Eye on the Air August 28

Eye on the Air, Friday 1-2 PM, WESU 881.FM (wesu.org).

Guest: Planning and Zoning Commissioner Catherine Johnson talking about smart growth planning. This show will be truncated due to vacation.

RESCHEDULE OF PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT MEETING

Plan of Conservation & Development Public Input Session #4 originally scheduled for tonight Wed June 17 has been rescheduled for Tuesday June 30, 6:30 at the Hubbard Room, Russell Library. However the P&Z Plan Subcommittee will meet tonight at 6:30 pm in meeting room #3 at Russell Library to discuss the Plan of Development. ALL ARE WELCOME !!

Questions? Catherine Johnson 343-1611

P&Z Public Input

PUBLIC INPUT WANTED
Middletown Plan of Conservation & Development

Until the end of June, the Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission will host a series of public forums to share ideas about Middletown’s future land use and conservation, all at Russell Library.

The THIRD of 4 public input sessions will be held:

Thursday
May 21, 6:30-8 pm
Hubbard Room, Russell Library.

The special focus of the May 21 session will be on making Middletown a more transit-friendly, bike-friendly town.

After a brief presentation about Where people are most mobile: stories from other (snowy) countries and existing transit and current proposals for future projects, discussion will take
place about:

• Would we benefit as a city by offering more transportation choice?
• How can we connect more people to the bus and bike in Middletown?
• Where do we need to make better pedestrian connections first?

Following this discussion, there will be an “Open Mike” session for any comments about any other aspects relating to the Plan of Conservation & Development.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

The last Public Input Sessions will be held June 17, 2009 at 6:30 to 8 pm also at the Russell Library.

Questions? Contact P&Z Commissioner Catherine Johnson at telephone 343-1611.

Plan of Conservation and Development Input Session 2

Until mid-June, the Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission is hosting a series of public forums to share ideas about Middletown’s future land use and conservation, all at Russell Library.

The SECOND of 4 public input sessions will be held this Thursday:

April 16, 6:30-8 pm
in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library.











The special focus of the April 16 session will be on land conservation (open space) and local farming. After a brief presentation of the draft plan for conservation and a sampling of ways land can be conserved, the floor will open up to the public for comments.

Discussion will take place about:

What do we want to protect in Middletown?
What role can land conservation play in the city’s economic development?
Do we want to increase local agriculture? How can we support this?

Following this discussion, there will be an “Open Mike” Session for any comments about any other aspects relating to the Plan of Conservation & Development.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

The next two Public Input Sessions will be held May 21, June 17, 2009 at 6:30 to 8 pm also at the Russell Library.

Notes from each session will be posted electronically at the following:
Middletownplanning.com and also on the Middletown Eye


Interested residents or questions? Contact P&Z Comm’r Catherine Johnson 343-1611.

Public Input Session #1 -- Draft Plan of Conservation & Development

The first public session to solicit input from city residents on the Plan of Conservation and Development was held this evening from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library. I didn't actually do a head count, but I'd say between 30 and 40 people were in attendance. The meeting began with a presentation by Catherine Johnson, P&Z Commissioner (seamlessly assisted by Dave on the powerpoint), on the contrast between "historic" or traditional neighborhood design as opposed to post-1950s suburban "sprawl". Johnson noted that the state wants to see municipal planning policies that offer a sustainable model, and the phrase that is being used at the state level is "responsible growth". (This thinking reflects the work of a Governor-appointed task force, whose February 2008 report may be read here. Appendix B, "Responsible Growth", on pp. 10-12, gives the basic statement of goals, which seem similar in many respects to what is often referred to as "smart growth".)

The main aim of the meeting was to hear ideas from city residents about how Middletown should plan for future development. For the most part, discussion focused on particular areas of concern for distinct neighborhoods. Westfield and Westlake were well represented. Of particular concern to Westlake folks is the fate of the open space or "park" there -- one is unsure what to call the land, and no one seemed to know who currently owns it. All were agreed, however, that it is a nice area and that it should be better maintained. According to one speaker, named Bill (sorry, I didn't catch the last name), the Westlake area contains about 15% of the population of Middletown, yet it is neglected by the city. (The population of Westlake relative to the rest of the city can be seen on the density map in this earlier story; Westlake is represented by the large circles to the north.) Many Westlake residents wish to see the city take charge of the open space and maintain it, especially the paths that run through it.

What was particularly impressive, at least to this writer, was the high rates of owner-occupancy in the Westlake area. Upwards of 85 to 90% in some of the condominium associations, according to those present. (Please forgive me if I'm getting the terminology or numbers wrong.) The associations represented included, if memory serves, Beacon Hill and Trolley Crossing. In any case, the residents in attendance wished to correct the impression that Westlake is full of "transients" who don't care about or have a stake in Middletown. The people in the room were evidence that some "Westlakers" (my term, not theirs [at least, I didn't hear it used]) have lived in Middletown for over 40 years. And many feel a loyalty to and love for Middletown, so much so that they regret the convenience of shopping in Cromwell and wish that there were better shopping opportunities nearby. (My comment here was that perhaps one of the auto dealerships could be converted to a grocery store.) Another speaker, John Wilson, noted that Westlake boasts a diverse population, whether in terms of ethnicity, age, or income. And the bike and walking path is heavily used by all. In pleasant weather you would not be surprised to see anywhere from 200 to 400 people out for a stroll. Often one will see three generations of a family walking together -- yes, there are children in Westlake too.

Two or three people (including me) spoke of the need for better transit connections, both in town and between towns. There was some concern that there are too few arterial roads in Middletown and that we need to connect some of the suburban side roads that terminate in cul de sacs. Others were more concerned with the need for better bus and rail service, and the old trolley routes were mentioned with great longing. Johnson brought out the old trolley map for Connecticut. Another point raised was the need for better pedestrian connections, both in the downtown but also within and between other mini-centers such as South Farms, Washington Square, etc. One person spoke of having to drive to the Super Foodmart on Washington Street even though it was only about 800 yards away from her home, simply because the sidewalks are so unappealing. (I know I wouldn't care to walk on the edge of Route 66 myself.) The need for bike lanes and more bike paths was also expressed. Though it wasn't mentioned, perhaps one way of encouraging more bicycling would be to lower speed limits in town, especially in the downtown neighborhoods.

Another challenge that faces Middletown, noted by me, is how to regain access to the river. Given that the CT DOT has de-prioritized the redesign of Route 9 at both the southern (Acheson Drive) and northern (Arrigoni Bridge) interchanges (reported recently in the Design Review and Preservation Blog, where you can also view the plans), this may be an opportune moment to begin thinking anew about reclaiming the valuable waterfront. It is, after all, the reason Middletown exists. (It is a great pity that we weren't able to convince the CT DOT of the merits of the "tunneling" option. That would have been the shovel-ready project to end all shovel-ready projects.)

One speaker, whose name I did not catch, wondered about the possibility of making the Main Street less expansive -- if not narrowing it, simply making it more user-friendly. This prompted John Wilson to remark that Heidelberg, Germany, has many similarities to Middletown (including being a historic river city), and that the town fathers there decided to pedestrianize the entire Main Street from church to church.

