Middletown Senior Community Center Informational Meeting Meet

        Middletown Senior/Community Center 

Informational Meeting

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

6:30pm

Council Chambers

Middletown Municipal Building

                                      245 DeKoven Drive 

Public Input Encouraged

If you have any questions or need additional information about the workshop, contact Chair Ron Klattenberg, 860.604.1570

or Vice Chair Phil Pessina, 860.346.0348

Note: Both the Eckersley Hall Design and Mayor Drew's City Hall addition will be presented for public discussion

Large turnout for Gas Tax Cap Rally

Today State Senator Len Suzio R-Meriden & Middletown, lead a rally at Hiba Gas Station on South Main Street. Suzio has drafted a bill to propose a cap on state tax on gasoline, which he says is supposed to be used on road repair and bridge work, however, this revenue is being put back into the general fund.

“ I feel the people of Connecticut are getting gouged,” Senator Suzio said, " Matt Lesser came out and spoke against price gouging during the hurricane, but what about the rest of the year? The gouging that goes on everyday? That's why I am here.", statement that drew applause from the crowd gathered.

Currently CT's state gas tax is 47 cents per gallon. This 47 cents gross receipts tax is in addition to the state flat tax of 23 cents on each gallon of gasoline. This spring, it is projected that the price for gasoline will extend beyond $4 a gallon. The tax is currently 7.5%- the highest in the country. Suzio has a petition started on his website. The senator is also challenging the current taxes on Social Security benefits. Local Middletown Councilwoman Debra Kleckowski, Councilmen Phil Pessina, & Joe Bibisi were there to lend support.

* location corrected

Letter to Voters: Councilman Phil Pessina

The voters of Middletown,
I want to thank the voters for their confidence for electing me to my 3rd term on the Common Council, along with the rest of our Republican Team. It was very rewarding for me to continue my dialogue with our community members as I have done over my past two terms and during my campaign in the various neighborhoods I visited. I heard your frustrations, suggestions and the need for government to work for you in a more amicable and cost efficient manner.
Our Republican Team & I can assure you that you can expect to see our support and respectful advocacy for a more conservative approach towards the utilization of your tax payer dollars and a greater appreciation for the need to continue to fund and build upon our Fund Balance Savings.
We will encourage the new administration to incorporate more transparency in our city government, centered upon a greater need for a collaborative bipartisan approach towards your concerns and issues. We will encourage for a more relaxed and different format of our Community Council Meetings which will allow for questions and answers as we navigate through the different parts of our city neighborhoods. Community Conversations can change negative perceptions on issues into positive results when we engage our community stakeholders.
We will look forward to working with the new Board of Education Members and their anticipated New Leadership Team in a more harmonious manner. We will be stressing the need for the board to recognize the importance of our City Charter in the same way as they do towards their policies and adhere to both these documents in a more collaborative manner.
We also are respectfully requesting on your behalf, that the board commence with a more open and collaborative transparent approach with their Budget Development Process by co sponsoring with the Common Council a Budget Workshop for a better understanding of their budget process and the expenditures of city taxpayer dollars. This openness will address the public’s demand for fiscal accountability.
We will advocate for the board and city to look for real ways to combine city and board duplicate services which will allow for a more cost effective, real shared services fiscal approach to government. These suggestions will then allow for the Board to concentrate on continued innovative opportunities towards the educational needs of our children and youth.
We look forward to working with Mayor elect Dan Drew’s Administration for enhanced communications which we feel will be the basis for our city’s continued economic and infrastructure growth and for the continued health and safety of our City of Middletown which we all know and love!
Thank you,
Councilman Philip J. Pessina
Minority Leader

Councilman Reacts to Courant Cartoon

Below is a letter submitted to the Eye from Councilman Phil Pessina. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the of the authors of the Middletown Eye. It is posted as a courtesy to the readers, facts and opinions expressed are the sole responsibility of the author, Councilman Phil Pessina.

Note: This letter is in regards to the cartoon done by Mr. Bob Englehart. Welcome to Middletown, appeared in the Hartford Courant on Oct. 20.

