This week in Wallingford

As published in the Record Journal, Monday February 13, 2012

WALLINGFORD — The Town Council will meet Tuesday night with a light agenda, including discussion and possible action on rules and procedures for its 2012-14 term.

Tuesday : Town Council, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall, Auditorium, 45 S. Main St.

Wednesday : School Roof Building Committee, 6:30 p.m., Sheehan High School, Board of Education Conference Room, 142 Hope Hill Road.

Thursday : Board for Youth, noon, Parks and Recreation Building, Youth and Social Services, Exit 3 Conference Room, 6 Fairfield Blvd.;

Pension Commission, 3 p.m., Town Hall, Room 315, 45 S. Main St.

Friday : Committee on Aging, noon, Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington St.

(There were no meetings scheduled for Monday the 13th)

AGENDA - REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING–WALLINGFORD

TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT

REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Town Council Chambers

TUESDAY

February 14, 2012

6:30 P.M

AGENDA

Opening Prayer – Reverend Dean Warburton, First Congregational Church of Wallingford

1. Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

2. Correspondence

3. Consent Agenda

3a. Consider and Approve Tax Refunds totaling $24,461.27 (#452 - #506)Acct. # 001-1000-010-1170 - Tax Collector

3b. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $5,000 to Fuel Crisis Program Acct # 10040150-58220 from General Contingency Acct # 10019000-58820 - Mayor

3c. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the Amount of $700 to Gas & Diesel Acct # 10020100-53100 from Operating Expenses Acct # 10020100-58735 - Animal Control

3d. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the Amount of $1,200 to 2-22 Ton Air Jacks Acct # 10030000-57000 from Maintenance of Vehicles Acct # 10030000-54320 - Public Works

3e. Consider and Approve a Budget Amendment in the Amount of $37,500 to Outside Services Employed Acct # 43100923 and to Appropriation from Cash – Water Division

3f. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the Amount of $15,000 to Maintenance of Collection & Impounding Reservoirs Acct # 43100612 from Power Purchased for Pumping Acct # 43100612 – Water Division

3g. Set a Public Hearing for February 28, 2012 at 7:00 P.M. to Amend Chapter 43, Purchasing, the Code of the Town of Wallingford, §43-2.B., §43-11.S, §43-12.A and §43-12B

3h. Acceptance and Appropriation of $700,000 Small Cities Grant 2011 to Revenue-State Grant Acct # 2484002-45100 and to Expenditures: Construction $633,00 Acct # 24880050-54550, $2,000 Program Acct # 24880050-58830 and $65,000 Administration Acct # 24880050-58590 – Program Planning

3i. Consider and Approve Resolution authorizing the Town to enter into and deliver to the State of Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, including the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security any and all documents which it deems to be necessary or appropriate and authorize the Mayor to execute and deliver any and all documents on behalf of the Town of Wallingford and to do and perform all acts and things which he deems to be necessary or appropriate to carry out the terms of such documents - Mayor

3j. Consider and Approve the Appointment of Robert P. Blanchard to the Pension Commission to fill a vacancy which will expire December 31, 2012 - Mayor

3k. Consider and Approve the Appointment Gary Draghi to the Pension Commission to fill a vacancy which will expire December 31, 2017 - Mayor

3l. Consider and Approve the Appointment of Stacy Voss to the Planning and Zoning Commission as an Alternate for a Term Expiring January 8, 2015 – Chairman Robert F. Parisi

3m. Consider and Approve an extension of a 10-year License Agreement between the Town of Wallingford and Fred M. Valenti regarding encroachment of his building located at 800 South Colony Road on to Town property – Corporation Counsel

3n. Consider and Approve bid waiver request for Hurst Hydraulic Rescue Tool Fittings in the Amount of $4,455 – Fire Chief

3o. Approve Minutes of Town Council meeting of January 24, 2012

4. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

5. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD

6. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $15,000 to Maintenance of Signals Acct # 10030050-54305 from General Contingency Acct # 10019000-58820 - Engineering

7. Discussion and Possibly Action on approving the Town Council’s Rules of Procedure for the 2012-2014 Term

8. Executive Session pursuant to §1-200 (6)(D) of the Connecticut General Statutes with respect to the purchase, sale and/or leasing of property – Mayor

Councilors seek help with fireworks fundraising

NOTE: The Wallingford Fireworks Fund will meet at Gaetano's Tavern on Main (40 N Main St  Wallingford) on Wednesday February 8th at 7:30PM in the dinning area.

The meeting will be to recruit volunteers to work as part of the fundraising committee for the 2012 fundraising season which will kick off on March 1st.

For more information contact Jason Zandri at 860 614 6069 or via Jason@Zandri.net. You can also contact Craig Fishbein at his law offices - (203) 265-2895

As published in the Record Journal on Tuesday January 31, 2012

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD — If Jason Zandri has learned one thing in his past two efforts to raise money for the town’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration, it’s that you can never start too early.

Zandri, a Democratic town councilor, has headed the effort to pay for the fireworks since the town dropped the festivities from its budget in 2010. He’s already started a blog to promote this year’s fundraising efforts, and will be holding a meeting soon, looking for people to join a fundraising board to oversee the operations.

“We’re looking this year to get a formal fundraising committee established,”Zandri said. For the past two years, Zandri, his father, Geno, and Republican Town Councilor Craig Fishbein have collected most of the donations. But Jason Zandri said it can’t continue with just the three of them.

“It can’t just be the Jason, Craig and Geno show,” he said. “We lucked out doing it twice like that.”

