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Town Government
Lieberman Drops By 10 Days Before E-Day
The politician and the baby. The U.S. senator
chats with Abigail Garrett at the Hamden Democratic headquarters
yesterday. That's her papa, Dan Garrett.
By Sharon Bass
U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) made a whirlwind in-state publicity tour Sunday. He squeezed Hamden into his afternoon itinerary. Word the man from Washington was coming to town drew not only the usual suspects, but also a few college kids from Storrs and Hartford and even a couple of folks from the other side of the political aisle.
Jokingly, Democratic Town Committee Chair Joe McDonagh said to one of the Repubs who came to get a look at Lieberman, "Everyone has a fault."
Dozens of people, including Legislative Council candidates and local and state politicians (from the "right," or should that be the left?, side of the aisle), piled into the Democratic headquarters at 2600 Dixwell Ave. to wait for Lieberman to stop by. He came to endorse mayoral candidate Craig Henrici and get in a little schmooze time for himself.
The Joes. Lieberman (left) and DTC chair
McDonagh.
After about an hour of chatting and eating -- there was a nice spread on the table -- the man of the hour arrived, about a half-hour later than expected.
Don Werner (right) piles it on at the Democratic
gathering.
"This party has continued to grow and grow," said Lieberman. "Hamden is a wonderful community." He said he was glad to hear that Mayor Carl Amento, despite losing the primary, "is working together with," not against, Henrici.
He made references to how long he's known some Hamden Dems, like Gloria Sandillo. Then he moved on to speak accolades about Henrici.
Henrici (second from right) with young
'uns (from left) Adam Waldeck, Trinity College student, Chris
Callahan (son of 4th District Council candidate Gretchen Callahan)
and Connor Hanley, both UConn students.
"Craig, he's got that ability to continue the services people want. Good competent leadership. Great ideas. So I feel we have great opportunities," he said. He tagged on his prediction for a Democratic majority in Congress next year.
The senator then shook everyone's hands and cooed over the youngest person there, 8-week-old Abigail Garrett, daughter of Dan and Lauren Garrett. Dan Garrett said he's helping out with Henrici's campaign.
Henrici said he's known Lieberman for quite some time, and was honored to have him swing by to make the endorsement.
Fireman Mangler Says Goodbye
Mangler retires after more than four decades
with the HFD.
Story and photos by Sharon Bass
A firefighter with a reportedly keen sniffer was thrown a warm and modest retirement party yesterday afternoon inside Fire Station No. 9. Harold Mangler is hanging up his ladders and hoses after 41 years on the heat beat.
Colleagues and friends dug into Lt. Brian Forsyth's homemade grub: chicken and eggplant parmigiana, ziti and meatballs. He said he started cooking the day before. He also lugged in two 6-foot subs from Stop & Shop at Putnam, where Forsyth's wife works. No discount, the firefighter said, but more assurance the sandwiches would be well made with his wife's oversight.
The retirement party scene.
"I worked with Harold maybe 17, 18 years," said Forsyth. "We just had a helluva time at the department. We've had some pretty close calls." Dragging people out of burning buildings. Stuff like that.
And, he said, Mangler has one terrific sniffer.
"Harold really had a knack for smelling things out," said Forsyth. "He was amazing." He said Mangler could distinguish through smell in a few seconds the source of smoke. He would know if it was coming from a refrigerator motor, another motor or electrical wires. Forsyth also boasted about Mangler being in great shape. He could bench press 450 pounds 10 years ago, Forsyth said, could probably do 300 today.
Mangler and Fire Chief Jim Leddy.
Mayor Amento and Mangler.
Town Clerk Vera Morrison and Mangler.
Fire Commissioners Jerry Migliaro and Irv Saslow stopped by, as did Mayor Carl Amento, Town Clerk Vera Morrison and, of course, Fire Chief Jim Leddy. The boss.
"Harold's been a great employee. Everybody's gonna miss him," the chief said.
The man who conducted Mangler's wedding joined the party, too. Rev. Owen Sanderson also happens to be the chaplain for the Hamden police and fire departments. Asked exactly what such a chaplain does, he said he counsels employees and their families when an employee gets injured on the job, and talks to employees who are having an attitude problem (not Rev. Sanderson's phraseology) at work. And sometimes it's helping out at fires by bringing out equipment and hoses and fetching cold water for the fighters.
What about Harold?
Several days before his sendoff party, the HDN telephoned Mangler.
"I'm no hero. I'm just a worker and a fireman," he said at the get-go of the conversation. His first day on the job was Nov. 24, 1964. Mangler, 64, has worked for only department in the same town: Hamden. He retires as the assistant superintendent of apparatus.
He said the job quickly changed him.
"I've seen miracles on this job. Life-changing events," he said. With emotional difficulty, Mangler spoke of his most traumatic experience. It happened in 1965 -- less than one year into his career. It's a memory that still brings him to tears.
"I was driving down Dixwell and saw a terrible accident. A little Volkswagen came off the Merritt and some car hit it and turned the car over," said Mangler, a tall, lanky man.
He went to the overturned car and saw two teenage girls trapped inside.
"I broke the window with my elbow and got them out of the car," he recalled. But the girls, 17 and 18, "were in the process of dying." They were struggling for breath. Although he had not been taught mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, he instinctively put his mouth alternatively over the girls' mouths, blowing in air while blood poured from their mouths into Mangler's.
"Their last breaths were in my mouth," he said. "It affected me so much, I swore from that moment on I would learn as much as I could and help people."
"I couldn't talk about the incident for 34 years … I'm getting really choked up." Mangler stopped talking and then apologized for reacting emotionally to the nightmare.
"My whole life changed. I felt so helpless. I cried and cried for months," he said.
Mangler with his grandson Spencer Raber
and niece Kassi Hansen, 8, in Fire House No. 9.
The longtime firefighter was born in Hamden. He is one of a triplet of boys, who are all alive. Six years ago, Mangler left his hometown for Branford.
When
Henry Met Willie
Republican Platt accidentally walks into
Democrat Mewborn's home during a fund-raiser (the men are
facing each other in the 5th)
By Sharon Bass
"I'm a sociable person. I have my house set up to make people comfortable," said Willie Mewborn, a barber and a 5th District Council candidate.
He's even sociable to the man who's trying to snatch the same Council seat. The man who came a knockin' one evening. The man who wasn't invited to Mewborn's Mill Rock Road home in the first place.
It was Oct. 15 around 7 p.m. and rainy, when Henry Platt, the Republican who's challenging Democrat Mewborn, came to his opponent's door. Mewborn was in the midst of a festive fund-raiser with 25-30 prominent Hamden Democrats inside his house. (The candidates live about a half-mile from each other.)
"I was walking door to door (campaigning). I happened to be on the street he lives on. But I wasn't thinking that I was on his street," explained Platt. When he got to Mewborn's house he said he realized where he was. "My mind was reminding me from the deep subconscious that this is where he lives."
"It was raining, too," said Mewborn. "He was giving out his walking card. He rang the bell."
Mewborn's campaign manager, Martha Walker, let him in. "When I came out of one room he was in the kitchen having some snacks," said Mewborn. "He was eating some chicken at that time. Chicken wings. He had a couple of those.
"I have seen him (Platt) in the community. Not to break bread with him. He's a talker."
"I only stayed about 10 or 15 minutes. Shook hands," said Platt. He said he talked to some Democrats. "I had a piece of food. I felt like I was genuinely, warmly accepted. They didn't play games with me and I didn't play games with them. Unfortunately there are people in this world who only know how to throw sticks and spears, you know what I mean?"
"We had snacks and there was a little wine," said Mewborn. "We just talked about the old times when there was an incident with some of the neighborhood kids. It was full of gangs at that time."
"We were talking and so forth," said Platt. "He told me I was an inspiration to him in some ways. I invested in the stock market."
Mewborn confirmed that Platt hung around for 10 to 15 minutes. Before leaving, he handed his walking cards to some of Mewborn's guests.
"It was quite funny. I think we have to lighten up about this campaign," said Mewborn. "You can't just campaign all the time. You can't just talk about politics all the time. That's my feeling. I've been around a long time."
Platt returned to the Mewborn residence last weekend. "He wanted to talk. He just wanted to talk," said Mewborn.
Can
Hamden Pay Its Retirees?
The pension fund is hurting while an exodus
of retiring town workers is predicted
By Sharon Bass
The town's pension fund has been the talk of the campaign circuit this election season. There's dispute over how well -- or poorly -- it's been fed. Interim Finance Director Joe Cellotto said he's unsure how much money is in the retirement pot, but did say $13 million this year will be spent on pensions, while $6 million is budgeted to be put in the fund.
With talk of possibly dozens of police and fire workers retiring by next June -- the new contracts are supposed to go into effect July 1, 2006 -- Hamden's pension fund is likely to become more anorexic.
"Surely that's going to create a strain on the pension fund," said Cellotto, but he was not sure how much new retirees would hurt it. "Those are very complex issues. You have to remember that any day someone can announce they're going to retire."
Police Chief Bob Nolan has an idea of what's to come. He knows four of his cops are retiring next month. And 15-20 others might do so before June 30, 2005, when this year's labor and retirement contracts expire.
"Officers might want to leave now," he said in a phone interview from Florida. He said there are rumors that next year's agreements between the police union and Town Hall will not offer as pretty a package. There might be cutbacks in health-care coverage for retirees' families, larger contributions taken from employees for medical benefits, and a reduced pension system, he said.
Another attractive benefit that looks like it's getting the ax is trading sick days for retirement pay, said Nolan. For every 40 days of sick time an officer can buy one year of pay after he retires, up to a max of 160 days or four years. This boosts the yearly amount of his pension check -- as much as 8 percent -- for the rest of his life.
"It's used as an incentive for officers not to use their sick time on the job," the chief said. With 101 active cops on the force, he said he's down five. Three new officers have recently been hired. They are training at the police academy in Milford. But they're replacing officers who have already left, not the definite four and possible 20 others leaving the force this fiscal year. Nolan said between recruiting, testing and academy training it takes at least a year before a cop hits the street. He said he hopes for two more recruits next month.
