Chris Murphy at Town Hall

I got to Town Hall for a few minutes tonight and got to hear Congressman Chris Murphy speak for a few minutes about energy. While I was there I didn't get a chance to mention the Energy Security Leadership Council (perhaps the only group with real answers to our dependence on foreign oil), but it was obvious that finding "energy solutions" is a passion for him.

After he spoke about energy (including nuclear), I asked him about what I believe is the single biggest issue facing America: our unfunded long-term liabilities.

He agreed with me that the current annual national budget includes $3,000,000,000,000 in spending and a deficit of several hundred billion dollars (because the federal government will be collecting less in taxes, than it spends). He also agreed with me that we've got $50,000,000,000,000 in unfund long-term liabilities (social security, medicare). Having agreed on these basics, I had two comments:

1) Congress and the White House are being intellectually dishonest when they ignore this.

2) I told him I don't blame this mess on him at all... it goes back decades. But I wanted to know what he's doing to address this disaster in the making (btw, Medicare has solvency issues in 2019... Soc Sec doesn't have those problems "until" 2042).

Chris was very honest. He basically said there's a lack of political will, but that wasn't acceptable to him. He feels if it's a tough issue, then it's incumbent on our elected officials to make the case... not ignore it. I couldn't agree more... and frankly, I was pretty surprised that he said he'd be willing to take the time to make the case on entitlement reform. I was really impressed.

And on a somewhat related topic... I watched some of the Dem debate tonight. I didn't see much, but I was glad to hear Obama said that he'll work to take back America from "the powerful, the connected." Whether he's elected POTUS or not, and whether he succeeds in ending the reign of the powerful and the connected, remains to be seen. For some reason (probably because he's spent so few years in Washington) I feel that he's sincere and it may not just be more of the same empty rhetoric. But I come from the perspective that some people have been around too long and just need to go.

Tim White

Ethics reform

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Gov. Rell is advocating "ethics reform" in CT. And she wants it at both a state and local level.

Now the Courant editorial board is supporting her initiative:

The governor's proposed ethics reforms call for an expansion of financial disclosure requirements to state agency division heads — roughly, third-tier managers — as well as top legislative staff and state employees involved in awarding contracts. Chiefs of staff to the governor and lieutenant governor would come under the new requirement....

She'd also require all municipalities to adopt a local code of ethics within two years.

I'm not sure if this would apply to Cheshire as we already have "conflict of interest" rules, but I'm sure they could be refined.

The editorial continues with an issue I mentioned to the TM and Town Attorney six months ago and again last week:

Pensions of corrupt public officials are being targeted this year by Ms. Rell and Senate Democrats. Both propose revoking the benefits...

Unfortunately, while I think this is a no-brainer, I gather legal barriers exist... and, of course, there's that North Haven case that really started me thinking about this in the first place. But maybe the state will pass legislation that addresses this?

The Courant wrapped up with:

We think these proposals would challenge public officials' long-held assumptions about the way they do business. They would become more aware of how their actions are viewed by constituents.

Government — and public confidence — would be better for it.

Hats off to the Courant for this opinion.

Tim White

The best show on TV

The Wire is the best show on TV. Though I haven't met many people who watch it, I love it and highly recommend it.

For anyone who can 1) netflick it (cuz you probably won't find it anywhere else) and 2) find the time to watch from the beginning... and with 50+ episodes at an hour each... it's quite a commitment... but well worth it.

The whole show is based in Baltimore.

The first two seasons take the unorthodox view of telling the story of the good guys (the cops) and the bad guys (the drug dealers) from the points of view of each. And what do you get? Well... a view that makes everyone look a little good and a little bad.

Then the story moves into the worlds of politics and journalism, while keeping the original story line going. I think the most poignant moment for me was when the "soon-to-be-kids-turned-drug-dealers" start making progress in school, then have a run-in with the NCLB act... which, of course, relates to the city politics... and is covered by local media.

Wikipedia notes "(the show's creator) has said that despite its presentation as a crime drama, the show is

"really about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals, and how…whether you're a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge [or] lawyer, you are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution you've committed to."

The Wire is a fantastic show. It's amazingly well done. Check it out, if you ever get the time.

Tim White

Microgrid interest growing

From the Courant's editorial board:

Pinched by soaring energy costs and the need for economic development, a growing number of Connecticut cities and towns are exploring setting up their own energy micro-grids. It's an intriguing idea. Legislation authorizing the so-called "energy improvement districts" was adopted by the General Assembly last year. It gives municipalities the authority (and a lot of flexibility) to establish the districts and provide assistance, including issuing and guaranteeing a district's bonds to build energy facilities.

I'm not advocating property taxpayer subsidies for the proposed northend development. But I'm still perplexed as to why neither microgrids nor transfer development rights were discussed in the context of the ND.

The editorial continues:

In just the last few months, districts were established in Ansonia and Stamford. Berlin, Bridgeport, New Haven, Oxford, Wethersfield, Manchester and Watertown are considering them, too.

I wonder if Cheshire's elected bodies will ever consider these options?

Tim White

Cheshire's Presidential history

President Gerald Ford lived in Cheshire in the 1930s. Now Ron Gagliardi will be presenting a recognition award for it. For details see the NHR (by Luther Turmelle) or the MRJ (by Stacy Graham-Hunt).

Tim White

Indy is back...

I'm a fan. Here's the two minute trailer for this summer's release...How can I not love it at 1:01 when one of the most recognizable theme songs of all time kicks in?

Tim White

Gulf of Tonkin III

Following the first and second parts of my dad's story, here's the third installment:

In Hanoi, he (McNamara) continued his shameful charade of being ignorant about what happened. Here's how I know.

An International Furor

In December of 1967, I wrote a letter to my local newspaper, the New Haven [Connecticut] Register, accusing President Johnson, Defense Secretary McNamara and the Joint Chiefs of Staff of giving false information to Congress in their report about American destroyers being attacked in the Gulf on August 4, 1964. I identified myself as a former naval officer and said I based my charge on two sources of information: (1) reading the classified radio messages sent at that time by the two allegedly attacked destroyers, USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy, and (2) talking, a few months later, with the chief sonar man (whose name I did not recall) of the Maddox.

My letter got international attention. I was covered by everything from the wire services, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS Evening News and TV crews from Japan and the Netherlands to local media, radio interviews across the country and a documentary film, In the Year of the Pig. Even the Soviet Military Review got into the act, saying I had "confessed" to a frame-up in Vietnam. The letter became, in the words of one book about the Tonkin Gulf events, "a national sensation." Make that “international.”

My letter helped Senator J. William Fulbright (D-Arkansas) to launch the Senate Foreign Relations Committee into a full-scale investigation of the Tonkin events. He brought me to Washington to testify, and was soon locking horns with the Administration. However, the radio messages were classified and therefore not publicly disclosed in full. Furthermore, the man I claimed to have spoken with was never found by the Senate investigators. My veracity and my sanity were questioned by some people, and, of course, my patriotism. I, myself, even wondered initially, when I met such resistance and denial from official quarters, whether I'd somehow fantasized the whole thing.

John White

to be continued...

Pettite speaking now

I haven't seen the entire Pettite press conference. Nonetheless, he seems like a standup guy. He appears to be completely candid and honest, even explaining his reason for taking HGH... he said he felt as though (at least in part) he had to take the stuff not because he wanted to outperform other players, but because he was injured and got paid a lot of money... so he needed to get back in the rotation asap.

One reporter asked if Pettite considered himself a cheater. Andy didn't say yes or no. He just said it was for others to decide.

Andy Pettite seems to be completely honest (and remorseful) about this. For that, I respect him. I just hope the other players (and not just the NYC players treated by McNamee) will admit what they did, say it was wrong and help get the baseball family past this... particularly the kids and/or minor leaguers who may have thought these drugs were ok.

