| Since the mainstream newspapers no longer report on DTC meetings in Greenwich, it makes sense for the internet to pick up the slack! Here goes!
At last night's meeting of the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee at Town Hall, Democratic Selectwoman Lin Lavery reported that the town had contacted Congressman Jim Himes (D-4CD) to help request federal funds from the federal stimulus package. Himes told her that Greenwich was the last town in his congressional district to contact him about federal help. Himes arranged to meet town officials to discuss eligible projects and to decide on those that would qualify. At first, Lin Lavery was excluded from the meeting by the Republican First Selectman Peter Tesei, only inviting Democrat Frank Farricker, who serves on the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission. But Himes requested that Lavery be permitted to attend, and she was brought in to the meeting. |
| According to Lavery, Republican Tesei had at first requested only a paltry $15 million in assistance. That figure is shocking, given the dreadful state of Greenwich's infrastructure, especially its sewer system. Just weeks ago, an aging sewer pipe ruptured, which required the town to stop treating waste, and resulted in 29 million gallons of untreated waste being poured into the Mianus River and on into Long Island Sound in what the state's EPA admitted was a very large discharge. Lavery told DTC members that she had seen estimates to repair the town's sewer system of $100 million. But no requests for federal funds will be made for the sewer system because the town does not have a proposal that was "shovel ready". Lavery credits Frank Farricker with pushing hard to sharply increase Greenwich's request to $84 million. That is the figure that Greenwich expects to submit when the formula is finalized, and the amount that Himes believes is appropriate.
Lavery outlined the serious state of Greenwich's economy, including the likelihood of as many as 70 job cuts from town government. She also highlighted the damage to town finances from the loss of real estate conveyance taxes. Lavery reported that while 1,132 houses had been sold in 2006, the figure slipped to 1,100 in 2007, and declined dramatically to only 687 houses in 2008.
Lavery also began a discussion of problems with the town's educational system, and noted that 20 town residents showed up on Wednesday to share their views on what sort of person they would like to see selected as the new school superintendent. That precipitated an outpouring of frustration about the town's board of education. DTC member and former teacher Judy Berg suggested that in the past their urging that the town hire a superintendent who was a local and an individual young enough to serve long-term had been ignored. Instead, a series of individuals were hired who only served short periods of time before either retiring or moving on. Current superintendent Betty Sternberg served as state education commissioner before arriving; she is quitting at the end of her three-year contract this spring with her popularity low.
Frank Farricker gave a forceful speech in which he asserted that town residents, Republicans even more than Democrats, are fed up with the way the town's schools are run. He described the board of education as "dysfunctional", and board members as thoroughly "unresponsive" to the community. In Greenwich, he remarked, spending on education accounts for close to half of the town's entire budget. Yet, while in virtually every other town in Connecticut positions on the board of education are the most important municipal political posts and usually draw strong competition for election, in Greenwich few individuals have stepped up to serve. He strongly urged DTC members to look seriously for well-qualified potential BOE members over the course of the next several months, and for DTC members themselves to consider running for the position. DTC member and former BOE member Betsy Harkins cautioned that the DTC should be very careful to select and endorse only those candidates it really wanted to see elected, and to back only those candidates. She pointed out that a plethora of Democratic names on the ballot in the past had led Republicans to manipulate the process by getting their voters to vote for more conservative Democratic candidates and those whom they believed would be supportive of Republican policies. DTC Chairman Dave Roberson interjected that he was trying to get the four Democratic members of the town's BOE to appear before a meeting of the DTC, but that they were still unwilling to agree to do so. He has tentatively scheduled a March appearance by the four Democratic members, but has not received confirmation from the members.
Organizers of the town's election celebration for Barack Obama and Jim Himes reported that the event this Saturday is a sell-out with 250 tickets already sold. Congressman Himes is scheduled to attend. Proceeds from the event will benefit the newly formed Greenwich Democrats Political Action Committee. Frank Farricker went over the structure of the PAC for members and how it conforms to state law. |
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