City Council

JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH APRIL 13, 2015 The first Public Hearing for the 2015-2016 fiscal year was held April 13, 2015 at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers. Present: Aldermen Noblick, Bettencourt, Eyberse and Mayor Hinchey, and Alderman Desauliners arriving at 6:45. Absent were Aldermen Wilson and Nash. Acting City Manager Bilda and Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll were also in attendance. Mayor Hinchey opened the public hearing. Ernie Marvin, 9 Brown St., as a longtime resident stated it is everyone’s responsibility to provide quality education to our children today. If you decimate education economic development will not happen. John Lucente, 4 Watson Dr., stated he is living on retirement and suggested shortening the school year and make other cuts in retirement and benefits of employees to keep the costs down. Joanne Philbrick, 10 Elm Ave., reminded the Council that they have a responsibility to the Citizens of Norwich as they have been elected to represent all of us not just the Board of Ed, the Police or Fire Departments - it’s the “City of Norwich”. Sixty one percent of the budget going to the Board of Education is not fair. Richard Majcher, 1 Lyman Hill Rd., feels the budget is way too high and the senior citizens can’t afford to stay here. Denielle Sandoval, 94 Salem Tpke. commented on the larger classroom sizes. As a teacher she feels, it is not a good scenario as having too many children in the classroom. It doesn’t provide the proper environment for good teaching. She understands the strain on the taxpayers now and feels something needs to be done with NFA somehow removing them from the Board of Ed budget. Amy White, 94 Salem Tpke., concerned with the larger class sizes. She feels it is not a safe or healthy environment for the children. Melissa Cheslog, 63 Flyers Dr., feels it is our responsibility to give our children a fighting chance. Norwich has already lost so many programs. The children are the future, so by not investing in them, your message is you don’t care about them. Kim Jacobs, 9 Scotland Rd., asked for the full funding of the Board of Ed budget. She feels a town that doesn’t support education will never attract businesses or families to come in or stay here. Gerald M. Martin, 19 Gillette Rd., stated that while children are our future we need to pay attention to the present. When the Governor cuts the town funding then our Social Service programs takes a beating. Where are we going to get more money? If we have no taxpayers we have no schools. Jim Dolan, 201 Rockwell St., feels by letting education go down then you will experience a ripple effect that will result in the whole town failing. Debbie Lehman, 560 Boswell Ave., shared a story about her daughter who learned how to play the violin here in Norwich at Greenville School. Although her daughter is not a famous player she has 1 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH APRIL 13, 2015 taken her talent to Malaysia and shared her that musical talent with her students there. Education is the key to the future and she feels her story is an example of that. Shelly Surprenant, 46 Sholes Ave., feels that every child should be given every opportunity to excel. She is seriously thinking about moving if things don’t get better. She would like to see her children have the same opportunity as the last speaker talked about. Lisa Gauthier, 130 Harland Rd., asked for full support of the Board of Ed budget. The children really need it. Karen Cook, 62 Gulliver Cir. requested that the timing of this public hearing should be rescheduled next year as it falls during the school spring vacation week. She feels that there is nothing left to cut this is a bare bones budget. Please fully fund the Board of Ed budget. Stephanie Swindell, 15 County Fair Rd., longtime resident and former student who is currently sending her children and teaching at Norwich Public Schools. Feels a weak school system, which is where we are headed, will only hurt our city as a whole. Coralee Boulware, 385 New London Tpk., feels people who have been educated in the Norwich Public Schools are very productive citizens. She doesn’t like the back and forth of the last seventeen years about the budget and it needs to stop. She quoted Rodney King of saying “We have to work together. When are we going to start?” Heather Romanski, 297 Scotland Rd., spoke as a parent of two children in Norwich Public Schools. She commended the school system but feels the rising cost of education at NFA is not a fair sacrifice of the children in grades K through 8. Joyce Werden, 13 Lost Acres, referenced the founder of NFA in 1853, John P. Gulliver, of establishing a free high school