Volume 20, Number 10
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
www.berlincitizen.com
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Budget referendum draws mixed reactions By Ashley Kus
The question on the ballot was “Shall the Budget recommended by the Town Council The 2016-2017 fiscal year for the 2016-2017 Fiscal Year budget passed after votes be adopted?” referring to the were cast in the town’s April $83.2 million adopted bud26 referendum. About 56 per- get and proposed 30.81 mill cent of residents voted “yes.” rate which will equal about The Berlin Citizen
an $80 increase in taxes for a $250,000 home. “People have spoken and I’m glad to see it pass,” Mayor Mark Kaczynski said. Not all residents were happy with the budget, however. Some cited the ongoing
Berlin High School project as a concern. Others were disappointed that there had been a budget increase. “I think if they cut more out it would be nice. I mean, things are tough for everybody, so any little increase
Distracted drivers pay the price By Ashley Kus The Berlin Citizen
The southbound lane of the Berlin Turnpike was heavy with traffic Wednesday afternoon, April 27, as drivers got a wake-up call from the Berlin Police Department. Officer Kathy Griffin and Lt. Chris Ciuci, both “spotters,” observed drivers on their phones and called in violations to the officers further down the road. Within 10 minutes they saw nearly 15 drivers breaking the law. “This gets the message out there,” said Lt. Jim Gosselin. Since the distracted driving crack-down, funded by a state Berlin PD caught more than 400 people on the turnpike using their phones in April during a distracted driving crack-down. See Drivers / Page A6
hurts,” Berlin resident Joe Bennardo said. He said he has lived in town for 40 years and has seen the town improve, but also noticed a lack of businesses. See Referendum / Page A4
Conference sustains legacy of Ryan Lee Leadership event started in memory of Berlin High School alumnus By Ken Lipshez
Special to The Citizen
CHESHIRE — Three hundred students deemed as exceptional leaders by teachers and administrators in their respective high school communities were given the opportunity to enhance their skills and pass them forward Thursday, April 28 at the fifth annual Student Athlete Leadership Conference at Cheshire High School. Students attended from nine central Connecticut schools: Cheshire, Platt, Maloney, Southington, Berlin, New Britain, Hartford Public, Crosby-Waterbury and Medical Prep and Teachers Preparation Academy of New Britain. The event was sponsored by the Ryan T. Lee Memorial Foundation, formed six years ago by Ryan’s father and Cheshire High two-sport
| Ashley Kus / The Berlin Citizen
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See Event / Page A2
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