Major Progress On WL Historic Train Station Restoration Announced

An update from Patrick McMahon, WL Economic Development Consultant.  2011 has been a productive year on important initiatives in Windsor Locks.  The Town has been working closely with the Department of Transportation and Amtrak on moving the train platform back into the downtown area.  A great deal of progress has been made including a very well-attended public information session in the fall.  The Town was then awarded a $250,000 Transit Oriented Development Planning Grant to study the area around where we are proposing to move the train platform (just north of the historic station).   We have some additional exciting news.   We met with senior official from Amtrak's Government Affairs division and we have restarted discussions about the historic train station.  Here is a copy of a letter we received earlier this month: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs022/1101984693438/archive/1109000422098.html

WLocks selectmen recommend switching trash contractor

By Harlan Levy
Journal Inquirer

Published: Thursday, December 8, 2011 12:04 PM EST

WINDSOR LOCKS — The selectmen voted 2-1 on Tuesday to recommend that the town change trash companies and sign a five-year contract with the private international waste-to-energy company Covanta Energy.

Covanta won the nod over the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority, which wanted a new long-term deal.

First Selectman Steven Wawruck, who sits on the CRRA board along with other towns’ chief executives, advocated for CRRA’s 15-year contract, featuring a $59.50 per ton first-year garbage tipping fee that the town would pay at the Hartford incinerator. CRRA’s current fee is $69 per ton. The tipping fee in ensuing years is to be determined, but, Wawruck argued, “It has the most cost savings that we can derive long term … and you’d probably see the tipping fee go down after Year Five.”

Covanta’s first-year price is $58.75. It will also donate $10,000 to the town for “outreach funding,” which will go directly into the General Fund. Convanta has no minimum tonnage requirement and will pay the town a guaranteed $10 rebate per ton of recyclables. After the first year the town will net $21,000 in savings over the CRRA plan. In addition, Covanta has a ceiling on prices going up in each of the ensuing years of a maximum 4 percent.

“After Year One everything is supposition. There’s no guarantee by either of them,” Republican Selectman Dennis Gragnolati said. “But there’s more stability in the Covanta deal because it has the ceiling.”

Also, Gragnolati said, “We’re looking at another tight budget year, and that $21,000 would be nice.”

Republican Denise Balboni objected to CRRA’s 15-year term. She also questioned whether it is a conflict of interest to have town officials serve on CRRA’s board.

“I find it troubling that the municipalities are represented, Yet they’re the very people who are going to sign contracts for cash,” Balboni said. “It seems like such a prohibitive conflict of interest … to have the hens deciding what the henhouse will be.”

Wawruck responded that his roles are not in conflict. He acts “in the best interests of the state, and that will come down to the town,” Wawruck said.

Wawruck also warned his colleagues that Covanta could add a significant fee if Massachusetts, where it dumps the garbage, enacts a surtax.

“Every state is looking at every angle now” to raise money, Wawruck said.

If CRRA were to shut down before five years, when the Covanta contract expires, Covanta could see that as an opportunity to raise its rates, he said.

Nevertheless, the board voted 2-1 in favor of the Covanta contract as long as it specifies that the town will not pay for any out-of-state surcharge on Covanta.

Covanta has other places to take the trash, Balboni assured the board.

Town Attorney Scott Storms will review the contract before a town meeting is scheduled to get voters’ approval.

A must read for parents in the Windsor Locks School System...

It has been 12 years since The Concerned Taxpayers of Windsor Locks were active and after seeing the recent Hartford Courant article giving the school report cards you just can’t help but think what a shame that is.

How disappointing, discouraging and sad it is that the Windsor Locks Schools cannot even maintain State Average level of work--in some cases being as many as 12% points below the State Average.

For years The Concerned Taxpayers courageously tried to demand accountability of our schools Administration and staff--with little or no success.

Of course, Board of Education meetings recently were swamped with parents in support of incompetent Administrators, but where are the parents when it comes to demanding better results for our schools?

All the kids of Windsor Locks deserve a quality education - and based on current and past results – its hard to see that happening.

To be sure there will always be some kids who stand out and we should be very proud of National Merit Scholars and the like but it seems nothing has changed over the years--many students are being left behind.

Then, leaders of The Concerned Taxpayers were told that they were “hurting the schools “ because they were fighting money being spent in the wrong places.

"We need to spend more" they were told, 'Our kids deserve that". The kids do deserve that but all one has to do is examine each years BOE budget to see that the majority of money in that budget is not being spent on the kids.

Ok at the growth of the Board of Education over the last decade:

BUDGET STUDENT ENROLLMENT

1999-2000 16 Million 2,050
2010-2011 27 Million 1,952

The budget figures are rounded and the enrollment figures were taken from the State Of Connecticut Schools Profiles.

Please look at those figures people and ask yourself--are the taxpayers, citizens, and parents of school children getting value for their tax dollars--I submit to you now as The Concerned Taxpayers did 12 years ago that we are not---11 million dollars more in a budget with approximately 100 less students and we can't even attain State average

Someone should be ashamed.

Parents should be incensed.

