Meet The Candidates on October 21st at 7pm

The Westfield Residents Association (WRA) will host a "Meet The Candidates" night on Monday, October 21st at 7pm at the Third Congregational Church on Miner Street.

All members of the public are invited to meet the candidates for Mayor, City Treasurer, Common Council, Board of Education, Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Assessment Appeals.  Each party will have time to introduce its candidates, make a statement on behalf of the party, and answer audience questions.

The event will be held in the Fellowship Hall at 94 Miner Street.  The WRA will conduct a brief organizational meeting at 7pm, followed by light refreshments.  The Candidates Forum will begin at approximately 7:30pm.

For additional information, please contact WRA Chair Jennifer Mahr at westfieldresidents@gmail.com.

Board of Education Honors Departing Members

Last night's regular Board of Education meeting began with a farewell from BOE Chairman Gene Nocera and Superintendent Pat Charles to Ryan Kennedy and former BOE Chairman Ted Raczka. Kennedy, who was appointed in 2008 to fill a vacancy and then re-elected on his own, is leaving the Board to run for a position on City Council.  Raczka was elected to the board in 2005, served as Vice-Chairman starting in 2005, and then was BOE Chairman from 2009-2011.  Most recently, Raczka was the Budget Committee Chairman.  "We wish him [Ted Raczka] the best in his future, in his law practice, and we thank him for everything he's done," Nocera told the Board.

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for November 19th to accommodate the election and swearing in of new town officials.  A newly formed BOE will meet that date and decide on committee assignments and leadership positions.

Protest Against Israeli Supreme Court Justice Planned At Wesleyan Tonight

From Stanley Heller, Executive Director of the Middle East Crisis Committee (CT)
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This evening Tuesday, October 8, the former head of the Israeli Supreme Court will be giving a lecture at Wesleyan University. Outside the building Wesleyan students and members of the community will hold banners and signs of protest.. The demonstration will be held at the (interior) student entrance to the Memorial Chapel, 221 High Street, Middletown. Protesters will gather at 7:30 p.m. (See link to map below).

Drew, Pessina, and Chisem Fundraiser Tomorrow

The three candidates endorsed by the Working Families Party, Dan Drew for mayor, and Phil Pessina and Carl Chisem for Common Council, are holding a fundraiser tomorrow.

Teacher Candidate Forum October 16

To all Middletown voters:

We would like to extend an invitation to you to meet the candidates for the Middletown Board of Education.  On Wednesday, October 16, an Election Forum will be held in the auditorium of Middletown High at 7 PM.   The doors will be open at 6:30PM.

Come listen to the candidates for the Board of Education speak. The evening is designed as a question and answer event.  You will have the opportunity to hear from the candidates who will shape the future of education in Middletown.  This is your chance to see where the candidates stand on different issues that are important to all residents such as where will your tax dollars be going, what will your children be learning during the school day, and how the candidates feel about the publicity the school district has been receiving lately. 

Election Day is just around the corner and it is time to have your voices heard.  To make the correct choice on Nov. 5, you will need to be an informed voter.  Here is your opportunity to see which candidate will be the best representative for Middletown’s children.

The public can submit their questions before the event to pawlakjanice@gmail.com or mail them to MFT 690 Newfield St., Middletown, CT 06457

This event is sponsored by the Middletown Federation of Teachers, the Middletown Federation of Para Educators.

East Hampton, Windham Swiftly Resolve Minor Party Ballot Access Issues

The Middletown ballot in question.

While Middletown awaits the decree of a judge next week, other Connecticut towns have formulated solutions to adding minor party candidate names to the ballot in a year where several candidates have been ejected from ballots for want of a signature.

Connecticut law requires that all minor party candidates submit a signature with their party's request for admission to the municipal ballot.  That law went into effect in 2010, but was

The Hidden Kingdom -- Popcorn by The Colonel #65

 

Who is this woman of shadow, this political “Heisenberg” whose hand is rumored to have been behind the election of Ed “My Name's Zed” McKeon to the board of education (“Ed for Ed”) and the nomination of Stephen “Fishmuscle” Devoto for the planning and zoning commission (“Do Vote for Devoto”)? 

