Post by Wethersfield.com on Jul 30, 2004 17:21:20 GMT -5
TO: The Honorable Mayor and Town Council Members
FROM: Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
DATE: July 30, 2004
A. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS:
1. Manager: I will be away from Saturday until mid-day on Sunday. Chief Cetran will be in charge and both dispatch and he will know how to reach my in case of an emergency.
2. Upcoming Events:
• The MDC will be holding public hearings on their proposed sewer projects on Ridge Road and Wolcott Hill Road on Wednesday, August 4th, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers.
• A breakfast and discussion with local banks to encourage participation in the Façade Loan Program will be held the week of August 9. We will have information about the date and place to you when it is finalized.
• On Wednesday, August 11 at 5:00 PM, we will tour Riverfront Recapture. Please let me know if you will be attending by Monday, so I can post an agenda if needed. You can either meet at the Town Hall at 4:45 PM or at the BoatHouse, Exit 33 off 91 at 5:00 PM.
• The Chamber After Hours Event at Spicy Green Deli that was cancelled on the 28th has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 11, 2004 at 5:30PM.
• The Griswoldville Preservation Associations’ walking tour for August is rescheduled from the first Saturday in August to August 14. Assemble at 9:30AM at the intersection of Griswold Rd. and Country Club Rd. Former water-powered mill sites will be visited and discussed during the 1.5-hour tour. A $2 donation is suggested. Rain date is the following Sunday, same time and place.
• We have been asked to co-sponsor a forum on September 22nd at the Community Center at 7 PM to discuss the Metropatterns findings done by Myron Oldfield. A committee is working on putting this together and we are hoping to have the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Education sponsor this also. Residents will be invited to hear about the findings and look for ways to improve our community. Robert Santy, President of the Regional Growth Partnership, will be the speaker. If you would like to borrow a copy of the Metropatterns findings, please let me know.
• The annual Health Fair will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2004 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Wethersfield Ambulance Facility on Prospect Street.
• On September 28, 2004, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Global Companies will be hosting a grand reopening of their business at 80 Burbank Road (the former Cargill, Inc.).
• An Economic Development Summit is planned for September 29, 2004 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, featuring an information session and a panel discussion of success stories from communities that have been successful in putting together development/redevelopment programs. More information will follow. Please save the date and time.
3. Council Committee Dates:
• Pension Committee – Monday, August 2nd, 5 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Public Works Committee – Wednesday, August 4th, 5:30 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Budget and Finance Committee – Wednesday, August 4th, 6:30 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Shared Services Committee – Tuesday, August 10th, 6:00 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Riverfront Recapture Tour – Wednesday, August 11th, 5:00 PM, The Boathouse, Riverfront Recapture
4. Department/Division News:
• Engineering Department: Frank and Sophie Strong of Wolcott Hill Road sent a letter praising staff member Lonnie Davis for his professional and polite response to their concerns. See attached letter.
5. Board/Commission News:
• The Strategic Planning Committee members have been appointed, they are:
Linda Avery
Claudio Capone
James Clynch
William Donohue
Peter Gardow
Ralph Karanian
Leigh Standish
Their first meeting will be August 12th.
• The Charter Revision Commission will be meeting on Monday informally (they will not have a quorum) to review your requests for changes to their draft proposals.
6. Council Questions/Answers:
• The Recreation Department is using New Britain Transportation for summer bus service. There had been a report of speeding by a bus on Crest Street but that was not our bus.
• There are no funds in the current year budget to open the Nature Center. Staff will be able to determine the funding gap for project completion after the bids are open on August 12th. Bid results will be on your August 16th agenda.
• Little League representatives believe that they can apply for grants for field construction for Mill Woods. No action will be taken without a definite commitment to build the field and fund the necessary utilities by the Town.
• Although staff is concerned about parking capacity and maintenance with unpaved lots, they are researching alternatives to paved parking areas in Millwoods which will cost less money and allow for less paved areas in the park.
• The Olson House parking area is Town property, not a State commuter lot. Signage has been installed to notify the public that the lot is used for Physical Services’ staff parking only.
• Engineering staff are currently reviewing budget figures for the road program. Forest Drive will be included if funding allows. Collier was paved in 2000 and will be crack sealed next year.
• Attached is correspondence from Attorney Sam Caligiuri that explains why a referendum for grant funds had to be held on July 21st, along with a recommended change to the Charter that would prevent a similar occurrence in the future. The proposed change has been forwarded to the Charter Revision Commission for their review.
