Howdy honeybunch! Hard to believe we’re in the last weeks o’ September already. Before you can blink an eye, the leaves will be changing and falling, and we’ll be looking to batten down the hatches for winter. And I don’t know effen yew’ve seen the forecasts, but lotsa people are saying that the La Nina effect we’re starting to git through is cooling things down. Like we need more problems in an era of high inflation and high prices, some are predictin’ that we’ll have our first fall of the white stuff before Dec. 1. Yikes.
Tennyrate, as we move through the days and weeks, we see the First Congregational Church is having its Apple Festival, the last thing until the Green in dressed up for the holidays. It’s usually a good time, and the people over there do a nice job, but once again, the members of the Mystick Maidens of the Marsh have been told they can’t have a booth. I don’t know what it is about our li’l group, but people don’t seem to wanna see much of us…more’s the pity.
Here in the burg yew’d think things would be settling in. Well, effen “settling in” means that bickering and controversy get it boost, you would be spot on. There is plenty of controversy and bickering to go around.
The foist one, of course, is The Haven. Now, remember Herroner insists she ain’t had official communication from the Simon Group that the project has gone the way of all flesh. Nope. However, one can believe that she knows whut’s going on, cuz in her statements previous she said she had meetings with the developer and “interested parties.” Well, it don’t take Sherlock Holmes to figger that one out.
There are rumors about “interested parties,” and Sammy Bluejay has even told Cobina what he has hoid. We don’t wanna let the cat outta the bag, but let’s say there is a very good possibility some “commercial entity” will be purchasing the land, he was told. I know some insiders are hopin’ as much. Like we said before, residential construction in a city that is the second or third densest in the state is not a good fit – no matter what some might think!
But that ain’t the only controversy – we never do things halfway, here in the Asylum by the Sea. New England Brewing Company announced it was moving to the city more than a year ago, and taking over the property whereon now sits the imploding Savin Rock Conference Center nee Casino nee Phyllis’. There was another name in there in the 1970s Cobina can’t remember.
NEBCO as it is called is looking to raze the current structure and put in a new building – and there is where the controversy is happening. Two things are rankling the local yokels: a) the new building will be larger than the current one, and will probably extend farther toward Savin Rock. That has the Land Trust of West Haven, Inc. upset. Jimmies is also upset cuz the Zoning Bored of Appeals gave some variances.
There is the added controversy that the new building will not house a Savin Rock Museum, but will exhibit some of the pieces in the lobby of the new edifice. That has the historical community a bit put out – and on this one, I can’t blame them. It looks like an afterthought. But it don’t end there.
Whilst this is going on, the City Council approved a 60-year lease for the property, which the city owns, to the brewery owners, thus setting something in concrete. But it don’t end there – as if it ever does.
Both Jimmies and the Land Trust have filed a suit in Superior Court looking to overturn the variances. Doesn’t this jest follow a familiar pattern? A project is announced, the city moves forthwith to get it into operation, and somebody files suit. It’s jest the way we do business here in the burg.
But that ain’t the only controversy. We see now that Christine Grillo is fighting the Actors Colony over putting people on the Economic Development Commish. Evidently, there has been dickering back and forth about putting new members on for the last little while, and Grillo – in order to push the pernt that she wants new members – has taken the stance that no meetings will take place until there is a full set of panalists.
Herroner is protesting because she’s busy…not a good look effen yew ask me. Nelly Nuthatch has had some dealings with Grillo and she don’t suffer fools gladly, if at all! Somebody in City Hall must be able to vet the people who’ve been tapped for the position. Nelly sez that there are protests of City Hall be short staffed – what ain’t these days?
Why there is a standoff on this boggles the imagination. It’s unnecessary and, frankly, silly. Nobody is THAT busy that somebody can’t vet people who are willing to be on a city commission. It just lends itself to the notion that there is a certain level of competency that ain’t been met.
And jest to put a cap on controversies, there is another one concerning the sudden end of live streaming city confabulations. Since the beginning of the Chinese Flu, the city has broadcast live sessions. Well, a decision was made that the emergency is over, and there is no need for it now that in-person sessions have continued.
Cuz we can’t do anything without somebody getting upset, we have this little kerfuffle. I know, it’s small considering the other matters, but this is what gets people’s blood boiling. They can’t do much about the big things, and concentrate on things that seem more manageable.
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So, Iva Lootey sez the city is gonna go through a detailed financial analysis and that setch a task was approved by the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB). Well bless their lit’le hearts. Effen yew think we’re having controversies now, wait until this White Paper hits the streets! Effen this is what Cobina thinks it is, this will probably bring up some very unpleasant things that have been hidden under desks and in closets for years.
Iva sez he can see it now. The report comes out and the gruesome details of the fiscal mismanagement that has plagued this city since at least Reagan’s second term will be out there for allll to see. While this might concentrate on more recent events, effen they do the kind of structural analysis that seems to be hinted at, a lot of the skeletons people hoped were closeted forever might see the light of day.
Keep your eyes on this one. It could be an explosive seen that demands tons of popcorn.
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Glad to see the Police Commish has decided to allow the reopening of Water Street – but as of this scribing, the road ain’t opened yet! Cobina has been out in her gassamobuggy on several afternoons trying to git outta the city, and on several evenings trying to git into the city, and it ain’t a pleasant experience. Thing are backed up as far as the eye can see.
With the reopening of Water Street, some of the pressure will be taken off the lower Elm Street area, and traffic will flow, not plod. When this is gonna happen is anyone’s guess, but at least the commish sees the need to reopen things now that whatever demolition has to be done is on the former side streets over in that area.
This ain’t a controversy – at least not yet. But, given the litany of things above, maybe it has potential. We ain’t anything in this town effen we ain’t consistent.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,