2/11/05 Weekly Manager's Report

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

Town Manager's Office
Weekly Management Report
TO: The Honorable Mayor and Town Council Members
FROM: Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
DATE: February 11, 2005

COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS
Manager
Just a reminder that the Fireside Chat will be held this Saturday in the basement of the auditorium of the Stillman Building. Refreshments will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the meeting will start promptly at 9 a.m.
Upcoming Events

• CL&P will be conducting aerial inspections of their transmission lines from Monday, February 14th through Friday February 18th. A low flying helicopter, Jet Ranger, white with red and blue stripes will be conducting the flyover between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. NEW
  
• On Sunday, February 13th from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Unico Club will hold their "Famous Macaroni Dinner" at the Community Center. Tickets can be purchased through Unico members.
  
• We will be presented with the Democracy Challenge Cup on February 15th at 11:00 a.m. in Council Chambers. We are receiving the cup from the Secretary of State for the best voter turnout for a medium sized Town. Please feel free to attend this event.
  
• On Tuesday February 15, 2005, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., the Hartford Courant and the Metro Hartford Alliance are sponsoring a Key Issues Forum entitled, "The 2005 Session: Historic or Ho Hum?" The Speaker of the House and Senate Pro Tempore, along with Minority leaders are the featured speakers. To reserve a seat for this session, make a $15.00 check payable to the Courant and mail it to The Hartford Courant, Corporate Affairs Department, 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115. Questions, call the Courant at 241-3614.
  
• The MDC will hold a public hearing on the Long-Term Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan on Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the District's Training Center at 125 Maxim Road in Hartford. See attached notice. Please let me know if you will be attending this event and also if you wish to speak.
  
• There will be a public hearing on Proposed Bill #5982 at the Legislative Office Building, State Capital on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. in room 2A. This is the bill to prohibit bans in union contracts on stopping paid firefighters from volunteering. I will be testifying along with other Town Managers. NEW
  
• The Greater Hartford Association of Realtors is holding their 4th Local Government Networking Reception on Thursday, February 17, 2005 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Atrium of Corporate Center West, 433 South Main Street, West Hartford. Elected Officials and School Board Officials are invited. RSVP to Janis Gorlick at 561-1800, ext. 26 by February 11.
  
• On February 26, 2005 from 7:00 p.m. until midnight, the Keane Foundation is throwing "The Snowball." The fee is $60 per person/$120 per couple. See attached flyer. For more information contact Colleen Keane at 563-5573 or Mark Trahan at 721-8702.
  
• The Friends of the Wethersfield Nature Center will be holding a fundraiser dance on Saturday, March 12th at 7 p.m. at the Community Center. Tickets can be obtained through the Nature Center.
  
• The March Business After Hours will be held on March 8, 2005 at the CT River Community Bank. More information to follow. NEW
  
• Office Depot will hold a Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, March 10th at 2:00 p.m. Flyer attached. NEW
  
• On March 18th at 7:00 p.m. in the High School Gym, the Silas Deane Middle School "Dream Team" will take on the Harlem Rockets. The "Dream Team" includes teachers, police officers and coaches. Tickets are $7.00 in advance, $8.00 at the door and can be ordered with the attached flyer or by calling Yolanda Preysner at 721-8854.
  
• On March 31, 2005, the Greater Hartford Literacy Council will hold their second annual "Tips for Literacy" fund raiser. This year's event will include "Leaders for Literacy." Local celebrities will be hosting tables at participating restaurants. More information will follow.
  
• The April Business After Hours will be held at the D'Esopo Life Center on April 7th. NEW
  
• Riverfront Recapture has announced an opportunity for an exclusive first look at the Connecticut Convention Center on Saturday April 16th. More information is to follow or call Riverfront Recapture at 713-3131.
  
• Save April 30, 2005 from 7:00 p.m. to midnight for the Chamber of Commerce's 40th Anniversary Dance/Fundraiser. More information will follow.
  
