Town Times

LET’S GO!

BOE chief: budget plan responsible, reasonable

By Nicole Zappone Town Times

The Middlefield Lions Club’s annual Easter Egg Hunt took place Saturday, April 8 at Peckham Park.

Along with the hunt, the event included prizes, refreshments, and a visit from the Easter Bunny, of course.

Library renewal project update

Construction on the long-planned Library Renewal Project is set to begin this month at Durham Public Library.

The project will refresh the public spaces of the library to best serve the current and future needs of the community.

Spaces for quiet study, including two small study rooms and updated reading areas, gathering space for group work, upgraded public computer and “bring your own device” access will be addressed.

The library will also be adding features to improve handicap-accessible access and services, as well as updating the carpet, paint and two main floor restrooms.

“We intend to keep the library open as much as possible during the renovation process, ” Library Director Christine Michaud noted.

“However, parts of the library and portions of the collection may be unavailable as work is being done,” Michaud continued. “Locations for specific services may also change.”

The project is expected to be substantially complete by early summer. Updates will be posted on the library website and on social media.

“Please be patient with us during construction,” Michaud said. “We encourage patrons to stock up on books ahead of the renovation.”

The Durham Public Library was awarded a grant for the renewal project in the amount of $146,957 by the Connecticut State Library Board.

Additional funding is provided by the Town of Durham, The Peach Pit Foundation and the generous contributions of library supporters.

A public hearing to discuss the RSD13 budget proposal drew a large crowd at the high school on April 5.

The Board of Education is requesting a $39.4 million budget for 2023-2024.

“The total budget increase is 3.98 percent, which is much lower than the inflation rate," said school board chair Lucy Petrella, who described the budget as "responsible and reasonable."

Petrella said the Board of Education found the average budget request increase for similar school districts to be 4.12 percent.

Photos by Brett Bogdan

The Library Renewal Project is expected to begin this month at Durham Public Library, 7 Maple Ave. Durham Public Library, Facebook

Press Release

See BOE, A11

Bailey tribute

A Celebration of Life honoring the memory of former Middlefield First Selectman Ed Bailey will be held Sunday, April 23, 2 p.m., at Peckham Park. Attendees are invited to share stories about Bailey and what he meant to the Middlefield community. Those planning to attend the Celebration of Life are asked to RSVP to 860-840-1543 or celebrate@middlefieldct.org.

Tag sale

The Durham Garden Club is hosting a tag sale fundraiser Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 163R Middlefield Road. Rain or shine. More than 25 families have donated items. Donations are still welcome and can be dropped off Friday, April 14. Proceeds from the tag sale will support the garden club's annual CRHS scholarship and other community projects.

Breakfast fundraiser

A pancake breakfast fundraiser benefiting the Coginchaug baseball and softball teams will be held Sunday, May 7, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Durham Community Center. Adult breakfast (2 pancakes, 2 sausages) is $10. Children’s breakfast (1 pancake, 1 sausage) is $5. Juice, water, coffee included.

Vocal Chords

The Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords will present its 33rd annual spring concert, “It’s a Grand Night for Singing,” Saturday, April 29, 7 p.m., at Portland High School, 95 High St. Musical director Samuel Tucker has prepared a performance that will be filled with lightness, lift and bounce.

In addition, the Vocal Chords will present scholarships to graduating students from Middlesex County who will be pursuing a career in nursing or music. Tickets for “It’s a Grand Night for Singing" are $25. Call Diane (860-347-2787) or Joyce (860-342-3120) to reserve your seats. For more on the Vocal Chords, visit VocalChords20.org.

Giving Garden

The Middlefield-Durham Giving Garden will officially open for the season Saturday, April 22 at 10 a.m. with an event to honor three local Eagle Scouts whose projects have enriched the garden over the last several years. There will also be a free seed swap and distribution.

Volunteers have been working to prepare the garden, located behind the Middlefield Community Center, Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Saturday work opportunities will begin April 29. Help is welcomed and appreciated. For further information, contact Betsy St. John at 860-807-5242 or Jen Huddleston at 860-716-0464.

Bulk pick-up

Public works in both Durham and Middlefield were scheduled to start their annual brush pick-up this week.

Homeowners are reminded each house is limited to one truckload of brush.

The intent of the annual spring brush pick-up is to allow homeowners to remove branches and limbs that have fallen naturally over the course of the winter onto their property. Land clearing or evidence of newly-cut trees does not comply with these regulations.

Volunteer

The Middlefield Fire Department seeks volunteers age 18plus. No experience is required; the department provides the necessary training.

To learn more, visit middlefieldfirect.org, email info@ middlefieldfirect.org or stop by the firehouse Mondays before 7 p.m. The department also has an Explorer program for youth age 14 to 18.