The situation over at the fire department is nearly identical. Fire Chief Jim Leddy said its labor and pension contracts are very similar to the police's and expire on the same date. The next contract won't be as lucrative, he predicted.
"We could be looking at possibly 30 more people retiring," he said. Four are leaving in November "because they're afraid (certain provisions in) the contract will not be extended. Anyone who has 25 years in is going to have to retire or they stand to lose a lot in the future," Leddy said.
As with the police department, the 102 firefighters will likely be made to pay more toward their health insurance in a new contract. And a sunset clause included in the current bargaining agreements might be eliminated, resulting in loss of some pension benefits, he said.
Fire and police pay into the town's pension fund -- instead of Social Security -- during their careers. So they are not eligible for Social Security benefits.
Meanwhile, Chief Nolan said the likelihood that
the new agreements will go into place on July 1, 2006, "are
pretty slim." As in "it's never happened before."
It can take one to two years for both sides to agree. The current
contracts will be honored until the news ones are finalized.
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Last
Mayoral Debate Goes Upscale
The two candidates answer questions for
a final time at Cascade
By Sharon Bass
Glass chandeliers and pretty beige drapes. Real tablecloths. A breakfast of eggs, croissants, mini-muffins, bacon, sausage, OJ and java. About 50 people dressed in business attire. That was the scene at the Hamden Chamber of Commerce mayoral debate early yesterday morn at Cascade Fine Catering.
Hamden attorney and chamber member Steven Ciardiello posed the questions to Democrat Craig Henrici and Republican Dick Reilly. Both mayoral candidates seemed well prepared and at ease. They'd been through this routine about a half-dozen times since September. And they'll never -- this season, at least -- go through it again. This was the send-off.
The questions were focused strictly on -- what else at a chamber event? -- business issues, which gave the breakfast affair a clear, tight direction . (Note, the questions below, delivered by Ciardiello, are paraphrased, but the candidate responses are verbatim.)
Q: How would your administration keep bringing in businesses and maintain those that are here?
Reilly: "The current administration has done a great job in southern Hamden. Good management in Town Hall will keep businesses coming."
Henrici: "We have to recognize Hamden's limitation. Most of its streets are residential. I think the big-bucks theory has it problems," he said referring to the incoming Home Depot. He suggested expanding the industrial park on lower Dixwell, and developing on Sherman Avenue and State Street.
Q: What can be done to improve the business permit process?
Henrici: "Before a business submits a permit (application), assemble a team to confer with businesses that want to come to town, to streamline the process."
Reilly: "I would like to think the town would be business friendly." He said he would expedite the permit process.
Q: Is Hamden's infrastructure being properly maintained? Is there a properly funded capitol improvement plan?
Reilly: "I think we all know that roads need a lot of work, but roads are expensive."
Henrici: "Every district complains about bad roads and bad sidewalks. The streetscapes in Hamden are in bad shape." He said he doesn't believe there is a capitol plan but would advocate for one.
Q: The chamber values the relationship with Quinnipiac University and the town. How would you address the university's growth and residents' complaints about students who live off campus?
Henrici: "There's tension in the Mt. Carmel area because students are living among residents. And they are behaving badly. Quinnipiac University is a great partner and asset to the town, but has to be accountable for its students." He also called some of Quinnipiac's growth "irresponsible."
Reilly: "There are problems. I think the university is wrong. It's not right that they're ignoring the neighborhood groups. We need more zoning enforcement." A QU grad, he humorously equated what's going on inside some of the off-campus housing with "Animal House," a flick starring the late John Belushi about a filthy, party-wrecked frat house.
Q: Does Hamden need a hotel and conference center?
Reilly: "We need a hotel but not on West Woods Road (as is being proposed). On Whitney instead, a five- or six-story building."
Henrici: "I agree with Mr. Reilly. I don't think a prime place for a hotel would be on West Woods." He suggested Meadow Brook instead.
Q: What should be done with the old middle school?
Henrici: "First clean it up and pressure the state to do something. (Then) I'd like to put that back on the tax rolls. It's a huge area." He suggested commercial and/or residential development.
Reilly: "Put the Board of Education in there," he said half facetiously. "Maybe an insurance company."
Q: The Board of Education budget consumes about 60 percent of the town budget. How would your administration control expenditures of the BOE?
Henrici: "I would propose bringing the BOE to Center One and combine the school and town financial departments."
Reilly: "My auditor would check the BOE books. Nothing much can be done about the spending. It takes money to get good teachers." He said he'd consider using contractors for landscaping and janitorial work.
Q: What about the Farricielli property on State Street that is contaminated, has been used illegally and rents to businesses that don't have permits?
Reilly: "Put Joe (Farricielli) in jail. We have to get the owner out of there."
Henrici: "Make the businesses comply in some fashion. Try to legalize all the businesses on that site or shut it down."
Last Q of the last debate: It's Oct. 26, 2007. You're seeking another term. Please explain the three accomplishments of your administration.
Henrici: "I've stabilized taxes and improved the finance department. I've worked very well with the 15 members of the Legislative Council and there wasn't a harsh word between us (chuckles). And the Farricielli property is all legal."
Reilly: "More businesses have come into Hamden. We've cleaned up the blight. The Council and the mayor have got to work together. Cut the baloney. I'm a team player."
Republican Betty Wetmore, who's seeking another at-large Council term, asked the first audience question. "What about the pension plan?"
Reilly: "I have a plan. I really don't like it. It's been suggested to me to bond it. I don't like it, but I'd have to consider it."
Henrici: He said he'd first determine what the un-funded liability is.
Town Clerk Vera Morrison asked what their plans are for Memorial Town Hall.
Reilly: "I really don't have an answer." But he said razing the historic building is not an option for him.
Henrici: "It could be used for public meetings and have some town offices."
Afterwards, Mark Stevens, chamber chair, said he found the forum "very informative. It was good to hear the opinions of the candidates." However, he said, "I knew a lot about them before so I didn't really learn anything new."
"They both hit the issues," said at-large Republican Councilman Ron Gambardella, who's seeking re-election this year. He agreed with Reilly's idea of bonding the pension. "That's the only feasible solution. We're nickel and diming it now."
Gambardella threw out an idea of his own. He said he'd like to consolidate the Hamden school administration with other towns' to save money.
Next stop? The election booths on Nov. 8. Don't forgot to go.
How Much
is That School Gonna Be?
The Town Council is asked to say 'yay'
to the contract for the new middle school -- without being told
what the dollar amount is
By Sharon Bass
Things went swimmingly last night in the Legislative Council Chambers. One item after another passed swiftly through the finance committee. It looked to be a brief meeting. An early evening. It was also the second to last time this current body will serve together.
Then a middle school item came up and the Education Committee hit the brakes. Hard. The motion was for an amendment to sign a contract with Konover Construction, the outfit that's building the school, for what's called the "guaranteed maximum price." This caps the cost.
The Council had initially approved a GMP of $44,279,941, but stuff has since happened that jacked up the price tag. Lawyer Jeff Donofrio, who's representing Hamden on the middle school project, urged the councilors to sign off on the amendment -- which has no dollar amount affixed -- to protect the town, he said. The two big unknowns are the costs of the three-month work stoppage last spring and the "stump dump" cleanup.
Konover is still waiting for invoices from all its subcontractors before totaling up the cost of the court-ordered work stoppage, which halted construction from March through May of this year. The project will take longer to complete now, and contractors will be paid for the months they were not allowed to toil.
Councilman Curt Leng asked Donofrio why he's being asked to vote on something that doesn't include a dollar amount.
"We waited as long as we could to have no loose ends," said Donofrio, but the town shouldn't wait any longer. He also said there would be additional costs not included in the Konover bill. For instance, the GMP does not include furniture or "any other town costs -- me, for example," the lawyer said.
The stump dump was created during the tornado of '89, when town workers were ordered to dump storm-ravaged tree parts on Meadow Brook Golf Course -- where the middle school is going up. Apparently, it was unknown to the town, architects and builders how expansive the dump is. (It's also contaminated.) So the original estimate of $200,000 has to be readjusted. Donofrio said the cleanup could cost $700,000.
"Everybody knew the stump dump was there before the school was even thought of," said Councilwoman Betty Wetmore. "Everyone knew the town was dumping there all the time." Therefore, how could it have been such a surprise to the people behind the middle school project?
The mayor's assistant Jackie Downing interjected. "It was a temporary storage place," she said.
"To me and everyone who has lived here, we know about the stump dump. I don't understand why no one figured (the cleanup) in the cost of the middle school," Wetmore said, again.
Councilman Ed Beaudette said no one knew how much damage the tornado had done.
Donofrio said the school should be completed on July 17, 2006, except the auditorium, which is expected to be done by the end of September 2006.
The motion for the GMP contract passed unanimously.
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The Price of the
Reincarnated
Ballot
By Sharon Bass
As reported yesterday in the HDN, there could be a new Republican BOE candidate or two coming down the pike for Nov. 8. There might be another name on the Green line for mayor. People have up to seven days before Election Day (Oct. 31) to come up with replacements for the three candidates who have already quit this year's race.
But it don't come free.
When names are taken off or put on a ballot it requires a new printing and a ton of work by the Town Clerk's Office.
Vera Morrison and her crew are in the midst of doing that now. They're taking Mayor Carl Amento's name off the Green line for mayor. About 1,800 paper absentee ballots are currently being reprinted by Adkins Printing in New Britain. Morrison said it will cost $2,000 -- about half the usual price -- because a lot of the work is being done by hand inside Town Hall. Stuff like whiting out Amento's name from the ballot strips (which are in each voting machine), the sample ballots that go on walls in voting places, the moderators sheet, the tally sheets and other documents.
If Republicans put up a new name for the BOE and/or the Green Party adds a mayoral candidate, the absentee ballots would have to be reprinted for another $2,000. Plus there would be another round of handwork for the Town Clerk's Office.
