Daily Five: Town Council Denies Reappointment of Historic District Commissioner

1.  Today is Wednesday, Feb. 15. The National Weather Service predicts mostly cloudy skies, a high temperature of 49 degrees and a slight chance of rain early this morning. The low will fall to 27 tonight.

2.  The Town Council’s personnel committee voted unanimously Tuesday not to reappoint Nancy Mitchell to the Historic District Commission. Twhen six architects wrote the town council a letter asking for the immediate resignation of the commissioners. The architects said the commission was treating the historic district like a museum and making unreasonable demands on homeowners.

Mitchell had served on the commission for the last 15 years and was on the group for about a dozen years earlier. Her term expired in December.

The council’s personnel committee member.

3.  Groton’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan group said Tuesday it wants $75,000 to study the feasibility of building an aquatics and community center in town. The group asked the town council for its support, but councilors said they were concerned about spending the money and would consider it along with other budget requests.

Town Councilor Frank O’Beirne said Groton talked about a community center for years, but “even in better times, we didn’t think we could afford it.”

4.  Bill Pere, a songwriter from Mystic, won a Grammy at the 54th Grammy Awards on Feb. 12, for his song "Donkey in a Ditch," co-written with Les Julian. The song was included on the anti-bullying CD, "All About Bullies Big and Small” which was named Best Children's Album of the Year.  Pere co-wrote the song in 1996.

5.  The new tailoring shop in Mystic will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony at noon on Saturday. The shop, “Tailored to You” is at 29 Broadway Avenue, and is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday; and from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday.  Owner Catherine Shafer will offer alterations including menswear, women’s clothing and bridal wear.