boysgirls

"Persons may visit the Fire Marshall's Office to review the planned removal of said trees. A plan is on our front table and we will be glad to help orient you on the project."

Posted September 25, 2003 at 3pm...not being enforced, as it is reported that the decision is being appealed.

"Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 451, Sec. 23-59, a Public Tree Hearing was convened on September 22, 2003 regarding 15 Kousa Dogwood trees on School Road. The decision is that 15 Kousa Dogwood trees along School Road are NOT to be cut.

"Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 451, Sec. 23-59, a public Tree Hearing was convened on September 22, 2003 regarding tree removal in Bisceglie-Scribner Park. The trees in Bisceglie-Scribner Park, being part of the "Weston Town Improvement Plan - Schools and Parks" , adopted by referendum vote on November 15, 2001, are to be removed.

Notice is hereby given that a Tree Hearing will be convened on Monday, September 22, 2003 at 1pm in the Town Hall Meeting Room. The agenda will include the following issues:

SCHOOL ROAD TREES
"On Tuesday, August 26, 2003 at 10am a Tree Hearing will take place in the Weston Town Hall"...trees at the perimeter of the soccer/lacrosse field at the Weston High School. Posted in the afternoon was the following:

"A Hearing in the Town Hall was held May 5, 2003 at 3pm regarding the removal of trees at Morehouse Farm Park. After considering the testimony of the participants and weghing the benefits of the proposed playing fields for the children of Weston now and in the future, I have decided that the trees shall be removed thus allowing the Morehouse Farm Park project to continue.

TREE WARDEN NOTICE
Notice is hereby given by the Weston Tree Warden that trees within a certain marked area at the Morehouse Property on Newtown Turnpike, Rt. 53 are to be removed. Ten days from this date (April 22, 2003) work will begin removing these trees.

"In accordance with Chapter 451, Section 23-59 of the Connecticut General Statutes, providing for the care and control of Public Trees, notice is hereby given that these trees will be removed ten (10) days or more following posting of this notice.

"Any person, firm, or corporation objecting to such removal, may appeal within ten (10) days of posting to the Tree Warden in writing, who shall then hold a public hearing at some suitable time and place.

By Erianne Bingham
Aug 20 2005

It may take a bit longer than expected to establish a Boys and Girls Club in Coupeville.

The facility which project organizers have in mind is the old firehouse on Main Street in Coupeville. In order to obtain this building, a lease agreement must be met between the project organizers and the Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue commmissioners. In a Fire Commissioners’ meeting on Aug 11, the proposed lease of $230 was rejected and then renegotiated up to $367 a month by the commissioners and their attorney.
In order to comply with their building permit as well as costs to maintain the facility, the rent was hiked.

The original cost proposed for the rent was $100 a month but then climbed to $230 and has finally rested on $367 a month on a five-year lease. Since the Boys and Girls Club must raise the money to pay the rent, the price is a bit hard to swallow. Coupeville resident Sue Roundy heads the leadership group for the project.

“I don’t like the price that is on the table right now. Our contact with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish does not like the price either. It is just a lot of money for us to raise, especially since it does not include the price of the utilities for the building. We all really want this to work but the rent is holding us back,” Roundy said.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County is sponsoring the establishment of a club in Coupeville. The lease has to be approved by them as well due to legal liability. According to Cheryl Engel, chair of the Central Whidbey Fire District board, the cost of the building rent is in direct relation to the auditor. In order to comply with state regulations regarding the use of public facilities. Because the building is paid for by taxpayers, the rent has to be high enough satisfy the state auditor.

“We all want the Boys and Girls Club to be able to rent the building, but we have make sure that we do it legally. We agonized over the decision but in order to satisfy the requirements brought out by the auditor, the rent is set at what would be acceptable to them,” Engel said.

Both the Central Whidbey Fire commissioners and the Boys and Girls Club of Coupeville leaders stated that they have to be responsible when it comes to managing the money for this endeavor. If all works out, the Coupeville food bank, Gifts from the Heart will also benefit. By contributing to the rent of the firehouse, Gifts from the Heart will be allowed a percentage of the space in the firehouse for storage and operations. According to Molly Hughes, head of Gifts from the Heart, volunteers currently have to transfer their donated food from facility to facility.

A final decision on whether or not the Boys and Girls Club of Coupeville will be able to use the firehouse for their club location, is expected within the next few weeks.

An unofficial version of the presentation by representatives of the...
WESTON COMMUNITY CENTER & BOY'S & GIRL'S CLUB ORGANIZATION AT THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN MAY 4, 2000

The Weston Boy's & Girl's Club presented the culmination of more than a full year of research to the Board of Selectmen on Thursday, May 4, 2000. First was a video from the parent organization explaining by example the goals and objectives of the Clubs - the answers to "frequently asked questions." Second was an overhead projector presentation of the business plan for the partnership between a Weston Boy's & Girl's Club and the Town of Weston and its citizens.

The Need for a Weston Community Center
Social isolation of seniors, latch-key children of dual career parents, inadequate space at the Schools or elsewhere within the community - lack of a community "gathering place" (other than the Lunch Box/Center, churches or the School Campus, etc.).

Potential Town Benefits
A multi-generational community center and gathering place...a "positive choice" environment where youth can go on their own terms...this has been lacking in Weston. The Boy's & Girl's Club would provide full-time leadership and independent governance (its own Board of Directors). Freeing up needed space and creation of additional recreation facilities and providing a home for Town of Weston recreation, Senior and Children and Youth offices would be possible. A Joint Development Project for Doing Good (ABOUT WESTON's words)...

Demographics and Community Support
The children are here (according to the Boy's&Girl's Club reasearch to date, a 29.6% increase can be expected in the next five years); the idea is not new, only the determination to have a professional approach to programming is...

Construction Budget; Revenues
A budget of $3.2 million includes provision for a 20,000 sq.ft. building, portable skating rink and outdoor facilities (plus parking budget, etc.). Dues, fees, grants, private contributions, special events/fund raisers, income from rent for outside users of the facility, other fees; PLUS Town of Weston contribution annually are included in this financial plan.

Operating Budget
Personnel for a year - $169,000 includes 2 or 3 full time and part-time staff; expenses should be $281,000...for a total of $450,000 (including working capital/profit of $39,000).

Next Steps
Approval by or endorsement or whatever you care to call it by the Town of Weston is required at this time to keep momentum for this idea moving forward. Appoint a Steering Committee of the Boy's & Girl's Club to assist (as advisors--similar to the recently appointed School Board presence) the Building Committee; obtain a financial pledge from the Town of Weston to support the future development so that private fundraising can begin.