The calendar turns, and the cycle continues. That’s how it always seems around the office. Things might go on, years might pass, but certain things happen at certain times, and you can almost set yore watch to it – if not yore calendar. Here we are in January, and two things are gonna happen in the next few weeks. As we said, yew can bank on it cuz it happens without fail.
The foist thing to note is that the budget cycle begins anew in January with the notices of things, and department heads getting their wish lists together. Like all wish lists, the heads of departments ask fer the things they really, really, really want, and hope for the things they really want – absent to reallys. With the department heads comes the Bored of Education. The school board will pass a budget wish list like everyone else, and usually it’s way over what anyone can afford – though in the last few years it has been a bit more realistic.
Madame Mayor with or without the Bored of Finance (some years more it has been more active than others) will cull the herd, looking at the requests and paring things down to the pernt that some kind o’ budget outline can come inta focus.
Then what the state will contribute in the way of (for lack of a better term) “profit sharing,” to each and every city is awaited like Christmas morning in most cases. That is where the city officials everywhere git to see what Santa Legislature is gonna divvy out in the way of various funding. I’ve seen politicos get giddy over this stuff over the years, sweets. It’s quite something.
Effen yew remember, it was not too many years ago, the budget process in each and every berg was put on hold cuz the General Assembly couldn’t agree on a budget plan. It was that lack of decision that really put cities like ours right behind the financial eight-ball from which we never really recovered. That was especially true when dollars that were expected were summarily taken outta the budget. So, while it is a notification much anticipated by cities and towns, recent history has shown it ain’t a done deal all of the. We didn’t have much in the way of budget snags in Hartford of late, so there shouldn’t be any bumps in the road.
Once that info is all gathered, herroner and her finance team work out a budget outline and then spend days and weeks honing it so that in March the new budget for fiscal year 2023, beginning July 1, is proposed. That happens this year on March 23 I am given to believe, and then the City Council takes a gander at it for the next several weeks.
According to the City Charter, the council must approve a budget by the foist Thursday in May. They can pass it, or pass it with amendments, taking a super-majority of nine for each amendment. Effen the council fails to pass the budget, it goes into effect by default as proposed by the mayor. That has happened more than once, and has been a disaster each and every time.
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Meanwhile, the second thing that happens this time o’ year was the topic of a conversation betwixt yores truly and Sammy Bluejay over tea t’other afternoon. We see that that the City Clerk has sent notice the two political parties have filed their endorsed slates for the Democratic and Republican Town Committees. Those are the 60-member groups that are the ruling bodies of the respective parties. In the city’s 10 council districk, each has six delegates.
Those endorsed slates will be the subject of the next confab of the committees next month. Effen they are endorsed as is, than things continue as usual, effen there is a challenge slate or someone wants to primary in a districk then the fun begins.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Demmies made a biennial habit of primaries for Town Committee. Cuz the party is trifurcated into factions, each with its own guru, there have been many, many battles. ‘Twas ever thus. Whilst 40 years ago it was Harold Allen, Fred Johnson and Bill Roper leading the factions, now it’s Morrissey, Borer and Picard. Sammy insists that the former mayor is still somewhat involved in city affairs, though he’s departed these environs for the East Shore community of Madison.
So, it’s anyone’s guess what’s gonna happen, but Cobina wouldn’t be surprised effen there is some jousting in the majority party.
The minority party will be interesting to watch. Barry Lee Cohen, the former Tenth Districk councilman is by tradition the head of the GOP by the fack he was its standard-bearer in the mayoral elections last year. Soooo, it’ll be interesting to see effen the relationship – or lack thereof – betwixt Cohen and some others in the party persists, and there might be a primary in that group, too. We’ll keep yew posted.
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Nelly Nuthatch has indicated that something is percolating over at the Chick’s site insofar as the sale might’ve been finalized of the property. We are told that the sale has been negotiated out, via Nelly, and that things should be moving over there as far as whatever the new plans are. Somewhere in my memory bank is the understanding that the present building will be razed, but given my age, I might be wrong on that.
Jest a side note, the beach rebuild over there has been completed it seems. The rebuild was getting close to the green lights that serve as channel markers for incoming ships, so something had to be done and pronto before erosion brought the lights down. There are about 40 feet of new beach over there. Let’s see how long it lasts this time.
Tennyrate, that ain’t the only thing about projecks that came to light. In questioning herroner for a story this week, she is using a request by the developers of the Haven to have a better handle on how and, more particularly, when things might actually happen over there.
Yew remember the state is giving the developers status as a special taxation districk, with the funds collecting aiding the developers. Well, herroner is gonna make sure – she sez – to use that as a lever so the city will git some clarity on what’s happening and when. The frustration in the neighborhood has been rising fer years with little occurring except some demolitions. Now it seems even the city administration has had it up to its bicuspids and wants answers when queries are posed.
That would be a change of pace. The developers have acted like it’s no one’s business, playing everything very close to the vest. Well, now some cards are gonna hafta hit the table – sooner rather than later, we hope.
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Before we go on, we want to offer our condolences to the family of Dan Krevolin, who passed away recently. Dan was always a jovial type, even when things were not going so well. He was a great member of the community, well respected and well thought of. He will be missed.
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Iva Lootey has noted that the work on the tidal gates for the Cove River has been completed. The heavy equipment was moved out jest before the holidays, yet the fencing is still up. That’s been a bit of an inconvenience for those who use that part of the walkway near Ocean Avenue. Iva heard that the reason is, like most things in this town and elsewhere, it’s the stuff of a photo op.
Since the work was completed and the walk-bridge over the river was placed, there’s, of course, going to be some type of ribbon-cutting because…sure there is. Sooo, until the big scissors if fished outta the closet and large ribbon is ordered from wherever, the fencing will stay up.
Like we need another photo of the usual suspects. Hoo boy.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,