LWV OF WESTON PICTURE STORY HERE
LWV of Weston "Speak
Up XXII" now showing on Town TV Channel 79...at 9a.m. EVERY
DAY!!!
CHANNEL 12 ATTENDED - THEIR REPORT:
"SPEAK
UP 2013" (the 22nd Annual LWV of Weston event) took
place, rescheduled to Saturday morning Feb. 23rd, to
talk about town business!!! And did we ever!
Watch it again and again on Channel 79 at 9a.m. every
single day!
Link
to most recent, previous, such events here. Earlier
sample here.
As
far back, online, as here...
Best
viewed
with Internet Explorer, which will automatically open Windows
Media Player and start playback without waiting for the
download to complete.
1 hour 41 minutes 30 seconds
For cable
and dsl users:
SPEAK UP 2013 STARTED OFF WITH A QUESTION FOR THE
BUILDING COMMITTEE, "WHAT'S UP?"
The answer was that
the windows and doors project at the Middle School
is done, the High School is starting, there is work
on the study for a new Police Headquarters facility
and yes, even the Building Committee is on top of
finding a good solution to the School Safety issues
from Sandy Hook...
Building
Committe Chair. Allen Swerdlowe, back row (under the
"ue" of League sign above)...
SANDY HOOK MEANS
SCHOOLS: EVENTUALLY SOMEONE GOT AROUND TO THE
SCHOOL BUDGET & ENROLLMENT:
Somehow, this issue
doesn't have much traction now that the Charter has
been changed to have a mandatory Referendum -
"problem solved" or is it?
Question for State Senators - "Can something be done to permit larger school budget
cuts?"
SCHOOL SAFETY:
QUESTION AGAIN BRINGS
WORD THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL SAFETY DID NOT
RECOMMEND ARMED GUARDS
The League is
always glad when people ask a question and actually get
an answer that pleases them!
GREAT NEWS VOLUNTEERED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION:
There will be solar panel arrays
placed at the Middle School and the High School via a grant!
One of the things stressed by
traditional opponents of the school budget is their
sincere admiration and respect for the present
administration...which is what the gentleman below is
saying...
AS MUCH AS THE
MODERATOR TRIES, IT IS HARD TO KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE...
As Channel 12 (thank you for
coming!) nice, eager news cameraman does a paparazzi-look-alike
on
poor WFFR speaker...
In the nick of
time, here come a new topic! Or at least a
different topic!
LACHAT: WHAT ARE THE LATEST PLANS AND WHAT
IS GOING ON? WHICH INSPIRED SUSTAINABILITY'S
FIRST CHAIR. TO ASK WHAT WAS UP WITH SOLAR?
One of the most inspiring
note (s) this year - and this was a totally inspiring
Speak Up - was this particular section of the meeting!
Carol
Baldwin, for the Lachat Oversight Committee,
responded, and left us all with the idea that we'll
get our chance to participate soon!
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND ZONING CAME UP!
What are the State's plans for
Weston?
The First Selectman chimed in too, explaining how the
Metropolitan Planning Organization, led by Darien's First
Selectmen, have tried for changes to the statute...to no avail...
LEAVE IT TO PLANNING AND ZONING TO SET THE
RECORD STRAIGHT:
First of all, sure we can make
changes to accomodate regulations requiring affordable housing,
but at what cost? As we know without sewers or public
water, the development options are limited...
Don Saltzman spoke eloquently for P&Z...referred to
Town Plan.
FOR CONSERVATION'S PART, IT WAS NOTED THAT IN
ASSISTING P&Z WITH THE TOWN PLAN IN 2010, THEY DIDN'T FIND
MORE THAN 200 BUILDING LOTS LEFT TO DEVELOP.
Fromson-Strassler was mentioned
as land the Town holds for the purpose of building affordable
housing, but use of the Georgetown tertiary treatment plant was
unavailable to Weston.
Dr. Tom
Failla spoke with authority.
FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE, THE HONORABLE
JOHN STRIPP, POINTED OUT THAT BASED UPON HIS MANY YEARS IN THE
LEGISLATURE, IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
REGULATIONS WERE NOT DESIGNED TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO BE SATISFIED
BY TOWNS SUCH AS WESTON.
It is
always good to hear from our long-time State Rep from
the 135th!
AND THEN WITH A LAST
ROUSING HUMOROUS REMARK FROM PLANNING AND ZONING, THE
MORNING FULL OF QUESTIONS MOVED AHEAD...
Click here
for blow up.
THE 90 MINUTE VIDEO OF SPEAK
UP 2013 IS HERE!
Best
viewed with Internet Explorer, which will automatically open
Windows Media Player
and start play back without waiting for the download to
complete.
1 hour 41 minutes 30 seconds
For cable and dsl users:
(38 Megabytes)
WESTON
FORUM
SUPER STORY!
Speak Up 2013: Westonites have their say
Weston FORUM
By Kimberly Donnelly on February 27, 2013
School security, gun laws, affordable housing, and the
cost of living — as well as the quality of life — in
Weston were the main topics at Weston Speak Up 2013,
presented by the League of Women Voters of Weston on
Saturday, Feb. 23.
About 75 people attended the open question-and-answer
forum at the Weston Public Library, and they heard from
a panel of about 20 town and state officials. There were
15 people who “spoke up,” asking questions of the
panelists or offering opinions.
Representatives from every major town board and
commission were on hand, as well as the superintendent
of schools, the town administrator, the police chief,
and Weston’s two state senators, Toni Boucher (R-26th
District) and John McKinney (R-28th District).
School safety
School safety and the related topic of gun laws took
center stage. Richard Troxell asked what the police, the
schools, and the town are planning to do to improve
school safety and what the probable budgetary impacts
are going to be.
Superintendent Colleen Palmer acknowledged that the
tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in
neighboring Newtown in December had a “profound impact
on every school in the country.”
[Please read the rest of this article at the Weston FORUM website]
Pre-PRESS:
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Saturday morning, February 23, 2013,
10:30am to 12 Noon at the Weston Public Library Community
Room...invitations are out to officials, the Moderator has
agreed to come, the room is reserved and all we need...is
you!!!
This is the meeting where the people have the upper
hand. The 22nd annual LWV of Weston event.
Begun in 1992.
The people, and that means you (if you attend), get to ask
any question within the bounds of propriety of any and all
public officials on stage. The chairs. of all boards
and commissions and the full Board of Selectmen have
received invitations. As has the Police Chief,
Superintendent of Schools and our State Legislative
delegation.
Last year it was HUMVEES...what
will
it be this year? Let's see...
SPEAK UP XXII RESCHEDULED
TO FEBRUARY 23RD...
