by | Apr 27, 2023 4:26 pm | Comments (0)
It’s that time of year again! The weather is warmer and spring allergies are in full swing, but this also means, budget season. The arduous multi-month process in which everyone elected or appointed volunteer in Seymour, spends countless hours preparing proposals in which we feel are in the best interest of our respective areas.
Continue reading ‘Letter: Seymour Budget Vote Is May 4, 2023’
by | Apr 26, 2023 10:27 am | Comments (0)
Once again, the Ansonia city budget is late. Section 43 of the city charter calls for the mayor’s budget to be presented no later than the second Monday in February. Two years ago, the mayor’s budget wasn’t submitted until the third week of March; last year, it wasn’t submitted until the first week of April; and this year, his budget will not be presented until the last week of April, 10 weeks late. This is a trend that keeps getting worse by the year.
Continue reading ‘Letter To The Editor: Ansonia Budget Process Ignores Rules Set By City Charter’
by | Apr 3, 2023 4:34 pm | Comments (0)
To the Editor,
I am a longtime Derby resident and voter. I’m writing this letter in response to the recent political mailer that I received on behalf of Mayor Richard Dziekan. While it is labeled as a newsletter, make no mistake about it, this is a political campaign brochure that is being funded by us, the taxpayers. Each taxpayer in the City of Derby is paying a portion of this expense to help Richard Dziekan do what he can’t do himself, fund his own reelection campaign.
Continue reading ‘Letter: Mayor Dziekan's Newsletter Is Campaign Literature’
by | Apr 3, 2023 10:31 am | Comments (0)
Disclaimer:
Before starting this conversation, I’m disclosing I am the husband of Laura Harris, a member of the Derby Board of Education. I admit to a favorable bias towards the Board and how they operate. This letter is a rebuttal of recent commentary made by the Mayor of Derby regarding the performance of the Derby School District and its leadership.
The Mayor of Derby states that there is a stigma associated with the Derby School District being identified as an Alliance District. He also accuses school leadership of spending state and city funding including Alliance grants with no plan and no accountability. These two premises are completely wrong.
Continue reading ‘Letter: Derby’s Designation As An Alliance District Is Not Detrimental’
by | Mar 29, 2023 3:05 pm | Comments (0)
In a recent article published by the Valley Indy they incorrectly stated “the mayor’s chief of staff … is supervising the city’s finance office in the absence of a finance director.”
I wrote to them and informed them their statement was incorrect. I asked that they correct their misinformation and inform their readers correctly.
Continue reading ‘Derby Mayor's Chief Of Staff Takes Issue With Reporting’
by | Mar 27, 2023 11:12 am | Comments (0)
My name is Maureen McCormack. I sit on the Planning & Zoning Commission in Ansonia. I’m writing this letter to get the word out that there will be a Public Hearing (via Zoom) on Monday 3/27 at 6:45 p.m. regarding a proposed text amendment on driveways.
This is the type of regulation that affects so, so many people in our town.
by | Mar 20, 2023 10:10 am | Comments (0)
To the Editor:
I am writing regarding a recent action by the Derby Board of Alders to provide a street sign to honor the late actor Brian Dennehy.
Apparently both the Board and his advocate Jack Walsh overlooked the fact that Dennehy lied about his time in the Marine Corps. He did not serve in Vietnam as he claimed nor was he wounded with shrapnel nor did he suffer a concussion in combat.
Continue reading ‘Letter: Derby Should Not Honor Late Actor Brian Dennehy’
by | Mar 17, 2023 5:55 pm | Comments (0)
I am a longtime Derby resident and someone who has previously supported Rich Dziekan over the course of the last few elections. Unfortunately, I find myself in position where I can no longer support him or his administration. I read the news articles day after day and all I see is negativity and meanness coming from Rich Dziekan’s office. It just seems that with each day, comes a a new argument, something negative or a new fight with a different person.
Continue reading ‘Letter: I Can No Longer Support Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan’
by | Mar 15, 2023 5:04 pm | Comments (0)
One need not read any farther than Ms. Mongillo’s opening paragraph which states “While other districts were forced to homeschool, Derby was one of very few districts to remain in the classroom throughout the pandemic” to explain the advance in test scores when comparing Derby students to other districts who provided distance learning. It is like comparing apples and oranges.
Anyone knowledgeable concerning education, which as a BOE member one would hope she is, understands that in-class instruction far out performs remote learning and therefore produces much better results. Derby students were kept in school while their counterparts around the state generally were given remote learning. So they obviously had an educational advantage, which accounts for the comparable improvement.
Continue reading ‘Letter: Derby Schools Need To Improve And Lose Alliance District Label’
by | Mar 14, 2023 11:49 am | Comments (0)
To the Editor,
As a member of the Derby community, I am disappointed in the recent, public disrespect of our School District. The comments are baseless and an excuse to underfund our school district, AGAIN!
Our children have not only survived but thrived in school through a Global pandemic. While other districts were forced to homeschool, Derby was one of very few districts to remain in the classroom throughout the pandemic. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank our school employees and congratulate our kids on their great progress and all of their hard work through the pandemic and beyond.
Continue reading ‘Letter: Despite Poor Funding, Derby Schools Are Doing Well’
