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.
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>.
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 speaking at a Westfield Residents Association Candidates Forum in 2015
From the campaign of Mary Bartolotta, a Democrat running for mayor. ----------------
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.
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 TroyMillette, 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:
City planner Mark Devoe has informed Planning Director Joe Samolis that he will be leaving his post in Middletown to take a job in Farmington as planner. The Farmington planner position had been held by former Middletown planner Bill Warner.
Devoe is an accredited city planner, and the only planner with accreditation in Middletown's office of Planning, Conservation and Development. Devoe began his tenure in Middletown at the very end of December 2018. His announcement once again leaves the office understaffed, and without an employee with planning certification.
Devoe was involved in recent charettes held to create a new, required Plan of Development for Middletown.
The Common Council voted to reorganize the office last summer putting Samolis as the director and manager in the department, and creating separate positions for Town Planner and Community Development Specialist. Linda McPherson, who has worked in the Finance Department and in the Board of Education as a finance specialist, was hired to fill the Community Development Specialist position.
From Dave Downs --------------
Hey Kids!, Lonesome Dave here. How ya doing? Hope you're doing well.
Did you know that this Friday, June 21st, 2019 is International Make Music Day? That's the day (which always falls on the summer solstice, by the way) where musicians- off various shapes and sizes and levels of expertise- take to city streets all the world over, and play music anywheres and everywheres. For Free! On the street corners; in the libraries, the cafes, the restaurants, the music shops, the book stores, down the alleyways, up in the trees dangling from branches, down in the sewer systems.....
And Middletown's no different. So this Friday you're invited to come by and say hello to us- The Mudpuppies (consisting of me, Lonesome Dave- or LD- and Really Big Brian- or RBB) while we perform our unique style of Americana, first at the award-winning Russel Library (at Broad Street; 347-2528) from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.; and then later at the beautiful R.J. Julia Bookstore (at 413 Main Street, 685-3939) from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
In addition to original and Public Domain material, RBB and I (on well-amplified acoustic guitars and vocals) put our unique Mudpuppy spin on songs popularized by such American writers and performers as Eric Anderson, Steve Earl, Hank Cochran, Rogers & Hart, The Everly Brothers, Ricky Nelson and Andy Williams. Perhaps we'll toss in a music trivia question or two, or a couple CD give-a-ways, as well. (Don't forget to ask Really Big Brian about the unique tuning style he employs on his six-string.) See ya then, Kids.
Friday, June 21 12 - 1:30 pm deKoven House Community Center 27 Washington St., Middletown (at the corner of deKoven Drive and Washington St.) In celebration of Make Music Day, The Rockfall Foundation will be hosting a free lunchtime concert at the historic 18th-century deKoven House. The concert will be held on the lawn under the shade of a magnificent maple tree. Bring your lunch and enjoy performances by three musicians. Picnic table and chairs available, or bring your picnic blanket! In the event of inclement weather, the concert will move to the indoor meeting space.
https://www.rockfallfoundation.org/event/lunchtime-concert-at-dekoven-house/ Schedule: 12 – 12:30 Gracin Dorsey – Drawing from his folk and bluegrass roots in Oklahoma, his original music has been performed at festivals all across the USA. 12:30 – 1:00 Steve Dedman – Frontman and songwriter behind Plywood Cowboy, his authentic, heart-born Americana songs earned a spot on the 2018 Grammy ballot. 1 – 1:30 Robert Nasta – Musical Director of Artists for World Peace performing original compositions and improvisations on the koto, a Japanese stringed instrument.
The deKoven House, just yards from the banks of the Connecticut River, is owned and maintained by The Rockfall Foundation, a non-profit organization that has been promoting and supporting environmental education and conservation in the Lower Connecticut River Valley since 1935. It is home to The Rockfall Foundation and 8 other non-profit organizations. The house also offers two meeting rooms for rent to the public, ideal for workshops and trainings, association gatherings, board retreats, and membership meetings. For more information visit https://www.rockfallfoundation.org/dekoven-house/. Tours available upon request after the concert.
Parking is at the deKoven House is free, but has limited capacity. However, ample parking is available adjacent to the building in the Melilli Plaza Municipal Parking Lot.
For more information, call The Rockfall Foundation at 860-347-0340.
The Rockfall Foundation is currently seeking
nominations for the 2019 Environmental Champion Awards. Nominations are being
accepted from now until July 22. The awards recognize individuals, groups, organizations,
and businesses for environmental efforts that contribute to the quality of life
in the Lower Connecticut River Valley. Areas
recognized include preservation, conservation, ecosystem restoration, and environmental and sustainability
education. TheTom ODellDistinguished Service Award will be awarded for outstanding ongoing or long-term accomplishments. Certificates of Appreciationare awarded,
as appropriate, to
recognize significant programs or projects. Awardees
will be recognized at The Rockfall Foundation’s Annual Meeting, Grants and
Awards celebration on October 3rd.
The nominee’s contributions must impact the Lower
Connecticut River Valley, which includes the following towns: Chester, Clinton,
Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam,
Killingworth, Lyme, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland,
and Westbrook. Impacts to the Connecticut River corridor or Long Island Sound
are also eligible as long as there is a benefit to at least one of the listed
towns.
Nomination forms must be received by noon
on July 22 at amanda@rockfallfoundation.org
or at The Rockfall Foundation, deKoven House Community Center, 27 Washington
St., Middletown, CT 06457. Nomination forms can be downloaded at www.rockfallfoundation.org or one can be requested by calling 860-347-0340.
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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. In addition, The Rockfall Foundation operates
the historic deKoven House Community Center that offers meeting rooms and
office space for non-profit organizations.
For additional
information about the Environmental Champion Awards or The Rockfall Foundation,
please visit www.rockfallfoundation.org or
call 860-347-0340.
