Public Input Sessions For Long-term City Plan

The author is Chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
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The consultants hired by the city to facilitate the writing of the next Plan of Conservation and Development will present what they have learned about the priorities of residents with respect to sustainable development and infrastructure at the beginning of tonight's meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission (7PM, City Hall).

The summary of input at the previous public workshops is available HERE.

Tonight's meeting is dubbed a "listening session" for the consultants and for the Planning and Zoning Commission: members of the public are encouraged to provide further input into what they feel are important considerations to be included in the city's most important long-term planning document.

According to the consultants:

• Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Doing so must integrate and balance economic, environmental, and social goals.
• Infrastructure refers to the basic facilities and installations that help a government or community run, including roads, schools, phone lines, sewage treatment plants and power generation, plus services including law enforcement, transit, emergency services, healthcare, education, etc.

At the listening sessions, the consultants will give a brief presentation of many of the issues identified in the surveys and community input sessions that took place in the spring.

The presentation for Wednesday's session is HERE. Following the presentation, members of the public will be given ample opportunity to make suggestions and comments on what should be included in the POCD.

Below is the full schedule of listening sessions.

July 10th at 7:00 PM 
Sustainability and Infrastructure (Presentation)

• Ecologic/Economic Sustainability
• Resiliency (Hazard Mitigation, Adaptation, Response and Recovery, Energy)
• Complete Streets Sustainable CT, Environmental Justice Input
• Community Facilities and Services, including General Government
• Education, Social Services and Public Safety
• Vehicular Systems and Transit

July 24th at 7:00 PM
Development and Revitalization:

• Downtown
• Riverfront
• Corridors/Key Nodes
• Business, Economic Development, Housing Needs

August 14th at 7:00 PM
Conservation

• Natural Resources
• Open Space
• Historic Resources
• Community Character/Scenic Resources

Democratic Mayoral Candidates Forum Saturday

From the Rob Blanchard, Chair of the Democratic Town Committee.
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Please join us and hear from our 5 declared Mayoral candidates! Everyone is welcome, invite a friend!

Saturday, July 13th 11:30am-1pm
Exley Science Center- 265 Church Street, Room 121

Parking is available in the lots on Church Street, and behind the building on the Lawn Street side.

*We ask that you please reserve the first row of seating for folks needing accessibility, and for the hearing impaired.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Crystal Lake Hike and Picnic

Saturday, August 3, 2019 (rain date 8/4)
Group Hike: 11:30am
Picnic: 1 – 4pm
Crystal Lake at McCutcheon Park, Livingston Road, Middletown

Join a group walk led by The Rockfall Foundation through the hilly, wooded trails of McCutcheon Park. Experience large mountain laurel groves and rock formations from the early Jurassic period, 201 million years old. Narrow, packed dirt trail with some flat and some steeper sections. Approximately 1.5-2 mile hike meeting at the Crystal Lake pavilion at 11:30, wrapping up around 1pm for a picnic**. Time permitting we’ll also explore a short lakeside trail where blue heron and other birds may be spotted. Bring water and tick repellent. Wear sneakers (no sandals). Rain postpones hike and picnic to August 4th. No dogs on the hike, please.

**Enjoy a Summer Picnic with The Rockfall Foundation environmentalist community on August 3, 1-4pm. Burgers and hotdogs (meat and non-meat options), corn-on-the-cob, watermelon, and soft drinks to be served at the pavilion on Crystal Lake at McCutcheon Park, Middletown. Potluck dishes to share would be a welcome addition. Swim in Crystal Lake or bring your paddleboard or kayak. Wildlife, birds, and hiking trails surround the area, with a guided walk beginning at 11:30am, concluding in time for the picnic. All are welcome to join the hike and/or the picnic. Free for members of The Rockfall Foundation and their immediate family or a plus one guest. $5 donation for non-members for the picnic. RSVP required for the picnic. Please RSVP to amanda@rockfallfoundation.org by 7/31 with the number in your party, and a potluck dish, if you’re bringing one.  Bring your own place setting or we’ll have recycled paper plates, cups, napkins and utensils available. Rain date for both activities is August 4th, at the same times.

Directions to Crystal Lake at McCutcheon Park: From Randolph Road (Route 155), turn south onto Millbrook Road. Follow Millbrook for 1.5 miles and take the fifth right onto Livingston Road. After 0.2 miles, take the first right off Livingston into McCutcheon Park.  (Don’t rely on GPS, but if you do, “Crystal Lake Park” is the most accurate destination in Google Maps.) After passing the guard booth, turn left and park at the far end of the lot where you will see our pavilion.