Golf classic

The Cove Kids Classic is scheduled for Friday, May 5 at Lyman Orchards Golf Club. For player/sponsor details, visit covect.org/thecove-kids-classic.

Cat Tales

Join a wonderful and dedicated group of people a few hours a week to help care for homeless cats at Cat Tales’ main shelter.

Must be age 15-plus or be accompanied by a parent/ guardian.

The volunteer application can be found at cattalesct.org. For more information, email: info@cattalesct.org.

Gift of sight

The Durham Lions Club’s recently-refurbished drop box is ready for your eyeglass donations at the Durham Pharmacy.

Lions have recognized the urgent need for corrective lenses and collect usable glasses in their communities to support the Lions Recycle For Sight Program.

STATE SEN. PAUL CICARELLA

Bolstering government accountability across the board

Prison sentences and pleas in West Haven's COVID relief fund scandal now mark the final chapter in a shameful tale of government fraud.

Another story of government abuse of taxpayer dollars is yet to be complete, as federal authorities probe the state's now-infamous multibillion-dollar school construction program. An audit of this program, released in January, provided the public and lawmakers with spotty information, at best.

This is not the way government should operate. Yes, a few bad actors are responsible for these incidents –most municipal and state employees are honorable people. However, even one dollar of taxpayer money that government officials abuse is one dollar too many. We must respect the sacrifices of all taxpayers every day, and that is done by treating their money as our own.

Anyone reading this piece knows just how difficult it is to stretch your paycheck

from week to week, or month to month. You have respect for your money and know how scarce it is. Because of this scarcity, we're held accountable by our families, our employers and our businesses to properly spend what we earn. State and municipal government must do the same.

As Connecticut receives an unprecedented amount of federal funding for COVID relief and infrastructure investment, we must ensure that every taxpayer dollar is spent wisely and transpar-

ently. Cases like West Haven or the state's school construction program highlight the need for improved oversight and disclosure to prevent future abuses.

That's why I am proud to have joined my Senate Republican colleagues recently to introduce our Better Way to An Accountable Connecticut, which aims to bolster government accountability across the board. This series of actionable proposals addresses the recent scandals I've mentioned and would install guardrails to prevent other forms of government fraud. It includes mechanisms for COVID relief fund oversight; oversight of federal funds for roads,

Durham Dental

bridges, and highways; and creates a state Chief Accountability Office with the power to investigate impropriety.

What would these mechanisms be? To provide transparency and accountability for federal funds, we sug-

The

gest requiring municipal CEOs to submit quarterly reports detailing their expenditures. These reports should be easily accessible to taxpayers on state and town websites.

See Cicarella, A5

Applications for the State Elderly/Disabled Tax Relief Programs and the Town of Durham’s Senior Tax Relief (Freeze or Deferral) Programs are available for income qualifying residents. The filing period for same is February 1st - May 15, 2023.

Applications for the Veterans’ Additional Exemption Tax Relief Program are available for income qualifying residents. The filing period for same is February 1stOctober 1, 2023.

Applications will be taken by appointment only. Please call the Assessor’s Office, 860-343-6709, or the Human Services Office, 860-349-3153, to arrange a time or obtain more information.

website:

I am still over-the-moon happy with my streaming TV, thanks to the Roku that my friend gave me. And much to my great delight, I have found that I can now watch shows that I had loved years ago, like “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.” Back in the day, Saturdays always found me perched in front of

the TV at 8:00, totally immersed in my favorite show.

Just to give you a quick recap, Dr. Quinn hailed from Boston and landed in Colorado Springs, where she went through the trials and travails of proving to the residents that, yes, a woman doctor can be trusted. The

setting is in the 1800s, and much of the storyline revolves around the interactions between the Native Americans and the townsfolk. Gripping drama all the way, with a good supply of romance thrown in for good measure.

“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman ” still works for me. So often I have re-visited shows that I once loved but now cannot see what I ever saw in them in the first place. This show is not one of them. I am on a binge. I watch past episodes every day, every chance I get. The series originally aired so long ago that it is like watching it all for the first time.

I have always thought it would have gone better for me if the stork had dropped me off in the 1800s. I know every era has its challenges, but it just seemed to me that those were simpler times. I could see myself working the farm, tending to the crops and the animals (all of which would die of natural causes), churning my butter, hitching up the wagon once a month for my trip to the general store.

So I watch my found-again show and I am drawn into the life that I believe was meant for me. People amble about through town, horses parade through, buckboards and carriages scoot by. It all looks so peaceful.

I am, however, beginning to re-think my longing for those days. The women, as well as many others, had precious little freedom, and that would not have worked for me. I need my freedom, and lots of it. Besides, no way would anyone have gotten me into one of those corsets. Anyone can see that I am all about the comfort.

