Update: In my haste to post this I accidentally forgot to post the introduction. So What follows is the agenda first followed by the meeting notes. I also corrected some typos that resulted in some items not being clear

LAND USE AND BUILDING MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The Agenda
Bonnefant, Geake, Lindstrom, Sutton, Krummel, Hempstead, Alan Loh, Ralph Velnseze

A. Board of Education (Items tabled from November 29, 2007)

1. 24 Tablet PCs and docking stations – “Authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue a Purchase Order to Advance Corporate Networking for the purchase of 24 Tablet PCs and docking stations for the high schools science departments for a total not to exceed $37,130.40. Acct. #09085010 5777 C0112”

[Read more →]

In the techie world there’s an adage about doing things the right way costing less than doing things the wrong way, or the short cut way, or the half-assed way. The point is that it is costly to fix things or recover from disasters. Which in a roundabout way leads me to thinking about the amazing amount of sidewalks still blanketed by the odd mixture of ice and snow. If snow had been removed when it fell, then the clean up of the subsequent ice would have been handled by a sprinkling of salt and sand.

[Read more →]

Last night’s historical commission had to delay its start as meeting a quorum was an issue. Earlier in the day Kathryn Martino and Sue Gun met to prepare the budget for the commissioners review. It was emailed out at 5pm, and also printed out for the commissioners attending the meeting. The highlights of the meeting included news that the Historical Commission is planning to hire a part time maintenance worker to tackle many of the small repair jobs that its properties require. This was a compromise worked out with the City when it was pointed out that the historic properties were not being services under the umbrella maintenance contract held by the City.

[Read more →]

The Maritime Aquarium got a boost in funding its master plan rennovations, a $5 million dolalr doantion form the longest serving trustee, William Ziegler. From the Advocate:

Ziegler has served on the board since its inception in 1981.

Changes will include new exhibit information, a new entrance and orientation area, and two new galleries - Winter in the Sound and Shores of the Sound, Loynd said.

The galleries will look at the ecology of the Long Island Sound’s shores and fish that can winter in the Sound, he said, such as halibut, herring and conger eels.

[Read more →]

Last night the the common council’s parks and rec committee discussed an organic community farm and a farmer’s market.

It’s not called the farms and recreation committee, but the Common Council Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee last night revealed plans for an organic community garden at Fodor Farm and an idea to revive the city’s faltering farmer’s market.

The city hopes to find out in the next few weeks whether it will receive a $100,000 state grant to develop the garden, Parks and Recreation Director Michael Mocciae announced last night.

[Read more →]