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Founded in 1935 by Middletown philanthropist Clarence S. Wadsworth, The Rockfall Foundation is one of Connecticut’s oldest environmental organizations. The Foundation supports environmental education, conservation and planning initiatives in the Lower Connecticut River Valley through public programs and grants.  Learn more about our work and other events, such as our monthly Meet Your Greens networking social, at www.rockfallfoundation.org.

Wednesday at 7pm: Free Outdoor Concert by Phat A$tronaut at Wesleyan University

Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at 7pm
Center for the Arts Courtyard, 283 Washington Terrace, Middletown, Connecticut
FREE!

Bring a picnic, then dance with family and friends at a free outdoor concert at Wesleyan University by New Haven's experimental soul ensemble Phat A$tronaut, who have created meticulously crafted arrangements with pop-sensible songwriting since 2016.

Click here for more information about this event.

What You Need To Know About Changes In Recycling

NEAT Notes - Summer 2019

A lot has been happening down at the NEAT offices, and we figured, well we better let everyone know!!

NEAT tabled at pride and had an awesome rock painting event.
https://www.facebook.com/NEATMI/posts/10157018440825180





This Saturday, we are co-hosting a family water bottle painting event.  
see more info here - https://www.facebook.com/events/407996756456097/

And Finally, the Ferry Street Garden is getting organized, thanks to the help from Rockfall Foundation, Forest City Farms, and Long Lane Farm.

Stay tuned for more news about the garden especially, it's looking HOT this summer at NEAT!

Thazhampallath Releases List of Pledges If Elected Mayor

Democratic candidate for Mayor Geen Thazhampallath press release,

Mayor candidate Geen Thazhampallath issued a 15-point detailed action plan today, less than one month before the party’s nomination night on July 18, that offered a roadmap, not only to his mayoral priorities, but also as a unique employment contract and performance scorecard by which the citizens of Middletown could measure his time as Mayor.

“A performance scorecard is something I learned from my time in the business world. Middletown city government is now a $200 million-dollar plus enterprise spanning every phase of life and service, and our citizens deserve a CEO that thinks, acts, communicates, leads and even gets their performance scored like it,” said Thazhampallath.

“I’m not afraid of being reviewed and being held to my pledges because I’m very confident that I am the most qualified person for the job and more importantly I have a passion and internal sense for the ideals we need to pursue to build good government and a strong binding diverse community. The ideals are equity, equality, openness and fairness, but to get there, we need a plan and a leader with the execution skills to take real action steps,” he said.

Thazhampallath, who has a law degree from the University of Connecticut, though he never practiced, has established himself as a leader in public administration in Connecticut. He has 12 years of municipal leadership experience, in two different towns, including being the former Chief Administrative Officer of the Town of Stratford, and a mayoral aide and now a department director in Middletown.

“I’ve managed people, done evaluations, held labor hearings, hired and fired people, led union contract negotiations and emergency operation centers during natural disasters and thought through municipal budgets. All these professional moments together, with my immigrant family story, make me ready for this. I’m ready. I’m confident. I know I’m going to get this done for Middletown,” he said.

Thazhampallath added, “these 15 scorecard points aren’t just nice slogans on the page, they are the real things that I plan to focus on and get done. I will be working hard for the citizens of our City but I felt they deserved a measuring stick to know if I’m doing what I said I’d do and to measure if they made a good hire on primary day September 10 and election day November 5.”


Thazhampallath’s plan includes economic efforts for the City and structural changes to City Hall that he would accomplish as Mayor. He is proposing the creation of a diverse economic team of City leaders to market Middletown with him. “I’ve always believed Middletown has great potential. Now, it’s time go from potential to kinetic energy. A team of experienced citizens working together to make the pitch for Middletown is better than one Mayor taking a top down approach. I don’t care who gets the credit, I just want to see Middletown succeed.”

Thazhampallath shared his concerns for downtown as four prominent locations are either now, or soon, will be empty, along Main Street, including the First & Last, Citizens Bank, Subway and the Rite Aid locations. “We have a lot of great places to be proud of in downtown but we need to guard against complacency and the plateau effect,” Thazhampallath said.

He ranked recruiting a grocery market to the downtown area and the right added retail options to the City as pressing priorities. “The feedback from our citizens can’t be clearer. They want retail options so they don’t have to leave town to buy the things of life. Getting a market downtown is key because we want to be a walkable City. People want to walk to their gym, their market, and their restaurants. That’s great urban living.”

“Trying to add, by that I mean trying to assertively recruit, a Panera, a Trader Joe’s, a Home Goods, and other modern outlets with the right architecture, in the right retail corridors, is important to the mindset and feel of our City,” he said.