The poor state of our trees was also noted, by none other than the son of Kerste deBoer (sorry, I didn't catch his first name). Kerste deBoer worked hard years ago to protect the lovely row of specimen trees on Long Lane (at one point, the city or state wanted to widen the street, which would have severely damaged the roots). This is why the area is now known as the Wadsworth/deBoer Arboretum (Wadsworth, because it was originally planted by the Colonel). One person observed that "Middletown used to be called the 'Forest City'", prompting Bruce Spaman (Middletown's former Urban Forester) to pipe up and acknowledge that it is still known as the 'Forest City', though the plight of our trees is admittedly pitiful. Ellen Lukens suggested the wonderfully commonsensical expedient of simply having a policy that states that whenever a tree is taken down by the city, another must be purchased to replace it.

Also worth noting is the fact that P&Z Commissioner Deborah Klekowski was in attendance. She spoke about some of her concerns as well, including how we are not doing enough municipal planning for an aging population. This means better sidewalks, access to medical care, etc. We need to do more to ensure that we can "age in place".

It was a productive meeting, particularly because there were so many new faces -- not "the usual suspects" that show up at Common Council and P&Z meetings. The NEXT meeting will be on 16 April, same time (6:30), same place (Hubbard Room, Russell Library). The special focus will be conservation and open space.

Creating a New Plan for Middletown

Dear Fellow Middletown Residents,

On behalf of the Planning and Zoning Commission, I would like to invite you to participate in creating the city’s Plan for Conservation and Development. We need people from all over the city to share their ideas about what we can do differently in Middletown, and how to make it a better place to live.

As you may or may not know, the state requires cities to update their Plans every 10 years. This plan (sometimes considered the zoning plan) will guide growth for the next 10 years and many years beyond. In December, I volunteered to direct the effort as a P&Z Commissioner. I think this is the most important project we can be involved with as citizens. I especially want to make it an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience for everyone who participates.

The first question many of you probably are asking is, “What is this Plan?”  Let me summarize it in plain English. The state says we can plan for ourselves in any manner we see fit: we decide where we want different things to happen in the city, what are our priorities, and what precautions we will take to protect our resources.  WE create our own reality. The Middletown we see today is a result of decisions made in the 1960’s and a reflection of the conventional planning ideas of that time.

So the job ahead of us is to decide what we want. No one else can decide what we want our city to look like, where best to concentrate new development, and what to conserve, except us. What’s our vision? Without a common belief about what we want our city to become, how do we make decisions, especially how best to use public money? We need a shared conviction, so we realize goals even through different political administrations and economic cycles.

Once we decide what we want, we’ll describe ideas in detail. Details help us to have increased faith. The clearer a picture can be seen in our minds, the more quickly it can be brought into our physical world. The best way to determine which details work best is by testing different ideas on paper, at different scales. In the 2009 phase, we will simply identify areas where we want to concentrate new development and areas we would like to see protected. In the years ahead, more detailed plans will be created for every neighborhood. These master plans, created with neighborhood residents working with urban designers and planners, will show the best locations for new streets, transit links, areas for new development, parks and other civic uses. For each master plan, a new form-based (zoning) code will be written just for that neighborhood to ensure new development follows the neighborhood’s vision.

So we’re looking for a few good men and women, mostly people who like to put in their 2 cents. You do not need to know anything about planning. You don’t need to know planning terms. You just need to say you’ll come to 4 very conveniently scheduled meetings, you’ll listen to ideas and think about them, and then share your thoughts about what might work. What makes you ideal for this job is that you LIVE here, shop here, maybe even work here. All input sessions are at 6:30 p.m. in the Hubbard Room of Russell Library.

Here are the dates:

• March 18, Wednesday 
  
• April 16, Thursday
  
• May 21, Thursday
  
• June 17, Wednesday
  

Looking forward to meeting all of you,

Catherine Johnson

Middletown's Vitals

Comment/Analysis

Last month's discussion of how we should vote (at large versus districts) prompted thoughts - in my twisted mind anyway - about population distribution in Middletown. Most of our council-folk hail from the newer outlying ('suburban' and 'rural', to use the PCD terms) neighborhoods in town - at least, based on the addresses listed on the 'common council' page on the city website (I'm not sure how accurate or up-to-date this page is and would be happy to hear comments on this or, of course, any other aspect of this post). Two or at most three live within or fairly close to the older 'urban' core of the city, depending on how you define 'urban'. The question of how our councilmember distribution stacks up against the distribution of people in Middletown led me to ask Bill Warner, Director of the city's Planning, Conservation, and Development Department (PCD), whether his office had any maps of town that show current population density and distribution. It turns out that this can be visually represented with the GIS software, and Bill provided an interesting map which I have reproduced above (with permission). I still haven't figured out what it all means, especially in the context of voting and council representation, but it sure is pretty. I've had a long-standing interest in Middletown's historical demography, so this map is serious eye-candy for me (thanks Bill, and thanks for answering all my questions about the map).

The 'urban', 'suburban', and 'rural' areas of the city, as defined in the current draft Plan of Conserv-ation and Develop-ment, may be seen in this map (Map A from the 'Plan'). (You may need to click on the map itself to get the text to appear legibly.) Note that the text in the map refers to 'planning tools to promote sustainable development'. Such planning tools include bike paths, the purchase and preservation of open space in rural areas, the increase (within reasonable limits) of population density in the downtown, enhanced pedestrianization, alternative transportation, etc. Bill Warner noted in a follow-up email that the city has been successful in preserving open space, developing the downtown commercial potential, and in allowing increased density where infrastructure (sewer lines, roads, electricity, etc.) exists.

On how to read the density map, Bill Warner pointed out that it is only as good as the data, and the data come from the 2000 census. According to the draft 'Plan of Conservation and Development' (see both chapter 2 on 'Population', esp. section 2.3, and chapter 8 on the 'Addressing the Urban Dilemma'), the 2000 census indicated a precipitous decline in population in the core census tracks of the city between 1990 and 2000. How accurate is this decline? I recall from conversations a few years ago that there had been questions raised about the accuracy of the 2000 census count in the downtown, particularly in the area between Wesleyan University and Main Street. Doubts revolved around the timing of the count and whether students were away during the census operations or were not included in the count for definitional reasons. In any case, according to the discussion in chapter 2 of the draft 'Plan', while the overall population of Middletown increased by 6.5% between 1990 and 2000, the downtown or 'urban' census tracts 5411, 5415 and 5416 have lost, on average, 35% of their populations. The biggest decline was in 5416, which lost about half of its population (from about 2700 to 1300 people). Meanwhile Westfield (census tract 5414) saw the greatest increase, at 15% (from about 6700 to 7700). (Note that these population number estimates by me are based on an 'eyeballing' of the bar charts in the draft 'Plan'; the exact percentages are from the 'Plan' itself).

For those policy wonks among you, the census tracts 5411, 5415, and 5416 refer to:

5411 - most of the 'North End' and the Miller-Bridge area
5415 - Wesleyan University, a little of the 'Village District' and the 'North End', and the area down to Bretton Road
5416 - the downtown, a little of the 'North End', and the eastern portion of the 'Village District'.

Census tract 5417, which is also included in the 'urban' area on the map above and pockets of which are also identified in the 'Addressing the Urban Dilemma' chapter as posing key challenges, is bounded by William Street and the river to the north, Eastern Drive on the east, and Mill Street on the south - essentially the old 'South Farms' village. (This is the census tract that I live in, though I'm on the boundary of 5415 too.)

