New Haven Independent

Fight The Hikers Praised

Members of the grassroots group Fight The Hike filled the rows in Aldermanic Chambers at Monday’s Board of Aldermen meeting, bringing homemade signs in tow. Aldermen heralded their efforts in fighting for statewide energy reform and endorsed their views with a resolution.

The Fight the Hike resolution, which urges the state to push for lower electric rates and invest in renewable energy, passed unanimously. Other recommendations include re-regulating the energy industry and to “move towards the creation of a statewide publicly-owned electric utility.” Click here , here and here to read about the citizen activist group. The amendment was proposed by Aldermen Perez, Andrea Jackson-Brooks, Jackie James and Gerald Antunes.

East Rock Alderman Roland Lemar offered an amendment to the resolution focusing on one point: The distribution fee. That’s the part of your bill, a flat rate that’s the same for all customers, where utility companies charge you for the cost of delivering electricity. The fee, a receptacle for “hidden costs,” has gone up significantly in the past five years.

“The fee is the one that hits our consumers more heavily than it does in other towns,” said Lemar. “We as New Haven residents are being taken advantage of.” His amendment advocates changing that fee from a flat rate to a sliding scale according to usage.

Aldermen commended the group for fighting tirelessly for an issue that affects everyone. They approved the amended proposal unanimously with one abstention from Lemar, who works in energy reform.

Hill Alderwoman Andrea Jackson-Brooks urged the board to personally take the message to the capitol: “We really want something done this session.”

Youth Department Created

A new city Youth Department, headed by Che Dawson (pictured above), was established by unanimous vote Monday. No new funds were required, just a reshuffling. The reshuffling is part of a youth initiative Mayor John DeStefano announced when he came back from the gubernatorial campaign trail and sat down to tackle a startling spike in youth violence.

To create the department, the Department of Children and Families has been dissolved and city staff have been shifted into the new department under the Community
Services Administration.

In other youth news: Coordinator Stephanie Barnes has raised enough money to expand the city’s Youth @ Work program. With a grant bumped up from $354,599 to $467,697, the city will expand the teen summer employment program to offer kids jobs year round, announced Downtown Alderwoman Frances “Bitsie” Clark, chair of the aldermanic youth committee. The grant was approved Monday.

BearCat Beckoned

Aldermen approved the application to and acceptance of a $131,129 grant from the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security to buy this beast (pictured). It’s an armored vehicle that looks like a Hummer but repels both bullets and bombs — background story here.

Trolley Vote Delayed

The board agreed unanimously to recommit two bills for reforming the trolley system back to committee instead of voting on them Monday. The bills would approve a contract to run the city’s electric trolley system and set up a transportation fund to finance it — click here for a background story.

City transportation czar Mike Piscitelli said the Office of Corporation Counsel has issued some more recommendations that require an additional public hearing before approval. One aspect of the bill would have introduced an extra yearly fee of $25 per commercial parking space to help fund the trolley and other sustainable transportation. The legal opinion was in response to questions from Hill Alderman Jorge Perez regarding the city’s legal ability to levy a tax on commercial parking lots.

Piscitelli called the delay “frustrating,” but said the department expects to receive funding from the state Department of Transportation to fund the trolley in the meantime before aldermen take a final vote.

Pie-Sellers Beat Roller Skaters

The city will sell 108 Food Terminal Plaza to a fast-growing baking company, instead of a woman with dreams of building a roller skating rink, according to a land disposition agreement approved Monday. The city lot will be sold for $100,000 - read background here and here.