I finally was able to post my video I took of the Shoppes of Farmington Valley in Canton which was designed by W/S Development of Massachusetts, the same company that has expressed interest in constructing something similar in the northend of Cheshire near the I-691 interchange. I again want to thank Ms. Christine Carpenter for accompanying me that day. I asked her to come with me. She did not interfere in what I wanted to film. Unfortunately some of the video did not post. I will be correcting it on Sunday, May 20th. I hope everyone understands that I do all of this in my spare time and things don’t always go right. So be patient and I will try to correct the problem. The video is the “Featured” video on the home page.

Update: This Video is no longer available

Because of the electrical storm which knocked out my modem, I am unable to post my video of the trip I took to the Shoppes at Farmington Valley in Canton on May 16th.  The problem will not be fixed until Friday morning the earliest. I want to thank The Shoppes at Farmington Valley General Manager Christine Carpenter for her graciousness in allowing me to film what I wanted. I only have a small digital camera with five minutes of video so I did my best.

My day deteriorated when I went to the Ordinance Committee meeting to discuss the possibility of having a Police Commission in town. I am still shocked to think that the people who run this town think a Police Commission is a bad thing. As I have said many many times before, we have a Board of Education. Did we form this board because there was a “problem” with our educational system—NO!! We have one of the best educational systems in the state. People in many other towns look up to us, believe me. We set the standard for many people in many towns throughout Connecticut. We have a Board of Education,  a Planning and Zoning, a Zoning Board of Appeals, an Inland Wetlands Commission, a Building Commission,  a Park and Recreation Commission and so on because this is the way our government was set up. The people are the buffer–the check and balance. Our forefathers wanted it this way. I know some of you do not like Al Gore, but Al Gore said “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It has nothing to do with Town Manager Michael Milone or the Police Chief at all. I don’t care what town it is or where it is–every department should have a board or a commission. The people who run this town are trying to make it look like a police commission is only formed because of a “problem.” They know this is not true. One person cannot make all the decisions. It is not healthy. It is called a dictatorship. The last time I checked the name of our country was not North Korea! If my husband was the Town Manager I would insist on a police commission. I bet a lot of people would not like it if I got a petition to eliminate the Board of Education and let Schools Supt. Greg Florio make all the decisions himself with Paul Calaluce. You know they would be furious!! So how can we allow one person to make decisions on a police department-a department that has arrest powers–a paramilitary organization. The Ordinance Committee of the Town Council wants the Public Safety Commission to hear complaints. Well that is fine, but the Police Commission is not just complaints. I have been to many police commission meetings all over the state, and I have only heard a few complaints. The Board of Education is not set up just to hear complaints–neither is Planning and Zoning or Inland Wetlands or Park and Recreation. They discuss issues, they go over the budget, etc. You see, the problem with the Police Commission idea to the sheeple that run this town is that they are afraid. They know the Police Commission has the power to hire and fire officers and in some cases the Police Chief. No–people–even people of the Cheshire Police Department–it is better to have ONE person make all of your decisions–instead of five or seven. You have already seen what has happened in the past when the dictator made personnel decisions and did not include your union representative in the decision making which would have happened with a police commission and you know it. I went to that meeting. I drove from Fairfield that night to attend after a long day at work. I cared enough to do this and so did my husband. Now the sheeple and their dictator make me look like the enemy–oh she has a grudge–oh grow up!! When I was a young woman and started out as a reporter–I was taught to keep my feelings separate from what I know in my heart is right. You see by my website that I run all sides as long as it is professional. I would not in my heart propose something that would demoralize the officers of this department. I know what it is like–I live with a law enforcement officer-my husband enforces the Employer Tax Law for the Ct. Dept. of Labor. As I have said again and again–he has people arrested–he carries a badge. But guess what–he must account for his actions every HOUR of the day! If you have an issue or suggestion you can contact his supervisor, the Labor Department Commissioner or the Governors Office. He has to submit a budget and it is gone over in PUBLIC-NOT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. Why? Why is this happening? The sheeple don’t want to lose their $150,000 a year donation that is why. They are bought and sold!! The Undergroundtownhall and the Undergroundnation congratulate Mr. Steven Carroll former Town Councilor who had the character and courage to attend the May 16th Ordinance meeting. Mr. Carroll supports truth and justice and the disabled and elderly and stands up for peoples’ rights. Maybe that is why he isn’t on the sheeple Town Council anymore.  Mr Dave Kenney former editor of the Herald is another person who should be congratulated for running the truth in the paper. He ran the letter from the woman who had the problem at the coffee shop. Maybe that is why he isn’t the editor anymore either!

