Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale

 

Downtown Apartments, Parking, and Planning

This isn't your father's Bob's Army Navy Store

The Planning and Zoning Commission considered two separate applications to convert downtown buildings into apartments. After an extensive discussion about the impact of these apartments on parking, the Commission approved one and appears poised to approve the other. 

David Marasow, of Upscale Construction, has proposed to develop 50 apartments in the Main Street building that formerly housed the Bob's Surplus, and is now vacant except for the La Boca restaurant. Marasow was joined in his presentation by the designer, Fernando Pastor, of SEEDnh. The zoning code requires 50 parking spaces for this size development; Marasow was before the Commission to request a reduction in that requirement. 

Marasow indicated that his plans were to charge market rate for the apartments, with a 650 square foot apartment renting for $1350. He said that it was very difficult to make the rehabilitation and restoration of a historic building financially viable, suggesting that this was why the building has been vacant and unused for so long. For this reason, there are no plans for an elevator in the building. The building occupies nearly the entire lot, and there is no space for on-site parking. 

Marasow presents

Marasow argued that many of the residents would not own automobiles, and it would be wasteful to pay for unused auto storage spaces. Members of the downtown business community disagreed. On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, Larry McHugh urged the commission to deny the application unless there were dedicated off-street parking, "as you know, Middletown is blessed with a vibrant downtown….Main street parking stalls and municipal lots are full on most evenings." Sandra Russo-Driska, of the Downtown Business District, echoed his concerns.

The Commission seemed supportive of the application, but leery of the parking implications.  Director of Land Use Marek Kozikowski indicated that the applicant had a commitment from a parking garage for up to 45 spaces, and that the commission could reduce the requirement for parking. Commissioner Seb Giuliano said that if the application met all of the criteria for approval, and there was a guarantee that 50 spaces would be available if needed, it should be approved. He suggested that Marasow demonstrate that spaces would be available, but that he should only have to pay for the actual number of cars owned by the tenants. 

Commissioner Kellin Atherton said that he supported developments that have a mix of residential and commercial, and that the city should develop a coherent policy to fairly address parking issues. Marasow seemed to agree, expressing concern that if a parking garage had committed to having 50 spaces available and they weren't all used, a subsequent developer might then use those for their project, leading ultimately to a parking conflict. But on the other hand, he agreed with Giuliano that it made no sense to pay for vacant automobile storage spaces.

The Commission declined to reduce the parking requirements, instead continuing the discussion to its April 13th meeting and asking Marasow to produce written documentation that there would be 50 parking spaces available. The expectation is that with this documentation, the Commission will approve his plans. 

A second application also raised significant parking issues. Jed Sosnowitz proposed to convert the former Sicilian Garibaldi Society building on Washington Street between Main and DeKoven into 18 small apartments. 

For this downtown development, the city committed to lease 20 parking spaces in the arcade parking lot below the Police Station. This commitment was given by Joe Samolis, Director of Economic and Community Development, who also oversees public parking. Sosnowitz indicated that the parking was a five minute walk from his proposed apartment building. 

The Commission unanimously approved this application. 

Fireworks Planned for July 2

Video of 2015 fireworks by Bill Flood

From a city hall press release
------------------

The City will present the annual Fireworks Festival on Saturday, July 2, 2022, with a rain date of July 3.

The festival will take place along the Connecticut River at Harbor Park, and on the front lawn of the City’s Municipal Building located at 245 DeKoven Drive. The festival showcase will present a dazzling fireworks display that is set off directly from a barge on the Connecticut River.

The fireworks festival is a family-friendly event that typically draws large crowds to downtown. The festival will kick off at 5:00 pm with live music, family festivities, and numerous food vendors throughout the beautiful harbor area and along DeKoven Drive. Fireworks will commence just after dark, at approximately 9:30 p.m. As noted above, the festival will take place on Saturday, July 2, 2022. In the event of inclement weather, the festival will be rescheduled to Sunday, July 3.

All public health guidelines will be followed so that everyone can enjoy a safe and spectacular event. Parts of Court Street, DeKoven Drive, Harbor Drive, Dingwall Drive, MLK Way, River Road, and Eastern Drive will be closed during portions of the festival day. More details about this year’s Fireworks Festival, main stage performances, road closures, parking and viewing suggestions will be provided as the date draws closer. Please visit the city events and the city facebook page for updates on the festival.

Mayor Florsheim commented, “I am looking forward to this year’s Fireworks Festival as a chance for the community to come together and celebrate. This event always draws a large crowd, and is enjoyed by people throughout the region. We have been unable to hold the Fireworks Festival since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the return to this year’s festival will be particularly enjoyable, as we welcome a better and brighter future.”