But I do enjoy the scenes where Dr. Quinn and her family are in their house (they called it their homestead) at night, sitting around a crackling fire and eating by candlelight. I could do that.

One thing that tickles me, right to the bone, is how Dr. Quinn conducted her practice. She patched folks up, they thanked her profusely, then they merrily bounced out of her clinic. I never saw money exchange hands. And everyone was smiling, even the good doctor.

However, during a recent episode she and her family were having financial challenges – they were in danger of losing the homestead –and we got to see how she generally got paid. Chickens, apricot jam, apple pies, embroidered doilies, and the like. None of which the bank was apparently impressed with.

A family friend, knowing of her plight, made the wise suggestion that she start charging money.

See Carr, A13

Cicarella

From A3

Connecticut is set to receive nearly $5.4 billion in federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds. These billions must be used for their intended purpose to address our most pressing infrastructure needs, while

from each party, to hold state, quasi-public and local governmental activities to the highest standards of integrity.

The legislative branch has a solemn duty to hold the executive branch accountable for its stewardship of public funds and projects. By implementing these measures, we can make sure that the historic federal investments

Scholarships

Huscher Team

The Huscher Team of William Raveis Real Estate will award a $500 scholarship to a graduating senior from Coginchaug Regional High School who will attend college or a trade school in the fall.

Durham Fair Association

The Durham Fair Association is offering 10 $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors who live in Durham, Middlefield or Rockfall and will be attending an institution

State legislature begins a quiet, but crucial phase

By Mark Pazniokas The Connecticut Mirror

The 2023 session of the Connecticut General Assembly entered a quiet and crucial phase last week. All but the tax and budget committees have reached their deadlines for reporting bills to the floors of the House and Senate.

Complicated and contentious bills on wage and workplace standards, energy regulation, gun control, affordable housing, climate change and recycling all made the initial cut, winning

favorable committee votes.

“This part of the legislative session now is very busy, but it’s mostly behind the scenes, ” said Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, a lawmaker for 42 years and the Senate’s top leader for eight. Some committee approvals were conditional, less an endorsement of a finished product than a decision to keep them alive for further polishing, negotiation or wholesale revamping.

What happens now can

broadly be described as screening, a process for assessing the policy and political implications of the committees’ output, as well as whether they have the broader support sufficient for a floor vote.

“Now it’s time to sort out and prioritize,” said House Minority Leader Vincent. J Candelora, R-North Branford. “There’s only so much time on the clock, and what are the priorities?”

Unlike Congress, where bills can gestate over two years,

the life cycle of a bill in the Connecticut General Assembly is surprisingly brief, akin to the growing season in a hostile climate.

General Assembly sessions are five months in odd years, three months in even ones. Three of this year’s five months are now gone, and the pace will begin to quicken as more bills ripen, vetted by committees and the non-partisan staffs at the Office of Fiscal Analysis and Office of Legislative Research. The former must produce fiscal notes for every bill, the latter a plain-language summary.

“People often raise the question: ‘Why is it you guys are in session doing marathons in the last several weeks of the session and not in session much early on?’” Looney said. “But really, it’s built into our process, because we do respect the committee process, and bills are vetted through the committee.”

Anything with a tax implication or significant cost must be voted on by the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee or the Appropriations Committee, whose respective deadlines are April 20 and 21. While the non-partisan ana-

lysts do their work, there also is a political analysis, a less formal screening by legislative leaders to measure the broader support for a bill in their caucuses and the risks and benefits of calling a vote.

Connecticut voters maintained the Democrats’ firm control over lawmaking in November, easily reelecting Gov. Ned Lamont and electing Democratic majorities of 97-53 in the House and 24-12 in the Senate.

With the huge majorities come challenges of potentially conflicting priorities and goals: For example, House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, leads a caucus whose members represent some of the richest and poorest census tracts in the U.S. What bills come to floor vote are the purview of Ritter in the House and Looney in the Senate.

Assessing the ramifications of those bills is a dynamic process, one that weighs whether legislation is calibrated to do too much or little, in search of a majority. Lawmakers referred to major bills sent to the floor this year as a “work See Legislature, A12

Readers Theater

Readers Theater will perform “The Lifespan of a Fact” Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m., at the Durham Community Center. The comedic play is based on a “true-ish” story about a young factchecker’s struggle to perform his job responsibly for a well-known New York magazine. Seating is limited. Call 860-343-6724.

Drug Take Back

Residents can clear their homes of no-longer-needed prescription drugs Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the resident state troopers office in both Middlefield (405 Main St.) and Durham (144 Pickett Lane). The communities have hosted Drug Take Back events since 2014, resulting in more than 1,000 pounds of unused or expired medication being disposed of. For more information, email Dena Miccinello at dmiccinello@dmyfs.org.

