Post by Wethersfield.com on Jul 6, 2004 9:12:13 GMT -5
TO: The Honorable Mayor and Town Council Members
FROM: Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
DATE: July 6, 2004
A. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS:
1. Manager: I hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.
2. Upcoming Events:
· At the last CREPC meeting, Chief Teale invited everyone to the commemoration of the 60th anniversary and groundbreaking of the Circus Fire Memorial to be held Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. CRCOG would like as many CREPC members as possible to attend the commemoration. Groundbreaking will be held behind Wish School on 350 Barbour Street, in Hartford. Parking will be available at the Wish School (the school will be open for refreshments and use of facilities). Shuttle buses will be available from the Fire Training Center on Jennings Road. For questions, concerns regarding direction, transportation, parking or general information, please call (860) 246-6755.
· The Chamber of Commerce will be having a Business After Hours at The Spicy Green Deli on Wednesday, July 14th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Please call Jeanne at 513-4024, X215 if you are going to attend. I have attached the flyer on this event.
· The Referendum on the Bond will be held on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 at the Pitkin Community Center from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
· The Employee Luncheon, honoring our employees, will be held Thursday, July 22nd, at noon at the Community Center. Please join us.
3. Council Committee Dates:
· Budget and Finance and Infrastructure Committees – Wednesday, July 14th, 6:30 pm
· Shared Services – Monday, July 19th, 5:30 pm
4. Department/Division News:
· Library – Library Director Laurel Goodgion provided the attached articles for Council’s information.
· Public Works – Director Mike Turner has been elected to the CASHO (CT Association of Street & Highway Officials) Board of Directors and will begin serving July 1st.
· Recreation & Parks – Attached is a copy of the notice posted at Mill Woods Park Swim Area alerting patrons to the application of a geese deterrent in the grassy areas of the swim area. These flyers were also handed out to anyone visiting the park.
· Physical Services – The new Transfer Station Rates went into effect on July 1, 2004. I have included a copy of the new rate schedule for your information.
· Economic Development – Letters have gone out to all area banks about our proposed loan program for businesses. We will be meeting with the banks in a few weeks to try and receive a commitment from them to help us with this new program. I have also enclosed a summary and comparison of the State Statutes governing redevelopment versus development agencies.
· Assessor’s Office – You may be receiving complaints about the higher valuations on older and classic cars tax bills. In the past, the former Assessor utilized a Classic Car magazine to develop the pricing on these vehicles. We are now using the NADA vehicle book to establish the prices which is the norm in the State. The NADA book has higher values then the Classic Car magazines. If people wish to appeal the values, they must do so through the Board of Assessment Appeals.
· Tax Office – I have attached the latest update on the collection rates for the last two Grand Lists. As you will note, we are currently at 99.17% for 2002 and 98.8 for 2001.
5. Board/Commission News:
· None this week.
6. Council Questions/Answers:
· Energy Education, Inc. is the energy program/consultant that the Board of Education is considering, and at present, they only work with school districts.
· I have received the attached letter from the Vice President of the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company concerning the possibility of using the railroad for tourism/economic development usage.
7. CRCOG: Nothing this week.
CCM: Nothing this week
COST: Nothing this week.
8. Miscellaneous:
· The Connecticut Department of Labor reports that the unemployment rate for Wethersfield in April 2004 was 4.7%.
B. PROJECT UPDATES:
· There is a copy of the Nott Street Reconstruction Blast Plan in my office. If any Council members would like a copy, please let me know.
· There is a web site – www.cottonefield.com – that has been set up to watch the progress of the field under construction. These pictures are being taken from a camera located on the press box which Close, Jensen and Miller put up so they could watch the construction work and monitor progress at all times. Also, when work first began on the field, the irrigation system for the High School did have to be disconnected while they dug up dirt in that area. About 10 days ago, the irrigation and electrical system that had been affected was fixed and the irrigation system is not working fine. The drainage system is being put in next week and the actual surface may be ready for installation at the end of July.
· Nott Street Blasting – Blasting began on Thursday for the Nott Street project. The blasts on Thursday seemed not to cause any problems. On Friday, a different type of rock was hit which caused higher readings, so they will be lowering the number of blasts to keep the readings at a lower range.