To Mr. Bob Englehart
I am very upset and disappointed with your choice of cartoon characters concerning the recent developments involving our former Acting Police Chief and your lack of sensitivity towards our city's Catholic residents and our beloved Patron Saint 'Saint Sebastian'. Your pen has struck a direct insult to both our residents of Italian descent and our parishioners of Saint Sebastian Church.
I am perplexed that with all the political nonsense and the problems our state is facing, which our lives are filled with on a daily basis, at all levels of our country's government including the economic situation, people out of work and especially at a time when a community is trying to make sense out of the actions or inactions of an individual, that you would be so insensitive towards our City of Middletown and a large population of a particular faith community.
Your insinuation that our town is all "screwed up" is unfounded and based upon your personal feelings. Just because we have a challenge to deal with in our city government, it doesn't give you the right to besmirch our community.
Our city has been recognized for its diversity, economic growth, its Main Street scape with some of the finest restaurants in the state; all of which are protected by the men and women of our Police and Fire Departments.
Your reader poll comparing an individual and a saint, is very disturbing and a direct insult towards the parishioners of Saint Sebastian Church who have a deep, devote faith in their patron saint who was put to death because martyrdom for the Christian people.
I am in a unique position within our city, as a second generation Italian who proudly served for 33 1/2 years in our police department, ending my career as its Deputy Police Chief. I dedicated my career to youth education and community policing with our residents and was the catalyst for arriving at positive solutions towards negative problems. Presently, I am a current 2 term member of our City's Common Council and a very spiritual person dedicated to my faith and Patron Saint of St. Sebastian; to include service to my faith community of St. Sebastian Church as a Eucharist Minister and Lector, to include over 25 years on our St. Sebastian Feast Committee.
My suggestion to you Mr. Englehart is that in the future when you are about to put your artistic talents to work on a political issue, that you do so with a much greater sensitivity towards your readers, our state's faith communities and take a much more positive approach towards our state's city and towns. Remember, that when communities are facing challenges, especially during these tough economic times and high unemployment, we need the print media to be more supportive and bring hope to their residents and the issues they are dealing with; not a negative tone with an insensitive drawing, which strikes a blow to a community's heritage which becomes part of the problem not the solution!
Therefore, I am respectfully requesting a retraction of this cartoon and your apology to the Italian population in our state and our City of Middletown, especially towards the parishioners of Saint Sebastian Church who have done so much to make our City of Middletown what it is today; a Community to live in, invest in and educate your children in!

Thank you,
Philip J. Pessina
Councilman, and Parishioner of Saint Sebastian Church.

AFSCME Council 4 Press Release

Larry Dorman

Council 4 Public Affairs

(860) 612-3855 (Direct)

(860) 989-9127 (Cell)

ldorman@council4.org

www.council4.org

For Immediate Release:
Sept. 22, 2011

Contact: Larry Dorman, Council 4, (860) 989-9127 (Mobile) or (860) 612-3855 (Office)

Council 4 Union Endorses Giuliano and Six Others in Middletown;

Slate Includes Three Union Members

Middletown, CT, 2011 – Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a union with nearly 650 members who reside in Middletown, today announced it has endorsed the following candidates in the November municipal election:

Mayor: Seb Giuliano

Common Council: Ed Dypa, Linda Salafia, Deborah Kleckowski, Philip Pessina

Board of Education: Tami Kapacziewski

Planning & Zoning: Molly Salafia

Council 4’s endorsed slate includes three of its own union members: Linda Salafia and Tami Kapacziewski (Local 466, City of Middletown) and Philip Pessina (Local 2836, State University Administrators).

“Speaking as a taxpaying resident and city worker, I could not be happier with the slate of candidates our Council 4 union has endorsed,” said Jeff Daniels, a police maintenance mechanic and President of AFSCME Local 466. “Starting with Mayor Giuliano, these are quality people who will stand up for the middle class and fight for quality public services.”

Mayor Giuliano welcomed Council 4’s endorsement.

“Middletown is a diverse and vibrant community. Thanks to the relationships I have built with unions like AFSCME, we’ve been able to stabilize our budgets and taxes, making our city a great place to live, learn and work. I am proud to receive Council 4’s endorsement and I will continue to forge a relationship based on mutual trust and respect with all our workers.”

