Monthly archives: December 2008

 

 

Rebuttal

  • By: Cindy

I DID ADD A FEW NEW LINKS: ONE OF THEM BEING THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT. IF YOU SCROLL DOWN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THEIR WEBSITE YOU WILL SEE “CITY COUNCIL” CATEGORY AND THEN “COUNCIL MEETING VIDEOS”

ONCE ON THAT PAGE, SCROLL HALFWAY DOWN AND CLICK TO WATCH. CLICK ON SCREEN TO ENLARGE.

IF BRIDGEPORT CAN HAVE THEIR ENTIRE COMMON COUNCIL MEETINGS ON THEIR WEBSITE WHICH SOMETIMES LAST SEVERAL HOURS, WHAT IS CHESHIRE’S PROBLEM?

I am a regular subscriber to the Cheshire Herald, and lately I’ve noticed the paper has been “adding” new articles during the week.

One of the “articles” that caught my attention that was not in this past Thursday’s regular edition, was a story, (yep, that’s the right word for it) on Elim Park’s annual monetary gift to the Police and Fire Departments.

Even though the Herald article was dated Dec 11, which was last Thursday, it was NOT in the hard copy or e-edition.  Whatever. The article does have quotes from Fire Chief Casner, Police Chief Cruess, Elim Park CEO Ron Dischinger and Town Manager Michael Milone.

Click here for Herald article on Elim Park donation.

The article  said “Elim Park handed over a check to each public safety agency for $165,000.” That is a total of $330,000. Coming from a NOT FOR PROFIT ENTITY.  WHAT???

All well and good if these monies were coming from a private benefactor or private company or organization. Who is against donations?? Not I.

What I am against and what I cannot figure out is how a supposed “not for profit” can come up with these surplus monies year after year to give to a particular entity. Why not for the benefit of the entire town?

This “gift” has been ongoing for as long as I have resided in Cheshire and that has been since 1985. BUT, (you see how I always have a “But” or “However” in all of my posts? You thought I was kidding but I wasn’t.

BUT, these monetary donations have only been questioned for the past several years, mostly by yours truly.

The “gift” has to be approved by the Town Council, which of course it will be.

I NEVER EVER have heard this Town Council question this amount of money coming from a “supposed” 501 (c) (3). And I probably NEVER WILL.

In fact, until I requested a summary sheet of how the police department spent the monies last year which I posted on this blog, I never even saw an accounting made to the Town Council by these two departments for that matter. Then the Town Government stalled giving me the request that I made via FOI for several days. Does the Town keep a record of how this money is spent? Seeing how long it took me to get the information the first time I requested it several months ago, I started to wonder!!

Now I have been researching this topic for quite some time. And believe me, it isn’t just Elim Park. I remember raising an eyebrow a few years ago when  a Fairfield skilled nursing facility which is also tax exempt, was sending money to a country they were religiously affiliated with!!

To top it off, one day I drove around the back of that skilled nursing facility’s building and saw that some of the siding  was missing and um I hate to say, many times saw roaches in the food area. “Oh we had to cut back on the exterminating and maintenance because of  the cost”

WHAT!! Then why are you “donating” money??? Same song and dance, just a different name it seems.

The Herald article states that Elim Park is exempt from property taxes because of its religious affiliation: i.e. “Elim Park Baptist Home.”

But I know for a fact that 3030 Park Avenue, which was owned by the Methodist Church had to pay taxes to the City of Bridgeport. In fact, they ran into issues and ended up in receivership. They could not pay the taxes. 3030 has “assisted living”  which is exempt from taxes, but their “residential homes” ARE NOT.

Click here for 3030 Park

So, the same has to be said for Elim Park. Granted, the SKILLED NURSING PART and ASSISTED LIVING are tax exempt, but Independent Living is NOT.

This is showcased under “Featured Video” section of my blog where the State of Wisconsin ruled that a formerly “tax exempt” Independent Senior Living facility was now going to have to pay property taxes!! Who gets hurt by this-the RESIDENTS of course.

Don’t tell me some of these so-called “not for profits” are exempt!! I believe they twist the language of the law around to suit themselves, resulting in hard times for the residents when the state or government decides they are not what they claim to be.

Is Elim Park skilled and assisted only?? Maybe. But I see a lot of “independent” acting residents around there.

A few years ago, I asked the Town Manager if Elim Park was not “tax exempt” what would they pay in property taxes. His answer was something to the effect of approximately $600,000 a year!! And keep in mind, if there ever was a court ruling “reversal” this figure would be retroactive!!