for the noblest to the poorest to enjoy. She requested, that in the words of the original incorporators of NFA, as doing their noble deed in the cause of education and this community, let this also be this Council’s legacy. David Crabb, 47 Prospect St., commented on the proposed Police Department Analyst, recommending a manpower study be done for the whole city would be better. He also questioned why the contingency budget is almost doubled than last years? Jesshua Ballaro, 40 Hunters Ave., asked that the Board of Education and the Council work together which hasn’t happened in the past. She also spoke about how it was proposed that the City purchase NFA back in the 1920’s and feels that was a huge mistake. Now we have to pay the consequences of paying for NFA’s rising cost in the budget. School safety is her biggest concern she is looking for a consolidation of the schools for the sake of safety. Melissa Graziano, 99 Plain Hill Rd., praised the Norwich Public School teachers. She wants the proposed Board of Education budget to be passed in full. Yvette Jacaruso, 192 Wightman Ave., stated that Norwich Public School children are making good progress through of the grants we have been receiving and that funding could disappear at any time. 2 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH APRIL 13, 2015 The present staff is what is causing the students to progress. She said that every time the Education budget is cut it is the K-8 children that suffer and NFA students continue to thrive. Bill Howard, 135 N Wawecus Hill Rd., shared his personal story as former student and a parent of Norwich Public Schools. He expressed his sincere gratitude for the support that the Norwich school system gave him. He expressed the need to stop the way things are being done because if it continues we will have nothing left. People are leaving because of the cuts made to education. The citizens want better opportunities for their children. Patricia Lucente, 4 Watson Dr., explained how what is going on now with the budget issues are the same as they were back when she had children in the Norwich school system, she is now of retirement age. She hopes and prays that some of the fat can be trimmed to get the problems resolved. Lorraine Thomas, 86 Ox Hill Rd., spoke as a parent and commended the Norwich school system. Her nephew was really struggling in school last year the Norwich Public School teachers were there for him. Knowledge is power and she totally supports education. Michael Perkins 3 Mohegan Rd., spoke as a parent of children in the Norwich school system. He works and worships in Groton and the people he interacts with in that town don’t have any desire to live or send there children to school in Norwich. Abby Dolliver, 6 Deepwood Dr., commented on the reports about the school ratings stating that they are not current and that they are based on old data. This is about the children they are trusting us to look out for their future. Rodney Bowie, 62 Roosevelt Ave., applauded the 1% budget increase. He feels that people cannot afford more taxes. The quality of education is what a student puts into it. Phillip Trostler, 88 Sherwood Ln., spoke as a resident and a teacher. He made the observation that on one side we have people who say if the taxes go up they are moving out and the other side say if we don’t get the education budget passed they are moving out. His conclusion was if the budget isn’t approved we are going to be the last citizens of Norwich. We need to look further down the line not just the here and now. John Levangie, 85 Lawler Ln., stated there is nothing left to cut. Norwich is out of step with other towns. People know what towns they have to live in to get an education at NFA. He encourages people to get out and vote. He also echoed a previous speaker about what you put into education is what you get out of it. John Blackburn, 15 Alice St., spoke about the Board of Ed situation is the same thing every year. The taxpayers cannot afford the $75,000,000, but the Board of Ed supporters are asking for us to pay it. We never know what the state is going to give us it always seems to come at the very end. Joshua Glenn, 32 Elmwood Ave., supports the Board of Education budget. He is a life long resident and parent and is not happy about living in Norwich. He is pleased with the teachers here, but is disappointed in the lack of what Norwich Public schools is offering like no world language. He is 3 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH APRIL 13, 2015 embarrassed that as the home town of NFA we are behind others towns in preparing our children to attend NFA. There being no further speakers Mayor Hinchey declared the public hearing closed at 7:55 pm ASSISTANT CITY CLERK 4