Having a tough time keeping all this straight? Me too. These images may help:


Census Tract 5411











Census Tract 5415












Census Tract 5416












Census Tract 5417












Is your house or apartment not in one of these tracts? Not to worry. The federal government is here to help. You can map your census tract courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.

As readers will have noted, the 'Plan of Conservation and Development' is currently being re-drafted. If anyone is interested - and frankly, everyone should be, since the 'Plan' will essentially inform spending decisions in a variety of city departments over the coming decade(s) - there are plenty of opportunities to learn more and express your thoughts. The entire draft is up on the PCD webpage. And the portions of the 'Plan' will be presented and discussed at several upcoming meetings, including two this week:

Design Review and Preservation Board-
Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 5:30 PM, B-20
&
Planning and Zoning Commission-
Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 7:00 PM, Room 208 [correction, 3/08/09: the 'Plan' is on the agenda and the P&Z commission welcomes public comment, but the full agenda suggests it will not be 'presented' as such. If any P&Z commissioner could clarify this in the comments section, that would be great.]

The agenda for each meeting is listed on the PCD webpage and on the right column of the Middletown Eye, under 'This Week: Meetings and Events'. The Design Review and Preservation Board meeting looks to be particularly interesting. You can view the extra-detailed agenda at the DRPB blog (kudos to Michiel Wackers).

In addition, P&Z Commissioner Catherine Johnson has organized a series of 'input sessions' at Russell Library over the coming months. They are scheduled for 6:30 pm in the Hubbard Room, Russell Library:

March 18 Wednesday [correction 3/08/09: was rescheduled for the 19th, but changed back to the 18th]
April 16 Thursday
May 21 Thursday
June 17 Wednesday

So, fellow readers, we have no excuse. Opportunities abound to shape the future of our fair city. We must show up to one or more of these meetings, learn about the challenges facing Middletown, and add our voices to the mix.

What's the prescription for an asphalt addiction?

Comment

By Jennifer Saines

The enthusiasm for “change” that permeated the airwaves of our country for the past year has not, unfortunately, been incorporated into politics at the town level. At Wednesday night’s P&Z meeting, the commissioners (save one), the Walgreen’s developer, and the members of the Shiloh Christian Church clung to the worn-out mentality of convenience at any cost and the sanctity of asphalt. Pedestrian and cyclist safety and amenities and long term health issues seem trivial obstacles to a streamlined automobile-dependent universe. Never mind that an iconic 140 year-old church at a prominent Middletown gateway will be demolished to make way for the architectural under-achievement that is a Walgreens, surrounded by 65 parking spaces.


The soon-to-be demol-ished church







I hope that the number “65” has raised at least a few eyebrows. Even a generous allowance of fifteen spaces for employees leaves a whopping 50 spaces for customers. When was the last time you encountered 49 other people in a pharmacy? Ironically, this is a drive-thru pharmacy, which should theoretically decrease the need for fixed parking spaces. Commissioner Phipps is to be commended for questioning the need for so many parking spaces and so much asphalt. The developer’s response that the number was simply required by Walgreens was unconvincing, since the company had already reduced that “requirement” to approach the city’s recommendation of 50. The developer then quickly volunteered to construct ten of the spaces of pervious material if that would please the commission, although because it would be expensive he could not do more than that. (Has anyone has ever seen the parking lot of the Walgreens on 66 even near capacity? I have since been informed that Walgreens and other big-box type chains want to create a public perception of ample parking.)

The fact that the Walgreens was applying for a “special exception” for a drive-thru seemed secondary to the proceedings. The plans were presented, incorporating the design of the drive-thru, as if the special exception had already been approved. I found this confusing, and wondered why so much work had been done by the developer in advance of P&Z approval. When this question was raised, the developer quickly and definitively stated that drug stores without a drive-thru are simply not built in Connecticut any more, and the developer would withdraw the application if the special exception were denied.

One commissioner seemed especially delighted that a drive-thru in a nearby bank was saving him so much time, and a member of the church assumed that everyone uses the drive-thru at McDonalds, so why not a drive-thru pharmacy? Despite my opposition to a drive-thru, Commissioner Borrelli’s argument that the satellite bank saved him a trip into town certainly did seem to make sense. We are a big city, area wise, and could use small neighborhood centers for basic necessities such as banking and wine, groceries, drugs, and a movie. This is consistent with Commissioner Johnson’s comments before the final vote (which were nearly stifled by a fellow commissioner) that Middletown develop small neighborhood centers to serve small communities within the city.

This area has the potential to be a community center with a distinct identity and a variety of shopping destinations. Unfortunately, the development thus far has been wanting. The existing stores are fronted by a sea of parking and separated from the proposed Walgreens by an ocean of asphalt sometimes five lanes wide. Commercial buildings should abut the sidewalk, face the street, and connect to others by sidewalks. This very traditional yet proven configuration welcomes the shopper, encourages movement, and puts life on the street. The re-siting of the Walgreens in such a way would be a first step in linking the various establishments of that center.


Five lanes for your auto-motive pleasure







As a community we should urge the Planning and Zoning commission to put a cap on parking lot size. We should also push for a reform of street design. The long-standing practice of widening streets and building additional lanes for the sake of “traffic flow” has compromised the general health of the community, discriminated against the pedestrian and the cyclist, and diminished the environmental, cultural and aesthetic appeal of our city. If it is too late to save the church, the achievement of these goals would at least help to offset this loss.

Learning From Athens

I appreciate Judith Brown’s posts about the idea of a district representative-council. Last night, while reading a town planning book on patterns found all over the world, I came across this research of how large a body of people can be represented most fairly. I found it inspiring. It was almost as though it were written expressly for us. I post it here as something to consider as we continue the discussion on how best to represent ourselves here and also think about future development in Middletown.

PATTERN #12: COMMUNITY OF 7000

Individuals have no effective voice in any community of more than 5000-10,000 persons.

People can only have a genuine effect on local government when the units of local government are autonomous … small enough to create the possibility of a link between the man in the street and his local officials and elected representatives.

This is an old idea. It was the model for Athenian democracy in the third and fourth centuries, B.C.; it was Jefferson’s plan for American democracy; it was the tack Confucius took in his book on government, The Great Digest.

For these people, the practice of exercising power over local matters was in itself an experience of intrinsic satisfaction. Sophocles wrote that life would be unbearable were it not for the freedom to initiate action in a small community. And it was considered that this experience was not only good in itself, but was the only way of governing that would not lead to corruption. Jefferson wanted to spread out the power not because “the people” were so bright and clever, but precisely because they were prone to error, and therefore it was dangerous to vest power in the hands of a few who would inevitably make big mistakes. “Break the country into wards” was his campaign slogan, so that mistakes will be manageable and people will get practice and improve.

Today the distance between people and the centers of power that govern them is vast – both psychologically and geographically. Milton Kotler, a Jeffersonian, has described the experience (1967):

The process of city administration is invisible to the citizen who sees little evidence of its human components but feels the sharp pain of taxation. With increasingly poor public service, his desires and needs are more insistently expressed. Yet his expressions of need seem to issue into thin air, for government does not appear attentive to his demands. This disjunction between citizens and government is the major political problem of city government, because it embodies the dynamics of civil disorder.

There are two ways in which the physical environment, as it is now ordered, promotes and sustains the separation between citizens and their government. First, the size of the political community is so large that its members are separated from its leaders simply by their number. Second, government is invisible, physically located out of the realm of most citizens’ daily lives. Unless these two conditions are altered, political alienation is not likely to be overcome.

