Post by Wethersfield.com on Apr 22, 2005 15:42:52 GMT -5
TO: The Honorable Mayor and Town Council Members
FROM: Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
DATE: April 22, 2005
A. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS:
1. Manager: I will be away this weekend from Friday AM until Monday afternoon. The Chief will be in charge while I am away and both he and dispatch will know how to get ahold of me in case of an emergency. Again, just a reminder, if you have any revenue fee increases, decreases, issues you would like Rae Ann Palmer to research, please let her know by Monday.
2. Upcoming Events:
• NEW – Parks & Recreation is holding their 5th Annual Kids’ Treasure Sale on Saturday, April 23rd from 1 to 4 PM. See attached flyer.
• NEW – The Hartford County Bar Association is hosting a panel on Municipal Ethics Regulation on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM at the Hartford Club on Prospect Street in Hartford. Cost is $75.00 for non-members. Flyer attached.
• Senior Volunteer Recognition Program. Community Center, April 28th at 2:00 PM.
• The Arbor Day Planting at the North Gate of Silas Deane has been cancelled. We will be putting together a new date to begin planting trees in this area.
• The Arbor Day Tree Planting on the Broad Street Green will take place Saturday, April 30, at 9:30 am.
• Save April 30, 2005 from 7:00PM to midnight for the Chamber of Commerce’s 40th Anniversary Dance/Fundraiser at the Wethersfield Country Club. Tickets are $60 per person and can be purchased from Peter Gillespie or John Cascio.
• On Saturday, April 30th, the Christian Conference of Connecticut will hold its 23rd Annual Peace and Justice Convocation at the Mercy Center in Madison. Myron Oldfield will be the main speaker who worked on the Metropatterns Report. For more information call 236-4281.
• Community Conversation – Tuesday, May 3rd, 6:15 pm – Silas Deane Middle School – Sponsored by the Wethersfield Early Readiness Council. Share your thoughts on early care education of children.
• The Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Town Breakfast will be held Thursday, May 5, 2005 at the Wethersfield Country Club. Registration is at 7:30 am. Please mark your calendars to attend this important event. The fee is $15.00 per person for Chamber members, $20.00 for non-members.
• The Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual Dinner/Meeting on May 18, 2005. Details to follow.
• NEW – The New England Economic Partnership is hosting an Economic Outlook Conference on May 19, 2005 in Westborough, MA. For more information visit their website at www.neepcon.org.
• On Friday, May 20th, the 56th Connecticut Armed Forces Day Luncheon will be held at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. Social hour begins at 11:00 AM and lunch is served at noon. The cost is $25.00 per person.
• Center Edge informs us that there will be a West Hartford Community Forum on how we are going to reduce property tax reliance in the future on May 25 from 7-9 PM in the UCONN Greater Hartford Building Auditorium. The topics are very close to monetary issues we have been discussing in Wethersfield.
• On June 5, 2005 a state-wide Open House is planned at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Governor Jodi Rell is inviting all cities and towns to attend this first ever public event, and participate by donating an official town flag for display in the building during the entire month of June.
• CRCOG will hold their annual dinner on June 21 at Manchester Country Club. More details to follow.
3. Council and Board/Committee Dates:
• Monday, April 25, 2005 – Zoning Board of Appeals
• Tuesday, April 26, 2005 – Library Board; Board of Education; Historic District Commission; Tourism Commission, Strategic Plan
• Thursday, April 28, 2005 – Parks and Recreation Board (Meeting with State Legislators on funding for Millwoods Park)
• Budget Hearings: (PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF LOCATIONS)
Tuesday, April 26 – 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM – Community Center, Fireside Room
Wednesday, April 27 - 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM – Council Chambers
Thursday, April 28 - 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM – Council Chambers
4. Department/Division News:
• Building Inspection: Attached are monthly activity reports for January, February and March!
• Library: Attached is the March report and an article about Libraries from the May “Better Homes and Gardens”.
• Fire: I am hoping to have the Fire Chief interviews on Friday, April 29th with an outside panel of Fire Chiefs.
• Economic Development: The CT. Main Street Center is sponsoring three workshops: June 13th, Using Design as a Tool For Downtown Revitalization; July 26, Economic Realities of Downtown Revitalization, and October 28, Promotional Strategies for your Commercial District. If you wish to register for these, you can go to www.ctmainstreet.org.
5. Board/Commission News:
• I am attaching the agenda for the Historic District Commission Meeting and the Legal Notice of Public Hearing for the Zoning Board of Appeals.
• I have attached a copy of the proposal and agreement with Destination Connecticut for Destination/Event Management Services for a familiarization trip in Historic Wethersfield that will target 200 event planners. We are hoping this will put our community in the event planners’ minds for attractions to bring forward to Convention Center attendees and their family members. I will keep you posted on this upcoming event.
6. Council Questions/Answers:
• I am attaching email correspondence from Mary Dobruck and Public Works Director Michael Turner regarding Folly Brook inflow/infiltration issues. We have learned from the schools staff that flow meters were installed on the two refrigeration units at the high school to determine the amount of water being discharged. Approximately 70 gallons of water per 24 hour period is being discharged into the sanitary sewer system. This is an approved discharge.