Can you think of how$600,000 could benefit this town? There is the icing on the cake for the artificial turf–PAID IN FULL!!

I bet you the high school could fix up the locker rooms for a part of that “tax” money. Also, the pool might be making a profit and might be able to have a new permanent roof.

It would be like, “gee I don’t know where monies will come from to pay for this or that” to “NOW we have the money for baseball fields, artificial turf and the pool!!

Every year another $600,000 in the town coffers to BENEFIT EVERYONE-think about it!! Even if one part of Elim Park is taxed, it would sure help with our budget worries.

Besides Wisconsin, I found an article out of Plattsburgh, New York which has also revoked the “tax-exempt status of a senior living facility claiming they have a right to do so because none of the senior residents there are on state assistance. Of course, the facility is fighting the ruling in court in New York State Supreme Court (which is the lower court in New York believe it or not). The case is scheduled to be heard sometime in 2009.

I don’t know what the case is at Elim Park. There may very well be Title 19 people at the SKILLED or ASSISTED LIVING PART. But I believe there are INDEPENDENT residents living in the townhouses and THAT PART OF ELIM PARK SHOULD BE TAXED!!

Click here for Plattsburgh article

The IRS has published information on just what and whom are tax-exempt. I know one of the criteria is that a tax-exempt or not for profit should not be “influencing public policy”

Come on, you mean to tell me giving all of this money every year to the Public Safety does not influence public policy or create an influence??

Click here for IRS Manual 4.76 religious exemptions

To end, I always try to be honest in my opinions and feelings, and I have taken a lot of flack for it but so be it.  Honestly, I don’t have a problem with the Fire Department. They account for everything they do.

As I have stated before, the Police Department needs a little more work. It is getting better-but I am hopeful that when I go down to the Station on Wednesday to look at their Police log press releases, that more issues will be able to be worked out between myself and this department.

I will keep you posted.

Click here for ice storm photos in northern New England

 

Latest News

  • By: Cindy

Here are the latest headlines from a few of my favorite newspapers:

CtPost

The New London Day

The Worcester Telegram

The Laconia, New Hampshire, Citizen

The Montreal Gazette

La Presse, Montreal (Francophone)

ItaliaOggi (Italy Today)

Interesting take on the ice storm from Montreal’s point of view. P.S. They don’t shovel or plow up there so it is TREACHEROUS.

FYI: 10 centimeters is four inches. Temperature wise–32F equals 0 degrees celsius.

Montreal snow and ice storm

What is worth noting is in the Ct Post, the town of Fairfield appears to have lost $42 million in pension funds from “mismanagement.”

And this ice storm up north has something like 77,000 people JUST IN NEW HAMPSHIRE LAKES REGION, where I have my home, without power. Hopefully I will be able to get my neighbor to make sure our pipes haven’t burst in our home.

UPDATE: My spouse JUST INFORMED ME that he drained all of the water from the pipes and the water tank and put in anti-freeze in September. PHEW!!!

More news in a few days.

 

Business News

  • By: Cindy

There has been a lot of talk about “contracts.” As most of you know, the U.S. Senate defeated yet another bailout request by the “Big Three” automakers. Why?? NO UNION WAGE CONCESSIONS!! This is absolutely condescending arrogance and they deserve to go under. So the Union which represents these workers would rather have them stand for hours on end in an unemployment line than give up a few percentage points in their paychecks.

To paraphrase someone: “boy I am glad I am not in THAT SECTOR”!!

Sometimes I think these unions are a double-edged sword. I sometimes think they have lost all sense of reality. I mean on the one hand, they do provide benefits to workers by protecting their rights–employers are less apt to “pull stunts” as they do in the private sector-but on the other hand-it seems they like to “cut their own noses off to spite their faces” PHEW, I almost said nuts.

Anyway, the BIG THREE AUTOMAKERS, the Cheshire Teacher contracts, the unemployment fiasco and now the reval in Cheshire has gotten people really steamed up. I believe that people will only tolerate so long. I think if there are not significant changes for the better by summer, we might see protests or even riots.

Now many people have spoken to me about these teacher raises.  There was even an article off my newsfeeds from the Hartford Courant talking about West Hartford teachers taking a one percent and one and a quarter percent raise over two years. Their union cited diminished state aid as the reason.

Click here for Courant article on West Hartford Teachers

If you just count the straight wage increase, Cheshire teachers are slightly ahead. BUT, the issue with me is the LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT: Two years for West Hartford vs FOUR YEARS for Cheshire. The way things are going, God knows what will be the state of affairs 24 months from now, let alone FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD!!