Tim White

First in the hearts of his countrymen

This is a repost from a year ago, but I think it's very much worthwhile:

With Presidents' Day fast approaching, I wanted to share my thoughts on why I believe George Washington is not only America's greatest President, but also one of the greatest people to have ever lived. The following excerpt, from PresidentialExpert.com, says it all:

As president, Washington served the nation, kept the peace, saved lives and preserved the Union. Washington's greatest gift was passing the torch of leadership. Washington was greater than the nation when he became the first president under the Constitution we have today. He refused to become king or serve for life but insisted upon passing leadership to John Adams as president and retiring from public life. The nation had become greater than him and could survive without him. Like his hero Cincinnatus, Washington returned to his farm.

Washington decided to leave when he was at the top of his form. Washington always knew when to quit before he reached the Peter Principle. He quit as dictator of America in 1776, resigned as the general of the Continental Army in 1783 and retired as president in 1797. Like his hero Cincinnatus, he returned to his farm each time.

In conclusion, Washington's leadership never goes out of style. He offers standards and examples that are worthwhile imitating. Washington was in the public eye for over thirty years. If Washington's time tested principles worked for him and our country, they can work for us. Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry Lee," said upon George Washington's death that he had been "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." These words remain true today and his principles of leadership remain timeless.

Also coming to mind is Lord Acton's comment that "power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." George Washington never wanted power, especially "absolute power." He only wanted to serve his country.

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District

Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light.
- George Washington

Gulf of Tonkin events II

This is a continuation of a piece I started yesterday about my dad's involvement in exposing the Gulf of Tonkin coverup that led to the escalation of war in Vietnam:

"McNamara Learns 2nd Tonkin Gulf Attack Never Happened" said the Associated Press headlined account of former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara's visit to Hanoi in early November 1995. Upon meeting Vietnam's retired military strategist and war hero, 85-year-old Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, McNamara asked what really happened in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 4, 1964. "Absolutely nothing," replied Giap.

In a followup interview with The Washington Post, McNamara said he was now absolutely sure the August 4 attack never happened. But it was precisely that nonevent which McNamara reported as fact to President Johnson, who in turn reported it to Congress on August 5, deceiving it into passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The Resolution became the legal basis for America to conduct full-scale war in Vietnam.

Earlier in 1995, McNamara had concluded his book In Retrospect with "the lessons of Vietnam." Speaking in the first person plural, he listed 11 major causes for "our disaster" there. I suggest there is a twelfth lesson he should have noted: "We lied to Congress about the events in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 4 and then covered up our mistake." In Hanoi, he continued his shameful charade of being ignorant about what happened.

John White

Chris Murphy at Town Hall

I just got this in an email from Chris Murphy:

"Too often, our government officials spend all their time sitting in their offices, waiting for people to come to them with their problems and opinions.... This Thursday, February 21st, I'll be hosting a town hall meeting in Cheshire at the Cheshire Town Hall at 6pm." - Congressman Chris Murphy

Gulf of Tonkin events: A note for the public record

Whereas naval units of the Communist regime in Vietnam, in violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law, have deliberately and repeatedly attacked United States naval vessels, and

Whereas these attacks are part of a deliberate and systematic campaign of aggression and

Whereas the United States is assisting the peoples of southeast Asia to protect their freedom and has no territorial, military or political ambitions in that area

Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed by Congress on August 7, 1964

The U.S. war in Vietnam essentially began in 1964 in response to what our government claimed was an unprovoked attack upon two naval ships, the destroyers Maddox and Turner Joy, while they were steaming peacefully on the high seas in the Gulf of Tonkin. Although there was a U.S. military presence in Vietnam prior to that, the Tonkin events led to congressional action which allowed President Lyndon Johnson (and, later, President Richard Nixon) to escalate our military presence enormously and to wage war not only in Vietnam but also covertly in Southeast Asia.

Among the many books written about the Vietnam War, half a dozen note a 1967 letter to the editor of a Connecticut newspaper which was instrumental in pressing the Johnson administration to tell the truth about how the war was started. The letter was mine. It became, in the words of one author, "a national sensation." This is an account of my role and its aftermath.

John White

I'm pretty sure that at this point, most people agree that LBJ (or his administration) was not truthful with the American public. And I know I've mentioned my dad's involvement in exposing the Gulf of Tonkin coverup in the past. Nonetheless, I wanted to mention it again... probably over the course of a few days this time, since capturing even only a very distilled version of the events takes more than a "few inches" of reading.

Tim White

Turf study gets funded

According to the NHRs Luther Turmelle, the Cheshire Education Foundation has received a $10,000 grant to study the installation of turf. And it seems the funding came from one of our regular bloggers, Mr. Anonymous. j/k... but Luther does mention that the funding source is anonymous.

Anyway, the study would need to be conducted to ascertain costs, according to Superintendent Florio:

“We need to get an idea whether we’re talking $850,000 or $1 million to do this, and using the money from the foundation would allow us to do that without having to touch the Bond Commission money or any amount that booster groups might raise,” Florio said.

The difference between $850,000 and $1 million is significant.

Keeping in mind that the "Fritz/Amann lollipop" is $525,000. And the "Council lollipop" could be $349,000 (just below the referendum threshold of $350,000), that means the total "lollipop" is $874,000. And any cost incurred by taxpayers, greater than $875,000, would require voter input.

I wonder how the voters would feel about this?

Anyway, I was glad to read that BOE members are at least considering lifecycle costs and the long term liabilities:

“We’d need to set up a plan where money was being set aside for replacement costs if this is approved,” Massey said.

Unfortunately, I'm skeptical that such long-term planning for liabilities would remain with the BOE. Peter, and every other current member, would probably be gone from the BOE by the time the turf got replaced in ten to 15 years. Then what happens?

And if the replacement costs were not properly funded over time and if a replacement goes to referendum... could the referendum fail? If so, do we have to "condemn" the field? I have no idea, but it's probably something that should be considered. Although, maybe people would see the increased availability (200 days vs. 30 days / yr) as a reasonable offsetting benefit to a possible loss of any field use in ten years?

Tim White

Increased boiler costs

The WRA and NHR are both reporting on the cost of the Norton School boiler delay. Reported by the NHRs Luther Turmelle:

The planned replacement of an aging boiler at Norton Elementary School has already been out to bid twice, and could go through the bidding process a third time because of a technicality.

Although the Town Council voted 8-1 Wednesday night to accept the $194,996 low bid from Middlebury-based Connecticut Combustion Corp., plans for the work might have to be put out to bid again because the town missed a 45-day window for which the price was valid. The company had asked town officials to pay an additional $16,000 for the job....

Part of Sima’s concern over the boiler replacement project is that the problem with Norton’s boiler system dates back to early 2006. Both school boilers were corroded and although one has since been replaced, Sima said he wonders how long the second unit will continue to function.

Tim White

Mike & the Mad Dog rip Shays

Forget about what Congressman Chris Shays said during the Congressional hearings on baseball drug use. A lot of people listen to Mike and the Mad Dog. And this is what they heard:(posted by CTBlogger)

ouch!

What I'm still trying to understand is when Pettite says Clemens juiced, how do Republicans end up getting in the middle of this and looking as though they're taking sides?

Tim White

Open forum 2/14

It was a late meeting... we adjourned after an executive session at about 12:45am. Ugh. Anyway... no update on the meeting now... way too late.

Anybody watch the Clemens hearing though? Ouch. Listening to Clemens and McNamee speak left me with the idea that one of them must have been committing perjury... they were literally contradicting each other. As for why Congress is holding hearings when we're at war and there are other issues that are clearly within their purview... ummm... I'm not sure. From a Constitutional perspective, I wish they wouldn't have the hearings, but from a PR perspective... I'm glad to have Congress shine a light on the problem... so hopefully kids and minor leaguers will realize these drugs are unacceptable... besides they could be doing a lot worse things!

Feel free to make this an open forum.