• For your information, I am attaching a response to a resident of Timber Road regarding Tilcon blasting. Because she was already denied by the Board of Assessment Appeals, she must now to through the court system to appeal her assessment.
• In response to questions raised by a resident of Two Rod Highway regarding sidewalks, I am attaching the resident’s letter and a response from the Chief Building Official.
• Attached are comments emailed to me from a citizen regarding the Proposed 2005/06 budget.
• Attached is the list of grants/revenues the Department of Social and Youth Services proposes to take in next year.
• I have received a complaint regarding feral cats that live in Wintergreen Woods and are causing problems for Wells Road residents. Attached is the correspondence and response from the Health District. An Ordinance was discussed many years ago to take care of this issue but it did not move forward with the then Town Council.
• Regarding the additional fee increases that were submitted to my office for research:
a. The dog license and the per page copy fees are set by State statutes.
b. The Health District fees do not generate revenue for the Town and are set by the Health District. The Health Board has proposed increasing their fees and their proposals will be introduced at your first meeting in May.
c. The hourly police private duty rate is calculated by taking the highest hourly rate of a patrolman and adding a surcharge for benefit and administrative costs. That rate changes each time the salaries change as a result of contractual agreements, therefore it is not advisable to set a fixed rate.
7. CRCOG: Nothing this week
8. COST: Nothing this week.
9. ICMA: Nothing this week.
10. Miscellaneous:
• I am attaching a bulletin from CCM that assesses the impact on Wethersfield of the Appropriations Committee Proposed State Budget. As you will note, the Town will receive approximately $90,000 more but the Board of Education would receive the amount that was in the Governor’s proposed budget.
• I am enclosing a profile of Wethersfield from the current Hartford Business Journal and the featured property of the week, 1290 Silas Deane Highway.
• The Wethersfield High School teams made the national top 100 in the rocket contest. The fly off will be held on May 21, 2005. I will provide more information as I receive it.
• I am including an article about streetscape development from the April “Governing Magazine.”<br>• The balance in the CT. River Bank account for Cottone Field as of 4/15/05 stands at $22,627.78. The only activity posted was $14.41 of interest.
• I have attached an article from American City and County Magazine about cities “being green”.
B. PROJECT UPDATES:
• Nott Street – Work has not begun to finish the Nott Street project as the State has requested additional funding from the Federal Government to complete the work. The Federal Government has approved the request but the State is waiting for the actual check.
• Town Hall/Library – Work has begun on the outside chimney area in front of the Library. A meeting will be held in the next two weeks to begin working out a schedule for Phase II work.
FROM: Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
DATE: April 22, 2005
A. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS:
1. Manager: I will be away this weekend from Friday AM until Monday afternoon. The Chief will be in charge while I am away and both he and dispatch will know how to get ahold of me in case of an emergency. Again, just a reminder, if you have any revenue fee increases, decreases, issues you would like Rae Ann Palmer to research, please let her know by Monday.
2. Upcoming Events:
• NEW – Parks & Recreation is holding their 5th Annual Kids’ Treasure Sale on Saturday, April 23rd from 1 to 4 PM. See attached flyer.
• NEW – The Hartford County Bar Association is hosting a panel on Municipal Ethics Regulation on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM at the Hartford Club on Prospect Street in Hartford. Cost is $75.00 for non-members. Flyer attached.
• Senior Volunteer Recognition Program. Community Center, April 28th at 2:00 PM.
• The Arbor Day Planting at the North Gate of Silas Deane has been cancelled. We will be putting together a new date to begin planting trees in this area.
• The Arbor Day Tree Planting on the Broad Street Green will take place Saturday, April 30, at 9:30 am.
• Save April 30, 2005 from 7:00PM to midnight for the Chamber of Commerce’s 40th Anniversary Dance/Fundraiser at the Wethersfield Country Club. Tickets are $60 per person and can be purchased from Peter Gillespie or John Cascio.
• On Saturday, April 30th, the Christian Conference of Connecticut will hold its 23rd Annual Peace and Justice Convocation at the Mercy Center in Madison. Myron Oldfield will be the main speaker who worked on the Metropatterns Report. For more information call 236-4281.
• Community Conversation – Tuesday, May 3rd, 6:15 pm – Silas Deane Middle School – Sponsored by the Wethersfield Early Readiness Council. Share your thoughts on early care education of children.
• The Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Town Breakfast will be held Thursday, May 5, 2005 at the Wethersfield Country Club. Registration is at 7:30 am. Please mark your calendars to attend this important event. The fee is $15.00 per person for Chamber members, $20.00 for non-members.
• The Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual Dinner/Meeting on May 18, 2005. Details to follow.
• NEW – The New England Economic Partnership is hosting an Economic Outlook Conference on May 19, 2005 in Westborough, MA. For more information visit their website at www.neepcon.org.
• On Friday, May 20th, the 56th Connecticut Armed Forces Day Luncheon will be held at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. Social hour begins at 11:00 AM and lunch is served at noon. The cost is $25.00 per person.
