Well honeybunch, summer officially came our way sometime the day before yew git this missive, and our esteemed editor is working hard at a music conference in St. Paul, MN. Things are in the summer mood. The kiddies at West Haven High School had their graduation ceremony, and things went off perty much without a hitch. I did see some pictures from the event, and it looked like the kiddies had a good time.
The graduation ceremony means that the Class of 2017 is now history and we move to next years, some will go off to college, others the military and still others to the workforce. We hope everything comes up roses for them, witchever path they chose.
But the end of school brings up another question. The infamous G-wing is set to be put to the wrecker’s ball sometime in the near or at least not-to-distant future. In fact, there seems to be a little confusion as to when that might be. Nelly Nuthatch, who’s been follying this over the last little while remembered that it was supposed to happen almost immediately after school was closed for the term, but that has been moved back or something. Some estimates have the dirty deed to be done as late as December.
As I’ve been tellin’ yew, this demolition is more symbolic than anything else. The shops were the reason that an administration was ousted in 2013 and the major reason the high school projeck, originally announced eight years ago, has been held up. That, and the fack that the city is in dire financial straits.
The revamp of the shops caused more acid indigestion for school types than a red-hot chili. And now the matter is somewhat getting resolved with the shops moving to what they now call the “small gym” and the G-wing set for the way of all flesh.
But as yew might expeck, things are exactly that cut and dried here in the Asylum by the Sea.
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The reason for the angst is the City Council jest had the foist reading last week of the bonding ordinances that are supposed to fix the city’s 12-year-old deficit problem, and earmark the kopecks to rebuild the high school. There is some angst about these little items cuz 1) the $17-plus million announced for the deficit might, in fact, be a fool’s errand.
The wag came in t’other day and put it quite succinctly. The fact is we don’t know effen that’s the real amount of the deficit. We don’t know what the shortfall is gonna be concerning the current budget, which expires with the end of the fiscal year on June 30, and we certainly don’t know what the deficit is for the new budget that was passed in May.
Y’see, as the wag points out, the projections that the thoid floor of the Actors Colony used over the last four years have been stabs in the dark and haven’t cut the deficit but added to it. There ain’t any reason to believe, based on past history, that this year is gonna be any different – or next year for that matter.
What might happen, despite the protestations t’otherwise, is that we can pay off the existing deficit, only to have the current budget come under projections and then have another problem next year. Are we gonna float bonds each and every year?
Though hizzoner might not like it, his opponent Nancy Rossi has pointed this little conundrum out, and he really hasn’t come up with a great answer, excep’ the usual, “she doesn’t know what she’s talking about” defense.
Jest remember, effen these bonds go through, the city in on the hook for $150 million plus interest for the next generation or so.
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Meanwhile, the Hogfeldt lawsuit is still going forward, though Iva Lootey tells me that there may, in fact, be a public hearing on his case before the Bored of Ed. Iva tells me that members have been contacted, and they seem to be on board with the hearing. But, let’s not put too fine a pernt on it, they are on board because under state law Vic is allowed to have a hearing before that body. And, I yam told right now arbitration is off the table.
So, here’s where we are in this matter, the case is still in the early stages, Hogfeldt hasn’t taught in months with a sub taking his classes this past year, and goodness knows what come September. He’s still on the payroll with full benefits, and from all appearances has a somewhat upper hand in the entire matter.
Like I’ve been saying, effen his evaluations were better than OK up to and until this kerfuffle with the union that started this chain of events, and then those evaluations tanked afterwards, a jury is gonna have a hard time with that. The barristers for the school board are probably hoping for an early – and for Vic lucrative – settlement cuz a jury trial is not what they want.
Meanwhile, I hope the story I heard about some people thinking the members of the board are too dense to understand the “complexities” of the case is wrong. No one wants to be thought of as dumber than dirt, and that story seems to indicate setch.
Stay tuned on this one. This could be quite a summer saga.
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Last week I told yew that things might be percolating on the Haven. Sammy Bluejay has indicated he’s hoid that the permit processes might be up and running, though we ain’t got any word concerning that. Meanwhile, as I told yew last week, there was a report going around that the developers had come up with a settlement with the last homeowners and business owners in the block. We tried to git confirmation of that via the Actors Colony, but they put the kibosh on that, saying the report ain’t anything they are aware of.
That might not mean anything, cuz as yew know these developers are from the Big Apple and they play things close to the vest they ain’t gonna let the cat outta the bag until they are sure all the ink is dry on anything that is agreed to by anyone.
But that still makes my original statement stand, we have a three-way race come the fall for the mayor’s job. Even if Nancy Rossi loses come the primary, don’t be surprised effen she comes out as an independent. Then there is Dave Riccio, who is running on the GOP side.
In a three-way race anything can happen, particularly effen the electorate ain’t too pleased with whot is going on. We shall see what the future holds, but my money is on the projeck getting a bit of a start before the leaves turn color.
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Whilst that puzzle plays out, the budget crisis in Hartford is gonna have a strange effeck on people in the provinces. Y’see, as Madame Olga sez, we don’t know effen the boys and girls in Hartford are gonna play nice and come up with a budget. Until that happens, every city and town in the state is on tinder hooks. His Excellency the Governor is planning on them not coming up with a budget. That could be a sign of things to come, or jest a fail-safe measure. We shall see.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,