Mayor Casts Tie-Breaking Vote; Dogs Die in House Fire; Municipal Mediation; City Leader Switching Careers

STRATFORD – When a Republican Councilman broke ranks with his party and voted against the town budget – forcing a tie - the mayor had to step in and be the deciding vote.

Stratford residents will now see a 2.5 percent tax increase when the new fiscal year starts on July 1.

Read the full story for more details on the vote and reactions.

CHESHIRE – A house fire Tuesday displaced a family and claimed the lives of their two dogs.

No one was home around noon when the fire started, but the heavy smoke proved to be too much for the two dogs that were inside the two-story structure - despite firefighters efforts to revive them.

For more on this story click here.

BRANFORD – If a new proposal pans out, Branford could become the first town in the state to use mediation services in municipal matters.

Town officials are discussing this possibility with Joe Brummer, who is the associate executive director of New Haven-based Community Mediation Inc.

“Conflict is a guarantee,” Brummer says. “Whether or not you handle it adversarial or collaboratively is the key to whether or not you have pleasant meetings.”

It’s this philosophy that he believes will help police, fire and town employees in their jobs and, ultimately, lead to a more well managed, civil town.

Check out the article for more on this plan.

MILFORD – The mayor shocked political pundits and community members alike with his announcement this week that he would not seek another term.

Ten-year Mayor James Richetelli Jr. has instead accepted a position as deputy school superintendent of operations – a move that nets him a raise of more than $40,000 per year.

Richetelli, who took office shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, reflects on his tenure as the city’s leader. Check out the article to find out what he considers to be his most significant accomplishments.