The Daily Five: Passing the (Budget) Buck, Solar Power, Mental Help, And Did Anyone Lose A Duck?

1. A cloudy morning should clear up as the day wears on and bring us all some sunshine this afternoon. Weather.com is predicting a high of 51 degrees and a low of 31 degrees under partly cloudy skies tonight.

2. East Lyme Board of Selectmen met despite the snowstorm on Friday until after 5 p.m. to approve a budget for the town. Having signed off, the ball is now in the Board of Finance's court. Tonight, East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica will give a budget presentation to the Board of Finance at 7 p.m. at East Lyme Town Hall.

He will also go over as the state ponders whether to pass Governor Malloy's proposed budget. That includes a proposal to eliminate most car taxes and would eliminate a variety of state funding sources that towns such as East Lyme have long relied on, such as Payments in Lieu of Taxes and grant funds from the Mashantucket and Mohegan Casinos. 

3. Do you support renewable energy? The Connecticut Siting Council has scheduled a public hearing for March 14, 2013, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the East Lyme Town Hall for an application to establish a solar energy farm at 40 Grassy Hill Road in East Lyme. There will be a field review of the site at 2 p.m.

For information on this petition, including the public notices, go to the CSC website: http://www.ct.gov/csc/cwp/view.aspa=2397&Q=517566&PM=1.

4. Did anyone lose a duck? East Lyme-Waterford Animal Control was called out for a report of a roaming dog only to find it was actually a duck on the loose! (So hard to understand those radio communications!) The white duck is apparently quite domesticated but was found roaming free in Niantic. Contact East Lyme-Waterford Animal Control if you're missing a duck or know someone who is!

5. Governor Dannel P. Malloy held a bill signing ceremony at the State Capitol on Tuesday for legislation that creates a special fund to assist individuals who suffered psychological trauma as a result of their work related to the Sandy Hook tragedy. 

The Sandy Hook Workers Assistance Fund will be funded through private donations and provide support to volunteer and professional workers, including first responders, school employees, and others, who are suffering from mental health issues as a result of the tragedy. Traditional workers compensation does not currently cover most workers for exclusively mental injuries.

“While almost three months have passed, the anguish of that day is still raw for many. The creation of this fund will allow first responders, school employees, and other professionals and volunteers who so bravely responded to this horrific event to receive the support they deserve,” Governor Malloy said. “I want to commend the members of the General Assembly for coming together in a bipartisan manner to provide relief to those who have been affected by this tragedy.”