Mayor McCoy: FY 2011-2012 Budget Adopted at Annual Town Meeting

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Mayor McCoy: FY 2011-2012 Budget Adopted at Annual Town Meeting
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Mayor McCoy and the Vernon Town Council Tuesday held the Annual Town Meeting at Rockville High School, where 127 qualified registered voters and property owners voted overwhelmingly to adopt the fiscal year 2011-2012 Budget.

The $79,293,749.00 budget focuses on several key hallmarks, including economic development, energy efficiency, and a reduction in the Town's tax rate, from 30.02 to 29.90. The adoption of the budget marks the first time in 12 years that the budget was not sent to a town-wide referendum.

"I am very pleased that the residents and taxpayers of Vernon approved this budget with overwhelming support," Mayor McCoy said. "With this budget, the community will continue to receive all of the great services currently provided, both at a lower cost to the taxpayer and with increased efficiency."

"Vernon's residents and taxpayers will be very happy with the spending plan put together by the Mayor, the Town Council and the Board of Education," added Deputy Mayor Brian Motola. "Taxes will not increase while services will remain intact."

The budget fully funds all services provided to citizens, including public safety. Police Chief James Kenny stated that, "The Vernon Police department is grateful that the citizens supported the upcoming budget and we will continue to provide the best possible services to the community with the funding provided."

Vernon Fire Chief William Call added that, "The Fire Department is very pleased that the Mayor's Administration has addressed its needs, including safety equipment, uniforms, and fire apparatus. We are pleased that the people approved the proposed budget presented to them."

Overall, the budget has a 0.73 percent increase from fiscal year 2010-2011. Mainly attributing to the historically low increase is the addition of capital improvement and debt expenditures, increasing by $766,763.00 or 13.96 percent from the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Spending on general government and education decreased in the budget by $97,872.00 or 0.38 percent and $96,601.00 or 0.20 percent, respectively.

"I am delighted with the passing of the 2011-2012 budget at the annual town meeting," said Dr. Mary Conway, Superintendent of Vernon Schools. "The budget is fair and reasonable and allows the school system to maintain current class sizes and services to children in the schools. I am especially appreciative of the support and hard work of the board of education, the administrative team, the town council, and the mayor who united as a team to prepare and promote this budget."

Commenting on the budget the Parks Director Bruce Dinnie said that, “I am pleased that the budget passed and that we can now focus on summer camp for the children and preparing our pools and beaches for this summer.”

"I would like to thank my Administration and the Town Council for supporting this budget and working hard to ensure that the residents of Vernon were delivered the best possible budget and thoroughly informed about it," said Mayor McCoy. "The fact that this budget was not sent to referendum, for the first time in 12 years, is a testament of the job that we are doing for the Town of Vernon. That being said, I would like to thank the residents and taxpayers of Vernon for their support of this budget and for allowing me to serve as their Mayor."

Vernon Connecticut Police Promote Three | ReminderNews

Vernon PD promotes three ReminderNews

Vernon promotes three in a short ceremony in front of family, friends and fellow officers on April 13 at the Vernon police station.

Sgt. William Meier III was promoted to lieutenant, and officers Gary Jonas and Dan Champagne were promoted to sergeant.

“It’s a big day for our department,” said Chief James Kenny. “It’s one of the pleasures as a police chief to be able to stand before you and promote, in this case, three of our officers.”

Snow Removal Bills Pile Up In - Connecticut News Story - WFSB Hartford

Snow Removal Bills Pile Up In Vernon - Connecticut News Story - WFSB Hartford: "Snow Removal Bills Pile Up In Vernon Town Owes More Than $500,000 For Winter Cleanup"

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Vernon Mayor Brings Taxes Down: WFSB Local News

Local Video: "Vernon Mayor Brings Taxes Down"

Tina Around Town WFSB interviews Mayor McCoy about Vernon's Budget... 

Tina Around Town WFSB interviews Mayor McCoy about Vernon's Budget

Click on this link to watch the interview:
http://www.wfsb.com/news/27311650/detail.html?taf=hart

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Vernon Police, feds foil attempt to extort Vernon monk- Connecticut

Journal Inquirer Towns Vernon Cops, feds foil attempt to extort Vernon monk

An attempt to extort $30,000 from a Vietnamese Buddhist monk associated with a Vernon temple was foiled by a sting operation in which Trumbull police joined with the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and other police authorities, according to Trumbull’s deputy police chief.

“Another Vietnamese person got him to make compromising statements on a video and threatened to use them to destroy his temple,” said Deputy Chief Michael Harry.

Harry didn’t have the name of the Vernon temple. But the only Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Vernon is the Phap Hoa Buddhist Temple at 85 Prospect St.

Harry said the initial threats occurred Sept. 28 at a Trumbull home where the monk had gone to visit after bringing his mother to Bridgeport to visit a friend. The monk formerly had a temple in Bridgeport, and a woman involved in the incident — Thuy Nguyen, 33, of Bridgeport — was a former follower of his, according to the deputy chief.

Harry said the compromising statements were “suggestive comments” about a woman, explaining that Buddhist monks are supposed to remain pure verbally as well as physically.

Charged in the incident were Tuan Nguyen, 32, a man who lives in the Trumbull home where the initial threats were made, and Thuy Nguyen, the deputy chief said.

But he added that Tuan Nguyen confessed after his arrest and made a statement that “negates the girl’s involvement.” As a result, he said, police will ask prosecutors to revisit the charges against Thuy Nguyen.

Harry added that the two are unrelated, although they have the same last name.

The deputy chief said the Secret Service was generous enough to lend police the $30,000 used in the sting operation, which occurred Friday in the parking lot of the Westfield Trumbull shopping mall. He added that the federal agency also sent two agents to make sure the money was recovered.

The FBI also participated in the operation, contributing a Vietnamese-speaking agent, Harry said. He said that the Bridgeport Narcotics Task Force contributed surveillance equipment, although the case didn’t involve narcotics.

Thuy Nguyen accepted the money and was arrested, Harry said. He said authorities subsequently executed a search warrant at Tuan Nguyen’s home and obtained the confession.

He said Thuy Nguyen initially told police that she took the monk to the Trumbull home because she was moving into it and wanted him to bless the house. But he said the initial statements weren’t entirely truthful, and police now “tend to doubt that.”

Tuan Nguyen was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, unlawful restraint, and threatening and was released on $30,000 bond, the deputy chief said.

Thuy Nguyen was charged with first-degree larceny, unlawful restraint, and threatening and was released on $10,000 bond, the deputy chief said.

Both are due in Bridgeport Superior Court on Oct. 18.