Derby CT Legislative Meeting Of Oct 12 2023
Show guide:
4:00 minute mark: The Valley Indy tries for figure out whether to put the garbage cans out.
6:26: The Valley Indy tries to figure out when to throw out the Christmas tree.
8:14: Ansonia police are investigating a commercial burglary.
10:35: Ansonia are investigating two shootings during which no injuries were reported.
13:25: Jean's top five stories of the year!
17:10: A look at upcoming municipal meetings in Ansonia, Derby & Seymour.
24:25: We listen to Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti address the public during a virtual meeting of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen.
31:52: The editor thinks the Olson Drive redevelopment saga was a top Valley story of 2022.
State Rep. Kara Rochelle won a third term to represent Ansonia and Derby in Hartford, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.
Unofficial results shared by Rochelle’s campaign show her beating her opponent, Josh Shuart, 3,305 to 2,987. Rochelle is a Democrat who lives in Ansonia. Shuart, a college professor, lives in Ansonia and is president of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen. Updated numbers from the state Wednesday morning has Rochelle winning 3,371 to 3,022.
State Rep. Kara Rochelle won a third term to represent Ansonia and Derby in Hartford, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.
Unofficial results shared by Rochelle’s campaign show her beating her opponent, Josh Shuart, 3,305 to 2,987. Rochelle is a Democrat who lives in Ansonia. Shuart, a college professor, lives in Ansonia and is president of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen. Updated numbers from the state Wednesday morning has Rochelle winning 3,371 to 3,022.
Pat Oates is a standup comic who has appeared on WPLR, "Who Are These Podcasts," and Compound Media.
Oates is determined to bring live comedy to the Valley, and he's doing it through organizing open mic & regular shows at Retro Grub & Pub and RiverWalk Social, both on Elizabeth Street in downtown Derby.
In this episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast," reporter Eugene Driscoll plays clips from the very first meeting of the Ansonia Opera House Committee, a group that is working to restore the . . . you guessed it, the Ansonia Opera House!
Navel Gazing returns with clips from a contentious Derby Aldermen meeting of Aug. 11, 2022.
Click the play for an interview with John Marini of ‘Sci-Fi At The Strand.’ Two classic fantasy flicks are screening Saturday night at The Strand in Seymour (Connecticut):
“Conan the Barbarian,” the 1982 movie that put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map, and; “Highlander,” the only-in-the-80s could this thing have been made flick starring Christopher Lambert.
Brian Volk-Weiss is the guy behind the hugely popular Netflix documentary series 'The Toys That Made Us' and 'The Movies That Made Us.'
He's back with "Icons Unearthed," whose first chunk of episodes concentrates on the making of 'Star Wars.'
Volk-Weiss landed a six-hour interview with legendary movie editor Marcia Lucas for the series, which premiered July 12, 2022.
He's also worked with every comedian known to God. Click play!
Derby Senior Center members did not sound happy on Thursday after learning the Derby Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen would not vote again on an agreement to merge its senior center with Ansonia and send Derby members to a new senior center under construction in Ansonia.
Audio from the July 12, 2022 public hearing on whether Ansonia should sell land on Olson Drive to a private developer who wants to build a sports complex.
But before that, listen to The Valley Indy reporter blab about missing a Derby meeting, promote Ansonia Paraconn, and mess up a City of Ansonia song.
Cheap. Free. Forever? ValleyIndy.org
The Derby corporation counsel talks about an investigative report with members of the Derby Board of Aldermen & Alderwomen.
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan's administration has changed the way the monthly agenda for the city's legislative body is put together.
While the administration says they are simply following the Derby City Charter, the Democratic majority of the Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen think otherwise.
In this audio clip, Derby Town/City Clerk Marc Garofalo complains about the mayor's new policies, saying it hurts the public's access to local government.
Valley Indy Facebook reader Santiago Achinelli thinks 10 hours isn't enough time for a person to respond for comment to a news article.
The Valley Indy says 10 hours is enough time, especially if there's a primary-source document explaining the person's views.
Audio of the discussion from the June 9, 2022 meeting of the Derby Board of Aldermen & Alderwomen.
For the full story go to ValleyIndy.org and search 'Derby Rejects Senior Center Agreement With Ansonia By A 5-4 Vote.'
Jason Carlucci, owner of The Dew Drop Inn in Derby, CT, talks about wings, inflation, and staying relevant in the ever-changing tavern world.
Recorded during The Valley Indy Great Give Livestream of 2022.
Please note Jay is the only 'Navel Gazing' guest to accuse The Valley Indy of stealing ketchup.
The Derby Board of Apportionment and Taxation adopted a budget of $48,385,128 on April 28.
There's no mill rate increase.
This podcast has clips from the end of the meeting, including statements from BOAT chairman Jeff Polis on what the budget accomplishes, and a statement from Derby Town Clerk Marc Garofalo on how the board worked through a highly unusual budget season.
Citing a lack of progress and a lack of staff in its finance department, an advisory commission could recommend the City of Derby be placed under the watch of the state's Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB).
The city already meets regularly with the Municipal Finance Advisory Council, but that's only advisory -- MARB has teeth.
The move to MARB would put Derby finances under some degree of official state oversight. Example: cities designated as "tier II" must have budget projections on state aid and property tax revenues approved by MARB.
Thomas Hennick, the public education officer for the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, returns to the podcast to offer his informed opinions on a bunch or real-world open government issues faced by Valley Indy reporter Eugene Driscoll.
Enjoy!
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan was willing to allocate more money for education in his budget but wanted to tie funding to academic performance, according to statements made at the Tuesday, April 5 meeting of the Derby Board of Apportionment and Taxation.
In addition, a $1 million increase in medical insurance costs for the school district precluded additional funding from the city because the mayor had capped all department increases to no more than 2.5 percent.
Jim Gildea, chairman of the Derby Board of Education, said the administration’s reasoning does not make sense.
John Marini joins 'Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,' to talk about two subjects: a 'Godzilla' double feature in Seymour to raise money for the people of Ukraine, and a just-signed lease agreement between the City of Ansonia and the owners of the Ansonia Opera House at 100 Main St.
The lease agreement discussion starts 19 minutes and 47 seconds into the broadcast.
Ansonia Chief Financial Officer Kurt Miller explains why the city isn't sticking to the rules with the city's budget process, and why the city enacted a spending freeze at the start of the year.
At a Derby Aldermanic subcommittee meeting in January 2022, members of the subcommitee made a motion to pass information related to the formation of a search committee to hire an economic development director to the full Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen. This is simply audio of the motion was made.
On this week's episode Valerie Knight-DiGangi of The Valley Community Foundation stops by to encourage groups to apply for a VFC "responsive needs" grant, which are multi-year grants that can be used to bolster a nonprofit group's operating budget.
The deadline for "responsive needs" grant applications is Feb. 24, so head to the VCF website to learn more and to complete an application.
At about the 31 minute of the podcast, the topic switches to a recent debate that started during a meeting of the Ansonia Board of Apportionment and Taxation, when two Ansonia Democrats said the board only has five members when the city charter says there should be seven members.