If there are as many as three new names, Morrison said her office couldn't handle it. Everything would have to go to the printer, which would cost $4,000. She also said it's easier to delete than add, because additions have to be in the identical print as the rest of the ballot.
Some Hamdenites have already voted. On Oct. 7, days before the new ballots went to press, absentee ballots -- with Mayor Amento's name -- were issued and a "boxful" has already come back, the town clerk said.
Morrison said she doesn't know how many of those early birds voted for Amento. "If somebody is concerned, they'd request an additional ballot from us and go through the process again," she said. The deadline for that is Nov. 7, one day before E-Day.
Hamden last changed the ballot in 2003, when Councilwoman Linda White-Epps passed away. It was the weekend before the election.
"This is an usual circumstance for Hamden, with minor parties being added and candidates dropping off," said Morrison. "From what I understand we're not the only town doing this. Middlebury is on its fourth printing. It is a major expense for any town when the candidates go in and out."
Henrici and
Reilly and Gustafson on Amento
The mayoral candidates and a Green react
without much reaction to the mayor's decision to call it a day
By Sharon Bass
The day before Mayor Carl Amento made the much-anticipated yet answer-already-assumed-by-most announcement that he was not going for a fourth term in a three-way bid, he telephoned the man who clobbered him in the Democratic Primary to give him the head's up.
Like virtually every other political insider, Democratic mayoral candidate Craig Henrici said he was not at all surprised. "I got the impression on Primary Night that he didn't really want to do it," he said. "It wasn't good for him."
Even after getting a quite dismal result at the June 13 primary, Amento made an 11th-hour effort last week to stay in the three-way race by running a poll to see if he had a shot at another term. Preliminary results did not hold up to his hopes. Last Friday, he made public his decision not to run on the Green line. The Green Party had endorsed him before the primary, so if he should lose he could run as a Green in the Nov. 8 election.
Henrici said it didn't really matter to him or his campaign whether Amento ran. "It defines the campaign a little more (now that it's known), but we're doing the exact same thing in our mailings and our door-to-door activities," he said.
He said he understands why Amento resorted to polling. "I know that Carl thoroughly enjoyed being mayor so if he thought there was any way he could win an election, he would have run," said Henrici. "I think he said it best in your article ("Amento Calls it Quits," HDN, Oct. 21, 2005), 'It doesn't go on forever.' And I think the people in Hamden want change."
Republican mayoral challenger Dick Reilly said he's glad Amento didn't pursue a Green bid because it could have hurt him professionally.
"To me it would have been political suicide if he wanted a state job (or to get) help from anybody, the state Democrats," said Reilly. "If (Democratic Attorney General Dick) Blumenthal ever runs (for governor) I think he would be a very (strong) candidate. (Amento) would have just cut his lifeline right off.
"I think what really happened is he got really thrashed in the primary. I think that threw him off. The party chairman went against him and the state reps. I mean I think that's unconscionable. But that's the Democrats. That's the way they act in this town," he said.
Reilly compared this year's primary campaign between Amento and Henrici to the 1997 Clayman/DeNicola mayoral election. Democrats who wanted to push out incumbent Democrat Lillian Clayman formed "Democrats for DeNicola." Republican Barbara DeNicola took Clayman's seat. (Clayman and Amento were both in the third-term curse when they lost. No Hamden mayor has made it to four.)
"If I get any sympathy votes I'd be surprised because he (Amento) got so thrashed in the primary. 62 percent is big. That's big. That's a mandate," he said. "That's why I was surprised Carl ran a poll. I think he was caught off guard. He wasted a lot of money in the wrong area."
And he said Amento ran a too-nice campaign. "He was touting his accomplishments but he wasn't attacking Henrici enough," said Reilly.
"You know politics is such a cruel game," he said with a laugh. "And not the best man wins every time. Voters are fickle. It's hard to please all the people all the time. In a tough economy, it's not easy."
Aaron Gustafson, a Hamden Green and co-chair of the Green Party of Connecticut, said he didn't hear about Amento's decision until after "it had already been broken."
He, too, figured the mayor would not seek a fourth term. But he said he wished Amento had, even if he didn't have a shot at winning. Gustafson said putting Amento on the ballot as a Green would have given everyone a chance to vote for him. Also, if at least 1 percent of the vote went to Amento, it would have given the local Green Party ballot access.
"I wasn't really surprised because he didn't really take the bull by the horns and keep running, after the Democratic Primary," said Gustafson. "I'm a little disappointed that he's not choosing to remain on the ballot and have a shot at helping democracy. That was one of the main reasons we were doing this."
Gustafson said his party might replace Amento's name on the ballot with a true-blue Green. He said he's got two or three people in mind, but no delusional thoughts about winning.
"It would be purely for ballot access," he said.
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Bagels and Politics
Dick Reilly, left back, and Craig Henrici
talk to noshers at Mishkan Israel.
By Sharon Bass
The synagogue's Brotherhood of Men and Women sponsored the forum, which brought together mayoral wannabes Dick Reilly (R) and Craig Henrici (D), and incumbent Kevin Kopetz (R) and challenger Janet McCarty (D).
After they each gave a 10-minute rundown on their background and why they want to be king (of their towns), the floor was open to the bagel noshers for a little Q&A time. There didn't seem to be much curiosity. Only three questions were posed.
1) "What are you going to do about the (Miller) library?" a North Havener asked the Hamden pair. He said the hours are too short, the patrons too many and the new middle school would bring in more users.
2) Former Mayor John Carusone asked the North Haven duo if they'll develop a "good neighbor" policy with Hamden.
3) Another asked how the candidates would get more funding out of the Democratic-controlled Legislature.
The answers were short. To the first question, Reilly suggested taking hours away from the small library branches to feed to the Miller Library, which is by far the largest.
Henrici, who served a single term as a state legislator, said he thinks his "good relationships" with state Reps. Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) and Peter Villano (D-Hamden) would help with question No. 3.
Reilly had another idea. "Maybe the citizens of Hamden should change the Democratic-controlled state Legislature," he said.
To which Don Werner, a D from Hamden, countered by saying the problem stems from Republican-controlled Washington.
And that was about it.
Got Help
Henrici proposes a one-stop help center
for the mayor's office
Craig Henrici wants to hire someone to help
you.
By Sharon Bass
He's got ideas.
Democratic mayoral candidate Craig Henrici first told Hamden if elected he will try to develop a municipal-run ambulance service. Next he proposed wireless Internet service for the town. Both measures promise to bring money into the municipal coffers.
Yesterday, at an informal little press conference, he announced another idea. This one won't make money. Instead, it's intended to make access to town departments easier. One person would be hired full time to man -- or "woman" -- a phone line to direct callers to the right department and take complaints. (If it's an emergency, residents still need to call the police or fire department.)
Henrici said when doing his door-to-door campaigning people lamented that they get the run-around when calling Town Hall. "I know it's working well in many communities in Connecticut," he said, such as Manchester. However, in New Haven it didn't work so well and that city abandoned the project.
"We want to be a service-oriented administration," the Democratic mayoral candidate said. "If I'm elected I'll have an open-door policy. If I'm available and someone wants to come in and chat" that'd be fine. But he said he'd prefer folks use the help line first.
The Legislative Council approved several positions to begin next January, including a second assistant for the mayor. The person doing the help line (there'd be a dedicated phone number and e-mail for this) would be that additional assistant.
Asked what would happen if the line was flooded with calls, Henrici said people would leave a voice mail message. The help desk would also field complaints about the schools if people are not getting resolve from Central Office. But it wouldn't be for everyday school problems.
"I don't think if Little Johnny is having trouble at school, it would be appropriate to call the help line," he said.
But if Big Johnny can't get Public Works to fix his sidewalk the help desk might just be his ticket. And maybe it can also find someone to lead the town's troubled Finance Department.
October 21, 2005
Amento Calls it Quits
The mayor endorses Henrici to take over the
town throne
At today's press conference, Amento says goodbye.
By Sharon Bass
The man who loved to be mayor. The man who was known to work tirelessly and passionately. The man -- whom even his harshest critics would agree -- cared with a capital C made it official at around noon today he would not run for a fourth term this November.
At a small press conference, Mayor Carl Amento read a seven-page speech that covered his accomplishments and struggles during his six years in office. He talked about the new schools that were built during his administration, highlighting the construction-in-progress of the middle school. He talked about the popular Farmington Canal trail. The playgrounds, the parks. And he talked about his philosophy as mayor of Hamden.
"I am a Democrat when campaigning for office and I am nonpartisan when governing as mayor," he said to four members of the press. "When it came to appointments and jobs and contracts, I did not play political games. We selected people on merit. This infuriated the party politicians."
Amento described the psychological process he went through while deciding whether to seek an unprecedented-in-Hamden fourth term, which somewhat resembled that of the late psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' stages of dying.
"There were a lot of similarities to dying," he said. "It's like you're at your own wake. I love this community."
At first he said he was relieved (actually the first stage of learning one's dying is disbelief).
Then he said he got feisty (the anger stage). "Damnit, this is unfair these things they said," Amento said, referring to his Democratic opponent's primary campaign's focus on his alleged wrongdoings.
"I have some hard feelings with some people in his camp, but not with him," the mayor said of Craig Henrici. "Give me a few weeks and I'll forgive and forget. It takes a while to get over the hurt."
In fact, Amento said while Republican mayoral candidate Dick Reilly is a nice guy, he endorsed Henrici to be the next CEO of Hamden. He said unlike the "one hour" former Mayor Barbara DeNicola gave him when he first took office, he's willing to work with Henrici (if he should win) for the roughly three weeks between Election Day (Nov. 8) and when Amento actually leaves office, Nov. 27.
Next stage. He said he was about to accept his fate (Henrici easily took the primary), but "many supporters encouraged me to run as a Green."
The Hamden Green Party had put Amento on its ticket for the November election should he lose the primary.