• At your last Council meeting, you had asked for a clarification on the lighting schematic given to you. Sheila Suppicich wrote to me and said she had reviewed the USL Lighting design and noticed two notes on the sheets – adjacent to both Pole F3 and F4, it states that the poles are 60’ mounting height, located on a 10’ elevation increase, which results in the 70’ MH above the field grade. In the lower right hand corner box, it does say 70’ height, however the note does clarify the two at 60’. This means that the design is correct.
• During the week of July 4th the port-a-let on the Broad Street Green was vandalized and burned. We have not found who did this. Repeated attempts to have the company remove it have not been successful. A letter was sent to the company informing them that if the port-a-let was not removed within the specified period, we would remove and dispose of it.
CRCOG: Nothing this week.
COST: Nothing this week.
ICMA: Nothing this week.
7. Miscellaneous:
• I have had many calls about signs being up on the fence at the High School baseball field area. Use of signage at the High School baseball field was reviewed and approved by the appropriate boards and commissions about 10-12 years ago. Generally, teams display signs when they are using the field and remove them when complete. If signs are left more than one day, it is due to holding consecutive games. The American Legion team installs signs each time they play. They are currently in playoff mode, so they have been allowed to leave their signs up each day until the playoffs are complete.
• Attached is a letter from Senator Lieberman to District Manager of the US Postal Service about our request for a new Post Office.
B. PROJECT UPDATES:
• Attached is a report from Camp, Dresser, and McGee regarding the Modeling of Wethersfield Cove. I understand that not everyone could download this information. The modeling report explains what information they are basing their recommendations on for the cleaning of the Cove.
• The Nott Road blasting should be complete next week. Attached are the seismic readings for each blast, by date. Traffic information from Crest Street is attached for the dates of July 26, 27 & 28. The Police Department utilized the Smart Cart to collect data on the number of vehicles and their speed. We have also had officers conducting radar on several streets of the blasting area.
• Cottone Field – The liner will be installed next week. The actual surface will be placed on the field in mid August. Work is going according to schedule. I hope to meet with the neighbors again to review their concerns the week of August 9th.
C. CALENDAR REMINDERS:
• None this week.
D. ATTACHMENTS:
• Letter re Lonnie Davis
• Letter from Sam Caligiuri re referendum and proposed Charter revision
• Wethersfield Cove Modeling Report
• Nott Road Blasting Information
• Crest Road Traffic Information
• Library Newsletter
• Letter from Senator Lieberman
FROM: Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
DATE: July 30, 2004
A. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS:
1. Manager: I will be away from Saturday until mid-day on Sunday. Chief Cetran will be in charge and both dispatch and he will know how to reach my in case of an emergency.
2. Upcoming Events:
• The MDC will be holding public hearings on their proposed sewer projects on Ridge Road and Wolcott Hill Road on Wednesday, August 4th, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers.
• A breakfast and discussion with local banks to encourage participation in the Façade Loan Program will be held the week of August 9. We will have information about the date and place to you when it is finalized.
• On Wednesday, August 11 at 5:00 PM, we will tour Riverfront Recapture. Please let me know if you will be attending by Monday, so I can post an agenda if needed. You can either meet at the Town Hall at 4:45 PM or at the BoatHouse, Exit 33 off 91 at 5:00 PM.
• The Chamber After Hours Event at Spicy Green Deli that was cancelled on the 28th has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 11, 2004 at 5:30PM.
• The Griswoldville Preservation Associations’ walking tour for August is rescheduled from the first Saturday in August to August 14. Assemble at 9:30AM at the intersection of Griswold Rd. and Country Club Rd. Former water-powered mill sites will be visited and discussed during the 1.5-hour tour. A $2 donation is suggested. Rain date is the following Sunday, same time and place.
• We have been asked to co-sponsor a forum on September 22nd at the Community Center at 7 PM to discuss the Metropatterns findings done by Myron Oldfield. A committee is working on putting this together and we are hoping to have the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Education sponsor this also. Residents will be invited to hear about the findings and look for ways to improve our community. Robert Santy, President of the Regional Growth Partnership, will be the speaker. If you would like to borrow a copy of the Metropatterns findings, please let me know.
• The annual Health Fair will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2004 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Wethersfield Ambulance Facility on Prospect Street.
• On September 28, 2004, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Global Companies will be hosting a grand reopening of their business at 80 Burbank Road (the former Cargill, Inc.).
• An Economic Development Summit is planned for September 29, 2004 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, featuring an information session and a panel discussion of success stories from communities that have been successful in putting together development/redevelopment programs. More information will follow. Please save the date and time.