Parents should fill the next BOE meeting to overflow capacity demanding answers but history tells me that it wont happen--it seems we would rather spend our energy on fun but meaningless activities and electing Town Officials who are proven non-leaders,

Meanwhile our kids get the short end of the stick.


-Mark Hancock

WL Board of Education Meeting Tonight

The Windsor Locks Board of Education Meeting is being held tonight, December 1 at 6:00 PM in the WL High School Library Media Center.

Please try to attend and see what is going on in our children's schools. Hope to see you there!

Below is the link to tonight's agenda:
http://www.wlps.org/site/files/12-1-11ragenda.pdf

Crash Breaks Utility Pole In Windsor Locks, Closes Route 75

Hartford Courant

WINDSOR LOCKS

A crash caused a utility pole to drop onto Route 75 at Spring Street Wednesday morning, closing the roadway.

Wires and a transformer were also damaged, and power has been knocked out to 383 Connecticut Light & Power Co. customers in Windsor Locks.  The driver of the car that struck the pole apparently fled, police said.  Power company crews were making repairs.

WL officals ask residents to OK $1M debris plan, to cost town $250,000

By Harlan Levy

Journal Inquirer

Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 1:07 PM EST

WINDSOR LOCKS — If a town meeting approves the plan on Nov. 22, Ashbritt Inc., a Florida-based national disaster recovery contractor, will spend four to five weeks hauling away practically all of the town’s storm debris seven days a week for $1 million. Seventy-five percent of the expense is federally reimbursable, for a net cost to the town of $250,000.

A joint selectmen and Finance Board meeting Tuesday approved the deal, the most expensive of four options but the fastest. They rejected one option in which the 11-man town crew would take 10 to 12 weeks and which would cost $30,000 in overtime. Two others would take six to eight weeks and cost about $55,000 and $135,000 respectively.

In the unanimously selected option four, AshBritt, one of the two state-approved debris removal companies, would do it all, starting Nov. 28 and finishing by the end of December.

Time is of the essence, Public Works Director Scott Lappen told the two boards.

“There’s a huge safety concern because of the pile of brush on top of hydrants, utility boxes, and any buried structures,” Lappen said. “Kids have to walk out in the street to get around it.” Also, Lappen said, “We can get snow at any time … and these poor guys will have to work all night long, and they’re already exhausted.”

The disaster is not over yet, Selectman Joseph R. Calsetta said. “I don’t think we have any time to waste. I don’t think we can pussyfoot around or pinch pennies. I think we’ve got to get it done.”

The storm has taken its toll, Lappen said, mentioning that one of his 11 workers broke his elbow and sprained his wrist doing clean-up work. In addition, he said, the crews are behind in removing leaves from the parks before winter weather.

Following a tour of two streets with typical damage that Federal Emergency Management Agency officials took on the Monday after the storm, they estimated that the town had 42,000 cubic yards of debris.

“Since then, we’ve seen a huge increase in brush,” Lappen said.

To date, he said, his crews and town residents have taken 24,000 of the 63,000 cubic yard of debris to the Old County Road leaf compost site. That leaves an estimated 39,000 cubic yards. Lappen expects his crews to remove 8,000 in the next two weeks, so AshBritt will have 31,000 to go when it starts work on Nov. 28.

However, Selectman-elect Dennis Gragnolati said, there could be a lot more in people’s back yards.

“Many people haven’t finished bringing out their brush,” he told the boards.

If more than the $250,000 is needed, First Selectman Steven Wawruck said, the selectmen will ask the Finance Board for more.

“I don’t think this is the time to be conservative,” resident Douglas Hamilton told the boards, adding, “We should ask FEMA to take another tour (since) they only looked at two streets.”

Wawruck responded that he would ask FEMA today to reassess the damage. The results could affect the federal emergency declaration and federal aid.

By the end of December Lappen expects town overtime expenses will hit $50,000 to $60,000 regardless of which option the boards pick.

The town meeting to vote on the option is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the town’s leaf compost dump on Old County Road is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Now that the storm is over, the town needs to learn from the experience, Wawruck said. Therefore, he said, “We will hold a public hearing to discuss the good things and the bad things.” He’ll make that motion at the Nov. 29 meeting, he said, when the new board is sworn in.

In other business, the Board of Selectmen changed the Junk Car Removal Program’s two-week amnesty period for free vehicle disposal to Nov. 28 through Dec. 9. Previously it was from Nov. 14 to Nov. 30. Forms are available at Town Hall or at the Police Department. Participants are asked to provide title certificates.

At the meeting’s close, Wawruck turned to Calsetta, the four-term Democratic officeholder attending his last meeting after losing his seat last week to Gragnolati, a Republican.

“Words cannot express what you’ve done for the town over the last four terms,” Wawruck said, in thanking Calsetta for his long service.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” Calsetta responded. “I love this town.”

Crews are picking up debris

Public works crews are picking up storm debris. The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday will discuss whether to hire a contractor or to bring in special equipment. Federal funds are expected to help pay some of the cost.

Public works crews alone would take up to 10 weeks to remove all the storm-related debris. Using the FEMA-approved contractor would take four to five weeks.Meanwhile, the town's leaf compost dump on Old County Road is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week.

Windsor Locks Originals

Looking to start a photo album of things that you have collected that that are Windsor Locks Original.  You can e-mail pictures of them to savewindsorlocks@gmail.com.