So Amento made one last-ditch effort. He ran a $5,000 poll, which revealed he was not re-electable. (He said he hasn't yet gotten the results of the poll.)
"Perhaps head to head with Henrici I would have won," he said, "but not in a three-way race. It looked like I could only be a spoiler."
Besides, "it's a time-bound job. It doesn't go on forever," he said, adding he looks forward to a job with security and a pension.
It will cost roughly $4 grand to take the mayor's name off the November ballot. "I'm sorry for that," he said, "but it was important to answer those who were urging me to run."
He named his assistant Jackie Downing, Economic Development Director Dale Kroop and retiring Police Chief Bob Nolan as particularly "great to work with." And thanked the Green Party for its support.
Of Town Hall's 26 departments, the mayor appoints about a dozen department heads, however only six can be replaced by a new mayor. They are the Town Planner, Finance director (there's only an interim right now), Traffic director, town attorney, Public Works director and Parks & Rec head.
Amento, an attorney, said he's looking for work primarily in the nonprofit and public sectors. He's talking to Quinnipiac University, the University of New Haven, Southern Connecticut State University, the state government and other municipalities.
"And I'm networking with people I've worked with over the years," he said.
The press conference ended with light talk about Amento cleaning out his office. A lot gets accumulated in six years and he admitted to being a packrat. He said he's not deleted anything from his e-mail since he got the service about three years ago. So along with official business messages are (unsolicited) ones for stuff like penis enlargements.
After the meeting, Downing quietly went back to her office. She, too, will be leaving Government Center. She said she will "definitely" not seek another town job.
"He has been a real asset to the town,"
she said, and went back to work.
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Bridge
Over Troubled Thoughts
Inland Wetlands has spent six hours talking
about the Hillfield bridge
By Betsy Driebeek
On Wednesday, the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission held a special meeting to continue the public hearing about proposed changes to five Mount Carmel bridges: Brooksvale Avenue over Jepp Brook; Hillfield Road over Eaton Brook; Johnson Road over Brookdale Stream; River Road over Jepp Brook; and Todd Road over Eaton Brook.
The approach to the Hillfield Road bridge.
However, the meeting, which lasted four hours, centered on just one of the bridges -- the one on Hillfield Road. It was a continuation of a two-hour discussion about the same bridge last month. Residents want to maintain the character of their neighborhood, while the town wants to ensure safety.
At the Sept. 22 meeting, the commission decided
to handle each bridge individually. The Hillfield Road proposal
was the first to be presented by Town Engineer Al Savarese and
a representative from Luchs Consulting Engineers. The proposal
would take the 17-foot bridge and widen it to 24 feet (down from
the first proposal of 30 feet), with a 5-foot sidewalk on one
side. The sides of the bridge would be concrete parapets but with
a finish that would resemble the current and original stone sides.
Additionally, steel rails would lead up to the parapets.
That said, it was time for public comment.
Recognizing no speakers in support of the proposal,
IW&W Commissioner Steve Sosensky entertained speakers in opposition.
Aris Stalis of Johnson Road was prepared with a 45-minute slide
show. He began by saying that he was not necessarily opposed to
bridge replacement -- it needs to be done -- but the current proposals
lack sensitivity.
"What we do at these locations can impact us
for the next 50 years," said Stalis, a landscape architect.
He has helped redesign many waterways, and presented photos of
other rural bridges in the state, both large and small. He displayed
the current blueprints adding his own shaded areas to show the
impact the changes would have on the adjoining landscape.
Stalis' final slides showed northern rural Shepard Avenue of a few years ago and the newer boulevard that spills out onto Whitney Avenue. He believes the major goals for these bridges are to protect existing vegetation, replace lost vegetation, eliminate sidewalks to minimize stream impact, consider an open bottom bridge design, use stream reconstruction techniques for flow control and habitat recreation, and treat storm water before it hits the stream.
Cindy Civitello, who in the 1990s helped get Hillfield Road designated as a scenic road, presented the commission with photos of the street. She described it as narrow, with a stonewall bridge, having mature trees, small brooks and streams and little traffic, with wildlife such as turkey and deer. She said a road designated as scenic should have no alterations or improvements including removal of trees. "A 24-foot bridge is out of character for Hillfield Road," Civitello said.
"We don't need the road widened, don't need
a sidewalk, just fix it underneath," said resident Barbara
Dickerson. "We have no problem going over the bridge now,
we all drive slow there and are courteous and take turns passing
over the bridge."
Carl Sanca, whose property abuts the brook traveling under the bridge, echoed these sentiments when he said, "The bridge acts as a stop sign. I can only imagine what would happen if you make it into a two-lane bridge." Sanca, who has lived on his property for 17 years, also wanted to know why he was not involved in the design process. His home is close to the road and the proposal takes part of his front lawn as well as three mature trees.
Residents Connie Lavoie and Albert Dobie agreed the proposals do not maintain the characteristics of the West Wood neighborhoods, where the bridges are located. Curtis Packer said he's concerned how the movement of the stream will affect the wells -- everyone on Hillfield has a well -- during the bridge reconstruction. He said he was also worried about the wildlife in the stream.
Many speakers expressed concern about the impact
a change to the brook bed might have on flooding. They said during
the recent hard rains, there had been no flooding.
However, Doug Schaefer, whose property abuts the brook on the opposite side of the road from Sanca, begged to differ. He said during heavy rain, the brook spills onto his property. When asked by the commission if he felt that the current proposal would solve that problem, he said yes.
In Savarese's rebuttal, he said the overall purpose of the bridge proposals is safety. He reminded the commission and public that the original proposal was to make all bridges 30-feet wide, but that had been reduced in many cases. He said it would not be prudent to accept anything less than 24 feet -- the state Department of Transportation's minimum. The fire department has also requested that the bridges be 24 feet.
Commissioner Sosensky asked what was the compelling need for the sidewalk. Hamden Director of Traffic Lee Davies said it is a safety issue. If two cars pass on the bridge at the same time there's no room for a pedestrian. The commission and Davies batted around the possibility of two 2-foot spaces on either side of the bridge versus a 5-foot sidewalk. Davies was amenable to that; Savarese was not.
Davies said Hillfield Road is a two-way, two-lane road. The use of a one-way bridge with parapets on each side is not prudent. "You might have a school bus, you might have a fire engine and you will have a garbage truck using this road," he said.
The public hearing on the five Mount Carmel bridges will be taken up again at the next IW&W Commission hearing on Nov. 2.
The Price of the Vote
By Sharon Bass
Care to venture a guess on what the two Democratic mayoral candidates spent in total on this year's primary? $50 grand? $75 grand? Now, we're just talking the primary here. Not the November election.
Try $140,000. According to Joe McDonagh, chair of the Hamden Democratic Town Committee, that was a record high. And he doesn't like the smell of it.
DTC Chair Joe McDonagh says too much $$ is
being spent on the vote.
"That was certainly the highest I've ever seen, and I find it distressing that the two candidates raised and spent" that much, he said.
To compare. In the 2003 primary when Mayor Carl Amento faced John Flanagan, McDonagh said the two spent "certainly less than $100,000." Even more significant, the DTC chair pointed out, was the 1999 primary where there was no incumbent. Amento was running for his first term against Arthur Moan. McDonagh figures maybe $60,000 or $70,000 went into that race.
Why so high this time around?
"You have a very significant opponent (Craig Henrici) against a three-term incumbent (Amento), who has the ability to raise a lot of money," he said. "I think this reinforces the need to have some kind of finance reform. It is an ungodly amount of money to spend."
Amento raised about $83,000 and spent about $81,800. Henrici raised roughly $58,000 and spent roughly $58,000. Henrici, who won the primary by 1,005 votes, will face Republican Dick Reilly on Election Day.
Where'd the loot go?
A chunk went to consultants. According to campaign
finance records filed at the Town Clerk's Office, Amento spent
$15,485 on consulting from July 1, 2005, through Oct. 6, 2005.
Campaign filings by Henrici show from July 4, 2005, through Aug.
29, 2005, $7,950 went to consulting. Other big-ticket items include
signs, printing, advertising and rent for campaign headquarters.
It's
All About Safety -- and Complications
An old idea to make a new West Woods Road
is slowly inching to fruitio
By Sharon Bass
It's been a long time coming -- about 61 years -- but the very-much-thought-about realignment of West Woods Road might actually happen, in our lifetime.
What's taking so long? According to Economic Development Director Dale Kroop, who's working on the project, it's been tough to figure out all the pieces. And the state Department of Transportation is behind the wheel.
"This is the most complicated case," he said. "The top five most complicated thing I've worked on. It takes a long time for a project of this kind to make it up the food chain." Like aged cheese.
The realignment is called a "public safety traffic improvement project." Kroop said it is in response to the growing traffic from Quinnipiac University and residential growth. Right now, cars traveling down West Woods Road have to turn on Whitney and then onto Mt. Carmel Road to get to Quinnipiac. The DOT would close off the bottom 1,000 or so feet of West Woods going west, and reroute it to make a new West Woods Road, which would become Mt. Carmel Road as soon as it crosses Whitney Avenue. "To form a perfect intersection," said Kroop.
It sounds like a lot of effort and money (he said he was unsure what the price tag will be) to eliminate one or two turns. But Kroop said it would make driving in that area a lot safer.
The project has a number of complicating factors. For one thing, the state would have to take John Ferraro's small commercial building by eminent domain, where Hair On Broadway, Tonino's Pizzeria and Lillian's Gourmet Deli and More are firmly planted. The town would give Ferraro undeveloped land next door (at Whitney and Mt. Carmel) to rebuild on.
Here's the picture. Behind this commercial
building, owned by John Ferraro, is West Woods Road. Ferraro's
structure would be razed, as the end of West Woods would be
closed off for good and rerouted to the left to become part
of Mt. Carmel Avenue. To the left is the town-owned property
Ferraro would get to rebuild on. (That's Kroop in the van.)
Kroop said the three-way land swap (the state, town and Ferraro) would hopefully be done seamlessly. While the "taking" process" occurs, Ferraro would rebuild. This took two years to figure out.