The first year the money was raised, Jason Zandri worked from his Wallingford home and his flexible schedule allowed him time for fundraising outside Stop & Shop and Dunkin’ Donuts. But last year, Zandri took a job in New York City and had to restrict his efforts to the weekends.

“For 16 weeks that’s all I did on the weekends,” Jason Zandri said.

With his new responsibilities as a councilor, putting in the same effort this year will be “impossible.”

“I’m just too involved,” Jason Zandri said. “I have to tend to my council duties, and the majority of the fundraising comes during budget season.”

Fishbein agreed, noting that he too became busy in 2011 and didn’t help out as much as he did the year before. “We need all the help we can get,” Fishbein said.

Jason Zandri said he hopes more of the people who come out to the show will help pay the costs associated with it. Many of the donations in the past two years have come from large businesses and not individuals.

Fishbein said he was disappointed that two fundraisers scheduled last year — a matinee movie and a concert at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn — drew small numbers of people.

“It was very discouraging,” Fishbein said.

Fundraising efforts at the show last year also didn’t garner as much money as was expected, Fishbein said.

Jason Zandri will once again ask the mayor if the town can pay a portion of the costs, such as the police and public works overtime, but he said he wasn’t optimistic the town would put money toward the project. The fund has about$1,000 left over from last year to put toward the 2012 show.

Last year the $24,150 for the show was raised with little time to spare. Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said the check was delivered to the town at 2:30 p.m. on May 27, 2011, only hours before his 5 p.m. deadline.

A $2,500 donation from New Life Church helped the charity reach its goal in 2011. Similarly, a $5,000 gift from Choate Rosemary Hall in 2010 pushed the fund past its $30,000 goal.

For more information on fireworks fundraising, visit http://wallingfordfireworks.blogspot.com.

Wallingford Requests for Tax Hearing

Anyone who wishes to discuss their property taxes (not Autos) may have a hearing in March by the Board of Assessment Appeals.

To have a hearing, you must go to the Assessors Office in the Town Hall (203-294-2001) and fill out a "request" form no later that February 17th.

Motor Vehicles will be September 8th at the Town Hall starting at 9:00 am.

The Week Ahead in Wallingford

As published in the Record Journal, Monday February 6, 2012

WALLINGFORD — The Public Utilities Commission will meet Tuesday to discuss modifications to the electric rate discount for Center Street merchants.

Today : Economic Development Commission, 6:30 p.m., Room 315, Town Hall, 45 S. Main St.

Tuesday : Public Utilities Commission, 6:30 p.m., Electric Division, 100 John St.;

Personnel and Pension Appeals Board, 6:30 p.m., Room 315, Town Hall, 45 S. Main St.

Wednesday : Parks and Recreation Commission, 8 a.m., David J.
Doherty Municipal Building, 6 Fairfield Blvd.;

Wallingford Housing Authority, 5:30 p.m., Community Room, South Side Terrace

Thursday : Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Basement Conference Room, Town Hall, 45 S. Main St.

Friday : No meetings scheduled.

Wallingford Town Council - Swearing in Ceremony

Electronics recycling for local residents

As published in the Record Journal, Thursday January 26, 2012

WALLINGFORD — Town residents can drop off unwanted electronics at the town’s recycling center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the second Saturday of each month at 157 John St.

Accepted items include computers, monitors, printers, TVs, laptops, keyboards, mice, fax machines, stereos, modems, telephones, as well as VCR, DVD and CD players.

There is no charge, but each household is limited to seven items per visit.

For information, call the Program Planning office at (203) 294-2060.

Special movie showing to benefit Tara Monroe

Saturday January 28 10:00am until 1:00pm

Holiday Cinemas 14 - Wallingford

970 North Colony Road, Wallingford, CT 06492

 

A special showing of "Batman: The Dark Night" will be held on Saturday January 28, 2012 at Holiday Cinemas 14 located at 970 North Colony Road in Wallingford, CT at 10:00am to benefit Tara Monroe.

Tara was recently in a car accident and due to the high costs of medical bills we will be donating ALL proceeds directly to Tara Monroe and her family.

You may purchase tickets now until the day of the showing either at the theater or through Tricia Estep (203) 901-3581 or Lisa Beichner (203) 687-6681 

 

* Due to the fact that this is a fundraiser ticket purchases may only be made by CASH OR CHECK ONLY! (See below for check info)*

If you wish, we are asking that you write a message to Tara and/or your name on the back of your ticket before handing them in at the theater.

**If you are unable to attend the movie and would still like to make a donation, you may send a check made out to " Tara Ashley Monroe Supplemental Needs Fund" to 57 Tremper Drive Wallingford, CT 06492. You may also give any donation to Lisa or Tricia at anytime. There will be a donation jar set up at Holiday Cinemas for the duration of the movie as well.**

Thank you all for your support and we hope to see you all on January 28th

Relay for Life plans fundraiser Saturday January 28

As published in the Record Journal, Tuesday January 24, 2012

WALLINGFORD — Elks Lodge 1365 will sponsor its annual Relay for Life fundraiser beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday January 28 at the lodge, 148 S. Main St.

The menu will consist of chicken parmigiana and a dessert.

Entertainment will be provided by the band Freeplay.

Tickets may be purchased at the lodge. For information, call the lodge at (203) 269-7162.

Wallingford VFW Post 9965 plans Friday dinner

As published in the Record Journal Tuesday January 24, 2012

WALLINGFORD — Stanley Budleski VFW Post 9965 men’s auxiliary will sponsor a dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday January 27 at the post home, 424 Church St., Yalesville.

The menu will consist of lasagna, escarole soup and salad.

Admission will be charged. For information or to purchase tickets, call the post home at (203) 269-7110.