Middletown Kiwanis Club Installs New Officers for 2013-2014

Chris Conley, Rob Kronenberger, Lynn Baldoni, Maurine Darling Dave Darling

            On Sunday evening September 29th, the Middletown Kiwanis Club held their annual installation dinner at Baci Grill in Cromwell. Sixty members and guests attended including New England & Bermuda District of Kiwanis Governor George Delisle and Lt. Governor Chris Holden.  
             Lynn Baldoni was installed as Club President, Chris Conley as Immediate Past President, Rob Kronenberger as President Elect, Jeff DelFavero as Vice President, Dave Darling as Treasurer and Maurine Darling as Secretary. Also installed was the Board of Directors: Mike Shea, Jeff Palmer, Lisa Santangelo, Marc Romanow, George Dunn, Cathy Duncan, Karen Nocera, Joe Markim and Bill Warner.    
           Club members and the Middletown Club received Kiwanis International awards which were presented by Gov. Delisle. The Middletown Kiwanis Club received the 2011-12 Kiwanis International Distinguished Kiwanis Club Award; Lt. Gov. Holden received the 2011-12 Distinguished Lt. Governor award for District 22 and Chris Conley was presented with the 2011-12 Distinguished Club President's Award.   
          Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. The Middletown Kiwanis Club was founded in 1951 and has hosted many fundraisers and service projects benefiting children in the Middletown area including the Warm The Children program.

Killian and Devoto to Address Access to Ballot on WNPR Today

Realistic Balance Party candidate for mayor, John Killian, and Democratic candidate for Planning and Zoning, Stephen Devoto, will be on The Colin McEnroe show today(WNPR, 90.5FM, 1PM live and 8PM rebroadcast and wnpr.org) to discuss access to ballot.

Killian has filed a lawsuit against the city of Middletown for withdrawing the names of endorsed Realistic Balance Party candidates from the ballot because the candidates did not attach signatures to their request for placement on the ballot.  Devoto ran a primary against endorsed Democratic Town Committee candidates, and won, thereby achieving access to the ballot.

Friday, the City of Middletown began distributing absentee ballots without the Realistic Balance Party candidates.  Despite an order of the Stamford Court, in which Westport was "hereby ordered to place the names of [minor party candidates]" on the ballot, and despite endorsement by the Connecticut Secretary of State that the Westport decision was a victory for ballot access, Middletown has taken a wait and see attitude about reintroducing names to the ballot.

Links added:

• The Secretary of the State's endorsement of the Westport order: "Secretary Merrill Praises Judge's Ruling" 
• The Norwalk Superior Court ruling on Westport ("Order of this court"), in full:
  ORDERED that not withstanding Plaintiff's failure to comply with all the requirements of C.G.S. [illegible] pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. 9-328, Patricia Strauss, Town Clerk of the Town of Westport, is hereby ordered to place the names of David L.Lessing, Andra Vebell, and T. Alan Hodge on the November 5th 2013 municipal election ballot on the Save Westport Now party line, denoting them as Save Wesport Now candidates for the office of Westport Planning and Zoning Board Commission.

A Grand Opening For Sandra James Boutique

Our city's newest retail business, Sandra James Boutique, celebrated its grand opening on Saturday. A festive event that lasted most of the day, it drew family and friends from across the city.

Mayor Drew and several other elected officials stopped by to wish her well. The owner, Sandra Russo-Driska, recently retired as City and Town Clerk.

The Boutique sells home décor, gifts and gift baskets. It is located at 954 Newfield Street, in an old house

Bulky Waste Collection Suspended From Halloween Until Spring

From Kim O'Rourke, City Recycling Coordinator
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Starting October 31, 2013, Curbside Bulky Waste Collection will be suspended due to leaf collection operations and winter weather. Collections will commence again in the spring 2014. Bulk Waste can always be brought to the Middletown Recycling Center on the corner of North Main and Johnson Street. It is open Mon – Fri 7am – 3pm and the first and third Sat. on the month in the winter 7am – 12 noon.

Contact the Middletown Public Works Department at 860-638-4850 for further information.

Traffic Backup At Hazardous Waste Collection

Quite the crowd at today's hazardous waste collection at MxCC. Apparently we have LOTS of nasty stuff to get rid of. Or at least EVERYbody has a little.

Line of cars snakes down Training Hill Road around the corner and down Reservoir Rd.  Collection runs until 1pm.