News and Events
At a Middlebury Town Commitee meet and greet
Connecticut Secretary of The state Susan Bysiewicz, Explains her plans for the state if she were elected governor.
Link: www.susan2010.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Stephen R. Ferrucci III
Chairman of the Democratic Town Committee
www.middlebury.dems.info
At its meeting held on August 11, 2009, the Middlebury Democratic Town Committee voted to support the replacement of the old ineffective radio system that the police department is currently using, with an upgraded high band system.
The change over is long overdue. The health and safety of not only the police officers are in jeopardy; but also, that of the general public. There are areas on Rt. 63, as well as others, that if an officer responds to a car accident, he can not call back to the headquarters to order an ambulance, or call for additional help. The same problem happens inside buildings if a burglar alarm goes off and someone is inside, no communication is available to call for back up help.
Yes, there is a cost, but what cost do we put on a human life? Do we wait until someone gets seriously hurt or killed, and then say, “we should have gotten the radios sooner?”
If the Town doesn’t want the complete expense all at once, I suggested to the Board of Finance that they lease the equipment with option to buy, like this Town has done for years with the public works trucks and equipment.
Residents, (voters) should support this issue, don’t wait until a tragedy happens!!!
Contact Information:
Stephen R. Ferrucci III
Chairman of the Democratic Town Committee
The Middlebury Democratic Town Committee has voted to support the Town
employees in their quest to retain their negotiated contracts. The current dispute
between the Town and the unionized employees over the health care issue is just
another example of how the Town generates disputes that cost the taxpayers
more and more money for legal bills.
Without getting into the merits of the issue of whether the health care supplied
by the Town is significantly equal or not, the mere fact that several unionized
bargaining units had “closed” contracts, and another was in the stage of
negotiation, the Town “unilaterally” changed the health benefits without first
negotiating over the change.
Connecticut General Statutes 7-740 requires the Town to negotiate over such
changes or face municipal prohibited practice charges, which, in fact, are
currently pending.
I personally asked the Democratic Selectman, Robert Desmarais if he voted to do
this change. He stated he voted to “explore” the change with the unions, not to
unilaterally do it. If this is so, where is the official selectman vote to make the
change?
This is just another example of how controversial decisions cost the Town more
money from it’s heavily used legal accounts, and make attorneys richer, and
taxpayers poorer, as well as affecting the morale of the Town workers.
The Democratic Town committee urges the Board of Selectman to negotiate with
the unions in good faith, and end the legal battle over the health care issue.
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Midddlebury Day at Quassy
The War In Iraq - Counting US Casualties
