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The list is used by my office only, to provide information and updates on town events. To have your contact information added please email me at tommarsh@chesterct.org  with the subject “town email list”.

IS THE “CHARACTER OF CHESTER” UNDER ATTACK?

 The term “Character” is often used to describe what residents most like about our community. There is also great concern that we do not change the character of Chester.  While, depending on who you talk to, there are many definitions of what the “character” of Chester may be,  I am confident that all the definitions are grounded in our ability to make local decisions  though our local town government. 

That ability is under attack from every level of state government. From the Governor’s office, the state senate and the state house of representatives the call for regionalization is being shouted as a cure for the fiscal mess the state is in. Don’t get me wrong, regional efforts between towns can be a cost effective way to provide services that individual towns could not afford.  Chester is currently involved in many regional efforts; Region 4 schools, regional household hazardous waste collection, a regionally sponsored pump out boat, we contract with Deep River for street sweeping and transfer station services, we share equipment like the “smart machine” (trailer that flashes a car’s speed as it goes by), we contract with Essex for dog pound services. All of these endeavors were undertaken because the towns involved saw a need, and worked together to create a cost effective solution.

State sponsored regionalism is a whole other matter.  For example the regional health district that was proposed would have cost Chester 63% more than our current service (in which we share a sanitarian with another town) even with the state providing a financial “incentive” to join. Chester chose not to join the health district, and now as the state fiscal situation worsens there is a proposal to remove those same “incentives”.  As was mentioned frequently at a recent meeting at the capitol between legislators and First Selectmen; “if a regional service makes economic sense, no incentives would be required”.

Under a far reaching proposal termed “Smart Growth” many in state government are proposing among other things, regional land use, regional taxation, and regional services like public works, police, and libraries. Currently the message is that all of these proposals will be voluntary, with the state providing “incentives” to regionalize services.  However, failing to get on board will result in the loss of state funding currently provided to municipalities (voluntary with coercion).  For Chester, or any town for that matter, to lose control of these key functions to a regional board would decimate the unique character of every small town in Connecticut.  Imagine a regional land use board deciding that property around exit 6 would be a great location for a shopping center, and that once built, the property tax revenue generated could then be shared between the 10 to 20 towns in the identified region! Imagine adding a 1% regional sales tax to the existing state sales tax and splitting the resulting revenue between the identified regional towns and the state (one proposal has the state getting ½ of 1 % and the region getting ½ of 1%). Currently Chester only gets $.13 for every $1.00 it sends to the state, that in and of itself is regional revenue sharing. If another layer of taxation is added my gut feeling is that our share would be similar.

Every meeting I have attended at the capitol regarding the budget mess and/or regionalization the statement has been made that local government is the most accountable, efficient form of government. If regional (read county) government was more cost effective New York and California would be shining examples of fiscal stewardship.  Those states have deficits larger than the budgets of some countries! Instead we hear that Connecticut , despite its bleak financial forecast, is in much better shape than many other states.  I think we can attribute that largely to the fact that there are 169 towns, more specifically 110 small towns, which control spending locally, efficiently, and with accountability.

I encourage you to become informed on this issue and let our legislators know where you stand.

 

BRIDGE UPDATE

As previously reported the Route 154 bridge over Chester Creek is scheduled to remain closed until May of 2010. Additional signs have been added on Water St. warning of pedestrians in the road, plans for a sidewalk between the New Alliance Bank and the center of town are in the works, the DOT has authorized additional speed enforcement along roadways experiencing higher traffic volume as a result of the bridge closure, and hopefully by the time Chester Events appears in your home the traffic light at Rt. 154 and Water St. will be set on blinking mode.  I have scheduled quarterly meetings at which key DOT personnel involved with the Rt. 154 bridge, the Water St. bridge and the Main St. bridge all sit down at the same table to coordinate planning for the three bridge projects.

BUDGET

2009 is shaping up to be the most difficult budget year in recent memory. Please stay informed. For the first time the entire proposed budget, along with the changes that result from the various budget meetings is available on the town website. Please vote.  The 2008 presidential election saw record voter turnout. Continue the process; vote your conscience on the local budgets.

2009 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

The 2009 election cycle is upon us. Municipal offices are the focus of the ballots. As you may know, elections cycle between the top offices at the national, state and municipal level. For example, State offices were last elected in 2006, Municipal offices were last elected in 2007, Federal offices were elected in 2008, and Municipal offices are up again in 2009. Other offices like Congressional and Senatorial seats fall within their term cycles (congress in 2006, 2008, etc.; Senate in 2006, 2010 etc.)

One of the advantages of living in a small community with local government is that there is always an opportunity to get involved and make a difference.  There are about 150 different elected or appointed positions in Chester!  The other side of the coin is that the town does not function unless residents are willing to step up and get involved either through voluntary service on a board or commission or by running for one of the local paid positions. At this writing the Board of Selectmen is considering changing some of the town positions that are currently elected to appointed. There reasons for this can be summarized as follows:

·         Each municipal election sees many ballot slots left empty by both parties due to a lack of candidates.

·         Many residents have indicated a willingness to serve, but not a willingness to run for office against their neighbor.

·         Many are reluctant to go through the political process that is required to be placed on the ballot. State statute requires a candidate to be indorsed by a political party or to gather signatures in a petition to be placed on the ballot. About half  of the registered voters in town are registered as unaffiliated. Many do so precisely because they do not want to be associated with a political party.

The proposed changes would allow residents willing to serve (on specific boards) to approach the political town committees, the Board of Selectmen, or the Board on which they would like to serve for an endorsement.  I encourage every registered voter to consider becoming involved. We need you effort to make town government work. For a list of board and commissions as well as a description as to what they do, visit http://chesterct.org/boards.htm .