In fact, I found out that Darien, one of the wealthiest towns in Connecticut, located in Fairfield County only gave their teachers a two year THREE PERCENT RAISE and THAT WAS FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR!!

Click here for Darien teacher article

Interestingly enough, the article states that for the previous fiscal year, Darien teachers received a FIVE percent raise, but agreed to a lower figure for the current fiscal year citing rising economic concerns.

Talk about planning for the future–NOT LIKE CHESHIRE!!

And while we are on contracts, the Bridgeport Police Union, by a narrow margin, did ratify their new contract which calls for a zero pay increase over the next two years!!

Click here for Bpt Police raises

TAKE NOTICE TOWN OF CHESHIRE-one of the CONCESSIONS:

The savings from the elimination of take-home cars, Finch has said, are expected to total anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000, depending on how many miles the officers drove the city vehicles for personal use. Savings may also come from acting Police Chief Joseph Gaudett Jr.’s new personnel deployment plan aimed at reducing overtime, Ficarra said.

All this, coming on the heals of a report by the U.S. Dept. of Labor that an additional 573,000 people filed for unemployment benefits this week.

Click here for article

START PLANNING AHEAD HEAD IN THE SAND CHESHIRE–GET REAL–GET RID OF THESE TAKE HOME CARS FOR STARTERS.

In all honesty, how can our Town Government expect the rank and file and the other non teacher town employees to take a lower pay increase when they have seen what the Board of Education just did??

We might have a real mess on our hands soon.

Now I did want to include this article about the New York State Dept of Labor having problems keeping up with the large volume of callers. They also had a mini meltdown a few weeks ago as Connecticut did, with unemployment filers getting hung up on.

Click here for unemployment article

On the top of this article, there are some additional economic news you might want to click on, namely the END OF KB TOYS, and the 10 Fastest Dying Towns in America.

More interesting economic news from “The Consumerist”

Click here

And speaking of unemployment, George Dubya, will soon be joining these ranks on Jan. 20th.

Some gamers at Yahoo have come up with a  career that just might suit him.

Click here

Try to have a nice weekend.

 

Talking Points

  • By: Cindy

I have a new LINK–check it out under “LINKS” It is called “ONLY IN BRIDGEPORT” by my former Bpt Post colleague Lennie Grimaldi

UPDATE: I AM GOING TO RUN A FEW LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM THE NEW HAVEN REGISTER FROM CHESHIRE RESIDENTS.

LETTER: ‘We deserve a tax break, not an increase’

LETTER: Special Interests Get Way

LETTER: Turn away from slash, burn, attack; listen instead

For the second night in a row, I went to the Town Hall-this time to address the Public Safety Commission.

I went there because an item on the agenda caught my eye–the Police and Fire Monthly reports.

I do watch to see that the Police Monthly Reports are kept up to date-which they are. This is important because there is no Police Commission in this town, so these “Reports” are the only way the public can know what is taking place down at 500 Highland Avenue.

When Gary Walberg was the Police Chief several years ago, and the idea of a Police Commission was being tossed around-it met and is still meeting with resistance-we worked together to ensure that at least these reports were kept up to date and he faithfully made sure they were. So that is the history behind these reports.

Now I will be honest-I DON’T have a problem with the Fire Department’s Monthly Reports-they are very detailed and what I like the most is that they list all the calls they go on.

I wish it were the same for the Cheshire Police Department, so they were my focus.

Now when I went to the meeting Wednesday night, I brought along an old copy of the Amity Observer of which I was the editor in 1996. I told them that what they were looking at was a REAL NEWSPAPER with REAL NEWS gathered the old fashioned way–attending as many meetings of as many different departments as possible-putting in as many letters to the editor as possible-and attending as many community functions as possible.

I used to have a fairly large section on Police News. In fact, I told them that the Orange Police Department, which was one of the three towns that made up “Amity,” the others being Bethany and Woodbridge, was very cooperative and very open about their police news.

I told the Public Safety Commission that I would go down to the OPD every Tuesday afternoon, and actually get a “printout” from the records secretary of all the calls the OPD went on every day.  It would be a time log, like what the Cheshire Fire Department lists in the Cheshire Herald. For example: 0700-dispatch run; 0830-accident; 1130-burglar alarm at (local business) etc, etc.

Whatever piqued my interest, I would ask the records secretary for the police reports on those incidents and thus made my police log reports for the week which would appear in the newspaper.