C. CALENDAR REMINDERS:
D. ATTACHMENTS:
· Chamber of Commerce Flyer
· Library Articles
· Recreation & Parks Notice
· New Rates for Transfer Station
· Tax Office Memo
· Providence and Worcester Railroad Letter
FROM: Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
DATE: July 6, 2004
A. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS:
1. Manager: I hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.
2. Upcoming Events:
· At the last CREPC meeting, Chief Teale invited everyone to the commemoration of the 60th anniversary and groundbreaking of the Circus Fire Memorial to be held Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. CRCOG would like as many CREPC members as possible to attend the commemoration. Groundbreaking will be held behind Wish School on 350 Barbour Street, in Hartford. Parking will be available at the Wish School (the school will be open for refreshments and use of facilities). Shuttle buses will be available from the Fire Training Center on Jennings Road. For questions, concerns regarding direction, transportation, parking or general information, please call (860) 246-6755.
· The Chamber of Commerce will be having a Business After Hours at The Spicy Green Deli on Wednesday, July 14th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Please call Jeanne at 513-4024, X215 if you are going to attend. I have attached the flyer on this event.
· The Referendum on the Bond will be held on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 at the Pitkin Community Center from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
· The Employee Luncheon, honoring our employees, will be held Thursday, July 22nd, at noon at the Community Center. Please join us.
3. Council Committee Dates:
· Budget and Finance and Infrastructure Committees – Wednesday, July 14th, 6:30 pm
· Shared Services – Monday, July 19th, 5:30 pm
4. Department/Division News:
· Library – Library Director Laurel Goodgion provided the attached articles for Council’s information.
· Public Works – Director Mike Turner has been elected to the CASHO (CT Association of Street & Highway Officials) Board of Directors and will begin serving July 1st.
· Recreation & Parks – Attached is a copy of the notice posted at Mill Woods Park Swim Area alerting patrons to the application of a geese deterrent in the grassy areas of the swim area. These flyers were also handed out to anyone visiting the park.
· Physical Services – The new Transfer Station Rates went into effect on July 1, 2004. I have included a copy of the new rate schedule for your information.
· Economic Development – Letters have gone out to all area banks about our proposed loan program for businesses. We will be meeting with the banks in a few weeks to try and receive a commitment from them to help us with this new program. I have also enclosed a summary and comparison of the State Statutes governing redevelopment versus development agencies.
· Assessor’s Office – You may be receiving complaints about the higher valuations on older and classic cars tax bills. In the past, the former Assessor utilized a Classic Car magazine to develop the pricing on these vehicles. We are now using the NADA vehicle book to establish the prices which is the norm in the State. The NADA book has higher values then the Classic Car magazines. If people wish to appeal the values, they must do so through the Board of Assessment Appeals.
· Tax Office – I have attached the latest update on the collection rates for the last two Grand Lists. As you will note, we are currently at 99.17% for 2002 and 98.8 for 2001.
5. Board/Commission News:
· None this week.
6. Council Questions/Answers:
· Energy Education, Inc. is the energy program/consultant that the Board of Education is considering, and at present, they only work with school districts.
· I have received the attached letter from the Vice President of the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company concerning the possibility of using the railroad for tourism/economic development usage.
7. CRCOG: Nothing this week.
CCM: Nothing this week
COST: Nothing this week.
8. Miscellaneous:
· The Connecticut Department of Labor reports that the unemployment rate for Wethersfield in April 2004 was 4.7%.
B. PROJECT UPDATES:
· There is a copy of the Nott Street Reconstruction Blast Plan in my office. If any Council members would like a copy, please let me know.
· There is a web site – www.cottonefield.com – that has been set up to watch the progress of the field under construction. These pictures are being taken from a camera located on the press box which Close, Jensen and Miller put up so they could watch the construction work and monitor progress at all times. Also, when work first began on the field, the irrigation system for the High School did have to be disconnected while they dug up dirt in that area. About 10 days ago, the irrigation and electrical system that had been affected was fixed and the irrigation system is not working fine. The drainage system is being put in next week and the actual surface may be ready for installation at the end of July.
· Nott Street Blasting – Blasting began on Thursday for the Nott Street project. The blasts on Thursday seemed not to cause any problems. On Friday, a different type of rock was hit which caused higher readings, so they will be lowering the number of blasts to keep the readings at a lower range.
C. CALENDAR REMINDERS:
D. ATTACHMENTS:
· Chamber of Commerce Flyer
· Library Articles
· Recreation & Parks Notice
· New Rates for Transfer Station
· Tax Office Memo
· Providence and Worcester Railroad Letter