Well, dearie, here we are in March, and whilst it may “come in like a lion and go out like a lamb” we in these parts know that spring warmth is weeks, if not months, away. It don’t git warm around here until April. Like we always say, “Cooler at the shore” takes on a real meaning until about May. And don’t forgit to spring your clocks ahead one hour over the weekend.
Yeah, it’s the semi-annual turning of time, this time losing an hour’s sleep on Saturday night. This ain’t one o’ Cobina’s favorite days. It takes about a week to git into a normal routine. And, jest like clockwork (pun intended) we’ve seen stories in the local papyrus and elsewhere about how 1) Connecticut should enter the Atlantic Time Zone where there is no change of time; and 2) Congress should go one way or t’other: yearly daylight saving time or standard time.
It seems like we’ve been having this discussion since the 1950s and it’s only brought up when the clocks change and everybody and their brother think we should eliminate it. Until the week after the clocks change when we don’t hear about it again until the next weekend we hafta change. Maybe the DOGE should git involved. It seems to move at lightning speed, unlike politicos.
Whilst all that is going on, here on the Asylum by the Sea, Herronner is cobbling together her next budget, witch as you know has to be proposed by the thoid Thursday of March or, March 20. Our little papyrus is gonna put off publication for a week in order to accommodate this yearly rite of spring.
Tennyrate, this couple o’ weeks before the unveiling are usually the meat-and-potatoes of the process as far as the third floor of the Actors Colony is concerned. Whilst things were drafted into a working document, the real burnishing of the proposal takes place in these last few days. And, like most chief execs before here, Mayor Borer is going to wait until the very last day to meet with the City Council in special session.
This waiting until the last day is because of any final things that might come the administration’s way via Hartford or somewhere else, and it allows for any last-minute changes.
Then starts the clock on putting the finished product in the form of an ordinance on the foist Thursday in May. The council sets a public hearing on March 20, the public has its say, though the last several years haven’t had the pizzaz that these things exhibited 20 years ago. Then the council works over several weeks to do its due diligence, looking at each jot and tittle and making some changes effen they think it needs it.
Come that May date, an ordinance is presented and, usually, it’s passed by a simple majority.
As I have said before, this might be the last one that the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB) might be giving its OK to. There is talk the panel is looking for a graceful exit. Let’s hope so.
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Sammy Bluejay was in and showed me an item concerning the former Stiles School on Main Street. It seems the city has an offer to take it off municipal hands for the proverbial “song.” Evidently, the building, which hasn’t seen a class in its confines for about 20 years is gonna be purchased at 25 percent of its assessed value. When Cobina heard about this her first reaction was, I’ll believe t when I see it.”
Y’see, hon, this ain’t the first time a possible buyer was said to be wanting the building.By my count this might be the thoid potential purchaser. Don’t get me wrong, selling it at bargain basement prices ain’t a problem since it’s been standing their unused, and the last students in the place might be grandparents by now.
Nope, selling it is not the problem. Let’s see what the proposal is for the building, and then is there gonna be a tax break given to the buyer when and if the sale is completed and whatever renovations are contemplated take place? There is in the rub.
Nobody should complain about the sale. Whatever the city gits is more than it has had. What we are wanting to see is the devil in the details. There’s a different attitude in City Hall concerning setch deals, so we might be surprised. Putting the building on the tax roles is the big isshew, not the sale. And then what will be paid in taxes is the big question. Iyam sure we will find out presently.
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Nelly Nuthatch indicted that there might be a fly or two in the ointment concerning the conversion of the former Lincoln School/Blake Building to the Allingtown library branch. Whilst the plan is still on the table, when yew git various parties involved, there is always a delay, and the negotiations bog down.
Nelly seems to thin k the price of sale and the willingness of the present owners to part with the building seem to be at issue. The details are a little sketchy, but the gist of it is there is a long way to go before the deal is done.
Nelly indicated that the branch still has other options. Remember, the Village Improvement Association, which runs the library system, has a tract of land on the Post Road that can be used as a site for a library. Talk was using the land to have both the Fire Dept. of West Haven – Allingtown and the branch share the acreage. The FD needs an upgraded headquarters, and the library needs a location.
It could be a little noisy at times what with sirens going off, but that plan is still in the hopper if things don’t pan out elsewhere.
I will keep you posted effen I hear anything else on the matter.
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If Cobina were a betting gal she would’ve made book on this long ago. Now the University of New Haven will purchase the former Railroad Salvage site and convert it into use for the school. This was a topic that a couple years ago was definitely off the table.
We were told that the site was not in the school’s plans and the city was looking for a way to get developers interested. It’s amazing in a way cuz we remember when Railroad Salvage was one of the biggest setch retailers in the state with stores all over. But we think Covid, like it did with other things, hurt businesses.
Heck you and I remember when that site had a retailer called “Bells” in the 1950s and early sixties, and then it was built as a Grand Union store called Grand Way that had a supermarket on one side, and discount store that sold all kinds of things – a Walmart-like thing.
Of course, then it housed the Railroad Salvage and ShopRite, only to have that chain open on Bull Hill Lane. That began a stretch where there wasn’t a supermarket in the entire city, and became a bit of a political football – like most things in this burg.
Still, it’s amazing how things that arent’ gonna happen do. UNH was not interested in the property – until it was. Meanwhile, what to do with North End Field is the next isshew over there. That was once a big baseball-softball venue 50 years aog, but it’s just been laying fallow for more than a decade.
There are plans for that. We’ll see how they pan out.
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And with this new plan on that space, the entire question of what happens along the West River corridor comes into play. A few weeks back I mentioned to yew about the Enterprise Zone that was announced with so much ballyhoo a few years ago. Whilst a few things have been done with current occupants, the big biotech explosion that was talked about has never even been put on a drawing board.
Whilst that is going on there is still the idea of Front Avenue and –dare I say it – Quigley Stadium. There are whispers the city is looking to sell the property, but those whispers have been going on for a very long time. A complete plan for the entire area is needed as it has become more rundown and, in a word, seedier.
It is hard to remember that while it was always a place for depots and businesses, there was once a rather nice neighborhood around there.
We shall see what is in the offing, but the Enterprise Zone idea seems to be fading in the wind.
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Finally, we announced in the last issue we were looking for citizen journalists to grace our papyrus with their own brand of local news. Well, there have been a couple of nibbles, and we shall see where this project goes, but it has actually been a bit more fruitful in the first weeks than we thought.
We’ve had some interest, and the fruits of those inquiries will be readily apparent in this issue and in future ones. We remember when neighborhood reporting was a big thing in the local press as we go back 55 years, yew and I. So, we will see where this goes. So far, so good.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,
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