The OPD was so good about this, that the few times I could not make it to the police station-THEY WOULD CALL ME AND GIVE ME THE REPORTS OVER THE PHONE!!

Now I don’t know who is dropping the ball here-whether it is the local paper or the CPD, but you know there is a lot more going on in town than “headlight out” “traveling unreasonably fast” and “DUI.”

In fact, when an item is generated in the Monthly Reports, it seems to be a bit “sketchy” Like, information is “missing.”

For example, the report might say: police are investigating a series of housebreaks in the east side of town”

WHERE ARE THEY TAKING PLACE?? WHAT ITEMS HAVE BEEN TAKEN??

When I read sketchy information like this, it is akin to someone telling you that they have some juicy information “but I can’t say what it is”

What is the point then of even releasing this information ?

Look, I am not saying, as I told the Public Safety Commission Wednesday night, that every sordid detail of the police investigation be released–NO NOT AT ALL. I understand the police cannot release details into their “techniques” or what they know, especially if it is an active investigation. I understand that.

BUT, the public under Freedom of Information, is entitled to know SOME DETAILS. Especially if a person was arrested. We are entitled to know the name, address, where the person was arrested and why.

Of course, if it is a residential burglary or crime against a person-that person or persons are ENTITLED TO PRIVACY!! NO DOUBT.

But just releasing: “a man was arrested and charged with burglary in connection with a housbreak in the north end of town-is NOT CUTTING IT!!

WHO?? WHERE?? WHAT?? These are the missing links.

Now I did meet with a little resistance from a member of the Public Safety Commission Wednesday night who wanted to know why this info should be released.

WHY?? FOI and the PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW!!

I admit–this is a STICKY WICKET!! It is a balancing act between public information and peoples’ privacy and the police departments right to keep their investigation and their case intact until it goes to court.

So, in a Democracy–it is a lot harder.  We have a society that is based on freedom of speech and press and the people’s right to know. How much the average person should or should not know will be debated in this country until the end of time, I can assure you.

No one, including myself, expects the CPD to divulge sensitive information that may compromise an investigation or a case. Not at all. But using that as an excuse to keep things quiet is not acceptable.

Bottom line: when you get arrested and CHARGED with an offense it is public information. Now myself and many people I know have been on that side of the fence, and we have had to take it on the chin in plain English. It is not different  strokes for different folks.

Remember-Lady Justice has a blindfold over her eyes–EXACTLY.

Not releasing “certain” information that the public is entitled to see just because “it might look bad” is ridiculous.

No one can expect any police department to be everywhere every minute  of the day. Crime is going to happen. That is a fact of life.

It is up to you-the average citizen-to co-operate with the police, help them, be their eyes and ears-but it is also up to you- average citizen-to ensure that government is held ACCOUNTABLE for their actions or even inactions.

Of course the authority does not want to release information-that is normal. BUT THE PRESS, especially our local paper, has to put pressure on them to keep the information flowing, i.e., the information the public is entitled to!!

From my conversation with the Public Safety Commission Wednesday night, including Lt. Markella, I understand the CPD puts out Press Releases on arrests and other activity that the local paper does not bother picking up.

My question: WHY??

Instead of “headlight out” and “traveling unreasonably fast” which is OK, get the REAL NEWS WILL YOU!!

Remember, the Town of Cheshire spends over $4 million a year of your taxpayer money to keep the Police Department running. I KNOW they do a lot more than traffic tickets!!

And no, we don’t just release info when it suits us either CPD.

I suggest the Herald go down to the Police Department and ask for the printout of all the calls the CPD went on for the day or the week for that matter, not just that little race sheet book that has their “pickings” in it.

I tried to ask for that printout several years ago and that is when I received THE E-MAIL!!

It was like a warning–step back!!

It was a panic, basically because apparently the asleep at the wheel press never asked for this!!

Then these papers want to know why they are failing- THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS!!

I am going to meet with Lt. Markella sometime next week to go over these “Press Releases” Hopefully, the Herald will beat me to it and start reporting the police NEWS!!

November’s monthly reports, which I will be providing a link to: are getting better. There is a lot more detail. We still do not know WHO from Bridgeport got arrested which we have a right to know. Now, if this person is an informer or witness, of course we DON’T have a right to know. But, they wet our beaks by telling us this person GOT ARRESTED-SO WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHO HE IS!!

I am giving you some examples of how the Ct. Post handles the police news: THE WAY IT SHOULD BE!!

