Volume 3 Number 1 • Winter 2010 GOODSPEED OPERA HOUSE ABRIEF HISTORY In This Issue: Update From First Selectman • Business Updates • Park and Recreation Middle School Conversion Project • Economic Development Commission Goodspeed Housing Project • Senior News • Assessor Information … and more EAST HADDAM EVENTS • WINTER 2010 From Your First Selectman Dear East Haddam Residents, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you for two more years as your First Selectman. I am honored and poised to lead our town in these challenging times. Economy and Budget The results of this past election communicate clearly that you want us to maintain the course we set out on a bit over two years ago to maintain a steady tax rate and a watchful eye on the budget. Frankly, the state’s budget problems are of great concern to me. Why? Instead of making the tough choices to reduce the size of state government they are passing their problems down to the towns by cutting municipal aide that they had committed to us at the beginning of the budget cycle. In effect, the state is changing the rules AFTER we set our local us with a wide range of experience in municipal accounting budget based on their funding commitment for this fiscal year. and public administration. I am sure that she will be an asset I challenge our representatives and the Governor to do as to the East Haddam team and we all look forward to working we have done here in East Haddam; reduce the size of with her. government and live within its means. Instead of looking According to our Constitution, “We the People” tell the within their own agencies to increase efficiency and elimi - government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. I look forward to nate waste they want to reduce the amount of money we use hearing your ideas and opinions as we weather this storm of to fund our local school system. Net, net the state wants to overspending at the State and Federal levels. shift the burden from the state to the towns with no real savings to the taxpayer… just a shifting of who you, the - Mark B. Walter, First Selectman taxpayer, write the check to. Instead of making tough decisions, the state is deflecting its problems to the towns. (www.dothemath.com) As frustrating as things are at the state level and regardless of what happens, East Haddam is well positioned to handle whatever the state throws at us. We have outstanding elected officials, employees and volunteers on our various boards and commissions who are deeply committed to discovering creative solutions to the challenges we face. INTEGRITY • SERVICE • EXPERIENCE Economic Development Our theme for this publication is a tribute to the Good - speed Opera House and the economic incentives in the works to capitalize on our towns unique assets. The histori - cal articles will reveal how close we came to losing the Opera House. Jump ahead to today and we are looking forward to the huge five and a half million dollar investment that Goodspeed Musicals will be making with the new actor LIFETIME AREA RESIDENT housing village. The East Haddam Village Revitalization Commission has developed a concept for mixed use residen - tial and commercial development of the Town Office proper - JODI LISITANO Chairman’s Elite Club ty to improve the commercial tax base and better use of our Top Producer William Raveis Real Estate valuable river front property. Finally we are close to spending 48 Main St. • Middletown, CT 06457 a $250,000 grant to improve downtown sidewalks and install Office: 860-344-1658 • Fax: 860-347-8511 traffic calming crosswalks. Home: 860-873-1815 • Cell: 860-301-2032 E-mail: [email protected] New Employee raveis.com It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Cindy Varricchio as Finance Administrator. Cindy has served as the “The Best Website in Real Estate” Administrative Manager for the Town of Essex and comes to www.eventsmagazines.com 1 EAST HADDAM EVENTS • WINTER 2010 Volunteer of the Month Please join us in congratulating our most recent volunteers of the month: Nancy and Ted Pincus, David Meade, and Chad Petersen. If you would like to nominate someone, please do so in a letter to the First Selectman. Annual Town Report Copies of the East Haddam Annual Town Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2009 are available now in the Town Clerk’s Office. This book is filled with valuable information regarding meeting dates, boards and commissions, reports from all town departments, the current 2009-2010 town bud - get, and the 2008-2009 summary financial report. The full 2008-2009 year-end audit can be viewed on line at www.easthaddam.org. This year’s cover features the new Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School, which was dedicated on August 26, 2008. The report also includes artwork from students at the Middle School. Feel free to stop in for your very own copy of the Annual Town Report. Role of the Police on the Local Prevention Council (LPC) As a member of the Local Prevention Council (LPC) in East Haddam, I was asked to write an article for the Events Maga - zine as to why the police are members of the LPC. We cur - rently have two spots on the LPC, which are filled by Craig Mansfield, who is a part-time police officer for East Haddam, and me. Our reasons for being members of the LPC may be slightly different then the other members but we are all mem - bers for relatively the same reasons. As police officers our job is not only to keep the public safe through motor vehicle enforcement and the investigation of crimes, but it is our responsibility to help improve the quality of life for those who live in the community we serve. The LPC is a community-oriented organization that aggressively pro - motes a drug-free lifestyle. As a State Trooper for nearly sev - enteen years, I can say that the most common denominator associated with the crimes that I have investigated over the years has been alcohol and drug abuse. I have seen more than my share of tragedies that could have been prevented had alcohol/drug use not been involved. I have witnessed families ripped apart by drug/alcohol abuse and have broken many hearts having to deliver tragic news of the death of a husband, wife, son, or daughter, a death that could have been prevent - ed. Alcohol continues to be the “gateway drug” and most widely used drug among our children. As individuals we may not have the power to compete against our kids’ peers when it comes to the pressures that they face daily...but as a community we can provide a posi - tive pressure and an outlet for kids who may be on the fence regarding drug and alcohol use/abuse. It is not the job of our schools, religious groups, politicians, or police to instill the Continued on next page 2 www.eventsmagazines.com EAST HADDAM EVENTS • WINTER 2010 Continued from page 2 “rights and wrongs” in our kids; however, as community members it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure that our kids grow up safe and provide them with alternatives to falling into the drug/alcohol scene. As for me personally, I want to effect change, a positive change for our community. Over the years, I guess that I have changed from an idealist to a realist, but I still have hopes and dreams and I believe that anything is possible if you work Volume 3, Number 1 hard enough. I know that we cannot rid East Haddam of East Haddam Events drug/alcohol abuse overnight. My goal and the goal of my EAST HADDAM TOWN HALL office is to have a positive effect within our community 7 Main Street, P.O. Box K through the LPC so that we can save your family from the East Haddam, CT 06423 devastating effects and tragedies associated with drug/alcohol abuse. - Jeffrey Rhoades CT State Police/East Haddam Resident Trooper’s Office Notary Public Services Both the Town Clerk and Assistant Town Clerk provide Notary Public Services at the Town Clerk’s Office. Govern - ment-issued photo identification is required. The person whose signature is being notarized must sign the document in person in the presence of the Notary. Notaries in the Town Clerk’s Office do not notarize wills, nor do they witness to statements attesting to an individual’s competency. No charge is assessed for Notary Services. Holiday Closings The Town Office Building and Transfer Station will be closed on the following holidays: Monday, January 18 - Mar - Art Director Layout & Design tin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, February 15 - Presidents’ Day Kathy Alsop Amy Bransfield and Friday, April 2 – Good Friday. Nathan Hale-Ray High School Project Graduation 2010 RAFFLE Cover Photo: Mark Walter Project Grad is currently holding a $5 raffle to benefit the all-night graduation party for the Class of 2010. First prize is a trip to Block Island valued at $1,200.00. The drawing will take place February 4, 2010. For a complete list of prizes please visit our web site at: www.nhrhsprojectgrad.com SURF ‘N TURF DINNER The annual surf ‘n turf dinner will be held March 27. Tick - ets will be $25 and available in advance. Please check our web site in early March for more details. LITTLE CAESAR PIZZA SALE Due to popular demand, we will be once again running our pizza sale beginning March 22. More information will be available on our web site in March.