Daily Five: NL Withdraws From Council of Governments

1. Today there is a slight chance of showers, with a high near 84, according to the National Weather Service. Tonight there is a slight chance of showers, with a low around 63, according to the service.

2. Wednesday morning at the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments' regular meeting, SCCOG Executive Director Jim Butler read a letter by New London Mayor Daryl Finizio saying that New London can’t pay its dues this year and

“The (SCCOG) hasn’t dealt with this situation in 30 or 40 years, I believe,” Butler said. “I think it is a terrible precedent, should it happen.”

New London owes $15,191 for its annual SCCOG fee, which is 10 percent of the total the 20 SCCOG municipalities give, and that loss will be a “big hit” to the group’s budget, Butler said. Meanwhile, SCCOG has secured millions of dollars for infrastructure projects in the past few years for New London, he said.

“I hope we can meet with the mayor and maybe the city council as soon as possible,” Butler said. “Every time something like this happens, it just takes a little bit away from the strength of the other 19 municipalities.”

SCCOG Chairman and Waterford First Selectman Dan Steward said SCCOG should give a presentation to the city council about the positive aspects of the group. SCCOG member and Preston First Selectman Robert Congdon agreed, saying the group should emphasis the positive.

“The message from (SCCOG) needs to be positive,” Congdon said. “(New London is) an integral part of this region.”

Finizio said in the letter to Butler that the New London City Council removed funding for the membership during deliberations on the 2013 fiscal year budget. He said he would be unable to approve funding for the membership without council approval.

"I hope New London's withdrawal of membership is not seen as an unwillingness to work with the region on issues that concern us all," Finizio wrote. "In future budget cycles I hope the city of New London will be able to renew our membership."

Waterford is a part of SCCOG.

3. Tonight, members of the Waterford Shellfish Commission and the Waterford-East Lyme Shellfish Commission will meet in East Lyme Town Hall, as the groups are concerned that the recreational shellfish areas they preside over are being neglected by the state.

said the state closes the recreational shellfishing areas after 1/2 inch of rain, and then has to test the water before it can reopen. Lawson said that process takes at least seven days, and can take longer.

4. Just an interesting sports note from a die-hard Mets fan.

Matt Harvey, who is from Groton, could be called up any day to pitch for the New York Mets. Harvey is projected to be a very good pitcher in the majors, and was taken in the first round of the MLB draft in 2010. The Mets have had several starting pitchers get injured this year, so Harvey could be called up as soon as Sunday.

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5. On this date in the year 64, the merchant area of Rome burned down. The popular legend is that then-emperor Nero fiddled while the city burned, but that legend has since been considered to most likely be false.

Quote of the Day

"An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup."

-H.L. Mencken

Trivia of the Day

What is the smallest country in the world?

Yesterday’s Answer: The first person to host Saturday Night Live was George Carlin.