PLEASE SUPPORT UKRAINE

Please Support Ukraine 

 

Continuing the tradition of National Random Acts of Kindness Day and to "Try A Little Kindness" such as donating to the Ukrainian relief efforts please see the CBS News website & article "Want To Help People in Ukraine? Here are ways to donate" by Kate Gibson. 

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-ukraine-refugees-donations-charity/ 

 

Please support Ukraine. 

Enjoy the videos. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gndwjpptfZY 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLi-FqESca8 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOnmlJuNJQ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW0Wq-t4kSQ

 

This Week at the Buttonwood Tree: March 11-13, 2022

 

The Buttonwood Tree 
605 Main Street, in Middletown

March 2022

The Buttonwood Tree Presents:

Event descriptions are excerpted from The Buttonwood Tree online calendar. Click on event links in text for more information. 

 

 

 

Bob Gotta's Open Mic is cancelled for this week.

 

Friday
MAR 11   

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Cameron Campbell Jazz Trio

  

 

 

Saturday
MAR 12  

 10:30 am - 12:15 pm

Align with Source Workshop   

 

 

 

 

 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm  

Deni Bonet

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday
MAR 13   

4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Human Room Open Voice

6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Weekly Improv Workshop

For more information on Buttonwood programs, please see our calendar here.

Board of Education Sends Turf and Track Replacement to Building Committee

The Board of Education voted unanimously to recommend the replacement of the artificial turf and track at Middletown High School. They also sent the project to an existing building committee that is overseeing projects at Snow and Farm Hill Schools. They understood that this Building Committee would consider both natural and artificial turf options.

Elisha De Jesus, Director of Athletics, told the Board that the field is at the end of its useful life, after 14 years of use every year by 35 varsity programs, PE classes in fall and spring, band and other programs. Kevin Dion, Director of Facilities, said he doubted that a natural field would function in this location because of drainage issues, "It's very much wetlands, a swampy area." 

De Jesus agreed, "The importance of having the [artificial] turf for our kids....is really important as far as athletics is concerned".  

Three members of the public spoke against the use of artificial turf. Rebecca MacLachlan has been a strong booster of youth sports, as activities that teach teamwork, self esteem and confidence. However, she pointed out that in 2015 the City decided to not move forward with any of the synthetic turf fields, intead supporting new and existing fields as non-toxic real grass fields." She said, "I'm concerned about our children playing on synthetic turf fields."

Krishna Winston said, "I beg you to please inform yourself before you rush to a decision. ...Go very carefully on this." She highlighted the costs that artificial turf creates in terms of hazardous waste, run-off of chemicals in the materials and the sprays used to maintain the fields, and the exposure of children to potential toxins.

Board member Debra Guss asked Dion whether a natural grass turf alternative had been considered. Dion admitted that it had not, but went on to say that it would be much more expensive.

Prior to the vote, Delita Rose Daniels asked the staff to ensure that both options were evaluated and compared, "Can we be sure that we will have all the information on both types of fields?" 

The schools Building Committee consists of 3 members of the Common Council, Vinnie Loffredo, Tony Gennaro, and Meghan Carta, one member of the School Board, Charles Wiltsie, and one member of the disability community, Richard Pelletier. Carta serves as chair. The committee's regularly scheduled meetings are Thursday at 6PM and have been held virtually, they are open to the public.

2022 Revaluation update - Property inspections are underway.

From The City of Middletown
---------------------
Data collectors from Municipal Valuations Services, LLC (MuniVal) of Fairfield, CT (the revaluation company hired to assist the City with the revaluation) have begun property verifications. This means you will see company representatives knocking on taxpayer’s doors asking questions.

The General Statutes of the State of Connecticut require municipalities perform revaluations no later than once every five years.  This includes a requirement that within a ten year cycle the municipality measure or verify the exterior dimensions of every building or structure. Property owners should receive a post card about a week or so before data collectors visit their property.

As part of the process data collectors will take exterior photos of each property and examine the interior of such building or structure in order to observe and record or verify the characteristics and conditions thereof, provided permission to enter such interior is granted by the property owner or an adult occupant.  To ensure that the property is inspected, the property owner will be asked to sign a data collection form to verify the inspection. The entire process takes approximately 15 minutes. If no one is present, the data collector will record exterior information only.

 Property verifications will take place throughout the spring and summer of 2022. MuniVal follows all CDC guidelines as well as any State or Local policies in place regarding COVID-19. All employees are equipped with and will be wearing face masks while inside a property and when speaking with taxpayers. All data collection staff will practice proper social distancing protocols when performing any on-site inspections.