Tim White

Cheshire developer, PZC settle on housing

From the NHR (by Brian McReady)

With a protracted legal settlement behind him, Ravenswood Homes developer Dean Fiske can begin construction on 63 age-restricted units behind the town transfer station.

Last week, the Town Plan and Zoning Commission unanimously approved an out-of-court settlement with Fiske, a Cheshire developer, which reduces the number of units from 72 to 63.

Fiske filed his application under the state’s affordable housing statute; the Inland Wetlands and Zoning panels had repeatedly denied the proposal, citing safety and health concerns.

TPZ Chairman Walter “Beau” Clark said a Superior Court judge Friday accepted the settlement.

Clark said if the project had not been filed under the state’s affordable housing statute, it’s likely the town could have prevailed at trial. But under that statute, the onus is on the town to prove that the project is not necessary. Towns must have at least 10 percent of their housing stock designated as affordable in order to shift the burden to the developer.

Tim White

Cheshire's fledgling blogosphere

I've mentioned before that during 2007, I heard from more than a few of Cheshire's "power brokers" about TWL. Basically, none of them were happy with this blog. Or more precisely, they weren't happy about us shining the light of day where it often hasn't shone for years.

And in 2008, I'm really hoping we can grow Cheshire's fledgling blogosphere by leaps and bounds.

To that end, here's my attempt at a complete list of Cheshire-based blogs that seem to have content added fairly regularly:

Cheshire 06410
Cheshire Smart Growth
Friends of Boulder Knoll
Cheshire Town Post
Levers and Pulleys
Nutmeg Pundit
Tim White Listens
Underground Town Hall

My personal favorite is Underground Town Hall. Cindy does a great job of adding new content about local issues on a daily basis.

Does anyone know of any other Cheshire-based blogs?

Tim White

NY4P turf study

Although the WRA has reported that the Matt Altieri / Mary Fritz / Jim Amann turf has already been rubberstamped approved by the state bonding commission, and it appears this is a fait accompli... I still think it'd be worthwhile to try to take an objective look at turf.

I found this study by the group New Yorkers for Parks. They claim to be independent and their executive summary seems fair. But for Cheshire to use their guidance may be impossible.

Why?

Well, the NY4P study calls for including "maintenance plans and cost-benefit analyses in requests for capital funding for athletic fields so that educated funding decisions are made."

And we all know that in Cheshire... "costs" don't necessarily exist. I mean, with regard to our recently adopted Democratic tax hike fund balance policy, a cost/benefit analysis would be impossible because as we've been told "the start is a false premise that there is a cost involved. There is no cost; there is a revenue investment."

So there you have it... "costs" don't exist in Cheshire Town Government. Yippee! Everything done by the town is an "investment." So a cost/benefit analysis of the turf would be impossible. Right?

Maybe not. Perhaps the budget committee could consider doing a cost/benefit analysis? Maybe if the Budget Committee had a CPA, they could figure out how to do one?

Ok, ok... all kidding aside... I hope you take a look-see at the NY4P study and comment. It seems to provide a fairly objective view of turf.

As for me, I'm still of the opinion that it's more important to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil (and building a natatorium, such as they have at the Milford/Orange YMCA, could help with that) than it is to have a turf field.

Tim White

Too late. It's been decided.

It's official.

I got my first phone call on it this weekend.

A constituent said he had seen the paper's discussing Jim Amann's "slush fund," also known as Jim Amann's "discretionary fund." And since we could apparently use the "slush fund" for anything, he suggested we use the money to extend the linear trail.

I respectfully disagreed. I offered my higher priority... reducing America's dependence on foreign oil... and said we could have a direct impact on Cheshire's consumption of fossil fuels by building a permanent structure over the pool.

Nonetheless, I was candid with him. I told him that the Council leadership is in a "state of paralysis" over the pool... and that at least one other member of the Council majority is both opposed to the linear trail (at least he was in Nov 05) and has been actively advocating the turf for the two years he's been on the Council.

So I have my doubts about the "slush fund" being used to extend the linear trail.

Besides, Matt Altieri already spoke to Mary Fritz.
And Mary Fritz already spoke to Jim Amann.
And Jim "Crusher" Amann already decided.

Tim White

These aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along.

Oversight is overrated

While one Cheshire Democrat feels that oversight and accountability are important:It seems that not all Cheshire Dems agree with Congressman Chris Murphy. After all:

"Mr. Altieri trusts that the town manager and department heads are the ones who address such issues on a daily basis, get good information, and deal with it."

I bet President George W. Bush would love to replace Congressman Murphy with Councilman Altieri. GWB could count on Congressman Altieri to trust him.

And I'm sure most Cheshire Dems wish that Senators Pat Leahy and Chuck Schumer would've stopped peppering Alberto Gonzalez with so many questions last summer. I mean, why didn't Leahy and Schumer just trust AG Gonzalez? We could've just skipped over all the Q&A and gotten down to brass tacks.

The Council should have a top priority and accomplish it. Staff can take care of everything else.

No questions asked.

Tim White

These aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along.

Personnel Committee 1/17

Here are the minutes to one part of the Jan 17 Personnel Committee meeting. It's fairly long, so I've only skimmed over the minutes so far. Nonetheless, I found the discussion to be quite interesting:

MINUTES OF THE CHESHIRE TOWN COUNCIL PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2008 AT 7:30 P.M. IN ROOM 207, TOWN HALL, 84 SOUTH MAIN ST., CHESHIRE CT 06410

Present
Chairman Matthew Altieri; Committee members Laura DeCaprio and Thomas Ruocco. Council member James Sima.
Staff: Town Manager Michael A. Milone; Personnel Director Louis Zullo; Town Clerk Carolyn Soltis.

1. ROLL CALL
The clerk called the roll and a quorum of the Personnel Committee was determined to be present.

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The group Pledged Allegiance to the Flag.

3. PROPOSED LIAISON COMMITTEE
Chairman Altieri reported that Councilor Sima had recommended the formation of a Liaison Committee of the Town Council.

Copies of information on reasons and roles of a Liaison Committee were distributed to the committee members and staff present.

Town Manager Milone advised he made copies of the Board of Education (BOE) contract which speaks to this issue. He further advised the committee that Labor Attorney Floyd Dugas was contacted regarding formation of a Liaison Committee, and his response was distributed to the committee. The proposed policy and legal response were read by the committee members.

Councilor Sima explained his reasons for bringing the concept of a Liaison Committee of the Town Council, stating it was not to broker agreements between the town’s bargaining units, but to get a better sense of what is going on in the Town of Cheshire, at the Council level by the people working for the Town. It would provide new ideas and help the Town Council members with discussions about what is going on during their tenure. This same vehicle was used by the BOE; there were 3 or 4 meetings of the Liaison Committee annually; and issues arose before they became a problem. During the time this committee met there were no major labor issues on the BOE, and BOE members would go back and talk to staff about situations and rectifying any that were discussed at the meetings. The BOE was able to see better ways to implement curriculum.

Mr. Sima said there are ways to bring this same vehicle to the Town Council side. If there is room for growth or change in town government, the Council should be aware of this before a major issue comes forward.

Regarding membership on this committee, Mr. Altieri asked who would be included, i.e. the Town Manager, Town Council members, town employees.

At the BOE level, Mr. Sima advised that the committee included the Assistant Superintendent of Schools, members of different bargaining groups (particularly teachers), because the committee dealt with many curriculum issues.

There are town issues which would be dealt with, and Mr. Sima said the membership could include 3 or 4 Council members sitting on the committee and having a better awareness of what is going on.

On the BOE level, Mr. Sima reported that the committee never made any formal comments which would interest any of the bargaining units. The committee was a vehicle to bring information to the full BOE, and he sees this committee doing the same thing on the Council level.