Nicks Property Management Services

Please support Nick's Property Management Services  <---- Click here!

• Basic Hauling

• General cleanup

• Trash-out

• Painting

• Board-up

• Lock change

• Repairs

• Lawn Maintenance

• Tree and Shrub Trimming

• Snow removal

• Clear Out

​• Power Washing
CT LICENSE # HIC.0631797    PH 860-989-8799

Torch Light Parade

Changes to School Schedule

Superintendent Wayne Sweeney and the Board of Education have made changes to the 2011-2012 school calendar to accommodate the school days missed due to the storm.

Here are the changes being made:

• Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - will be a FULL day of school rather than a half day as originally scheduled
• Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - will be a HALF day early release instead of no school.
• Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - will be a FULL day of school rather than a half day as originally scheduled.
• February Vacation - school will be closed Monday, February 20 & Tuesday, February 21 ONLY. School will be in session February 22, 23 & 24.

This revised schedule makes up five of the 6 days missed already this school year (1 day from Hurricane Irene and 5 days from Storm Alfred) and winter has yet to even begin.
Let's hope the rest of the school year, weather-wise, is uneventful!!

By Jennifer Coe - ReminderNews
Windsor Locks - posted Thu., Nov. 10, 2011

Sewer systems on local streets are antiquated and will be upgraded. Photo by Jennifer Coe.

Windsor Locks will soon be receiving a $500,000 grant intended for the refurbishment of the Pearl and Fern street roadways.

“For most Connecticut towns and smaller cities, budgets are stretched thin but their infrastructure needs and the housing needs of their residents haven't diminished,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in late October. “That's why the Small Cities program - and the federal grants the program awards - are so critical,” he added. “The funding is key to these communities and their efforts to improve the lives of residents through housing programs and community projects.”

“We were very fortunate to get this money,” said First Selectman Steve Wawruck.

The grant itself is very specific on how it can be used. “The grant is very limited,” Wawruck said. “It is based on demographic and census bureau data.” Windsor Locks was one of 52 towns who put in an application for the money. “It is very highly competitive,” Wawruck added.

Windsor Locks also received the total amount that they asked for: half a million dollars. Windsor Locks, in fact, has received what they asked for in three out of the last four years, totaling $1.6 million.

This money will be used to refurbish Peal and Fern streets in a manner similar to the treatment other town streets have received in the past, including upgrades for the sewer system, storm drains and utility pipe upgrading. According to Wawruck, the roads will also be re-milled.

“This helps a lot because it is alternate funding, and for the tax payers, it relieves them of the entire burden of capital improvement,” said Wawruck.

A total of $12,342,000 in small cities grants was given to 28 Connecticut towns in 2011. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program provides grants to eligible municipalities for economic development, affordable housing, community facilities and other revitalization projects. The federal program is administered by Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development.

Other local towns that received grants included Wallingford, Rocky Hill, Stafford and East Windsor.

Disciplinary process begins for Koistinen

By Harlan Levy
Journal Inquirer

Published: Thursday, November 10, 2011 12:20 PM EST

WINDSOR LOCKS — The process of considering disciplinary action for police Sgt. Robert Koistinen has finally begun, town labor lawyer Kevin Deneen told the Police Commission on Wednesday.

Koistinen has been informed that Acting Police Chief Chester DeGray is considering disciplining him for his actions Oct. 29, 2010, after his son, former officer Michael Koistinen, was involved in an accident in which 15-year-old bicyclist Henry Dang was killed, Deneen said. That’s the first step in the process.

Koistinen now has the right to request a meeting to present his side of the story before DeGray decides whether discipline is in order.

DeGray is expected to make a recommendation to the commission by the end of the month, Deneen said.

Sgt. Koistinen was one of the first officers to arrive and was in charge of the scene when he twice left, first to go to the police station to find the regional accident investigation team’s phone number, and then to get traffic controls. An independent report on the accident said Koistinen abandoned his responsibility, and his son could have been tested for drunken driving.

“There are obviously issues in the report that can merit discipline,” Deneen said. “Prior to imposing any discipline we’re required to give him an opportunity to explain his view of the event and his response to it.”

Michael Koistinen was fired in December and faces negligent homicide charges. He is seeking to get his job back. His father faces criminal charges of hindering prosecution and interfering with the investigation. He has been on administrative leave with pay since the crash, drawing his nearly $74,000 salary.

Search for police chief

In other action, the commission added two items to the list of requirements for applicants for the vacant police chief’s job — a salary range of $90,000 to $110,000 to match the market and residency within a 20-mile radius of the Safety Complex within six months of getting the job.

“You want the chief to be available in case of emergency on a relatively quick basis,” Cunningham said.

Newly elected commission member Kevin Brace suggested providing a 5 percent to 10 percent stipend if the new chief moves into town, an incentive that the commissioner members said they will consider.

“It invokes more of a sense of community,” Brace said. “Also, there are things that go on in town that only residents know of, and if you work here, why not live here?”

Requirements previously set include having a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement, criminal justice, or business administration or equivalent experience; a minimum of 10 years’ supervisory experience while ranked at least as a sergeant; and a record of preparing budgets.