 All MuniVal employees will have a City badge and a company badge. They will also have magnets on their vehicles and the company logo on their attire. All vehicles are registered with the local authorities and the Assessor’s office.

 Thank you and we appreciate your cooperation during this time.

 Please visit their website or call Municipal Valuation Services at 203-292-5500 for any additional information or questions. The Assessor’s Office can be contacted at 860-638-4930. 

Synthetic Turf Fields Considered Again in Middletown

Submitted by Rebecca MacLachlan

At the 3/8/22 Middletown Board of Education meeting, Members are considering replacing its High School synthetic turf field with another. I believe this is a mistake. There is compelling information regarding health concerns, cost, and environmental impacts that the Board should seriously consider.

In 2015 the city of Middletown decided, for all these reasons, not to move forward with any synthetic turf fields as part of the 21st Century Parks investment; instead, new and existing fields were to be non-toxic real grass, maintained without the use of chemicals or pesticides. Our elementary schools were (and are) already being maintained this way because of a state statute.

When this issue came up for a vote at the Common Council in 2015, there was a lot of testimony to show the problems with artificial turf and reasons why most soccer players and many athletes now support the use of grass over synthetic turf. There was also a petition from hundreds of residents, who, in the course of 2 days, signed a petition calling for the ban on new synthetic turf fields and the use of non-toxic grass fields instead! Once people looked at the facts and understood this issue, it made sense. It still does.

Below are several links to recent articles that I hope will be considered.

Sports are an important part of our children’s lives. Please protect our kids and provide them with a healthy alternative to synthetic fields. Properly drained and well-maintained grass fields are infinitely superior to synthetic fields no matter what claims the manufacturers make!!

https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0OIwTQtzt0

https://www.jackwallington.com/17-reasons-to-avoid-fake-lawns-how-bad-is-artificial-grass-for-the-environment/


To register to watch or participate in the 6:30pm March 7th BOE meeting go to this link:

UPDATE:  LINK WAS CHANGED FOR THE MEETING - HERE IS THE CORRECT LINK:

https://middletownct.webex.com/middletownct/j.php?RGID=r1a7be34bc570a37aae54f4dfc86a45e8

Click on the image below to see a factsheet put together locally on this issue.

Coyotes Return To Moody School

 

Hundreds of Canadian Geese have been regular visitors to the fields behind Moody School when the snow clears. Apparently the predators have noticed--each field has a lone coyote waiting patiently for dinner.

Opinion: Racist, Death threats letter

 Submitted by David Roane.
-----------------------------
TO: Editor Middletown Eye

The Middletown Press Morning Briefing reads “Officials: Death threats, racist letter.”

Not Surprise, because the truth is being revealed finally. We have a City Official, and even the local president of NAACP saying and still are contented today saying, believing, and promoting “This is not (On the alleged misconduct by  Dr. Conner/top district administrators) about race, and or because the superintendent is a Black Man.” Shame on You.

Word is that similar allegations have been made in the past and were going on with-in the B. O. E. system for years. The difference this time is compared to the past the superintendent has always been a White male or female .

Second these assaults against Dr. Conners were escalated by the racist members of the union on two fronts: their way of trying to get defeated the Charter Revision work and proposal to separate the school from being held hostage by the city when it came to hiring etc., and just as important they did not want this superintendent to have all those additional powers over them solely because he is a black man.

Racism has been and still is alive and well with-in this city. There is a saying “the proof is in the pudding” the Threats and racist letter is the pudding.

Why is That Door There?

 A bakery on Washington Street. 

ZOOM Genealogy Club - Saturday, March 19, 2022

  

Stephen P. Morse on the 1950 Census

1:30 pm (EST)

The moment we've been waiting for is soon upon us -- the release of the 1950 Census!

Our speaker this month is Stephen P. Morse, well-known among genealogists for the search tools on his One-Step Webpages.

When the 1950 census is released in April, it will not have a name index. So finding people in the census will involve searching by location instead.  Even when a name index becomes available, there will still be many reasons for doing locational searches.

Because the census is organized by Enumeration Districts (EDs), the location needs to be converted to an ED before the census can be accessed. The One-Step website contains numerous tools for obtaining EDs. This talk will present the various tools and show circumstances in which each can be used.

Godfrey Premium members can register for free at the following email: zoomregistration@godfrey.org

If you are not a Godfrey Premium member and want to attend the presentation, you can pay $10 via PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/us/home) and send to Godfrey Memorial Library. Then register using the above email.

Please register by 4:00 pm Friday, March 18.