Click here for Ct Post Police Log

Now compare the way the CPD releases their Police Blotter

click here for CPD Monthly Reports for November

It is in all honesly getting better-and the fact that Lt. Markella was very receptive to me, offering to let me come down and look at the press releases says volumes, especially here in Secretville.

To end: here are two links explaining what information the public has a right to in the matter of police business:

Click here for first article

click here for “Privacy Rights Clearinghouse”

 

The Winter Of Our Discontent

  • By: Cindy

AND IT’S NOT EVEN WINTER!!

On Tuesday, my spouse and I AGAIN moseyed on over to Town Hall to make sure the Council set a public hearing date for the extension to the elderly tax freeze ordinance.

Now this is a little confusing because this public hearing, which I believe is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6th, 2009, is to extend the freeze for the tax bills from January 2009 to 2010.

The freeze is already in place for the 2009 fiscal year.

Thankfully, the Council in its infinite wisdom, unanimously voted to set the public hearing date. WISE MOVE!!

When I entered the Council Chambers, I noticed there were quite a few people in attendance for a regular Tuesday night meeting. These people were there for “public comments.”

I am glad to see some of our residents coming out of their coma and realizing the way to the Cheshire Town Governments stomach is to SPEAK OUT IN PUBLIC.

Cheshire does not like this-they are very IMAGE CONSCIENCE.  QUIET QUIET QUIET should be or I should say IS the motto of this town. You want to get attention-do what these people who are questioning their home assessments did last night–GO OUT AND SPEAK OUT!! Especially when it is televised-it is even more effective.

Even though housing prices have dropped an average of nine percent over the past year, I think people are getting a little confused about re-evaluation, especially in the state of Connecticut.

I have property in several states, one of them being New Hampshire which I will use as an example. New Hampshire re-evaluates EVERY YEAR at 100 percent. Connecticut re-evaluates every five years at 70 percent.

I did speak to a representative at the Assessors Office in Cheshire Town Hall who told me that indeed a lot of people are calling to ask why their homes are increasing in value when all we hear from the media is that housing prices are dropping like its (not) hot!!

Well, you have to understand, this re-evaluation is from the year 2003-to 2008!! That is why.

I don’t get involved in any of this tax crap, I don’t. I don’t care about it-I let my significant other handle it. If the heat gets turned up too high–we will downsize.  I might be inclined to buy those little tiny homes I just showcased a few posts ago. The biggest house is something like 890 square feet. BIG ENOUGH for empty nesters or single people. Why spend money on a house when you could be pimping it out with your car like me.

A house is so ordinary, but a nice Rolls, Bentley or Maybach-HEY THESE CARS TURN HEADS.

I don’t see too many houses that turn heads unless it is like a Donald Trump mansion. But those are few and far between. Besides, with a car, you can TRAVEL AND SHOW OFF to everyone. I like that better.

Anyway, because the reval is based on the 2003-to 2008 years, this is probably why most residents are not seeing a drop in their property tax bills.

I know my house in Cheshire has gone “down” a bit maybe several thousand dollars. But believe it or not, the Cheshire house is assessed higher at Zillow.com, which you might want to check out to see how far on or off base the Assessor’s office is.

My house in New Hampshire really took a hit and I am in a resort area. It went down from $260,000 to $210,000 in ONE YEAR. Remember, this is at 100 percent value, assessed every year!!

So, based on that, I believe people here have a right to be concerned. But, I believe residents will see a big downturn in home values over the next five year cycle.

Zillow assesses our value at about $430,000. I believe the town of Cheshire is saying $400,000 and Peoples Bank which is VERY CONSERVATIVE  says $380,000. So whom do you believe. I don’t know.

Click below for Zillow.com. Follow the prompts and get their estimate of what your house is worth. If you are going to fight town hall, you need as much info as possible. At least start here:

Estimating your house value on Zillow

Speaking of homes, before I went to the Council meeting, I did catch the presentation by a representative of “HomeConnecticut” to the Town Council. Basically, this gentleman stated oddly enough, that RISING home prices in Connecticut over the past several years, up 70 percent from 2000 to 2007 (see what I mean about confusing figures?) is preventing young people between the ages of 25 to 34 from purchasing homes in our state.

In fact, the HomeConnecticut representative said that our state has lost 30 percent of its 25 to 34 year olds over the past few years.

So this HomeConnecticut program provides grants and incentives to towns who wish to provide “affordable” housing in order to keep our young people and people on limited incomes in our state.

No, this program is not Section 8 which I think was a concern among some Council members.