The commission also voted to add a non-voting town police officer to the panel that will question applicants. The panel consists of two police chiefs from other towns, two police commission members, one of the three selectmen, and a representative of the town human resources department.

Adding a non-voting officer “gives us access to the experience of officers who are on the road every day and what the attributes are that he or she looks for in a chief,” Cunningham said.

After the initial interviews, the panel will select three finalists, whom the Police Commission will interview and make a final selection. An offer will follow, dependent on positive results from a psychological exam, a background check, and a lie detector test.

Ads for the chief’s job should be in print and online by the end of the month, Cunningham said.

The Police Commission, acting as the town’s Traffic Commission, also voted to put up school-zone signs on the street at each end of the middle school, South Elementary School, and high school stating that the speed limit is 25 mph when children are present. The North Street School already has such a sign.

Resident Mary Campbell, who lives on Center Street across from the middle school, prompted the board’s move after complaining for more than two years about frequent speeding by motorcycles and cars.

“We need to do something,” Campbell told the commission Wednesday. Police Officer Sebastian Garofalo also supported adding new signs.

The middle school crossing guard “is afraid to go into the crosswalk because the cars are barreling down the hill both ways,” Garofalo said.

Also acting as the town Traffic Commission, the board voted to recommend to the State Traffic Commission that truck traffic be banned from traveling from one end to the other of South Center and Center streets (the same street, which changes names). A petition filed in August sought the ban in the residential neighborhood. If the state board goes along, a town meeting would have to approve a truck-ban ordinance.

Windsor Locks and East Windsor Get Small Cities Grants

East Windsor will use money to do renovation work at Park Hill Apartments, and Windsor Locks will use the money for road reconstruction work.

by Larry Smith
http://windsorlocks.patch.com/

East Windsor and Windsor Locks are two of 28 communities that will receive Small Cities grants totaling $12.34 million, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Friday.

East Windsor will receive $700,000 to renovate Park Hill Elderly & Disabled Housing Complex, an 84-unit rental housing project for the elderly and disabled.  

Funds will be used for ADA accessibility and energy efficiency upgrades. These improvements will help lower tenant’s utility costs and make the units more livable for the disabled residents, officials said.


Read the rest of the article by clicking here: http://windsorlocks.patch.com/articles/windsor-locks-and-east-windsor-get-federal-small-cities-grants

Windsor Locks gets needed grant for train station plan

By Harlan Levy

Journal Inquirer

October 14, 2011 

WINDSOR LOCKS — Thursday’s announcement that Windsor Locks won a $250,000 state grant to plan a transit-oriented mixed-use development downtown was hailed by town officials as a major step in the long effort to move the train station back to Main Street.

“This is moving forward,” First Selectman Steven Wawruck said.

“We’re very pleased that the town got the planning grant,” John Bernick, manager of the state Department of Transportation’s New Haven-Hartford-Springfield high-speed and commuter rail line project, said.

“I’m more than pleased,” Selectman Joe Calsetta said. “It will demonstrate to the DOT that the downtown location is more viable, would increase ridership, and would have a positive economic impact on Windsor Locks and the surrounding area as opposed to the current location, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere.”

The grant is part of $5 million awarded to 11 cities, towns, and regional planning organizations — also including Windsor, which will receive $250,000 — for economic development and train station plans related to the proposed New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line due to be completed in 2016.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said that “finding smart, practical ways to connect housing and employment centers to transportation is a critical step in growing the state’s economy and making Connecticut a more vibrant place to work and live.”

The grants will help towns “take tangible steps in making their communities more walkable, more accessible, and more attractive to residents and employers alike.”

Windsor Locks is slated to be a major stop on the line because it links up with bus service to and from Bradley International Airport.

The grant will pay for a study of potential mixed uses, parking, utility improvements, traffic mitigation efforts, and how to make that area pedestrian-friendly, Town economic development consultant Patrick McMahon said.

Whether DOT will support moving the station to downtown depends on the environmental assessments — required for federal funding of the high-speed line — of the current station site and the site of the proposed downtown train stop, Project Manager Bernick said. A partial study found no major problems at the downtown site.

“It’s difficult to predict the outcome until the environmental assessment process is complete,” Bernick said.

The environmental assessment report is due in early November. DOT wants public comments on the two sites after that, with a public hearing set for the beginning of December.

Public comments will weigh heavily, Bernick said. A decision is expected in January.

Meanwhile, Amtrak officials have been enthusiastic about relocating the train stop and selling or leasing the long-neglected historic train station and its site to the town. The town already has $220,000 in state grant money for planning and design work for restoring and weatherizing the building, which would act as a tourist attraction, adding to the downtown’s draw.

“Our Main Street was very vibrant when the platform was in the center of town,” Wawruck said. “Once it moved, the heart and soul was ripped right out of the center of Windsor Locks, and now we have a chance to work with the state and the railroad to bring the platform back and make Windsor Locks what it once was.”

Other grants went to Hartford, $730,000; Meriden, $850,000; New Britain, $750,000; New Haven, $390,000; New London, $319,000; Norwalk, $486,000; Stamford, $460,000; Stratford, $250,000, and Derby and Shelton, $265,000.