There's more. The Farmington Canal trail would be rerouted as well. It would wind along the back of the land parcels, instead of in front as it does now, and actually cut through Ferraro's building -- once it's razed, of course. Kroop said it will be safer for trail users being further away from Whitney.
And the hotly contested proposed hotel for 55 West Woods Road would also be affected. The owners (unnamed at this time) would probably have to get an easement from the town to be able to use municipal property in order to get to the new West Woods Road, since the hotel would be built on the lower portion that would be cut off.
Kroop said he's unsure of whether the hotel developers are aware of this. But Town Planner Richard Stoecker said he's talked with them and they indicated they would contact the DOT for details.
Then there's the new commuter parking lot Quinnipiac recently installed. Last year, the university bought 23.5 acres west of Kimberly Road. In order to get from there to the school, vehicles have to go down a private access road to West Woods and then to Whitney and then to Mt. Carmel. When the state road project is completed, all they'll have to do is make a turn out of the parking lot onto the new West Woods Road and go straight.
So, when will this project, which was first thought of during World War II, actually kick off?
Kroop predicts the state will break ground in late 2008 and finish up three years later. Even with that far-off start date, he said his main concern is the fate of the shops at Ferraro's.
"My overall goal, I don't want to lose three
businesses. That's what I'm concerned about," the Economic
Development director said.
Democrats Rally for a Green
Kelly McCarthy
By Sharon Bass
The Hamden Green Party hopes that by teaming up with Democrats their Legislative Council candidate, Kelly McCarthy, will have a better shot at grabbing the 5th District seat Nov. 8.
"We need to reach out to the community and say there are other alternatives to Democrats. Those people who normally pull the Democratic lever without thinking about it," said Bob Pattison, a Democrat who is chairing Democrats for McCarthy, a committee that formed a few weeks ago.
In September, McCarthy and the other 5th District candidates, Democrat Willie Mewborn and Republican Henry Platt, introduced themselves and their ideas at a forum at Whitney Center. It apparently opened the ears and eyes of some Democrats.
"Immediately following that 'debate' I was approached by several Democrats who were eager to lend substantial support to Kelly's campaign," said Mark Sanders, McCarthy's campaign manager. McCarthy, Sanders and Pattison belong to the Whitneyville Civic Association, which sponsored last month's forum.
However, Pattison said he joined on because of the uncertainty of who the Democrats would run in the 5th to replace Democratic Councilwoman Ann Altman. Mewborn eventually received the party endorsement.
"My personal feeling was I felt like the Democratic Town Committee was batting around people who weren't good for our district," said Pattison. "It was the political power play for the town. I, and a lot of others, felt Ann Altman had done a good job but had run her course. A lot of people thought maybe she was doing more harm for the district. She had become ineffective."
He said the committee is targeting Democrats since that district has the highest number of Ds in town.
"There are many 5th District Democrats who have never met Kelly, or even reviewed her record and platform," said Sanders, a Green. "If the Democrats for McCarthy can bring the merits of Kelly's candidacy to that group of voters, they will have done her campaign, and the 5th District, a great service."
Pattison called McCarthy "very smart, very educated. And she was totally psyched about the sense of neighborhood. She took on the traffic responsibilities for the (Whitneyville) organization. So when she decided to run as a Green, I looked at her advocacy for the district."
And, he said, "she's smart enough to admit
when she isn't right."
October 13, 2005
Campaign Moolah
By Sharon Bass
By Oct. 11, all political candidates and committees had to get their first-quarter financial reports for the Nov. 8 elections to Town Hall. They all made it. One day late and there's a $100 fine.
A couple of notes about the campaign money trail. Hamden Republicans are fund raising under a new political committee, Republicans for Change. The reason it's not doing so under its own town committee, as Hamden Democrats are, is because treasurer Lenny Caplan is running for an at-large Council seat and thus can't be involved in handling campaign finances. A conflict-of-interest thing.
Also, some Democratic and the two third-party candidates have formed their own fund-raising committees. While all Republicans, save the mayoral candidate, opted to go with their party committee.
Here's a look at some of what has been reported in the first quarterly filing. (Only contributions from public officials, political candidates and businesses have been noted below. Remember, these figures were as of Oct. 11.)
The Democratic Party
The Hamden Democratic Town Committee had a balance of $2,925.36. It raised $375 this quarter. Contributors include at-large Councilman Michael D'Andrea, $100, and Inland Wetlands and Watersources Commission Chair Steve Sosensky, $100.
Mayoral candidate Craig Henrici's balance was $2,480.53. Contributors include 4th District Council candidate Gretchen Callahan, $25, and town employee Sharyn Wetmore, $25. Henrici reported no ad book donations.
Leng For Hamden (for at-large Councilman Curt Leng, who's vying for the 5th District seat) had a balance of $4,147.18. Contributors include state Sen. Joseph Crisco (D-Woodbridge), $100; Board of Education member Michael D'Agostino, $250; and at-large Councilman Michael D'Andrea, $50.
Leng's ad book contributors include Complete Contracting, Hamden, $100; Franklin Construction, New Haven, $100; Bob Thomas Ford, Hamden, $100; #1 Fish Market, Hamden, $25; Pine Rock Builders, Hamden, $150; BOE's Michael D'Agostino, $150; Volpe Technology, Hamden, $50.
The Committee to Elect Michael Colaicova (who's running to recapture his 7th District Council seat) had a balance of $137.81. His main contributor is himself, $100.
Friends of Mike Germano (the 8th District candidate) had raised no money.
The Committee to Elect Berita Rowe (the 3rd District councilwoman who's running for re-election) had raised no money.
Friends of Gretchen Callahan (the 4th District candidate) had raised no money.
The Committee to Elect Willie C. Mewborn (the 5th District candidate) had raised no money.
The Republican Party
Republicans for Change had a balance of $6,841.20. Its largest contributor is the Republican Town Committee, $640.
The Republicans for Change ad book contributors include Next Step Management, Hamden, $100; Michael and Amy Iezzi, $125; WGA Construction, Weston, $250; Tommy Gun Choppers, Branford, $30; Excavation Plus, Ridgefield, $250; Bruno Massaro & Sons, Hamden, $250; Beacon Construction Group, Hamden, $250; Carbutti & Pappas, Wallingford, $100; Kenlar Electric, Scarsdale, N.Y., $250.
Mayoral candidate Dick Reilly had a balance of $3,921.69. Contributors include 9th District Council candidate Anne Balogh, $100; at-large Councilman Ron Gambardella, $50; RTC Chair Michael Iezzi, $750; Republican Registrar of Voters Anthony Esposito, $100; BOE candidate Austin Cesare, $50; Dick Reilly himself, $100; and the Cheshire-based Committee to Retain Our Republican Majority, $100.
Reilly's ad book contributors include Suraci Metal, New Haven, $250; Weed's Café, Hamden, $250; Rocco Iezzi Insurance, $100; Registrar Esposito, $50; North Haven Funeral, $100; Latella Rubbish, West Haven, $100; Specialty Wine, Hamden, $100; Recycling Services, Hamden, $100; DePodesta Real Estate, Hamden, $100; Al's Re-Upholstering, North Haven, $100; Hamden Town House Restaurant, $100; Weed's Café (second donation), $100; and United Office Furniture, Hamden, $250.
The Green Party
McCarthy for Council (the 5th District candidate Kelly McCarthy) had raised no money.
Democrats for McCarthy had raised no money.
Spring Glen Party
James Jalowiec, 4th District Council candidate, raised no money.
Next filing date is Nov. 1. Check back then for
an update.
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FYI
Know what is your right to know
By Sharon Bass
During the Oct. 6 School Building Committee meeting, it seemed like a special session was called with no explanation or vote. That would be considered a no-no. A violation of state law.
However, SBC Chair Ed Beaudette, a town councilman, said the session was lawfully called, albeit not too audibly or obviously.
"I said we were going into executive session for discussion of legal matters and there was a quick oral vote, but there was a lot of noise," he said. "I probably should have been a little more explicit and have people raise their hands. But it happened so fast."
In light of that confusion comes a heightened level of awareness about the proper protocol for declaring an executive session (a private breakout of a public meeting) and the public's general right to know.
"People just don't know the law," said Tom Hennick, public education officer for the state Freedom of Information Commission in Hartford. He said the number of complaints lodged at his office on improper executive sessions is rising. So far this year, he said he's gotten 485.
Hennick said he speaks with Hamden Town Attorney Sue Gruen several times a year "and she's quite knowledgeable" about Freedom of Information (FOI) laws. Not just pertaining to executive sessions, but with all information the public can be privy to.
That knowledge came in handy the other day when the Hamden Daily News informed her about trouble it was having getting meeting agenda information from the public school department's central office.
The HDN e-mailed the office four times
asking for upcoming agendas, but not as an FOI request. There
was no response to the first three e-mails. The fourth e-mail
included this citation of the FOI law:
"The public agency shall, where practicable, give notice
by mail of each regular meeting, and of any special meeting
which is called, at least one week prior to the date set for
the meeting, to any person who has filed a written request for
such notice with such body, except that such body may give such
notice as it deems practical of special meetings called less
than seven days prior to the date set for the meeting …
(P.A. 75-342, §7)."
That elicited a voice message to the HDN from Superintendent Alida Begina's assistant Wendy Ocone, who said those agendas can be viewed on the school's Web site 24 to 48 hours before a meeting. However, her reply did not meet the letter of the law.
Gruen stepped in and then the HDN received an e-mail from Ocone saying: "We would be more than happy to provide you with all committee and Board of Education agendas. Would you like me to arrange to have them faxed to you or would you prefer to receive them electronically? Please let me know at your earliest convenience."
As far as calling executive sessions, Hennick said the reason stated "must be more than 'We're going into executive session for personnel.' They have to name the person because the person has to be given meaningful notice beforehand. The reason is, the individual has the right to show up and say, 'I don't want to go into executive session.'"