• Center Edge informs us that there will be a West Hartford Community Forum on how we are going to reduce property tax reliance in the future on May 25 from 7-9 PM in the UCONN Greater Hartford Building Auditorium. The topics are very close to monetary issues we have been discussing in Wethersfield.
• On June 5, 2005 a state-wide Open House is planned at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Governor Jodi Rell is inviting all cities and towns to attend this first ever public event, and participate by donating an official town flag for display in the building during the entire month of June.
• CRCOG will hold their annual dinner on June 21 at Manchester Country Club. More details to follow.
3. Council and Board/Committee Dates:
• Monday, April 25, 2005 – Zoning Board of Appeals
• Tuesday, April 26, 2005 – Library Board; Board of Education; Historic District Commission; Tourism Commission, Strategic Plan
• Thursday, April 28, 2005 – Parks and Recreation Board (Meeting with State Legislators on funding for Millwoods Park)
• Budget Hearings: (PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF LOCATIONS)
Tuesday, April 26 – 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM – Community Center, Fireside Room
Wednesday, April 27 - 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM – Council Chambers
Thursday, April 28 - 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM – Council Chambers
4. Department/Division News:
• Building Inspection: Attached are monthly activity reports for January, February and March!
• Library: Attached is the March report and an article about Libraries from the May “Better Homes and Gardens”.
• Fire: I am hoping to have the Fire Chief interviews on Friday, April 29th with an outside panel of Fire Chiefs.
• Economic Development: The CT. Main Street Center is sponsoring three workshops: June 13th, Using Design as a Tool For Downtown Revitalization; July 26, Economic Realities of Downtown Revitalization, and October 28, Promotional Strategies for your Commercial District. If you wish to register for these, you can go to www.ctmainstreet.org.
5. Board/Commission News:
• I am attaching the agenda for the Historic District Commission Meeting and the Legal Notice of Public Hearing for the Zoning Board of Appeals.
• I have attached a copy of the proposal and agreement with Destination Connecticut for Destination/Event Management Services for a familiarization trip in Historic Wethersfield that will target 200 event planners. We are hoping this will put our community in the event planners’ minds for attractions to bring forward to Convention Center attendees and their family members. I will keep you posted on this upcoming event.
6. Council Questions/Answers:
• I am attaching email correspondence from Mary Dobruck and Public Works Director Michael Turner regarding Folly Brook inflow/infiltration issues. We have learned from the schools staff that flow meters were installed on the two refrigeration units at the high school to determine the amount of water being discharged. Approximately 70 gallons of water per 24 hour period is being discharged into the sanitary sewer system. This is an approved discharge.
• For your information, I am attaching a response to a resident of Timber Road regarding Tilcon blasting. Because she was already denied by the Board of Assessment Appeals, she must now to through the court system to appeal her assessment.
• In response to questions raised by a resident of Two Rod Highway regarding sidewalks, I am attaching the resident’s letter and a response from the Chief Building Official.
• Attached are comments emailed to me from a citizen regarding the Proposed 2005/06 budget.
• Attached is the list of grants/revenues the Department of Social and Youth Services proposes to take in next year.
• I have received a complaint regarding feral cats that live in Wintergreen Woods and are causing problems for Wells Road residents. Attached is the correspondence and response from the Health District. An Ordinance was discussed many years ago to take care of this issue but it did not move forward with the then Town Council.
• Regarding the additional fee increases that were submitted to my office for research:
a. The dog license and the per page copy fees are set by State statutes.
b. The Health District fees do not generate revenue for the Town and are set by the Health District. The Health Board has proposed increasing their fees and their proposals will be introduced at your first meeting in May.
c. The hourly police private duty rate is calculated by taking the highest hourly rate of a patrolman and adding a surcharge for benefit and administrative costs. That rate changes each time the salaries change as a result of contractual agreements, therefore it is not advisable to set a fixed rate.
7. CRCOG: Nothing this week
8. COST: Nothing this week.
9. ICMA: Nothing this week.
10. Miscellaneous:
• I am attaching a bulletin from CCM that assesses the impact on Wethersfield of the Appropriations Committee Proposed State Budget. As you will note, the Town will receive approximately $90,000 more but the Board of Education would receive the amount that was in the Governor’s proposed budget.
• I am enclosing a profile of Wethersfield from the current Hartford Business Journal and the featured property of the week, 1290 Silas Deane Highway.
• The Wethersfield High School teams made the national top 100 in the rocket contest. The fly off will be held on May 21, 2005. I will provide more information as I receive it.
• I am including an article about streetscape development from the April “Governing Magazine.”<br>• The balance in the CT. River Bank account for Cottone Field as of 4/15/05 stands at $22,627.78. The only activity posted was $14.41 of interest.
• I have attached an article from American City and County Magazine about cities “being green”.
B. PROJECT UPDATES:
• Nott Street – Work has not begun to finish the Nott Street project as the State has requested additional funding from the Federal Government to complete the work. The Federal Government has approved the request but the State is waiting for the actual check.
• Town Hall/Library – Work has begun on the outside chimney area in front of the Library. A meeting will be held in the next two weeks to begin working out a schedule for Phase II work.