October 18, 2011
Hello Parents!
The Windsor Locks Wellness Coalition (formerly Substance Abuse Prevention and Action Council {SAPAC}) is happy to share with you the launching of our Underage Drinking and Prescription Drug Prevention Campaign in Windsor Locks. The message we are trying to send is a simple one:
1. Lock It Up!-If you have alcohol and/or prescription drugs in your home, please lock it up and limit your student’s access.
2. Talk It Up! - Have conversations often with your student about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking and prescription drug abuse.
3. Set the Rules! - Make sure your students knows your expectations and potential consequences for underage drinking and/or prescription drug abuse.
We will be promoting our message in different venues during
Red Ribbon Week (October 24th- October 29th, 2011) at these locations:

Tuesday, October 25th –We will be promoting our message to students during a Red Ribbon Week Advisory Period at Windsor Locks High School. Event for students only.

Thursday, October 27th – We will be promoting the campaign at the Town of Windsor Locks Health Fair, 50 Church Street from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Open to the public.
Saturday, October 29th – Youth Action Council will be marching in the local homecoming parade and will be handing about t-shirts and other materials related to the campaign. Parade begins at 11:15 a.m. and is open to the public.
Saturday, October 29th – Drug Take Back Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Windsor Locks Police Department, 4 Volunteer Drive. Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal. Any drugs- no questions asked.
Thank your local businesses who are participating in the campaign and displaying our campaign posters!

For more information contact Kate Barnard, Youth Services Director
at 860-627-1482 or kbarnard@wlocks.com.

Historic Donut Kettle to close

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT (WFSB) -

The Donut Kettle, an institution in Windsor Locks for almost a century, has fallen victim to the sour economy.

John Syzkula and William Hitchcock are regulars at the Donut Kettle on Spring Street.

"Once a week we get together to have coffee and tell the same stories," said Hitchcock.

Many remember being a customer almost a half century ago, when the business was on Main Street.

"When I was going through school, that was our hangout,"  Syzkula said.

The establishment has remained a hangout, or a regular place to eat, for hundreds of people in town, but many of those customers got older and eventually passed away.

Customers haven't been replaced with a younger generation, said Tammy Danforth, whose mother Shari has Wadsworth owned the business the past 30 years.

Wadsworth, who bought the restaurant after waitressing there for years, says it's a broader trend that will likely force her to close at the end of the month.

Upcoming Education Meetings In Windsor Locks

Reminder to all Windsor Locks Parents, the following meetings are taking place regarding our children's education. Please try to attend these very important meetings:

• Thursday, October 13 @ 6:00 PM - Board of Education Meeting, Windsor Locks High School Library Media Center. Below are links to the agenda and minutes of the last meeting.

http://www.wlps.org/site/files/agenda.pdf

http://www.wlps.org/site/files/9-22-2011rminutes.pdf

• Tuesday, October 18 - 7:00 - 9:00 PM @ the Windsor Locks Senior Center. Meet with Superintendent Sweeney to review the completed Long Range Plan for the Windsor Locks Public Schools. This will include the new Mission Statement, Core Beliefs, Long Range Plan and current initiatives in place to increase student achievement.

Letter to Editor Supporting Mazza, Lambert & Brace

http://journalinquirer.com/articles/2011/10/11/letters_to_the_editor/doc4e940e6168e59712223882.txt

Working for Windsor Locks

http://windsorlocks.patch.com/articles/working-for-windsor-locks

This did not air last night or this morning as they had said. I am trying to get more information and will let everyone know.



WLPS has released its nine-point plan for improving student achievement. Accepting the current levels of student achievement in Windsor Locks is just not good enough!

The superintendent and administrative team shared the entire plan with the BOE on 9/22. Please take the time to view the plan on Wednesday 10/5 at 7:00pm and again on Thursday 10/6 at 9:00am on digital channel 16 (COX).

Residents Support Train Stop Relocation

By KIM VELSEY
The Hartford Courant

WINDSOR LOCKS — If you build it, will they come?

The "Field of Dreams" question surfaced several times during a public hearing earlier this week on a plan to relocate the train stop to the center of town.
It was answered by a steady stream of residents who argued that given the current state of downtown, there's nothing to lose if they don't.
Town officials say that relocating the train stop from an isolated area by the I-91 ramps to downtown would help revitalize the once-vibrant area. The timing is also ideal, they say, now that the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line is promising to increase train service and link the station with Bradley International Airport by express bus.
"It's a tale of two cities," said Chris Ferraro, a vice president at Fuss & O'Neill, which identified relocating the train stop as key component of revitalization in a study several years ago. Referring to the commercial area near the airport, he said: "Route 75 really has its own economy, while the downtown lost its character,"
The meeting started off with a short film on Main Street's past that juxtaposed photos of lively intersections with today's empty streetscapes. Resident Kevin Brace, who produced the film, said that he wasn't old enough to remember Main Street's glory days, but urged residents to "do something positive for Windsor Locks… for once."
John Bernick a project engineer for the state Department of Transportation, said that the cost difference between building a station for the revamped New Haven-Springfield line at the current site versus downtown is negligible. The department expects to make a decision on the relocation sometime in January, after an environmental assessment is completed and the public comment period ends.
Although the downtown site would pose more traffic issues because of the proximity of the station to the railroad crossing, the crossing duration would probably change from about 45 seconds to 2 minutes, according to the DOT. Prohibiting left turns and improving signal phasing would make the situation tolerable, if not ideal, officials said.
Bernick said that the DOT has been working closely with Amtrak and that the company has said it will support whatever decision the DOT makes as long as it satisfies Amtrak requirements.
Several residents said that although they would like to see a vibrant Main Street, they didn't believe the train stop would be enough to accomplish that.
"I question the whole premises that the area could get development," said Douglas Glazier, a board of finance member, who said he'd worked to bring the Windsor Locks Commons to Main Street, only to watch it struggle with high vacancy for years.
"But If it's the same cost to move it, then the worst case is that nothing happens to Windsor Locks Commons," Ferraro countered.