This program allows towns to apply for grants for planning and technical assistance.

You know, the minute you say anything like “affordable” this conjurs up ideas in some peoples heads.

The stuff shirts in this town think they are gonna git a Bon Qui Qui action in their hood!!

FYI: when I first started working at the Bridgeport Post in 1979, I QUALIFIED FOR SECTION 8 HOUSING. It is INCOME NOT RACE PEOPLE!!

Here is an excerpt from the HOMECONNECTICUT website to explain the program further:

There are already people working for Gov. Rell and our legislative leaders who know how to marry new housing with transit-oriented development, brownfield remediation and investment in old mills. The result: Housing workers can afford in responsible growth locations, cars off the highways and emissions out of the air, less sprawl and new business attracted to the state.

The good news: We don’t need to force towns to create housing. They need it, want it and are preparing to build it now.

Twenty-five towns have applied for grants under the new HOMEConnecticut statute to plan housing options, and at least 20 more will do so this year. They need housing for teachers, firefighters and other municipal workers; commercial workers that local businesses now can’t find; elderly residents who need to downsize; and their adult children who want to live in the towns they grew up in.

Meanwhile, the business community is suffering skilled labor shortages and demographers are warning that, unless we grow our young workforce, our state’s economy will wither.

The better news: The market can absorb more homes. Unlike the rest of the nation, we’ve built so little since 2000 — we’re 46th among the states in units built per capita — housing prices in Connecticut have come down only slightly in 2008 after continuing to rise in 2006 and 2007, when prices in other states were already sliding into their deep, double-digit declines.

The towns want the new housing in the right places — near rail lines, town centers and other responsible growth locations — and builders are ready to build it.

To leaven this loaf, it wouldn’t hurt if Gov. Rell marketed Connecticut nationwide as a state open for business and now building green, affordable, cool homes.

Click here for HomeConnecticut link

This idea of providing affordable homes for young professionals and empty nesters was brought up several months ago at public hearings for this proposed lifestyle center in Cheshire.  What some people think is affordable is ridiculous. Condos starting at nearly $400,000 is NOT AFFORDABLE FOR A YOUNG PERSON JUST OUT OF COLLEGE, well, not affordable to MOST YOUNG PEOPLE OUT OF COLLEGE!! Maybe some, but not the majority.

And as I stated above, affordable does not mean “housing project.” There are some affordable homes in back of the Watch Factory. They are very nice.  Affordable means what the average wage earner can AFFORD!!

Of course, I watched the reaction of some of the Town Council members-I can tell you in my opinion, I think these folks from HomeConnecticut wasted their time presenting this idea to Cheshire. I could see it on some of the Town Government representatives faces–like, “oh thanks for coming” (but umm get lost).

I got the impression this idea went over like a porkchop over Palestine!! NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!

I hope I am wrong.

Lastly, I did want to comment on this Lilac Drive pump station.

I know my boy TW did his “not the droids or hemorrhoids” you are looking for thing. But this is downright sad!!

HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT TAKE TO DIG A SIX OR SEVEN FOOT HOLE?? My husband reminded me that he and his sister dug a seven foot trench BY HAND if you will in his mothers back yard in order to replace the pipe to her septic tank. It seems when it is private sector, versus public sector–costs double and triple for the same measly job!!

Then people want to know why the state and our government is in financial distress. I can answer a phone at a private sector job for let’s say $10 an hour. BUT NO–A MUNICIPALITY has to pay this SAME PERSON $60,000 a year to pick up a phone receiver and speak into it!! AMAZING.

The private contractor who did not update the map should BE SUED!! Apparently the pipe is 13 feet deep and the drawing only shows it at six or seven feet. Now it will cost several hundred thousand dollars to fix and might not be legal to ask for additional funds?

SOUNDS LIKE THE NORTON BOILER ISSUE. WHO IS WATCHING THE SHIP?? Well, whomever you are-you must have been related to the captain of the Titanic!! More taxpayer money down the drain!!

Cheshire, STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE WILL THINK-START CRACKING DOWN ON INEFFICIENCY-FIRE THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE AND PUT IT OUT TO THE PRESS!!

No one in the private sector that goofed up like this would still have a job–PERIOD!!

Finally-Finally-there is a meeting of the Public Safety Commission tonight at 7:20 p.m. in Town Hall, Room 210.

They always talk about interesting subjects. Some of you MIGHT WANT TO ATTEND–but you won’t. I just thought I would mention it.

Here is the agenda just in case:

Public Safety Commission