NEWINGTON
Town Crier
SEE INSIDE FOR GREAT SPECIALS
VEGGIE WORLD
giant grinders
Waterfall Festival to flow again
By Alex Syphers Staff Writer
5.00
$
Starting at....
with FREE can of soda Cannot be combined with any other offer.
Twin City Plaza, Newington
860-665-8288
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Deli Closes 1/2 Hour Early
The Newington Waterfall Festival has been saved from an uncertain fate this year by an enthusiastic response from members of the Newington Chamber of Commerce, who felt the annual tradition could not pass by. The Waterfall Festival teetered on the edge of cancellation in early March, as the Waterfall Festival Committee struggled to find a new chairperson and fill other positions. Former Newington resident Val Ginn had been chairing the Waterfall Committee for the last seven years. Yet, at the conclusion of last year’s festival she announced to the committee that she would be stepping down. “It really broke my heart to tell the committee that I was stepping down,” said Ginn. She had recently moved to
Budget wrap-up By Alex Syphers Staff Writer
The Newington Town Council voted unanimously to approve a $100.9 million town budget Tuesday night for the fiscal year 2011-2012, which established an overall increase in taxes of 2.8 percent. Allocations for municipality operating expenses are $29.7 million, education funding amounted to $61.5 million of the total budget and the town Capital Improvement Program received $4.3 million in funding. The
majority of the remaining balance falls on debt services and the Metropolitan District services. The town mill rate was established at 30.2 due to the increase in revenue translating to a $144 tax increase for the average homeowner of Newington with an estimate property rate of $166,380. The approved budget was an increase of $476,000 over the original budget proposal made by Town Manager John Salomone in early March. Bipartisan efforts between the council members carried on
throughout the budget process, as council members worked together to analyze the original budget proposal and transfer funds between departments as needed. “I think it was very cordial and very productive, there was a lot of dialogue between the two parties and I think we can see the outcome in the votes,” said Democratic majority Leader Chris Banach, “As long as we can see that happening between the two parties, it can only end up meaning the best for Newington and the citizens of Newington.” See Budget, Page 7
Earl Grey skies
See Festival, Page 2
Volume 52, No. 13
Friday, April 15, 2011
Free
Alex Syphers
Tea time was full of treats and talk Sunday afternoon at the “Victorian Tea Party,” hosted by the Newington Historical Society as a fundraising event. Joan Morach, a docent of the Kellogg-Eddy House, pours Maria Vallera of Wethersfield a cup of tea. See story, photos, Page 6.