I asked the Ordinance Committee if some of the Public Safety Commission people could sit in on the budget and even allow the Police Union Rep.  to sit in on it. They said no one there was “qualified” to sit in on the budget. Well I did not know Ms. Esty was a CPA! She even said she had to “learn” the ropes–exactly right. Everyone has to start from step one. If Ms. Esty was accused of a crime and chose a jury–guess what Ms. Esty–the jury would be of your peers and they would not be professional attorneys or judges. You would think nothing of putting your life in their hands. And for the most part it works fine!! Sure there are flaws–but our system of government has lasted and has passed many tests because the people are in charge of our government. I bet the sheeple will be out there Memorial Day “acting” like they care about our country. What a joke! Yet they allow to continue what is going on in this town! Pathetic! I know Ms. Esty wants to do the right thing! And I know she is going to have a change of heart when she sees the Undergroundnation supporting her. Soon my people you will have to come “out.” You will have to address these sheeple. Soon!  As Madonna said in one of her songs” “You’ll wake up one day–but it will be too late.”

It has just come to my attention thanks to a local resident that there is to be an “emergency” Town Council meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Room 207 of the Cheshire Town Hall. Apparently the items to be discussed as set forth in an “email” from the town hall to town council members, “is the emergency remediation of the collapse of the stone arch on the 10 mile river and to continue discussion on the locense and re-imbursement agreement with Tri-Star Development. Apparently some or most of the meeting will be in executive session.

I hope the town realizes that this land is PRIVATE PROPERTY. If the town is concerned with the arch they should purchase this part of the property and then spend money restoring it. What about the people who have part of the Baryte mines on their property and have had to deal with the constant sinkholes that the town claims they can do nothing about? I guess the problem is that these people don’t have the right last names.

Regarding the “executive session” this is what was emailed to me by the Freedom of Information Commission.

The Connecticut Freedom of Information Act As Codified In Chapter 14 Of Connecticut General Statues (Including 2006 Amendments)

Sec.1-200. (Formerly Sec. 1-18a). Part (6) “Executive sessions” means a meeting of a public agency at which the public is excluded for one or more of the following purposes: (A) Discussion concerning the appointment, employment, performance, evaluation, health or dismissal of a public officer or employee, provided that such individual may require that discussion be held at an open meeting; (B) strategy and negotiations with respect to pending claims or pending litigation to which the public agency or a member thereof, because of the member’s conduct as a member of such agency, is a party until such litigation or claim has gbeen finally adjudicated or other wise settled: (C) matters concerning security strategy or the deployment of security personnel, or devices affecting public security; (D) discussion of the selection of a site or the lease, sale or puchase of real estate by a political subdividion of the state when publicity regarding such site, lease, sale, purchase or constructionn would cause a likelihood of increased price until such time as all of the property has been acquired or all proceedings or transactions concerning same have been terminated or abandoned; and (E) discussion of any matter which would result in the disclusure of public records or the information therin described in subsection (b) of seciton 1-210.

For all of you that have been following the other “saga” besides the Northend development issue, I have some news. The Ordinance Committee of the Cheshire Town Council will be meeting to discuss the Police Commission on Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 207 in the Cheshire Town Hall, 84 South Main Street. Hopefully we will have meaningful discussions and not excuses. “It’s too political” and “Isn’t this an oversight board” is not cutting it. Anything relating to government is political, number one. Number two: yes, the Police Commission is an oversight board, but guess what, so is Planning and Zoning and the Board of Education. If some people who run this town believe we really do not need a police commission then my answer to them is that I do not believe we need a Board of Education. The Chairman of the Town Council Matt Hall recently said he trusted the Police Chief that is why we don’t need a police commission. Well I trust Greg Florio, our Schools Superintendent so I guess we don’t need a Board of Education. I trust our Town Planner so maybe we don’t need a Planning and Zoning. When I was a reporter way back when with the Norwich Bulletin, I covered a town in Northeastern Connecticut, Sterling, that had no zoning. The people who ran the town were meeting frantically to enact zoning regulations because people were selling off parts of their property to commercial developers. It was a mess. As I have said before, our government was set up to have the people in control. A police commission is not going to stop our police from doing their jobs–quite the contrary-it is a commission of people that is for the police department. Yes, they may hear complaints–and they are in charge of hiring and firing–but that is the way our government was set up–this is the check and balance afforded all of us in the Constitution. I will keep you posted on the outcome of the meeting.

After the digital camera disaster, which prevented me from filming on May 9th up in Canton, I am scheduled to return on May 16th (this Wednesday). Hopefully the weather will co-operate, but if it doesn’t I will film the ENTIRE Shoppes area in Canton from inside my car if I have to. I am taking along a friend who resides outside of Cheshire to illicit her opinion. Stay tuned for more information.

Cheshire residents Michael Lostritto and Dan Loiewski will be premiering their first film entitled “Veracity” which means an unwillingness to tell lies, on Thursday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the North Haven Showcase Cinemas. I know that some of the news media will be in attendance. Michael Lostritto is a 2006 graduate of Cheshire High School and has completed his freshman year at Bryant College in Rhode Island. Dan Loiewski is a junior at Cheshire High School. I hope many Cheshire residents will attend and take pride in these two people and congratulate them on their hard work.