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Councilwoman rJo Winch Determined to Reopen Blue Hills and Mark Twain Libraries

Northend Agents

September 17, 2008

Councilwoman rJo Winch Determined to Reopen Blue Hills and Mark Twain Libraries

After many conversations with Library Board Chair Jerry Sullivan and Board member Greg Davis, Councilwoman rJo Winch called upon Representative Green for help in the reopening of the closed library branches.

“From the day I set my feet back in the City of Hartford in 2000, I have been fighting for the youth of our city and I thought is unfair for these two branches to pay for the cost of the entire library budget shortages. So I did what I knew best. When the City did not have the $200,000 on hand, I called for help from my long time friends at the Capitol,”

Winch said. “When I called Representative Green, I explained to him what we, the Council had offered and I expressed my concern that it would not be enough to result in the reopening of the libraries and further expressed my fear that this would also leave us short of funds to assist community based organization who had normally called upon us for assistance.”

“It’s hard to say no to people when they are in need,” Winch said. “I said I would somehow find the money and I continued to look for it long after that lengthy August 11th Council meeting.”

“The hardest thing to do was to keep the search to myself, so while people were yelling about what the council was not doing I knew we had a ray of sunshine working for us at the Capital in the names of Representative Green and Senator Eric Coleman.”

“It’s a great day in the City of Hartford when the City and State elected officials can come together for the good of the electorate,” Winch said. “Today is a win win for all of us, City, State and communities. We should have more days like this one because it is in working together that we all prosper.”

Also at the press release was Representative Aiman, who presented the library with the BIG CHECK..

Thanks to the efforts of Representative Green, Senator Coleman, Councilwoman rJo Winch, and the check from the Senate and House, the Blue Hills and Mark Twain Libraries will be opened on

Monday, September 15th.