He said even if an executive session is listed on a written meeting agenda, it still requires a vote and explanation, and furthermore, it's improper. "Putting it on the agenda is also technically not correct because you have to vote" on it and not assume it will pass. It requires a two-thirds vote.
"If someone feels there's been a violation, the person would file a complaint with us within 30 days of the violation," he said. This is done by sending a "short, simple" letter to the Freedom of Information Commission, stating the committee in question and when and what happened.
"Not every facet of it, but just enough so we know if we have jurisdiction in the matter," Hennick said.
The consequence is anything from a slap on the wrist (for first-time offenders) to a $20-$1,000 fine for "particularly egregious" violations, he said. Or the commission can find the complaint invalid.
Here's the law:
"'Executive sessions' means a meeting of a public agency at which the public is excluded for one or more of the following purposes: (A) discussion concerning the appointment, employment, performance, evaluation, health or dismissal of a public officer or employee, provided that such individual may require that discussion be held at an open meeting; (B) strategy and negotiations with respect to pending claims or pending litigation to which the public agency or a member thereof, because of the member's conduct as a member of such agency, is a party until such litigation or claim has been finally adjudicated or otherwise settled; (C) matters concerning security strategy or the deployment of security personnel, or devices affecting public security; (D) discussion of the selection of a site or the lease, sale or purchase of real estate by a political subdivision of the state when publicity regarding such site, lease, sale, purchase or construction would cause a likelihood of increased price until such time as all of the property has been acquired or all proceedings or transactions concerning same have been terminated or abandoned; and (E) discussion of any matter which would result in the disclosure of public records or the information contained therein described in subsection (b) of section 1-210."
For more information, visit the commission's Web site.
P&Z to Farricielli: Cease & Desist
Jean Farricielli asks the commission last
night to give her a break.
By Sharon Bass
It started out as a heated argument. It ended up with the Planning & Zoning Commission voting unanimously to issue cease and desist orders to virtually all businesses at Farricielli's State Five "industrial park."
The point of contention last night between the commission and Jean Farricielli -- whose husband, Joe Farricielli, turned the property over to after being fined millions of dollars for environmental infractions -- was whether the so-called industrial park is considered one parcel or many. The town has determined it is one, and thus the landlord is responsible for ensuring its tenants have permits. None do. And so they must cease and desist. (The discussion was continued from last month.)
Furthermore, said New Haven attorney Beth Gilson during a break at the meeting, the Farriciellis never sought approval from Planning & Zoning to turn the blighted and polluted property at 2895 State St. into an industrial park.
"The whole problem is they've taken a chunk of property and chopped it up into different lease holdings and told the tenants to get permits," she said.
In other words, not much about it is legal.
"It may be a single parcel to you, but I have a number of tenants," said Farricielli, who argued her case alone. Trying to buy time for her rent-paying tenants, she said Assistant Town Attorney Tim Lee told her the P&Z would do the same as the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission, which gave her a five-month stay on the cease and desist it issued over the summer to allow her tenants time to get permits.
Not exactly.
"No such arrangement" was ever made, countered Lee. "I never had such a meeting with the applicant."
"Sorry, that was my understanding," Farricielli said, her voice growing irritable. "I respectfully request then that the two commissions have like minds. We're not scofflaws. We're not running away from anything."
About two months ago, attorney Gilson filed a lawsuit in Hartford Superior Court for the state and town of Hamden, which alleges that the Farriciellis are using the rental income from the businesses at State Five on personal items instead of paying the millions in local and state fines Joseph Farricielli was court ordered to pay. To date, he has not paid one penny of it.
Assistant Town Planner Leslie Creane bluntly told Jean Farricielli last night that it was made clear to her by both commissions that the ultimate responsibility for meeting zoning regulations was hers, not her tenants'.
"This enforcement process has been going on for years," said Creane. "We have stated over and over again this is one parcel." And so the landlord is the party that has to come into compliance.
Farricielli fought back. "Ms. Creane, your staff has sent us mixed signals," she said. "The engineering department has not given me the same signal.
"OK, let's end this dialog," she said and stepped away from the podium.
P&Z member Joe McDonagh said a cease and desist
was necessary because although cautioned otherwise, Farricielli
is still issuing leases that require her tenants to get permits.
"My concern is that this is a landlord that's going to
continue to do this," he said. "Mrs. Farricielli says
they're not scofflaws. I disagree." He said despite warnings
Farricielli did not inform the P&Z that she recently brought
a new business into the park.
After the public hearing, the commission went into its regular meeting where it voted to direct the town's zoning enforcer to issue cease and desist orders to all tenants but two, for operating without permits. Wheeler's Auto Service, which Farricielli said was evicted, and Northridge Enterprises, which she said has left the property, are excluded. State Five Industrial Park (Farricielli's office at the State Street site), Borrelli Equipment Sales, Cardinal Freight Carriers, Heitkamp, Milo Fabrications, Modern Materials, Recycling Services, Sanweiss Tree Service and Upscale Welding should be handed their cease and desists tomorrow.
After the meeting, Creane called the action "a very big thing." The town has been fighting with the Farriciellis for years over the improper use of their properties. Besides the "industrial park," there is a huge tire pond and a shuttered illegal landfill on the site.
Attorney Lee said Farricielli will likely appeal the vote to the Zoning Board of Appeals. "It can be dragged out about three months," he said. The ZBA has the final word on the cease and desist. During the appeal, he said, the town will probably allow the businesses to continue operating.
Linda Zelterman, sitting by herself at the meeting, was both relieved and grateful about the unanimous vote.
"While it has taken a long time, we want to thank the commission," said the member of the East Side Civic Association, the neighborhood group that has fought for years to stop the illegal activities on the Farricielli property.
Celotto Returns to Finance
By Sharon Bass
He did it before. And he's doing it again. Starting today, Joe Celotto is temporarily taking over the town's troubled Finance Department, while a director is sought.
"I hope to stabilize a rather volatile situation and prepare it for the next director," the semi-retired businessman said during a phone interview. "I'm looking forward to it. I'm always up for a challenge.
"I have a lot of loyalty to Hamden. I lived
there for 35 years. I thought if I could do some good and help
out, why wouldn't I?" Celotto, who moved to North Branford
in May, said he's unsure what he'll be paid but thinks it will
be similar to last time around as interim Finance head (June
2004 to December 2004) -- about $80,000 a year.
Right before that, he was the temporary director of Hamden Public Works from November 2003 to June 2004.
Stepping into a Money Mess
In early September, Finance head Don Gray left unexpectedly and Deputy Director Steve Hoff took the reins. However, Hoff just announced he's taking a nine-week unpaid leave of absence, starting tomorrow, to mull over his future at Town Hall. He said he's unsure if he'll return and if he does, in what capacity. (See "Shakeup at the Finance Department," HDN, Oct. 7, 2005.)
The town of Fairfield's controller Robert Tait and BOE Finance Director Tom Pesce will pitch in part-time to close out the books to ready for the yearly audit. The deadline for that is Dec. 31, but the job is not expected to be done until some time next spring or summer.
"I'm going to focus on the daily operations to make sure all of the town's obligations are met," said Celotto, while Tait and Pesce do the audit piece.
Celotto last worked for Avnet Computers in New York as manager of major accounts. While he has no municipal experience, save for his two stints as interim director, he said his business background somewhat parallels what he'll be doing in Town Hall.
"I don't like to equate running a business to running a town, but you call on your background of running a business-for-profit and accounting techniques that are applied, and you use that to apply to running the town," he said. "And you don't do that by yourself. You do that with competent staff. Everybody in the Finance Department is going to be challenged over the next few weeks to prepare for an audit and transition."
Strictly Temporary
The last time Celotto stepped into Finance was when Director Lee Palmer resigned "and we needed somebody with management acumen to take a handle on things," said Celotto. He said he's "absolutely not" interested in a permanent position.
Asked why Mayor Carl Amento calls him in when he's down a director, Celotto said the mayor "knew my operational background and thought I could help him out." He said he met Amento when they worked together at the Unitas Club in Hamden, raising money for charities.
Celotto has a master's degree in business from the University of New Haven. According to his résumé, he has worked in the private business and industrial sectors since 1979. He and his wife, Eleanor "Bunny" Celotto, have two grown children.
October 10, 2005
Amento Riding
on a Poll
The mayor says he'll base his "Green"
decision on the upcoming results of a survey
By Sharon Bass
Hey, said Craig Henrici, "this is America. He can do anything he wants."
"I would love to see him do that," said Dick Reilly.
Henrici, the Dem candidate for mayor, and Reilly, the Repub challenging him, are talking about Mayor Carl Amento's decision to conduct a poll to determine whether he should keep his name on the Green Party ticket for the Nov. 8 election.
Just when many thought Amento was about to bid adieu to his office, he's saying it's not over yet folks. If the poll indicates strong enough support for him -- via questions about why people didn't vote for him rather than if they would should he run as a Green -- he's going to go for that fourth term after all.
Amento said his campaign team wants to see what "issues were involved in the primary and causing the results they did." Henrici easily took the Sept. 13 election with 2,965 votes to 1,960.
Misrepresented to Voters
The mayor pointed to the Henrici campaign's mailings as a possible reason he lost the race. "They had a lot of misrepresentation and have become public opinion. I think a lot of us want to know what caused the (primary) vote to be the way it was," said Amento.
Those mailings -- seven in all, sent out between Aug. 28 and Sept. 9 -- used outdated data, Amento claimed. "They misquoted (Councilman) Ed Beaudette saying all the projects we've undertaken have had serious problems," he said. "This is the problem. It's so easy to take a shot" at the mayor's performance and much more difficult to explain it in depth.
Amento said his poll will be conducted ASAP. He wouldn't say who was doing it or what questions would be asked.
"It's not only for me," he said of the poll. "But issues for councilors to look at."
Asked if he'll share the results with the Hamden Daily News, Amento said, "We'll see what we get and what we want to talk about. Maybe voters decided it was time for a change."