Ms. DeCaprio expressed concern about the issues raised in the response from Attorney Dugas. She could see the committee not being a formal vehicle of the Town Council, but the interpretation of what the committee is, and what it is, are two different things. Some of these concerns bear some thought, and any such conversation would constitute bargaining history Just because the committee is not thought of as a formal vehicle, the Council cannot necessarily look at it, and say the conversations were looked at as being informal. This is putting some things out there that could be construed differently than the Council wants.

Under the Town Manager/Town Council form of government, Ms. DeCaprio said that much of what the committee would discuss or address is being handled by the Town Manager’s office.

According to Mr. Ruocco, this is committee is nothing more than a suggestion box, and is a way for employees to voice suggestions to the Council, and it gives the Council the opportunity to hear a different aspect of the way the town is being run. Mr. Ruocco sees this suggestion box for employees to bring ideas and suggestions directly to the Council, giving a different perspective on how the town operates, and provide a grass roots input to town operations. He did not see this as a permanent committee, and it could be set up as a temporary committee on a pilot basis with a start and end date.

As for the makeup of this committee, Mr. Ruocco sees 3 Council members, one of whom would be chairman. There should be some parameters set, i.e. no entertainment of labor issues, and discussions limited to operations of the town. Mr. Ruocco believes town employees should feel comfortable with Town Manager Milone on labor disputes. For non-union employees, it could be different, but union and non-union groups seem to run on parallel standards. Mr. Ruocco stated he is opposed to forming this Liaison Committee, but the Council should not jump into it, and it should be considered a pilot committee to see the reaction among employees.

For a better understanding of the suggestion for a Liaison Committee of the Town Council, Town Manager Milone said that the natural reaction on his part is whether there is evidence of a problem that has to be addressed. He presumes that the genesis of this is a perception that something could be done differently or better, and it is in reaction to something Mr. Sima observed for something that was stated to him.

In response, Mr. Sima said “no” it was nothing like that, and this perception does not exist. This is why he brought the suggestion forward as soon as he got on the Council so this perception would not exist. His idea came up because of his 8 years on the BOE, and coming to another part of town government, and he believes it would be useful for the Council.

Mr. Milone asked if the intention of Mr. Sima was to make this institutionalized and mandatory as the committee exists in the BOE teacher’s contract.

Mr. Sima said “no”.

Town Manager Milone explained what is taking place on the town government side on communication with and for town employees. A lot of time has been spent in the last 5 to 8 years, going to great lengths, to expand communication opportunities for town staff. The staff knows that if there is an issue which they want to present to the Town Council, they can do so, during the Public Communications portion of the agenda. Mr. Milone advised that the Police Department availed themselves of this on one occasion.

Mr. Milone stated he believes the Town Council’s Personnel Committee functions in this capacity, and it has in the past with retirees seeking redress of things. The Personnel Committee is the place for employee issues or concerns to be addressed, and this is the role of this committee, outside of employee’s having direct contact with the Town Manager and his staff on personnel issues. At this time there are certain avenues which people can pursue.

Mr. Milone further stated that under bullet point #2 in Mr. Sima’s information, it says “Employees will be able to communicate directly with Council without filtering by administration”. This is a judgment, suggesting that Mr. Milone is filtering information, and he said he does not operate that way. If people have a grievance and they want to go around him, they can do so. This bullet statement suggests there is a process to change the nature or extent of a recommendation or complaint. If there is, Mr. Milone said he would like to know about this. In his 8 years, Mr. Milone said this has not been a problem. When he saw the word “filtering” it implies the fact that the Council is not getting a complete and total representation of facts where there are situations involving employees. This is a concern to Mr. Milone, who said this has not been the case, and it is contrary to the charge that he has as Town Manager.

Mr. Sima stated that the did not write this as a bullet point saying that the Town Manager was filtering information. He used the word “filter” to mean Mr. Milone taking all the viewpoints of the entire operation of the town, and putting a little of what he sees as he transfers this information to the Council. Mr. Sima commented on one piece of information being taken, and by the time it gets around the table, it has changed somewhat because everyone’s eyes are a little different. He said he wanted to hear from the horse’s mouth…this is what the people at the lower level/working level of government thinks, and it comes to the Council without any changing in the wording of the situation.

It was stated by Mr. Sima that he is not saying the Town Manager is trying to deceive or change what is actually going on. It is just the way people transfer data, as it actually becomes different as it is brought forward from one person to another. Mr. Sima said he is getting the perception that he wanted this committee to go around or bypass the Town Manager, when his idea was to have government be a little more open in the Town of Cheshire.

Again, Mr. Milone said it suggests to him that there is a problem and we need to address it. If there is a problem, it is incumbent on the Personnel Committee to tell him about the concerns and ways he should improve his communication skills.

Mr. Milone stated that one of the cornerstones of his goals and objectives is expand communication efforts to enhance citizen awareness of and involvement in town government. Another goal is to enhance the effectiveness of the staff to insure the highest level of customer service. Key to both of these is communication.

In order to improve communication, there has been expansion of technology so that people in this government are well informed about what is going on. Mr. Milone said there are innumerable meetings. He meets with the Personnel Committee and establishes goals and objectives; these are filtered down to department heads; and, then to town employees.

Mr.Milone explained that this is unlike the BOE where there is no performance evaluations. About 75% of town employee groups undergo performance evaluations, with the exception of the police department. The bargaining units get step increases, whether they get a good evaluation or not. For people with 5 or 10 years of service who get an above average or extraordinary evaluation, they are given a bonus on top of this. This has forced the town to establish direct lines of communication on a regular basis with 75% of the employees.

Mr.Milone explained that employees meet annually for their evaluation, and in many cases meet semi-annually for a six-month assessment. As part of their evaluation, they sit and tell the supervisors what can be done better as an organization, and what can be done better as supervisors. The idea is to develop a dialogue with employees, to allow them to have an opportunity to tell the supervisors how operations can be done more efficiently and effectively.

In addition, the Town Manager meets with department heads monthly; good dialogue continues with them; there is encouragement to continue this dialogue with employees; and encourage feedback. Department heads have meetings with staff to encourage communication as well.

There is a monthly newsletter to the employees to keep them informed on what is important and what is happening. It encourages direct feedback to the Town Manager, Mr. Zullo, Ms. Talbot or Ms. Sepp.

The town administration started meetings with the executive boards of the unions with Mr. Zullo every three months so, just so things can be addressed such as responsiveness to the unions, dealing with issues before they become problems, etc. The town administration tries to encourage and foster communication in many ways.

The town has embarked on more in-service training for employees, giving them tools to tell the supervisors about how to run the departments they work in. These are all basically things that are consistent with what Mr. Milone has discussed with the Personnel Committee and the Council over the years, and they have endorsed them as good practices to continue to build on.

These things create a situation where it circumvents the idea of the CEO in the town’s form of government. Mr. Milone stated he is not sure a Liaison Committee would generate or derive a greater benefit than any of the ongoing programs he has mentioned at this meeting.

In the BOE, many years ago, there was a chasm between the Superintendent and the teacher’s union, and there was a need to create some sort of vehicle to improve the communication, and the Liaison Committee was the vehicle. Mr. Milone said he likes to think and hope that the town government has preempted this by all of these communication efforts and formalized processes that have been established so that kind of situation does not occur.

Mr. Sima stated it was not his goal or desire to circumvent the role of the Town Manager. He wanted a vehicle to improve his role and that of all the Council members in making decisions, and this committee would be another vehicle to become better informed on the operations of the town and how government in town can be improved.

Mr. Milone stated that this process could likely circumvent his role as Town Manager. It runs counter to the role of the chief executive.

In regard to the suggestion for a liaison committee, Mr. Milone suggested that Mr. Sima go through the town government’s budget process, which is thorough and exhaustive in evaluating what goes on in town departments. Mr. Milone explained that he talks about the operation of town government; department heads talk about the operation; department heads bring staff to discuss the operations; there is a dialogue with the Council members. This might give Mr. Sima a higher comfort level or sense of participation on the part of the people who work for the town in terms of the decision making and developing the ideas and priorities brought to the Council.

