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First Selectwoman's Report
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Thank you to:Secretary of State Susan Byseiwicz for honoring our World War II vets, in Windham and around the state. Neida Rosado and Barbara McKinney worked many hours to locate all Windham veterans. If we missed anyone, please let us know, and the Secretary of State will print an award for you. For anyone who couldn't attend the ceremony, your awards are available at Town Hall.
Congratulations: Windham High School received a $450K grant called “Project Opening Doors” which will be used to support having more students in the AP college Prep classes. The funding wall be used to tutor, teach study skills, prep for College Tests. Sponsored by CBIA.
Management Facilities Improvements: We'll receive a report about the feasibility of computerizing the heating system at Kramer.
Finance: Looking good for last year, holding for this year.
ZEO: The Arseneault case was settled, as reported in the newspaper. All attorney fees will be paid through the settlement, plus a fine.
Mural in Foyer: Stephani Antonetty, our intern, traced the faces of the citizens in the “People's Parade.” We invite everyone to come in and write the names of the people, so we can save the history of our community.
Organizations
Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Awards: I Nominated Paula Stahl for the Chamber's Volunteer Recognition Award. Paula has volunteered countless hours on the Planning Commission, 3rd Thursday Street Fests, Willimantic Renaissance, Julia de Burgos Park, and many unseen acts of generosity to Windham.
WINCOG: Is applying for a regional Brownfields grant New Business
Renewable Energy Committee: The town of Windham can become an aggregator of electricity, which means we can purchase electricity off the market and sell it to ourselves,
residents and other towns. There's a lot of work to setting this up, but the potential for savings for our community is enormous.
I met with Dr. Fred L. Robson, a retired UTC energy innovator, Rich Madrak of Franklin, Richard Bloomer and David Garand, WPCA Superintendent, on possible energy producing uses for wastewater, sewage and fats, oil and grease from the sewage treatment plant. We will have to change some legislation, but Rep. Johnson is very good at this, so it may not take long. Dr. Robson is also considering producing energy from solid waste. These are renewable, alternative energy sources. We hope to apply for grants, perhaps regionally, since the source material is regional.
Correspondence: Sent a letter to CL&P, asking for permission to paint transformers and electrical boxes. Received a letter from DOT in response to my request to look at the accident pattern on Rt 32 between Abbe St and Richmond Lane. They found no accident pattern or concentration of accidents at any particular area, and no changes were recommended at this time.
Send to committee: Rec/Culture/Arts: Last year, “Warm up Winter”, an weekend effort by some friends from Lebanon, collected 150 warm coats and other donations. They'd like to use Jillson again. Admin/Fin: We need to form a committee on ordinances to make the enforcement parts of the various ordinances uniform. We also need to form new pension committees. The Police and Fire have met only once or twice, and we've never met on the other pension plan. Perhaps some citizens, rather than the Board of Selectmen, could meet and make recommendations.
Renewable Reporter: Tony Pohle and company are producing a series of weekly webinars on economic development and revitalization in Windham, with a concentration on our plans for energy efficiency and sustainability.
CT Commission on Tourism and Culture: has inquired about houses in Willimantic on behalf of a filmmaker. They announced to me that, “Willimantic has the best concentration of Queen Anne's in the state.” But we know that.
Upcoming Events: Sept 20 12:00 WRCC's Helping Hands for the Community 5k Walk/Run UConn's Horse Barn Hill
Immigration Forum: Sunday Sept 20 Sagrado de Corazon. Let's try to fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy and enable legal immigration so families can stay together. Staff from the Mexican Consulate in NYC are working in Windham to update Mexican Passports and issue consular ID's.
United Nations International Day of Peace. Sept 20, 21. There will be a celebration at the Peace Pole in Heritage Park on Sept 20, 1-3.
An awards ceremony for community members who have donated their time to the Town of Windham will be on Monday. | 