A GOOD WEEKEND FOR A GETAWAY

Word from Hartford City Hall sources is that our newly elected Council is enjoying a weekend away at the taxpayers expense. No comment was available officially from City Hall, but sources are telling me that the new Council along with Mayor Segarra and a few others would be getting on a limousine party bus this evening to be whisked away for their weekend rendezvous.

More on this as I gather more information. Preliminary estimates are that the "retreat" will run between $6,000 and #8,000 in expenses to Hartford's taxpayers

IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG FOUR YEARS

If agenda item number 21 at last nights City Council meeting is any indication, it is going to be a long four years dealing with the Council.

Item number 21 was as follows "21.Via Verde Pipeline. Resolution urging the Army Corps of Engineers to deny the request of the Puerto Rico Power Electric Authority for a permit to build a 92-mile natural gas pipeline in Puerto Rico due to negative impacts on waterways, animals, plant life, and the safety of the residents of the island. (Cotto) Passed

It is not surprising that many other local issues such as joblessness and unemployment are not addressed. Neither are the City's outrageous tax rates that are killing business and preventing economic development. Issues of inefficient government and waste are never looked into or addressed, yet a resolution regarding a natural gas pipeline in Puerto Rico are immediately addressed and passed.

Does the Council have any clue what their functions are? Do they have any idea what is actually happening inside the borders of Hartford rather than addressing a pipeline thousands of miles away?

The grandstanding and constant pursuit of media attention needs to stop, it is time the focus is placed on turning Hartford around and addressing local issues first

ARREST IMMINENT

This could possibly also be an entry in Hartford's dumbest criminals. Copper thefts have become a huge problem for HPD as the price of scrap copper continues to rise. Thieves have realized that stealing copper from Hartford's stock of vacant buildings produces quick results at the scrapyards.

Apparently they don't notice the video surveillance and other measures at the scrapyards that makes it pretty easy to identify vehicles and thieves turning in copper for cash.

But an even dumber move is to steal copper piping from the new Public Safety Complex and think it will go unnoticed. That was the case recently as several hundred feet of copper pipe and fittings were stolen from the building around Thanksgiving.

A suspect has been identified and an arrest warrant should be served anytime now. Hopefully the thief will realize it isn't a bright idea to steal copper from the "coppers"