"I think it's obvious people want a change and think I'm a better candidate," said Henrici. "You can't worry about things that are beyond our control. I have to do the exact same thing and that is run against Mr. Reilly." He said he's not surprised the mayor is conducting a poll.
Mailings
Were Fair & Square
As for the campaign mailings, Henrici said, "We mailed the
finance piece (the bright red one that favorably compared Henrici's
record when he was the Legislative Council president from 1987-1997,
to Amento's) a month before the primary."
He pointed out that Amento ran full-page ads in the local weeklies defending his positions.
"My last-minute mailings were endorsement mailings. It had nothing to do with Carl," said the mayoral candidate. These included endorsements from state Reps. Peter Villano (D-Hamden) and Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) and Council Prez Al Gorman.
"Any issues I put in the mailings I did so in a way he could respond. And I think he tried to respond," Henrici said. "That being said, I don't think that was the reason for the positive results" at the primary.
Actually, Henrici's timetable is a bit off. Matt Fitch, his campaign manager, said the finance-comparison piece went out about one week before the primary, not one month. But the last campaign mailing was the endorsement flier.
As for the potential impact of Amento opposing him as a Green, Henrici said he's "cautiously optimistic. It's gonna be a tough campaign either way. I feel I've historically run strong across the board with Democrats and unaffiliated voters and Republicans."
Fitch had stronger words. "I'm not in the business of predicting what Carl Amento is going to do. I'm not really concerned one way or another. I think he's a non-factor. Our opponent is Dick Reilly. But I'm not surprised (about the poll and a possible run). I know he loved being mayor."
Yee Haw!
Reilly also said he's not surprised. But he's happy about it.
"It'd be a homerun for me," he said, "because I think he would draw off 2,000 or 3,000 votes, and if they're Democratic votes it would narrow the gap considerably between Henrici and myself. I lost the last election by 3,600 votes."
In Hamden, there are 4,773 registered Republican voters, 13,123 Democrats and 15,400 Independents. About 40 percent to 45 percent vote in local elections. Since the mid-1980s, when the Democrats became the No. 1 party in town, only one Republican mayor, Barbara DeNicola, has been elected. She lost to former Democratic Mayor Lillian Clayman, who was pitching for an unprecedented fourth term, which caused a split in the Democratic Party.
While Reilly feels he'd benefit by an Amento run, he said the whole idea of the poll is a bit extreme.
"I think he's taking this election so personally, I don't think he's seeing clearly. This is one of his marketing gimmicks. When you have enough money ... He likes to spend money," said Reilly. "He puts an awful lot into polls. Nationally I think they're great. Locally I don't know. But I guess I'd so the same thing if I had the money."
The Republican contender also questioned why the town would vote in Henrici, a lawyer, to be its CEO.
"We just got through six years of an attorney (Mayor Amento) and he had legislature experience," said Reilly.
An Egotistical Waste of Money
Joe McDonagh, chair of the Democratic Town Committee, sounded disturbed that Amento's doing a poll. "Let's be honest, he's not running a poll to find out why he lost. He's running a poll to see if he can still win. It's a God-awful waste of money. Send the money down to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. God, it's such an egotistical thing to do," he said.
Furthermore, he questioned how the poll would be funded. "Who's paying for this poll? I understand that his campaign didn't have any more money. It's strange to run a poll after you've lost," McDonagh said.
Contrasting Reilly's optimism that Amento would take away votes from Henrici, McDonagh predicted it would split the anti-Henrici vote, and take away from Reilly.
The DTC chair said Amento's relationship with the Dems is already damaged. And if he runs as a Green, "he's damaged himself. Maybe he doesn't care about burning those bridges," said McDonagh. "It (would be a) situation where two people, Dick Reilly and Carl Amento, run against Henrici. I don't know who's giving Carl advice."
Polls that ask substantive questions versus ones that only ask whom a person plans to vote for typically cost $4,000 to $8,000, said McDonagh.
Councilmen React to 'Finance' Upheaval
By Sharon Bass
A town department doesn't operate too well without someone consistently at the helm. And when those top guns keep leaving and retreads keep returning -- as is happening in Hamden's Finance Department -- people start to get a little nervous.
"Not to set panic off but I think the situation in the Finance Department now is very shaky," said Councilman Curt Leng, Finance Committee chair. "You lost your director, you lost your deputy and you don't have a budget coordinator. You're down to bare-bones staff."
As reported yesterday in the HDN ("Shakeup At the Finance Department"), acting director Steve Hoff is taking a nine-week leave of absence next Wednesday that could turn into a permanent leave. Hoff said he needs "to think about it" during his unpaid time off. Former Finance Director Don Gray quit in early September after only eight months on the job.
Meanwhile, the department is supposed to ready the town books by Dec. 31 to be audited, but there's no way that's going to happen, said Leng. Gray had said the books wouldn't be ready until next summer. Hoff said April -- with help from consultants.
Now both men are gone. Joe Celotto, who served as interim director last year, will do a repeat performance starting next Tuesday. He will be assisted by Robert Tait, the town of Fairfield controller, who will work part-time as a consultant, and also by Board of Education Finance Director Tom Pesce.
Mayor Carl Amento pointed to the Legislative Council as the culprit of the mess. The financial work is delayed, he said, because the Council refused to replace the people who had retired from the department last year, until Jan. 1, 2006.
But others say that excuse doesn't hold much water.
Councilman Matt Fitch, also on the Finance Committee, said the department is down just one position, not two, even though both chief accountant Michael Blanos and the budget coordinator retired.
"At that time the deputy finance position was (re)created for Steve Hoff. It had not been in the budget for years," said Fitch. He said the reason the Council put off filling the empty slots until the beginning of next year is "just because we have a little bit of a financial pinch. We did that with a number of other positions. It's pretty common."
Leng said the Council also delayed hiring an assistant zoning enforcement officer until Jan. 1. And some positions in the police and fire departments were budgeted to begin on Oct. 1, 2005, instead of July 1, 2005, when the new fiscal year began. He concurred with Fitch that the delaying tactic was intended to save the town money, rebuffing claims by the mayor that the intent was to cripple his ability to adequately run Town Hall -- purposely timed during this election year.
"I think it's unfortunate that Mayor Amento continues to believe this strange conspiracy against him," said Leng. "The Council has acted on a consistent basis for the last two years." Furthermore, he said, there had not been a deputy finance director in "a long time. Probably 10-12 years," during the Clayman administration.
"The turnover (in Finance) has been troubling. It's very obviously rudderless; there's no leadership," said Fitch. "Steve was a competent guy, but he was overwhelmed when Don Gray left."
However, the councilman said even when Gray was on the job, his attendance was poor.
"I don't know why he was rarely at work. Since the beginning of summer, he worked probably two and half days a week. I don't know if it was medical or not. I'm not going to speculate. I'm not his boss. The mayor was," Fitch said.
The finance director, like many department heads, is appointed by the mayor. Some speculate that this hiring method doesn't provide enough job security to attract quality candidates, since often when a mayor leaves office his successor replaces many of his appointees. While Fitch, who is Democratic mayoral candidate Craig Henrici's campaign manager, agreed this can feed into the problem, he said the mayor should still make the appointments.
Leng gave incoming temporary Director Celotto a lukewarm review. "He's not a financial guy. He'll show up every day. He'll work hard. But he has limitations I'm sure he'll admit to," he said.
A private auditing firm will be paid $35,000 to conduct an independent review of the town's books, Leng said, to see if money has been allocated properly. The job takes several months.
Shakeup
At the Finance Department
Deputy Director Hoff leaves; Celotto and
a consultant enter
By Sharon Bass
It's hardly a secret that the town's Finance Department has been a revolving door of directors. Early last month, Don Gray suddenly left the post after only eight months on the job, citing disagreements with the Legislative Council and Town Hall. He was preceded by six other "permanent" and interim directors over the last six years.
When Gray left, Deputy Director Steve Hoff took over as interim directo. But as of next Wednesday, he will be also gone.
Hoff said he's taking a nine-week, unpaid leave of absence "for personal reasons." Asked if he'll return to the department, Hoff said, "I'm going to think about it. I'll have to make some decision by the end of nine weeks."
Mayor Carl Amento said he's appointed Joe Celotto of North Branford to step in while a permanent director can be found. Celotto was an interim Finance director for Hamden in 2004, and also an interim Public Works head.
Also, Robert Tait, the current controller for the town of Fairfield, has been hired as a consultant to help prepare for the audit, which is way behind schedule. It's supposed to be in the auditor's hands by the end of the year, but that seems virtually impossible.
Tait "is coming in after hours to help us with the audit," said Amento. "We were unable to get a private accountant." Also, Board of Education Finance Director Tom Pesce will pitch in, the mayor said.
"The three will work together," he said.
At the Oct. 5 Council meeting, $20,000 was approved for a Finance consultant. Gray had told councilors in August that the money was needed, as the work for the audit was only 5 percent completed.
When asked if the process is any further along now -- two months later -- Hoff said, "I'm not going to make any comment on that." When asked to describe the current condition of the Finance Department, he said, "It's a little ticklish because so many people have left."
Hoff began his Finance stint as a consultant in December 2003. On July 1, 2004, he was made deputy director.
"He told me he's considering resigning at some point soon," said Amento.
The mayor said he searched statewide for a retired finance director, but with no luck. "Nobody (who's not retired) is going to come in now and leave their jobs (with Amento likely to be out of office in December)," he said.
Amento blames the Council for the ongoing staffing problems in Finance and other Town Hall departments -- like his. Last year, the Finance budget coordinator and chief accountant retired. The Council decided not to fund those positions until Jan. 1, 2006.
"The great unreported story is the sabotage
of the staff by the Council," Amento said. "Then (Democratic
mayoral candidate Craig) Henrici comes along and capitalizes on
it (during his primary campaign). They leave me with no staff."
He said East Haven, which is considerably smaller than Hamden,
has two mayoral assistants, while he has just one, Jackie Downing.
