Volume 8, Number 47
www.northhavencitizen.com
Your Town, Your News
Friday, November 22, 2013
Budget fight slows additional funding for rail
The Board of Selectmen met Nov. 21 at Town Hall. |(Charles Kreutzkamp / The North Haven Citizen)
Freda quells rumors, discusses plans By Charles Kreutzkamp The North Haven Citizen
Following public comment, during the selectmen meeting Nov. 14, First Selectman Michael Freda sought to put to rest any rumors that he may soon seek a higher, statewide office. During that comment segment, resident Sherman Katz asked what would happen if Freda left office. “Mike, you spearhead 95 percent of the developments in the town,” Katz said. “I appreciate that, but there are half a-dozen things that could happen that could take you out of the picture. Some tragic, some of your own making. We had a first selectman that took over once and he was an appointed replacement, not someone who was voted in.” There was some confusion during the meeting as to exactly what would happen if the first selectman left office. The Town Charter explains that a tem-
porary acting first selectman would be chosen “by majority vote of the town treasurer, the chairman of the Board of Finance, and the remaining members of the Board of Selectmen” during the “disability or absence” of the elected first selectman. The Town Charter also specifies that the acting selectman be of the same political party as the absentee, if possible. Katz advocated for a change to the Town Charter and wanted to know if Second Selectman Tim Doheny would be “willing to step in if Mike cannot fulfill his term?” “I don’t know anyone else who would step up for this town,” Katz added. Doheny explained that although he enjoys his service to the town, he felt that being first selectman is a full-time job and that he was unprepared to leave his current career to pursue the duties of first selectman full-time. See Freda / Page 2
Connecticut Department of Transportation is looking for more funding to improve the train line between New Haven and Springfield. | (Dan Jackson/ The Berlin Citizen) By Daniel Jackson
to acquire federal funding to build more train stations like the proposed North Haven John Bernick, a project station, but the budget battles manager for the Connecticut in Washington are slowing the Department of Transportation, funds. “The department is comsaid the state’s DOT is looking The North Haven Citizen
mitted to identifying funding sources for the new stations,” Bernick said. According to the rail project’s website, the cost to make See Rail / Page 2
Thanksgiving, Hanukkah intersection a rare occurrence By Daniel Jackson Special to The Citizen
On the evening of Nov. 28, Jews celebrating Hanukkah will gather around and light the second candle in the Jewish Festival of Lights. For many Jews living in the United States, they will be stuffed from a meal of turkey and pumpkin pie, the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fall on the same date this year, an extremely rare occurrence. So rare an occurrence that the next time See Hanukkah / Page 33
A turkey-themed menorah, designed for Hanukkah 2013 is being marketed as a “menurkey” this year. | (menurkey.com)