CMEEC GRAPPLING WITH ETHICS
The Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative ethics meeting was held Tuesday. Officials struggled with the delicacy of language and the harshness of the mandates of an ethics policy but they’re still in the early draft stages. They are planning to eliminate reimbursement for spousal travel, as well as outline terms of travel compensation, gifts and conflicts of interest. The group declined to set a price cap for gifts on Tuesday, though the policy continues to be revised.
TRASH ORDINANCE MAY BE DELAYED
During tonight’s Ledyard Town Meeting, town councilors will vote whether to delay implementing Ordinance 146, a controversial trash law that removes mobile homes from municipal trash pick up. The change was expected to save up to $24,000 and was planned to go into effect in February. Adopted in October as a move to absorb cuts in state aid, the ordinance has drawn harsh criticism from mobile-home owners and park operators, who argued the new ordinance excluded mobile-home owners from a service they already were paying for through their property taxes.
MURDER EXPLAINED
Travon Brown, fatally wounded after being stabbed on Grand Street in New London last month, identified his longtime friend Jerome Hudson as his killer as he lay dying in the arms of New London police officer Deana Nott. Using Hudson’s street name, Brown told her “Black stabbed me” on Grand Street”. A resident on Grand Street also told police Brown told him that Hudson stabbed him. The man also told police that the “word on the street” was that Brown had stabbed Hudson about three weeks earlier. Police had investigated the incident and identified Brown as a suspect, but were unable to make contact with him. Hudson, who was treated for a stab wound to the abdomen, refused to identify his attacker.
MITCHELL INSISTS ON MAYORAL RECUSAL
A New London Housing Authority commission member wants Mayor Michael Passero to recuse himself from an upcoming hearing in which he was to decide on her removal. Kathleen Mitchell claims that Passero already told her during a conversation last month that he planned to remove her. Mitchell also claims Passero has access and posting privileges to her controversial Facebook page, Whale Tales Two . The social media venue has been cited as a favored platform for anonymous criticism and intimidation of Passero and Mitchell’s fellow commissioners. A hearing scheduled for Thursday has been postponed, though a new date had not yet been set.
NPU: REVENUE INCREASE WOULD LEAD TO HIGHER BILLS
Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom wants to increase revenues from Norwich Public Utilities from ten to 12 percent but acknowledges it can’t be done until at least the 2021-22 fiscal year. And NPU officials say that would require an increase on electric, water and natural gas rates. John Bilda, NPU General Manager says any increase in the ten percent revenue to the city would just be a pass-through cost to customers. NPU officials objected both to the request for increased revenue and the lack of direct communication from the City Council.
BLOOD NEEDED
If you’ve been meaning to give blood, now’s the time to do it! Officials with the Connecticut Red Cross say donations are falling way behind. Spokesman Kelly Isener say the very cold weather has kept people away from blood drives. Isener says check out redcrossblood.org, or the free Red Cross Blood Donor App for the nearest blood drive. You can also call 1-800-RED-CROSS. All blood types are needed, but especially types O and B negative, Type A-B, as well as blood platelets. All donors in Connecticut who give this month will receive a 5-dollar Dunkin’ Donuts gift card.