1. The size of the political community…. Paul Goldman has proposed a rule of thumb that no citizen should be more than two friends away from the highest member of the local unit. Assume everyone knows about 12 people in his local community. Using this notion and Goodman’s rule, we can see that an optimum size for a political community would be 12 x 12 x 12 or about … 5500 persons.

2. The visible location for local government. Even when local branches of government are decentralized in function, they are often still centralized in space, hidden in vast municipal city-county buildings out of the realm of everyday life. These places are intimidating and alienating. What is needed is for every person to feel at home in the place of his local government with his ideas and complaints. A person must feel that it is a forum, that it is his indirectly, that he can call and talk to a person in charge of such and such, and see him personally in a day or two.

For this purpose, forums must be situated in highly visible and accessible places. They could, for instance, be located in the most active marketplace of each community of 5000 to 7000.

Therefore:

Decentralize city governments in a way that gives local control to communities of 5000 to 10,000 persons. As nearly as possible, use natural and geographic and historical boundaries to mark these communities. Give each community the power to initiate, decide, and execute the affairs that concern it closely: land use, housing, maintenance, streets, parks, police, schooling, welfare, neighborhood services.

Excerpted from A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander et al., 1977, pages 71-74.

A long P&Z meeting, part II

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted on a number of issues before them at their Wednesday meeting, dealing with a massage therapy business, a blighted building on North Main, a pipeline, and the Plan of Conservation and Development. Late in the meeting, they entered into a series of discussions regarding the election of a chair.

After having heard neighbor complaints about a massage therapy business on Ridge Road earlier in the meeting, the Commissioners allowed the owner/operator of the business to present her case. The Commissioners unanimously expressed their support for the massage therapy business, and denied the appeal which sought to revoke her residential unit business permit.

The Commissioners heard from Jacqueline Williams representing JDS Holdings, which

hopes to acquire and rehabilitate a tiny lot at 82 N. Main (the lot is 0.05 acres, about 300 square feet). Jon DeSena, president of JDS Holdings, has a successful track record of rehabilitating abandoned and decrepit properties, having previously done so on Newfield Street and on Washington Street. His request was granted.

Algonquin requested permission for the construction of a pipeline within River Road, to bring Natural Gas to the Kleen Energy Site. Algonquin presented a detailed map (right) to the commissioners. The construction and granting of easements was approved unanimously.

Commissioner Catherine Johnson suggested a fresh approach to the Plan of Conservation and Development. She offered to chair a steering committee which would write the final draft of the document. She said that she would invite anybody in the city to join her on this steering committee. Her only requirement is that people should "like to put in their 2 cents," and be willing to come to 4 meetings. Commissioner Ron Borrelli suggested that the steering committee be balanced, and that invitations be extended not only to conservation-minded

folks but also to people who are part of the Chamber of Commerce. Although the other Commissioners were unwilling to commit to the extra meetings involved in the steering committee, Johnson's proposal was approved without dissent. Johnson said that an invitation to "Fellow Middletown Residents" would be forthcoming in The Middletown Eye.

Johnson advocates river rail line in Courant

Middletown's noted city planner, architect and Planning and Zoning Board member appears in the Opinion section of the Hartford Courant today with an idea to revive the river train line between Middletown and Hartford.

It's a perfect idea for the time, but considering the mindset of local, state and federal leaders, it's a bit like spitting into the wind.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has, for year, favored road construction, road improvement and road repair over all forms of mass transit. Even when faced with what can only be called a huge success in the recently-revived Waterbury to Bridgeport line, the legislators are dragging their feet and expressing doubt about improvements.

According to the Hartford Courant:

Given the national economic downturn, some of the big-ticket improvements — adding overhead catenaries for electric service, or laying down a second set of tracks — seem very improbable in the near future, Senate Pro Tem Donald DeFronzo, D- New Britain, said Wednesday. No current figures are available for the Waterbury line, but a recent study estimated that electrifying a slightly shorter Metro-North branch in Danbury could cost up to $117 million, while double-tracking the Danbury route would run $270 million to as much as $1.1 billion.

Given the payback, it's seems a no-brainer that investing in rail would be appropriate, and totally fit the goals of infrastructure investment, progressive transit, and alternative transportation that the Obama administration is advocating.

On a local level, a plan to build a trolley on Main Street is on the table in Middletown, but is not one of the "shovel-ready" projects the town is proposing to get potential funds for infrastructure development in town. Once upon a time, the trolley provided good, cheap and timely trasportation throughout the town. While the town is proposing needed road and sewer upgrades, the trolley is among the most progressive of plans in town. Still, the trolley is not "shovel-ready" with permits and plans and state (DOT) approvals needed to proceed.

But these are extraordinary times. The incoming presidential administration is asking states and cities to propose progressive infrastructure projects that will have future paybacks. One needs to question whether the Middletown proposals have such a payback, or are merely a matter of backfill.

We've seen the town fathers swing into action when a developer with big-money and big-ideas rolls into town with a pie-in-the-sky proposal. It's time to see if these same political and municipal leaders will act with alacrity and grasp the opportunity progressive alternative transportation provides, or whether they'll rely on their tried-and-true tactic of moving slowly, pursuing reliably backward-gazing, hidebound solutions and spending taxpayer dollars on infrastructure projects which aren't an investment in the future.

One of the most telling lines in Johnson's piece is a question:
Could we build this by ourselves? Could we take the gas and car taxes from the region and establish a fund, which included private money, and start building it ourselves?

Perhaps Johnson is onto something. Maybe the time has come to put all our creative thought into how to get around all the obstacles that the state, federal and municipal bureaucracies have placed in front of progressive solutions to difficult problems.

Time to take the trolleys out of the museums and get them back on the streets.

Democratic Sweep

Democrats prevailed in all races in Middletown yesterday, reflecting the mood of the nation. The vote totals for the Middletown portion of each district were more sharply divided than the district as a whole, reflecting the Democratic strength in our city.

U.S. President. Barack Obama won election as the next United States president, winning 70% of the votes in Middletown.

1st U.S. Congressional District. John Larson won reelection by a margin of 68% in his race against Visconti and Fournier. In Middletown, Larson carried 75% of the vote.

3rd U.S. Congressional District. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro won by a margin of 77% in her race against Bo Itshaky and Ralph Ferrucci. DeLauro campaigned several times in Middletown, appearing on election day to campaign in the 4th and 5th District. She got 79% of the votes in Middletown.

9th State Senator District. Senator Paul Doyle headed off a strong challenge from Ralph Capenera. Doyle won 67% of the votes in Middletown, more than the 58% he won in the district as a whole. Voters were apparently not persuaded by Capenera's vow to push for a state cap on local property taxes or his attacks on Doyle's character.

13th State Senator District. Senator Thomas Gaffey trounced challenger Tim Lenox. Gaffey won 76% of the votes in Middletown, more than the 68% overall support he garnered.

32nd State Legislative District. Representative Jim O'Rourke won 75% of the votes in Middletown, and 67% overall in his district, defeating challenger Adamsons.

33rd State Legislative District. Representative Joe Serra won a 9th term in office on Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Catherine Johnson, 67% to 33%. Serra won all of the districts. Johnson came closest to victory in the Westfield area, winning 45% of the vote in District 5. Serra's margin of victory was virtually identical to his margin in 2006, when he defeated Republican Ryan Kennedy, and his margin in 2004, when he defeated Republican David Bauer.