• The Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual Dinner/Meeting on May 18, 2005. Details to follow. NEW

Council and Board/Committee Dates

• Monday, February 14, 5:30 p.m. - Budget Committee (Adil, Karangekis, Czernicki and Fortunato)
  
• Monday, February 14, Housing Authority
  
• Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - Planning & Zoning Commission; Friends of the Nature Center; WCCA
  
• Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - Inlands Wetlands Commission; WACPD
  
• Thursday, February 17, 2005 - Insurance Committee; Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, Strategic Planning

Department/Division News

• We held our Employee Recognition luncheon for Town staff on February 3, 2005. Several staff members were recognized for their service at the luncheon. The highest award, the Extraordinary Service Award, winner is Mark Manuel for his work in assisting the Library staff during a severe storm that caused flooding in the Library. This occurred last summer. The following staff received certificates of recognition for going above and beyond the call of duty; Town Clerk's Office team of Tammy Ohanesian and Lynn Schiessl; the Public Safety dispatch system implementation team of Linda Nielson, Dave Gove and Gary Santoro; Library Team of Joan Guthier, Pam Kelly and Danny Reyes; Youth Opportunities Coordinator Jane Johnson; and Fire Marshal Gary Santoro. Congratulations to the awardees and thank you to all of our Town staff for their hard work and determination!
  
• Physical Services: A reminder to all residents, please do not snow blow the snow from your driveway and sidewalks into the road. Attached is a letter from a resident about trash pick up.
  
• Library: Attached is the December monthly report.
  
• Tax Collector: The January collections report is attached for your review.
  
• Parks and Recreation: The Wethersfield Skate Park Committee comprised of seven young people won the Red Cross Community Hero award in the Community Youth Impact category. They will be honored at a Recognition Gala on May 31st. Congratulations! This group certainly deserves a lot of accolades.
  
• Social and Youth Services: Jane Johnson will be honored at the same event as the Skate Park Committee as a Community Hero in the Community Adult Impact category. Congratulations!!

Board/Commission News

• The Tourism Commission is holding a workshop on Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Center to discuss work to date on the Tourism Strategic Plan. This is a public meeting. If you need more information or plan to attend, please contact Town Planner/Economic Development Director Peter Gillespie at 721-2838.
  
• Attached is an updated available property list from EDIC. This is being distributed to all area realtors and will be posted on our web site. This will allow prospective developer/business owners to have an up to date listing of available buildings to lease or buy.

Council Questions/Answers

• Please get back to me with any comments you may have about the proposed State Ethics Legislation as soon as possible, as Representative Doyle would like our suggestions back to him very soon.
  
• Attached is the article about the schools to do list that Judy Emick referenced at the last Council Meeting.
  
• In response to concerns about the scoreboard in the Silas Deane Middle School Gym, I have learned that the scoreboard is and has been fully operational for several weeks; however, no one knew how to use the remote control device for it. That has been rectified.
  
• I am attaching Flood & Erosion Control Board Minutes from July 15, 2003 that include the prioritization of flood and drainage projects, in response to a question about the projects.
  
• The preliminary numbers from the Governor's Budget that we have for statutory aid to Towns impacts Wethersfield as follows:
  
  Non-Education - a decrease of $69,170 from current levels;
  Education - an increase of $61,678 from current levels.

CRCOG Nothing this week.
COST Attached is a request from the COST Legislative Action Team to testify at the Public Hearing on the Firefighter Bill that would prohibit bans on volunteer firefighters.
ICMA Nothing this week.

Miscellaneous
Attached is a press release from the Keane Foundation about the survey they are conducting regarding the feasibility of building a community sports center.
The unemployment rate for November for Wethersfield was 3.7%.

PROJECT UPDATES
Moeller Home: Construction is moving along on schedule. The heating and cooling system is 80% complete and the new entrance and accessible ramp are being worked on.
Skate Park: The Building Committee will be proposing an architect to me within the week.

ATTACHMENTS

• Public Hearing Notice - MDC
  
• Resident Letter
  
• Library Report
  
• Tax Collections Report
  
• Available property list
  
• Flood & Erosion Control Board Minutes
  
• Courant article about school projects
  
• COST Legislative Action Team
  
• Keane Foundation Press Release