Howdy sweets! Hope you’re enjoying the nice spring-like weather we’ve had, even though it might be a bit cooler. There are sure signs of spring effen yew know where to look Foist off, we have the kiddies off in April for the “spring vacation.” That’s always the foist sign in some people’s eyes. Next the crocuses have popped up and are showing along with daffodils and other early spring flora what can be better?
Next, the blossoming trees that have been planted all over town are doing their best to look nice. Though it’s interesting how trees on some blocks are bloomed, whilst trees on other blocks close by or right next door are barely budded.
Of course, the rise in temperatures give us an indication that spring is in the air, along with the showers that seem to pop up on an almost daily basis – something about April showers and May flowers. Methinks a song was written about that sung by Al Jolson back in our day.
Then there is the real sign that things are getting warmer: April bulk trash. You can almost set yore watch to it, hon! Right on schedule, the residents of this fine burg have put out their big stuff that they didn’t put out last fall, and have heaped it at the curb. Natchurly, they don’t git everything right. For years it’s been verboten to put TVs and computers out. Yet, effen you got along the main drag or any side street guess what you’re going to find? Yup. Then when they are left at the curb, people get miffed.
Oh well, it’s nice to know that things can be timed by the warp and woof of life as seen in our little corner of the universe.
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Speaking of our little corner of the universe, Sammy Bluejay came flutterin’ by t’other afternoon and mentioned that things jest seem a bit off. With Herroner waiting until May 6 to put out her proposed budget, things jest seem off kilter. As mentioned above, we’re all kind o’ used to certain things announcing certain other things. April was always the monthlong perusal of the proposed budget after it was unveiled in March. Not so much, this year.
With the state budget scheduled for finalization on May 5, Herroner wants to make sure all the T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted afore she puts forth her spending plan, especially with the little matter of a $31 million giveback to the Board of Education as the elephant in the room.
Sooo, things seem a bit off schedule-wise. Meanwhile, May will be like April cuz the city has until the last day of May to finalize its budget under a codicil the General Assembly gave a few years back, during its own budgetary standoff. Let’s jest hope the boys and girls in Hartford do their part, and pull off the budget on time. Otherwise, things could get very, very ugly here and elsewhere.
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Getting back to the matter of the $31 million, let’s recap. Evidently, previous administrations used some education funds for revenue over the last lit’le while and that didn’t set well with Neil Cavallaro and his team. It seems the mavens of the Actors Colony put enough kopecks in the school budget to keep state officials of various stripes happy with minimum requirements, etc. But no one seems to follow what happed to the rest of the funding – except Cavallaro.
The big thing was we were under state supervision. Remember the Municipal Accountability Review Board, MARB? Remember all the people that perused the various budgets over the years? Remember, how taxes were raised and, in some cases, spending was summarily cut?
Yet, despite all this look-seeing that was going on, not one of the financial wizards that scoured the budget seemed to figger out that school money was embe…misappropriated to the revenue side? And then, when Cavallaro pitches a complaint to state officials, he gets a shrug and a nod.
That tells you that this ain’t jest a West Haven problem. Effen you looked at the spending plans of many cities and towns, particularly ones that are similar to our own, dollars to doughnuts there has been some skimming to balance out the city books. Whislt our people might be crafty and sly, they ain’t that crafty and sly. The idea probably came from elsewhere.
We will see how it plays out. There have been few rumors about the budget, unlike other years. But, the only thing that has been said is some cost-cutting has been requested in the halls of the Actors Colony, and that setch cuts might show come May 6. We shall see.
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Jest a final note on this matter, the Voice will be coming out with a four-page special edition like it did two years ago. That’s so the public hearing can be had in a timely fashion. Stay tuned on this one. It’s probably gonna come out on a day other than Thursday to keep with the legal requirements of the charter concerning public notice. All kinds of things going on this year!
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The Wag stopped by and let Cobina know the scoop on various projecks around town. The Kelsey project as we told yew last time has demolished most of the building, keeping the façade. There seems to be some work going on, but the foundation behind the façade is still exposed with not much happening there. Probably getting some prelim work done.
What’s happening next door at the former Jimmies is anyone’ guess. In this rumor mill that is the city, little if nothing has been said about a future tenant.
Going down to Beach Street, the building at the corner of East Avenue and Beach is being converted into a coffee shop, it seems, and whilst only about 25 percent of the original building is still standing, the new skeleton is taking shape and looks quite impressive sez the Wag.
More toward Morse Park we see that Riva is in full swing, and that will become part of the list of what to watch for when the weather turns as we pernted out above.
Across the street, the restrooms/pump station that was demolished is getting more work done, but no one is quite sure if a new building is going up.
And then there is the former Debonair Motel site. That is still under clean up after about 90 percent of the building was torn up.
The sum and total is things seem to be moving in a positive direction for the those projects.
At the other end of town we hear that UNH is working to get hold of the former CVS site, and at the same time make a move toward building their new school of business at the former North End Field and Railroad Salvage properties. Soooo, things are moving down there.
The fly in the ointment, of course, is and has been the former Haven property. With the coming of spring, new flora is quickly taking over the blocks-long area, making it rawther bucolic in a way. Still, no one has a clue as to when – or if – anything will be done down there.
Still, the residents along First Avenue can enjoy the view whilst it lasts.
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Isn’t that nice that Zuppardi’s is keeping up its reputation as the best “Hole-in-the-Wall” pizza place? The family-owned business still is a big draw. We’re glad to see them get recognized.
There are other good ones, too. We wonder why they aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. I guess there is a glut of pizza establishments, and not all get noticed.
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The last time we exchanged missives, Cobina mentioned that the Democratic and Republican Town Committees had both changed leadership. Mike Last and Dave Riccio, the longtime chairmen of the Demmies and GOP, respectively, have called its quits, and they were replaced.
Kristen Malloy-Scanlon was named the leader of the Demmies, whilst Jeff Christman is now the chairman of the GOP. Nelly Nuthatch noted the change in leadership, and said that the majority party will jest continue the way it’s gone for the last several years.
The interesting thing will be Republicans. The out-of-power party (for 37 years and counting) has been a bear to handle over the years. In fact, a whip and chair should be given to the new leadership as it settles into a new administration.
It’s no secret that Riccio had to juggle the factions that seem to hamper the party. For a group that hasn’t seen the third floor of City Hall since George H.W. Bush one can only marvel at the nastiness that has been a part of it for almost 40 years. Maybe this new chairman can bridge the divide. Let’s hope so.
The city does not do well having one party in power for sooooo long. The events of the last several years prove that. Effen Christman can make the party more than something that exists on paper, he will be making strides not seen here in a long, long time.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,