34th State Legislative District. Congresswoman Gail Hamm won re-election, defeating David Bauer with 59% of the vote in the district, and 68% in Middletown.

100th State Legislative District. In a surprise upset, Democratic challenger Matt Lesser unseated Congressman Ray Kalinowski, winning 51% of the votes in the district. His victory was made possible only by virtue of an overwhelming 67% mandate in the Middletown districts, which compensated for losing margins in Middlefield and Durham.

The statewide referendum question on a constitutional convention was soundly defeated in Middletown as well as the rest of the state.

The local bond referendum to support water and sewer improvements was passed.

Moody School brings out the candidates!

Several candidates chose to spend the critical home from work hours campaigning for votes at Moody School in Westfield. Rosa DeLauro, Paul Doyle, Matt Lesser, and Catherine Johnson were all there between 5:00 and 6:00 PM, each with several of their supporters.  The crowd of politicians and campaigners, with all their signs, greeted every voter arriving from the parking lot.  All of the candidates exuded cheer and caring, and many voters stopped to speak with them.

Inside the gym, Districts 4 and 5 are on a pace to shatter records for turnout.  At 5:45PM, 80% of the eligible voters had cast a ballot in District 4 (1233/1550) and 74% in District 5 (1054/1426).  Neither number includes absentee ballots.   Amazing.

A candidate's letter to the editor

October 30, 2008

Dear Editor:

I want to thank everyone who supported my run for state representative. I had a great time meeting people. I especially enjoyed going door-to-door. I met many intelligent and informed residents who I would encourage to serve on city committees or work on the city Plan of Development. I hope more people participate to make our city even nicer.

Thank you to the 191 Middletown contributors and 47 other who enabled me to qualify for the Citizens’ election funding program. Lots of people contributed money who’ve never made a
contribution to anything political before, including relatives.

Thank you to everyone who fed and watered me these past few weeks, to those who made phone calls, created the Website, agreed to be photographed, and gave me the memorable campaign
headquarters. Lots of kids got involved which I believe bodes well for the future.

Thank you to my treasurer, Beth Emery who filed the mountain of hideous paperwork. She is the most dedicated, patient person alive. She alone made it possible for me to run.

Thank you to my mom, Adele, who walked with me for miles, addressed envelopes, and bothered all her friends for contributions. I realized along the way it was she who should have been the candidate years ago. I am a lucky daughter.

Last, a special thanks to my unwavering aide, Bethany Burns, who will be looking for new job after Tuesday. I recommend her highly. She is brilliant and will make your life easier if
you hire her.

Appreciatively,

Catherine Johnson
Candidate for State Representative (District 33), Middletown

Catherine Johnson - Response to Eye Election Questionnaire

Candidate: Catherine Johnson, challenger state representative 33th district.
Opponent: Joe Serra, incumbent Democratic state representative, 33th district.

The economy is the most important, and most frightening issue facing the voting populace. What will you do to help individuals, and municipalities deal with the realities of a failing economy?

Building a commuter rail line along the CT River could be the economic
generator we need. A train from Middletown to Hartford could give our cities greater access and appeal. A train could access underutilized urban land along these lines, which would be ideal locations for new industry and housing. New development not only would grow the tax base in each of these cities, it would attract more people to central CT, where many towns actually suffer from population deficits.


Elected officials are famous for talking about the value of a good education? How would you address issues in education like equity across municipal lines, student achievement, teacher compensation, student opportunity. What practical and realistic steps would you take?

I support state funding to make pre-K programs universal, which research has demonstrated are effective at giving kids a solid head start on education. I favor K-12 state education
standards and testing requirements. Increasing teacher salaries (via a step-pay system) is one positive step in attaining these standards. I believe establishing and then funding state standards is more effective than federal standards and testing requirements (per No Child...).

I favor state funded incentives for financial aid to make college more affordable for everyone, and favor permitting illegal immigrants who graduated from CT high schools to pay in-state
tuition.

Giving students choices must include the full range of academic and non-academic opportunities. This would include exposure to music and art, two programs often to be the first cut in curricula.

This state has spent billions building highways, but precious little developing a mass transit infrastructure. How will you redirect state goals away from more and bigger roads and towards energy-efficient mass transit?

Here are the suggestions that I submitted to the legislative Smart Growth Economic Dev’t committee for inclusion in the 2009 session for what we can do right away:

• Remove subsidies to companies for travel by car: gasoline, parking, insurance. Substitute a Transit subsidy instead: pre-tax transit passes. Provide incentives for all state and municipal employees to commute ($2,000 tax credit)

• Fund and create immediately a CT Transit Website that shows all bus routes, rail, etc in the whole state plus NY and MA connections. Website would be overseen by a top-notch communication firm and be graphically based (not word-based). Information telephone 20/7 with human beings answering the calls.

• Sponsor classes educating the general public about transit-oriented development and anti-sprawl development (traditional neighborhoods).

• Hold a state-wide transit & design study with best US experts to identify best transit corridors. DOT can't do this (too entrenched). Must have community planning approach involving public planning workshops.

• Install streetcars into the 10 major cities within 5 years. Pay for installation with tax-increment financing (TIFF).

Currently Middletown does not receive it's full promised PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) allotment. What will you do to remedy that?

26% of the land in the city cannot be taxed, and falls under this program. The burden of paying for services with all the vicissitudes of the economy and market is being borne by residential
taxpayers. Perhaps the answer is a regional sales tax sharing to offset this burden, or setting up a credit bank where every town pays into (or extracts from) as needed.

Our governments spend millions in a futile war on drugs which consumes the time and attention of police, courts, counselors, correctional institutions. What is your opinion on the decriminalization of marijuana?

I believe we should legalize it. Two members of my family in their 80’s support this idea, much to my amazement, for use as a pain reliever. Among the benefits for changing things, I think it would reduce a certain segment on the prison population and we can spend our money on better things.

All government, but particularly state government is confusing and out-of-reach for most citizens. What can you do toward promoting open government and assuring the voting populace that they can know about legislation, and have a say in the laws that are passed? What will you do towards promoting an atmosphere of open government?

In this electronic age, there is little excuse to not be transparent and share information. I will host a weekly journal, have informational cable spots, hold round table and town hall discussions, and conduct on-line surveys (Survey Monkey.com) to cull opinions about issues before us.

The state currently spends millions in an attempt to get film business to work in Connecticut. How will you create a program to encourage new, green permanent manufacturers to locate in Connecticut?

You can’t create jobs, but you can create the environment that fosters an ideal setting for them. Building upon the idea that transit can play a primary role, I would favor a competition for
the first building sites along the new transit lines, so the Dept of Economic Dev’t can pick the cream of the crop. Read more in this week’s Place: “Connecting Central CT by Rail.”

What is your position on preserving a clean and viable environment in Connecticut? How will you help preserve open space and farmland? What will you do revive the Connecticut River?

River? How can we prevent further suburban sprawl? Build compact, walk-able, mixed-use neighborhoods with well-defined neighborhood centers. Offer within each a wide range of housing types and sizes in order to promote diversity and keep the neighborhood vital.
Create an interconnected network of streets. Offer a range of park and other natural land for recreation and the enjoyment of the human habitat.
Offer transportation options like rail, bus, bikepaths, sidewalks.
Set aside land with prime soil for agricultural use.
Explore options for growing industry. Every city has unique traits no other has: let’s exploit them through job creation.
River clean-up: we need to change how we treat our trash, and start a pick-litter-up-when-you-see it-approach.
River education for the public and industry alike.

