Public hearing on liquor ordinance is set for Dec. 7

Written by Joan Lownds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 15:10

The Election Day mandate from voters to permit the sale of alcohol in package stores in town moved a step closer to reality, as the Board of Selectmen Monday set the date for a public hearing on a liquor ordinance. The hearing, which will be held on Monday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., enables residents to weigh in on how the sales of alcohol ought to be regulated.

“The ordinance will then be subject to review and modification,” said Second Selectman Susan Bruschi, who chaired the meeting in the absence of First Selectman William Brennan.

Bernhard named chairman of ethics advisory board

Written by Justin Reynolds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 15:07

G. Kenneth Bernhard, a Westport resident who is Wilton’s town counsel, was recently elected to chair the Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board, a board that operates under the Connecticut Office of State Ethics.

“Our job is to ensure honesty, integrity and accountability in state government through education, interpretation and enforcement of the state’s code of ethics,” Mr. Bernhard said Monday. “In effect, we are the interpreter and the enforcement agency of the code of state ethics as it applies to all 55,000 state employees and all state public officials in the legislature and governor’s office.”

Mr. Bernhard, an attorney with Cohen and Wolf, P.C., said the board has three divisions: an enforcement division, an education division and a legal division.

Blumenthal files petition with U.S. Supreme Court challenging FAA redesign plan

Written by Susan Wolf
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 15:05

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal filed a formal petition on Monday asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on whether an appeals court wrongly upheld new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plans.

On Aug. 19, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied Mr. Blumenthal’s request to reconsider its refusal to halt the new FAA airspace redesign project.

The new flight paths will route more large planes over southwestern Connecticut, damaging the region’s environment, Mr. Blumenthal said in a statement issued on Monday.

Himes reflects on first year

Written by Joan Lownds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:57

When Jim Himes arrived in Washington as a freshman congressman from the 4th District nearly one year ago, the country was faced with the worst recession in generations, an increasingly unpopular war with Iraq and a high-decibel health care debate.

“It was a national crisis,” said Mr. Himes, reflecting on his first year in office during an interview with The Bulletin last week. But the Greenwich Democrat saw opportunity in the challenge, “because of the way a crisis aligns people and brings them together,” he said.

Passion for pooches leads to a 'Facebook' for dogs

Written by Justin Reynolds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 15:02

A social networking Web site for dogs? Better bet your tail there is.

DogParkCommunity.com, the brainchild of Wiltonian Arlyn Young and co-founder Christine Souchack, is a “virtual dogpark” where pets and their owners may meet and mingle.

“We both love dogs and decided that we wanted to follow our passion,” said Ms. Young, who was a Wall Street recruiter for 18 years before launching the site. Ms. Young said prior to launching the site, Ms. Souchack worked in radio advertising.

Town officials react to Rell's decision not to seek re-election

Written by Joan Lownds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:55

On the heels of Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s decision not to seek re-election, town officials weighed in with regret mixed with gratitude for her 25 years of public service.

“I am disappointed that Ms. Rell has chosen not to seek re-election, but I completely understand,” said State Senator Toni Boucher of Wilton. “She has served our state with honor for the past 25 years, and I am sure she thought long and hard about her decision to retire. If she believes that not seeking re-election is the right thing for her and her family, then we need to graciously accept her decision and gratefully thank her for everything she has done for our state.

Wilton's Parent Advisory Board for Special Education: 'We're here to help'

Written by Justin Reynolds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:51

For Janine Kelly, parents of children with special needs are typically faced with a wide range of challenges in helping their children grow and develop. Careful, ongoing planning is needed for the children’s home, community and school lives.

Ms. Kelly, who lives on Old Kings Highway, is a member of Wilton’s Parent Advisory Board for Special Education — a group of parents, special education administrators and PTA representatives whose “mission is to collaboratively work to improve the level of understanding of children with special needs and to improve communication, education and services for these students.”

Lory McCabe, chair of the advisory board who lives on Indian Hill Road, said the group is aiming to get their name out to Wiltonians who might not have heard such a board exists.

New Year's revelry to include cheers for finished Route 7?

Written by Justin Reynolds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:49

Ever since the Route 7 widening project began in September 2006, many Wiltonians shared one sentiment: I can’t wait until this is finished.

Thirty-nine months later, the finish line appears to be in near sight.

In a formal statement First Selectman William Brennan issued Tuesday, Wiltonians might have to wait just six more weeks.

New 10-digit dialing begins Nov. 14; some equipment needs reprogramming

Written by by Philip Dukes, Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control
Friday, 13 November 2009 15:19

Beginning Nov. 14, all phone users in Connecticut must use area codes when placing all local calls in Connecticut. If they do not use area codes, their call will not be completed and a recording will instruct them to hang up and dial again.

To complete local calls, the new dialing procedure requires callers to dial area code plus telephone number.

This means that all local calls in Connecticut that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using area code + telephone number.

What will Connecticut phone users need to do?

In addition to changing their dialing procedure, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed with a seven-digit telephone number will need to be reprogrammed to use the new dialing procedure.

Some examples are life safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems, gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions.

Connecticut phone users must be certain to check their business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included.

Brennan keeps freeze on spending by town

Written by Gregg Bartlett
Monday, 16 November 2009 15:36

Faced with a sharp decline in revenues for the town and economic difficulties that are “not over yet,” First Selectman Bill Brennan sent a detailed message last week to all town departments and agencies, like the library assocation and the teen center, that calls on them to continue to freeze spending and curtail requests in their new budget proposals.

“The hiring freeze that we have had in place since 2005 remains in effect, as well as all other expenditure reduction requests,” noted Mr. Brennan in an e-mail message to The Bulletin this week, adding that he believes “it is important that the citizens of Wilton know the efforts we are taking to manage the town as efficiently as possible during this very difficult period.”

Unlike during the previous budget process, Mr. Brennan this time could not rule out potential reductions in town department personnel.