Referendum, Signatures, and Meeting Change

We did it!  We collected 313 verified signatures, which means once the Board of Selectmen officially set the date, the referendum to vote on appropriating $100,000 to use for legal representation and to retain experts will be held as soon as legally possible (August 18th).

Since it's important we as a town attend this Town Meeting, the resident meeting at Wilderness Lake Campground is cancelled for August 4th.  

Instead, please make plans to attend the Town Meeting meeting- 7:00 pm, August 4th, at the HMS gymnasium.

See the rest of the notice here.

EDITED AUGUST 3 for typos and clarity.

First Selectwoman Mailhos and Willington Resident on Pan American Express

First Selectwoman Mailhos and Cari Donaldson, the unWillington.com web designer, were interviewed by John Murphy on the Pan American Express last week.  In case you missed it, you can hear it in its entirety below:

Wednesday Rally Roundup

Pictures and news links from yesterday's rally keep coming in.  This post will be updated throughout the day.

 From the CT Mirror's coverage:

"It's not just a firing range.  This is not a relocation.  This is a huge paramilitary complex," Summers said.

Stephanie Summers, courtesy office of Rep. Belsito

"Somebody sitting in an office in Hartford might think that [Willington is] in the middle of nowhere, but to us it's everything and everywhere," First Selectwoman Christina Mailhos said.

Fox CT news coverage of the rally.

First Selectwoman Christine Mailhos, courtesy office of Rep. Belsito

From The Courant's coverage:

[Horowitz-Benoit] said that she is concerned about her future education as a prospective college student, since her parents are counting on their home equity to finance her college education.

Rachael Horowitz-Benoit, courtesy office of Rep. Belsito

From CT News Junkie's coverage:

"There are so many ranges- wouldn't it make more sense to qualify at a range near their own area?" Guglielmo asked.

Senator Tony Guglielmo, courtesy office of Rep. Belsito 

From the Office of Representative Sam Belsito:

"Why pour much-needed state funds into this project when there is an alternative that is not only cheaper, but won’t cause the plethora of problems that this site will bring to the hard-working residents of Willington?"

Representative Sam Belsito, courtesy office of Rep. Belsito 

“I think local concerns have to be heard,” Malloy said. “Absolutely no decision has been made with respect to where this facility will go. Nowhere near a decision, quite frankly.”

News 8 coverage of the rally.

Rosa Chinchila (speaking), courtesy Mark Kemp

Recent visitor traffic, last 24 hours

In the last 24 hours, people across the state (and across the country), have visited our website.  News is spreading, and the myth that this is a "Not In My Backyard" issue is dispelling.  People are realizing that what happens in a quiet corner of the Quiet Corner effects the whole state.  Our governor doesn't just have to answer to the residents of Willington- the entire state is asking questions now.

Rally Pictures

About 65 people showed up in person, and many more of us were there in spirit, at the Legislative Office Building in the capitol today.

If you have video/pictures to share, email them to unwillington@gmail.com

Rally at the Capitol

It's Monday.  Maybe you're sitting at your desk at work.  Maybe you're at home.  Wherever you are, the week is brand new and shiny.

Please take a moment to finalize your plans to come to the rally tomorrow at the state capitol.  I can't promise that it'll help us take over the world, but it WILL send a strong message to the power players in our government.  

But it will only work if we can get people there.  If our numbers are paltry, it will send a message- but probably not one we want the State to form:

Whoops.

So please, make plans to come to the rally.  Even if it's only from 9-10a.m.  Though if you stick around, Senator Guglielmo is looking into giving a tour of the Capitol Building, and I hear that downtown Hartford has some fierce food trucks.

It's here that the rubber meets the road.  It's in the donation of money and the donation of time that movements are made or broken.

Can't wait to see you Tuesday!

Also- "we are unWillington" and "Clean, Green, Serene, Just the Way We Like It" t-shirts will be for sale tomorrow at the rally.

Prices range from $15-$20

Directions to the Legislative Office Building:

IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE- PLEASE NOTE

The rally at the Capitol has been moved up.  It is now scheduled to take place Tuesday, July 28th.  The schedule is as follows:

8am- carpools meet at Center School
9am- rally participants meet outside Legislative Office Building (LOB), 300 Capitol Ave, Hartford
10:30am- Bond Commission meeting, Rm 1E, LOB
11am- Governor's press conference, outside Rm 1E

Please make plans to attend.

Petition Update

Interrupting our normally scheduled Daily Action to bring an update on the referendum petition, in the form of Q & A.

What is this petition?
The petition is to get a referendum about the appropriation of $100,000 to use for legal representation and to retain experts.  The actual wording is this:

"Shall the Town of Willington appropriate $100,000 from the General Fund Balance to 0503 Capital Projects, as requested by the Board of Selectmen and recommended by the Board of Finance, for the purpose of hiring legal and environmental professionals to assist the Town of Willington in the evaluation of the State Police Firearms Training Facility Relocation project in Willington, Connecticut?"

Why do we need to retain experts?
When the Environmental Impact Evaluation comes out, we will have only 45 days to comment on it.  If we can secure a team of environmental, archeological, engineering, land use, and other experts, they can tear through the EIE, finding every single weak spot or inaccuracy in ways the layperson couldn't.

Who can sign the petition?
Any voter registered in the town of Willington OR any person who pays taxes to Willington on property with assessed value of $1,000 or above, appearing on the grand list as of 10/1/14. Property can be a house, car, motorcycle, boat, camper, etc

When will the referendum be?
If the needed signatures are secured, the referendum could be held as early as August 18th.  More details in the coming days will be posted here.

Great.  You've utterly convinced me.  Where can I sign the petition?
Ms. Salisbury, a Willington resident, will be at the transfer station this Saturday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.  You can sign the petition there.  If you're unable to make it to the transfer station, the petition will be at the Tuesday meeting- Wilderness Lake Campground, July 28th, at 6:30 p.m.  If you're unable to make either time/place, please email Dave by clicking here (or copying this address: ddecelles1@comcast.net  ) and he will make sure you get a chance to sign.