Middletown has experienced a renaissance in the past 10 years. What will you do to help promote and extend that renaissance?

First: let’s discover what is physically possible. I would first develop a (graphic) Master Plan illustrating the development potential for the many empty spaces downtown. I would hold a competition for the 5 top sites and advertise the winning entries. I would invite the most
talented classicist architects to design one typical building and offer the designs for free to builders (lots 50’ wide or less). I would create incentives for the renovation of upper stories over
the stores for housing and offices. I would buy sexier buses and promote bus travel.

Second: what can downtown be like as a place of activity? How can we make it a more livable neighborhood?
I think we need to demonstrate that our social capital is as valued as monetary capital.
We have a lot of talent in this city, but no nexus. Small-scale groups are looking into ways to connect better, but I would like to see this taking place at a more significant scale. We need to
encourage innovation and collaboration so Middletown truly blossoms, as many of us know it could.

Does a two party political system still work?

In order to offer wider options for voters, we need a THIRD party. I salute the several parties attempting to establish themselves in Connecticut. I am among those who seek something other than Republican or Democrat. Democracy is thwarted because each of the two established parties works hard to keep the status quo for themselves instead of creating ways to find the best candidate.

Candidates meet at Westfield Forum

The Westfield Residents Association held a Meet the Candidates Forum Monday Night at the Third Congregational Church in Westfield for at least the 10th election season.

US Congressional and State Senate and Representative candidates were invited and all but 3rd Congressional District US Representative Republican candidate Bo Itshaky, attended.

The format, opening statements followed by questions from Westfield residents, made for a lively discussion, in fact much more lively than the candidate forum conducted by the League of Women Voters.

Westfield resident Stephen Devoto hosted.

US Congressional Candidates, Democratic incumbent Rosa DeLauro, and Green candidate Ralph Ferruci opened the session.

Rosa DeLauro began her presentation with a suggestion that served as backdrop for all speakers – a worldwide economic crisis that has come to haunt the neighborhoods of every American town.

DeLauro emphasized her record and accomplishments in health care for children, agricultural bill improvements, FDA regulations, equal pay and breast health care legislation. She sees her responsibility to address the economic crisis by investing in clean alternative energy, health care for all, and strong regulation of financial markets.

In answers to questions from the audience DeLauro indicated that greed and deregulation caused the current financial crisis, and that the people responsible should be prosecuted. She also noted that if the British can prevent rogue financiers from walking away with bonuses, that we ought to be able to do the same in this country.

As regards health insurance, she bridled at the suggestion that Congress people do not pay for their health insurance, and suggested that the country should build on the success of Medicare by making it stronger. She also suggested that the way to improved health care is through preventive medicine, lowering drug prices and improving medical technology.

Finally in response to a question about Barack Obama’s tax plan, DeLauro reaffirmed her alignment with Obama, saying that, “when it comes to providing a tax break, that tax break ought to go to middle class America. Middle class families ought to be able to sustain themselves”

Ralph Ferruci, of the Green Party pinned most of the nation’s woes on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He called for the impeachment and prosecution of George Bush, and made a plea for real universal health care in a single payer system.

While Ferruci displayed an idealogical earnestness, his answers seemed to indicate in their tone, and delivery, that he feels his candidacy is an uphill battle.

Ferruci indicated that the $700 billion tax bailout would amount to $27,000 for every taxpayer in Connecticut, and that the bailout would have been better structured if aid was given to taxpayers, and not to financial institutions. He also pinned the lack of substantial healthcare legislation on the 1000 healthcare lobbyists for every representative in Congress.

He also noted that, in his opinion, the promised Obama tax break promise is impossible to keep in the current economic climate.

In the debate between 9th district State Senate candidates, incumbent Democrat Paul Doyle and Republican challenger Ralph Capenera, the contentious tone of their campaign continued.

Senator Paul Doyle claimed that the campaign had been difficult for him because, as he characterized it, “this is a race of personal destruction.” He made a plea to his challenger to return to the issues.

“It’s not about me, or about you Ralph,” he said. “It’s about the issues. I’m not embarrassed to stand in this church and talk about anything I’ve talked about in this campaign. I wish my opponent could talk in this church, but he’s embarrassed” Doyle asked his opponent to make a pledge to end negative campaigning, but it was a challenge his opponent refused to acknowledge.

In answers to questions, Doyle acknowledged that Middletown bore more than its fair share of large state facilities, but that he would fight any expansion of the Connecticut Juvenile Training Center. He also indicated that he would attempt to shift emphasis in the legislature from industrial incentives away from things like the film industry and toward clean energy incentives, and green industry.

Republican Senate challenger Ralph Capenera, claimed that his campaign was not an attack campaign, but one which was addressing the record of his challenger.

His major legislation is a 3% cap on property tax.

Capenera agreed with a questioner that Middletown was unfairly burdened with more than its share of large mental health, correctional institutions, half-way houses and transitional housing , and that he was not afraid to fight to keep additional institutions from being located in Middletown.

Democratic challenger for the 100th State Representaive District Matt Lesser opened his statements with a plea for change. He emphasize that the tax system needs an overhaul, small business needs incentive, health care costs need to be addressed, and the state needs to focus on renewable energy, education and a new course for government.

Lesser believes the state, and municipalities need to find a happy medium between development and preservation of open space. He said he would have opposed a big box store (Price Chopper) in Durham.

With a ten percent rise in property taxes, Lesser believes that those on a fixed income, particularly seniors and young people hoping to buy homes, are most affected. He noted that if there was a silver lining in the economic crisis, it was the impetus to find new answers and new ideas, including regional cooperation.

Incumbent Republican Representative Ray Kalinowski also acknowledged the economic problems which has put state and local government in dire straits. He believes in controlling spending, creating an environment that’s friendly to business, and boosting cost sharing in his district for education.

Kalinowski feels that strengthened planning and zoning commissions combined with regional planning will help create better balanced development. He believes strongly in regionalism as a means to find savings in many areas including public works, schools and economic development.

Republican challenger for State Representative in the 33rd District Catherine Johnson continued to press her contention that solving transit problems is the key to solving many problems on a state and local level. She sees trains and express buses as economic generators which could revive business, communities and neighborhoods, while shifting priorities from a steady diet of petroleum.

She emphasized her experience in the movement toward Smart Growth for communities in the district and throughout the state. She added that regional planning for many of these issues can help speed changes.

Democratic incumbent for the seat, Joseph Serra, insists that any cuts in government must be done judiciously so as not to hurt vulnerable citizens. His ideas is to cut big ticket items like school building and out-of-control DOT projects.

Serra is vehemently opposed to county government which he noted, was done away with in 1959. But he does see some advantage in regional cooperation in areas like education and water supply and distribution. As an example where he thinks regional planning can work is fire departments.

"We have 330 fire departments in 169 towns," he said. "Each spending money to buy the best equipment."

Middletown mayor Sebastian Giuliano ended the evening with an explanation of three city referendum items. Giuliano said that a water and sewer question would provide needed increased water pressure for the West side of town, to address current pressure shortages, and to address future development. He explained that the bond, a general obligation bond, will be paid through water and sewer revenue.

