Dear Felicia

Here we are in the last week o’ March, hon. We determined to push the second isshew of the month back a week cuz Herronner was to propose her spending plan for the next fiscal year. Soooo, as we publish the details of it, we did what we had to do. Needless to say, the end of the month brings hopes of crocuses blooming, and the air getting a bit less chilled.

Near my domicile there are a few trees showin’ that buds are jest a week or so away, and it seems that lawns are greening a bit. Why the weather report? Cuz as much as Cobina likes the winter, she has had it up to her bicuspids with the cold, and the wing. Of course, around our parts things really don’t start getting warm until May. “Colder by the shore” is one of the truest statements weathermen say on a given day. But things are lookin’ up. And, the fack that the budget has been proposed is one sign of it.

With the proposal now public, the City Council set the hearing, and we now will see how this aspect of the process goes. Every year, Cobina harkens back to the days when the West Haven Taxpayers Association was in full bloom. Those were days when everyone seemed engaged in the political warp and woof of this city – much to the chagrin of the political movers and shakers.

Of course, those days were the days of “Save Our Shore,” and massive spikes in home assessments. With the inflation what it was in those days – like today, actually – assessments were through the roof, and people were miffed. Eventually, those problems led to the state going to a five- and then four-year assessment strategy, so the sticker shock isn’t quite so bad.

Still, I can see the hundreds o’ people in the old high school auditorium excoriating the leadership, and looking for cuts in spending. It ain’t like that anymore, though one wonders effen now that things are gonna be perty much status quo with the mill rate, people will see they hafta be more engaged. I wouldn’t hold my breath, but yew never know.

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Sammy Bluejay was perusing the document and we know one group o’ people that will be there in force will be those who are wanting a new satellite library in Allingtown. Herronner made mention of it in her discourse and comments last week, and Sammy sez a lotta people are wondering about it the future of it. Remember, the library was shut down almost four years ago, now, and the potential reopening has been a sore subject amongst members of the Village Improvement Association, and the administration for a while.

The topic is part of the distribution of the American Recovery Act funds – the funny money that is causing some of the inflation we’re seeing now – and it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. Don’t be surprised, sez Sammy, effen members of the VIA or jest interested parties concerning the library want more than jest a generalization of what is contemplated.

After that, we wonder who will be attend the confab. Don’t git Cobina wrong we hope hundreds show up just to hear about what is planned. But, this berg ain’t what it used to be with absentee ownership and setch. People who rent don’t pay as much attention as people who own. Still, let’s hope there are some memorable moments in this year’s public hearing.

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Effen yew remember, the last issue had a letter scribed by Christine Gallo of the Economic Development Commish. She picked up on a commint we made to each other in a previous missive concerning the Savin Rock Museum. Current plans call for the demolition of the current building, which means the closure of the museum housed in the lower level.

To many, including Cobina and I think it’s fair to say, Gallo, think the artifacts and memorabilia from the amusement park are somewhat of an after-thought. The focus is on getting rid of the building and putting in a tax-producing business — not a thing to criticize. However, effen what she said in that letter is true, that the exhibits will be parsed out and some will be displayed in the new brewery business, that ain’t a good idea.

Jest once, can we have an inclusive plan which keeps things together, where the whoop and holler of a new business doesn’t drown out the fack that we have something that should be preserved? Does it hafta be an either/or? Could it be a both/and? Jest wondering.

Speakin’ o’ the former Region 2 of the Redevelopment Plan (hard to believe it’s been lapsed for so long now, when it seemed it would never die), we see that something is happening over at the Savin Rock Parkade. The Wag was in fine spirits tellin’ me about it. The ownership has changed hands and the lot has been paved, a new restaurant ensconced there, and it seems that the former site of several grocery stores is being groomed for something.

One would think that would be a topic the administration would like to promote, but I guess not. Still, Cobina is an inquiring mind and wants to know…And, while we’re at it, we see numbers have been painted on the former CJMs on Campbell Avenue. We seem to remember something is planned fer that site. Could the fack numbers have been spray painted on the façade mean that after several years of standing empty something is happening over there? And the former American Buckle Company site, will something happen there? Questions, questions, questions.

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Nelly Nuthatch came by t’other afternoon and noted that whatever they did on Beach Street to reinforce the beach and sidewalk, it seems to have held out in the bad weather we’ve had over the last couple o’ months. We’ve had some perty strong Nor’easters come through here, and usually they chew up the beaches. The area in front o’ the channel marker on Beach Street, near Morse Park was recently rebuilt. The waves of previous storms had all but washed out the sidewalk, and prompted emergency repairs.

The area is slated to be graded differently over the next several months, with the roadway hiked up seven feet from its current level. The flooding and wave action have always been a difficulty. With the rebuild of the beach, and the potential reconstruction o’ the roadway, maybe things will be better and last longer – maybe not. We shall see, but that is one o’ the projects we expect to see.

The former Chick’s has been sold, and we’re told the former Debonair Motel property has changed hands. Maybe things will be lookin’ up in that neighborhood.

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Circling back as we like to so, we see that Herronner mentioned the Simon Group and the Haven in her comments whilst proposing the budget. To be fair, things seem to be moving over there a bit faster than in past months. We see that a few more houses have been torn down, and it looks like some other progress has been made. That is a good thing.

We know from what we’ve been told by the Actors Colony that negotiations are going on betwixt the developer and the city, we have a suggestion: part of the negotiation has to be more open communication not only with the taxpayers of the city, but particularly the neighborhood around the construction site.

The Simon Group has been notorious for its lack of communication with the city, including the political leaders. That has to stop everyone realizes. But, part of that discussion has to be the neighborhood. They’ve borne the brunt of decay and pestilence over there. The developer should start being a good neighbor and letting those homeowners know whatinhell is going on. Jest Cobina’s thoughts.

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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,