3. Council Committee Dates:
• Pension Committee – Monday, August 2nd, 5 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Public Works Committee – Wednesday, August 4th, 5:30 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Budget and Finance Committee – Wednesday, August 4th, 6:30 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Shared Services Committee – Tuesday, August 10th, 6:00 PM, Town Manager’s Office
• Riverfront Recapture Tour – Wednesday, August 11th, 5:00 PM, The Boathouse, Riverfront Recapture
4. Department/Division News:
• Engineering Department: Frank and Sophie Strong of Wolcott Hill Road sent a letter praising staff member Lonnie Davis for his professional and polite response to their concerns. See attached letter.
5. Board/Commission News:
• The Strategic Planning Committee members have been appointed, they are:
Linda Avery
Claudio Capone
James Clynch
William Donohue
Peter Gardow
Ralph Karanian
Leigh Standish
Their first meeting will be August 12th.
• The Charter Revision Commission will be meeting on Monday informally (they will not have a quorum) to review your requests for changes to their draft proposals.
6. Council Questions/Answers:
• The Recreation Department is using New Britain Transportation for summer bus service. There had been a report of speeding by a bus on Crest Street but that was not our bus.
• There are no funds in the current year budget to open the Nature Center. Staff will be able to determine the funding gap for project completion after the bids are open on August 12th. Bid results will be on your August 16th agenda.
• Little League representatives believe that they can apply for grants for field construction for Mill Woods. No action will be taken without a definite commitment to build the field and fund the necessary utilities by the Town.
• Although staff is concerned about parking capacity and maintenance with unpaved lots, they are researching alternatives to paved parking areas in Millwoods which will cost less money and allow for less paved areas in the park.
• The Olson House parking area is Town property, not a State commuter lot. Signage has been installed to notify the public that the lot is used for Physical Services’ staff parking only.
• Engineering staff are currently reviewing budget figures for the road program. Forest Drive will be included if funding allows. Collier was paved in 2000 and will be crack sealed next year.
• Attached is correspondence from Attorney Sam Caligiuri that explains why a referendum for grant funds had to be held on July 21st, along with a recommended change to the Charter that would prevent a similar occurrence in the future. The proposed change has been forwarded to the Charter Revision Commission for their review.
• At your last Council meeting, you had asked for a clarification on the lighting schematic given to you. Sheila Suppicich wrote to me and said she had reviewed the USL Lighting design and noticed two notes on the sheets – adjacent to both Pole F3 and F4, it states that the poles are 60’ mounting height, located on a 10’ elevation increase, which results in the 70’ MH above the field grade. In the lower right hand corner box, it does say 70’ height, however the note does clarify the two at 60’. This means that the design is correct.
• During the week of July 4th the port-a-let on the Broad Street Green was vandalized and burned. We have not found who did this. Repeated attempts to have the company remove it have not been successful. A letter was sent to the company informing them that if the port-a-let was not removed within the specified period, we would remove and dispose of it.
CRCOG: Nothing this week.
COST: Nothing this week.
ICMA: Nothing this week.
7. Miscellaneous:
• I have had many calls about signs being up on the fence at the High School baseball field area. Use of signage at the High School baseball field was reviewed and approved by the appropriate boards and commissions about 10-12 years ago. Generally, teams display signs when they are using the field and remove them when complete. If signs are left more than one day, it is due to holding consecutive games. The American Legion team installs signs each time they play. They are currently in playoff mode, so they have been allowed to leave their signs up each day until the playoffs are complete.
• Attached is a letter from Senator Lieberman to District Manager of the US Postal Service about our request for a new Post Office.
B. PROJECT UPDATES:
• Attached is a report from Camp, Dresser, and McGee regarding the Modeling of Wethersfield Cove. I understand that not everyone could download this information. The modeling report explains what information they are basing their recommendations on for the cleaning of the Cove.
• The Nott Road blasting should be complete next week. Attached are the seismic readings for each blast, by date. Traffic information from Crest Street is attached for the dates of July 26, 27 & 28. The Police Department utilized the Smart Cart to collect data on the number of vehicles and their speed. We have also had officers conducting radar on several streets of the blasting area.
• Cottone Field – The liner will be installed next week. The actual surface will be placed on the field in mid August. Work is going according to schedule. I hope to meet with the neighbors again to review their concerns the week of August 9th.
C. CALENDAR REMINDERS:
• None this week.
D. ATTACHMENTS:
• Letter re Lonnie Davis
• Letter from Sam Caligiuri re referendum and proposed Charter revision
• Wethersfield Cove Modeling Report
• Nott Road Blasting Information
• Crest Road Traffic Information
• Library Newsletter
• Letter from Senator Lieberman