The other two referendum questions are asking for approval of City Charter revisions, which the mayor characterized as “housekeeping.” The housekeeping includes language which assures that any agreement of financial impact needs Common Council approval, that referendum petitions must be approved as “legal” by the town attorney and, finally, that the mayor will issue a report at the end of every fiscal year.

The mayor was questioned about the effect that the credit crunch will have on the city’s search for bonding for the sewer referendum. Giuliano said that his worry was less about the credit crunch and more about the bond rating as a result of a fund balance weakened by costs from the recently negotiated police contract and the long-pending sale of the Remington-Rand building, which puts a $3million dent in the fund.

Meet 'n Greet

Catherine Johnson, who is running against Joe Serra for State Represent-ative in Middle-town (District 33), held a "meet 'n greet" in front of her "world headquarters" across the street from Russell Library on Saturday. Lots of curious folks showed up, the most charming of whom are pictured here.

Topics ranged from Alexis de Tocqueville, to the steady climb in taxes, to the economy, to transit options (or the lack thereof) in Connecticut, to local businesses in the downtown. And the cookies (from Fusion) were delectable.

Candidate Johnson reports that she will be holding another such event this coming Saturday, 1 November, in the same location, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Anyone who wishes to learn more about her positions on the range of issues and challenges facing Middletown and the state of Connecticut should attend.

If you click on the second picture, you can just make out the map in the background showing the 1920 streetcar routes in Connecticut.

DeLauro and Ferrucci to appear in Middletown

There will be a rare chance in Middletown on Monday evening to see the incumbent Democratic congresswoman Rosa DeLauro with one of her challengers, the Green Party candidate, Ralph Ferrucci. Congresswoman DeLauro represents District 3 (which encompasses most of Middletown) in the United States House of Representatives, and has done so since 1990. Ferrucci ran for this seat as the Green Party candidate in 2004, and for the Senate seat against Ned Lamont and Joe Lieberman in 2006.
They will both be appearing at the Westfield Residents Association annual meeting, which has for many years featured a Meet the Candidates event. The third candidate on the ballot, Bo Itshaky (Republican) was unable to make it.

WRA Meet the Candidates Night
October 27th, 7:30PM
Fellowship Hall, 3rd Congregational Church
94 Miner Street, Middletown.

The WRA annual meeting will begin at 7:00. The meet the candidates portion will begin promptly at 7:30, with the two candidates for the 3rd US congressional district (DeLauro and Ferrucci). When they are finished, it will continue with candidates for the 9th state senatorial district (Doyle and Capenera), the 100th state legislative district (Kalinowski and Lesser), and the 33rd state legislative district (Serra and Johnson).

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano will also appear, to discuss the city-wide referenda on the ballot.

The annual meeting is open to the public.

Planning and Zoning October 22

The Planning and Zoning Commission met Wednesday evening to consider several applications for subdivision or special exceptions to the Zoning Code. There was extensive discussion over two of the properties during the public hearing portion of the meeting. There was also extensive discussion regarding a property on Higby Road that has been found in the past to be in violation of the city's zoning regulations.

29 Magnolia Avenue, near Farm Hill Road. In an application whose public hearing was continued from the October 8th meeting, Chatham Construction represented the lot owner, who has applied to put in a two family dwelling on a lot with less than the minimum 100 feet of street frontage. Several neighbors raised objections to this plan, because they feel that the two-family rental nature of the house would adversely affect their property values, and they are concerned about traffic. Several commissioners were skeptical of the neighbors, pointing out that usually a big fancy house raises the value of surrounding properties. Commissioner Catherine Johnson tried to get Sal, one of the neighbors to clarify whether he was afraid of the unknown, or whether it was renters in general that he was opposed to, Ms. Johnson asked him, "If Michelangelo designed the house, and Mother Theresa lived in one and (Commissioner) Les Adams lived in the other, would that be an eacceptable use?" Sal assured her that even if he knew who the designer and the renters would be, he would still oppose the construction of a two family house on the lot. Commioner Matt Lesser said that with the concerns he heard from the neighbors about their property values, he would not support the special exception. The design for this house included a horse-shoe shaped driveway at the front of the house, and both Johnson and a member of the public (Jennifer Saines) spoke in opposition to this feature of the plan. Ms. Johnson also raised the spectre of a citizen's proposed ordinance which would ban parking between the house and the street. Commissioner Ron Borelli said he felt uncomfortable holding somebody to an ordinance that does not yet exist, and pointed out that the Police Department had approved the traffic implications of this plan. Borelli proposed a friendly amendment that approval be subject to the condition that the semi-circular driveway be eliminated in favor of a traditional driveway. With this amendment, the special exception was approved, 5 - 2 (nay votes were Lesser and Johnson).

32 Coe Avenue. Attorney Ralph Wilson, engineer Pat Gorman, and architect Steve Rocko presented plans for construction of a new building to house the Shiloh Christian Church, and an associated 70 parking spaces, to be placed on 1.6 acres between Coe Ave and Saybrook Road. The development had received approval from the Inland Wetlands Commission, which is required because part of the property contains wetlands. It had also been reviewed and approved by the Greater Middletown Historical Preservation Board, because the new building would move the congregation from their original church built in 1872. This original church, on East Main street near Stop and Shop, is too small, has no parking, and lacks many of the features common in modern churches. The new construction would not only leave the old church with no further reason to exist, the plans call for the incorporation of the belfry, all the stained glass windows, and perhaps the facade of the old church in the new church. Johnson criticized the architect and the engineer for their design, which she claimed "embodies everything about what people consider urban sprawl." She challenged the assumptions underlying the need for 70 parking spaces, but Pastor Paul Hylton (shown in photo with the plans for the new church) assured her that with 130 members this was if anything too small a number. Johnson offered several new designs to the engineer and architect, and expressed her regret that they had not consulted her earlier in the process.

In the end, all of the commissioners supported the church's plans and the subdivision and Site Plan were approved unanimously. 30 parishioners of the church were at the meeting, an ethnically diverse group of all ages, almost entirely from Middletown. When the vote was taken, they burst out in joyful clapping and cheering.

106-110 Court Street, construction of an outside deck and bar. This was tabled.

Plan of Conservation and Development updates to Chapter 6 (Future Residential Growth) and to Chapter 9 (Promoting Commercial/Industrial Growth). Tabled until public hearings on all chapters have been held.

17 North Main Street. Robert Carlson requested zoning approval for a used car lot. He is a new owner of an existing company and needs P&Z approval to continue use of the property to sell used cars. 4-5 cars will be on the lot at a time. Approval was granted.
496 Saybrook Road. Medical spa consulting and development, special exception for business and professional offices. A public hearing was scheduled for the November 12th meeting.
Plan of Conservation and Development update. Public hearings for Chapter 7 and Chapter 10, which deal with Natural Resource Protection and Maromas, were scheduled for the December 10th meeting.