A No-Sweat Vote for the High School
By Sharon Bass
The Legislative Council was back in session last night at its old digs in Memorial Town Hall. While it's obvious the place needs a super-duper facelift, it also needs sound.
Huh?
The microphones weren't working, and it was hard to hear what councilors and the public were saying. A couple of times resident Don Werner yelled out, "SPEAK UP!" But to little avail. And whenever town attorney Sue Gruen or Jackie Downing, the mayor's assistant, walked across the room, the sound of their heels hitting the wood floor completely drowned out the voices.
But business was taken care of. The hot ticket of the evening was the approval of $2.98 million for air-conditioning at Hamden High. Councilwoman Carol Noble said about a year or so ago, the price tag was $1.1 million less. Several reasons were given for the hike.
First, the project was under-budgeted. Also, there's been price inflation since the original figure was made. But the No.1 reason was apparent oversight some 10 years ago when the high school renovation was being done, said Noble.
At that time, she was on the renovation committee. She said while there was no money in the budget for air-conditioning, the committee insisted that the new wiring and air ducts support a/c, since it would likely be added in the future.
However, it was recently learned that the ducts had not been insulated, as they needed to be in order for cold air to pass through. Chris Daur, the resident elect on the School Building Committee, said air conditioning would cause the ducts -- which are above the ceilings -- to form condensation and the water would leak through the ceiling.
Noble made it clear she was peeved.
"Now we find another faux pas by another construction company that's costing this town a million dollars," she said.
Other councilors, like Ron Gambardella, asked about the timing of the a/c installation. If it would interfere with classes. If it would cost more if work was done in the evening. In order to get to the ducts to insulate them, ceilings have to be removed. BL Companies in Meriden is poised to get the job.
Despite all the questions and comments, the motion sailed through the council unanimously. Making children learn under intolerable temps is not a good idea, all agreed.
Also approved unanimously last night was a $6,335, 12-month maintenance contract for Fuel Master, the company that gasses up town vehicles. And the sale of the old Johnson Building on lower Dixwell Avenue got all yes votes. Mutual Housing Association of South Central Connecticut will pay the town $335,000 for the blighted property, to develop affordable apartments for artists, a gallery and retail spaces (see "Making A Lot Out of Nothing," HDN, Sept. 27, 2005).
"This is obviously a project that has a lot
of neighborhood support, and will protect Hamden architecture,"
endorsed Council Prez Al Gorman.
October 3, 2005
By Sharon Bass
Thirty-seven local candidates will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Two are going for the top job (unless Democratic Mayor Amento, who lost the primary, decides to run as a Green). Four Democrats and four Republicans are going for the six at-large council seats. Nine Dems, nine Repubs, one Green and one Independent are slugging it out for the legislative council districts. Four Dems and two Repubs are running for Board of Education seats, which they're all certain to get as there are six open slots. And Town Clerk Vera Morrison, a D with a cross-endorsement, is the only one on her ticket.
Obviously, some candidates, like Morrison, don't need much campaign assistance. Same with the shoo-in BOE contenders. But in certain races, candidates are relying on managers to succeed.
'Seth And I Have Been Friends Since High School'
In the 1st District, Democratic incumbent Matt Fitch is using the services of Seth Rosenthal, 39, a Democratic Town Committee member from the 9th District, to retain his seat against Republican Quinnipiac student Brittany Sanders.
"Seth and I have been friends since high school. He was also in charge of Craig Henrici's extremely successful get-out-the-vote operation for the primary," Fitch wrote in an e-mail response. (The Hamden Daily News e-mailed all candidates to find out who's running their campaigns, however not all replied.)
Fitch continued, "I'm used to being a campaign manager a lot more than being a candidate and sometimes it's hard to keep perspective. I'm lucky in that I can always count on Seth, Joe McDonagh (DTC chair) and (state Rep.) Brendan Sharkey to be great sounding boards."
Sanders' campaign manager is Mike Vitali.
"Mike is a political science major and history minor at Quinnipiac University," wrote Sanders. "He is originally from Wallingford, and has been involved in politics since 2000. He has worked on many state Senate and municipal campaigns in Connecticut. He also completed the Presidential Public Service Fellowship this summer in Hamden's Economic Development Office. He is the national correspondent to the college Republicans for the Quinnipiac University Republican Club, and is extremely active within the Hamden Republicans."
Democrat John Flanagan, a former town councilor, and Republican Hamden police Sgt. Gabe Lupo are decking it out for the 2nd District. Flanagan said he doesn't need any help. He's going solo. BOE candidate Austin Cesare is Lupo's manager.
On 3rd it's incumbent Berita Rowe, D, versus Jennifer Cutrali, R.
"My campaign manager is Jerry Migliaro," Rowe wrote.
Cutrali had a little more to say. "Sandra Brown is (my) campaign manager. Sandra is a 3rd District resident as well and a Yale University employee. Sandra graduated in 2002 from La Salle University, Philadelphia, with a bachelor of arts degree in English and minor in business administration. Sandra is currently the chairwoman of the Hamden Republicans Volunteer and Recruitment Sub Committee. She is also a parishioner of the Kingdom Life Church in Milford, and media ministry coordinator of Media Duplication, Special Teams, and an English tutor for Kingdom Life Resource Center."
There's a three-way race for the 4th District seat: Dem Gretchen Callahan, Repub attorney Chris Pappas and Independent Jim Jalowiec. Only Callahan responded to the query.
"So far I have been managing my own campaign. I have a number of people that will help if I need it, but so far I am OK," she wrote.
Willie Mewborn, D, Henry Platt, R, and Kelly McCarthy, G (as in Green Party), are also in a three-way for the 5th District.
"I'm pretty much it. At least for now. We search for God's love in his word, in his world and in his children. May his love abide with you now and always. Amen," were Platt's words.
From McCarthy: "My campaign manager, Mark Sanders, 45, has been involved in 5th District affairs since he moved to central Whitneyville more than seven years ago. Mark has been a member of the Whitneyville Civic Association's executive board for over five years, is a member of the town's Farmington Canal Commission and serves on the Vestry at New Haven's St. John's Episcopal Church.
"A graduate of Occidental College and the Columbia University School of Law, he is a practicing attorney and has been involved with independent and third-party politics since his days in college," continued McCarthy. "Mark is married, has three children, and in addition to all of his day-to-day obligations, he is incredibly dedicated to working the long hours that a grassroots campaign, such as this one, requires. Southern Hamden and I are truly fortunate to have such an amazing individual working for our benefit."
'He's Also My Uncle'
Going for the 6th are Democratic at-large councilor Curt Leng and Republican Ira Caplan, a Milford schoolteacher.
Leng named Scott Harris and David Huston as his managers.
"I met Scott through the Young Democrats of Greater New Haven.
He is a young, but experienced campaign man. He worked on (state
Rep.) Cam Staples' campaign, and managed an alderman campaign in
New Haven that achieved the highest vote total for the district
in city history," Leng wrote. "He is a great asset to
the campaign. He's writing a book on how to defeat the Republican
Congress in 2006. He's already got pre-approval from a subsidiary
of Random House, I think. He was also a player with a countrywide
movement to halt Bush's Social Security privatization plan."
About Huston, Leng said, "Dave has been involved with my campaigns
from the very first run that I had in 1995. He's also my uncle.
With him on my team, we've won five out of the six campaigns that
I have been involved in. He is a Democratic Town Committee member
and a past co-chairman of the State Street Neighborhood Revitalization
Zone, and a member of the State Street Advisory Board that the town
put together for the Municipal Development Plan."
Caplan said his manager is "Risa Ann Caplan. She's a professional mommy of our 2-year-old daughter, Stephanie. Risa, a registered Democrat, is actively working to get her husband -- that would be me -- elected. When she's not being a mom, she does some volunteering at our synagogue, Temple Beth Shalom."
Democrat Michael Colaiacovo Jr., who took Deputy Police Chief Jack Kennelly's 7th District council seat this August (after it was announced Kennelly would become chief when Bob Nolan retires in November), will face Republican volunteer firefighter Victor Mitchell. Neither man replied to the HDN e-mail.
For the 8th District, there's D Michael Germano against R former Fire Chief Tim Sullivan.
"My campaign manager is Ricky Baltimore. Ricky has been involved in local Connecticut politics on and off for around 10 years," responded Germano. "He was assistant to the first selectman of Orange for a while, and has volunteered on numerous campaigns ranging from mayoral to senatorial. More recently, he was my campaign manager in 2003. He graduated Quinnipiac University with a bachelor's in political science and currently works at The Hartford as a complex claims adjuster."
Sullivan wrote: "I'm managing my own campaign. Thanks for the inquiry."
'I Am My Own Manager'
It's incumbent Bob Westervelt (Dem) versus Anne Balogh (Repub) for the 9th. Heard nothing from Westervelt. But Baloug replied
"I do not have a campaign manager," she said. "I checked with David Bouvier, he was on the council for this district for at least two maybe three terms, and he said he never had a campaign manager. I am my own manager."
Craig Henrici, who won the hotly contested Democratic mayoral primary in June, will run against Republican Dick Reilly. Fitch is Henrici's manager.
And Fitch did the talking. "Craig and I first sat down and talked about the campaign the day before Thanksgiving last year, and I ended up signing on as his campaign manager in February. It's been great," said Fitch. Also on the campaign team are Gloria Sandillo, Dan Kops, Bob Aceto, Elliott Kerzner and Mike D'Andrea.
"My campaign manager's name is John Lang of Hamden. He is a retired vice president of a major insurance company," wrote Reilly.
Also running Nov. 8 are at-large candidates, Democrats Al Gorman (incumbent and council prez), Carol Noble (8th District councilor), Kath Schomaker and Jim Pascarella; and Republicans Chris LaTorraca (2nd District councilor), Ronald Gambardella (incumbent), Betty Wetmore (incumbent) and Lenny Caplan (former BOE member).
For the BOE are Democratic incumbents Michael Dolan, John Keegan, Myron Hul and Valarie Stone; and Republicans Austin Cesare and Edward Sullivan.
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