Other aspects of Thazhampallath’s employment scorecard include pledging to pursue environmental and fiscal sustainability. He pledged to incentivize local environmentally conscious ideas with small City grants and to fund a “Kids 1st” campaign focused on public education, eliminating childhood hunger and providing a support services safety net for children in Middletown. “I intend to change the mindset with which we approach City budgeting. We are going to rethink how and on what we spend money. Serving and caring for human needs will be at the core. We are going to be there for our kids, for our seniors and for all of our citizens.”

“By changing our budget mindset, from an inward City Hall focus to outward people focus, not only can we fund what we need too, but I we can actually save taxpayers some City-side dollars.” Thazhampallath is proposing manageable efficiency gains of $250,000 each year over four years and to push Wesleyan to offset some taxpayer funded services provided to the university much like Yale University provides to the City of New Haven.

“We lose some tax dollars when Wesleyan takes over a taxable property like it just recently did with the historic Post Office building on Main Street. The $25,000 dollars lost in tax revenue is $100,000 over four years and that’s a teacher, a firefighter or police officer. They are a great institution but Wesleyan needs to understand the real impact on the City and help us help them.”

Structurally, Thazhampallath’s pledged to make changes to the way City Hall operates. “I’m there and I understand the levers and the ideals of government from a unique vantage point. I can see that we are stuck in an old pattern of doing things. We need to serve people better by implementing modern digital and mobile tools to make public feedback easier to give and solutions easier to provide.”

“Four years from now, I want our citizens to be able to pull out this scorecard put down check marks next to each one and but most of all I want them to be feel and be valued throughout my time. At its core, local government needs to value its people, and always put people over policy. “Over four years we won’t agree on every decision, and that’s ok, but they need to know that every voice matters, and is valued,” he said.

Call for Musicians for the Oddfellows Circus Band!

2018 Circus band. Photo by Bill De Kine.

Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater seeks volunteer musicians to join the band for the 31st annual Children’s Circus of Middletown. 

The Band is an integral part of the show, a spectacular outdoor circus performance for over 1,000 spectators! We seek musicians on woodwind, brass and other instruments, with a good attitude, sense of humor, and desire to play together in a creative way. The Circus band is a combination of adult and student musicians. The Band Director is Joseph Getter, a local musician, teacher and parent with over 20 years of experience as a member of this group. 

Rehearsals will be held at Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington Street in Middletown, beginning on June 26 from 7 to 9 pm, continuing with two or three practices per week. There is a mandatory all-day Dress Rehearsal on Thursday, August 1 from 9am to 3pm. The Circus performance will be on Friday, August 2 at 5 pm, with a band call at 4pm. The rain date is Saturday, August 3. 

For more information or to sign up, please contact Joseph Getter at the Playhouse by calling (860) 347-6143, or by email to <info@oddfellows.org>. 

Thank you, and see you at the circus!

Meet Your Greens with Anne S. Bingham

 Eating Greener - For Your Health and the Environment

Thursday, July 18, 5:30-7:30pm

ION Restaurant, 606 Main Street, Middletown

The Rockfall Foundation’s July Meet Your Greens networking meet-up will be on Thursday, July 18th at ION Restaurant. Join us for drinks, food, and conversation 5:30 to 7:30 pm. 

Guest speaker Anne S. Bingham, MD will talk about eating greener. Did you know that up to 78% of total agricultural greenhouse-gas emissions come from the production of animal products? Come learn how to eat greener with confidence for the sake of your health and that of our environment. Considering the average human consumes approximately 2000 lbs. of food a year, our choices make a ton of impact! Learn about the benefits of plant-based diets from Dr. Bingham, a member of the Middlesex medical community since 1995, while enjoying 100% vegan food and drink from ION Restaurant.

Meet Your Greens: Middletown Green Drinks is a monthly event providing networking opportunities for anyone who is interested in making connections and exchanging news about emerging environmental issues to help keep Lower Connecticut River Valley communities green. An official location of Green Drinks International, this informal monthly gathering of people drawn from the community, nonprofit groups and the business world offers time to brainstorm ideas and plant seeds for collaboration. All are welcome and there is no admission fee, unless otherwise noted. For more information, please visit The Rockfall Foundation’s website.

Bartolotta Receives Endorsement of Building Trades Council Union

Bartolotta speaking at a
Westfield Residents Association
Candidates Forum in 2015

From the campaign of Mary Bartolotta, a Democrat running for mayor.
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Last week, members of the Building Trades Council, which represents 14 trades, voted to endorse Democrat Mary Bartolotta’s campaign for mayor.