Celebration

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce will host a retirement celebration for its longtime president Larry McHugh Wednesday, May 10 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville.

The event runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $100. Register online at middlesexchamber.com.

Lineworkers

Eversource is partnering with Housatonic Community College and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Unions 420 and 457 to prepare the next generation of electrical lineworkers in Connecticut. The Lineworker Certificate Program provides students valuable training in the electric utility industry and the opportunity to progress into Eversource’s paid apprenticeship program. For details, visit Eversource.com.

Reading challenge

The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club, in partnership with Eversource, has announced the return of a student reading challenge for the 2023 season. Students (K through 8th grade) who read five books outside of the school curriculum will earn two tickets to a Yard Goats game. Parents/ guardians can register students on yardgoatsbaseball.com through May 6.

Boxes to Boots

Berlin-based non-profit Boxes to Boots, 28 Chamberlain Highway, sends care pack-

ages to members of the U.S. military serving overseas. To learn more about the organization and its needs, visit boxestoboots.org.

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LIONS EASTER EGG HUNT APRIL 8, PECKHAM PARK

In Brief

Adopt-a-Road

Join the Durham-Middlefield Exchange Club Saturday, April 15 for an Adopt-a-Road clean-up. Come to Allyn Brook Park between 8 and 9:30 a.m. to pick up bags and ties. Join us for coffee, juice and donuts before you help to make our town a little cleaner and brighter.

Needlework

The Durham Fair Needlework Department will sponsor its next workshop Saturday, April 15, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Middlefield Community Center. Participants will make a cross body bag perfect for carrying a phone and ID on walks.

For more details about the workshop, and to register, contact Susan D’Orvilliers: 860-3069024, smdorvilliers@yahoo.com (put “cross body bag” in subject line).

HHW collection

The Lower CT River Council of Governments will hold a free household hazardous waste collection Saturday, April 22, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Clinton Public Works Garage, 117 Nod Road. No commercial or business waste allowed.

The collection is open to residents of the RiverCOG region, which includes Middlefield and Durham. Visit rivercog.org to learn more.

Sneakers sought

Throughout the month of April, Coginchaug Alliance for Racial Equity (CARE) is collecting used sneakers to benefit scholarships at Strong Middle School and Coginchaug Regional High School.

The sneakers will be recycled or reused. Collection boxes can be found at Levi E. Coe Library, the Middlefield Community Center (upper floor) and at the Durham Community Center. Questions? Email coginchaugalliance@gmail.com.

Road clean-up

Middlefield-Rockfall Community Road

Cleanup Day is Saturday, May 6. Volunteers can come to Peckham Park between 9 and 11 a.m. to collect bags, gloves and a trash picker.

Then, return unused materials and collected trash to Peckham Park by 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 7 for the town crew to pick up. Rain date is May 7.

CVEF grants

The Coginchaug Valley Education Foundation is accepting grant applications. If you have a great idea, apply now. The application can be downloaded from coginchaugvef.org and are due Monday, May 1. Questions can be emailed to grants@coginchaugvef.org.

Letters Policy

Email

We reserve the right to edit letters.

Letters must be signed and names will appear in print. Include a phone number so the paper can contact you for verification.

Letters must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday to be considered for publication that Friday.

Durham Public Library

Youth: Graphic Novel Book Club: Wings of Fire. Monday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. Book 4, “The Dark Secret.” For grades 3-5. Book available at the front desk. See durhamlibrary.org to register.

Adults:

Field Trip: Florence Griswold Museum. Saturday, April 22 at 10 a.m. We’ll meet at the museum and enjoy a free guided tour. See durhamlibrary.org to register.

Book Club. Monday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m., in person. “On the Roof Top” by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton. Book available at the front desk. See durhamlibrary.org to register.

Spanish Conversation on Zoom. Fridays at 4 p.m. Practice your Spanish with moderator Marilyn Horn.

Email lredfield@durhamlibrary.org for the Zoom link to the meeting. All levels welcome.

French Conversation Circle on Zoom. First Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. Facilitated by Simone Howe. Email lredfield@durhamlibrary.org for the Zoom link to the meeting. All levels welcome.

Levi E. Coe Library

Storytime. Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Crafting with Susan. Sign up on the library’s Facebook page for an adult/teen takehome craft.

Ancestry. Ancestry Library Edition is now available on our public computers.

Thursday Night Book Club. Thursday, April 20 at 5 p.m. Join us in discussing "The Islander" (unpublished) by Michael Coughlin.

Copies available at the library.

In Brief Mentoring

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the 119-year-old national youth mentoring organization.

Based in Hartford, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut offers life-changing programs to at-risk children in all of the state’s 169 municipalities.

Learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters by visiting ctbigs.org.