Residents urged to attend hearing, support

By Harlan Levy Journal Inquirer
WINDSOR LOCKS —

Town officials have scheduled a public hearing Tuesday Sept. 20, a significant event in the effort to relocate the train stop from its current remote location near the Interstate 91 interchange back to downtown Main Street adjacent to historic train station. What makes the hearing — which will take place at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium — so important is that state Department of Transportation officials will be there to gauge residents’ support for the move, along with presenting plans for the train stop relocation. “They want to hear from the public that relocating the train station is going to be acceptable,” town economic development consultant Patrick McMahon said. “It’s crucial because DOT requested the public informational session.” The train station relocation is part of a plan to offer high-speed commuter train service from New Haven to Springfield, projected for 2016. State and federal funds would pay for train line. Local voters in August approved the town’s application for a $250,000 state grant to create plans for a retail, office, and-housing development that would be located around the proposed downtown train stop. “It sends a signal that the town is serious about relocating the station and having economic growth in the vicinity of a relocated train stop,” McMahon said after the vote. Riders could get to Bradley International Airport by bus from the train station. The DOT favors a downtown location as opposed to the current site for cost and engineering reasons, along with revitalizing the downtown. Keeping the train stop where it is provides no future economic benefit to the town nor does it help the state’s future rail line as much as a downtown site, McMahon said. Expanding parking at the current location is problematic because of its proximity to the Connecticut River

WL Public Schools New Parent & Community Advisory Council

WL Public Schools looking for participants for their new parent and community advisory council. Please consider getting involved.....

Are you interested in being a part of the new Windsor Locks Public Schools Parent and Community Advisory Council? Participants will be asked to provide feedback and input into all district-wide initiatives to improve student achievement. Meetings will be once a month from 6:00 to 8:00pm. We are looking for representation from each school. If you would like to participate, please RSVP to Donna Bole, at 860.292.5743 or dbole@wlps.org, by September 30th.

WL Board of Education Meeting 9-8-11

Windsor Locks Board of Education Meeting

September 8, 2011

Communications
Michael Royston attended opening day of school at North Street; as well as the Boo Hoo Breakfast.

Margaret Byrne will be attending the Family Picnic at South School and the Parent Information Night on September 15.

Pat King visited the High School on the first day of school and walked around with the principal. She was impressed with the demeanor of the students.

Facilities - Lighting Proposal:
At the last board meeting DBS Energy discussed updating the exterior lighting at all the schools with more up to date lighting technology. Mr. Sweeney stated this would be a $0 to neutral revenue item to the budget and over time will have a net savings to the school system. The lighting will have a 100% warranty the first year and all material will be under a 10 year warranty. The lamps in the new lighting will have 50,000 hours of life compared to the current 10,000 hours. This item was approved by the Board.

End of Year Budget Report:
The budget for the 2010-2011 ended with an $87,774 surplus. The Board will be attending the next Finance meeting to inform them they will be using the surplus to purchase/lease 3 new trucks used for the school grounds. The current trucks are 1985 vehicles with rotted floor boards, heat, differential and seal issues. They will be purchasing two new trucks with plows for $68,000 and leasing the 1 additional truck with a plow for 3 years. The difference between the surplus and the purchase ($19,774) will be used to make two payments on the lease vehicle. This item was approved by the Board.

Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
Susan Bell, Assistant Principal at the Middle School and Sharon Cournoyer, Principal at the High School gave a presentation on PLC. PLC has been in the high school for several years, but has now been implemented school wide.

The presentation covered the main points of PLC:
Essential Questions:
• What do you want students to know
• How do you know that they know it
• How do you respond when they have not learned or when they need enrichment
• What growth do we expect to see in the areas we have identified as priorities

Every Teacher is a Leader:
• Subject area expertise
• Data analysis experience
• No more "independent contractors"
• Sharing the craft of teaching

Create Conditions to Empower Team Decision Making:
• Data teams focus on data analysis to drive instructional decisions
• Secure PLC time
• Arrange appropriate professional development
• Shared leadership structure

Data Analysis Process:
Step 1 - Prediction - What do you think the data will tell you
Step 2 - What does the data actually tell you
Step 3 - Brainstorm facts, trends and concerns
Step 4 - Pick fact, trend or concern of priority

From the data analysis
• What instructional groups will the teachers create
• What will the teachers do in the next 30 days to address the learning priority that has been identified
• Teachers will plan on a monthly basis utilizing the action plan template to chart progress each month and week.