The other topic of discussion, brought up both under the Zoning Enforcement Officer's report and in the discussion with the public, was the use of land on Higby Road which is bisected by the border between Middletown and Middlefield. Trucks from throughout the area are bringing in asphalt, bricks, and construction debris to mix together on site into an aggregate that can be used in road construction. The owner of the property has been served with a cease and desist order to stop infilling. The site is also the target of a Department of Environmental Protection investigation for filling without a permit. Bruce Driska, the Middletown Zoning Enforcement Officer, stated that the owner is complying with the cease and desist order, and is now solely filling on the Middlefield side of the border. A member of the public, Eleanor Kelsey, told the commission of her woes with rodents this year in her garden (only 6 turnips to show for a 60 feet row, and one of those was hollowed out). After discussing all the possible reasons for the rodent infestation in her garden, she pointed her finger squarely at the same property. It appears that the City of Middletown has contracted with the owner of this Higby Road property on the Middlefield/Middletown border to compost all of the city's leaves. The resulting piles of leaves and wood chips are, according to Ms. Kelsey, the root of her rodent problem. She asked that the city do something about it. The commissioners agreed to review the permit which allowed leaf composting to be done on the property, to ensure that the permit was being followed. None of the commissioners had any suggestions for how Ms. Kelsey could get through the winter without her expected number of turnips.

Candidate forum at town hall - Representative debate

The Greater Middletown League of Women Voters hosted a debate among candidates vying for each of the 4 different State representative districts in Middletown. All eight candidates appeared, and there was a good crowd in Council Chambers.

In opening statements, after making a case for their candidacy by offering qualifications, each candidate admitted that the problems in the economy would overshadow discussions, or shaped discussions of all issues. The questions from the audience, and the candidates' answers also were largely related to the economy:

• What is the most critical issue facing the state
  
• Be more specific about what services you will cut to balance the budget
  
• How can Connecticut help students pay for college if the credit markets restrict loans?
• What is your position on the status of the Connecticut juvenile training center (CJTC) in Middletown?

Jim O'Rourke (D)- 32nd District, Incumbent

JIm O'Rourke felt that at a time of economic need, it was important to create new initiatives, particularly green iniatives, and in fact, creating a department of Clean Energy. He proposed cutting spending and waste in the Department of Transportation, citing the $800M train repair facility in New Haven and the botched repair of I84.

He proposed using state funds to guarantee college loans if other sources of credit were not available to Connecticut residents.

O'Rourke stated that he fought against making the CJTS huge, preferring smaller facilities, but that Rowland era corruption led to the large facility we have now.

In his closing arguments he emphasized his diligence as a legislator, and his accomplishments that are real and relevant to the lives of the people he represents.

Scott Adamson (R) - 32 District, Challenger

On the contrary, Adamson indicated that growing government at a time of great economic need was exactly the wrong direction to take. He would eliminate fat in state departments, and would place term limits on legislators, whom he noted, received pensions after 10 years of part-time work. He would consolidate senior service centers near Norwalk, reform welfare and unemployment. He would not cut jails, education, or the court system.

He would turn to the Federal government to help students with college aid. He advocated for college opportunities such as correspondence courses for non-traditional students.
He deferred to the citizens of Middletown and would work with other representatives on the issue of the CJTF.

In his closing statement, he challenged listeners to ask whether they in a better position today as a result of the many years that Democrats have been in power in the State House.

Joe Serra (D) - 33rd District, Incumbent

Serra indicated he would attempt to cut budgets, but in ways which would not affect the public directly, as it might in public safety. He noted that stimulating Connecticut business through loans was a way to stimulate the entire economy. He noted that substantial cuts in the State budget could only be achieved by cutting budgets for education and for transportation. He suggested delaying some transportation projects for a few years.

He said that there are state programs available for college aid, but if they are not working we need to create new ones.

He pointed out the CJTF has been in Middletown since 1872, and urged residents to keep an eye on this $60M facility.

In his closing statements Serra emphasized how he has served constituents, helping them cut through state red tape and getting answers.

Catherine Johnson (R) - 33rd District, Challenger

Johnson has created a campaign around a renaissance in transit. Her theory is that creation of solid public transit will create jobs, save money, stimulate the economy, help communities and neighborhoods and offer a progressive use of land. According to Johnson, connecting people through transit is the key. Cities should not be pitted against cities in their efforts to attract businesses.

She proposed to cut subsidies for private automobile transportation, and to instead spend money on special education services.

She did not propose any state programs to help students with college costs, but instead encouraged ingenuity and perhaps a deferral of college for some students.

She lambasted the CJTF as one of the greatest tragedies, from its design through its construction and operation.

In her closing remarks, she again emphasized the need for sustainable practices in land use, that support and build neighborhood patterns.

Gail Hamm (D) - 34th District, Incumbent

Hamm urged the state to work on the basis of results based accountability - demonstrating the worth of a program through its outcomes. She also noted her work to reject an adjustment in the already-passed two year budget, in consideration of the times.

She questioned whether this is the right time to cut the state budget. She promised to look at all areas of the budget for cuts, but said that funds should not be cut to people who need help.

On college assistance, she said that the Federal government is doing a good job. She touted CHET, the tax-free state 529 fund for college expenses.

She was the only representative from Middletown to vote against the CJTF, and has been trying to stop any expansion.

In her closing remarks, she touted both her record of accomplishments and the leadership that she brings by virtue of her committee chairmanships.

David Bauer (R) - 34th District, Challenger

Bauer thought that the emphasis on spending was the wrong approach to the budget, and to economic woes. His approach is to concentrate on revenues - increasing them where possible, and to be honest about the deficit.

He said if spending had to be cut, it should be cut everywhere. He pointed to education as one area in particular that could be cut.

He said that student college aid and loans was better left to the federal government. He said the state legislature should work to stop costs from rising, and should reduce the high-paying patronage jobs in higher education.

He said that the CJTF was obviously not working, and blamed the incumbents in the State House for its failure.

In his closing remarks, Bauer said that government is not listening to the people. He railed against the closed loop of lobbyists and legislators, and said it was time for a change in the State House.

(Editor's note: In his closing remarks Bauer made a defining comment about his candidacy. He said that he wanted to end the closed relationship between legislators, lobbyists and state bureaucrats which isolates legislators from the people they represent. We failed to report on this statement, and so, we offer this addendum.)

Ray Kalinowski (R) - 100th district, Incumbent

Kalinowski urged spending controls, and a comprehensive energy policy. He noted that government cannot create prosperity, but that it can create an atmosphere, through spending controls, in which the economy can begin to heal.

He proposed short term cuts in the budget such as eliminating non-essential overtime, freezing hires of state employees, eliminating consultants. He said a tax amnesty would bring added income. In the long term he proposed streamlining state spending.

He proposed that the state provide funds to anybody who wants to pursue education, which he viewed as the best investment in our state.

He proposed turning the CJTF into a nurse training facility, and objected to the large number of state facilities that are located in Middletown.

In his closing remarks, he said that he believed in a free and open market, entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and personal responsibility.

Matt Lesser (D) - 100th district, Challenger

Lesser concurred that the economy was an important issue, especially in a state where seniors are forced to leave homes they've lived in all their lives because of increasing property tax. His approach is to address the issues of job loss, education and land use, all with an eye to a fragile economy.
He supported the Attorney General's call to divide the Department of Children and Families, and suggested that this would save costs. He suggested that the budgets for the Department of Social Services and for the Department of Transportation could be cut.

He suggested that the college tuition problem is a long-standing issue. He said the state should focus on keeping Connecticut college graduates in Connecticut after college.

On the subject of CJTF, he railed at the large number of state facilities located in Middletown. He said the PILOT (state payments in lieu of taxes) program needed to be reformed, pointing out that Middletown gets only 70 cents on the dollar for the costs of these state facilities.

In his closing statement, Lesser called for change in government at all levels, from the presidency to the 100th district representative.