Theater

Castle Craig Players, Meriden is celebrating its 30th season. On sale now: “The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On,” May 5 to 20; “Into The Woods,” July 28 to Aug. 12.

For ticket information, visit castlecraigplayers.org.

Hochadel backs pay for essential workers

Press Release

State Sen. Jan Hochadel (D-Meriden) joined a bipartisan vote in the state Senate Wednesday to approve an arbitrated award granting 35,500 state employees an average of $25 a week for the year they spent working closely with others at a time when there was no COVID-19 vaccine and the COVID-19 infection process was largely a mystery.

Senate Resolution 26 passed on a bipartisan voted of 32-3.

See Pay, A13

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

OE“While this budget does include cutting 2.6 staff positions, some from attrition, the RSD13 2023-24 budget does not include any program cuts,” Petrella said. The RSD13 budget proposal includes contractual raises and additional elective course offerings for Strong Middle School students. Also, $778,000 was budgeted for capital items, including funding to repave Pickett Lane and to replace the turf field at the high school.

Middlefield resident Nick Faiella doesn't think the BOE budget request is unreasonable. “I was surprised, given the inflation rate of 6 percent, that the district was able to put forth a budget with an increase of just under 4 percent, but yet fund all their priorities,” he said.

“Essentially, taking into account inflation, it’s really a budget cut, especially when I see other surrounding towns put forth much higher increases."

Also, Faiella is pleased that "deferred maintenance is finally being addressed” in the BOE budget. “Taxpayers are happy to finally see progress and their tax money being put to good use.”

Another budget hearing will be held Monday, May 1, 7 p.m., at Coginchaug, and on Tuesday, May 2, the budget goes to referendum, where residents will have their say.

Petrella said, “If the budget passes – total vote count majority from both towns – then there will be a budget. If it’s voted down then the board goes back to the drawing board and will most likely cut the budget, which could mean program cuts, as this is a tight budget.”

HELP KEEP

TAG SALE! CONNECTICUT’S LARGEST

Sat, April 22

9 AM—2 PM Rain or Shine

Under the Festival Tent

Hubbard Park, West Main Street, Meriden, CT

CHILDREN’S CARNIVAL RIDES

Saturday & Sunday, April 22 & 23

11 AM – Closing (weather permitting)

$25 wristbands available.

Individual tickets also available.

11 AM–Closing (weather permitting)

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HELP US HELP YOU, CONTINUE RECEIVING “YOUR” LOCAL WEEKLY.

Refreshments

www.daffodilfest.com

in progress” and a “ conversation in progress” at this time of the year.

Take the long-running struggle to increase multi-family housing in Connecticut, which lacks more than 89,000 units of housing that are affordable and available to the lowest income renters, according to estimates from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. A bill endorsed by the Housing Committee

would create a process for setting regional goals for housing production, which would be updated every 10 years, and press communities to meet them. One question now in talks: Exactly how would communities be pressed?

The Labor and Public Employees Committee, which tends to be both progressive and aggressive with its agenda, sent 50 bills to the floor, some attempted in previous sessions, including measures that would provide jobless benefits for strikers and predictive scheduling for shift workers.

Predictive scheduling is a prime example of a bill whose future will rest on its reach which businesses are covered. As written, the bill would apply to companies that employ at least 500 in the U.S. or globally, but it would also cover small restaurants that might be individually owned under the banner of a national franchise.

Some lawmakers are unwilling to include small restaurants, even if they are franchisees in a national chain. A version passed the Senate

two years ago but never has come to a floor vote in the House, where the ideologically and geographically diverse Democratic majority failed to coalesce around parameters for whom the law would apply.

“We have caucused predictive scheduling for few years now, and each time it falls short,” Ritter said.

Advocates declined deals for passage in other years, complaining the proffered parameters were too tight, he said.

Organized labor also is pushing hard this year for a labor

committee bill that would revamp how the minimum wage law is applied to restaurants, where tips offset what businesses must contribute to maintain a minimum wage.

Connecticut’s minimum wage will go to $15 on June 1 under current law, but the minimums for tipped workers will stay where they’ve been for four years: $6.38 for wait staff and $8.23 for bartenders. By law, restaurants are required to pay the difference on days when tips fall short of the minimum wage.

Ritter said the strongest argument for passage is whether the state can adequately enforce that law, given a backlog in investigations into wage and hour claims of all types.

Thomas Wydra, who supervises wage-and-hour investigations at DOL, declined to speculate how frequently restaurants shortchange tipped workers but acknowledged that the backlog in investigations was significant.

Since Jan. 1, 503 wage and hour complaints were assigned for investigation, including 32 against restaurants, Wydra said. A dozen of those involved the tip credit or minimum wage for tipped workers.