The Key Points of PLC:
• Collaboration to increase student achievement levels takes concerted effort and shift in philosophy
• Understanding the human aspect of change is integral to the creation of a collaborative culture
• Reflection is necessary to effectively lead a team
• Setting the example of collaboration is paramount to encouraging others to do the same
• Flexibility in expectations, sensitivity to change process and its impact on individuals in the community
• Embracing the community philosophy - We Are All on the Same Team

The principals from each school then explained how well PLC was working in each of their schools and how the teachers were eager to receive the data analysis and put it to use.

Mr. Sweeney stated the first day of PLC will take place on Monday, September 12, so all schools will have a one hour early release. He stated approximately 45 students from South Street and 50 students from North Street are taking advantage of the 1 hour free after school care being offered.

Michael Royston asked what the difference is with this information compared to three years ago when Dr. Little was here? Pat King stated it is accountability. Ms. Bell stated it is continuity of services throughout the entire school system - Pre-K to High School. Michael Royston stated he has been hearing this for years, so what is going to make it work this time?

Mr. Sweeney explained we are not going to accept any excuses and that starts with himself, down to the principals and then the teachers. He explained they looked at data today that basically shows we have been flat as a school district for a lot of years, we have had the data, but have we created the conditions to which our teachers are expected to use the data to change adult behavior...he suggests that it has not happened until now. He stated if we are sitting here in three years, hearing the same presentation and our scores are still flat, then there are no excuses. Our kids deserve more and they deserve better; that is the principals’ job and it is his job to make sure they are doing their job. If that does not happen they can fire their superintendent and find someone new.

Michael Royston stated he has stated publicly that he has full faith that Mr. Sweeney is going to turn things around, but it is his frustration that we have been hearing this for many years. We have provided the tools, the professional development and the data, and it has not been used, that is where his frustration lies. He thinks we see this frustration, not just with himself, but when we saw the scores come out we saw more people here than we ever did before; when we added more PLC time we saw more people than we ever did before. The frustration is rampant across the board and it is very clear we have to take these tools and use them properly

Mr. Sweeney stated we have to let go of the old stuff, people are frustrated and upset, but it is time to be responsible and what we have put into place is very specific, highly researched based strategies and the Board has supported that direction....we will see results. We are doing this, we will do this, we will be successful and the children will be successful at rates higher than ever imagined.

Bullying in School

Very interesting article. What do we tell our children and how do we get the schools to protect them http://windsorlocks.patch.com/articles/just-block-really

WL Patch Article - Last Night's Board of Education Meeting

http://windsorlocks.patch.com/articles/windsor-locks-public-schools-faculty-enthusiastic-about-new-professional-training-sessions

And Sometimes it is the Teachers

To my teacher friends, to be fair I also need to post the parent's point of view.

http://www.kchblog.com/?p=5686

Thank you!

Sometimes It's About the Parents

Very interesting article from the Teacher's perspective.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html

Next Board of Education Meeting

Parents and Residents of Windsor Locks:

We all need to stay informed about what is going on in our town of Windsor Locks and that includes the education of our children.

Please consider attending the next Board of Education meeting which will be held this coming Thursday, September 8 at 6:00 pm at the Windsor Locks High School in the Library Media Center.

Below is the agenda for the meeting and the minutes of the August 18 meeting.

http://www.wlps.org/site/files/9-8-11ragenda.pdf
http://www.wlps.org/site/files/8-18-2011rminutes.pdf

Back to the Future of Windsor Locks (Video)

Back To The Future For Windsor Locks

In January 1975 Ella Tambussi Grasso boarded a train from Windsor Locks to Hartford beginning her historic journey to her inauguration becoming the first elected woman Governor in U.S. history.  The train station was located in the center of Windsor Locks.  Soon after Amtrak officials abandoned the historic train station and constructed a train platform on the outskirts of town.  36 years later our train platform consisting of a tiny plastic shelter is still not located in the center of town.  We only need to look to Windsor to see what a great train station needs to look like.  The irony of this is that our little train station services 5,000 more passengers than Windsor’s train station.  Our platform is across the street from the sewage treatment plant.  The historic train station where Ella Grasso boarded the train to Hartford sits crumbling due to neglect and vandalism.  What an embarrassment to the Town of Windsor Locks and the State of Connecticut.  Windsor Locks is referred to as “The Gateway to New England”.  Part of that gateway should not be on the outskirts of town across the street from the sewer plant.

Read the rest of the article by clicking here http://windsorlocks.patch.com/blog_posts/back-to-the-future-for-windsor-locks

Former W. Locks Montgomery Mill Complex on auction block

The town of Windsor Locks is looking for bidders for a recently foreclosed property that was the former home of the Montgomery Mill Complex.

The property, at 25 Canal Benk Rd, was recently foreclosed by the town and includes 3.38 acres with two buildings and a detached parking garage.

A public auction for the property will be held Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. on the premises.

Economic Development Director Patrick McMahon said the property will require significant investment from the prospective developer because it has experienced multiple fires in recent years.

The property, which is located near downtown, had an assessed value of $900,000 in 2010.

