Branford Eagle

Puppet House Plot Thickens

2012-02-10T12:42:26Z

It was just like real-life community theater in Stony Creek this week as the ongoing saga of the now-vacant Puppet House unfolded with a surprising last-minute plot twist.

It all began when a theatrical trio presented a proposal to the Stony Creek Association on Tuesday. The trio, led by Branford resident Susan F. Clark, outlined their hopes to transform the Puppet House into a community theater, reminiscent of the days when Orson Wells performed there. The 1903 venue has gone through several transformations—from a silent movie house, to a theater, a girdle factory and a puppet stage. It was shuttered by the town in 2008 because of code violations, and has been up for sale in recent months.

Potential new savior emerges, stage right.

Time Out for the Comments Section

2012-02-08T21:30:12Z

As you may have heard or read, the New Haven Independent and the Branford Eagle are calling a time-out on the comments section. We are going to take a break from publishing them while we re-examine our role in convening civic debate. We plan to study several ideas as we look for a better model for story comment and on-site engagement.

Please read Editor Paul Bass’s note to NHI readers here on the commenting issues and the possible solutions.

Nineteen Bucks

2012-02-08T16:04:14Z

As the state legislature convenes today and begins its battle to fix Connecticut’s ailing education system, State Rep. Lonnie Reed (D-Branford) is promising to fight for Branford’s share of state funding, no matter how meager it is. That was on Monday.

As it turned out, Branford’s piece of a proposed new $50 million statewide pie is $19 per student. That announcement came today.

Gov. Dannel Malloy announced early today that he plans to increase state education funding by $50 million, with the largest amounts going to the lowest-performing districts. According to his proposal, not all districts would receive additional money.

Branford, with a current enrollment of 3,326 students, would receive an additional $19 per student, bringing its total share to $397 per pupil. The district currently receives about $1.8 in Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funds.

Guilford, which would not receive any additional funds, had 3,706 students in 2010 and currently receives $3 million in ECS funds. Click here to read a CT News Junkie story on Wednesday’s developments.

Reed’s long-term goal is to revamp the archaic funding system to make it fair to all districts, she said.

Malloy’s per-pupil new-$$ promise for Branford.

$50.7M Branford School Budget Proposed

2012-02-08T09:45:45Z

UPDATE—Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez put forth a $50.7 million school budget for the 2012-13 school year last night, a budget designed to emphasize universal pre-kindergarten, world languages at the 4th grade level and hiring an instructional coach in needed areas—for example, writing and reading comprehension.

He also pressed for additional technology learning, both for teachers who still “don’t feel comfortable” with technological advances and for students who do. His aim is to give students at each level the technology best suited to their needs. He said he would not give up on books.

Hamlet isn’t giving up on books.

Protester, Puppy Tell Story

2012-02-06T13:18:16Z

On Jan. 23, two days after she purchased a Bull Mastiff puppy from All Pets Store in Wallingford, Kimberly Natoli noticed that her 2-month-old puppy was having serious trouble breathing.

She called the store to tell them.

“Well, you can bring her back, and we will give you another puppy,” they said. Natoli was incredulous. “How could I do that? I couldn’t give her up. And I didn’t want to bring her back because I think they would have put her down. That’s how I feel. She’s a baby.” She had named her puppy Dakota, and “she is part of the family. Now you want us to return her, like she is a piece of garbage.”

Jury Still Out On Tabor Plan

2012-02-03T03:18:34Z

An environmental expert told Branford residents that tests indicate no significant contamination on the portion of Tabor Drive where a public works facility could be built. Other concerns at the public hearing Wednesday focused on construction costs, traffic and flooding issues.

About 150 people crowded into the Board of Selectmen meeting,and adjourning rooms, to hear information about the Tabor Drive property, which was the site recommended by the Public Works Building Committee.

The committee’s (some members pictured above) second choice was a property on Northeast Industrial Road. Total construction costs for each project were estimated around $10 million.Contamination concerns are not limited to the Tabor site. The committee’s report on the two sites says the Northeast Industrial Road location has been contaminated from previous industrial uses. The consultant said the town would have to ensure that the owner remediates the problems before any purchase is made.

Thimble Island Ferry Gets Green Light

2012-02-02T13:24:26Z

A new Thimble Island Ferry that will shuttle residents and a few “tag-on” passengers between the Stony Creek dock and the islands received the stamp of approval from the Board of Selectmen (BOS) last night. The board acted after the town counsel determined that the new ferry service does not fall under the town’s commercial boating ordinance and did not require a permit to operate.

“The ferry is the thread that stitches together the life of our community,” Charlie Goetsch, a New Haven attorney, told the BOS two weeks ago. Goetsch is the lead attorney on the project and the district’s first president.

DaRos’s Top Assistant Suffers Heart Attack

2012-01-31T15:05:10Z

First Selectman Unk DaRos’s longtime executive assistant, Trista Milici, suffered a serious heart attack last Saturday that nearly took her life, several people familiar with the situation told the Eagle.

Milici (pictured), 41, has served as the top administrative assistant for six first selectmen over the past 16 years. She has served DaRos, who just began his 11th year in office, the longest. Her title is now executive assistant to the first selectman. Her knowledge of the town, its operations and the nuances of town law, is legendary. Many view her as the glue that holds the town together.

Branford.

Civility Sought

2012-01-30T15:59:24Z

Anyone who attends Branford’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) meetings (pictured) or watches the televised sessions on BCTV knows there are problems. In the past few years, the meetings have become increasingly raucous, with some residents monopolizing the public comment period, or popping up to voice opinions without permission.

There are no rules for conduct or public participation at the meetings, but two of the three selectmen say that may change.

The third selectman says common courtesy could solve the problem.

State law is not so lenient.

Parents Want Walls

2012-01-27T17:30:43Z

School officials at a parent advisory meeting spent most of the evening talking about budget priorities and anti-bullying policies, but what parents wanted to hear was how the district plans to fix the outdated middle school.

Parents say the open classroom concept, that was popular when the Francis Walsh Intermediate School was built in 1972, is no longer conducive to learning. They say the lack of walls between the rooms results in high noise levels and too many distractions for students.

For Branford Intermediate School.