine

30 cents on the dollar is rediculous. The "forensic accountant" had no problem getting his money all along. Anyone that prepaid $1000 is only going to see $320 back. The way prices have jumped in the last few years make prepaying a waste.

FYI - Hitchcock oil (bowmans) likes to keep credit cards on file and fill tanks without customers wanting

Anonymous said...

"I find this article particularly surprising. It was only last week that David Schrumm and I got an earful for suggesting shared pain among everyone."

Explain. Is it related to Brittingham's letter in here:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21123853&postID=6604651019435631335

Tim White said...

Ok, if you are ok with a young family risking their home to forclosure because resident millionaires will not pay their bills than that's fine

That's a ridiculous suggestion, but at least your comment isn't so obvious. Thank you for that.

As for "who gets paid what"... I assume the Uniform Commercial Code dictates that.

Tim White said...

fill tanks without customers wanting

I'm not sure how this particular situation works, but I've been on autodrop for years. I prefer it that way.

Anonymous said...

"Explain. Is it related to Brittingham's letter in here"

At last week's TC budget projection meeting Florio and Brittingham got bent out of shape because two TC members asked about potential union concessions to help offset the budget issues. Schrumm asked if there would be negotiations with the "certain" unions and he wanted an answer on concessions by 1/15. I believe Tim W also inquired about this and stated that other towns were well ahead of the curve on negotiations/concessions.

Brittingham chewed out some of the TC members after the meeting for asking about union concessions. I don't quite understand why but he was very vocal and got in the faces of some TC members. Florio did the same.

Tim W probably won't go into details because he's a better man than either Gerry or Florio. He won't stoop to their level. In the end, anyone that stuck around after the meeting and witnessed the actions of Florio and Brittingham will know they were childish, at best. Poor conduct by a BOE chair and poorer conduct by a super. Both of them should know better.

As for Gerry's letter...that was 6 years ago. Obviously he's in a different mindset these days and probably wishes that letter was never published at this point...I would too if I approved a bloated 14.4% salary increase.

Anonymous said...

People must pay for bad decisions. It's to bad if their feathers got ruffled. The taxpayer has been getting fleeced for years.