Council 4 AFSCME represents 35,000 workers in state and local government as well as the private sector. Learn more atwww.council4.org.

Sparks on the Field: July 4th Baseball Game Honors Veteran

No fireworks? Who cares! There are few things more American than baseball, and baseball on Independence Day is double the fun. Earlier today I posted a reminder of the Third Annual Norm Way Classic Memorial baseball game that took place this morning at the Bill Pomfret stadium at Palmer Field in Middletown. Today the local 75er's played Berlin's team. The Middletown American Legion Local Post #75 is coached by Tim D'Aquila and is comprised of players16-19 years old. Today the game was played in honor of the late Norm Way a veteran of WWII who fought 1944-1945 after which he returned to Middletown and was a key figure in local sports & the Legion until his death in 2008. Way fought at Normandy, arriving the day after D-day. Today's game was sponsored by the Middletown Military Museum.

The opening ceremony was at 10:30 am on the pitchers mound. The Way family was there to honor their patriarch and Way's granddaughter Kelly Deegan threw the first pitch to the Middletown catcher Kyle Krajewski. Mayor Sebastian Giuliano (R) (right photo, with hot dog), flanked by Councilmen Phil Pessina(R) and David Bauer(R) (far right photo), threw the second pitch, all later stayed to cheer on the players. In the stands Councilwoman Deb Kleckowski (R) and B.O.E. Boardmember Ryan Kennedy(R) showed their support for the veterans and the players. Roughly 150 people came to see the game today. The new digital score board showed who is at bat, out's, strikes etc was very user friendly in keeping track of what was going on and well worth the investment.

I have to give the players extra credit too, because they played a double header the day before, and with temperatures over 90 today, they made it look easy as fans watched from the shaded stadium. In honor of all branches of the armed forces, Middletown traded it's traditional blue and white uniforms for tan and brown camo tee shirts printed with their numbers in black, but kept the original light blue pants and darker blue cap normally worn. The very sharp looking tribute tee's were supplied by local sports store Home Team Supply on Saybrook Road. Berlin's traditional red and white uniforms complimented Middletown's blues and made the event all the more patriotic. It was a fashion home run in my book.

I am not a sports writer, so I cannot comment too much about the actual game, I have to say that for a non sporty person it was still very exciting and engaging to watch! Regrettably I did not write down player names as I was watching to see who did what- my apologies to the team. It was neat to see lots of slides and no bickering with the umpire.

I will leave the real sports writing to the game's announcer and Middletown legend Jim Bransfield who wrote a fantastic article about the play by play of the game for the Middletown Press that is truly be worth reading. It was a pleasure to listen to Bransfield announce the game today, I think sports I think that voice! I do have to say that by the fourth inning Berlin made a steady practice of trying to steal second base, but this didn't slip by the stealth view of Middletown's pitcher Krajewski (seen pitching in photo on right). Pop fly's seem to be the theme today as far as ball play for what Berlin was hitting. Atleast 2 balls were hit out of the park- one by Berlin ( the red guys) to Washington Street during the third inning and one by a Middletown player (camo & blue) to the parking lot during the fourth inning, which made me duck and cover and almost spill the amazing nachos I got from concessions- which by the way were only $2! Middletown plays Wallingford July 6th at Palmer, 7:00 pm, with the live action, brilliant announcing by Bransfield and very reasonably priced concessions,I recommend taking the whole family and checking out a game or two. More information can be found at the website here. Outcome: Middletown won 2-1 against Berlin

ps Jim Bransfield, if you're reading this please come write for the Eye anytime!

Branfield's article aka real sports coverage

http://middletownpress.com/articles/2011/07/04/sports/doc4e12068078ef6780984251.txt

http://www.middletownsports.org/Post75/

pss The Eye could use some sports coverage :)

Madam Nirvana aka Molly Salafia

More Community Conversation

Melissa Pionzio from the Hartford Courant did a great job covering yesterday evening's Community Conversation at Russell Library. Phil Pessina was the facilitator, and you can read all about it in her blog.

I covered the earlier conversation at noon at the Library -- and so I know it's not easy to keep track of all the comments and controversy. I really appreciate how thorough she was in reporting what people were saying.

Thanks Melissa!