Regarding the town government budget process, Mr. Sima said he has only sat in the audience for budget meetings. His concern is that the only vehicle he knew was a subcommittee of the Council to do what he proposes. He is not trying to get information from department managers, but from the regular everyday employees which can be passed onto Council members. He wanted to open up his eyes to make sure he knew exactly what was going on, and it would be just another vehicle to do this.

Mr. Sima apologized to Town Manager Milone if he thought the goal was to circumvent the role of the town manager, when he just wanted a source of information to him and the other Council members.

According to Mr. Sima the liaison committee of the BOE was very beneficial when he was on it for a few years.

Mr. Milone commented on his understanding of how the BOE liaison committee worked…before anyone went to the BOE, the ideas were discussed with the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent. Then, the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent, along with those individuals, appeared before the BOE to discuss their situation. So, these people first had to go through the Superintendent’s office to discuss their suggestion. Mr. Milone asked if this was correct.

In response, Mr. Sima said he was never aware of any of that pre-discussion. He said there was usually 50% of the bargaining group that would come forward…the negotiating team…to the BOE liaison committee meetings. During the meetings, discussions would go off in tangents, and much information was received, with true issues stated and they were addressed by the BOE members.

Another point was made by Mr. Milone in that there is a dynamic on the landscape that exists in the BOE that is very different. The BOE has 400 people in one bargaining unit, and they are the heart and soul of what happens in the school system. The town government has 5 bargaining units, some with 5 members, and some with up to 45 members, and 50 non-union staff. It is very fragmented in that sense; there is a difference in the roles and responsibilities that people play.

Mr. Milone made the point that he does not know that simply looking at the BOE and trying to draw an analogous situation with the town can be a valid comparison. They are different in terms of the dynamic in the landscape that exists in the way the BOE and town do business.

Chairman Altieri commented on the fact that he has sat on both sides of this issue, and agreed that during meetings there were tangents which took place. His sense about the proposal of a liaison committee is that as far as staff or town employees having problems or issues…it really needs to start with their group at their own level, i.e. a Public Works Department driver talking about truck routes. Mr. Altieri noted that he knows nothing about truck routes…but Mr. Michaelangelo and Mr. Milone do…and such an issue should be handled at that level because this is where it can be fixed. To have the Council members hear about it, he is not sure the problem would be fixed. This is the Town Manager’s responsibility, and Mr. Altieri trusts that the town manager and department heads are the ones who address such issues on a daily basis, get good information, and deal with it.

Mr. Altieri said this is why town government has the town manager and department heads. For the Council to sit down and go face to face with employees and discuss issues…he would advise that employees talk to department heads or the town manager about what is going on in departments, the town, etc. He could see that the Council might gain some information, but this would be information gotten by meeting with department heads.

It was further stated by Mr. Altieri that the way town government is set up, the administration and supervisor’s job is to communicate, figure out what is going in a department, and how to operate it more efficiently. If they are not doing it very well, then the Town Manager will let them know this. If this were not to work well, from the Town Manager’s point of view, it would be discussed at the Personnel Committee level. Mr. Altieri does not see Town Council members getting involved in the problem solving process.

Mr. Ruocco commented on Councilors not knowing on things are going, and he wants to know more about the details of how a town department works. He sometimes gets feedback from town employees by phone call or mail, and this provides some input and status, but Council members do not know everything that is going on. He said hearing from town employees is important, and he does not know if employees know the Council is accessible to them.

It was explained by Mr. Milone that if an employee has a grievance they go to the bargaining unit.

On safety issues such as the parking lot not being sanded, Mr. Milone said an employee would call to follow up on such an issue.

There is an executive committee which meets a few times a year and Mr. Zullo said at the last meeting 6 minor to immediate issues were referred to this committee. There is an internal system of committees with information meetings providing people with a vehicle to discuss issues.

Mr. Milone explained that a town employee from the PW Department presented a suggestion on revamping the town leaf pickup program, and it was used by the town for this work, saving money and crew time. There have been suggestions made and utilized regarding snow removal.

This information is being relayed to the Personnel Committee, but Mr. Sima said the entire Council is not aware of this information.

According to Mr. Zullo this is not information to go to the Council, and what is done professionally is done on a day to day, month to month, year to year basis without thinking that there is cause to report to someone. Some of the information goes into the Town Manager’s Report to the Council each month.

Mr. Milone confirmed that he has reported to the Council on the changes in the way things are being done. What goes on daily is a natural part of doing a job. If there is a good idea, people are encouraged to bring it forward.

Ms. DeCaprio commented on the good staff of town employees, who are well aware of problems which can be brought to a department head, and there is a recourse for them to speak to Council members, if necessary. From what she has heard, there are no problems to be brought forward for resolution by the Council. The legal concerns raised in Attorney Dugas’ e-mail on the suggestion of a liaison committee are of concern to Ms. DeCaprio, who said she is not willing to take on these risks at this time. As for a pilot type program, she questioned whether this would be legal and binding on the Council.

As a new Council member, Ms. DeCaprio stated she was amazed at how much comes before the Town Council, and what is being done in town. If employee concerns are huge, they can come to the Council.

As for the day to day operations of the town, Ms. DeCaprio said Council members do not have the time to listen to normal concerns, and every idea brought to department heads is not implemented. These things are not within the purview of the Council, and it is not worth the risk to have this liaison committee.

Stating he does not see this as a day to day vetting committee to hear about daily things, Mr. Ruocco said it would be a situation where employees have exhausted all outlets for recourse and come to the Council. He does not know of any situation where an employee was frustrated beyond despair, and interaction with employees has been minimal.

In his experience, Mr. Zullo said that if there is a situation happening, an employee would come to him or the Town Manager.

Mr. Altieri said he has always felt that things are done on a daily basis, and if something is wrong, there is a process to go through in order to change things. He served on a committee to change curriculum in his school district, and they lost on the BOE level. It seems to him that Mr. Sima wants to know what is going on at ground level, and Council members will never know this, and it is the job of the administration to know what is going on…not the Council. The job of the Council is to set procedures and staff oversees employees and insures they do a good job. When there is dissatisfaction with employee performance, the administration explains what needs to be worked on, offers ideas to help, and Council does not need to know what is going on at ground level.

According to Mr. Sima he was not implying the Council needs to know what is going on day to day. He commented on there being perceptions in Cheshire about what the Public Works Department does, i.e. constructing sidewalks, leaf collections, etc., and that there is inefficient operations.

There are many things which come out of dialogue with people, and Mr. Sima said the liaison committee is a way to deliver better services to the people, and this is his goal.

Mr. Ruocco said that some of these things could be discussed during the budget process.

The perception of people cannot be changed, and Mr. Milone stated that Cheshire’s budget document is the most transparent of any community in the State, and information in this document comes from employees in the town departments. This document measures the performance of the Town. There is always the perception about the way the town does business, and everyone cannot be convinced that things are done the best way. But, if there are alternatives, Mr. Milone said he listens.

Regarding the comments in Attorney Dugas’ memo, Mr. Sima said it does state that the committee would not be binding to the town as a matter of law, but Mr. Dugas could see a claim being filed by an employee. This is not opening up the Council to litigation from a subcommittee. Mr. Dugas said there may be a grievance filed by having this subcommittee.

Mr. Zullo stated that he read the memo to say that if the liaison committee agreed to get something done for an employee, and it did not happen, someone could say the town reneged, and a grievance would be filed.

Mr. Altieri said it could constitute bargaining history, and that is what Mr. Dugas was trying to say.

In reading the memo, Ms. DeCaprio agreed that it could constitute bargaining history. Also, as a matter of law, Mr. Dugas says he could see a union filing a labor board charge.

MOTION By Mr. Altieri; seconded by Ms. DeCaprio.

MOVED that the Personnel Committee recommend that the Town Manager be allowed to continue to monitor and supervise employee communication input, and is opposed to the suggestion of forming a Liaison Committee of the Town Council.