“Our current wait time from the time a claim is submitted to the time it starts to be investigated is approximately four to six months, which is is a long wait time and not something that we’re happy about,” Wydra said.

The state Department of Labor’s Division of Wage and Workplace Standards currently has 17 wage enforcement agents, six wage-andhour investigators and two open positions.

One of the 50 bills approved by the Labor and Public Employees Committee would require the state to employ no fewer than 45 wage-and-hour inspectors. Rare among the committee’s bills, it generated no written testimony in opposition.

Its fiscal impact has yet to be calculated.

“These essential workers risked their lives and the lives of their families in order to save others,” said Hochadel, who represents the communities of Cheshire, Meriden, Middlefield and Middletown. “If we can do something to say thank you for their service, we should. They continued to persevere through a period of time without knowing what the outcome would be and they deserve this recognition.”

The pandemic payments were ordered by a neutral third-party arbitrator who noted that in March 2020, when Governor Lamont declared an emergency and

urged people in Connecticut to "stay safe and stay home," that did not apply to nearly 36,000 essential state employees who continued to report to their workplaces from March 20, 2020, through March 27, 2021. These employees enforced law and order, cared for the sick, the disabled, responded to emergencies and maintained the equipment and infrastructure that allowed state services to continue during a year in which there were 7,832 COVID deaths and 29,916 COVID hospitalizations.

The average award per-person is $1,333 for the year –about 62 cents an hourthough payments vary widely by position.

Other New England states providing similar pandemic pay stipends to their state employees include New Hampshire ($2,400 to $6,300 per-person), Massachusetts ($1,500 to $2,000 lump-sum payments per-person), Maine (hourly pay increases which exceed the Connecticut arbitration award) and Vermont (premium pay for corrections officers only).

From A4

Dr. Quinn was at first taken aback, but then she realized that she really had no choice. It was funny to watch how timid she was to ask for one dollar for setting a broken bone.

Mind you, this setting of the bone also included a bed upstairs, with yummy meals delivered. And the patient balked at this outrageous price! He finally talked her into settling for 50 cents.

It’s almost time for me to pay a visit to my naturopath. Maybe I should learn how to bake or embroider. I think I’ll bring along a dollar as a back-up.

Well, you folks have an awesome day. I know I will.

“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, ” here I come.

Whispering Willow Equestrian Center

ELECTRIC

Metering and Substation Maintenance Supervisor – The Town of Wallingford’s Electric Division is seeking a highly qualified supervisor whose responsibilities will include the supervisory and administrative work involved in the supervision and management of the meter and electrical departments of the Electric Division, including substation operations and maintenance.

The utility serves approximately 24,500 customers in a 50+ square mile distribution area with a peak demand of 143 MW.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university in engineering, plus five years of progressively responsible supervisory or management experience in a utility, or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Motor Vehicle Operator’s License. Salary: $ 93,254 - $ 119,313 plus an excellent fringe benefit package.

Apply to: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Fax #: (203) 294-2084.

Closing date will be May 9, 2023 EOE

DISPATCHER

The Town of Wallingford is seeking responsible candidates to perform 911, police, fire and EMS emergency dispatching duties. Must be able to work under stressful conditions and be able to type information with a high rate of speed and accuracy. Must be able to work all three shifts including weekends and holidays and be able to work additional shifts beyond the regular shift schedule. Requires a H.S. or business school diploma with courses in typing and 2 years of responsible office work experience. Wages: $ 23.72 ~ $28.28 hourly plus shift differential and excellent fringe benefits. Closing date is April 24, 2023, or the date of receipt of the 50th application, whichever occurs first.

Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main St., Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone: 203-294-2080, Fax: 203-294-2084.

EOE

TOP CASH PAID For any Toyota any condition, running or not, crashed okay. Will take other makes and models. (203) 600-4431.

TOP CASH PAID

For Junk or unwanted vehicles, Toyota’s etc. Please call Mike @ 203284-8562 8am-5pm.

LINEMAN M/F (FIRST CLASS)

Electric utility is seeking highly skilled candidates for First Class Lineman M/F. Applicants must be a H.S. graduate with 4 years’ experience as a second-class lineman in electric line construction and maintenance. Also, must be experienced with energized 13,800volt equipment and must be able to work extended periods of time off the ground and under conditions requiring extreme care. Hourly rate: $41.46 to $46.09, plus an excellent fringe benefits package. The closing date for applications is May 9, 2023 or the date we receive the fiftieth (50) application whichever occurs first. Apply: Human Resources Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request form the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone: (203) 2942080, Fax: (203) 2942084. EOE.

ROOMS FOR RENT$575, $625 or $675 mo., modern rooms, plenty of parking in Meriden. Nice neighborhood. Must have refs. & sec. Call Charlie, 347641-1135.

