SCHOOL VOTE TODAY
North Stonington residents are voting today on a $38.5 million school building project that was approved at referendum nearly two years ago. The vote originally was expected to take place last week. As an unchartered town, North Stonington was required to hold another referendum on the project after receiving two petitions at the end of January. If residents vote to continue the project, a planned groundbreaking later this month is expected, with hopes of completing the project in its entirety by 2020.
BONDING APPROVED
The New London emergency dispatch center is expected to move into the 21st century and one step closer to a partnership with Waterford after being buoyed by city funds. The city council has voted to borrow $4.3 million for capital improvements. About $1.2 million is earmarked for citywide information technology improvements and another $900,000 for an upgrade of the city’s emergency dispatch system. A $2.1 million portion of the appropriation will fund the continuation of a road work and sidewalk replacement project.
RADIO SYSTEM TO BE REPLACED
The Stonington Board of Finance voted Wednesday night to replace the police department’s aging radio system, an upgrade that has been discussed for more than eight years. The board approved a plan to spend $1.3 million to replace outmoded equipment that keeps breaking. It will allow officers to talk directly to those in other departments. Captain Todd Olson said the current radio system is more than 18 years old and the vendor that services the system has said it no longer can obtain parts to repair the portable radios, main consoles and other pieces of equipment.
BARE BONES BUDGET
East Lyme First Selectman Mark Nickerson Wednesday presented a proposed town budget for 2018-19 with a zero percent increase. Nickerson told the Board of Selectmen that he focused on striking a balance between taxes and services. He called the spending plan a “bare bones budget” with no new programs or services.
TRASHED
Atlantic Broadband Cable will be showing a docu-drama shot locally. It comments on the Kelo v. City of New London eminent domain case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court. The film “Trashed,” written and produced by New London resident Nick Checker, will be shown on public-access TV channel 25 this month on three consecutive Tuesday nights at 8 beginning February 13th.