Discussion
This committee is a good idea and Mr. Ruocco said that what is heard from management is not the same as what is heard from employees. He would like some interaction with Council and employees, with a formal process in place. He is not opposed to this committee, without infringing on the authority of the Town Manager.

Mr. Sima asked about the motion stating that the idea of a Liaison Committee is not being moved forward at this time.

Ms. DeCaprio commented on her concerns with such a committee and what the Council would be getting into, and she is not willing to take that risk.

VOTE The motion passed with 2 in favor (Altieri, DeCaprio)
And 1 opposed (Ruocco).

Your thoughts on the formation of a liaison committee? I wonder how town staff feel about the formation of a liaison committee.

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District

Rising fuel costs hitting town

Reported by the MRJs Stacy Graham-Hunt:

The rising cost of fuel and utilities is affecting the public school system. Rising fuel costs may mean an increase in the price of school lunches next school year. A basic school lunch currently costs $2.65 and a premium lunch is $3.65 at Cheshire High School. Madeleine Diker, the town's food service director will have to evaluate the rising prices being set by the food vendors, before she can say what will happen. However, grocery prices and oil delivery charges have gone up, so she said she expects an increase. Her department will have to reflect the increased prices in what they charge.

Further into the article are other school "energy issues," including a mention that

the Planning Committee of the Board of Education approved a new heating and cooling system for Cheshire High School.

That's good news from the BOE. They've been thinking about this retrofit for a while. So with energy costs having risen dramatically, staff ought to be able to make the case for this "dual-fuel" (both oil and natural gas work) heating system fairly easily. And since this project has been estimated to cost between one and two million dollars, the case will need to be made because projects costing in excess of $350,000 must go to referendum.

Of course, as many of you know... this leads to the question of which financing mechanism to use: bonding, performance contracting or some other mechanism.

And that's a difference of opinion that has existed between myself and the Town Manager for some time now. I think the town should be seriously considering the use of performance contracts because we could avoid major cash outlays and expedite projects. On the flip side, the Town Manager is concerned that ratings agencies and/or others would look at the value of the performance contracts (what would have been bonded) and consider that as part of the Town's total debt.

That's a legitimate concern, but... when the choice is between a rapid rollout of energy conservation measures or a lower theoretical debt burden... to me, energy conservation and reducing America's dependence on foreign oil is clearly the higher priority.

(As for why I think we could roll out such energy conservation measures quicker... I believe that by going through the steps required to engage in performance contracts... we would force ourselves to look at lifecycle costs in a detailed fashion... and that analysis would lead to increased support from the public.)

Regardless of how I feel, the answer to this choice lies with the Council majority.

Tim White
Town Council, Energy Commission liaison

Understanding "the bonding process"

The MRJ tries to explain the bonding process (by MRJ staff):

the process of approving and allocating money is somewhat murky. A reform movement is gathering steam, but it remains to be seen whether politicians will agree to curb their power over what some have called "the barrel the pork's put in...."

But the inner workings of the process are closed to the public - and even to the legislature. No one knows what project is coming next, or how their request stacks up against the others.

I'm not sure "who" represents the "reform movement" to which the MRJ refers. Perhaps it's the FCTO? The FCTOs Susan Kniep recently called for an audit of state "slush funds."

Tim White

Race to represent the CT-5

With the Presidential primary over, Cheshire's next primary will be in August. Currently, two Republicans are running, state Senator Dave Cappiello against former state Rep. Tony Nania.

Here's the campaign website for Cappiello. And it appears that Nania has two campaign websites, here and here... though currently neither have any content. Strange.

And as many of you know, they are vying for the nomination to challenge Democratic freshman Chris Murphy. His campaign website is here.

Tim White

Council agenda 2/13

My "Council packet" did not have an agenda included in it. However, it did have supporting materials. So here's my attempt at drafting an agenda based on the support I have:

Wednesday, Feb 13, 7:30pm

7A) call a public hearing for the operating budgets, incl WPCD and pool

7B) Veteran's tax exemption

7C) Elderly tax freeze

7D) Elderly tax credits

7E) ???

7F) Darcey school partial roof replacement

7G) Norton school partial window replacement

7H) 06/07 audit

7I) Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) Grant - West Main St.

7J) lease property at corner of Jarvis and Marion to Arisco Farms

7K) bid waiver for police tasers

7L) accept $546,000 from the State for the DeDominicus property

7M) Charter revision explanation - it's just a memo, but watch for the Opponents of Accountability to advocate four year terms.

I'm going to bed.

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District

No 3rd party run for Ron Paul

In an email I received this evening:

"I am committed to fighting for our ideas within the Republican party, so there will be no third party run." - Ron Paul, M.D.

Good. I didn't want him to run as a 3rd party candidate.

Tim White

Ratcheting up expectations

I just got my "Council packet" tonight. Included in it is the magazine American City & County. It normally doesn't have too much of interest to me, but one of the cover stories this month is "Blog City: New Communities Grow from Online Journals." (by Nancy Mann Jackson) The article starts out by offering real life examples of local officials who are using blogs to communicate with residents who may not attend meetings, but are very much interested in the their towns. And the article continues:

Why blog?

"I see blogs as another step in the evolution of civic engagement" said Dave Ruller, Kent, Ohio's city manager.

And what's the future of blogging? According to David Wyld, author of The Blogging Revolution: Government in the Age of Web 2.0, "We're at the early stages by any measure, but five to 10 years out, blogging or other uses of interactive Web tools will just be part of the ratcheted up expectations people have for their governments."

Anyway, I found the article interesting in terms of where local governments are heading in terms of openness. Three cheers for the tubes!

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District

The diffusion of information

... you should understand what I deem the essential principles of our Government, and consequently those which ought to shape its Administration... the diffusion of information and arraignment of all abuses at the bar of the public reason....

-Thomas Jefferson, 1st Inaugural Address (Yale, Avalon Project)

Recently, I sent an email to the eight other members of the Council. Unfortunately, not all members responded. And while I'm sure that's because they simply didn't have the time to respond... the internet is a great tool and there are other issues of interest to the blogosphere. So I was thinking about trying again. I think we should try a different question, but as far as I'm concerned, the question can be about almost anything.

However, I'm not going to forward questions, such as:

1) Tim, why do you hate grandma, kids and apple pie?
2) Why do Democrats hate freedom? or
3) Why do Republicans enjoy bombing innocent children?

No. Those questions would be unacceptable.

Serious, respectful questions only. Maybe we can toss the idea around here, then I'll send it to the Council members.

And a few more rules apply... we have to accept that some people are busy and simply may not have the time to respond. And all responses must be posted here unedited... that way nothing can be taken out of context. And generally, since people here seem to be most interested in local issues, then in state issues... let's start with some of those questions... rather than asking people about national issues.

How's that sound? Anyone game? Any questions?

Finally, please consider this an open forum.

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District

Mitt is out

With Mitt Romney dropping out, I think McCain is far from becoming the nominee and Huckabee could become the GOP standard bearer. However, either of them need 1191 delegates to get the nod. And I wouldn't be too upset if neither get there... then Ron Paul would have some influence at the convention.

For a closer look at the path to the convention, see Wikipedia's chronology of upcoming primaries/caucuses.

Tim White

Murphy on CSpan again

Hmmm... interesting. Congressman Chris Murphy is on CSpan for the second day in a row... both nights are budget discussions. I wonder why he's getting so involved in primetime TV? Regardless, he's talking about a balanced budget and that's a good thing. The unfortunate thing is that in order to balance the budget and fund the long-term liabilities... I find it hard to believe that anyone in Washington would be willing to actually discuss it publicly... let alone vote that way.

Tim White

The raid story continues

The Cheshire raid is being linked to other places (by Luther Turmelle) in the "metro-Cheshire" area.

