As I scribe this week’s missive, sweets, I see that we are to git some winter weather – it’s about time, too. Everyone around Cobina is fightin’ something nasal or chesty with a cold or flu. Momma used to say the cold weather is the best cure cuz it kills all the germs. Well, we ain’t had a lotta that in these parts due to the flow of the Jet Stream this winter, but maybe with jest a few weeks to go there is hope yet. Cobina herself has had to fight off the flu bug or somethin’ like it, and is only hoping for a good germ kill. Meanwhile, as the wag told us last week, “Pitchers and catchers next week means warm weather is coming.” I guess he’s talkin’ about spring training or something.
Here in the Asylum by the Sea, the recent talk that demolition of the Haven projeck area is in the offing came to the fore. A two-alarm blaze on 22 Richards Place magnified the problems. Jest last week, Sammy Bluejay mentioned that though there are blockades along those side streets, and police watches are more common, residents over there are still seein’ squatters go into buildings. Whilst no one knows what the cause of the blaze was as of this writing, it did seem like the fire was caused by external forces. Could that mean that some poor homeless person was trying to keep warm and things got outta control? Could be, or it could be that others with more nefarious plans or actions got in there. Dollars to doughnuts the watch over there increases.
Still I told yew last week that businesses around the area were notified that demolition might happen as soon as March 1. One would think – and might be permitted so – that with this lit’le incident everything will be done to make it as close to March 1 as is possible.
Meanwhile the development company is gonna secure the area, and (as herronner mentioned very quickly) do so at its own expense. It’s gonna be an interesting run up to the demolition, honey bunch. Something to keep our eyes upon.
~~~
Nelly Nuthatch came flutterin’ by t’other afternoon and sez that a good thing might be resultin’ from the exodus of one very popular guy to new digs. As yew remember, Nick’s Luncheonette was caught between the rock and the hard place that is the Haven Project up to this pernt. He never knew when he was gonna e asked to close, and knew he could have been given paltry recompense for his eatery due to the threat of eminent domain.
Well, after months of rebuilding and construction woes, and a tape measure that got stuck in a drain stalling things, he was able to open up his place on Sawmill Road – it used to be a Pizza Hut. Well, the good news is for a change the good guys are winning. Since opening up a few weeks ago, Nick’s parking lot has been fuller than full, and business seems to be booming. We hope him well in his new digs, and know that he was sufferin’ the pains of Hades with the reconstruction projeck. Let’s hope that he is able to recoop his investment sooner rather than later, and that the location and his loyal customers keep things booming over there.
~~~
Josh LaBella’s profile of Frank Ciepilski, the new wizard of the accounts on the thoid floor of the Actors Colony, did one thing if nothin’ else: it focused the fack that city powers that be are now puttin’ all their efforts in the new budget. That process began last month and now go full throttle until herronner makes her second budget proposal next month.
Of course, with the strictures as set up by the Municipal Accountability Review Board, there is not a whole lotta surprises expected in this year’s spending plan. Once again, the city is expected to git kopecks from the state after tellin’ the MARB it would be good and do what it sez.
What needs to be determined is how much the mill rate is gonna go up, because that’s all that anybody really cares about. Under the five-year plan that herronner agreed to with both arms twisted behind her back, the mill rate is supposed to incrementally go up to 40, not including fire taxes, which will put the average up to about 54. That’s a lotta taxes.
This is gonna result in a lotta people leaving our city, and moving to other less taxed areas. Connecticut is already losing thousands a year as it is, and we know that many from here are looking south. Our revenue problems are gonna continue, and there’s gonna be fewer people to pay.
We won’t know the results until next month, but as we said, the only surprise will be how much, not whether taxes go up.
~~~
Congrats to Dan Granfield, son of Ann and Ed Granfield (the chairman of the Charter Revision Commish) on bein’ published in “The Bulwark” a blog magazine discussing isshews from the “Swamp,” otherwise known as Washington, DC. Granfield’s lit’el opus is a good read and a fine piece of writing. It gives us hope for some of our young folks, most of whom have trouble putting more than 140 characters together.
Of course, being a chip off the old block, the youngest member of the Granfield Clan (he has two sisters) is a bit right of center, even though he works in the midst of the K Street politburo.
~~~
Speakin’ of young people, we see via Iva Lootey, that Roman Khondker has been sworn in as a member of the West Haven Community Development Administration’s Citizen Advisory Committee – say that five times fast. Tennyrate, Khnondker is 19 and became a US citizen two years ago. Unlike many of his confreres he wanted to git involved, and was appointed follying his mentioning of his interest in a letter.
The interesting part of this, too, is that the mayor appointed him though he is a GOP member. This seems to slough off practice that those who have R’s after their names are immediately writ off lists. Tennyrate, good for him, and we hope he does well in his new post. And we congratulate herronner for going beyond party affiliation. It’s a rare treat in these parts.
~~~
Getting back to politics, it seems that Debbie Collins lookin’ at a mayoral run is more truth than fiction, and, though a formal announcement hasn’t been made, Demmies are gearin’ up for an expected primary. What a surprise. No, I kid. It would have been a surprise effen there wasn’t a primary this go-round. There are a lotta smarting politicos who didn’t like the smack in the head they got in November of 2017.
So, people are planning on Collins making a move shortly – there is fund-raising t’do. Meanwhile, Edward O’Brien erstwhile Lord Mayor of our fair city has expressed interest in re-upping his tenure in the office after losing last time. He does not have the imprimatur of the powers that be in the factionalized Demmie establishment we are told and repeat. He is looking, therefore, to make a solo run as an independent, which will make this go-round very interesting, indeed. We’ve had third-party runs, but normally as a reaction to not getting a nomination. Should O’Brien go ahead with this caper it’ll be the foist time the city has seen a three-way race since the IMPACT Party days of Save Our Shore.
Needless to say, this is going to be a very interesting 2019, and it’s only February. With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,