FERRIS 48” WALKBEHIND LAWNMOWER - 5 SPEED KAWASAKI 14 HP ENGINE W/ GRASS CATCHER, $300. (860) 302-2561. -

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION

Screened Topsoil $25/ per yd; Sand-$18 per yd; Millings-$22 per yd; Screened Millings $30 per yd; $100 minimum delivery. No pickup truck service. Minimum 16 yd pickup at our yard. Call Jim @ 860-982-4819 for delivery

PREMIUM SCREENED TOPSOIL $25/yard delivered, 3 yd, $100 min. delivery Call Jim 860-982-4819

. Top Soil . Compost . . Wood Chips . FOR SALE. Catering to small deliveries. Call Bob (203) 415-0723

TREE LENGTH FIREWOOD

CALL FOR DETAILS

203-238-2149

1, 2, 3 CASH FOR YOUR ANTIQUES & JEWELRY - Call Todd Shamock at 203-494-1695.

ALWAYS BUYING CASH PAIDVintage Electronics, Musical Instruments, Amps, Ham Equipment, HiFi, Radios, CB, Guitars, Audio Equipment, Antiques. 860-707-9350

ALWAYS TOP CASHFor Your Grandma’s Costume Jewelry Stash. I’ll Come to You. Julie, 203-443-9602.

ANTIQUES - Always buying old; Toys, military, jewelry, art, watches, musical instruments, signs, arcade games, cameras, pre 1970 sports memorabilia, plus more. One item or entire estate contents. Call 860718-5132.

ANTIQUES WANTED -

Comic books, toys, adv. signs, military items, motorcyles, mini bikes, etc. All items considered, appraisal & estate sale services, incl. clean-outs. 40 years exp. Call or text, Gary at 203-237-4124.

203.537.0612.

BUYING ALL - Costume

Jewelry, Old Watches, Gold Jewelry, Silver Jewelry, Gold & Silver Coins, Sterling Flatware, In Any Condition. Please Call Jude M. Dichele @ (203) 8681816.

BUYING MACHINIST

TOOLBOXES - Tools & tooling, contents of machine shops, home workshops and small lathes. Call anytime 860-985-5760

PREMIER ESTATE JEWELRY - Is interested in buying your fine jewelry, watches, coin collections, silver flatware, and costume jewelry. Call Bill, (203) 4942496.

TIMELESS TREASURES

ESTATE AUCTIONSIs looking to purchase estate contents. From single items to entire estates. Clean-out services available. Call Bill (203) 494-2496.

GRASSY HILL AUCTIONS, - an Estate Sale, Liquidation, Attic & Basement Cleanout Company is Always Buying and providing services all over Connecticut. These are just a FEW of the things we are looking for: Antiques, Collectibles, Old/ Vintage Toys, Musical Instruments (Saxophones, Trumpets, Violins, Flutes, Clarinets, Trombone & SO MUCH MORE) Advertising Items, Wristwatches (Broken or Not), Pocket Watches, Tools (Machinist, Woodworking, & MORE) Doorstops, Clocks, Oil Paintings, Old Signs, Old Photographs, Old Postcards, Brewery Items, Hunting & Fishing, PEZ Dispensers, Costume Jewelry, Broken Jewelry, Gold & Silver Jewelry, Gold & Silver Coins, Military Items, Swords & Bayonets, Helmets & Patches, Medals & Uniforms, Pocket Knives, Lighters & Pipes, Fountain Pens, Mechanical Pencils, Fraternal Order Items, Religious Items, Industrial Items, Winchester Items, Sikorsky Items, Pratt & Whitney Items, Colt Items, Native American Items, Vintage Electronics, Slot Cars, Toy Trucks, Matchbox & Hotwheels, Barbie’s, Folk Art, Statues, Bronzes, Trains, Cameras, Mid Century Modern Furniture, Straight Razors, Shaving Items, Political Items, Comic Books, Sports Cards & Autographs…& THE LIST GOES ON! So please give us a call at your earliest convenience. Grassy Hill Auctions 203-868-1816 - Grassy HillAuctions.com

WANTED Individual firearms, collections & estates including military & related items.Federally licensed firearms dealer. Gunsmith, appraisals, Richard Pleines, (860) 663-2214.

150 TAG SALES

In one location under the Festival Tent on Saturday, April 22, 2023, 9AM to 2PM Hubbard Park, 999 W. Main Street, Meriden, CT THE MERIDEN DAFFODIL FESTIVAL COMMITTEE Presents CT’s LARGEST TAG SALE 150 vendors gathered in one convenient location offering for sale an eclectic collection of goods, trinkets & treasures; vintage household items, toys, tools, collectible items and so much more. Food will be available for purchase.