Courant on Amann's run

I've mentioned CTs Speaker of the House Jim Amann a few times recently, in relation to his "discretionary" funds (a.k.a. "slush funds). So for those of you who don't know much about him, he recently announced his intention to run for Governor in 2010. But the Courant gives a more probing analysis on Speaker Amann:

We are underwhelmed. Mr. Amann has not demonstrated that he's governor material. Part charming schmoozer and part street fighter, the speaker is best known for insulting Gov. M. Jodi Rell (last year he crossed the line by calling her "a very dishonorable human being" in a fight over a bonding package), for trying to shake down lobbyists to make donations to his favorite charity, and for telling bloggers that he would "crush any idiot" who would run against him for his legislative seat. Such low statesmanship Connecticut doesn't need.

In fairness though... we've done worse. My question is, how low are our standards?

Tim White

My favorite Christmas presents

Ok... I know this post is overdue, but I still wanted to give a nod to my two favorite Christmas presents:

1) An expensive t-shirt... well... the t-shirt's not too expensive, but the donation to Make it right NO, LA or "Make it right 9" was a few bucks. Thanks to DM for supporting their mission:

In December 2006, Brad Pitt convened a group of experts in New Orleans to brainstorm about building green affordable housing on a large scale to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Having spent time with community leaders and displaced residents determined to return home, Pitt realized that an opportunity existed to build houses that were not only stronger and healthier, but that had less impact on the environment.

If you're a regular visitor, I'm sure you know this is right up my alley.

2) A Christmas card from Oxfam. My brother donated to Oxfam on my behalf and they planted 100 trees in my name. Again...perfect for me. Oxfam's mission begins:

Oxfam International is a confederation of 13 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. With many of the causes of poverty global in nature, the 13 affiliate members of Oxfam International believe they can achieve greater impact through their collective efforts.

And for the heck of it... one more shameless plug for another great idea... if you're still short on gift ideas for friends and family, check out Kiva. It's an internet "microloan startup." Due to the "internet" nature of it, it's not perfect. But I have heard that, in general, the microloans are being received by the intended recipients and the donors are being repaid. And while you could donate in someone's name and they could get the money when repaid... they can also reinvest it in another microloan.

I love the internet.

Tim White

Prisons and the ND

The Courant did an article today entitled "Prisons in crisis mode" (by Katie Melone). While describing "tough on crime Republican" Sen. Sam Caligiuri's quest to keep violent criminals behind bars, the article describes another dilemma facing Cheshire:

the town of Cheshire and at least one of its state representatives are opposed to opening the north block to inmates. The prison, which emits roughly 450,000 gallons of wastewater each day — 100,000 more than in its contract — eats up capacity at Cheshire's water treatment facility. If inmates were added to the north block, the prison will further cut into that capacity, which the town would rather be using to accommodate development of some kind, says Michael Milone, the Cheshire town manager. Furthermore, added inmates would bring the town no added tax revenue, whereas development would.

So again... the proposed northend development will be a net tax benefit to the town.

And remember... if you repeat something enough times, eventually it will be true!

And staying on the topic of crime... in case you missed this story in the NHR (by Luther Turmelle), I don't want to see these people further crowding the burgeoning prison system.

Tim White

Rep. Murphy on CSpan

Congressman Chris Murphy is on CSpan right now.

"Discretionary" funds

As I mentioned in yesterday's post "Amann's 'slush fund',"

The taxpayers' "slush fund" may also be called (Speaker of the House) Jim Amann's "discretionary fund."

And now upon review of the Herald's article in last week's edition about the turf (by Josh Morgan), I see:

The money, $525,000, comes as a result of efforts by State Rep. Mary Fritz (D–Cheshire/Wallingford). Fritz said she approached Speaker of the House James Amman about receiving money for field improvements through discretionary funds

Interesting.

Tim White

Results for Cheshire

Norton School results

Here are the official numbers from Norton School: Wow. Dems turned out. Republicans not so much... I wonder if that's a trend that will continue into November.

One other thing on trends... though I haven't documented this, I'm pretty sure that Norton School is a bit of a bellweather for the CT-5.

As for Ron Paul... though he's obviously not winning, I'm feeling pretty good. At the polls tonight, I had several Rs tell me that they were sympathetic to his message. And in New Hampshire, I had a number of people tell me that he said good things. So I take that as an indication that regardless of his election results, he has had a real impact on this election so far. And the message (a strict interpretation of the US Constitution) is one that I felt needed to be heard.

Go Ron Paul! Go US Constitution!

Tim White

Ron Paul won Cheshire!

No. Just kidding.

I did get the Norton polling results though... I'll post in a few minutes.

Vote for Ron Paul!

In case you were unaware, CTs Presidential primary is today. Ron Paul, M.D. is running on the GOP side. If you're still undecided, please consider voting for Congressman Ron Paul... btw, he got second place in Maine this past weekend... ahead of the so-called "frontrunner," Senator McCain.

Solution for fund balance tax hike

According to the MRJ, Southington is considering the formation of a special tax district... and this would not be precedent-setting.

Special tax districts are relatively rare in Connecticut. They have been formed in just a handful of municipalities, including Derby, Bridgeport, Redding, East Lyme and most recently, Stamford (by Leslie Hutchison).

I'm thinking that if our legislators attend next week's Council meeting, perhaps I'll ask for a special tax district in Cheshire.

We could form a district that would encompass any household that voted in favor of increasing taxes in the name of a Big Government "fund balance policy."

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to tax we go!

Tim White

Amann's "slush fund"

Back in December, the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayers Organization (FCTO) charged the state government with the existence of "slush funds." But some may say that's an unfair characterization.

The taxpayers' "slush fund" may also be called (Speaker of the House) Jim Amann's "discretionary fund."

The NHR described the "slush funds" in this way:

The question is, where does the money come from, and how is it dispersed? Democratic leaders and Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell negotiated a deal in which the state budget has $6 million to be spent at the discretion of Amann, D-Milford, state Sen. President Donald Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, and Rell.

Essentially, the three leaders have $2 million each to spend as they please. Unlike most state dollars spent, no public hearing is required. Critics question whether the money some of the agencies receive could be better spent elsewhere. (by Brian McCready)

However, the NHR continued:

Rell’s chief spokesman, Christopher Cooper, said the governor supports eliminating the contingency dollars, saying Rell prefers every dollar being vetted thoroughly before it’s spent. In fact, Cooper said, it was Democratic leaders who insisted the "contingency funds" be included in the state’s budget.

"The governor has no problem getting rid of it. She has favored projects being vetted and prioritized through the agency of jurisdiction," Cooper said.

According to the article, it's only Amann who is spending his "slush fund." And to no surprise, he defends his "slush fund" vigorously. But he also gets hammered by a member of his own party.

one Democratic lawmaker, who asked not to be identified, blasted the contingency dollars.

"There are no public hearings, and no review process," said the lawmaker. "You don’t have to show a state interest to get the money. There is no control, no rhyme or reason on a lot of these things."

"If you’re not in good favor with your leadership, you won’t get any money," the lawmaker added.

Finally, the article mentions that as of mid-December, Amann had dished out about half of his $2,000,000 "slush fund."

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District

Vote for Ron Paul!

"Real conservatives have always supported low taxes and low spending.

But today, too many politicians and lobbyists are spending America into ruin. We are nine trillion dollars in debt as a nation. Our mounting government debt endangers the financial future of our children and grandchildren. If we don’t cut spending now, higher taxes and economic disaster will be in their future — and yours."

- Ron Paul, M.D.

Turf needs a vote

Reported by the WRAs Lauresha Xhihani:

The state bond commission approved $525,000 for the project last month...

The town had been asking its legislative delegation for the past several years for $800,000 for the field. Though at least once before it was included in a bonding package, the money never materialized.

With the bond commission vote, all the town has to do is apply for the funds and then vote to accept them, said Rep. Mary G. Fritz, D-Wallingford, who fought for the funding.

