Volume 21, Number 11
www.berlincitizen.com
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Town officials react to budget rejection By Ashley Kus Citizen staff
The Town Council is discussing what steps to take now that voters have shot down the $85.3 million town budget at a non-binding referendum. “It’s difficult,” said Mayor Mark Kaczynski.
Berlin police were out around Berlin Thursday, April 27 as part of a month-long enforcement effort to crack down on distracted driving. | Photos by Ashley Kus, The Berlin Citizen
Distracted driving crackdown expands By Ashley Kus Citizen staff
More than 300 people paid the price for using their cellphones while driving in town during national Distracted Driving Awareness Month. “People are getting it,” said Berlin police Lt. James Gosselin.
Drivers who violate the law and use their phones while operating a vehicle receive this with a ticket.
Throughout April, local police were out in force looking for distracted drivers as part of the “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign. Last year, more than 500 drivers were pulled over in the spring for distracted driving on the Berlin Turnpike alone.
| Courtesy of the Berlin Police Department
See Crackdown, A6
The council will revisit the budget and decide whether to do any reductions or additions. Historically, rejected budgets are changed, though it is possible for the council to adopt the budget as-is. Only 329 people voted in favor of the budget, representing a 2.8 percent tax increase. Over 750 people voted no. The .87 mill proposed increase means that a house valued at $250,000, for example, would pay an additional $150 in property taxes. The drivers for the budget include, payments on the high school renovation, new fire vehicles and an elementary school roof. “I was surprised to see that it failed,” said Matthew Tencza, Board of EducaSee Budget, A3
Living organ donation topic of library talk while they are alive. By Ashley Kus Citizen staff
Over 1,000 people in the state are on a waiting list for a kidney donation, but there are often not enough donors. Berlin-Peck Memorial Library is aiding in the effort to inform people how to donate
“I think people don’t really know about it,” said Nancy Moody, community health coordinator at Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Center of Living Organ Donors. Moody spoke at an information session Wednesday night, April 26, hosted by the library and Berlin-Kensington Rotary Club.
“This is something you could do now,” said Helen Malinka, library director. “I think this is an important topic.” April is national organ donation month. Last year, more than 5,000 kidney and liver transplants were possible due to living donors. A living donor needs See Organs, A2
Berlin-Peck Memorial Library held an information session on living organ donors on April 26. | Ashley Kus, The Berlin Citizen