RAIN OR SHINE www.daffodilfest.com

GOOD PAVERS - Left over from redoing whole backyard area, $1 ea.

GARY WODATCHDemolition Svs Sheds, pools, decks,

CARPENTRY

Repairs, Decks & Porches, Sheetrock & Taping

Water Damage Repairs. Free Est. Ins. MC & Visa. Call Bill (203) 901-2136. CT. Reg. # 0647093

DECKS & PORCHES

Give some new life to your old decks and porches. We can repair or replace stairs, deck boards, railings. We also construct new decks. HIC#647093 Insured. Call Bill for a free estimate, (203) 901-2136.

TEC ELECTRICAL Service LLC All Phases of Electrical Work. 24 hr. Emergency Service. Small Jobs Welcome. 203.237.2122

GUTTERS

DON’T WORK

If they’re dirty! For gutter cleaning, Call Kevin (203) 440-3279 Fully ins. CT# 569127

HOME DOCTOR - 48 yrs exp. Odd jobs & remodeling, former US Navy, 15 yrs, #640689, 203.427.7828.

#1 CHEAP

Sm. Yard Mowing. Spring Clean-Up. Light Hauling. Sr. & Veteran disc. 203.600.3836. Mike’s Helping Hands.

ACCEPTING - New customers for wkly mowing, thatching, aerating, hedge trimming . Ryan 860.515.1302

GOOD PAVERS - Left over from redoing whole backyard area, $1 ea. 203.537.0612.

ED’S JUNK REMOVAL (203) 494-1526

Fully ins. Free Estimate. Call Ed, we will take it to the dump for you!

OVER 28 YRS EXP Stonewalls, patios, sidewalks, chimneys, pool areas, fireplaces, fire pit steps. Free est. 860.274.4893.

A pressureless house washing system can save you money, ask how! The Power-Washing Kings. House & roof washing, decks, patios, etc. Others Wash We Clean! 860.839.1000 thepowerwashing kings.com

TREE REMOVAL Storm Damage, Stump Grinding, Chipping, Lots Cleared, Trees/ Shrubs Inst’d, Free Ests. Fully Ins’d. Lic #558031. 203.619.2301.

GUTTERS PLUS 25+yrs. Exp. Call today for Free estimate. 203-440-3535 Ct. Reg. #578887

JUNK REMOVAL Hot Tub Removal, Furniture, appliances, entire contents of: homes, sheds, estates, attics, basements, garages & more. *SPRING YARD Clean-ups* FREE ESTIMATES.

LIC & INS. DUMPSTER RENTALS 203-535-9817 860-575-8218

IF YOU Mention This Ad SPRINGYard Clean-Ups Brush, branches, s torm damage

**JUNK REMOVAL**

Appl’s, Furniture, Junk, Debris, etc WE CAN REMOVE ANYTHING

Entire house to 1 item removed!

FREE ESTIMATES

Sr. Citizen Discount LIC & INS. DUMPSTER RENTALS 203-535-9817 860-575-8218

JT’S LANDSCAPING

LLC - Spring CleanUps, we specialize in weeding all types of beds, mulching, top soil work, pruning hedges & shrubs, & all your landscape needs. Residential & commercial. Lic. #616311. Call today for free estimate, 203-213-6528.

ALEX EUROPEAN MASONRY - 30 yrs. exp. Patios, ret. walls, steps, brick, stone, chimneys. Lic#580443. 203-2320257 or 203-596-0652

W.

MASONRYOver 35 Years Experience All Types of Masonry CT License #626708 (203) 235-4139

POWER WASHING Is Spring Cleaning on THE OUTSIDE FREE Estimates #569127 Call Kevin 203-440-3279

Roof Repair or Replacement, Chimney Repair, Skylight Replacement. Free est. CT #0651199 (860) 877-3006

RT RELOCATION Your moving and storage specialists. Call for a free estimate. 833-668-3978.

POWERWASHING

Painting Int. & Ext. Gutters Cleaned Free Ests. Ins. Refs. Rodrigo, (203) 565-7745.

Specializing in tree removal, chipping & grinding. Call for free estimate. 203-945-1808.

CustomColonial Painting.com Since ‘99 Lic’d 0630904 & Ins’d Senior Discount Warranty. Financing 860-306-0270

BOOBER

Vote For Your Favorite Local Businesses!

Our Annual Best of Awards reader’s poll is back. This is your chance to nominate and vote for your favorite people, places and businesses in your local area. It’s a great way to support your local businesses.

VOTE: Online voting begins April 13 and ends Sunday, April 23.

WIN $250: If you nominate at least 25 businesses you will be entered to win a $250 gift card. A random drawing will take place at the end of the contest. We will also give away a $250 gift card for the voting round!

myrecordjournal.com/BestofAwards