Tim White

Registering to vote

If you want to vote in either of Tuesday's primaries, you have until noon on Monday to register with a party. However, at this point, registration must be done in person.

BOE proposed budget

The Superintendent gave his proposal to the BOE at the beginning of January. And on Jan 28, the BOE voted to send a budget to the Council. Here are the changes made by the BOE before proposing a budget to the Council:As for additional deadlines, the Town Manager gets all his department information by Feb 15... then gives his proposed budget to the Council by March 10... which leads to a budget adoption by April 17.

Tim White

Great game, huh?

I was watching Olberman a week or two ago. And while he now borders on a being a real reporter (though I'm not sure any real reporters even exist on TV anymore), he's still got the ESPN in him... so he created a new stat... he called it something along the lines of the "two minute drill." He said during the past two years, Eli had something like half a dozen come from behind victories... during the final couple minutes.

Eli isn't Brady... at least not yet... but he is pretty damn good. That one pass was amazing.

Tim White

Schools leveraging technology

In a demonstration of leadership, the BOE agendas and minutes are now online.

Maybe someday the town will follow suit and offer meeting minutes in an easy-fo-find link, right on the town website's homepage!? Or maybe not.

Tim White

POTUS hopeful visits

Click here for the details on McCain's Sunday visit and the Monday visits from Clinton and Obama.

WRA on Ron Paul meetups

Anybody see the WRA today?

Front page, above the fold... a huge photo of... Ron Paul! (by Gary Gentile) That's the sort of "advertising" that could have possibly put Ron Paul into contention. Unfortunately, it probably needed to have happened six months ago. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to see such good press for him, as well as the actual topic of the story... the meetup website that has enabled Dr. Paul's supporters to build a real life, nationwide, grassroots campaign. The article states:

Paul is an obstetrician who is staunchly anti-abortion. His non-interventionist foreign policy has won fans who cite his vote against authorizing the Iraq war. Paul opposed the Patriot Act and is against gun control. His libertarian views also include abolishing the Federal Reserve system and eliminating the income tax.

Around the state, Paul supporters gather in groups known as "meet ups," like the one that gets together every Thursday at the Food Shop restaurant in Litchfield.

Personally, I find it somewhat amusing whenever I see another MSM (Main Stream Media) article about Ron Paul only having support "on the internet." That's absolutely absurd. Just today, we had a meetup at the Civic Center. We were holding a mini-rally (a dozen or so people) for RP and having lots of people asking "Who is Ron Paul?" So while he's not about to win... this notion that his campaign is basically "an internet campaign" is just plain wrong. Besides... my goal now is simply to send a message to House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell about governing responsibly. And just today I got my first email from Dr. Paul asking for a donation to his Congressional reelection campaign. So I take that as a sign that he's being realistic about his chances in the GOP primary, as well as his chances in running 3rd party.
And a quick reminder on the other campaigns... McCain is at Sacred Heart tomorrow and Obama and Clinton will both be in CT on Monday. So continuing the tradition of the Lamont/Lieberman matchup in Aug '06 and the winning challenges of Congressmen Chris Murphy and Joe Courtney in Nov '06... The Nutmeg State is still of great interest to the power brokers of the Democratic party.

Tim White

Marinaro's comments on ND

PZC alternate Leslie Marinaro sent me the text of her comments on last week's vote. If you haven't seen them yet, Cindy has posted them over at Underground Town Hall.

Tim White

Caligiuri: zero tolerance on youth driving

Several state legislators, including "Sen. Sam Caligiuri announced today a new proposal aimed at mandating personal accountability and zero tolerance of dangerous driving by 16- and 17-year-olds." (Stamford Advocate)

Caligiuri offered “I am delighted to be working with Representative Mazurek and other legislators in a bipartisan manner as our efforts to address these serious teen driving issues should not be political. Too often, we pick up our newspapers or turn on the news to learn of yet another horrendous accident involving teen drivers. And, sadly, these accidents are too often the result of recklessness and dangerous behavior. We have a responsibility to pass the best laws we can to try to prevent more of these tragedies.”

Tim White

GObama!

UPDATE: This endorsement was not written by Diane Visconti, but she was the person who sent it to me.

With the Feb 5 primary approaching, this is the first guest endorsement I've received (and no, it's not in favor of Ron Paul). I'm leaving it anonymous for the time being as the endorsement didn't mention if I should include her name. Nonetheless, since time is of the essence, I figured I'd post it... so here's a plug for Senator Barack Obama:

We are a group of Democratic and independent women who would be thrilled to see the dream of a woman president become a reality. But we are also concerned about the future of our country and the possibility of more of the same - politics over policy, a stalemated Congress, and a Republican in the White House while big business and lobbyists call the shots. That’s why we have decided to vote for Barack Obama rather than Hillary Clinton, and here are the reasons we hope you will do the same.

We need someone who can unite our country – Senator Clinton is the most divisive figure in American politics other than George W. Bush

Senator Clinton’s negative ratings among independent voters make her unelectable in a country almost equally divided among Democrats, Republicans, and independents; Senator Obama’s vision has made him a viable alternative to any Republican candidate as shown in head-to-head polls.

Senator Clinton has less experience in elected office than Senator Obama; if Senator Clinton’s “experience” as First Lady qualified her for the Presidency, Laura and Barbara Bush would also be qualified.

The negative, manipulative tactics used by the Clinton campaign are indicative of the “at any cost” mentality that has damaged our country enough.

We want a woman in the White House who gets there on her own, not one who rides into the Oval Office on her husband’s coattails.

From the beginning, Senator Obama has opposed the war; Senator Clinton voted for the bill that authorized the President to invade Iraq.

Senator Obama is unifying our country with a vision of hope for the future; Senator Clinton emphasizes the red/blue divisions of the past to gain support.

The nomination of Senator Clinton is widely believed to be the event that would trigger the independent candidacy of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a move that would further threaten the election of a Democratic President.

Senator Obama is a new kind of leader whom Caroline Kennedy believes inspires people in the way that her father did; Senator Clinton perpetuates the Bush/Clinton “monarchy” – a status quo that our country can no longer afford.

Senator Obama would bring to the White House the respected and powerful Michelle Obama; Senator Clinton would return to the White House with Bill Clinton, a shadow president whose constant use of the word “we” provides an unsettling view of the Clinton vision.

Senator Obama inspires young and old alike; Senator Clinton’s support is based in a past that America needs to leave behind.

After contests in each region of our country, Senator Obama has the most votes, the most delegates, and the most diverse coalition of Americans we’ve seen since 1968.

We hope you will join us in the campaign to reach out to other women and unite our country in two ways. Please send this email to other women who will be voting this year for their consideration, and add your signature to the letter by visiting our website Women for United America.

Women have the power to make a difference in this election, and Barack Obama is the candidate who can create a different future for us, our children, and our grandchildren.

Thank you for considering Barack Obama and The Audacity of Hope.

Please note... if I were voting in the Dem primary, I'd probably vote for Obama as well... but for my own set of reasons... not the above list.

Tim White

CT ethics reforms

Governor Rell has announced an ethics reform proposal (MRJ, by Amanda Falcone).

Rell is looking to address the issue of state pensions for state employees and public officials who are convicted of, plead guilty to or plead no contest to any crime related to their office.

I suggested eliminating pensions for these people at a Council meeting... probably last summer. So this sounds good to me. I'm sick of living in Corrupticut. I'd also suggest providing State Attorney's the power to issue subpoenas.

The story continues:

In addition, she is hoping to strengthen the state's Freedom of Information laws, and she wants to require all cities and towns to adopt a local code of ethics by 2010.

Our "conflict of interest" rules already cover "financial interests" for one's "family."

Is that sufficient? Or should the town revamp its ethics / conflict-of-interest rules? If so, do you have any suggestions?

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District

NHR on grand list

Here is the NHRs take on the recently announced grand list (by Luther Turmelle).

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District