“Coming from a union family, and belonging to a union myself for nine years, I’ve seen firsthand the important role organizations like the Building Trades Council play in fighting for everyday, working people,” Bartolotta stated on Thursday. “The reality is that without strong unions, more of our workers would be facing unsafe conditions, lower wages, and more expensive healthcare. We should be working towards a future where all workers are provided fair compensation and support. It is an honor to receive this endorsement.”

President of the Building Trades Council Joe Toner lauded Bartolotta’s campaign. “We believe that Mary has the experience and vision to be an exceptional mayor,” Toner stated. “Mary’s plans include supporting more vo-tech training and other worker-friendly initiatives that will make Middletown a stronger city overall. Our decision to endorse Mary comes with a strong belief that she can lead Middletown to a better future for all residents.”

Mary Bartolotta currently serves as Deputy Majority Leader on the Common Council and Commissioner of the South Fire District. She announced her candidacy for mayor in March.

The Buttonwood Tree's Music Festival at Lyman Orchards

Lyman Orchards' Food Trucks on the Farm Event features live music presented by The Buttonwood Tree 

 

Saturday, June 22nd from 11:45 am - 5 pm

 

Sponsored by the  Middletown Rug & Carpet Cleaning Company

 

Lyman Orchards presents their Food Truck on the Farm event – with our musicians to entertain everyone! Family-friendly FREE event!  All kinds of family fun, with a whole lot full of food trucks. Music throughout the day under the big tent at 32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield, CT. 

Featuring: 

Terri and Rob Duo - (folk/singer/songwriters): Terri and Rob Duo perform a mix of covers and originals and they encourage you to see them live and enjoy their musical talents. Rob DeSorbo showcases an eclectic mix of styles and was a member of the Blue Mountain Band (BMB), which formed in 1971 with a rock and blues focus that ultimately evolved into a jazz fusion focus. Terri Lachance has been playing and writing songs since her early teen years. Her songs are rooted in her life experiences and her deeply held beliefs. Every tune emanates from her heart and soul.  (A special thanks to Terri and Rob for running our second stage all day!)

After The Fall - (progressive rock): This latest release from veteran US-based prog rockers After The Fall is classic lyrical & instrumental Prog Rock on steroids! Tracks range from acoustic and lyrical, to hard driving fusion instrumentals, to full-blown Progressive Epics.

Troy Millette - (Touring pop/ folk singer/songwriter): Heart, humor, and humility are the keys to success for singer/songwriter Troy Millette, a Fairfax, Vermont native who has quickly earned himself a reputation as one of New England’s most promising up-and-comers. Millette’s shows are guaranteed to entertain music-lovers of all kinds through their striking original songs, imaginative covers, and witty onstage banter.

Mattabesset String Collective - (bluegrass band): Mattabesset String Collective is a five-piece acoustic ensemble playing an eclectic mix of bluegrass, blues, folk, mountain, country and rock, all in a string band style. Its present lineup includes Barry Chernoff (guitar), Marc Eisner (mandolin), Rebecca McCallum (fiddle), Gil Skillman (banjo, cuatro, and dobro) and Kevin Wiliarty (bass).

Steve Dedman - (Americana singer/songwriter, founder of Plywood Cowboy): Keyboardist and guitarist, Steve Dedman writes heart-born songs that interweave the rich heritage of country roots with singer-songwriter traditions. Dedman’s songs are featured on Plywood Cowboy’s 2016 debut album, Channel 33. Accolades for the music describe it as a “seriously hooky debut EP” (The Day) and “steeped in tradition, with lyrics full of longing, truth and heart” (Sound Waves Magazine). He was nominated for a Grammy in 2018.

Frankie and The Know It Alls - (blues/ rock band): Frank Albert has been pleasing crowds with his renditions of rock, jazz and rhythm & blues for over 30 years. He has performed in clubs all over Connecticut with his band, Frankie and The Know It Alls. He is known for his hard-driving guitar style and his flair for performing.

We would like to thank Middletown Rug & Carpet Cleaning for sponsoring this event!  

Also to our friends at the following companies for donating items for our Gift basket:

Falcon Ridge Folk Festival

Fat Orange Cat Brew Co.

Stubborn Beauty Brewery Company

It's Only Natural Market

Spoke & Spy Cidery

Heaven Is The Strawberry Shortcake At 3rd Congregational

Lorraine Andrews
and the perfect apron

Photo by David Bauer

For 135 years, the Ladies Aid Society has been serving strawberry shortcake to the city's residents.

It's a major fundraiser for the 3rd Congregational Church in Westfield.

This year the volunteers made 1,700 biscuits, lathered them with 680 quarts of strawberries and 155 quarts of whipping cream.

And provided heaven to folks who come from far and wide to enjoy the best dessert in town.