McMahon said the town is interested in commercial developments as well as potential multifamily housing proposals.

Canal Benk Realty lost the property through the foreclosure action.

Article from East Windsor/Windsor Locks Patch

Windsor Locks Schools Open Doors To A New Academic Year


Officials delayed opening schools one day because of power outages caused by Tropical Storm Irene.


By
Larry Smith
Email the author

August 30, 2011

After being delayed one day, Windsor Locks Public Schools opened Tuesday with faculty, staff and students happy to be back.

Tropical Storm Irene caused the delay as a power was out at South Elementary School until Monday night. Superintendent of Schools Wayne Sweeney said it was decided Monday afternoon to open school counting on the power to be restored before Tuesday.

While walking through the halls of Windsor Locks High School, Sweeney said the first day of school went off without a problem and everyone was happy to start the new year.

“Everyone is pleased to be here,” Sweeney said.

South Elementary School Principal James Moriarty greeted students dressed in a tuxedo with colorful vest and bow tie. He said he did it to keep the students guessing.

Moriarty said Tuesday morning that school had gone well with nary a tear from students. When asked what was the best thing about the first day of school

“This year, it’s the fact we’re here,”  he said, referring to Monday’s power outage.

Moriarty said it’s really fun to begin the year and see the students eager to be at school.

In his newsletter for the start of the school year, Sweeney said the school system is starting some new initiatives.

Those include: a new district long range plan which will guide the district’s work for the next 3 years;  a new district parent/community advisory committee is being established and existing PTA’s/PTO’s will be enhanced to provided parents an opportunity to contribute to school improvement discussions; and each school will be developing a school level long range improvement plan which will be aligned with the district plan.

Other initiatives: a PreK-12 PLC-time (Professional Learning Community) has been established to provide teachers with dedicated time to review individual student data and develop specific instructional plans to meet the needs of each child. That will be accomplished by releasing students one hour early on Mondays; and every school will have a staff school governance team providing staff with an important role and responsibility in improving our schools.
In response to concerns from some parents regarding the PLC time there will be fewer sessions, Sweeney said in the newsletter. There will be no PLC time on November 7, 21, or April 2, and the first PLC dismissal will be September 12.
The PLC is scheduled to be discussed at the board of education's September 8 meeting, Sweeney said Tuesday.

UPDATE: First Day of School Cancelled in Windsor Locks

NEW UPDATE FROM WLPS:
Emergency Announcement
Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 30th will be our first day of school.  Welcome Back to School!
South Street School Parents: Power at South should be restored today, and the opening should not be affected. However, check back for updates. If power is not restored then the first day of school for South students only would be delayed until power has been restored.

—————————
Latest update from WLPS website (www.wlps.org) :
Emergency Announcement
August 29, 2011 ~  All of our schools are currently being assessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.  Currently, one school is partially without power. 
The Superintendent will be making a decision on the opening of schools later this afternoon.  Please check back for updated information!
_______________________________
Just received the call.... The first day of school, which was scheduled for this Monday, has been cancelled until further notice due to the impending Hurricane Irene and the chance for downed powerlines and trees.

Windsor Locks Aims To Bring Train Stop Back To Downtown

By KIM VELSEY, kvelsey@courant.comThe Hartford Courant

10:13 p.m. EDT, August 21, 2011

WINDSOR LOCKS ——

Bringing the train stop back downtown has long been a dream in Windsor Locks, but officials say that the relocation may finally become a reality with strong state and federal support for rail and transit-oriented development.

The town has applied for a $250,000 state grant to study transit-oriented development on Main Street. It is also working with the state Department of Transportation and Amtrak to address concerns about the relocation, which would involve moving the stop from an isolated area by the I-91 entrance ramp to an area with traffic challenges.

But despite the difficulties, First Selectman Steve Wawruck said that availability of federal rail funding and planning deadlines for theNew Haven-Springfield rail commuter line make acting now critical. As the home of Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks is expected to be a key stop on the line.

A downtown train stop and the redevelopment of the Montgomery Mill complex are seen as the catalysts of a long-awaited downtown revitalization. The area has struggled for decades after a 1970s urban renewal project took away its vibrancy along with its more undesirable elements.

The transit-oriented development grant would help the town relocate the train stop and plan for mixed-use development in the area, according to economic development consultant Patrick McMahon. The funds could be used to determine utility needs, prepare a concept plan for a transit center, develop new zoning regulations and determine market feasibility.

Wawruck said that recent meetings with Amtrak officials and the DOT have been promising. The town is hoping to buy or sign a long-term lease for the historic train station and site, restoring the station and placing a train stop near or on the site. Although neither entity has yet to agree to the move, their openness marks a shift from the past when they have resisted relocation.

Resident Jason Smith, who teaches in Enfield, addressed the selectmen Tuesday to express his support for the relocation and to ask what he could do to help it along. Smith said the stop relocation would draw development to the area and allow him to commute to and from work with the help of a folding bike.

Two town meetings will be held on the grant and the relocation. At the first, scheduled for Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m., residents will vote to formally approve the transit-oriented development grant application. On Sept. 20 at 7 p.m., residents will be able to discuss the pros and cons of moving the train stop downtown.